"Are you sure you're okay? I mean, I don't want to sound worried, but you seem more nervous than you were when we at my parents' house..." Fluttershy said.
If you keep asking if I'm nervous, I'm going to scream. "No, no, I'm fine. It's cool. They already know you, right? We've been friends since forever! They like you! There's nothing to worry about!" Dash's heart rate was up in the pre-race levels.
Dash didn't even quite get to the door when it opened. Her father stood there, smiling. "Dashie! Welcome home! It's been to long!" he scooped her up in a hug.
"Hi, dad." Dash tried to squirm out of his embrace, while Fluttershy giggled.
"Hello, Fluttershy!" said dash's mother from behind the doorway.
"Hello Mrs Dash," Fluttershy responded.
"Ugh, don't call me that. I just got ma'amed at the grocery store this morning and now I'm Mrs. Dash." Dash's mother frowned a bit. Fluttershy did notice the wrinkles it formed in her face.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to offend you! You look great, by the way! What shampoo do you use?"
Dash's mother gave Fluttershy an indulgent look. "Thank you, dear. Now come inside, please."
They went into the kitchen and took seats at the table. There was already a salad prepared; Mrs. Dash never missed an opportunity to feed guests. Or family. Or complete strangers.
They ate in silence for a little while, enjoying the meal. After a bit, Dash's father asked "So what brings you two to Cloudsdale? I know you both love living in Ponyville even if you can't make me understand it."
"Well, actually, I... kinda have and announcement to make." Dash couldn't quite meet her parents' eyes. "I... I've... I've found a special somepony. A... very special somepony."
Both of Dash's parents' eyebrows raised at the same time, and the same amount. Fluttershy thought that was adorable, that two ponies could grow to be so similar.
"Er... who is it?" Mrs. Dash asked. Her eyes flicked about.
"I know this isn't traditional, and I know there will be problems, but... well, it's a mare." Dash said. "It's... it's Fluttershy."
Fluttershy would have shrunk down at the sudden attention if 'shrunk down' wasn't her default state.
There was silence in the house for about half a minute. Dash's mother reached into her purse, pulled out five bits, and slid them across the table to her father.
Dash gave a smile and settled down on the couch, grabbing the latest Daring Do comic book (well, technically, it was a graphic novel but the fast flier hated calling it something so nerdy), in anticipation to figure out how exactly her favorite heroine would defeat The Sapphire Serpent. Fluttershy was outside, as usual, tending to her animal friends and on this Spring day, it was perfect for lazing about in the more wild pegasus's mind.
... However, the moment she opened the paperback, she was met with torn pages and bits and pieces of how the daring pegasus mare defeated the villain that everypony loved to hate.
"Wha-wha-what?!" Dash shrieked, flipping through the book.
Each and every page was torn and destroyed to nothing but shreds! ...And it only took seconds for the rainbow-maned mare to figure out who had done such a heinous crime to her new fanmare treasure.
Fuming, Rainbow got up and trudged outside into the perfect weather (courtesy of her expert manning of the Weather Team), heading straight for a certain somebunny, waving her destroyed 'comic' about.
"C'mere, you!" she growled, chasing after the rabbit who frantically began hopping away - straight to his beloved owner.
"Oh-no you don't!" Dash spat, speeding over to Angel, who moved away just in the nick of time, causing the pegasus who was flying at an insane speed to smash right into the chicken coop - which in turn meant many frantic hens running about like mad, completely and utterly startled.
"Dashie?" a soft voice murmured, and soon, Fluttershy was in Rainbow's fuddled gaze. "Oh my. Are you alright?" Letting out a light growl, the fast flier glared across the way at the innocent-looking bunny rabbit now standing the door of the cottage.
"Flutters, answer me something." Dash grumbled. "Why did you name that little devil something so ironic?"
Noticing her marefriend's destroyed book and glancing at her (favorite) pet, Fluttershy couldn't help but smile and let out a light giggle. "Maybe it's because he reminds me of my other angel." she whispered, leaning forward and lightly kissing Rainbow Dash on the cheek.
Stale coffee and cigarettes, the breakfast of champions. That was at least the opinion of Rainbow Dash, P.I.
A cyan ear twitched in frustration. The broken down ceiling fan above her desk - in the course of its feeble attempt to move the oppressively warm air in the office - was blowing directly on her rainbow mane, plastering the crop of hair to her forehead. This left Dash with an impossible choice: look cool or be cooled.
She puffed out a sigh and resigned herself to having her bangs obscure her vision. It was entirely too stuffy and hot, plus Dash was without a good reason to worry about her appearance.
Unfortunately that good reason saw fit to make itself known, taking the form of a pink maned pegasus. She had entered the room so quietly the gum-hoof hadn't even noticed, but when she noticed, boy did she notice.
She had eyes the color of sea on a summer day, and only about half as watery. Her legs went on for days and ended in the kind of curves that could make a bad decision seem like a holy command from Celestial herself. Her long bubblegum pink mane hung about her face, and radiated a floral fragrance that cut though the acrid scents of Dash's office.
"Ms. Dash... My name is Fluttershy...." Her voice was barely a whisper, but it carried with it a breathiness that made Rainbow sit up a little straighter. "I think I need your help..."
It had been yet another late night, which Rainbow Dash knew of all too well. She'd been working overtime quite a bit with the weather team, considering that they had to prepare for storm season. She practically dragged her exhausted body along the ground, too tired to even use her wings at this point. Her body ached and screamed, begging for relief, and her legs stung. All she wanted to do was collapse on the ground and go to sleep, but that would do her no good. Besides, she was just some ways off from Fluttershy's cottage. She couldn't give up now. Not when she was this close.
Not many knew this, but Fluttershy's cottage and all it had to offer was her own little sanctuary. If there was one place where she knew she could kick back and relax, it was definitely there. She smiled to herself a bit, a sense of relief flooding over her. Finally making it to the front door, Rainbow knocked gently. To her relief, the lights were still on, indicating that Fluttershy was still up. Moments later, the door opened, revealing the pegasus in question.
"Rainbow!" Fluttershy beamed, greeting her with a loving kiss. "Hi! I missed you!"
Blushing quite a bit, ignoring how tired she felt, Rainbow smiled goofily. "Hey, 'Shy. Mind if I...uh...crash here tonight? Your place was closer."
Nodding, the creamy yellow pegasus brought her inside, closing the door behind her. "Of course you can, Dashie. You know you're always welcome here. Why don't you go upstairs? I was just about to head to bed, anyway."
Rainbow smiled, nuzzling her in thanks before she ascended the stairs. She could hear Fluttershy tending to some last minute things down below, offering a soothing sound of company. Yawning, the cyan mare trotted over to the bed, climbing up onto it; all but collapsing onto the soft mattress. Sighing in contentment, Rainbow made herself comfortable, completely spent. She wanted to just go to sleep, but already, her tired body, while relaxing, refused to let her.
Some time later, she heard Fluttershy quietly coming up, turning off the lights as she went. Rainbow felt herself smile as the weight of the mattress sunk in as the creamy yellow mare got into bed with her. Before she could do anything else, Fluttershy scooted up behind her, and placed her foreleg around her middle. Rainbow blushed, smiling widely.
Normally, she herself was the big spoon, always there to hold and protect her beloved. But sometimes, Rainbow was perfectly content with being the little spoon. Fluttershy just had such a way to make the switch-around feel natural and a wonderful alternative. She just had a way of making her relax, unwind and feel so...peaceful.
"Have a good sleep, my pretty rainbow..." Fluttershy whispered into her ear, kissing her cheek. "You must be so tired... it's okay, though. You're here with me, now... Sleep, my love..."
Comforted, so lulled by Fluttershy's sweet, soothing voice, Rainbow closed her eyes. She could think of no better place to be than right here, with the pony she loved, lulling her to sleep. The warmth and comfort of Fluttershy's body against her own relaxed her, bringing her into a state of relaxed euphoria.
"Thanks, Fluttershy...'night..." Was all she said before she was beginning to drift off.
By many ponies standards, today was a beautiful day, even if they were a dime in a dozen. For Twilight who blissfully cantered towards the library she couldn't have asked for a better day to sit back and delve into her studies. Most would laugh at the thought of hitting the books on a day like this, but Twilight had always found herself in a better mind set when the sun was shining. Her pleasant mood was very soon interrupted by the hushed whispers of a certain pink pony.
“Pssssst, Twilight.” The lavender mare stopped dead in her tracks. ”Twilight, over here.” Hiding behind a cart on the side of the road was Pinkie, waving furiously at her and gesturing to get over there quickly.
Twilight had to admit she was curious, especially when Pinkie was being all mysterious and secretive, which could mean a number of things. “Pinkie? What are you-“
“Shhhh! There’s not time to explain, just get behind here!” Pinkie grabbed Twilight by the hoof and pulled her swiftly behind the cart and out of view, electing a small yelp from the unfortunate mare. “Shhhh! You’ll blow our cover.”
“Ow! Cover? What cover? What are we-“ Pinkie slapped a fake mustache onto Twilight's face. “Why am I wearing this?” “It’s a disguise, duh. So they don’t recognize you.” Pinkie stuck out her tongue for emphasis and gestured over to the tables over by the café.
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. This is completely- oh.” Pocking her head around the corner, sitting happily at a table for two, was Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. This already raised many questions in Twilight's head. “What are they doi-“
“Shhhh!” Pinkie shoved her hoof into Twilight's mouth. “They’re about to say something.” From the distance they could see Dash moving her mouth and speaking but they were too far away to make any of it out.
“We can’t even hear from this distance. Care to explain why you’re spending your day spying on our friends having lunch together?”
“They’re not having lunch, they’re on a date.”
“Well okay, but- what!?”
“Shhhhh!”
“Sorry, but why in Equestria would Rainbow Dash of all ponies go out with Fluttershy? That doesn't make any sense. You're having me on.”
Pinkie raised an eyebrow at Twilight's accusation. “On no no no silly, they’re definitely on a date. Didn't you see the way Fluttershy’s all like checking her out and how Dash is all like lovey dovey face? They are totally on a date.”
“You're seeing things Pinkie. Fluttershy would never date her best friend, she’s just too… Fluttershy. It doesn't make sense.”
Pinkie patted her deluded friend on the back. “Oh Twi Twi, ever so logical aren't we. Why can’t you just be a bit more open minded about this and not think about it so much?”
“Because they are not on a date! They’re just very good friends that take each other out for lunch. And for your information I am a very open minded po-“
Pinkie wasn't paying attention to anything she had said, she seemed to be looking across at Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash’s table with a rather large grin. Twilight turned to look at what had Pinkie so giddy only to be baffled out of her mind. Rainbow Dash and leaned over and engaged Fluttershy in a passionate and rather long kiss. It was getting rather heated as both members seems to be getting into the swing of things. Dash seemed to melt into the sweetness of Fluttershy’s lips while keeping in an almost clunky rhythm. Twilight’s face lit up like a Christmas tree, flushing with deep shades of crimson as she watched her two best friends lock lips.
“Dawww, isn't that just so adorable?” Pinkie cooed up her face and made a rather cute squee.
Twilight didn't respond, still partly stunned from the initial shock and still wearing the mustache Pinkie had slapped on earlier. Pinkie just about burst into giggles looking at her. “You should see your face, Twilight.”
Scootaloo burst in through the front door, as was her habit. The bang sounded off to Fluttershy, however, and that got her attention.
"Scootaloo? Is that you?"
"Uh, yeah, it's me. Um, do we have any bandages?" Scootaloo called, her voice a little raspy.
Fluttershy turned to look and screamed (quietly) in horror. Blood was all over Scootaloo's face, forcing her to keep one eye closed. She also had bleeding scrapes on her knees and trunk, and her wings were an absolute mess. "What happened!? Who did this to you? Was it a bully? A bear? A TIMBERWOLF!?"
"Relax, relax, I just fell off a ramp!"
"You were on your scooter?" Fluttershy's eyes weren't quite so wide now. She flew over to the cabinet where the first aid supplies were kept.
"Um, yeah, aren't I always?" the younger filly gave a little chuckle, but it died off quickly. Because Fluttershy wasn't in mother bear mode any more. She was in angry mom mode now.
"You were on your scooter without your helmet on?" It both was and was not a question. Fluttershy was not smiling. She began applying antiseptic without her usual gentleness.
"Um, it fell off?" the orange filly lied. It didn't work.
"What have I told you about wearing your helmet?" Fluttershy asked.
"Always wear my helmet when I'm on my scooter," the bloodied filly recited.
"ALWAYS when you're on your scooter!" the older pegasus scolded. "You could have been concussed, you could have gotten a fracture, you could have been killed! Where do get the idea that this sort of behavior is acceptable!?"
Rainbow Dash walked in the door. "Um, hey Flutters, do we, um, have any wing splints?"
Whoever said ‘absence made the heart grow fonder’ was full of grade-A horsechips.
Rainbow Dash paced the dressing room, her hooves threatening to wear a path in the dense cloud carpet. She stopped for a moment to rub an idle hoof at her form fitting uniform, its elastic fabric seemed to be making her coat itch.
It was no good. Her hooves couldn’t get the job done and the itch only seemed to spread. She began to pick at the yellow and blue uniform with her teeth, growling in frustration as she failed to find relief.
“Something on your mind, probie?” Spitfire called across the room to the newest probationary member of the Wonderbolts, who now appeared to be attempting to consume her jumpsuit.
“Just… got…an…itch…” Rainbow managed in between the increasingly furious attempts at sating the now all consuming sense of physical discomfort. She let out a final groan of frustration and threw herself back-first onto the carpet.
“Uh huh,” Spitfire responded flatly, her tone dripping with skepticism. “Let me guess: got a special somepony back home?”
The cyan flyer trained her eyes on the ceiling. At Spitfire’s words, a vision of her gentle marefriend danced before her eyes. The way those aquamarine eyes had brimmed with tears as Rainbow left for her first tour still caused Dash’s heart to constrict in grief. But there had been such joy in those eyes too. Fluttershy had felt genuine happiness for Rainbow’s dream come true. Sometimes she wondered if the situation had been reversed, would she have been able to say the same.
“Yeah…” Dash replied, the feeling of discomfort slowly ebbing as she replied. “I, well… I miss her pretty bad. She comes to whatever shows she can, but she has responsibilities too and all.”
“I know the feeling, first few tours were pretty rough on one of my relationships,” Spitfire offered sympathetically.
“What happened?” Dash asked quickly, sitting up and casting an anxious gaze to her senior team member.
“Well,” Spitfire looked away. “We split up.”
“W- what!?” Dash spluttered.
“It’s not like we were that serious,” Spitfire back-peddled.
“Well, that’s not gonna be me and Flutters, okay!” Dash’s voice carried every bit of righteous indignation she could manage.
A tension filled silence settled between the two flyers.
Slowly Dash began to sag, as if a weight had been placed about her shoulders.
“Not if you don’t let it,” Spitfire intoned with a kind smile. “We, my old coltfriend and I, we never really worked hard to keep our connection strong. We drifted apart. You get out what you put into your relationship, especially in more stressful times. If that marefriend of yours has made it out to some shows she’s already doing better than that stallion I used to run with.”
“Yeah…” Rainbow said as she began to perk up. “Yeah! Me and Flutters aren't gonna call it quits for anything. Together forever!”
Somehow, despite all the worries, she knew the simple mantra was true.
Sighing heavily, Rainbow Dash impatiently tapped her pencil against her homework papers. The math problems scrawled all over some of them just seemed to be mocking her. She ran a hand through her rainbow hair, trying hard to concentrate, but to no avail. Everything she tried to do just ended up failing miserably.
On her bed was Fluttershy, who was laying on her stomach and reading a book for English class. She didn't say much of anything in the past while, she just simply lay there, occasionally swinging her legs. Every so often, Rainbow would look at her, just observing her. If nothing else, at least having her girlfriend around made her feel a bit better.
Not only had it been a tough day, but a tough week. And it was only Thursday! She looked forward to tomorrow, the best day of the school week. But for now, she had to finish up her stupid, stupid homework. Why did they even have homework, anyway? Rainbow never understood it.
Caught up in TRYING to figure out the stupid math in front of her, she didn't even notice Fluttershy getting up. Even if she had, she didn't pay much mind to it.
Having likely read the word problem a dozen times, Rainbow skipped it and tried another one. Nothing was making sense to her, it felt as if she were reading in a foreign language. Math always seemed to have a way to make you feel stupid when you had absolutely no idea what you were doing.
A pair of hands suddenly came onto her shoulders, gently rubbing them. Rainbow Dash jolted with a start, just now registering that Fluttershy had come behind her and was now massaging her shoulders.
"F-Fluttershy? What are you doing?!"
"You seemed so stressed, Dashie..." Fluttershy's sweet voice spoke into her ear. "I just want to help you to relax. Why don't you take a break?"
Blushing a bit, Rainbow wanted nothing more than to just take a break and make out with Fluttershy for a while. But her homework practically glared daggers at her, demanding that she give it her full attention.
"I can't, Flutters. I gotta do this stupid homework."
"Oh, come on... The world isn't going to end if you put it off for a little bit." Fluttershy was clearly pouting, despite that Rainbow couldn't see. She didn't cease rubbing her shoulders, either.
"Mmm..." The prismatic-haired girl tried not to melt in the relaxing sensation of Fluttershy's well-to-do massaging. She tried pulling away, only to see that it was pointless, since she was in a chair. "Fluttershy, come on, I gotta finish this."
Not only did the rosette refuse to let up, but she brought her arms around her neck and shoulders from behind. "But I miss you, Dashie... You've been so busy and stressed with your homework and your practices; all to the point of being exhausted, having no time for your friends. That's not fair to you at all, is it? Take a little break, you'll be able to try again with a much fresher head if you just relax." Fluttershy cooed, kissing her cheek.
Rainbow squirmed a bit, but made no further movement of protest. "C'mon, Fluttershy...you're not playing fair..."
Giggling, Fluttershy kissed her other cheek sweetly. "How can I when my amazing, awesome, loyal, sexy, and beautiful girlfriend isn't paying any attention to me? We're not at school, we can just be together, and not have to find a place to hide... Is it so wrong that I want to snuggle with the girl I love?"
"No...." Rainbow murmured, nuzzling her head against Fluttershy's. "Believe me, pal, I want to throw you down onto my bed, then kiss and snuggle you like there's no tomorrow."
Releasing her, Fluttershy came around to the front of the desk, leaning over. Just enough that there was a tantalizing view of her cleavage. Rainbow turned pink and gulped. There was just no stopping Fluttershy in moments like this. And she'd be lying if she said she wasn't turned on by that.
"Well...I'm right here... Kiss me, Dashie... Ravish me..." Fluttershy cooed suggestively.
That did it.
Rainbow abruptly stood from her desk, nearly knocking her chair over, and came around to Fluttershy's side. She took hold of her giggling, grinning girlfriend, and playfully tossed her onto the bed. She then crawled over her, towering over Fluttershy's trembling form, and smirked.
"You're gonna be the end of me, Flutters..." Rainbow purred.
"Just as you're the end of me." Fluttershy smiled, and then pulled her down into a kiss.
The prismatic-haired girl all too happily partook in making out with her love, all the while her neglected homework remained on the desk. But she didn't care, not when she had to do some make up making out. Homework could suck it.
The whole damn week had been hectic. Practice. Show. Get yelled at. Sleep. Repeat. Surprisingly, those four things can take a major toll on a pony - mainly if they're one of the most famous ones in all of Equestria. The rookie Wonderbolt who got in with not luck but her spectacular talent. That meant she had to live up to her potential and then some. Rainbow Dash was more than tired, she was literally like a living zombpony.
"Dash!"
"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!" the rainbow-maned mare yelled on cue, saluting a hoof - although the chuckle beside her alerted that she wasn't in practice at the moment. "Hey..."
"Just testing ya, RD." Spitfire laughed, tossing her glasses off and onto the table. "Wanted to make sure you weren't dead." Letting out a sigh, Rainbow looked down in her coffee - the only thing that would keep her active. "That obvious?"
"We're all that way." the Captain replied with a nonchalant shrug as she gulped down nearly half of her own caffeinated drink that consisted of multiple shots of sugar, just for an extra boost. "You get used to it." She raised her glass and laughed.
"Thank Celestia for coffee, eh?"
Rainbow Dash managed a weak chuckle and smirked, clanking her mug against Spitfire's in a playful toast.
"Yeah, and thank her twice we're gonna get a break from all of this crap in a week." the fire-maned mare sighed.
The cyan pegasus's expression screwed up in confusion and she gaped. "The season's almost over already?" she questioned in disbelief. Wasn't it just yesterday that she had her first show?
"Yup." Spitfire murmured, looking into her now empty cup. "I'm getting a refill. You want anything?"
Rainbow Dash shook her head and knit her eyebrows, thinking hard. The date of the season finale would be the same day as...
***
"It sure is a shame that Rainbow Dash isn't here for your second anniversary, Fluttershy." Twilight Sparkle said sympathetically to the timid pegasus across the way from her. "I'm positive she'll make it up to you, though, don't worry."
"Oh, I'm not." Fluttershy replied in her usual shy and quiet manner as she took a sip of her chamomile tea. "She has a very busy life - I can't expect her to drop everything for me, you know."
"Hmm, true." the alicorn princess mused, with a simple shrug. "Nonetheless, though, relationships should work out, no matter what the circumstances," She paused for a moment and let out a giggle. "Or, at least that's what I've read in books."
The two friends shared a laugh only before a *crash* was heard and a blur of rainbow flew into the room, tackling Fluttershy from her seat - causing the shy pegasus to let out a loud *eep* of sudden fright.
"Happy anniversary, Flutters!" Rainbow Dash beamed, with a laugh as she noticed her marefriend's expression switch from fear to shock to pure joy.
"Dashie?" Fluttershy murmured. "But... I thought the Wonderbolts tour..."
"It ended early." Dash responded with a smirk. "Either way, I woulda skipped practice for you."
Smiling wide, the yellow mare giggled and wrapped her hooves around her lover's neck, pulling her in for a passionate kiss.
"I can't even live in a castle without you breaking and entering, can I?" Twilight said blandly as she glared at the Wonderbolt - who was too preoccupied in making out with Fluttershy on the linoleum floor. "Uh, never mind."
Rainbow Dash found herself enjoying her third nap of the day, this time of a comfortable cirrus cloud. As she continued to relax peacefully, the quiet of the afternoon was shattered by a scream.
“Help!” Came a voice that was familiar to Rainbow, but not at the volume coming from the pony it belonged to.
Wait… is that Fluttershy? Rainbow asked herself, clearly confused.
Realizing that something was amiss, Rainbow Dash flew from her cloud at her usual break-neck speed in the direction the scream came from. Again she heard Fluttershy’s cry for help as it grew louder, indicating to Rainbow that she was quickly approaching. Rainbow Dash the came upon a tree, one of the tallest in Sweet Apple Acres, where at the top, a visibly shaking Fluttershy was clutching onto a limb for safety.
Rainbow, now even more confused, looked around for any sort of monster or evil pony that should have been terrorizing her, but found nothing.
“Umm, Fluttershy, what are you doing?”
Fluttershy, who had kept her eyes tightly shut up to that point, opened them upon realizing she was no longer alone. “Oh, well I was helping my squirrel friends with their dance routine, but then I looked down and realized how high up I was and got scared,” Fluttershy explained.
Rainbow fought the urge to groan at her friend’s skittishness, but then something in her mind clicked.
“But wait Fluttershy, I thought you only had squirrel dance lessons on Tuesdays,” she said as she narrowed her eyes.
A look of panic descended on Fluttershy’s face, realizing she had misspoke. “Oh well umm with the Whitetail Wood Dance Off coming up, they needed extra practice,” she said, wearing an obviously fake grin that rivaled Applejack’s.
Rainbow Dash however unconvinced, merely giving the other pegasus a deadpan look. Fluttershy then sighed, let go of the tree, and hovered in midair. “Oh alright, I wasn’t really stuck in the tree. I just wanted you to think I was.” “But why?” Rainbow asked.
“Because, I wanted you to come to my rescue, so I thought if I pretended to be in trouble, you’d come and save me,” said Fluttershy, on the verge of tears.
Rainbow however, went to her and scooped her up in her forelegs. “Well, I can understand that, I mean I am the most awesome superhero ever, makes sense you’d try some crazy scheme to get my attention. But Fluttershy, you don’t need to try anything, for you, I’ll always have time.”
Now blushing, Fluttershy merely kissed Rainbow on the cheek, and said quietly, “My heroine.”
Rainbow Dash, now blushing as much as Fluttershy, merely gave a small laugh and said, “Heh, thanks, umm is it hot around here or is it just me?”
Rainbow Dash wiped the sweat off her forehead and let out a long sigh. Fluttershy was stumbling next to her, sharing a similar expression of exhaustion and weariness. At last they came to their destination, the small natural pond in the middle of the fields--and nopony else was there to hog it from them. Leaping into action, Rainbow Dash dove head first into the water, almost starting her marefriend.
After letting out an exasperated sigh of relief, Rainbow Dash laid back in the refreshing water. "Hey, what are you waiting for? Jump in!" she called out to Fluttershy.
"But... I never learned how to swim!" the yellow pegasus admitted as she let herself sink in the water only up to her neck. Rainbow Dash groaned but suddenly she had an idea. She swam underwater and propelled herself close to the proximity of her marefriend. Suddenly, she emerged from the waters and pulled a shrieking Fluttershy in with her.
"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy cried out, trying to escape out of the deep center.
Using her hind legs to keep herself balanced in the water, Rainbow Dash held onto the squiring figure in her forehooves. "Hey, hey! It's okay, Flutters. I've got you," she cooed.
Fluttershy slowly stopped fighting and took a glance at her lover's face. Her eyes widened as she a noticed a different looking Rainbow Dash with a wet mane and coat in her view. Struck in awe, she could only blush at this new look she immediately fell in love with.
"Oh, um... I did knock, but I didn't want to be too loud."
"Fluttershy, just get out of here!"
The yellow pegasus closed the door and walked closer to Scootaloo's bed. "Come on, Scoot. If there's something I should know about, I can help you as your friend."
Scootaloo huffed. "I was happening to be enjoying myself before you walked in," the pegasus teen uttered with a harsh bite.
Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. "Oh... but you were grunting and moaning like you were frustrated or maybe sick. Not to mention, you're sweating and-"
A realization abruptly came to Fluttershy and the pegasus narrowed her eyes as she looked to her roommate's bed. "Scootaloo... what's under the pillow?"
Scootaloo wiped a bead of sweat from under her brow and chuckled nervously. "Well, you see... um... BYE!" With that, the orange mare bolted out the open window.
Not having any time to try to stop her, Fluttershy sighed and trotted over to Scootaloo's pillow. Lifting it with her mouth, Fluttershy dropped said pillow in shock of what she saw.
It was this month's "Wet Feathers" issue of Storm Magazine, a stallion's interest magazine, and on the cover was the latest rookie of the Wonderbolts, Rainbow Dash. The cyan pegasus was crouched on her widely-spread hind legs on a beach with her back turned to the camera. Her wings were flared out to the sides and she adorned a promiscuous smirk. Her mane, fur, and tail were soaking wet, and the most intimate part of her body was only scantily clad by said wet tail.
The cream-colored mare huffed. "I told her that this was a bad idea!"
Fluttershy sighed and rolled her eyes. The pegasus lamented, "Well, if Scootaloo has a copy, then that definitely means Pinkie has one. Then there's Twilight, not to mention, Applejack, and then there's every stallion in Equestria!" The pegasus sighed again.
Cheer up, Fluttershy, a voice in Fluttershy's head said. All those ponies may have pictures and whatnot, but you'll be the only one who actually has her.
Fluttershy sighed. "I suppose... but how could I be sure of that? After all, you're just telling me what I want to hear." By the grace of dramatic convenience, a letter came through the mail slot of Fluttershy's front door. The pegasus glided to mat to see who it was from.
Rainbow Dash 1 Wonderbolts Plaza Canterlot, Equestria
"Ooh, goodie! Dashie sent me a letter." Her spirits lightened slightly, Fluttershy opened the envelope to read the message.
Fluttershy,
So yeah, the magazine came out this week. I must admit, I look pretty darned good, heh heh.
I just want you to know something. I realize that you aren't a fan of these pictures. I'm just gonna assume that by the time you're reading this, my flank is being clopped to by all the colts in the schoolyard (and Scootaloo too, I mean, let's not kid ourselves). Well, think of it like this: they may be able to lay their eyes on me, but you're the only one who can use her hooves... and toungue... OOH, and wingtips (wink-wink).
No, but seriously, these pictures I take, or interviews I do for my publicity (and the pictures are TOTALLY a one-time thing, I promise you) don't say anything about who I am. I may be giving everypony else a tease, but you are the only one in my life who gets the whole story. After all, I trust you and only you with knowing the real me.
I love you, babe. Nothing's changing that, not even fame.
I'll see you soon,
Rainbow Dash
Fluttershy smiled as she put down her lover's letter on the breakfast table. Her thoughts put at ease, the yellow pegasus cantered back to Scootaloo's room and picked up the magazine, really looking at it for the first time. Hot damn, I gotta get me one of these, She thought as she grinned deviously.
The feisty little filly held in Fluttershy's hooves, wrapped in a soft white cotton blanket with light pink butterflies sewn in, cooed and babbled - frantically looking around at her surroundings, unbeknownst to where she was and who these fellow ponies were.
"Wild like her mom." Rainbow Dash laughed, with an irreplaceable smile plastered upon her expression as she glanced down at the filly - her daughter - in awe. "Hey, kid." she whispered, tousling the rowdy pink mane of the newborn. "Nice to meet ya."
The filly blinked her big innocent blue eyes and wrinkled her nose - wondering if this pony was friend or foe. As she reached up with a hoof and tapped the rainbow-maned mare, who chuckled once more, on the snout, she had decided that it was definitely friendly and let out an adorable yet charming giggle.
"Future Wonderbolt, I'm tellin' ya." the fast flier said proudly, with a knowing smile.
This little filly was a miracle of magic and her two mothers couldn't be happier.
"Hello there, little one." Fluttershy whispered softly and her filly responded with another cute laugh - inducing a chorus of "Awww!"'s from the other mares in the room.
"Wait, wait, hold up, if you're both her mommies, then is she gonna call you both Mommy? Or would that be confusing? Oh, wait, or is she gonna call you by your first names?" Pinkie Pie rambled. "Orrrr, will you-"
"I think we get the idea, Pinkie." Twilight interrupted, rolling her eyes playfully and letting out a chuckle.
"I'm gonna be Awesomom!" Rainbow Dash declared, with a hoofpump. "Because I'm so naturally awesome, of course."
"Well," Fluttershy gave a smile as her eyes never left her child. "I always did want to be called Mommy sometime in my life."
The little sky blue filly giggled yet again and continued to squirm as her mothers and aunts continued to glance at her in awe, all gushing over how adorable she was.
"Have you decided on a name?" Rarity inquired, as the thought of making dresses for the filly immediately came to mind.
"I was thinking... Firefly."
"Spectrum!"
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy shared glances of confusion after saying their completely different name choices in unison.
"What if... we combined the names?" the timid pegasus questioned, looking up at her wife, who thought for a moment, knitting her eyebrows and pondering over the suggestion.
"Firefly Spectrum, eh?"
The name had the beauty and elegance of nature - which was an obvious choice for Fluttershy - and also consisted of the 'coolness' and 'awesomeness' that Rainbow Dash always insisted on (for pretty much everything).
A moment of silence passed only before the rainbow-maned mare chuckled and smirked, ruffling her daughter's mane once more.
"Welcome to the world, kid."
Little Firefly Spectrum Dash could only smile and coo in response.
Rainbow Dash walked through Ponyville, looking as cool and awesome as ever. At least, to the naked eye. But inside, she was nervous and panicking, though trying hard not to show it. She was trying hard to wrap her brain about Rarity's dating advice, along with Applejack's own string of suggestions.
"Jeez..." She mumbled to herself, staring at the ground. "This whole girlfriend thing is tougher than I thought..."
But she couldn't give up. She wouldn't. Not when Fluttershy was completely worth all the effort in the world. She was not about mess this up, not for anything. Rainbow vowed not to let her past screwups and inexperience within the realm of dating hold her back.
I've gotta do something nice for Fluttershy... Now, what the hay did Rarity say I should do? Chocolates? Flowers? Yes! Flowers! Fluttershy's going to love them! She likes flowers! Who doesn't?
As if by sheer coincidence, she happened to stop by Roseluck's flower cart. Just as Rainbow was approaching the cart, she paused.
'Wait...what kind of flowers should I get? The kind she likes? Or those that symbolize all this mushy lovey-dovey stuff? How many should I get???'
Groaning, the cyan pegasus approached the cart, overlooking the display of flowers. She wasn't a flower expert, but she knew a few of the types. Cosmos, tulips, carnations, narcissus, roses, daisies, lilies, and the like. Biting her lip, she dug deep into her memories, trying to recall of Rarity had made any suggestions for the types of flowers she could get.
"Hey, Rainbow Dash!" Roseluck suddenly spoke up, looking to her with a smile. "In the mood for some flowers?"
"Huh?" Rainbow looked from Roseluck to the flowers, and shook her head. "No, not like that! I'm just...uh... getting some...for my friend, so that she can give them to her girlfriend!"
The flowery pony gave her a look, clearly unconvinced. "Yeah, you can stop using the 'I'm doing this for a friend' cover-up and just admit you're getting them for Fluttershy," she deadpanned.
Rolling her eyes, Rainbow sighed heavily, "All right, fine! Look, I just want to get Fluttershy a nice bouquet and I don't know what to get her!"
This made Roseluck smile as she indicated to a bouquet at one end of her cart. "It just so happens that I have a Couples Bouquet right here on special, since Hearts and Hooves Day is next week, and all. So, why don't you get her that? I'm sure she'd love it!"
Studying the arrangement, Rainbow Dash had to admit that it looked really nice. It consisted of lilies, bell flowers, a couple of yellow roses, red tulips, a purple cosmos, and a few other various flowers she didn't know the name of. It was even wrapped up in an ivory bow, adding to the look.
Satisfied, she bought the bouquet, and decided to head over to Fluttershy's right then.
---
Upon arrival, the cyan mare quickly spotted her love, seeing that Fluttershy was frolicking in the grass outside her cottage. A perfect opportunity for a fun entrance came to mind as Rainbow swooped down, the bouquet in her mouth, and landed on the ground; just a few feet away from the creamy yellow pegasus.
"Rainbow!" Fluttershy exclaimed, her surprise becoming a happy smile.
"Hey, Fluttershy!" Rainbow greeted, going over to her and placing the bouquet into her hooves. "This is for you! For...you know...no reason! Just because! I uh...know you like flowers...and they're pretty...so...I figured you'd like 'em...since you're pretty, too! Yeah!" She smiled sheepishly.
Giggling, Fluttershy nuzzled her as she took hold of the flowers. "Thank you, Dashie! They're beautiful!" She raised them to her snout, taking a sniff. Her brown knitted as her face scrunched a bit, especially at her snout. Before Rainbow could ask what was wrong, Fluttershy let out a soft, delicate sneeze.
"Fluttershy? Y-You okay?" Rainbow asked, a feeling of dread washing over her.
"O-Oh no...Rainbow, I'm so-achoo!-sorry!" Fluttershy handed it back to her, looking ashamed. "I-I'm....I'm allergic to some of those flowers in there...n-not all of them, but a few..."
Ears drooping, Rainbow Dash looked down to the ground in shame. "...Oh...sorry, Fluttershy..."
'You IDIOT! How could you have forgotten that?! Why didn't you ask her first about what flowers she was allergic to?! Yeah, I know that would've ruined the surprise, but at least you wouldn't have ruined things! You're the worst girlfriend ever!'
Sighing, she placed it onto her back, deciding to eat them later. Turning to go, she couldn't even look at the shy pony. "I'll just go..."
"Why?!" Fluttershy whimpered, coming around to face her. "Rainbow, why are you leaving? I'm not angry... You don't have to be sad..."
"No, you just don't get it! I should've known better, Fluttershy! You're my best friend, and my girlfriend now! I should pay more attention, I should realize these things! But all I ever do in relationships is screw them up somehow!" Rainbow half-yelled, more at herself than at Fluttershy. "How can I even be a good marefriend to you if I can't even give you the right flowers?"
"...Rainbow..." Fluttershy came closer and hugged her, nuzzling into her mane. "Please don't say that. It's not true. Allergies can develop at random times, and I didn't even really ever say what I was allergic to, at least in terms of flowers. I didn't expect you to know something I might not have even told you. It was an honest mistake, and it doesn't reflect how bad of a girlfriend you are."
"...Really?" The cyan pegasus managed, hesitantly bringing a hoof around her back.
"Of course." Fluttershy pulled back a little, giving her a gentle kiss. "I love you, Rainbow. We can work out these mistakes and learn from them. It's okay."
A happy, relieved grin overcame Rainbow's face as she hugged her lover in return. "And I love you too, Fluttershy. Thanks for that. I think I needed it."
"You're welcome. Now...why don't we go inside and have a snack of flowers? You can eat the ones I'm allergic to."
Shafts of orange sunlight drifted through the windows of the deserted classroom. Fluttershy sat alone, swinging her legs back and forth over the edge of the table. Her intention had been to stay late after her last class and kill time working on an art assignment while she waited for her girlfriend. However, two hours and a major case of inspiration block later, here Fluttershy sat with nothing to show for her time other than a pile of crumpled failed sketches.
She stared across the room at the blank canvas. It seemed to stare back at her. She had briefly considered another portrait of her beloved, but she could already tell from her class’s particularly point critiques that another painting of her rainbow-haired muse wouldn’t impress anyone.
What could she paint instead? She had run through every interest that she could muster, hoping to find inspiration.
Butterfly? Bunnies? Meadows? Forests? She could sketch out the designs easy enough, but the sketches always ended up looking too flat, too plain, too… emotionless.
She hung her head, letting her bubblegum locks fall about her face.
The door squeaked and Fluttershy looked up quickly. There standing in the doorway, wreathed in fading sunlight, was Rainbow Dash. She was covered in dirt and grass stains and still wearing her blue and gold soccer uniform, shin-guards, cleats and all.
“Hey Flutters!” Rainbow called across the room.
“Hey Dashie!” Fluttershy called back, rushing over to tackle the athlete in a crushing hug.
“Ooof… h-hey…can’t… breathe…” RD managed as she attempted to return the gesture.
“Heh, sorry, just a little bit excited I guess,” Fluttershy replied after releasing her Rainbow from her embrace.
“Yeah, just a bit,” Rainbow said with a smile and a laugh. “Hey check this out!”
Out of her gym bag she produced an embroidered patch in the shape of a ‘W’.
“It’s my varsity letter! I finally got moved up to the big leagues!” She said flashing a toothy grin.
Fluttershy gasped and reflexively embraced her girlfriend again, though perhaps a little less tightly. “Oh my gosh Dashie! That’s, that’s-”
“Awesome! I know!” The rainbow-haired girl was positively glowing. “So how was your afternoon? I feel bad making you wait for me like this.”
“Oh it’s no problem, I was just…” Fluttershy cast a dark look at the blank canvas, “…well, I was trying to do some homework…”
Rainbow followed her lover’s gaze to the blank canvas and winced. She knew how tough it could be to come up with ideas for art projects, and she had a ‘C’ in ‘Drawing I’ to prove it.
“Well, hey how about we go out for dinner together.” An idea popped into Dash’s mind quite. “There’s that new vegetarian café that you’ve been talking up.”
Fluttershy’s eyes immediately brightened. “Really? I mean… I know that’s not really your thing…”
“Hey, for all the times you ordered a crappy wedge salad while I chowed down on steak, I think I owe you.” Rainbow replied with a playful laugh and putting an arm over her girlfriend’s shoulder. “Besides, you know I can’t stand to see you down in the dumps like this.”
“I wish I could give you a letter for being such an amazing girlfriend, you deserve it!” Fluttershy giggled and gave RD an affectionate kiss on the cheek.
In that moment she decided that she didn't care what her class would say about her work, she was going to paint another portrait. Though perhaps she would try to include herself, if for no other reason than as an attempt to capture the bubbly happiness she felt in this moment.
"So...you're really okay?" Twilight asked, sipping some tea as she looked to Fluttershy curiously.
Smiling, Fluttershy nodded as she looked out the window, gazing at the rain showers outside. "Of course I am, Twilight. I admit...it wasn't easy, and it still isn't. But, I have to admit... I'm feeling a lot better about it now. I used to think it could never work, that it would ruin everything, and that I would be holding her back."
"And?" Twilight pressed.
"Well, I wait. I miss her so much, but, I can wait. Rarity gave me some advice, saying that I should occupy myself as best I can while she's gone." Fluttershy went on, sipping her tea. "And I think...it's worked so well! I go out for more walks, just to get my mind going, I spend more time with all of you, and I think... It's nice to have all this quiet freedom.
"She definitely needs this, it's her dream. It's all she's ever wanted since we were young. And I support her, I go to her performances whenever I can. She writes me letters, I write back, and we just work it out. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder..."
Twilight smiled, looking relieved. "Okay, I'm glad about that. I guess...We just got really worried when you were locking yourself in your cottage and not coming out for days."
Blushing, Fluttershy hid behind her mane a bit, laughing nervously. "I'm sorry... I-I just... I was..."
"Hey, don't worry about it." Twilight placed a hoof on her shoulder. "I can see that you've done a lot better since then, and you're even enjoying your alone time! You learned a very valuable lesson, Fluttershy."
"...I guess I have, haven't I? I just...felt bad that you guys had to actually go to Canterlot and bring her home just so I'd come out...right in the middle of practice week." Fluttershy trembled at the memory. "...She was really upset."
"Yeah, I remember..." Twilight muttered, finishing her tea.
Despite the memory, Fluttershy smiled as she too, finished her tea. "But it really helped. I've done a lot of thinking since then, and I realized what I could be doing to help myself and her. When she's gone, of course we're going to miss each other, but that doesn't mean we can't work things out, either. And I have been putting my all into being patient while she's gone. Then, when she's home, I just welcome her back with open hooves."
"That's great, Fluttershy! I'm glad you managed to work things out." The unicorn praised.
~~~~~~
The next day, Fluttershy was outside when it began to rain. She'd known, thanks to a trip in town, but it still managed to take her by surprise. Especially since she had been gathering her laundry hangings before it would. Sadly, she didn't make it, and ended up bringing in soggy sheets.
Despite that, she still enjoyed the rain. There was something so magical, so peaceful, and so warm about the rain. When it was just a regular drizzle and not a monstrous storm, Fluttershy loved every second of a rainy day. She knew the plants, animals and birds did, too, and that just made it all the more better.
"I'm singin' in the rain..." Fluttershy sang, dancing around on her hind legs, even lifting up a few feet into the air.
The cool droplets fell all around her, pelting her coat and soaking her hair, but Fluttershy didn't care. It was a wondrous feeling, it made her feel so clean. Baths were always nice, but she loved a good shower. A natural rain shower was even nicer, as it had such a charm to it.
Looking up, she caught the unmistakable sight of a rainbow streak. It couldn't be... But it was. Before she realized it, Rainbow Dash was down right in front of her, grinning widely. She was still in her Wonderbolts uniform, with her goggles now pushed up to her forehead.
"Hey, Fluttershy! They gave me some time off until tomorrow afternoon!" She said, and then blushed a little, rubbing the back of her neck ."So I...uh....couldn't help but put these babies to good use and come see ya..."
Beaming brightly, Fluttershy hugged her Wonderbolt lover and nuzzled her sweetly. "Oh, Dashie...you didn't have to do that... I could have waited another three weeks until the season was over."
"i know! I just...I missed you!" Rainbow hugged her back, tightly. "I wanted to see you, okay?" She blushed, averting her gaze. "Is that such a bad thing?!"
"Oh, Rainbow..." Fluttershy cooed, kissing her cheek. "Of course not. I missed you, too."
The two pegasi smiled at one another, not saying another word. But then again, they didn't have to. Even as the rain fell around them, they leaned in and shared a loving kiss. If there was one thing Fluttershy also loved about showers, especially rain showers...
It was when she would kiss her beloved Rainbow Dash in the rain.
Everything had been going great for Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy at the party Pinkie Pie was throwing. Not only just their friends were there at Sugarcube Corner, but also almost half of the ponies who lived in Ponyville were there for a good time.
Just after when the music was changed, Rainbow Dash had caught her marefriend doing the most unexpected of things ever.
Upon being seen by the pony she loved the most and other ponies who started to laugh, Fluttershy made a hasty escape in hope that nopony would chase after her. She was wrong. Rainbow Dash had burst from the loud confectionary and was figuratively on her tail. Swiftly, she landed in front of her lover and stopped her.
“Since when were you into metal, Fluttershy? I’ve never seen you head banging like that! Why did you run away when I saw you?” A shocked Rainbow Dash asked.
The creamy Pegasus blushed in embarrassment. “Well… umm… ever since about… a year after I moved in Ponyville,” she tried to explain.
“But why did you run away when I saw you… going hard there?” Rainbow Dash asked, slightly rephrasing her last question. Fluttershy threw her hooves around Rainbow Dash as a tear started to roll down her face. “I… I… didn’t want you to know… that I like that kind of music,” she whimpered.
“Are you kidding? I don’t care what you listen to! I think it was awesome that you were enjoying yourself there!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she returned the hug.
“R-Really? I thought-”
Rainbow Dash backed away but left a hoof resting on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “What does it matter?” she asked with a wide grin. “So what if you like it? What’s wrong with it?”
“Well, originally I got into it… because well… I would sometimes get so upset… I needed something to calm me down. I met somepony who told me all about how she dealt with anger and she recommended a bunch of stuff including music to listen to. I guess I started to grow too fond of it,” Fluttershy weakly explained.
Surprised, Rainbow Dash responded, “Well, we all get angry… even you I guess. Everypony has their own way of dealing with it but your way isn‘t wrong.”
“So, it’s okay?” Fluttershy merely asked.
“It’s more than okay!” Rainbow Dash replied, putting a hoof around her companion. “C’mon, lets get back to the party and really show everypony what we’re made of!”
"Why don't we rest here?" said Fluttershy as she lowered herself down on a lone cloud. Her friend Twilight Sparkle, who had recently become an alicorn and obtained wings, flew in close behind.
"Sure." Twilight said as she lowered herself next to the spot where Fluttershy landed. They sat down on the cloud and relaxed, chatting away.
"Are you tired?" Fluttershy abruptly asked out of nowhere.
"No, not really." Twilight replied.
"Twi....light?" Fluttershy mumbled as she collapsed onto the cloud, unconscious. Twilight was by her side in a heartbeat.
"Fluttershy?" she cried in surprise more than fear. "Fluttershy?!"
Minutes later....
"Has you seen Fluttershy and Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked Applejack.
"Yeah. They flew off around there," she pointed in the general direction, "And they've kind of been there since then." "Wait. There?" Rainbow Dash asked, worry beginning to creep into her voice.
"Yeah. Why?" Applejack asked, curious.
"Oh, no! That's where the Moribundus Clouds are!"
"The Mori-what clouds?"
"The Moribundus!"
And then Rainbow Dash tore off into the sky, searching frantically for her missing friends. She searched from cloud to cloud, growing more and more desperate. And then she saw them.
Twilight was cradling a limp Fluttershy in her arms. From a distance, Fluttershy appeared to have fallen asleep in Twilight's arms on a seemingly peaceful-looking cloud. But Rainbow Dash knew what that cloud was.
It was a Moribundus Cloud, or Deathly Cloud. They only came into Ponyville once a millenia, and they rained pure water, purer than the water found in Zeponyhills. But they were both a blessing and a curse. But only for Pegasi. They drained the life force from a pegasus, and they drained it quickly. After a pegasus's life force was completely drained, they would crumble to dust. Moribundus Clouds are extremely rare, however, most pegasi had a built-in sensor that allowed them to sense them whenever they came.
Most pegasi, except Fluttershy, it seemed. Twilight seemed fine, though. Maybe Alicorns were immune to these clouds. Rainbow Dash came as close to the cloud as she could before it started sapping away her life force.
"Twilight!!!!" Rainbow Dash screamed at the top of her lungs.
Twilight looked up, confusion and fear plastered on her face. It was at this instant that Rainbow Dash knew; Twilight had never heard of the Moribundus Clouds. Otherwise, why would she just leave Fluttershy on one?
"Oh, thank Celestia you're here, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight yelled back, some form of relief creeping into her otherwise desperate voice. "Call for help! Fluttershy's unconscious!"
"No, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash replied. "You've got to get her off the cloud before it's too late!" "What?"
"The cloud, Twilight, the cloud!" Rainbow Dash came slightly closer to the cloud in an attempt to get Twilight to hear her better. Already, at this distance, she could feel her life force slipping away slowly.
"The cloud?!" Twilight yelled, cupping a hoof to her ear to allow better hearing. "Yes! Get her off the cloud before-"
But it was too late. Fluttershy's body crumbled to dust, and then the dust scattered away into the wind. Twilight looked down at where Fluttershy laid in her arms just seconds ago, her mouth agape with confusion, disbelief. And then realization hit her, like a ton of bricks to the face. The Element of Kindness was no more.
The kidney transplant surgery went without a hitch. Both the donor and patient were now in the same room together, their beds side by side. Both were asleep, the patient unaware of the donor. Four other ponies stayed by, watching over them and talking quietly. Eventually, they soon had to leave, promising the sleeping ponies that they would return in the morning.
Doctors and nurses came and went throughout the night, check on them both. Eventually they left as well, with the room dimly lit by a lamp, as the dark of the night went on. At around 11:28, that was when the patient awakened.
Fluttershy opened her eyes, slowly. How long had she been out? Did everything go all right? Her mind was abuzz with questions, she could feel...odd. Very odd. The last thing she remembered were the surgeons assuring her that they would be okay. She'd asked who her donor was, but they said she would know when she'd wake up. Then the mask was placed over her face, and she was out before she even realized it.
Now she saw that she was in a hospital room, in the middle of the night, though she didn't know what time it was. Nopony else was in the room, she was all by herself. Strange, she was certain that doctors and her friends would be around when she'd wake up.
Disappointed, she wanted some answers. Who was her donor? Wouldn't she be able to thank them?
"H-Hey, Fluttershy..." A familiar voice sounded from her left.
Heart skipping a beat, Fluttershy slowly turned her head to the source. Much to her surprise, Rainbow Dash was lying on a hospital bed next to hers. Not just using it to sleep on, she too was a patient, in a hospital gown and everything. She looked haggard, but happy.
"R-Rainbow...? You....You were my donor?" Fluttershy squeaked, wide-eyed. "You...gave me a kidney? But...why?"
"What do you mean 'why'? I did it because I love you." Rainbow said, rolling her eyes, but smiling anyway.
Fluttershy blushed, nodding a bit. "I-I know...I just...never thought you would have... You never told me."
"Guess I wanted to surprise you," Rainbow admitted. "But when I found out that you needed a transplant, then put on the waiting list... I came here, telling them I wanted you to have my kidney. We're not related, so they had to check if we'd be a good match. Looks like I was! Come on... I had a chance to save your life, there was no way I was going to let that pass me by!"
Tears came to the creamy yellow mare's eyes, feeling touched. Her best friend, the love of her life, had just willingly gave up one of her kidneys. Just for her. So that she wouldn't have to wait for so long. She sniffled, reaching her hoof out toward Rainbow Dash. In turn, Rainbow did the same, the tips of their forehooves touching.
"Rainbow...thank you so much...Thank you... You've given me a wonderful gift... You helped save my life. I can't thank you enough, and I don't know how to repay you...but I will, I just-"
"Flutters, cool it. You don't have to pay me back." Rainbow said firmly, but was smiling. "Just...take it, okay? Take it and live. That's all I want, okay? I'm not gonna make you repay me for something like that. It's what friends do! It's what ponies in love do."
"....Okay..." Fluttershy smiled more, blowing her a kiss. "Thank you... I love you, Rainbow... I love you. I would do the same for you, in a heartbeat."
"Love you too, Flutters. Glad it worked." Rainbow murmured, blowing a kiss back.
A warm feeling of comfort overtook Fluttershy, knowing that she had great friends who always had her back. She now had a piece of Rainbow Dash within her, the very part of her that was saving her life. It was a gift she would cherish for all time, to take it well, and to make sure that the sacrifice would not be in vain.
The wedding reception was wild - in a word. Pinkie Pie and Soarin' had almost started a food fight with what was left of the cake, Applejack had turned into a drunken mess after one too many ciders and Rarity had to take her home, Twilight had gone off to find a supposedly missing Spike (although the baby dragon had just chased after the "Cutie Mark Crusader Flowerfillies!"), the DJ whatever her name was knocked over a speaker and everypony had discovered to never give Luna champagne, because the Princess of the Night had turned out to be an extreme lightweight.
Nonetheless though, through all of this chaos, two pegasi lingered in the backwoods of the gardens.
One - who was brash and wild with a blinding rainbow mane - sat back, relaxing and recovering from the show she had put on a while ago whilst the other - being shy, timid and having the kindest of souls - carefully and gently inspected and marveled over the uniqueness of the flowers and little animals.
"Hey. Flutters."
Fluttershy turned away from the delicate roses she was looking over, only to notice she was face to face with Rainbow Dash, who let out a chuckle and leaned forward, placing a light kiss on her marefriend's lips.
"We better get going, hmm?" the fast flier whispered. "Reception ended a while ago - ponies are gonna start looking for us." "Oh!" Fluttershy squeaked, her expression falling into worry. "We've been back here for how long exactly?"
Dash shrugged nonchalantly, "Dunno. But... one sec..." Carefully, the cyan pegasus plucked one of the ruby red roses that her lover had been marvelling over and placed it in Fluttershy's cotton candy pink mane, causing the shyer mare to blush bashfully. "There."
'Shy's natural naturisitc beauty practically shone like a diamond as she stood there, in her timid manner, whilst the night sky twinkled up above - it almost left Rainbow Dash in a trance that had to be broken by one of her marefriend's soft and sweet kisees.
"You said we should be leaving?" she said simply, letting out a giggle as the prismatic-maned mare chuckled nervously and nodded.
Rainbow Dash flew faster. Faster than she ever had in her whole life. She was already well past Sonic Rainboom speeds. As she was flying, she could hear a voice from behind her. It was calling for her.
"Rainbow Dash. Come to me."
Rainbow Dash did not heed the instruction of the voice. Instead, she flew even faster than before, pushing her body well beyond it's limits. Exhaustion threatened to take hold, but her strong will allowed her to stay conscious.
"Rainbow Dash. Come to me." The voice said again. It sounded closer this time.
Oh no! thought Rainbow Dash. It's going to get me! Her hopes of escape were dashed.....and then they immediately sprung back up.
Directly in front of her was a giant labyrinth constructed out of solid clouds. It was an obstacle course labyrinth, used by all the pegasi of Cloudsdale. Rainbow Dash knew this labyrinth better than she knew the back of her hoove. Surely, if she flew through this labyrinth, she would lose the entity. It was worth a try.
Rainbow Dash dipped low mid-flight and flew through the entrance of the labyrinth. She turned many corners, flew down many corridors, quickly flying through many of the obstacles, never stopping, never looking back. She never looked back, until she burst through the other side of the labyrinth.
She stopped mid-flight to check on her pursuer. She was gone.
Rainbow Dash breathed a sigh of relief, and then turned to begin her journey back home to Ponyville. But then, something happened. Something she never expected.
As she turned around in mid-air, she wasn't paying attention to where she was turning, causing her to turn right into her pursuer.
"Rainbow Dash. Come to me." said Rainbow Dash's pursuer.
Rainbow Dash never got a good look at her pursuer, and she never knew why it pursued her in the first place. She just had a strange urge to get away from it. Whatever it was.
But now that she was practically in her's pursuer's arms, she could see just who it was.
It was Fluttershy. But she looked....wrong. Her body was completely transparent, and even though she was clearly floating in the air, her wings weren't beating. There was something about the way she looked that was so....so wrong. So broken. She was like a-
"Ghost!" yelled Rainbow Dash in fear as she backed away slowly from Fluttershy. Surely this couldn't be Fluttershy. Surely, this couldn't be her wonderful marefriend whom she loved.
"Oh, but Rainbow Dash, it is me." said the apparition, as if it could read Rainbow Dash's mind. But she refused to believe it. This couldn't be her. True, Fluttershy had been missing for a couple of days, but this couldn't, this could NOT be-
"But, Dashy. It IS me." The apparition raised it's arms, begging for an embrace. "Come to me, Rainbow Dash. Please. Come to me. We'll be together. Forever."
Rainbow Dash wept heavily, her tears streaming down her face and falling to the surface of Equestria. What was she to do? Throw herself into the arms of this apparition that claimed to be her lover? Or continue living, not sure of whether she would ever get to see Fluttershy ever again?
And then, Rainbow Dash made her decision. She flung herself into the arms of the apparition. Despite the way it looked, Fluttershy was quite solid. She wrapped her arms around Rainbow Dash, and then they both disappeared in a flash of blinding light. Never to be seen again.
Little did Rainbow Dash know, though......the pink-maned pegasus slept peacefully in a changeling pod, awaiting her saviour that, now, would never come.
Fluttershy awoke in the middle of the night with a quiet gasp. It took her a moment to realize she was still at flight camp because this wasn’t her bunk. She was also not the only pony in the bunk.
She had done it. Probably the most rebellious thing she had ever done. She was usually such a good little filly, so why would she do something like this?
All of the other teenagers at camp always moaned about how overbearing their parents were, and Fluttershy couldn’t deny that her parents were the same way sometimes.
She was usually a good filly, but she also couldn’t deny that she’d gotten a secret thrill out of telling her parents a couple years ago that when she finished flight camp, she intended to find a house somewhere on the ground.
But surely this was so much worse than that. Her father was overprotective, as most fathers are of their daughters, and he had warned her in grave detail about not doing what she had just done. Fluttershy took another look at her sleeping bunkmate.
That was why she had done it. Her father’s voice in her head and all of his warnings fell silent. He had always warned her about young colts; later she’d learned in school why. The pony asleep beside her was coltish, no doubt, but there was also no doubt that she was 100% filly.
Fluttershy laid back down and cuddled up to her rainbow-maned friend. There might be consequences later, but suddenly, losing her innocence didn’t seem so bad.
"Awright! We're all set!" Apple Bloom declared, grinning at Sweetie Belle.
"You got it! When Scootaloo gets here, we'll commence operation Cutie Mark Crusader Lemonade Stand!" Sweetie Belle clapped her hooves eagerly.
Apple Bloom nodded, looking along the lemonade stand they had set up. It was a simple, basic kind that just about every colt and filly would set up. A stand, with a sign above it advertising that they were selling lemonade for two bits a glass. An assortment of paper cups, a little jar for their money, and a pitcher of lemonade sat on the stand, awaiting to serve.
"Still...the lemonade looks more like it's pink and purple. Why's that?" Sweetie Belle wanted to know, pointing at the pitcher.
"Ah guess makin' pink lemonade kinda did that?" Apple Bloom shrugged.
Before Sweetie Belle could say anything further. Rainbow Dash walked up to the stand, overlooking it. She then grinned, waving at the two.
"Hey, squirts! Setting up a lemonade stand, huh?" She said.
"Uh-huh!" Sweetie Belle nodded. "We're waiting for Scootaloo, but you can buy a cup now if you want!"
Rainbow chuckled, taking out some bits and tossing them into the cup. "Here you go! Lemonade sounds good right about now, anyway!"
"Comin' right up!" Said Apple Bloom, pouring some lemonade into a cup.
"Oh! A lemonade stand!" Fluttershy had approached the stand, looking gleeful. "That's so cute, girls... May I have some, too?"
The girls nodded, and Fluttershy paid for a cup as well. Apple Bloom pushed the full cups over to the two pegasi, which they took.
"Heh, bottoms up, Fluttershy!" Rainbow grinned.
Giggling, Fluttershy nodded. "Oh, you said it, Rainbow."
The pegasi drank down the lemonade, finishing their cups in one sip. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle watched them anxiously, hoping that their lemonade was good. But then, the moment that Rainbow and Fluttershy exchanged looks, the strangest occurrence happened. Both their eyes swirled with colours, which then frightened Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.
They'd seen this before...when it occurred between Big Macintosh and Cheerilee.
"Oh no!! They drank a love poison!" Apple Bloom realized.
"How did that happen?! We didn't even make one!" Sweetie Belle cried.
Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash was giggling like a school filly as she gazed lovingly at Fluttershy. "Heeeyy there snuggy-wuggy-buggy...why aren't you closer? I miss you..."
"Awww...I miss you too, nibbly-wibbly-dibbly...I'll come closer!" Fluttershy giggled, closing the distance between them and hugging her friend.
Both fillies watched in horror as both pegasi were now cooing and giggling all over each other like lovestruck fools. This was when Scootaloo showed up, pulling a wagon from around her waist, with a pitcher yellow lemonade inside it.
"Girls, I've got to tell you! You took the wrong lemonade! It was supposed to be-...oh." Scootaloo caught on to what was going on. "Darn it! I made it wrong!"
"What?!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle exclaimed in unison.
"You made a love poison?!" Sweetie Belle cried.
Scootaloo shook her head. "No! I was trying to make a love potion! I just didn't know how and I guess I ended up with a love poison!"
Now Apple Bloom was both scared and confused. "Then why were ya makin' a love potion?!"
Embarrassed, Scootaloo looked over to Rainbow and Fluttershy, biting her lip. "...I was trying to get Rainbow Dash together with Fluttershy. I thought they'd be great together."
"...Ohhh...." The other two fillies said, understanding.
Looking at the two pegasi, they were now sprawled on the ground...kissing. A lot. The fillies blinked, turning pink and feeling unsure about what to do.
"...Guess we gotta find a way ta break 'em apart..." Apple Bloom sighed.
2:00 PM, Rainbow Dash Rainbow Dash was relaxing on a cloud, enjoying her day, when a package was dropped abruptly in her lap. She opened her eyes in surprise and scanned the surrounding location around her, looking for whoever might have dropped it. Nopony was there. Rainbow Dash checked her surroundings to see where she was.
"Jumping Christmas!" She exclaimed. The winds must have been very strong, as the cloud had drifted all the way to the Crystal Empire.
She looked back down at the package. On it was written: "Deliver to Fluttershy by 3:00 PM or else."
"What?" asked Rainbow Dash out loud. "Who could have dropped this?" She checked the package thoroughly to see if it had any clues. But no. Nothing. She shrugged, then decided to accept the challenge. She jumped off the cloud, freefalling for a little bit, before extending her wings and starting to soar towards Ponyville.
2:05 PM, Queen Chrysalis Queen Chrysalis saw Rainbow Dash through the crystal ball she had. She cackled maliciously.
"Children. Come to me." she commanded. The Changelings did as they were told.
"Listen, darlings. That package that Rainbow Dash has right there? I saw who dropped it, and now I want it. It's probably an artifact of great power that nopony has yet to imagine. Get it for me. Now."
The Changelings bowed to Queen Chrysalis, then flew off, to Rainbow Dash.
2:10 PM, Fluttershy. "Oh?" Fluttershy mumbled. "What've you got there, Angel?" Fluttershy reached down and took the letter from the bunny's mouth, She then opened it and read it.
"Expect a package from her." was all the letter had written inside it. "Her?" Fluttershy wondered. "Who's her?"
Fluttershy then noticed something about the hoofwriting.
"This hoofwriting...it looks like-"
2:30 PM, Twilight Sparkle Twilight was anxiously waiting for the package to be delivered. "Oh, I sure hope they like the present I made for them." "Oh, but they have to." she reassured herself. "You worked really hard on this present for them, Twilight. They'll love it. They will." And then she smiled to herself.
2:30 PM, Rainbow Dash "Alright, Rainbow Dash. You can do this." The rainbow-maned Pegasus thought to herself as she continued down her flight path. She checked her watch. Just an hour and a half to go.
She lowered her watch and turned her eyes back in front of her.
"Fluttershy!" She exclaimed in happiness. The pink-maned pegasus was there, right in front of her, her wings beating softly. She also saw Twilight, with her new Alicorn wings, and Applejack floating right next to her, and-
"Applejack?! With wings?! Come on, you can do better than that." Rainbow Dash had almost been fooled, too. If it wasn't the fact that Applejack had wings, it was the fact that their eyes had that distinct look which gave away the fact that they were Changelings.
The Applejack Changeling immediately reverted back to it's normal form and charged at Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash threw the package into the air as hard as she could. She then caught the Applejack Changeling and threw it at the one that was in Twilight's form. They crashed into each other, then proceeded to plummet towards the surface of Equestria.
The Fluttershy one faked tears as best it could. But Rainbow Dash wouldn't buy it. She bucked the last Changeling right in the face, breaking it's nose, and effectively knocking it out. It, too, plummet to the ground.
At the end of all this, Rainbow Dash caught the package as it fell back down from where she threw it. "Not even a sweat." She smiled despite herself.
2:45 PM, Queen Chrysalis "I saw what happened." Queen Chrysalis growled at the broken and battered Changelings that had just returned. "You lot are pathetic."
Queen Chrysalis stood up. "I'll get it myself."
3:00 PM Destination. Rainbow Dash landed lightly in front of Fluttershy's cottage. She knocked on the door. The knocking was quickly answered by the familiar yellow pegasus.
"Oh, hi, Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy said. "Please, come in."
"Not so fast!" came a voice from above.
Queen Chrysalis came crashing down, landing heavily and authoritatively in front of Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy squealed and backed away slowly in the cottage.
"Oh my. She looks mad." Fluttershy barely managed to squeak.
"Yeah. Probably still peeved about the day we whooped her-
"AS.....you mention that. You bring me to what I was about to say. I-"
Queen Chrysalis suddenly vanished in a burst of magic light. A soft chuckling sound came from behind Rainbow Dash. It was Princess Celestia. "I have a very clear diagnosis for Queen Chrysalis."
"A diagnosis?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"Yes. Her diagnosis is....butthurt." And then Princess Celestia flew away laughing.
"Ok, then..." Fluttershy said slowly as she stepped out of her cottage. "Well, that all happened really quickly. Anyways, what do you have for me?"
"Oh, right." Rainbow Dash handed Fluttershy the package. "Somepony dropped it in my lap while I was napping, and it said to deliver it to you. So, here I guess."
"Oh, thank you." Fluttershy graciously accepted the package. "Want to come in and open it with me?"
"Sure."
They both walked into the cottage and immediately settled in and opened the package.
They were both surprised to see what was inside.
It was two necklaces, with two halves of a golden heart that connected when put together. In each half was a picture. One half contained a picture of Rainbow Dash, and the other, a picture of Fluttershy.
"Oh, Rainbow Dash. I love it" Fluttershy said happily as she put on the necklace. "Thank you!" she embraced Rainbow Dash tightly.
"I do, too." said Rainbow Dash as she returned the embrace.
Just then, the door to the cottage burst open, and Twilight stood in the doorway.
"I'm so glad you two like the present I gave you. And sorry about the Changelings and Queen Chrysalis. They just kind of.....showed up....I guess..." Twilight shrugged awkwardly. "....well, bye."
And then she flew off, leaving Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy alone.
"You mean you didn't make these?" asked Fluttershy.
"Nope." said Rainbow Dash. "But this does answer the my previous question, which was where these came from in the first place."
Rainbow Dash took her necklace and pressed it against Fluttershy's. "They do look really nice, though." And then they embraced.
Somewhere deep in another dimension, Queen Chrysalis was furious. "THAT was what I got banished for trying to obtain?! FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-"
"Great. Let's make a game out of this. Let's put this in a package and lead Rainbow Dash's nap cloud to the Crystal Empire just so I can dump the package in her lap and have her fly back and deliver it to Fluttershy."
"Why would you do that??" Twilight asked, shocked.
"Well, they don't call me Trollestia for nothing." and then Celestia made a trollface.
"You know that you don't need to feel sorry for me, Rainbow... I've been unable to see my entire life. It's not as if I lost anything, or have anything to compare it to." Fluttershy cooed, bringing her arms around her neck.
Dash exhaled, kissing her forehead. "I know, Flutters. I try not to, ya know. But sometimes, I guess I can't help but wish that you were able to see all of these awesome things with me."
"Well...true, I suppose even I can't help that, either. But then again... I can see things. I see them...in my heart." Fluttershy unknowingly met Rainbow's eyes, her smile growing. "And I see you. I've touched your face, felt your hair so many times, I remember the way you describe yourself to me...even when you're just telling me the clothes you're wearing. I think you're beautiful."
"...Me? Beautiful? Nah. Sure, I look awesome, but nothing pretty," Rainbow Dash snorted, but no less smiled at her sweet compliment. "If any of us is beautiful, that's you."
Fluttershy giggled, leaning up to try kissing her, only to miss, her lips brushing her cheek instead. With a light laugh, Dash drew her in and kissed her sweetly, holding her close.
"Rainbow...you're so sweet," the pinkette giggled, snugging more into their embrace.
"What can I say? You make me mushy and sappy. I don't know how the hell you do it, but you just make me one big Hallmark card!" Dash playfully pouted, but the smile in her eyes completely betrayed it.
"I'm sorry..." Fluttershy giggled, kissing anywhere she could reach.
Grinning widely, Rainbow Dash nuzzled her nose. "No you're not, Little Miss Blind Bunny. You're not the least bit sorry. You like it when I'm mushy. You like it when I tell you how beautiful you are. You like all the mushy love and attention. You love it all!"
"So do you."
"Never!"
The blind girl laughed, falling onto the picnic blanket, bringing her lover down with her. They laughed, snuggled, shared a kiss, and just had fun frolicking about.
Fluttershy's blindness may have been a detriment in some respects. Most especially in the way many would perceive their relationship. There was always that sort of denial. To many, Rainbow Dash dated her out of pity, changed herself, gave up her values, became too soft. All out of pity for her girlfriend, considering she'd had a crush on Rainbow since forever. Deception would've been too easy.
But no one was there to see the big, bright, excited, loving smile on Rainbow Dash's face. The kind of smile that suggested there was no place she'd rather be.
It was a smile that Fluttershy never saw. But she didn't need to. She could see it with her heart, she could feel it. Rainbow knew Fluttershy would never see it, but smiled anyway.
Blood: the crimson essence of of life. It was now, as it had always been, the only comfort, the only feeling of warmth she found in these cold days. She stumbled along the beaten path, eyes half closed, mane hiding her face, teeth grinding from her pain. This was same path she took in her youth. The same one she walked with her friends.
She exhaled, shaking herself from the thoughts. They were no longer important, nothing in the past did. Nothing, but a single memory. A face, a mare she knew as a filly. It was the only thing that had kept her alive, the desire to see her once more.
Her large, blood drenched trench coat hid most of her figure aside from the large wings on her back. The bands and belts hung undone and loss as the long ends dragged in the dirt. A canister of liquid was on her side, swishing back and forth, bearing a foreign symbol on it. A single shoulder plate rested over the coat’s left sleeve.
Behind her, wrapped in chains and to her right hoof, was a large blade being dragged, forcing up dust and dirt as it was pulled. The trees overhead looked so different, yet so similar. The leaves slowly fell slowly, blissfully to ground in shades of red, brown, green, yellow... They danced in a fall much like a faded rainbow. It was too peaceful to have know the pain in her eyes. She did not stop, she wanted to make it to her destination. That was all that mattered to her. See had to see her.
The animals of forest watched her from a safe distance, to afraid to come close. She reeked of death, decay, violence. What she had done was unknown to them, but the smell of blood was strong, almost overpowering to a scent... of flowers. Such a bittersweet combination.
A few of the of the smaller animals began to follow behind her, but fearfully. She pause, turning back only to see the creatures flee from sight.
“I saw... thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge.” She muttered, “and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony... and because of the word...” She tumbled onward, her tail twitching at every other word. Her long mane draped her eyes. She could feel something on her face. Where they tears? She could not remember. The mare wanted to, but did not.
At last, she saw an end to what looked like the infinite forest.
“They had not worshiped the beast,” she continued her muttering walking towards the edge of the forest and a single tree with a sheet of paper nailed to it. She was so close it, almost able to touch it. “... Or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hooves... They came to life and reigned...!” She froze, looking at the paper. It was worn and tattered, but the words were clear.
Missing
Name: Fluttershy
Age: 17 (24 as of this year)
Appearance: A female mare with a yellow coat and a rosey pink mane.
Last seen: The Everfree Forest
If anypony as any information, please contact Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, or Rainbow Dash. A reward of 2300 bits as been agreed upon to be paid to anypony that has any information regarding our friend.
-Twilight Sparkle
She read it over, then again, and again. This picture on the of the mare on the missing poster, it looked so familiar. Did she know her? And that one name... Rainbow Dash. She knew it. It was was important to her. It was then she realized that was was mare she came to see! Her face, her form, all of it was so clear in her memories. She was cyan mare, with a polychromatic mane. She was wild, fun, and loyal. Rainbow Dash was indeed the mare she come so far to see. She must have been.
But there was the picture, the yellow mare. Why did it bother so much to see it? It was so odd. Quickly pulling the chain, she grabbed her bloodstained blade and forced it into the poster. She violently pulled it out, leaving a large gashed where the mare picture once was. She sighed heavily as she walked out of the forest.
The air was chilled, cold, unforgiving. However, it was mattered not to her. She wanted nothing more than to find Rainbow Dash. Walking out into a open field, she spotted something on a hill. A cottage home. Something about it looked so familiar, so warm. Almost against her will, she found herself walking to it.
A small creek ran nearby with a tiny bridge connecting over it. Many of the trees had birdhouses on them, but most were beaten, battered, and almost destroyed. The house itself look abandoned, deprived of life. As she made her way to the door, it became clear it was rotting off its hinges. With a swift kick, it was broken and two parts fell to the ground.
She looked about the home silently. Nothing, the home was empty of everything other than a few pieces of furniture. But, something about the home felt odd, it made her feel something in her chest. It hurt. Taking the bottle on her side, she began to pour out a small amount of it onto the floor of the living room and trailed it outside. Standing in front of the broken door now, outside once more, she dug something out of her coat’s pocket with her wings. A box of matches. sparking one to life, she tossed it into the fluid, setting into motion a larger flame.
It tore through the home, burning away everything it touched, spreading faster than the mare had thought. She slowly began to back away from the home, refusing to look up. Once more yanking on the chain to retrieve her blade, she viciously swung it at doorway, forcing it to collapse. She stared at the home, as the odd feeling on her face returned.
“But the cowardly...” The mare spoke into the wind, “the vile, the murderers and all the liars...they will be consigned to the fiery lake... of burning sulfur. This is the... second death." She wondered why she did that. Why had she felt this way once more? Why did she want to see this Rainbow Dash? Why was she here?
It hurt. All of it.
“Why? Where is my light...? Where is my angel...? Where is my rainbow...?”
A noise from above caught her attention. Wings, powerful ones. It was pegasus and she was panting. Landing a few feet, the mare caught sight of her appearance. A cyan mare with polychromatic mane. It was her, Rainbow Dash. The mare she wanted to see.
‘And then, I saw an angel descend from the heavens.’ The mare thought.
“Just what the buck do you think you’re doing!?” Rainbow shouted enraged, forcing her tears back. “You... How dare you! Do you even know who’s house that was!? What gives you the right to do that?! Just who do you think you are?!”
The mare turned away, unable to look at the pegasus. “I... don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore. I just-”
“You just what?!” Rainbow felt her body tease. “You burnt down Fluttershy’s house, you bastard! You...! You...!”
“Who’s Fluttershy?” The mare asked with curiously. The name hung in the air and raised so many questions for her.
Rainbow Dash felt numb to her this question. “Who’s... Fluttershy?” Again, she could feel herself becoming angry. All the years of bottling up her emotions was finally broken. “Who’s Fluttershy?! She was my best friend! My first friend! And I was idiot! I... I lost her! I don’t know what happened on that day... But it was my fault! And I...” “You loved her?” the mare asked almost in a monotone voice.
Dash’s eyes snapped up to the mare whose face was hidden in her mare. “... Yes I did! I loved her, but I never said a thing...! I swore I’d tell her how I felt when we found her! But that was almost six years ago...” “So, you gave up?” The mare asked.
Rainbow Dash was almost at the point of being in a frenzy. “Never! I will find her, ya hear me! And you... You burnt her home down! You burned it down! Why?!” She was so mad, so emotional. This stranger had taken something away from her, the memory of Fluttershy home. Something about this stranger made her so lose it. Years of hiding it was over. “Answer me!” “You... should have moved on...” The mare said, looking back to the burning home. “It would have been easier for you if you did... No pain.”
This was final straw. With every single ounce of rage Rainbow had, all the years of pain, everything, she let out all at once. She rushed the strange mare, tackling her to the down to ground and down the hill. She was grunting, jabbing at the mare’s sides, half screaming. At the bottom of the hill, Rainbow Dash landed on top, grabbing the collar of the coat with her hoof as the blade slide nearby.
“Don’t you dare talk to me like you know me!” She shouted. “Like you know her! You don’t! You don’t have any idea who she is or what she means to me! And I swear, if you ever say that again, I will kill you, you son of-”
Just like that, she stopped. Rainbow Dash felt something inside of her she thought she would never feel again. The mare she had tackled had a yellow coat of fur underneath the coat she wore. Her mane was gentle, faded rosey pink stained red in some parts. Her face was soft, with bandages covering one of her eyes. The other, was slightly dazed looking, and yet, held a loving look to it teal’s color. Rainbow Dash knew who this was.
She felt her tears finally flow for first time in years. All those day of looking, praying, hoping that she would see her again were not wasted. Her body trembled and felt weak.
“F-Fluttershy?” Her voice was all but give out.
“For what’s it worth, I’m glad... you waited.” Fluttershy, felt her lips curl slightly. Was she smiling? She had not smiled in so long, she felt odd, but she welcomed the feeling. She finally knew why the name, “Fluttershy,” was so familiar to her. It was her name.
Dash did not dare move away, she wrapped her forelegs around Fluttershy. “Oh, thank Celestia! Fluttershy! I... I missed you so much! I.. I-”
“I love you...” Fluttershy muttered sweetly. This was why she came here. This is why she wanted to see Rainbow Dash. This was her quest. Her destination. Her purpose.
She could feel her heart beating with joy, a joy she thought was lost to her. Six years of pain, sadness, torture, and loss , it all felt worth it to be in this moment here. It was this day she had her revelation...
She collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath, choking back sobs. Bleeding slightly from small nicks located over her body, bleeding more profusely from deeper wounds, she was not in good shape. And her job was not yet over.
It had begun earlier that day, when she had accepted the job request. The job request to end the life of the demon that occupied the ruined castle of the North. They had been expecting a fighter to accept the job request. a warrior. One trained in combat. Not....not her. Not Fluttershy.
'What have I gotten myself into?' she choked in between sobs. Her friends had tried talking her out of it. They tried and tried and tried, but alas, it was in vain. They knew that there was no stopping her. There was no stopping Fluttershy from rescuing her lover.
Courageous, athletic Rainbow Dash, in the clutches of a vicious demon. How this could have happened, Fluttershy did not know. She didn't even know how she was going to save her in the first place, however, as soon as she and the two royal hired men stepped through the gates of the ruined castle, she knew there was no turning back.
And now here stood Fluttershy, right outside the door to the demon's abode. Alone. She had come this far. She wasn't about to turn back. She was going to rescue Rainbow Dash, if it killed her!
With new resolve in her soul and determination burning in her eyes, she bucked open the two double doors as hard as she could. A loud bang sounded throughout the room, and echoed off down the hallways. Fluttershy examined the room in detail.
It was surprisingly bare. The cobblestone walls were featureless, save for their growing layer of moss. Standing in the center of the room was the demon. He was completely black, save for a patch of white on it's belly. It resembled a dinosaur in many ways, with it's scaly hide and a single horn that was on it's forehead. It reared it's ugly head and roared loudly in greeting to Fluttershy's sudden appearance.
A sudden flash of cyan appeared in Fluttershy's peripheral vision. She didn't need to turn her head to know who it was. That, and she needed to keep her attention on the demon at all times. A surprise attack was the last thing she needed.
They examined each other, pony examining demon, and vice versa, sizing up their opponents. Fluttershy, in the eyes of the demon, seemed to be light and airy, and likely to be faster. The demon, however, seemed too bulky to be fast. At least, it seemed that way, until it suddenly charged Fluttershy.
She barely had time to dodge; she just realized she was on the ground to the side, and the demon's fist was embedded deeply into the wall behind her.
She quickly got back onto her feet, only to have to dodge once more. Not good. The demon was too fast. Too impossibly fast. But out of this constant repetitive cycle of getting back up and dodging, she noticed something. One of the demon's scales was protruding slightly more outwards than the others. This scale is on it's back.
This gave Fluttershy an idea. She got up once more, but instead of jumping to the side to dodge, this time, she jumped upwards. She landed on the demon's back. The demon stumbled around, confused. It doesn't seem to notice that the pegasus had landed on her back.
Not daring to wait any longer, Fluttershy bit down on the scale and then wrenched her head back, tearing it free. The demon howled in pain. It's roars only grew louder as Fluttershy plunged the scale into the soft, purple flesh that was now exposed from the missing scale.
The demon's roar suddenly ended, and it fell forward. Fluttershy hopped off it's back, checking to see whether it was really dead. She waited. And waited. And waited. But it did not move.
It seemed to be dead. The scale she tore off was rather long, so maybe it pierced the demon's heart when she stabbed it. If it even had one.
That didn't, though. What did matter was her lover, still chained to the wall. She turned to face Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy almost let out a small gasp when she saw the state she was in. She appeared horribly emaciated, and she was deathly thin. Fluttershy gently placed one hoof on Rainbow Dash's cheek. She then placed her hoof underneath her chin and lifted her head upwards. The cyan pegasus's eyes flickered open.
"F-Fluttershy...?" And then they closed again.
"Don't worry, Rainbow Dash." said Fluttershy. "You're safe now. I killed the demon that kidnapped you. I got you. You're safe now. Just relax."
And then Fluttershy went over to the demon and tore the scale out of it's back. Using it's serrated edge, she cut the chains off of Rainbow Dash, and then carried her out of the ruined castle, and flew her back to Ponyville, where she obtained medical attention.
And from that day on, Fluttershy was revered as a hero.
It had happened. Finally happened. The impact was strong, though not physical.
Rainbow Dash sat there, staring at the folded uniform in her hooves, shaking. A moment she'd dreamed of for so long, something she'd sometimes felt was impossible and so far away. A moment she'd imagined in several different ways, but didn't amount to what was really happening now. None of it was like she'd imagined, not in the slightest. Everything about this moment had the pure wave of emotions in realizing that it was more than just talk. More than just daydreams. It was truly happening.
She grinned widely, letting out an excited squeal as she hugged the uniform. Her own Wonderbolts uniform. An itinerary sat on the table, outlining the events taking place throughout next week. A brand new pair of flight goggles, a gift from a special friend, sat next to it.
"YEAH!!!" She cried, placing the uniform down again.
Before she could think further, there was a knock at the door, snapping her out of her reverie. Dash blinked, realizing where she was. In her home, alone, and somepony was at the door. Grumbling to herself, she went to the door, trying to hold back the urge to chew out whoever was there for interrupting her moment.
Upon opening it, she found a smiling and curious Fluttershy on her doorstep. All at once, her resolve melted away, bringing forth the big grin on her face.
"Hey, Fluttershy!" She greeted her with a kiss. "What'cha doing here?"
Fluttershy blinked, then giggled. "What do you mean, Rainbow? You didn't show up to your party, and so I told the girls I'd come out and find you."
"My par-oh!" That was when Dash remembered exactly where she had to be. At Sugarcube Corner, where Pinkie was hosting a congratulatory party in her honour. "Heh heh...sorry, I guess I kinda lost track of the time."
"That's all right, Rainbow. You were just excited," Fluttershy assured her. "I can understand that. We were just wondering where you were, that's all."
"Still," Rainbow shrugged, indicating to her uniform, "it just felt so awesome to finally make it, you know? I guess I needed a few minutes to let it sink in."
Nodding in understanding, the creamy yellow mare nuzzled her. "Of course, the impact really must have taken its toll, didn't it?"
Nuzzling back, Dash nodded in agreement. It was astounding that she'd been so wrapped up in her excitement, that she nearly missed her own party, which never happened before. Pinkie's parties were always something you never could forget.
But it seemed that Fluttershy was right, the impact of the situation truly knocked her for a few loops.
"Looking forward to next week?" Fluttershy asked with a smile.
"You bet I am!" Rainbow grinned widely, nodding. "It's gonna be great! So, don't miss me too much!"
Rolling her eyes, Fluttershy nudged her lightly. "I wouldn't dream of it."
With a laugh, Rainbow Dash drew her lover close and kissed her sweetly. Fluttershy responded in kind, making the cyan pegasus tingle with excitement.
Scootaloo entered the cottage, having arrived early to meet her sisters. Well, they weren't actually her sisters, not in the blood relation. But since Scootaloo had been taken under Rainbow's wing as her little sister, the filly couldn't help but see Fluttershy in the same way. Nowadays, since Rainbow and Fluttershy were married, it just made more sense to see them both as her sisters. She always had, but now it was practically "official" by this point.
Seeing that nopony was around in the downstairs, she decided to go look upstairs.
Hearing voices however, it confirmed that they were indeed up there. Grinning, Scootaloo hopped up the stairs a lot faster. "Oh, COME ON!"
Rainbow and Fluttershy, having been lying on their bed, side by side, kissing, were now sitting up with surprise. Scootaloo's yell had been in reaction to seeing them in an intimate kind of way. Not that she didn't expect it, she just didn't like walking in on them.
"Scootaloo...you're early," Futtershy said softly.
Rainbow chuckled, grinning. "What's wrong, squirt? Can't handle ol' me getting amorous with my own wife?"
The filly pouted, shaking her head. Despite her own outward protests, she never actually had anything against her sisters being romantic. There was just still that underlying feeling of seeing Rainbow Dash, of all ponies, getting all sweet and soft. It was different from the Rainbow Dash she knew. Scootaloo wasn't bothered by it, not in the way most would think, but it still felt odd sometimes. Feeling a sense of discomfort, yet, warmth, Scootaloo climbed into bed with them.
"You don't have to be embarrassed, Scootaloo," Fluttershy smiled. "It's okay to be affectionate. Don't you think Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle deserve your affections?"
"....W-Well, yeah..." Scootaloo looked away.
Rainbow ruffled her mane, grinning, "Trust me, squirt, you get used to it. You think it was easy for me?"
"No..." Scootaloo pouted. "I always thought you were too cool for love."
This made Rainbow laugh a bit, as did Fluttershy.
"I thought the same thing, and didn't care most of the time!" Rainbow admitted, shaking her head at the memories. "But you know what, kid?"
"What?" Scootaloo looked up at her older sister.
The prismatic mare smiled, bringing a hoof around her back, "Sometimes it takes just the right kinda pony to bring out this side of you."
"...What's that supposed to mean?"
Fluttershy interjected, "It means that sometimes you feel you can express yourself in a certain way with most ponies. They just bring you that kind of side of you, and you feel comfortable showing them that."
Scootaloo let that sink in for a moment. It made sense, she knew that she shared a lot of great things with her friends that she wouldn't just tell nor share with anypony else in her class. She could easily, mostly, hug Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, which made her smile. But if a random colt or filly asked for a hug, she wouldn't like it.
"...I guess I understand..." Scootaloo mumbled. "But what about us?"
"You're like our little sister," Rainbow Dash grinned. "Although I guess Fluttershy's kinda your sister-in-law, if you think about it."
Fluttershy giggled, nuzzling the filly. "You were always my sister, Scootaloo."
"And you were mine!" Rainbow agreed, nuzzling Scootaloo as well.
The orange filly blushed immensely. "Stop it!"
"Keep going? Okay!"
"Nooooooo!"
Despite Scootaloo's protests, there was no denying that she enjoyed the fun and affection that she shared with her two honourary sisters. They truly were the best sisters she could ever ask for. Rainbow Dash was awesome, daring, fast, and very determined. She had a passionate fire to her that was inspiring to anypony to thrive for. Beneath it, she was a real softie with a big heart. Fluttershy was more reserved, soft, gentle and very sweet. But she too had a fire of her own, even if it was different.
Together, they were quite a couple and a great team. Scootaloo knew that all too well, and they both gave her the kind of sisterly love she could never have imagined. She felt happy, warm, excited, thankful, and just so glad to be with them. Either together or separate, Scootaloo loved to spend time with them.
They may not have been related to her by blood, but that didn't make them any less of sisters to her.
Ever seen a cake sit outside in the sun on a hot day. It's a tragic sight. The frosting melting in little puddles, the fondant sliding off or cracking. It's sooooo super duper sad! And a wedding cake!? It's like you can hear the tragedy it's so tragic! It's like-
"Pinkie would ya cut that out!" Applejack's twag cut in from across the other end of the impromptu dressing room.
"But I was just setting the scene, doing a lead it, playing narrator!" Pinkie Pie replied, bouncing up and down as she did.
"First off, remind me to give Twilight a slap on the flank for teaching you so much about books. Second, Fluttershy's a nervous wreck as it is. I don't think she needs any more of your narratin' to make things worse!"
"....is it really that b-bad... Pinkie?" Came the timid shaking voice of the one of the brides-to-be.
Specifically the one with a yellow coat, long pink mane, and anxiety issues on the best of days, not the one with cyan coat and Rainbow mane, she's getting ready elsewhere. After all it's bad luck for the bride to see the bride in her wedding dress....wait where was I? Oh yes! Today was the best of days, it was a wedding day! Her wedding day! So that means it could be super stressful-rific, means it could be a bad day too! Hehe! It was the best of days, it was the worst of days-
"I swear to buckin' Celestia, Luna and Discord, if you keep that up I'm gonna make you wish you hadn't" The orange cow pony threatened, her own nerves stretched thin.
"Okie Applejackie, no more narration, I swear." The pink party pony replied, crossing her heart. "But yeah... It's pretty bad, Fluttershy... But melty cake is still cake. That just makes it easier to eat, you won't even have to chew."
Fluttershy whimpered and pawed at the ground nervously. She had just wanted things to be perfect, and now the cake that she and Rainbow had put so much time into selecting just the right flavors and just the right icing, was melting away in the sun. Not to mention how devastated the Cakes were going to be to see there hard work gone to waste, all because the day was unpredictably warm.
"Hey there sugarcube, it's just the cake..." Applejack said attempting to placate the bride.
Fluttershy felt herself start to tear up, but she rapidly suppressed the tears as best she could. She didn't know what Rarity would say if she walked down the aisle with smudged make up.
"She's right," Pinkie chimed in. "It's just the cake, and trust me, that isn't easy for me to say! I love cake! So much so I hear the Mayor is thinking of passing something called 'Pinkie's Law.' But that's not important, the cake isn't what today's about, it's about you and Dashie!"
"Listen to the gal," AJ supplemented, "She's right on the money. Sure it would have been nice to have some big fancy cake, but that's not why everyone is here, and it ain't why you and Rainbow are here. Today's about love, the rest is just details." Fluttershy nodded, hearing the truth in her friends' words.
"Y-yeah... It's about love... It's about love... It's about love..." She repeated her new mantra until a grin spread her lips. "Okay... I'm ready. Let's get this wedding started!....um... If that's okay with everyone..."
Cup Cake looked up in surprise from where she stood behind the counter of Sugarcube Corner. She was in a particularly busy mood, having to complete an order of cupcakes for Cheerilee’s classroom, and hadn’t expected anyone to enter the shop. But lo and behold, here was a sky blue pegasus with a brilliant spectrum of a mane leaning on the counter, clearly waiting.
“I said,” the pegasus repeated, an air of annoyance touching her voice. “Table for two, please?”
“Oh, oh, of course,” Mrs. Cake stammered, still shocked by the appearance. She trotted out into the main room and pointed at a small table near the window, ornately garnished with brown and pink swirls. “Will that do it for you, dearie?” Why would she want a table for two if she was alone?
She got no answer; her customer had already taken off, leaving a bright trail of rainbow fizzling in the air behind her. Cup smiled warily. “Fillies these days…heh!”
Peering at the pegasus for a few seconds more, she turned and headed back behind the counter. Cheerilee would never forgive her if the cupcakes were late to the end-of-year party!
Suddenly the chimes at the front door rang, loud and clattery, provoking a panicked squeal from the customer that had just entered.
Cup looked up, not wanting to make the same mistake of being shocked out of her wits. “Hello? May I help you?” she asked the new pony that had just entered – a yellow pegasus with a flowing pink mane.
“Um…well…sort of…I think she might already… be here…” the pegasus murmured nervously, not keeping eye contact.
“Huh?” Cup smiled awkwardly. “What’s that, darling?”
“She’s with me,” came a loud voice from the back of the room; the pegasus from earlier flapped her way over. “Come on, ‘Shy. We’ve got a table for two back there.”
Cup Cake recognized these ponies now. They were Pinkie Pie’s friends, two bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, she recalled inwardly. But why were they alone, without their other four friends?
Dash and Shy whispered as they headed to the table; Fluttershy giggled, her face flushing red. She whispered something back that made Dash roll her eyes and place one arm around her companion.
Oh. Cup Cake understood now. She had been Fluttershy once, awkward around the one she loved. Because the way they were acting – these two were certainly dating. Why hadn’t she realized this before?
As they reached the table, Rainbow leaned over and pecked her companion on the cheek, stroking her mane with one hoof. Fluttershy smiled and pressed up against her, eyes closed, entirely content. They whispered back and forth, just as she and Carrot had done what felt like many years ago.
Cup sighed; a small sigh.
She should have known what this had meant as soon as Rainbow Dash had ordered a table for two. Perhaps, in some ways, she did know.
The table Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy sat at now was the same one she and Carrot had sat at on their first official date. Cup Cake laughed as she remembered the exact words she had spoken to the uncertain employee.
"Where is he taking us??" Rainbow Dash asked as he followed Twilight and Owlowiscious through the dense forest.
"I don't know," Twilight responded, dodging branches and leaping over small boulders, "but it must be something important if he wants us to come this badly."
"It better be important," said Rainbow Dash. She didn't mean to be rude, but she had clouds to clear after all.
Twilight continued running, following close behind Owlowiscious, and Rainbow Dash flying not too far behind. They continued like this for a while. Rainbow Dash was on the brink of losing her patience, until something of interest caught their attention. Directly in front of them was a giant owl. It resembled Owlowiscious greatly, the only difference being that the giant owl in front of them had a look of great evil in it's eyes, whereas Owlowiscious was more mysterious. Next to the giant owl was an unconscious Fluttershy.
"I was NOT expecting that...." Rainbow Dash muttered quietly, her volume more befitting that of the unconscious Fluttershy than the brave, daring cyan pony.
The owl crouched lightly, as if preparing for...something. For what? They could only guess.
"Hey, Twi." Rainbow Dash whispered quietly to Twilight.
"Yeah?" replied Twilight.
"I'll go distract it, and you blast it with a spell that'll knock it out. Think you can do that?"
"Of course I can." Twilight smiled encouragingly at Rainbow Dash.
"Alrighty, then, Owlowiscious, you hide somewhere," Rainbow Dash urged the tiny owl. It did as it was told.
"2..." Twilight also crouched into a 'ready' position.
Before Rainbow Dash could count to 3, though, the owl charged them. Or at least attempted to. It looked very big and bulky, and what the ponies saw was pretty much what they got.
Rainbow Dash easily dodged the giant owl's charge, and proceeded to dodge it's next several charges. What the owl lacked in speed, though, it made up for in strength and stamina. At one point, it actually did hit Rainbow Dash, and boy, did she feel that. Of course, she didn't allow it to happen again, but she did make the mistake once. And as for it's stamina, it didn't seem to be tiring out too quickly, if at all. Finally, Rainbow Dash decided to just buck the giant owl in the beak, effectively stunning it. "Now!" yelled Rainbow Dash.
Twilight concentrated her magic into her horn, which began to glow to and crackle. She then unleashed a bolt of magic, and it hit the giant owl square in it's chest. It was sent flying backwards, where it sprawled on the floor, unconscious. "Yes!" the two ponies rejoiced at their victory.
Rainbow Dash went over to Fluttershy's unconscious body and carried it in her arms.
"I'll fly her to Nurse Redheart," Rainbow Dash told Twilight. She then turned to Owlowiscious.
"And thank you for taking us to her so we could save her. You're the best owl ever." Rainbow Dash lightly pet Owlowiscious with the tip of her wing. The owl closed its eyes in contentment.
Two young pegasus fillies sat at the bottom of the stairs to the cellar, staring at a door that hadn’t been there before. Stormwalker sat in front. Her coat the dark grey of a thunderhead, her mane and tail medium length and light blue as rain with zigzags of bright yellow, recalling lightning. She had her mother’s magenta eyes, bold and determined, fixed narrowly on the unknown door, yet she was unwilling to approach yet.
Morning Dew cowered behind her sister. Her coat the bright pink of the sun’s first light reflected off the clouds, her mane and tail long and rainbow striped as sunlight passed through dew drops with the colors exactly reversed in order from that of her sire. Purple, blue and green bangs shielded the brilliant cyan eyes, wide with fear, fixed upon the unknown door, yet she was unwilling to back away.
“What’s taking so long?” Her scratchy voice sounded down the stairs as Rainbow Dash trotted down to find out why her daughters hadn’t brought up the parsnips for dinner yet.
“Mom? What’s behind that door?” Stormwalker held out a forehoof to point. She held it as steady as possible, but it still trembled slightly.
“That’s just the old root cellar. Your mom must have moved the shelves we stuck in front of it.” Dash waved a hoof dismissively. “We haven’t used it since we expanded the cottage, so it’s probably just full of spiders and junk.” Dash tried to shoo the kids toward the much larger root cellar to get the parsnips, but they would not budge.
“We heard noises behind there.” Morning Dew whimpered, cowering even lower behind her sister.
“I told you it’s just a bunch of bugs and stuff.” Dash groaned and stepped toward the door. “Look, I’ll show you there’s nothing in there. Then you can get the parsnips upstairs so your mom can cook dinner, while I put the shelf back, okay?”
Dash cracked the old wooden door open with a creak, letting out a heady aroma of mildew and mold. Before the door could open more than a hoof width, she slammed the door shut again, a look of horror on her face.
“What’s wrong, mom?” Both fillies asked, eyes wide.
“Upstairs, now!” Without waiting for them to move, Dash grabbed a filly in each of her wings and ran up the stairs, slamming the cellar door behind her.
Stormwalker and Morning Dew shook their heads a bit at being dropped unceremoniously just outside the kitchen, then peered around the door frame to listen in on their parents.
“Did the girls have trouble finding the parsnips for dinner?” Fluttershy asked softly.
“They were too busy staring at the door to the old root cellar.” Dash said flatly, her wings beating the air softly as she hovered, head and shoulders above Fluttershy, as she always did when she had to put her hoof down. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you, babe?”
Fluttershy squeaked, turned pink and looked away as Dash crossed her forelegs and scowled.
“You remember last time, don’t you?” Dash ticked off on her hooves. “We had to rebuild AJ’s barn, Carrot Top’s barn, Berry Punch’s distillery, Bon-Bon’s shop, Quills and Sofas, Town Hall, half the houses in Ponyville.”
Fluttershy cowered and squeaked apologies and excuses. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. They’re just so cute, I couldn’t help it.” “Dinner can wait, we need to go get Pinkie and fix this now.”
“Mom, you have something in your mane.” Storm’s voice from the doorway piped up before Dash could take a single step. Dash froze as she felt tiny insect-like legs crawling across her head. Her magenta eyes swivelled upward to look directly into a pair of bright green eyes set in a perfectly round, red body with insectoid wings.
All three other ponies hit the floor and covered their ears as Dash bolted, her scream and the light from her rainbow contrail filling the small kitchen as the parasprite hovered around happily and began to consume every bit of food it could spot. “PINKIEEEEEEEE! HEEEEEEEEEELP!”
The grey pegasus mare wobbled slightly on one leg as she moved her head back and forth, watching her coach flit in front of her, back and forth, back and forth, calling her the nickname she had learned to bear over time. “To be a good weather pony, you have to be smart and trust your intuition.”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, alighting gently on the ground. “Gut, Derpy. I said ‘gut,’ not intu-whatever-the-heck.”
“Oh.” Derpy nodded in understanding, her wall-eyes, as always, facing two different directions; one golden eye was pointed toward the sky, while the other looked shakily at the sky blue pegasus mare. “Trust your…gut…and…” She stopped, muzzle scrunched up, clearly thinking. “And…have muffins?”
Rainbow bit her lip to stop herself from screeching in frustration. “No. It’s supposed to be LOYALTY TO YOUR TEAM AND TO PONYVILLE. ARGH.”
Derpy blinked in surprise at the sudden outburst and looked down at her rumbling stomach. “Sorry, Rainbow Dash,” she mumbled quietly.
“No! This is not acceptable! You’ve gotten off task, failed your duties, and left team for…how many weeks now? And with Winter Wrap Up on the way…” Dash had let her voice rise into a loud scream. “What are we going to do with yo—” “Rainbow Dash?” came a quiet voice from behind the nearest tree.
Rainbow froze, wings erect, causing Derpy to blink in confusion, before slowly turning around to see Fluttershy nosing her way out into the open, looking concerned. “Uh…hey, ‘Shy! How are you?”
The buttercup-yellow pegasus mare looked down at the ground. “Well, I was hoping that…” She mumbled something incoherent under her breath, looked up at the curious golden wall-eyes of Derpy, and squeaked, backing up into a tree. “Never mind, it looks like you’re busy now.”
“Nah, I’m good. What’s up?”
Fluttershy blushed crimson. “Well, I was wondering if we could…” In a barely audible voice she squeaked, “…hang out some time?”
Rainbow blinked, wondering why this was such a hard question to ask. Then she remembered: it was Fluttershy. Every question was hard for her. “Sure! If you’d like, we can hang right now. I’m teaching Derpy how to be a better weather pony. Wanna chill?”
Fluttershy looked a little skeptical, but she nodded and trotted her way to the blue mare’s side, looking down at her hooves and scuffling them in the dirt.
“Alright, Derpy,” Rainbow yelled, snapping the grey pegasus, who had been entranced by a brilliant, multi-colored butterfly perched atop her nose, out of her trance. “Are you ready?”
Derpy nodded, quickly pushing some of her long blonde mane out of her eyes. “Yes, Rainbow Dash!”
“Let’s pretend Fluttershy here isn’t working hard.” Rainbow shoved her companion with one elbow, causing Fluttershy to shriek and leap five feet in the air, landing atop the Element of Loyalty’s back, where she huddled, shivering, arms wrapped around her friend’s neck.
One of Rainbow’s eyelids flickered. “Fluttershy.”
The buttercup colored pegasus squeezed tighter, feeling soft blue fur against her own, as well as a surprisingly silky-smooth spectrum of a mane. Fluttershy had always assumed that Dash had never bothered to comb through it. Now she knew the truth, and, though she would never admit it aloud, she liked it. Squeaking in fear, she snuggled closer.
Now Rainbow was starting to feel a little bit uncomfortable. She rustled her wings, prompting Fluttershy off – and she fell, with a thud, to the ground. Derpy took all of this in silently, not saying a word.
“Now, like I was saying, Fluttershy will be a lazy weather pony. What will you tell her to do?”
The practice lasted for a few hours more, with Derpy trying her hardest to get all the answers right. Every time she made a mistake, she expected Rainbow to yell at her, but no, with Fluttershy right there, looking cowardly and quiet, not one noise louder than a regular tone escaped Rainbow Dash’s mouth.
And Derpy knew what was going on. But she had to make sure she was right.
As the practice ended, Fluttershy departed from the other two pegasi with a quick nuzzle to Rainbow’s cheek, and, blushing furiously, zipped off in the other direction. Rainbow, clearly dense and confused by this action, shrugged and turned to Derpy, who stuttered, “R-Rainbow Dash? Can I ask you something?”
“Huh?” Dash was watching the last of the pink tail turn the corner; blinking, she turned back to her client. “Yeah, whatever you want, Derpy.”
The grey pegasus smiled.
“Are you and Fluttershy dating?”
Rainbow whipped around, staring at her with eyes like fire as a crimson blush crept its way up her cheeks. “What?” she sputtered, clearly caught off-guard.
Derpy felt her smile melt like ice cream on a hot day.
Taking a few deep breaths, Fluttershy went upstairs to the bedroom. She took her time, with slow, careful steps, but enough to let Rainbow Dash know she was coming up. Her heart sank with regret, while her body felt a mixture of numb and pained. But nothing pained more than the look on Rainbow's face just some time ago.
When she came into the room, Rainbow was sitting on the floor near the window, looking out. At the angle she was at, it was clear that she was upset and had been crying. If she heard Fluttershy come in, she didn't acknowledge it whatsoever. She simply sat there.
"...Rainbow?" Fluttershy spoke softly, her voice barely a whisper. Rainbow didn't move or respond, but grunted a little.
"...It's okay. You don't have to say anything," Fluttershy murmured, approaching her from behind. "I just want you to know that I am very sorry. I know... I know that I apologize a lot, but for this, I truly do need to. I'll leave you alone, but I just want to say this...okay?"
Again, she didn't respond, but Rainbow tilted her head lightly as a way to indicate she was listening.
Fluttershy sighed, keeping her voice in a whisper as she came closer, "I'm very sorry. What I said was completely out of line, as well as callous and insensitive. I was just a little bit angry, and it had nothing to do with you... But our argument seemed to trigger all of that. However, I'm not about to pass the blame to anyone or anything but me. What I said was stupid, absolutely stupid, and worse off, it hurt you. For that, I deeply apologize. I will not say that again, and I will of course do my very best to keep our arguments where they should be. Using something else as a weapon to win an argument... That's completely ridiculous. I don't even remember why we argued..."
Rainbow didn't respond again, she merely hung her head low.
"But, we can talk about it later, okay? We'll do that. The best thing we can do is talk to each other. That's what we'll do when you cool down," Fluttershy went on, coming behind her and embracing her. "I love you so much, Dashie. And I want us to work things out. I don't want to fight with you. I want to fight for us. So, Rainbow...when you're ready to talk, let me know. But until then, I hope you know that I am very sorry about what I said. And I hope...you can find it in your heart to forgive me." Still nothing.
"...I'll leave you alone, then. We can talk later." She kissed Rainbow's cheek gently, then released her. Moments after she left the room, she heard a soft whisper.
“Darling, you’re not going to find a much better time before the night is over. Just go ask her.”
Fluttershy sighed as Rarity put a hoof on her shoulder. She’d had her head down on the table, staring longingly across the Canterlot Castle ballroom toward Rainbow Dash. Almost an hour had passed since Dash sat down to talk to Spitfire and a couple of the other Wonderbolts attending this year’s Grand Galloping Gala and Fluttershy hadn’t made a move yet.
“Go on.” Rarity urged, as the other two Wonderbolts left the table. “She’s almost alone now, and I’m sure Spitfire will remember you. Go or you’ll regret it later.”
Fluttershy gulped and then set her jaw and finally stood up. “You’re right, Rarity.”
Fluttershy’s way was blocked as the orchestra had just started to play a lively waltz and the dance floor was suddenly crowded with ponies. Rarity motioned toward the ceiling with her hooves as Fluttershy looked back for support. Taking her meaning with wide eyes, Fluttershy flexed her wings and took flight, skimming over top of the dancing crowd to land beside Rainbow Dash.
“Hey, Fluttershy! Spitfire, you remember Fluttershy, right?”
“Sure do. That was a nice bit of flying, jumping inside the tornado at speed like that and recovering quickly enough to boost it over 800 wing power.” Spitfire grinned as Fluttershy’s cheeks turned pink.
“Th.. thank you.”
“What’s up, ‘Shy?”
“I um.. well, I..” Fluttershy stuttered a bit and Spitfire, guessing correctly, helpfully turned her attention off in another direction. “I came over to ask you for a dance, Dashie.”
“Here? Now? In front of all these ponies?” Dash’s eyes widened in surprise with a hint of stage fright. “It looks pretty crowded over there.”
“If you don’t want to, I understand.” Fluttershy tried to squeak out. However, her quiet tone was covered up by another voice.
“If Dash doesn’t want to, I’d be happy to take this dance.” Spitfire said casually, turning back to the ponies across from her. Spitfire hid her smirk behind her wine glass as Dash stood up and took Fluttershy by the hoof, leading her toward the dance floor.
When they reached the edge of the dance floor however, Dash dropped Fluttershy’s hoof in dismay. “It is really crowded, how are we supposed to dance anyway?” Dash scowled. A soft breeze on her cheek and the sound of beating wings answered her as she looked up to see Fluttershy hovering next to her, above the level of the crowd.
Fluttershy smiled down as she extended her hoof. “May I have this dance?”
Above the crowd of waltzing ponies below, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash danced the way only two pegasi could. They swooped forward and back, side to side, low over the crowd and high in the air. They danced upright and sideways, prone, supine and even corkscrewing through the air at one point, eventually drawing almost every eye in the room.
Dash continued to hold onto Fluttershy as they hovered low over the floor toward an empty table.
“You know, you really are a great flier when you want to be, ‘Shy.”
“Thank you, Dashie.” Fluttershy breathed out before leaning in slowly, her lips slightly parted. When Dash made no move to stop her, she closed the rest of the gap and they shared a long kiss.
That’s what I feel when I look into your eyes. I want you. I want so badly to feel your coat pressed against mine, to feel your hot breath as our lips touch, to feel our feathers interlace and our tails twirl together... but I’m afraid.
I’m afraid I’m not exciting enough for you. I’m afraid I’ll drag you down from the fame you deserve. I’m afraid you’ll be swept up in the spotlight and forget about me. I’m afraid you’ll meet somepony else who will sweep you off your hooves and take you away from me.
Do you feel it too? Sometimes I think I can see it in your eyes, behind the cool, confident pony I love. Maybe if I knew, I could conquer my own fear. Maybe I can someday, but not today. Today, I’ll just look into your eyes and fear. --- Fear.
That’s what I feel when I look into your eyes. I want you. I want to hold you in my hooves and stroke your mane, to taste your tongue as we kiss, to wrap my wings around you and keep you forever... but I’m afraid.
I’m afraid I’m too flighty for you. I’m afraid I’ll drag you away from the comfortable life you deserve. I’m afraid to sweep you into the spotlight and have you resent it. I’m afraid you’ll get fed up, run away and leave me.
Do you feel it too? Sometimes I think I can see it in your eyes, behind the soft, gentle pony I love. Maybe if I knew, I could conquer my own fear. Maybe I can someday, but not today. Today, I’ll just look into your eyes and fear.
"Now hold the tray very still, you don't want to soon the dear little things," my mom said.
Okay, she's not really my mom. She adopted me, along with Dash. I don't know who gave birth to me, but Fluttershy and Dash take care of me, so I guess that makes her my real mom.
And I love her, except for this stuff. They're bunnies, they can eat stuff without our help. I've seen them do it.
"Very still, Scootaloo, they're shy and afraid."
Yeah, I know you told me like eight times today. I'm pretty sure I got it by now. Hey--
What's that by my scooter? Winona, what are you doing? Hey, put your leg down!
"HORSEAPPLES!"
Fluttershy's face, I can't even describe it. I mean, she's got a lot of scared faces, and one hell of a state when she wants too, but I've never seen her so shocked in my whole life. Or any pony else, for that matter.
"Where did you learn such language! You tell me right now, young lady!"
"Um, Apple Bloom?"
I really don't know why I lied just then. Or why I said her. If I was smart, I would have said Applejack. Now I've gotten Apple Bloom in trouble. This is bad.
Maybe I should have just told the truth. I wouldn't have been grounded nearly as long if I had, I think. But I just couldn't tell her is was Rainbow Dash.
Fluttershy was by far the most beautiful bride she'd ever seen. Anypony would say that she couldn't possibly surpass the beauty and grace of Princess Cadance during her wedding, but Rainbow Dash begged to differ. She normally didn't care for this sort of thing, but today, it was a part of all she could think about.
A beautiful bride and a handsome groom.
A sour look came to her face as her gaze shifted to the groom standing opposite of Fluttershy. The pompous jerk looked more like he was smugly satisfied than he was happy about getting married. Rainbow wanted to pummel him. He clearly knew how lucky he was, but only because he considered Fluttershy to be the ultimate trophy wife. Not because of how much of a great pony she was.
For Fluttershy, as radiant as she looked in her wedding gown, the smile on her face was completely forced. She didn't look like an excited, glowing bride on her wedding day. She looked more like a prisoner about to face her execution.
Rainbow Dash felt her heart break all the more further, briefly locking eyes with her best friend. She fought back tears, yet again wishing it were her at the altar across from Fluttershy, not this jerk.
Princess Celestia, presiding the ceremony, spoke up once again. "Now then, should anypony be against this union, let them speak now, or forever hold their piece."
For one brief second, the Princess cast a look toward Rainbow Dash, before her gaze shifted along the crowd. Rainbow Dash felt her heart skip. She'd forgotten about that line during a wedding ceremony. Now was her chance! Maybe it really wasn't too late after all! Her attempts to stop the wedding before had failed, but now, she had a chance to REALLY stop it!
Wings flared, she flew out of her seat, landing on the red carpet of the wedding aisle.
"Yes! I object!!" She yelled.
The crowd gasped, while her friends, part of Fluttershy's bridal party, all facehoofed. Fluttershy looked a mixture of shocked and delighted. The groom, however, looked at her as if she were a fly to be swatted away.
"And what right could you possibly have to end this, you mongrel?" The groom spoke up pompously. "You haven't a right to decide what is best for Fluttershy."
"I know what she wants better than you do, you jerk!" Rainbow Dash advanced down the aisle, glaring hard at her now worst enemy. "And she sure as hay doesn't want to marry you and be your trophy wife!"
"It was stated in the will of her departed parents, you twit. Surely I don't need to remind you of it further," said the groom, holding up a piece of paper with his magic.
Fluttershy looked at her sadly, hiding behind her bouquet of white flowers. "Rainbow, I'm sorry..."
"Can I...see that will? So I can actually read it?" Rainbow said, holding out her hoof.
Rolling his eyes, the groom levitated it into her hoof. "Very well. But make it quick. We have my wedding to resume. And you will behave. You are even lucky that I am allowing you present for my wedding."
"Yeah, yeah," Rainbow rolled her eyes, holding the will in her hoof, reading it over.
"Rainbow, what are you doing?" Twilight wanted to know, looking anxious.
Rainbow Dash smirked, and then ripped the will apart. Even going as far to toss some of the pieces into a nearby torch pit. "Oops! My hooves slipped! Oh well, looks like there's no more will!" Rainbow grinned widely.
The crowd gasped again. Fluttershy looked delighted, while their friends were amazed. The groom, of course, was angry. "You insolent wench! That was the only copy of the will!" He growled.
Smirking, Rainbow trotted over to Fluttershy's side. "Oh, well that's too bad. You should've planned ahead and made more copies. But you were too caught up in yourself that you didn't even think of it! Fluttershy's already got her inheritance, so what does it matter, anyway?"
"It was agreed this way!" The groom snarled, advancing toward them. "I will be marrying Fluttershy, and there is nothing you can say about it! Now enough of this nonsense! Princess, call security and kindly escort this insolent mare OUT! Immediately!" Princess Celestia merely smiled. "Guards?"
The royal guards advanced toward the altar, but Rainbow Dash had one more trick to play. She scooped up Fluttershy like the bride she was, holding her tight.
"No need, Princess! I'm gonna let myself out! You ready, Fluttershy?" She grinned at her love.
Fluttershy beamed, nodding. "Yes!"
Within an instant, Rainbow flew away into the horizon. The crowd was silent, while the groom was getting angrier and throwing a tantrum. The rest of the Elements of Harmony smiled as they watched their friends go.
"Is the wedding over, now?" Pinkie wanted to know.
"Oh, Pinkie..." Twilight shook her head, smiling more.
~~~~
Far away, within a beautiful meadow, Rainbow Dash gently set Fluttershy down within the patch of flowers. She situated herself in front of her, grinning widely.
"Oh, Rainbow...thank you for taking me away...if you hadn't intervened, I'd have been married to that jerk," Fluttershy beamed. "I just feel bad that we humiliated him at the altar...that wasn't right..."
"Forget about him, Flutters. He's going to find another meal ticket eventually. You were just another attempt at it, anyway,"
Rainbow grinned, waving it off.
"It's all wrong...so wrong...you destroyed the will and left the groom at the altar..." Fluttershy said, but she was smiling.
"Like I care what they're going to think. So..." Rainbow leaned in close, smirking. "May I kiss the bride?"
Fluttershy responded by tackling the cyan mare to the ground and kissing her passionately.
Lots of control? Check. Screaming and hollering? Check. Passion? Triple check.
After all, Rainbow Dash was nothing if not passionate. Heck, she’d invented the elements of the perfect cheer. Why then was she so nervous?
Rainbow raised her eyes towards the empty sky of the arena. Any minute now the competitors would be filling the sky with show-stopping acrobatics. Talented twists, death-defying dives, and graceful aerial gallops performed by Equestria’s best flyers. Each was fighting for the coveted title currently held by the cyan mare, who would be observing this year’s competition from the sidelines.
Rainbow felt her wings twitch irritably; however, the action was accompanied by a twinge of pain. It had been a stupid mistake. She had pushed herself too hard during a training session and her reward was a medical grade case of wing-sprain.
She’d known the injury would keep her from competing, that had been a given. It was hard to accept, sure, but nearly putting her hoof through the doctor’s skull when he delivered the news, maybe that had been an overreaction.
A voice came over the PA system announcing the first flyer, some tan pegasus from Trottingham. Dash was unimpressed. His technique may have been executed well, but his overall performance lacked heart and determination. It was like watching a wind-up toy.
More flyers followed, each flawed in their own way. At least that was the opinion of the reigning champ. There was only one flyer she was here to see. Only one for whom she’d cheer. Finally she heard it.
“Contestant number sixty-nine.”
Dash sniggered. She’d have to remember to lob a few jokes Fluttershy’s way after the competition.
Into the sky flew a blur of pink and yellow. Fluttershy glided through the air, and while she lacked the powerful speed of the other competitors she managed to make up for it with clean precision flying. After a few more twists and turns, she ended her repertoire with an impossibly graceful pirouette in front of the judge’s booth. Somehow it seemed if, for just a moment, time stood still. Her flowing pink mane fanned out around her head. Her eyes locking with each judge in turn, attempting to convey the impossible mixture of emotion that bubbled within her.
As her performance concluded a thousand voices rose up from the stadium. But Fluttershy only heard one voice. One cheer. “Woooooo!!!! You go Flutters!!!!!!!”
--------------------
“Third place!” Rainbow grinned from ear to ear as she gave the buttery yellow pegasus a bone-crushing hug. Unfortunately Fluttershy’s eyes were trained only upon her own hooves.
“…I’m sorry… I couldn’t defend your title…” Fluttershy’s voice was barely audible, grief filling every inflection.
“Come off it!” Rainbow gave her oldest friend a playful nudge. “I still can’t believe you even offered to try and defend my title for me! And you placed!”
Rainbow leaned in and gave Fluttershy a soft kiss.
“Now how’s about we celebrate. What do you say, contestant sixty nine?”
"Oh-no, darling, I see it as well. They obviously have something special."
"Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh, I knew it!"
"Will y'all hush up? They're gon' notice us if we don't lay low!"
If that wasn't a dead giveaway, then the giggle, arguing for room and four tails sticking out was. Sitting in the bushes, right outside of Fluttershy's quaint little cottage were the other four Elements of Harmony, all on the edge of their seats, not believing what they were seeing! Were Dash and Flutters really...?
"I didn't think they had chemistry." Twilight murmured, levitating over a notepad and scribbling down a few thoughts. "They didn't seem like the type to be attracted to one another."
"Opposites do attract, you know." Rarity pointed out, as her azure eyes never left the two pegasi who simply ignored their friends 'hiding' behind them. "I just can't believe Fluttershy would go for somepony as brash as Rainbow. Not that I'm frowning upon their relationship, but-"
"Shh!" Pinkie interrupted, shoving a hoof in Rarity's mouth. "They're gonna kiss, I just know it!"
"Uh, Pinkie, Ah doubt that they're gonna-" Applejack began, only before she was cut off.
"My Pinkie Sense!" the hyperactive mare declared. "Tail twitch, eye quiver, ear wiggle and legs feeling like jelly mean that something super duper romantic is gonna happen!"
Twilight raised an eyebrow and looked up from her notes. "You really do have a Pinkie Sense for everything, don't you?" she questioned, only before Pinkie's loud "Shh!" interrupted her.
And there, just as the stroke of midnight, when Luna's stars were shining at their brightest and the moon was at the center of the masterpiece that was the sky up above, completely ignoring their closest friends behind them, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash locked lips.
Giggles sounded from the lower bunk, as the two forms beneath the blankets shifted about. A rainbow-maned head, with a pink-maned head beneath it, rose up from the blankets. The two young mares giggled before engaging in a sweet kiss.
"We're soooo gonna get in trouble for skipping our next activity, Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash giggled, kissing the yellow mare's face.
Fluttershy giggled in delight, "Oh well...that's too bad. Maybe you shouldn't be so...sexy with your flying, Dashie..."
"Oh yeah? And maybe you shouldn't have been so seductive!" Rainbow snickered, capturing her lips into another kiss.
Their heated makeout session continued for some time, most especially when one of Rainbow's hooves slipped away under the covers. Where it went was anyone's guess, but by Fluttershy's moans, it was easy to tell what she was doing. Their tongues battled, Fluttershy's moans grew between their hot kisses, and it was sure getting warm in there. That was when their cabin door flew open and an intrusive, huge form came walking in.
"Dash, there you are! Where the heck did you go? You were supposed to show up for flight-" Gilda's eyes went wide at what she saw going on.
Rainbow and Fluttershy both gasped, turning to look at the Griffon who had inadvertently interrupted their intimacy. Neither of them spoke a word as a very awkward silence fell over them. Both pegasi remained frozen on the bunk, making no effort to hide the fact that they were lying on top of each other. Gilda meanwhile stared at the two with a very dumbfounded look. At least, before her edge returned and she glared.
"Seriously, Dash?! Seriously?! You're actually banging a lame little dweeb like her?!"
Fire in her eyes, Rainbow Dash flew out of bed and over to her teammate. "Hey, you take that back! Fluttershy isn't lame or a dweeb! And for your information, I'm not 'banging' anypony! I was making sweet love to Fluttershy!"
Rolling her eyes, Gilda groaned and faceclawed. "Whatever you want to call it, I can't believe what you're doing. Do you WANT to ruin your reputation?! If everyone else finds out about this, Dash, you're going to be heading in a downward spiral. Nothing will ever save your awesomeness, you'll never live it down! But ya know, if you quit doing this, I might just hold back in telling everyone about what you were doing. Sorry Dash, but it's the way the awesomeness spectrum works. I can't just not tell. But if you try to keep up your awesomeness, you might just make up for it..."
Rainbow looked destroyed before sinking to the floor. Tears pooled in her eyes, but she held them back. "Well?" Gilda sneered. "What's it gonna be?"
Not even looking at her, Rainbow went over to the bunk. She looked at Fluttershy with an apologetic, sorrowful stare, before giving her a gentle kiss. In her ear, she whispered,
"I love you, Fluttershy...but I can't do this anymore. I need to think of my reputation....my hopes for becoming a Wonderbolt. ...I'm sorry."
Without waiting for an answer, or even looking at the distraught yellow pegasus, Rainbow followed Gilda out the door. The Griffon shot Fluttershy a very smug, satisfied look before closing the door behind them.
~Years later~
"So, ya finally came crawlin' back, Dash?" Gilda smirked, turning around to face the cyan pony.
Rainbow Dash glared, shaking her head. "No! I meant what I said back at Pinkie's party, Gilda! I am never coming crawling back to you! I don't need you to make me cool! I can make my own reputation, one that doesn't involve leaving my friends behind just because they're not like me! I made that mistake once. But I'm not making it again!"
"Whatever, Dash. Once a dweeb, always a dweeb." Gilda rolled her eyes. "Go ahead, go back to your precious little friends and that Fluttercry wimp."
"Her name is FLUTTERSHY!" Rainbow growled, pawing her hoof into the ground. "And thanks to my stupid idiocy, I just about lost the greatest friend and girlfriend I could have ever asked for! I wish I'd never listened to you! I wanted to give you a chance, I thought we could be friends again and I was ready to forgive you for it... But you're not even sorry! You don't regret it! All you regret is me being who I am! Well, fine! You get out of this town and never come back! This is my home now and this where all my friends are! As for Fluttershy... I love her, Gilda! And someday, I'm going to win her back!"
Groaning with impatience, Gilda spread her wings. "Fine, Dash. Have it your way. Don't think I'll let you drag me back into your lameness again."
Without waiting for a response, she took off.
Rainbow sighed, turning around and heading back toward Ponyville. At least, until she came across a very excited-looking pink face looking back at her.
"OH MY GOSH!!! You're in love with Fluttershy?!!? That is SO CUTE, Dashie! Why didn't you tell me?! You two would be so adorable together! You even used to date?! Awwwwwwwwwww!!! Now we have to work at getting you to win her back! It'll take time, it'll take planning...but slowly and surely, we're going to make sure that you win back Fluttershy's heart!" Pinkie squealed happily, bouncing about. "And that'll be when I throw a party for the two of you!! Ooooh! It's going to be so cool!"
Frozen in surprise, all Rainbow could do was stare awkwardly at the excited earth pony. This was not going to turn out well...
But at least she had somepony on her side about winning back Fluttershy.
"Okay, so flowers are decided. Mixed pastels, for a rainbow palette, but uncut, so they're good for the bees and hummingbirds. It'll challenge those girls, but I think they can handle it." Pinkie looked strange to her friends, with her hair in a (poofy) bun and huge pink glasses, but apparently, this was her serious look.
And party planning is serious business, if you're Pinkie Pie. Especially wedding planning.
Dash nodded, "Yup. Sounds good."
Fluttershy nodded once. She had actually taken charge here, after hearing some of Dash's ideas, especially about 'entertainment.' Fluttershy, on the other hoof, had been dreaming of this day since she was a very small filly. Her wedding was going to be perfect.
Pinkie smiled. The flowers had been a tough point. Not all of Rainbow Dash's ideas were terrible; rainbow patterned decorations would actually look really pretty and be much more festive than the usual choices. This was something to celebrate, after all.
Pinkie cleared her throat. "So: we've gotten the reception all planned out, and I'll let you know as soon as I can be certain the flowers will be there. The ceremony will be as close to traditional as possible, excepting those changes we had previously discussed." For a moment Dash thought she was talking to a lavender unicorn, not a pink party pony. "You will exit the chapel as ride the carriage to the pre-reception--"
"Will ponies be throwing rice?" Fluttershy asked. She squeaked when the other ponies looked at her.
"I... suppose?" Pinkie responded.
"Um, I'm, um, not sure that's a good idea..."
"Wait, doesn't rice make birds explode or something? I think I heard that somewhere. That would not be radical, even though it's an explosion," Dash said.
"Um, actually, no, rice isn't bad for birdies. It's good for them really, um, but, Mr. Gander really, really likes rice, and he doesn't really like to share. I've been trying to convince him to be nicer, but he doesn't want to listen really, but, um, if there was a bunch of rice, um, he might try to, um, hog it all. Just a tensy bit. So it would be better if we used birdseed. Then all the birdies could come." Fluttershy said. "I'd really like to have all the birdies there who can make it, except for Mr. Gander. He's not coming."
Pinkie blinked a couple time before responding. "Okie dokie lokie. Birdseed it is. Where should I get it?"
"Oh! I can get that for you, and set it aside. I'll send it over to Sugarcube Corner a week before the wedding."
"Excellente! Then after you leave, ponies will throw birdseed, that you will provide, out of little baggies, that I will provide, and you both will get in the carriage to the pre-reception area..." Pinkie continued through the rest of the plans.
I'll have to have another meeting with Apple Bloom. Cutie Mark Crusader Rice throwers are done. Cutie Mark Crusader Birdseed throwers are go! I wonder if we'll need to adjust the cannon...
"Sorry I'm late, Flutters." Dash said as soon as she arrived on the outskirts of Ponyville, near the edge of the Everfree Forest where Fluttershy was waiting.
"Oh, that's ok," said Fluttershy. "Shall we go for our walk now?"
"Yes, let's." Dash smiled at Fluttershy as they started on their walk.
They were quiet for a majority of the time, though Fluttershy didn't mind. She was a very quiet pony anyways. Dash didn't mind either. She simply enjoyed Fluttershy's company.
"Dashie?" Fluttershy said suddenly. Dash blinked in mild surprise. Dashie? Since when did Fluttershy call her Dashie?
"Can we go somewhere a little more...." Fluttershy trailed off midsentence, as if too shy to say what she really wanted to say.
"Somewhere a little more what?" Dash asked, her voice filled with slight suspicion.
"Somewhere a little more private?" Fluttershy finally said.
Dash grabbed Fluttershy by the cheeks and turned her head towards her own, looking deep into her eyes. Fluttershy couldn't help but blush deeply at this, though, thankfully, Dash didn't seem to notice.
"Good, you're not a Changeling." Dash said after examining Fluttershy's eyes for a moment.
"Why would I be a-?" Fluttershy shook her head as she tried to calm her thundering heart. "Nevermind. Just come with me, please." Fluttershy started walking partway into the Everfree Forest, not so far in that they would be in danger of being attacked by it's savage inhabitants, but deep enough so that she wouldn't be heard. Dash just shrugged and simply went along.
"Here is good." Fluttershy stopped in a small meadow-like clearing. It was simply a patch of grass surrounded by trees with flowers growing in the middle of it. Rainbow Dash was next to step into the clearing.
"Whoa. Nice spot," said Dash, "You have good taste in spots that are good for privacy. I might come here someday just to nap."
"Anyways," said Fluttershy, "About what I wanted to tell you..."
".....Yes?" Dash asked.
"...Are you familiar with the concept of falling?" Fluttershy asked.
"Falling? What does that have to do with anything?" Dash was confused.
"Just answer the question, Dashie." Fluttershy giggled.
"Well....yeah....but still, what does that have to do with anything?" Dash asked again.
"Well, duh, if I fly a lot, I fall a lot, too. Now you answer me. What do this have to do with anything?" Dash was getting impatient this time.
"The thing is, Dashie....." Fluttershy blushed again, though, again, Dash didn't notice. Fluttershy loved how unaware Dash really was. But she would be unaware no longer.
"I've fallen, Dashie." Fluttershy finally said, her rosy cheeks turning an even deeper red.
"Fallen? What do you mean?" Dash asked, confused.
"Fallen," said Fluttershy simply as she grabbed one of Dash's hooves and pulled her in, leaning closer and closer to her until her face was an inch or so away from Dash's.
"For you." Fluttershy leaned in for a kiss, which Dash did not fight or refuse.
As usual Rainbow Dash was out practicing her mid- air dare-devil routines. She had to practice as much as she could if she ever wanted to get into the Wonderbolts. It was her dream. Nothing was going to stop her from practicing today.
Out of no where Dash heard a scream come from the Everfree forest. Rainbow Dash turned towards the forest, wondering to herself, who ing the right mind would ever go in there. Sadly, it was her duty to go check it out.
Upon entering the forest, Rainbow Dash heard the scream again, but this time she could really hear it...
IT WAS FLUTTERSHY!
Rainbow Dash insantly went into overdrive, racing towards her, obviously in trouble, friend. Dash burst into a clearing only to smack right into a, now even more panicked Fluttershy. They both landed on their hind legs. Dash immediately stood back up to go help her friend.
"Fluttershy, sorry 'bout that, what's wrong?" Dash said worryingly.
"N-no time! R-run!" Fluttershy managed to stammer out.
Just then a manticore crashed through the other side of the clearing. Upon noticing the two ponies it rushed towards them. Out of pure instinct Rainbow dash flew up and Kicked the manticore square in the head. The manticore taking a direct hit, promptly hit the ground unconscious.
"See! It's gonna be alright Shy. That manticore was nothing! I guess i was just a bit too much action for it to handle!" Rainbow Dash gloated to her cowering friend.
"I-I guess you sav- RAINBOW LOOK OUT!" Fluttershy shouted just a little too late.
The manticore had recovered from its minor head trauma to stand back up and swipe at Rainbow Dash. The cyan Pegasus flew across the clearing only to have a tree stop her unintended flight.
Seeing her friend attacked like that, Fluttershy stood up and faced the manticore.
"You do not...ever...ever... ever...hurt one of my friends," Fluttershy said with as much scorn as she possibly could. She proceeded to follow up with the most intense stare anyone has ever seen. Even the manticore was paralyzed in fright.
"Now what do you have to say for yourself?" Fluttershy asked angrily maintaining her gaze.
With no other options, the manticore slowing backed out of the clearing and into the forest. As soon as the manticore had left sight Fluttershy rushed over to her friend, who was still lying next to the tree.
"Fluttershy that...was...AWESOME!" Rainbow shouted as Fluttershy approached.
"DASHIE DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT!" Fluttershy said, still a little worked up from the manticore encounter. " I couldn't imagine what I would do if something terrible happened to you." Fluttershy looked away embarrassed.
Rainbow Dash looked a little shocked at her friend's reaction. She didn't know Fluttershy had felt that way.
"I'm alright, don't worry," Rainbow said trying to comfort her worried friend. " I might not be able to fly for a while though, my wing really hurts."
Fluttershy looked nervously at her friend.
"You could...um...stay at my place...if you're O.K. with that?" Fluttershy offered.
"That'd be great shy." Dash said as she gave her friend a reassuring hug. "What would I ever do without you?"
The rhythmic thump of hooves against wood always followed by the pitter-patter of apples into baskets echoed through the south field of Sweet Apple Acres as the sun dipped lower toward the horizon. The long shadow of the next tree stretched across the ground as Applejack turned to position the baskets anew.
She grinned to herself, eyes fixed on the pony-shaped lump visible as part of the tree’s shadow. Time to wake a certain wingy varmint. Applejack wound up her hind legs and delivered a firm blow to the trunk.
THUNK!
In the midst of a shower of yellow-green apples came a scream and a tangle of yellow legs and long pink hair. Applejack’s eyes flew wide as she rushed to help Fluttershy.
“Aw, horseapples. I’m really sorry, Fluttershy. I thought RD was nappin’ in my trees again. You okay?”
“I think I’m okay.” Fluttershy squeaked, getting back to her hooves with Applejack’s help and trying to compose herself.
“Didja find some birds nestin’ up there or somethin’?” AJ glanced up at the tree, hoping she hadn’t just evicted any innocent critters. She didn’t notice Fluttershy’s eyes shift nervously left and right.
“Yeah, some little birdies, but they managed to move their nest just fine already.” It was a pretty hollow lie, but AJ missed all the tell-tales.
“You gonna be okay, sugarcube? Need any help?” Applejack turned back to Fluttershy, giving her a quick look over for any obvious injuries.
“I’ll be fine, you just startled me.” Fluttershy hid behind her mane. “I don’t want to keep you from your apple bucking.”
“Alright, take care, sugarcube.”
Fluttershy just stood under that same tree as Applejack moved off, the thump of her hooves on the trees coming from farther and farther away even as it echoed across the field.
As the sound grew fainter and fainter, a prismatic trail darted across the sky behind a cyan blur. Rainbow Dash landed in the tree with a thump and a rustle of leaves. After some more rustling, she stuck her head down from the canopy and spotted her prey.
“Fluttershy, I thought I said to meet me in the tree, not under it!”
“I’m sorry, Dashie. Applejack was harvesting this field and kind of accidentally bucked me out.” Fluttershy dipped her head low in apology. “Maybe we shouldn’t do it here after all. What if we get caught?”
“Oh, come on!” Dash groaned. “You don’t want to do it at my place because you don’t like cloud beds and you don’t want to do it at your place so your animals don’t watch us. We’re running out of places to try.” Dash facehoofed. “Applejack’s already been by, we’ll be fine.”
The sound of a throat being cleared made both pegasi turn a bright shade of crimson. “Sorry fer eavesdropping, but if y’all want a secluded spot, you can use the south barn, just over the hill.” Applejack pointed an orange hoof toward the weathervane just visible over the trees sloping up the hill. “Aint no bed, but there’s blankets and a water barrel an’ old fashioned shower. Just hang the red bucket on the barn door an’ nopony’ll bother ya.”
All three ponies glanced silently back and forth at each other above their red tinged muzzles before one of them finally spoke again.
“Thanks AJ, we owe you one.” Dash scooped up the still petrified Fluttershy and headed in the direction of the barn. Applejack couldn’t help chuckling to herself as she went back to her apple bucking.
"Sure is nice of you to check up on her," said Pinkie as she followed Twilight down the streets of Ponyville, on their way to visit Fluttershy.
"Yeah, well, I haven't seen her in a while. Nor have I seen Rainbow Dash, for that matter." Twilight said. "I wonder what they've been up to...." said Pinkie thoughtfully.
They both trotted along out of Ponyville and onto Fluttershy's cottage. They stopped before the door to said cottage, and knocked politely. They waited for a while, but there was no answer.
"Flutters?" Twilight called out as she knocked again. "You in there?" She knocked once more, only for the door to swing open by itself.
"Huh," mumbled Pinkie. "That's strange. I guess she's not home."
"But she usually is home at a time like this," replied Twilight. She thought for a moment, then made her decision. "I think we go in and check up on her."
"Okey!" Pinkie said happily as she followed Twilight inside.
They walked into the cottage, expecting animals to be all over the place, but no, there was nothing, no animals, and nopony. "That's really weird." commented Twilight. "Maybe she-" Twilight suddenly stopped speaking, her ears standing up at the sudden sound. It was a 'thump, thump, thump' sound, it was steady and even rhythmic, and it was coming from upstairs.
"Maybe she what?" asked Pinkie.
"Shh!" replied Twilight. She listened even closer to find out if her ears were tricking her, but they weren't. She really was hearing this sound.
"You hear that?" asked Twilight.
Pinkie listened closely for a moment, before saying, "Yeah, I hear it."
"Pinkie," said Twilight, growing paranoid for the safety of Fluttershy. "Grab something, anything, and make sure it's heavy. Fluttershy might be in trouble."
Pinkie was about to laugh at how silly Twilight sounded, but she saw the seriousness in her friend's face. "Ok," she replied. She grabbed a heavy-looking chair. She tested it's weight. It would do.
Twilight used her magic to obtain a knife from the kitchen, before making her way for the stairs. She quickly ran up the stairs with Pinkie following close behind. They both stopped before a door, where the thumping sound was even louder. They both listened closely, and they found that there was even a moaning sound coming from behind the door. Twilight recognized the moaning voice as coming from Fluttershy.
"She must be moaning in pain!" Twilight whispered frantically to Pinkie. "Ok, on the count of 3, I'll open the door slowly and sneak attack whoever might be hurting Fluttershy. Ok? 1..."
Twilight tensed up.
"2..."
Pinkie tensed up as well.
"3!" She creaked open the door a little bit and peered inside....only for her to quickly and silently close the door again. She leaned back and breathed heavily, not sure whether or not her eyes would ever unsee what she had just seen.
"What's wrong, Twilight?" Pinkie asked. "Is it that brutal?"
"W-well..." Twilight stammered, blushing deeply, "I, uh, I.....Fluttershy is fine. Let's go." Twilight started her way down the stairs again.
"Ok, now you've got me curious. I'm going to take a look in there, too." Pinkie then opened the door a creak and peered inside as well....only for her to have the same reaction as Twilight.
"Uh, Twilight?" Pinkie asked nervously.
"Yeah?" Twilight barely squeaked.
"You know how you said that Fluttershy was fine?" Pinkie gulped.
"Yeah?"
"Well....so is Rainbow Dash...."
"I know, Pinkie. I know."
"I also saw Applejack in there...."
"Pinkie. I know. I saw it. And now I require a spell to unsee it."
They stood there, staring at each other awkwardly. Suddenly, Pinkie spoke.
"Twilight?"
"Yes, Pinkie?"
"Let's bolt."
"I agree."
And then they bolted.
And from that day onward, Twilight was mentally scarred forever.
A Week later.....Twilight is still haunted by that day. She didn't mind the fact that they all had a consensual relationship with each other. The fact that she saw them performing in an act such as that is what scarred her and Pinkie for life.
The arena sweltered in the hot sun. The rubble of the city surrounded Rainbow Dash at all angles, leaving her nowhere to run but behind her.
She wiped the sweat off her brow and grimaced as she felt the cut over her eyebrow. Fresh blood started to drip down her face, gleaming in the sun, but she ignored the mild pain and choosing instead to see how much water she had left. The canteen was disappointingly empty. With the Gamemakers cranking up the heat even at night, she’d need to refill fast. But she had nowhere to go except back the way she came, or up and over the ruined buildings.
Making her mind up, she scrambled up the debris, at one point losing her footing and cutting her hand on a broken glass bottle. Wincing at the feeling of the shards in her hand, she restrained from tearing a piece of her shirt off. The open skin would only be a target.
Finally, she reached the top of the rubble and peered over the edge. Spotting a seemingly abandoned building she tumbled over the edge, getting dirt and dust all over her cloths. She sighed as she spotted her wounds. They’d have to be cleaned up; if only she had the right equipment. The rucksack and sword had been the only things she’d managed to grab at the bloodbath before nearly getting her leg sliced off by the boy from District 4.
She ran into the building and sighed with relief when she saw a canteen of water lying on the table. It never crossed her mind that it could be a trap.
“Awesome.” she murmured, grinning to herself. She reached a hand out to grab the water, keeping the other on the hilt of her sword, in case of an emergency.
“Don’t touch that.” said a sweet voice, and Dash whirled around to find the girl from District 11, Fluttershy, pointing a crossbow at her. Her pink hair that once whirled around her face on interview night was now shoulder-length and uneven, obviously chopped off.
Rainbow Dash analysed the petite girl.
Yeah, she could take her.
“What are you gonna do to stop me?” she challenged. She’d never been one to think before she spoke. Maybe one day she’d get into trouble for it, but not today.
Fluttershy ignored her taunting. She glanced at Rainbow’s sword. “District 7. A sword is a strange choice for someone who grows up wielding an axe.” she observed.
“I like to be different.”
“I can tell.” she said, gesturing at Dash’s rainbow-streaked hair.
Dash shook her head. This wasn't the time to be making friends. She was in this to win.
“I’m outta here.” she said, jogging out the building.
She was surprised that she didn't try and follow her, until she heard the scuffling of footsteps on the sand behind her. She cursed under her breath, and then noticed the gleam of metal out of the corner of her eye.
Whirling around on instinct, she met the boy from District 6 blade to blade. He must have been following her.
He pushed his strength down on her, but she pushed back, feeling the pressure of his wait straining on her. Her bloody hand felt slippery against the hilt and she winced as her muscles stretched. Maybe this would finally be her day to die.
He pushed her back and she quickly parried his blade, and then went in to stab his stomach. He defended her and slashed at the air, and she put all her focus into defense. She couldn't get in an attack and she knew she was going to die. He was stronger than her.
But maybe not as smart.
He paused, gurgled, and then slumped to his knees. An arrow protruded from his back. As he died, Rainbow Dash glanced up to the abandoned building and saw Fluttershy in one of the holes where a window used to be. The yellow girl waved her crossbow at her and smiled.
Rainbow smirked back and headed towards the building. Maybe it was time for an alliance after all.
It was a beautiful summer morning, and Fluttershy was tending to her animals.
“Well hello Angel Bunny, are you going to eat your carrot today?” She asked, pushing a carrot towards him. Angel lifted his nose in the air in rebellion.
“Pretty please Angel? Rainbow Dash is stopping by soon, and I need time to get ready.” With that the rabbit devoured the carrot in a single bite. Angel knew how fond his owner was of Rainbow Dash, and was a little too supportive, often forcing Fluttershy into awkward situations.
“Thank you Angel, if you don’t mind could you help me with getting ready?” The shy pony asked. Angel immediately rushed to the cottage, presumably to Fluttershy’s bedroom.
“I’ll just take that as a yes.” Fluttershy said with a giggle. As she walked up the stairs to her room, she saw Angel sitting outside her door, smiling like he was up to something.
“Angel, what did you do?” Fluttershy asked. Angel only shrugged and opened the door. Fluttershy was met with an extremely provocative dress Rarity gave to her in the hope that she’d wear it for Rainbow Dash. It was a light blue dress that hugged her body to show off her body in every way.
“No Angel, I've already told you I’m not wearing that, I’ll just go like this.” She said. “Now I just have to brush my mane, so if you’ll excuse me I need to get my brush. She said, stepping over the bunny and into her room. Once inside she looked around for her brush. Hmm, not on the bed, not on the dresser, not on my bedside table, not on Rainbow Dash, not on “RAINBOW DASH!!” The cream colored mare’s face suddenly turned beet red.
“Uh, hey Shy, I saw your bunny motioning me from the window and I figured you were in here.” Rainbow Dash said, glancing at the dress. Fluttershy noticed this and immediately moved in front of it.
“Um... yes it’s nice to see you. Lovely Summer day right? Did your weather team have to work harder to make it nice?” The anxiety prone pegasus asked, desperate to take Rainbow Dash’s attention away from the dress.
“Uh yea, Fluttershy I’ve never seen that dress before, where’d you get it?” The chromatic maned mare asked.
“Um... well you see I... um... It’s been a lovely Summer hasn’t it Rainbow?” The shy mare said.
“Um, that doesn’t really answer my question Fluttersh-”
“I really love Summer.”
“Uh yea I do to bu-”
“Maybe we should go outside and enjoy this beautiful Summer.”
“But I wanna know more about that dre-”
“Come with me let’s go outside Rainbow Dash.”
“Nah it’s cool, I think I’ll stay here.” Rainbow Dash finally managed to get in a full sentence.
“But, don’t you wanna go outside?” Fluttershy asked pleadingly.
“No, I wanna know more about this dress, that was my original question.” Rainbow Dash replied, a stern look on her face.
“But I... It’s just that... uh, fine. It was a gift from Rarity.” Fluttershy hung her head in shame.
“But what’s so bad about that? I think it’d look great on you.” Rainbow replied.
“That’s the point.” Fluttershy said.
“Forgive me if I don’t follow.” Rainbow Dash said
“Rarity made me this dress to impress you.” Fluttershy replied.
“Okay, well why would you need to impress me?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I said I’m in love with you.” Fluttershy muttered.
“Still didn’t hear you.” Rainbow Dash said.
“Well I um...” Fluttershy cut herself off.
“Did you even finish that sent-mmf.” Rainbow Dash didn’t get to finish because Fluttershy had leaned in and kissed her. They stayed like this for a few seconds, neither one of them being very experienced, but enjoying it nonetheless. After what felt like hours, they pulled away, and smiled at each other.
There was a light whimper on the other side of the bed.
Rainbow Dash didn't know how exactly she heard it, but... she just did. Even over the deafening booms and cracks of the storm outside, somehow, she managed to hear that soft, squeak of a whimper that was no louder than a mouse's sneeze.
"Flutters?" she muttered, rubbing the sleep dust from her eyes and looking over her shoulder, only to see that her marefriend had the covers pulled way over her head and she was lightly shaking. "Hey, Fluttershy... you ok?"
This prompted the shy pegasus to slightly stall, and peek out from under the comforter, meeting the magenta-eyed gaze of her lover. Surprisingly, somehow Fluttershy managed the courage to give a small nod, as in a response to say that she was alright, but once a loud ear-splitting roll of lightning and thunder rippled throughout town, the Element of Kindness let out a shrill squeak, and her expression melted into fear and helplessness.
"Hey," Rainbow Dash murmured in concern, wrapping her forelegs around her marefriend. "You're scared of the thunderstorm, aren't you?"
Hiding behind her mane bashfully, Fluttershy cuddled into the fast flier and whimpered as she nodded yet again, wincing at the sound of the storm once more.
With a small smile, Rainbow nuzzled Fluttershy and looked into those stunning cerulean eyes, that seemed to sparkle even now, when they were glossed over with tears of fright. "Hey, it's ok." she whispered. "I don't care if this scares you. It's cool - I got ya covered."
"B-b-but," Fluttershy let out another light squeal as the thunder cracked. "D-d-don't you think it's foalish for, well... me to be frightened of just a simple-" She whimpered as the lightning flashed across the window again, followed by yet another loud boom. "s-s-storm?"
"It's fine," Dash said simply. "Really."
Managing a small smile, the meek pegasus snuggled into her marefriend's grasp and lightly sighed as she suddenly felt the courage not to wince at every rough, violent action nature brought...
Rainbow Dash sipped at her drink, unsure of the contents but drinking it anyway. The DJ's harsh beats killed her ears, yet somehow tonight the pain was numb.
She wasn't usually one for clubbing, preferring the outside, but tonight she needed a distraction from the image that played in her head.
Fluttershy and Applejack.
Kissing.
Together, in a relationship.
A small part of her mind was happy. They made a good match. They looked good together. They were happy.
But the majority was jealous.
She loved her oldest friend with all her heart, but had never gotten the chance to tell her. She was going to tonight actually, before she walked into the barn then flew out again with only a flash of rainbow as she saw her best friend and the love of her life embracing.
"What's the matter with you?" a voice behind her asked. She turned to see a slightly drunk pale green unicorn looking at her with golden eyes.
"The love of my life is in a relationship with my best friend. You?" she asked, not worrying that this was a total stranger.
"My love-who-doesn't-love-me loves this place. Tell Aunt Lyra your story." the mare sat down next to Rainbow Dash and finished off her drink.
So Rainbow Dash told her tail. How'd she'd felt there was something between Fluttershy and for years, but could never explain it until the Gala.
When she finished, Lyra stared at her long and hard.
"Well, I think you had plenty of opportunities to tell this Flitterlight-"
"Fluttershy," Dash mumbled.
"Whatever. Anyway, I understand it's hard to tell someone, but look what I' m missing out on." and Lyra made a sweeping gesture to the stage, where the DJ, a white unicorn with a blue mane and big glasses waved at them and continued to play her music for adoring fans.
"Her?" Rainbow giggled.
"Don't laugh- remember I ordered your drink."
She looked down to realize there was a new drink in her hoof.
"So, the moral of our stories is to tell someone you love them, before they let themselves go." Lyra concluded.
"I think you have a chance." Rainbow mused.
"What?" asked Lyra.
"Go get her," Rainbow gestured to the DJ.
Lyra bounded off happily, and Rainbow Dash sighed. Someone else's happiness was great, but it couldn't make up for the empty feeling in her heart whenever she thought of Fluttershy and Applejack.
When Fluttershy opened the door to her cottage, she was surprised to find Spike standing there, wearing a mailmare's uniform, hat, and carrying a piece of paper in his claws. She giggled, wondering what he was up to in that getup.
"Hello there, Spike! What can I do for you?" She asked.
Clearing his throat, Spike unrolled the piece of paper and held it up to read aloud, "Dear Fluttershy, I want to meet you at the Sweet Briar Rose diner tonight at seven! Come in, wearing a little white flower in your mane. I'll be wearing the same! I want to finally see you! Signed, your secret admirer!"
Blushing immensely, Fluttershy giggled, "Oh, my... That's very sweet. Well, okay... I'll be there."
"Okay, Fluttershy! I'll go and relay the message!" Spike grinned, turning and heading off.
~~~~
Spike, in disguise of course, sat alone at one of the tables, keeping his face hidden behind the menu. Glancing toward another pony, he smiled and gave a thumbs up. Moments later, he could see Fluttershy entering the vicinity, wearing a white flower in her mane. She looked around, trying to locate her admirer.
"Come on.... just look to your left..." Spike mumbled to himself.
Eventually, Fluttershy's gaze did go toward the left, as if having heard him. He could see then that she spotted Rainbow Dash, who sat at one table with a white flower in her mane. At that moment, there was a big smile of joy that came to her face before she raced over to Rainbow's table and embraced her.
A job well done, Spike patted himself on the back and treated himself to some food. He'd have to help play this game more often!
~~~~~~
With the help of some balloons, Spike floated up Rainbow Dash's doorstep, knocking on her door. When she answered, he read out the telegram to her.
"My dearest Rainbow Dash, I'd love to see you for the Butterfly Migration tomorrow afternoon, just as we do every year. Please do come to my house at ten, bring a few snacks, and your pitch helmet! I look forward to it. With all my love, Fluttershy."
Rainbow visibly grimaced, "Aw, come on! Seriously? She's asking me to go to some boring Butterfly Migration again?"
"Don't look at me, it's what she wrote!" Spike shrugged.
Sighing, Rainbow nodded, "Oh, fine. The things I freaking do for love..."
Spike chuckled, "I'll just go ahead and tell her! Don't be late!" He said, and floated off.
~~~
"Spike?" Fluttershy said, smiling as she handed him the camera, "Would you take a few pictures of us?"
Spike took the camera, nodding, "Sure thing, Fluttershy!"
He backed up a few paces, observing the two pegasi as they watched the passing butterflies. Or rather, Fluttershy was watching them, binoculars and all. Rainbow Dash was slumped over on the ground, bored out of her skull, and sulking. Spike knew this wouldn't make a good picture.
However, he then caught her line of vision. Rainbow's eyes were directed at other butterflies. Just not the ones passing through above their heads.
Grinning, Spike raised the camera to his eye and snapped a shot. That was just too good. For a little while, he kept snapping some pictures. After a while, he gave the camera back, to which Fluttershy thanked him for his help.
~~~~~~
"Here you go, Spike!" Fluttershy said, handing him a couple of copies of a few photos. "Thank you so much for helping us out at the Butterfly Migration! You helped take some very nice photos. Better than the ones I took."
"Hey, just helping out," Spike grinned, looking over the copies of photos. "Sorry that Rainbow Dash got a bit bored, though."
"Oh, it's okay. We do this every year, I'm used to it. Besides, if she really didn't want to come, she doesn't have to," Fluttershy said.
Spike smiled, tucking the photos away. He understood the sentiment, that spending time together with someone you cared about was more important than what you were doing. Spending time with Twilight brought on that same little bit of joy.
As the baby dragon headed back to town to get back home, he smiled to himself. It was all a job well done, and much more. He wondered if he could make more of this...
The sun was setting far off in the horizon. It was a beautiful sight but the only one to witness it was a sorrow filled yet determined cyan pegasus who stood at the narrowest part of the shore with a boat beside her. She pushed the boat into the water with average strength, proving no difficult task. The boat began to float easily which the cyan pony named Rainbow Dash jumped in on cue, she grabbed both oars and began to row forward to where she needed to be.
The path was irritatingly boring to Rainbow as her destination seemed to drag on for possible the slowest running minutes she had to endure ,however, what she hoped for at the end was worth sacrificing her own wings if needed. Five months ago she borrowed a book from her unicorn friend, Twilight Sparkle, on the myths of the paranormals and the life beyond. A passage from the book said that on the seventh setting of every seventh year that an opening will emerge from the middle of the ocean just between the twin spike islands. It is said that reunions beyond the boundaries of the living world would commence to reward those who are brave enough to present something precious to them.
Rainbow had never known what to believe out of this knowledge other than using as a good ghost story to tell the fillies one day if it was several years ago, now though she hadn’t felt like her old self in ages and going to see this so called “opening” maybe what she needed all her life.
The islands were a few rows away from distance and the sun was so close to disappearing from the world. On instinct she found the spot that she was willing to make a stop at. She got out some rope and securely tied the rope around the metal hoop on the boat. She later attached the other end to a spiky rock that held the boat in place.
“Now I just have wait...great” sighed Rainbow, knowing that the sun was still minutes from actually leaving the sky. She took her time to bring out an item from her saddle bag. She pulled out a feather, one that wasn’t cyan like hers but pale yellow. She took the feather and drifted back into the memory that haunted her life from then on, the memory of losing her friend, lover and wife, Fluttershy.
-----
The sun had fallen leaving behind but a flash of green before darkness took claim of the world. On cue Rainbow leaned forward off the edges of the boat to find any sign that she was in the right place. She barely noticed at first but a after a second look she found a whirlpool no smaller than a mouse. The water was perfectly calm without any hint of waves, “Woah, that’s freaky” said the rainbow mare. She shook her head back into reality as she took out the feather that was still held in her hoof, she placed the feather on top of the whirlpool which spun slowly along with the current.
“Okay, whoever is listening I brought you what you want, now give Fluttershy back”, Rainbow demanded. Within the seconds the feather’s rotation began to increasing in speed, moving faster and faster until it became nothing but a yellow blur.
First Rainbow heard an alien like moan then an unintelligible whisper, they sounded nothing like Fluttershy but sounded like they not directed towards her, they sounded lost and confused. Rainbow didn’t dare answer any of them as the noises grew louder and louder. Nothing was seen, but everything was piercing her ears with the sounds of confused and haunting voices. She looked around frantically as she heard the tormented voices whisper right into her ears. She wanted to get out, she wanted to flee. Her logic was telling her that she is not safe here yet her gut was telling her to stay, stay for Fluttershy.
Silence deafened the air in an instant for several minutes as Rainbow remained hunched, just waiting for whatever part that comes into play next.
“D-Dashie?”
Those words tossed the cyan pony into a moment of desperation, panic and possibly insanity. She heard the voice come from behind her and as she turned she was met with the most beautiful thing that she had lost and wanted to find all her life. Facing her was another Pegasus, pale yellow fur with a flowing pink mane and glistening aqua eyes that stared back at the petrified rainbow pony. They both reached out to make contact with each other’s hoof, the feeling was alien and yet familiar. Before a fraction of a second had passed, both mares lunged for each other in forced but more than welcome embrace, along with some kisses. They squeaked, whined, moaned, and choked in uncontrollable happiness at being together once again after seven years of believing that they were lost to each other forever.
No one said a word, no one moved from the other, they simply remained never leaving each other.
Actually, she liked most of it. The snow, Hearth’s Warming Eve, the sudden abundance of hot cocoa, and even the little boots that Rarity had made her, though she would never admit that last one. There was just one thing she hated about winter.
The cold.
One of the downsides to living in a cloud house is that clouds don’t retain heat, so if it’s cold outside, it’s just as cold inside. And if it happens to dip below freezing, the water molecules in a cloud bed can crystallize and turn a nice, comfy mattress into a bed of spikes and needles right out of a Daring Do novel.
Dash glided listlessly down from her house, and a quick glance to the east confirmed that it was way too early for her to be up. The first rays of the sun were brightening the horizon, but the celestial body itself had yet to make an appearance. Grumbling to herself, Rainbow stifled a yawn as her hooves hit the ground, the icy chill thankfully kept at bay by her boots. Looking around to get her bearings, she realized that she had landed on the road leading out to Fluttershy’s cottage. She rolled her neck, eliciting a satisfying series of pops and cracks, and set off to visit her oldest friend.
Just as she was crossing the bridge in front of Fluttershy’s cottage, Dash heard her friend’s voice drifting through the crisp morning air. However, Fluttershy wasn’t talking to a stubborn animal, she was singing. It was just a simple, wordless tune, but the sound brought a warm smile to Dash’s face. Anyone who had heard it knew that Fluttershy had a heavenly singing voice, and while it would be undoubtedly, unquestionably uncool to admit it, Rainbow had occasionally hidden in the branches of her friend’s tree-house or on a conveniently nearby cloud just to listen to it for a while. Dash simply listened for a few more moments before trotting around to the backyard, where Fluttershy was laying out food for the animals in her care. When she finally turned and saw Rainbow, her singing stopped abruptly.
“O-oh… h-hello, Rainbow.” Fluttershy dropped the bag of birdseed she was holding, sending a small pile of it onto the ground. “I, um, didn’t know you were there.” She scuffed a hoof on the ground, then seemed to think for a bit. “Isn’t it a little early for you to be up?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she gasped and started backtracking. “N-not that I’m not happy to see you! I am, really! It’s just that, um, you don’t usually wake up early… especially not this early. Oh, now it sounds like I’m calling you lazy. I’m sorry, I don’t think that. It’s just...” Fluttershy had ducked down to hide behind her mane during her rapid-fire backtracking and apologizing, and now she looked up at the other mare, one eye hidden behind a waterfall of pink. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Dash waved her friend’s apology away with a hoof. “Hay, I’m the first one to admit that I’m not big on getting up early.” Her eyes darted back up to her cloud house for an instant. “But we had the first freeze of the winter last night, and my bed’s all lumpy and has ice crystals poking out. I couldn’t get any sleep last night.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” Fluttershy chewed on her lip for a moment, glancing back at her cottage. After a moment of internal deliberation, she stood up tall, shaking her head to throw her mane back behind her ear. “You could always take a nap in my bed.” All of the confidence she had built up evaporated as soon as she finished speaking. “Um, i-if you want to, that is.”
“Thanks, ‘Shy.” Dash trotted over and gave Fluttershy an affectionate nuzzle. “I think I will.” She made her way over to the back door, pausing to stomp the snow and mud off of her boots. Just before she opened the door, she turned back. “Maybe once you’re done, we can go flying together.”
Fluttershy smiled, and the barest hint of a blush spread across her cheeks. “That sounds nice.”
Fluttershy watched the other ponies dance and play in the middle of Ponyville, where the Apple family held the Hoedown each year. This year's was good, but she had to admit last year's was a little better. Just because she wasn't alone, but this year she was.
It all looked fun. Square dancing, small games for the fillies, wonderful food to eat, and the music was very nice. Fluttershy usually could do all of the activities, and was it fun! Like after a bad day you do your favorite thing to just calm you down and make you have a very great time. But, like stated before, no one came with her, and she only had fun with someone else.
Fluttershy tipped her pink mane over her face to hide her small disappointment. She had asked Applejack to come with her, but she was too busy with the hoedown, of course. She asked Twilight, but she was studying for a very big project. Obviously Rarity wasn't going, and Pinkie Pie had to bake half of the treats eaten at the event. And last of all, Fluttershy was too shy to ask Rainbow Dash, even if she was dating her. The fast Pegasus was always practicing or sleeping.
Thankfully, she was here at the rodeo, and boy how much Fluttershy was urging to talk to her! She inched closer to where she was hanging out by the food table every once in a while, but that didn't help. The event was almost over, and the timid Pegasus wanted to make the best of it at the hoedown!
She flew over to where Rainbow was eating an apple fritter at a point where Rarity would be yelling. "Umm, hi, Rainbow Dash! I-I just wanted to say umm..."
Fluttershy started to blush until Dash walked over and put her wing around Flutters. "You wanna dance? I know. Now, if you want to, let's get on the dance floor now or else this BORING event will end."
Dash blushed slightly before getting out on the dance floor, pulling Fluttershy with her and dancing it out. "Lets go for a flight together later, ok?"
“So, um, h-how… how’s your soup, Dashie?” My words hang in the oppressive silence of our kitchen. Or is it only mine again? You haven’t been spending nights here for a week now, and I’ve been crying myself to sleep each time I have to go to bed alone. It takes several seconds for you to look up from your bowl, as if my question had to slowly float over to you.
“It’s good. Thanks for making dinner, ‘Shy.” You flash a quick half smile before going back to mechanically eating, and it breaks my heart a little more. I haven’t seen one of your confident, cocky grins in so long, and honestly, it’s all I want. To see you smile again, really smile, but you don’t and you haven’t for weeks now. Well, almost. There is one time you still smile, when you look at her. You always think that I’m not looking, but I’ve seen the way you look at Applejack. It’s the way I always hoped you would look at me one day. When I first asked you out and you said yes, I was so happy… but I was naïve. Blind.
Stupid.
I can see now that you only agreed because you were trying to protect me. You didn’t think I could take your rejection. You pitied me. No, perhaps that’s too harsh. You just didn’t want to hurt me, but once you agreed, you couldn’t find a way out without doing just that. So, you kept pretending to be interested in me, and it was enough for me… for a while. Then you started to drift away. It started innocuously enough; missing a meal to train for a Wonderbolts tryout, or having to get up early for weather patrol. I tried to ignore it, to pretend it didn’t hurt, and it worked for a while.
But then yesterday happened.
You had left early for ‘weather patrol’ again, and I was supposed to be tied up taking care of the Annual Bunny Census all day. Right before I was going to start, though, one of the poor little things got away and I chased him all the way into town. I was about to head back home when I saw you walking down the street with her. You and Applejack were laughing at something, and I was about to say hello, but then your wing darted out, the tip just brushing along Applejack’s cutie mark.
You feathermarked her.
I wanted to scream, to yell at you, to yell at her, but I couldn’t. I saw that smile on your face, the one I’ve wanted to see for so long. So, I went home and cried into my pillow, hoping I would be done before you got home… if you got home. When you finally did come home, I expected you to break up with me right then. I was prepared for it, or as prepared as I could be. But you didn’t, you pretended nothing was wrong, and I went along with it, desperate to keep you from drifting any further from me than you already had.
Part of me knows that you want to be with her, that it’s what makes you happy. I know that I should let you go so you don’t have to sneak around behind my back to see her. It’s just a matter of time until you finally get sick of it and leave me. It wasn’t yesterday or today, but what about tomorrow? Or the day after that? Maybe I’ll be strong enough to let you go so that you don’t have to hurt me, but until then, I’ll hold onto every day that you’re here.
I made it back pretty late, but at least Fluttershy didn't suspect a thing. Seriously, it was genius. How else was I gonna see AJ when I needed to? It was genius.
I went into the cottage, but she wasn't in there. There was no sign of life. Confused, I went upstairs, calling her name. It didn't make sense. It was late at night, Fluttershy usually was asleep by now. She wasn't in her room, so now I was becoming concerned. I looked all over, finding no trace of her. Even her animals weren't around, not even Angel. It just wasn't the same without Angel giving me the evil eye.
I think he knew what I did. Not like I could do anything about it, otherwise he'd tell Fluttershy.
I looked all over the cottage again, finding nothing. Then I finally found a note on her pillow. Why would she leave me one? It was her house. Still, I grabbed it and read it.
My heart stopped.
Rainbow Dash,
If you're reading this, then yes, you noticed I'm not here. I didn't even think you'd come back at all. But in case you did come over, here you go. You're probably wondering where I am right now, but I can't tell you. Right now, I need to be alone, and I didn't feel ready to face you.
Rainbow, I know about your love for Applejack. I know you only wanted to go out with me so that you could spare me the rejection. Well, then here you go. I'm setting you free. I would have done it in person, but I wasn't ready. This is probably for the best, anyway. You tried to prevent seeing me cry, didn't you? I'm sorry to be such a coward, but I just can't do this to you anymore.
I love you, and I will always love you, Rainbow. Not that it means anything to you, does it. But don't stay with me anymore. You have hurt me more than any rejection ever will. I want to be mad at you for that, but I've lost any strength to be mad. I just want you to be happy. You're clearly not happy, not with me. I just wanted to let you go without it getting ugly.
Please, don't do me any favours like that. I have a spine. If you had just said no, I would have gotten over it.
I just hope you have it in you to tell Applejack the truth, now that you're free to be with her.
I'll come back when I'm feeling better. Never mind me. Just focus on your own happiness.
I love you, and I'm sorry it had to end this way.
~Fluttershy
You could've hit me with a baseball bat and I wouldn't have felt anything. I just sat there, wide-eyed, staring at the note in my hooves, before it eventually floated onto the mattress. Fluttershy knew. She'd known somehow, about me sneaking off to see Applejack. Because she's the one I actually love and wanted to be with. Because she knew I just dated her because I... didn't want to hurt her.
I was shaking before I collapsed, shaking. Oh, you'd think I would've been thrilled that Fluttershy did all the dirty work for me. Now I was free, free to stop lying and pretending to love her, free to be with Applejack, free to just stop this charade. But I didn't. I didn't feel a single bit of joy. All I felt like I was the worst pony in the world. I felt like crying. I couldn't cry, not when-darn it, I did cry after all!
I can't think of a moment where I hated myself more than I did then. I kept asking myself. Why? Why didn't I just be honest with her from the start? Why didn't I reject her? Why didn't I do the right thing? Why did I date her out of pity? Now I went and hurt her far worse, I did the one thing I was trying not to do. And I did. I just did.
I'm sorry, Fluttershy...
It hurt. I felt like my heart was ripped out. But I could only imagine how she was feeling. All along, I was leading her on, pretending to love her, pretending that I meant every bit of it. I pretty much told her that my love was a lie. And it was. It was! Why did I do that to her?! The one pony who was always there for me, always supported me, and was nothing but a good friend... And this is how I repaid her. By pretending I loved her so she wouldn't get hurt by my rejection.
I couldn't even get with Applejack after that. How could I? I didn't deserve her. I didn't deserve to be happy. There was no way I was rubbing it in Fluttershy's face. Not anymore. I am DONE with love.
Rainbow Dash sighed as she shut her journal. Within her bedroom of the Wonderbolts Headquarters, she was alone, with only Tank for company. Her eyes fell to some letters sitting on her desk near her. Six of them, one from each of her friends. She'd read five of them, but left Fluttershy's. She didn't have the strength to read it right now. Fluttershy's letters were always read last, usually a little while after reading the others.
Fluttershy had forgiven her, even going as far as to still being her friend. As relieving as it was, Rainbow couldn't even look at her ex without feeling the immense guilt. They never spoke of what happened after Rainbow found the note. She'd wanted to, but what could she say? There was nothing she could say.
Exhaling, Rainbow opened the letter, deciding to just get it over with.
Hi Rainbow,
I hope you're doing well over there. Your training is going great, as far as I can see. Good for you! I also wanted you to know that we're all going to be at your next show in Canterlot. Twilight or one of the others must have already told you, of course. But I'm looking forward to it! It'll be wonderful, as always.
I hope you've been eating well and still keeping to your training! But never forget to rest, as well. It's just as important, if not more important. But you know that already.
Anyway, so I'm doing all right. I do miss you, I can't wait to see you again.
Have a good week! See you at the show.
Sincerely, Fluttershy
Exhaling heavily, Rainbow Dash placed the letter aside. She crawled into bed, to exhausted to do or think of anything else. Curling up under the covers, her eyes glanced over a photo that sat on her nightstand. It was a photo of all six of them, with Spike, on a picnic. One of the most fun times they'd all had together. Fluttershy especially looked happy as can be, like she was on top of the world.
Rainbow knew why. This photo had been taken just days after she'd said yes to Fluttershy's confession. When she'd made the most stupid decision of her life.
Yet, as she gazed at the photo, there was the undeniable reminder. There had been good times since they'd dated. As much as it was a charade, it was fun. Rainbow Dash could never deny that. She'd never regret those wonderful moments. Fluttershy was still her best friend, not just some random pony.
Unable to hold back, a tear ran down her cheek as she gazed sadly at the photo. A reminder of better times. A reminder of what could've been.
"Fluttershy... Maybe I did love you... at least a little bit," she confessed, her voice breaking.
It was only when she fell asleep that she felt a moment of peace.
Fluttershy tucked her wings into their comfortable spot and slid down the bark of her favorite tree, it's leaves shading her from the hot summer Sun. A breeze gently ruffled her mane, causing her to relax after long day of working with animals.
Some leaves fell down, even though it wasn't too close to fall. And the weather was just perfect. Well, at least for Fluttershy, considering that even though it was hot, her favorite tree cooled her temperature down.
Fluttershy loved this tree. It was right under Rainbow Dash's cloud home, shaded her in the summer, and most importantly, Dash had asked Fluttershy to be her special some pony right under the leaves of it. The tree had brought back many memories of that day when she lay on the bark and folded her wings.
It might have even been Rainbow's favorite tree too, as she sleeper in the branches often. In fact, right now, Fluttershy could hear her mare friend's soft snores above her.
Sure would be fun to wake her up, and that's exactly what Flutters was gonna do. So she flew up to where Dash was laying, and tapped her a few times on the shoulder.
Rainbow Dash flew up and out of the canopy of leaves, surprised by Fluttershy's sudden wake up. Fluttershy fluttered up to where Dash was looking around frantically. She giggled, and apologized. Rainbow chuckled to see that she had did it.
They went around for a small flight, afterwards, and slept under the canopy of leaves in both of their favorite tree.
Clouds had been a big part of their lives. Being pegasi made it a bit of a given. Their hometown was the majestic sky city of Cloudsdale, to which they were within and upon clouds every day of their lives. Rainbow Dash was the team leader of Ponyville's weather division, surrounded by and working with clouds just about every day. Even her house was made of clouds, put together in a beautiful masterpiece.
While Fluttershy wasn't much of the fast-flying type, she never could deny the sweet and soft comfort of clouds. They were a perfect place to lie down for a nap, stargaze, or even better, a perfect private place for making out. That last part especially made it fun to be on clouds. All snuggled up in each other's hooves, whispering sweet things to each other, sharing kisses, a lot of kisses...
Her train of thought was interrupted when she could see a presence landing on the expanse of cloud next to her. Fluttershy sat up, about to greet her beloved, only to see that it was probably not the best time. Rainbow Dash was frowning, clearly irritated. For a moment, Fluttershy recoiled, wondering if it was her fault. But as the seconds passed, all Rainbow did was stare down at the cloud, occasionally letting out a huffy breath. Fluttershy relaxed as she realized that it had nothing to do with her.
"Rainbow?" She asked softly, going over to her, "Are you all right?"
Rainbow let out another huffy breath, shaking her head, "No. Had a real bad day."
Seeing what was coming, Fluttershy came next to her, kissing her cheek and bringing a wing over her back, "Would you like to talk about it?"
Instead of responding to that, Rainbow just kept talking, "Our new boss hates me. I'm not just sayin' that, it's true! Whenever she talks to the other pegasi, she's all smiles and super nice. But when she's talking to me, she's all stiff and really rude. I don't get what her beef is with me! I didn't do anything to her! Get this, she docked my pay last week! I asked her why, she said that my work performance was lacking. What is she talking about?! I'm the one in charge of the weather ponies! She's the boss who looks over things! I'm doing my job! Shouldn't she be doing hers?!"
"Oh..." Fluttershy murmured in sympathy, bringing a foreleg around her shoulders, "That's terrible."
"I'll say it is!" Rainbow ranted, "Anytime I say something to the others, they just laugh it off and think I'm crazy! Why? 'Cause they think she's the NICEST boss like EVER! She's a wolf in sheep's clothing, Fluttershy! You know me, I don't make things up about ponies!"
Fluttershy smiled and kissed her cheek, "I know you don't."
"Thing is, I got no leg to stand on! I tried going to my supervisor to file a complaint, but they said I had to have evidence! Oh yeah, like my boss is going to treat me like garbage in front of everypony else for evidence! I can't work like this! What should I do?!"
"Be nice to her."
Rainbow looked at her incredulously. "...What."
Giving a smile, Fluttershy nuzzled her, "Be nice. If she's going to be rotten to you, then the best thing you can do is be nice. And I don't mean cheerful like Pinkie, but I mean being polite and pleasant to her. I know it might sound odd, and believe me, I'd like to give her a piece of my mind for treating you like that. But I think it would work a lot better if you were nice. Think about it, one given reason why ponies can be rotten is because they get a reaction out of it. They feel empowered. But if you're nice, there's no one to appreciate the rotten behaviour. Trust me, she's going to see that being rotten to you has no effect on you and stop. If she has no power over you, she can't do anything about it.
"Besides, I've learned something from you for ages, Rainbow. You've told me that you can't control other ponies. They're going to say and do whatever they want and they have the right to it. But you have the right not to react to it. You have the right to keep them from taking away your power. All you can do is control your own actions and reactions."
"...Flutters..." Rainbow murmured, then gave her a sweet smile, "Using my own advice to you against me, eh? Heh, you're right."
Fluttershy giggled, nuzzling noses with her, "I learned something from a very smart pony. I think you just needed a moment to remember it."
Laughing a bit, Rainbow hugged her, "You're the best, Fluttershy! I'll do that when I go to work tomorrow. But hey, thanks for listening to me."
"No problem," Fluttershy hugged her back, "I love you, Dashie."
"And I love you, Fluttershy," Rainbow gave her a sweet kiss, "Now let's put these clouds to good use, shall we?"
Fluttershy was sent into a burst of giggles when Rainbow tackled her onto the cloud.
There was another thing about clouds that meant something to them. They were a perfect place to be able to just sit and talk to each other about things.
Everywhere around her, in the park where she stood, Fluttershy could see fillies and mares and colts flying kites. Parents with their beloved children, fillies with their beloved parents, and kites, colourful, catching the breeze with relative ease.
Fluttershy had made plans to fly a kite with Rainbow Dash today, but she had not yet shown up. But she wasn't worried. Rainbow Dash always showed up. Always. She even promised her she would.
Fluttershy stepped over to a nice, spacious spot in the park, and waited. Waited, and watched. Watched the kites, watched all the happy ponies running around and having fun. It made her feel happy on the inside, knowing that Equestria was safe, safe and peaceful.
Before she knew it, an hour passed. Fluttershy wasn't worried, though. Rainbow Dash was probably just taking a nap somewhere. Probably overslept. Didn't set her alarm clock or something.
Fluttershy chuckled at the idea of Rainbow Dash having an alarm clock. Dashie? The pony who loved to nap? Use an alarm clock? Preposterous. Besides, she probably needed all the beauty sleep she could get.
Another hour passed. Fluttershy still didn't worry, though. She managed to keep herself entertained by watching the butterflies flutter by, and by watching the animals frolic. Life was good. She could wait all day for Rainbow Dash if she had to. Besides, Dashie would never abandon her. No. Fashionably late was her thing, anyways.
Yet another hour passed. At this moment, Fluttershy began to fidget, but only slightly. The sky was beginning to glow orange. Where did the time go? thought Fluttershy. 3 hours had passed already, and yet Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be seen. Still, Fluttershy had faith in her friend. Some of the other ponies were beginning to leave, though.
Another hour. The sky was getting darker, and some of the stars were even beginning to become visible. Fluttershy sighed. She was beginning to grow more worried now, but she still held onto her faith in Rainbow Dash. She wouldn't abandon her, even if she was late.
The last hour passed. It was now nighttime. Everypony had left, and Fluttershy was the only one still in the park. She sighed, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. Rainbow Dash hadn't shown up.
She had broken her promise.
Fluttershy looked down at her kite. It was a butterfly flying over a rainbow, with a heart cut into the middle. It symbolized Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash's relationship together, but it meant nothing now.
She sighed, again, and halfheartedly lifted the handle of the kite. The wind was still blowing, as it had been all day, and it didn't seem like it was going to end.
She watched sadly as the kite blew in the wind. Tears now began to slide down her cheek. She was about to lower the handle of the kite and bring it down, until she felt strong, reassuring hooves grab her arms up from under her elbows and pushed them skyward.
"Huh?" she mumbled in surprise as she looked behind herself to see the owner of the hooves.
As Fluttershy watched Rainbow Dash twist and turn in the air, she took some time to think, Wow Rainbow Dash is really good, I wish I could be as confident as she is. And pretty. Rainbow Dash is really pretty. She’s so fit, I can see all her toned muscles, especially her flank. She has a really toned flank-oh! Fluttershy you naughty filly, thinking about Rainbow Dash like that. You know she’s just a friend, she says it all the time. I wish she would just come down here and lay down with me in the grass. Oh! Here she comes.
“Hey Shy, what did ya think?” Rainbow Dash asked, puffing up her chest a bit.
“It was lovely.” Fluttershy replied.
“Aww c’mon Shy, you know it was totally awesome!” Rainbow said, doing a small flip in the air.
“Okay Rainbow Dash, it was awesome.” Fluttershy smiled.
“Haha yea, you bet your sweet flank it was!” Rainbow said, not realizing the way Fluttershy interpreted this. “You okay Fluttershy? Your face is all red.”
“Mmmmmmhm just fine.” Fluttershy whispered. “Why don’t you get back to your tricks.” As soon as she said it, the sound of thunder filled the air.
“Yea, I guess not, Last time I practiced in a thunderstorm I almost got struck by lightning.” Rainbow Dash said. “Hey, it’s probably gonna start raining pretty hard soon, can I crash at your place?”
“Uh... of course you can.” Fluttershy said.
“All right! Thanks Fluttershy! Now I get to spend time with my number one filly!” Rainbow said. And just like that, years of anticipation from Fluttershy and naivety from Rainbow Dash came to a front in Fluttershy’s mind. She pulled Rainbow Dash close to her and leaned in just in front of her muzzle, a look of surprise on Rainbow’s face.
“You’re such an optimist.” Fluttershy spoke softly and as seductively as she could, and kissed her.
About a minute later she broke it off, leaving Rainbow Dash completely stunned.
“Uh... So we’re still going to your place right?” Rainbow asked. Fluttershy giggled.
“Of course.” She said, as she walked she trailed her wingtip down the side of Rainbow Dash’s body. “You coming?”
Fluttershy woke up screaming from a nightmare. Her breath was coming in fast, shallow gasps, her heart rate was rapid, and a thin sheen of sweat shining on her brow. She realized that she was now awake, and struggled to calm herself down. Eventually, she managed to get her heart rate down to a decent pace, before she finally decided to try to go back to the sweet embrace of sleep.
She breathed deeply and lay her head down on the pillow. She closed her eyes for a moment, yet no matter how much she willed herself to focus upon the blackness within her own eyelids, images of the nightmare shone brightly in her mind.
She struggled to get them out of her mind, but ended up tossing and turning for a fair amount of time. Frustrated, she gave up, and merely stared up at the ceiling. She was so tired, and yet, she didn't want to have the nightmare again.
She fluffed the pillow. Laid her head down on it. Fluffed it again. Rinse and repeat. She sighed. Looks like she won't be going to bed after all. Just then, Fluttershy felt a presence behind her. She recognized the pattern of sounds which the presence's hooves made on the floor. It was a very specific pattern, one that eased Fluttershy. She knew who the presence was.
The presence, a mare, carefully crawled into bed, next to Fluttershy. It laid it's head upon the pillow, right next to Fluttershy's, then proceeded to wrap it's arm around her. Fluttershy immediately felt an immense feeling of comfort and warmth, relaxed and sank deeper in the bed, and deeper into the arms of the mare.
Fluttershy had recently gotten a garden shed built some ways off from her property. It was a simple little shed about the standard size, with the same materials and colours as her cottage. Of course, the shed itself wasn't what appealed Rainbow Dash's attention.
When she'd come over for the day to spend time with her girlfriend, Rainbow was surprised at hearing the warning.
"Stay out of my shed, okay?"
But before Rainbow could ask why, Fluttershy had to rush off to settle a debacle between some of her animal friends. Rainbow could only guess that this was going to take a while.
Considering how close she was to the shed, she became curious. Why would Fluttershy warn her to stay out of it? As private as Fluttershy could be, what was so incriminating about finding some garden tools and bags of plant food? It was a garden shed.
"Maybe I'll check it out..." She mused to herself. "What could happen?"
Sneaking over to the shed, which had opaque windows, Rainbow Dash knew that they only way to get inside was to go through the front. Strangely enough, there was a lock, but it wasn't in place. Guessing that Fluttershy may have simply figured it was no big deal, she removed the lock and went to open the door.
"Gee, I wonder what's inside. Some big horrible, bloody secret? Did she kill someone and then stuff their bodies here?" Rainbow quipped.
Opening the door, she came upon many gardening tools, rakes, and other such paraphernalia. There were even a couple of boxes underneath the work bench, but the way everything was set up looked a little awkward. Maneuvering through it was going to be difficult and it was hard to tell where anything was supposed to be.
"Jeez..." Rainbow rolled her eyes, taking a step back, "That was anticlimactic. No wonder she told me why I had to stay out, it's a bit of a mess and I could hurt myself. Duh! But then again, what more did I expect from Fluttershy?"
Just as she went to leave, something caught her eye. One of the boxes had the lid partially lifted off and she could see something in the dim light. Curious, she bent down to the floor and pulled the box out toward the doorway. Inside the box was a wrapped gift. Whatever it was, it was heavy and in a box, wrapped with rainbow paper. Stuck to it was a tag that read To Rainbow, Happy Birthday!
Chuckling, Rainbow returned it to the box, putting it back, despite her curiosity of what it was.
"So that's the real reason she told me to stay out of her shed..."
Spherical clumps of frozen liquid fall freely from the clouds, while simultaneously raging through the air. They collect on the ground below, forming layer upon layer of soft white, reflecting the moon's brilliantly and deceivingly warm glow.
Hooves sink deeply, but silently into the white, their owner trudging parallel along the Everfree Forest. Her exposed head hangs low in a vain, yet half-hearted attempt to protect itself against the cold, as she walks towards her destination, the crunching sounds of the snow barely audible above the howling wind.
A sound even more inperceivable to the ear escapes her lips. A very quiet "ssss...!"
I should have thrown on a coat, the fleeting thought flows through her mind. But there is no time. The distance has already been halved. And once it is finished, comfort will be found. With newfound resolve, she takes another step forward, and lifts her head. She instantly regrets it. The wind pushes her mane back, revealing her eyes, and exposing them to the freezing white and the bitter gale.
The envelope in her mane shifts position, it's current owner recognizing it's unspoken threat. She pushes the envelope back in to make sure it doesn't fall out, and then continues upon her way.
Another thought, even more fleeting than the last, occurs to her. I am insane.. And it was partially true. For why else would she trek through the worst blizzard in many years, just to give an envelope to her? For what reason?
"M-m-m-my.........ea.......................," the words refuse to be released without the object of intent. Or is it the bitter cold preventing her from speaking? She shakes her head. The words will come out once she reaches her.
She stops in what would seem like a random spot to anypony who saw her. In reality, it is the spot where she will vertically ascend to the cloud where she makes her home.
She tries to unfurl her wings, only to find, with dismay, how numb they've become. She tries again, this time with more effort, and takes some small pride in seeing the infinitesimal rising of the feathered limbs. She lifts them further, and with greater effort, until her wingspan is shown.
The white which gathered on her wings earlier now forms thicker layers due to the unfurling. She shakes her wings, casting as much of it off of the white as possible, before beginning her ascent.
Her wings are incredibly stiff, due to the cold. They feel heavy, so incredibly heavy, as does her entire body. But comfort is a mere ascent away, and then she can sleep away the night, and the cold.
She thrusts her wings downward once, testing just how inflexible they are. They border on the line of immovable, though if she hurries, she can reach her.
She begins her ascent, looking upwards to gauge the distance between the ground and the cloud. To her relief, it isn't as far as she thought it would be.
Gradually, though, her wings grow steadily immobile. Her wings begin to thrust slower, the exhaustion of flying in a blizzard taking over her.
Just a little further.... the third fleeting thought attempts to encourage her. to seemingly no avail, as her wings slow down further. She is beginning to grow desperate.It is such a short distance away from the cloud, yet her wings refuse to work.
Then, without warning, anger takes over her. Anger at her own weakness, at her own inability to say what she wanted to, anger at how she was letting something as insignificant as a blizzard stop her.
Her anger fuels her for a brief moment, as she thrusts her wings fiercely, her own emotion seemingly strong enough to melt even the bitterest white.
She finally rises above the cloud, and then falls upon it. Now lying on the ground, with unconsciousness nearly fully embracing her, her breaths start to come in harsh rasps, the inflexibility in her wings now complete. She looks in front of her to see the house, cleverly fashioned out of a cloud. It is large and imposing, yet looks warm and comforting, at least in a more genuine way than the white below. The rainbow that extends from it adding to the image.
She gets up and starts walking towards the house, each step growing smaller and smaller, fear now clearly showing in her eyes. If somepony were to see her npw, the thought of a guilty one walking to their executioner would likely not be far off from their mind.
She stops before the door, raising her hoof towards the knocker. Her hoof makes it to the halfway point, before hesitation takes hold of it. Or maybe it is the cold.
Her eyes widen, and then her thoughts cloud her mind. Would it be worth it? Giving her the envelope? How would she react?
Her attention is shifted back to her surroundings once she hears it. The sound. The sound coming from the door. She realizes, to her horror, that she her hoof wis now impacting the door repeatedly. Many options go through her mind. She could try running away, or she could try hiding, or-
The door opens, revealing the opener to be Rainbow Dash, who looks at her with confusion at first, perhaps at who could possibly be knocking on her door in this weather, then shock, making way for concern.
"Fluttershy?! What are you doing in this blizzard?!" Rainbow Dash yells. "Are you crazy?!"
"R-r-r-r-r-r-rain-b-b-b-b-b-b-..." Fluttershy only now realizes how dysfunctional her lips have become due to the cold.
Rainbow Dash reaches out towards Fluttershy with one hoof and frantically pulls her inside, slamming the door behind her. She leads, more or less drags, Fluttershy to a couch next to the fireplace.
Rainbow Dash hurriedly tries to ignite the fire, which she extinguished earlier. Fluttershy watches as the sparks fly off of the flint and steel and onto the wood, kindling a small, but quickly growing fire.
After completing this small task, Rainbow Dash then obtains a blanket and wraps it around the violently-shivering Fluttershy, before sitting down next to her, looking at her with an expression of wonder, concern, and disblief.
"What the hay were you in that blizzard, Fluttershy??" Rainbow Dash asks. "Everybody else is at home, fast asleep! What could possibly be so important?"
Guiltily enjoying how concerned Rainbow Dash was towards her, she responds with, "I-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-" before sneezing, and then blushing. Without saying anything else, she reaches into her mane with a shaky hoof, and withdraws the envelope from it, before handing it to Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash, frowning in confusion, take the envelope, opens it and pulls out a holiday card, decorated with presents. She opens it and reads what is inscribed, with realization coming to her. Hey eyes slightly open in surprise, she stares at Fluttershy, who stares back with a timid smile.
"I-" Rainbow Dash begins, before Fluttershy silences her by placing her hoof on her lips.
Fluttershy then lays her head on Rainbow Dash's shoulder.
"M--m-m-my D-d-d-...." the words fail to leave Fluttershy's mouth. "M-m-m-my D-d-d-...."
Rainbow Dash hesitantly wraps one arm around her. "I-"
"My Dear Dashie...." The words finally manage to escape.
You were the fastest pony in Summer Flight Camp and everypony knew it, which was totally cool. Unfortunately, having too much speed to handle had caused you to crash more often than any pegasus should. The others started calling you Rainbow Crash, which was totally not cool, but you ignored them all the same. Haters gonna hate, and you had a plan to prove them all wrong.
You took to practicing under the moon, well after the camp advisors had finished patrolling the grounds. The odd hours made you sleepy during most of the day and many a pony caught you napping during breaks. You didn’t get a silly nickname for the habit, but your reputation as a slacker took off. That didn’t matter to you, though. You stopped crashing more than the next pony, and that was all that mattered.
One night, just as you sneaked out to practice doing sharp turns, you bumped into another pony out of bed. It was a lanky filly with long yellow legs and pink hair that covered her face. She squeaked and tried to gallop away, but you zoomed over her head and cut her off.
“I-I’m sorry!” She cowered to the cloud floor, her hooves over her head. Her voice shook as her words tumbled out. “I didn’t see anything! I’ll just go straight to bed and not talk to anypony about any sneaking, okay?”
You frowned. She wasn’t convincing at all. “No way, you totally saw! I say you come with me so I could keep an eye on you.” She trembled under your gaze, but made a small nod. When you headed back to the hall leading to the grounds, she quietly followed your hoofsteps. As soon as you exited, you took to the air.
“Um, what are you doing?” she asked.
You tried to flap your wings so you could face her from midair, but failed and landed on the cloud on your plot. Not cool, not cool at all. You prepared to roll your eyes at the laughter that would surely come, but it didn’t. You looked at your companion and saw on her face how hard she tried not to giggle, which was sorta nice considering how everypony teased you all the time.
You dusted off some cloud fluff, puffed out your chest, and answered, “I’m practicing.”
“Are you, um, practicing how to fly?”
“Well, duh!” You flapped your wings enough to hover above her head. “What else would I be practicing in Summer Flight Camp?”
She looked up at you, her eyes widening in awe. “I, uh, I never thought of practicing outside of schedule.”
You couldn’t help grinning at that. Yep, you’re pretty awesome for thinking it up, but you didn’t tell her that. Instead, you started your practice turns around the grounds while she watched your every move.
Half an hour later, you landed right in front of her, ruffling your wings. “How was that?”
She merely gaped at you for the next two minutes, before bursting into the quietest cheers you’ve ever heard. “Ohmigosh, you were so amazing! I wish I could fly like you, um...”
“Thanks,” you mumbled, looking away as you fought the heat creeping up your face. “Name’s Rainbow Dash.”
“F-Fluttershy.”
“So, uh, Fluttershy...” You put on your widest grin because you’re just about to be brilliant, hot cheeks be damned. “You, uh, seem pretty cool. I might even let you join me here every night, if you like. You could practice, too, or, you know, be my lookout or something.”
She pondered for a moment, then straightened to her full height. “I’ll do it.”
The expression she wore then was something you never forgot, even when you had grown wrinkly and slow. In place of the earlier filly who gibbered and trembled before another much smaller than her, was a pony with lightning in her eyes as she stood ready to face anything the scary world would throw at her.
Apprehensive little Fluttershy was more than meets the eye. She was a friend, a lover and a boon of strength. Her sweet little smile didn’t mean much to many ponies, most don’t even notice, but for a certain flyer that small, simple smile meant the world.
Rainbow Dash held her head high as adulation rained down upon her and Princess Celestia herself awarded her with her lifelong dream: the badge of an honorary Wonderbolt. The regal mare smiled and gave her a few words of encouragement filling Rainbow with pride. She had earned this.
In the front row sat five jovial ponies, four of them cheered at the top of their lungs while the fifth sat patiently not saying a word. Fluttershy watched her marefriend closely with a hint of sadness tucked away in the farthest corner of her mind. Rainbow Dash bowed at the Princess and shook hooves with her new comrades before taking the stage.
She cleared her throat and spoke into the mic, “Thank you everypony for being here today to celebrate with me.” The citizens of Ponyville cheered. “I couldn’t have done it without my friends who encouraged me to never give up on my dreams.” The four colorful mares clapped and hollered at their mention. “But most of all I want to thank somepony super special.”
Fluttershy’s face heated as she dared a solitary wave at the flyer. “Woohoo!” she cheered in her loudest whisper.
“Fluttershy, I know you hate it when you become the center of attention, but you deserve the applause, too.” Rainbow Dash let go of the mic and started clapping, the audience quickly followed suit and soon all eyes were on the shy little pony. “You stuck by me through thick and thin. Cheering for me and always supporting me in all of my endeavours, I really couldn’t have done any of this without you. Thank you.”
Dash stared blankly at the gray pegasus with the blonde mane and bubbles for a cutie mark. Where she had gotten the insane idea to take this class she really couldn't say, but to find out that THIS pony was her instructor? Yeah, somepony was definitely out to get her.
"Now, repeat after me: To make great muffins, you have to BE the muffin. Visualize the muffin you want to create. Use that image as a guide, think about how you would feel if you were that muffin. How would you want to be made?" Derpy spoke, her voice crisp and clear in the near silent crowd. One of her golden eyes was locked firmly on her class, the other staring at a poster on the left hand side of the wall.
Rainbow rolled her eyes. The bad part about it was that Derpy looked deathly serious, as if this truly was part of creating the perfect muffin. She decided to humor her intstructor, despite every instinct she had screaming in protest. She closed her eyes and tried her absolute hardest to visualize herself as a fledgling muffin. It was surprisingly easy, and it pained her to admit (if only to herself) that she was actually getting into it. After all, this was for Fluttershy and if there was one thing the cyan speedster would rather die before doing, it was dissappointing her marefriend.
An idea suddenly struck her, it was something she had to try. This may not have been her idea, but she was gonna own it. She looked over her ingredients before realizing she was missing what she was gonna need most. She raised her hoof to gain the attention of her walleyed instructor, who came trotting over as soon as one of her eyes landed on the cyan speedster and her boss on the weather team.
"Yes Rainbow Dash? Is there something I can help you with?" Derpy asked, a bit loudly but at the moment Dash didn't care who heard her.
"Yes, there's an ingredient that I don't see here that I'm gonna need to make my muffin. Would it be ok if I went to get some?" She asked, waiting with baited breath for her instructors reply. Derpy grinned brightly, glad to see someone taking an interest in the art of muffin making.
"Sure Rainbow Dash., but please do try to hurry, the muffins need to start being made soon if we want them to be done by the time class ends today." The cyan speedster gave a nod before tearing off out the door, a canister in hoof and a determined look in her eye. It didn't take her long to get to Cloudsdale and retrieve what she need, nor did it take her long to return to the class and add her secret ingredient. Now all she could do was wait.
"These look really good Rainbow" Fluttershy stated, grinning happily at the sight of the rainbow coloured muffins before her. When her marefriend had asked her out for a picnic and insisted that Fluttershy herself not be the one to make the food, she had initially been a bit hesitant. She loved her Rainbow to death, but her culinary skills weren't exactly famous. More the opposite really. But she was pleasently surprised when she was presented with some rather tasty looking rainbow muffins.
Dash smiled and blushed a bit, nudging a muffin towards her lover. Fluttershy gratefully took one with a smile of thanks, and bit into one. It was like an explosion of flavor, invading her senses and oveloading her tastebuds. They may not have been the best of muffins, but they sure were tasty. She smiled in delight before digging in. Dash smiled as she watched her marefriend enjoy the treat she had baked for her. She had to remember to thank Derpy later, if it hadn't been for her she may not have had that burst of inspiration. Anything that could make her marefriend smile like that was worth every single second of lameness she had to suffer through to make it a reality.
My nerves are such that I'm afraid I'll fall through the bed of clouds, even though that's impossible for a pegasus pony. It's an awkward position to be in, and I'm not just speaking physically; I've dug a peep-hole with my hoof, and I'm pretty sure nopony can see me, but there's always that slight twinge of fear that I'll be discovered.
I guess that's what makes it so exciting. The thrill of getting caught. Making myself as vulnerable as I have is a rare thing, and I don't enjoy it, but the show is worth the risk.
A beautiful figure pirouettes in the clear sky below, a trail of pink and yellow blurring together in her wake. She's cut her mane and tail short, and maybe it's narcissism speaking, but the delicately-spiked tresses make her look even more gorgeous, framing her lovely face rather than covering it.
Fluttershy comes here every weekend to practice her flying; I didn't know where she disappeared to at first, so I decided to follow her – rude, I know, but as her best friend, I feel a certain obligation toward her – to this place one day. Curiosity, that was all.
Ever since the events of the hurricane, I'd been trying to push her out of the shell she'd cocooned herself in since foalhood; I'm gratified that Fluttershy has been taking my lessons to heart, and her flight skills have come on leaps and bounds. If she knew I was watching, she'd retreat back inside herself, so I can only – with much guilt – remain a passive observer of her aerial ballet.
What little common sense I possess tells me to retreat back to Ponyville, but honestly, could you turn away from that radiant smile and flushed expression? The redness of her face, the breath coming in ragged gasps, the flutter of her wings … it all conspires to put sleazy ideas in my head, and a surge of shame courses through me. I should NOT be thinking about my best friend in that manner.
When I started at flight school, Fluttershy was a year ahead of me, but she accepted me right away when my brashness – putting it mildly – irritated the others. I've always known that I was awesome, and humility didn't come easy to me, but that didn't stop the shy filly from befriending me, anyway. We took care of and protected each other from the bullies.
Until the sonic rainboom. Until she nearly died falling from Cloudsdale. Until she moved to the ground and I was having too much fun to visit her.
When Twilight Sparkle brought us all together as the Elements of Harmony, my relationship with Fluttershy picked up almost from where it had left off. It became stronger, even. On my part, at least. I don't know when my affection for her crossed the border from like into love, but Celestia knows I'd never tell her how I truly feel. She needs somepony like her: gentle, kind, attentive. Not an arrogant fly-girl with her head in the clouds.
My introspection is cut short when a timid voice says, “What are you doing here, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy was hovering just below my cloud, a frown creasing her face.
Busted.
Surprised, I almost fall, but my wings kick-in instinctively. Fuelled with adrenaline, my first impulse is to make a run for it, but I can't escape from that doe-eyed stare of hers. It isn't quite a full-on Stare, but it's enough to sap my will. “Um,” I respond dumbly, all the blood having vacated my brain in the meantime. How do I get out of this? Tell the truth?
“Were you … spying on me?”
I nod slowly.
“Why?” Fluttershy asks, looking perplexed. Who can blame her?
Words are slow to form, and I sense her impatience with me growing. Maybe she's getting a little bit too much assertiveness training? “I like watching you,” I finally say, totally not sounding like a creepy stalker. “Uh,” I correct myself quickly, “I mean, it makes me really happy seeing you growing more confident in your abilities. It, um, I'm proud of you.”
A blush tints her cheeks. “You mean that?”
“I do.”
“I …” Some of her old shyness returns.
“What is it?” I ask gently, wishing I could avert my gaze from those glittering blue eyes of hers. I'm pretty sure that my heartbeat can be heard across Equestria right now.
Fluttershy bites her bottom lip before replying. “I didn't think I would've had a chance with you unless I was a better athlete, so I've been coming here every weekend for months to improve.” Her face is practically a ripe beetroot by this point. “Rarity said that you would only be happy with somepony who could keep up with you.”
“Fluttershy,” I say, my mind not quite believing what my ears were hearing, “I like you because you're you. You don't need to prove anything to me.” I laugh giddily at the thought of all she's put herself through on my account. Because she wants to be good enough for me, not realising she's already my perfect girl. My forelegs reach out to encompass her waist and she lets out a soft yelp at the embrace she suddenly finds herself in. “I like you,” I say, placing a small kiss on her nose. “I like you a lot.”
“I like you, too,” she replies, returning the gesture and giggling nervously. “Will you … give me some more lessons?” Her eyes flash with a suggestiveness I would not have thought her capable of.
Fluttershy ducked her head, hoping upon hope that the stallion that had just entered Sugarcube Corner hadn't spotted her. It would be a disaster if he had. Her luck didn't hold out however, as Soarin made his way over to the booth she was hiding in.
"Hey Fluttershy, how are you on this fine morning?" The Wonderbolt asked, fixing her with what he was sure was his most charming smile.
"I-I-I'm fine Soarin, and you?" She asked timidly, hoping Rainbow would return from the bathroom soon. Since professing his crush on the shy mare, the Wonderbolt before her had taken to asking her out every time she'd seen him. While Soarin was a handsome stallion, Fluttershy just didn't like him in that way, but being the kind of pony she was, she didn't want to hurt his feelings and so far had yet to reject him.
She was saved the humiliation of having to speak further with the Wonderbolt when her brash friend announced her return with a rather un-befitting crash down into her seat across from Fluttershy, and had yet to notice one of her idols presence behind her. Fluttershy giggled at the shock on her friends features when Soarin spoke up.
"Hey Rainbow Dash, how's it hangin?" He asked cockily, smirking when his fan turned to face him. He would have to get rid of her overprotective friend if he wished to ask Fluttershy out.
Fluttershy discreetly nudged Rainbow beneath the table, capturing her attention long enough to give her a look that spelled out save me. Dash looked confused and then remembered her friend telling her about the stallion that had been asking her out, and how she just wasn't interested but couldn't bring herself to hurt him.
It took her a moment to put two and two together and deduce that it was Soarin, but when she did a devious grin crossed her features. Her eyes conveyed the silent message to just go with this.
"Hey Soarin, wanna see a cool new trick that only I can do?" She asked her idol, smiling when he nodded. Looking back towards Fluttershy and begging with her eyes for her to play along, she lunged across the table and caught her shy friends lips in a soft kiss. Fluttershy eeped in surprise but relaxed and began to kiss back, feeling a tounge dart across her lips she parted them, allowing her friend access. They kissed for a while longer before their make out session was interrupted by Soarin clearing his throat.
The two pegasi blushed, before Rainbow looked to Soarin. "Neat trick huh?" She asked, delighting in his embarrassment as he hastily beat a retreat. Turning back to her friend she smiled.
"U-um Rainbow, not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?" The timid Pegasus asked, a blush on her cheeks.
Grinning wildly, Rainbow replied "That my dearest pal was the Fake-Out Make-Out. The sure fire way of getting rid of unwanted suitors."
First of all, I'm sorry that I haven't written in you more often, but things have been crazy busy the last few days. There was the coronation of Twilight Sparkle for starters! Oh, did I tell you that she's a princess now? It's really cool! Everypony's just so happy for her (and a little bit jealous, too, maybe. Especially Rarity (Spike was telling me that she was at the library recently looking for a spell that would give her wings)). Of course, she believes that she doesn't deserve this honour and keeps expecting the bit to drop at some point, but I can't think of anypony in Equestria more able to wither this sort of burden.
Shame that Discord couldn't make it to the celebration, but he said in his last letter that there was something very important that he had to take care of. I don't like to admit this to the others, but I really miss him and I worry so much when he's all alone. They don't see his sweet side, only the trouble he causes. I just think he needs somepony to keep him in check. Maybe me? If he'll let me. No, I don't see that happening. He hasn't needed anypony in tens of thousands of years, why would I even think that I could offer him anything? I just don't want him to turn bad again. In my heart of hearts, I think he's still fighting his own worst nature.
Secondly, I had that dream again. The one where I'm falling from Cloudsdale, like I did when I was a filly when I was knocked off the cloud at the start of Rainbow Dash's race with the bullies (I wonder what they're up to now? I haven't seen anypony from Flight School in years). Only this time I'm fully grown, but my wings just don't work no matter how hard I beat them. I'm resigned to my fate when all of a sudden I'm caught a second before splattering crashing into the ground.
I open my eyes to see Rainbow Dash's strong, confident gaze. She says something to me, but I'm so overawed that it just doesn't register with me. We fly for a short while until she brings me to a hillside overlooking Ponyville, setting me down underneath an old oak tree (out of curiousity, I went and had a look at the hillside and there's no tree there, so I wonder where that little detail came from?).
Oh, maybe it's from when I first came to Ponyville. There was a tree just like it near Sweet Apple Acres until Applejack kicked it down to expand the orchard.
We sit there in silence for a while, just watching Ponyville be Ponyville. I can't find the words to thank her for saving my life, but Rainbow Dash knows already how grateful I am. Don't ask me how I can tell, I just can. There are so many things I want to say to her in that moment, so many truths I want to reveal, but the same old fears hold me back.
Again, she already knows this. Maybe it's because we've been friends for so long? The slightest look has always been enough for her to see deep into my soul. We don't need words to express our feelings to each other.
She, uh … kisses me at this point. It's not a passionate kiss between lovers, nor is it a chaste embrace between friends. It's something more and something less all at once. Comforting, warm, tender. Hopeful? Expectant? I don't know how else to explain it.
Rainbow Dash breaks the kiss, then says something else to me that I can never remember, and this is when I wake up. I suppose my feelings for her are rather confused. I love her, but I don't know if I'm in love with her or just totally overwhelmed by the fact that she's everything I'm not: funny, confident, athletic. Pretty? She doesn't have to try to be beautiful, she just is.
Free. That's it. She isn't constantly weighed down by her own fears like I am, and that's what I find myself drawn to.
Well, thanks for listening.
Love,
Fluttershy.
*
“She only wanted you to see it,” Discord said in a low voice. “She made me Pinkie Promise not to let anypony else near it. She said to burn it after reading.”
“D'you think she'll haunt me forever if I decide to keep it instead?” asked Rainbow Dash wiping away the tears forming in her eyes. It had been three days since illness had robbed them of their dear friend, and only now did Rainbow Dash truly feel as though she understood Fluttershy. There was some irony there, surely, but she was too tired and depressed to go looking for it.
“Considering that she was scared of her own shadow, can you imagine what it would do to her if she found out that she was doomed to walk Equestria as a ghost?” Discord laughed hollowly, wondering what the point of having all this power was if you couldn't use it to save somepony you loved. “No, she'll be much happier wherever she is now. And I dare say that those who have gone before will find their lives considerably brighter with her around.”
“I'll see her again one day, won't I? And I'll be able to tell her how I feel, right?”
Discord looked into the pegasus' eyes. “You aren't thinking …?”
“What? No, of course not. She wouldn't want that.” Rainbow Dash placed the diary Fluttershy had kept since she was a filly on a bookshelf that had, until now, only contained the many volumes of Daring Do.
She could think of no better place for it than alongside another one of her heroes.
Dash sat stonefaced as the cut scene played out before her. With a quick pull of the right trigger she watched as her character on the screen grabbed the others wrist, stopping her from putting a bullet into the cowering mess on the floors skull and ending his miserable life.
She passively watched the tender scene between the two characters as hers tried to convince the convict that what she had done was right. They were gonna blow the place to hell anyways, so why waste the bullet. Fluttershy giggled from her spot beside her prismatic lover, proud of her for resisting her natural urge. It may have been only in a video game, but her Dashie had done the right thing in her opinion, and she decided that it was worth a reward.
To say that Dash was pleasently surprised when her timid girlfriend locked lips with her was an understatement. She relaxed into the kiss and pulled her girlfriend further into her.
Hours later, as she lay with her sleeping lover wrapped in her arms, she couldn't help but give a dopey grin. Her favorite video game had just proven one thing. Being a Paragon definitely had it's advantages.
Fluttershy snuggled in closer to Dash. She’d very quickly lost interest in whichever action film they’d ended up renting this week, but at least her girlfriend was enjoying herself.
“Aww yeah, this is the best part,” Dash exclaimed, spraying more popcorn over the empty half of the couch. “You’ll love this part, ‘Shy. See, the bad guys think...”
Fluttershy never found out how that sentence ended, since the picture on the screen vanished, quickly joined by the lights. The silence of the night was soon interrupted by the shrill beeping of various alarms blaring from down the street.
“Oh come on...” Dash yelled, finally emptying the popcorn. “A power cut? Why now? Why does this... always...” Dash paused, as she felt something shaking in her chest. "’Shy?”
A quiet squeaking joined the impromptu symphony, as a brief flash of epiphany hit Dash.
“Oh, shit...” she started, her hand quickly meeting her face. “The dark... right...” Dash started glancing around the room, hopelessly trying to find her bearings. “You wait here, ‘Shy. I’m just goona grab a flashlight, or some candles or something...”
Before Fluttershy could respond, Dash was up, moving, and cursing as she ran straight into the coffee table.
“Umm... Dash...” Fluttershy ventured in the direction of the grumbling athlete. “Are you... OK?”
“I’m fine, ‘Shy...” Dash answered, rubbing her knee, before finishing the thought under her breath. “But that’s gonna be one hell of a shiner in the morning...”
Dash moved carefully after that, finally reaching the kitchen door. A brief respite from the invisibility came from the gaudy glow in the dark fridge magnets. OK, really need to say sorry to the squirt for laughing at those now... Dash thought to herself, before rooting through the cupboards for anything.
***
Meanwhile, Fluttershy sat on the couch, the only things keeping her company being the ticking clock, the shrieking alarms, and the darkness that kept her there.
How long has it been? she asked herself, as the click of the clock hands echoed through the room. And why has Dash turned quiet? Did she fall? I need to help her... she moved to stand, and turned to see Rainbow Dash stood three inches from her. She fell back onto the couch.
“Sorry that took so long...” Dash said, placing the tiny light sources on a coaster. “Couldn’t find the matches or my lighter, had to light ‘em with the hob.”
Fluttershy looked at the two candles on the table in front of them - the birthday candle left from Dash’s party last week, and the stub from last year’s advent candle. She smiled softly at the dancing flames, and quickly wrapped Dash in a huge hug.
“Thank you, Dash...”
***
Hours later, just as the candles began to splutter, the apartment spurred back into life.
“Finally,” Dash groaned, moving to sit up, spotting the DVDs menu screen on the TV. “Alright, I’ll just get us back to where we were, ‘Shy, and...” she said, reaching for the remote, before seeing Fluttershy, stretch out and give a short yawn as she roused herself from her unintended nap. Blushing at her girlfriend’s sheer adorableness, Dash just gave her a quick smile. “You know what, let’s just pick this back up tomorrow...”
Dash handed over one of the spare cushions, before lowering her arms over Fluttershy’s shoulders, resting her head against Fluttershy’s. Giving her a quick peck on the cheek, Dash closed her eyes and sighed. “Night, ‘Shy.”
“R-r-rainbow D-dash, h-how much l-l-longer?” Fluttershy asked through her shivers as this wind blowing her mane back was making her increasingly colder.
“Just a few more seconds, Fluttershy. I’m almost done,” Rainbow Dash responded as she continued her work.
“B-but I’m, f-f-f-freezing.” Fluttershy couldn’t see anything thanks to the blindfold, but all she had to do was hold as still as possible. This would normally be easy for her to do, but holding still in the middle of a cold wind for about an hour was not.
“Aaand, done!” The mention of those words warmed Fluttershy’s shivering body as she immediately stepped away from the wind.
“Oh, thank Celestia. I thought I was gonna turn into a pegacicle.” Fluttershy released a sigh of relief at the fresh scent of warm air heating up her coat again. She soon felt a cyan hoof on her features, leading her to walk somewhere. She did as she was led to do. It wasn’t long until she was stopped and felt hooves running through her blindfold.
“And, tada!” Rainbow Dash said as she removed the blindfold. “What do ya think?”
The first sight that came to Fluttershy’s eyes wasn’t what she expected at all. “Oh… my… um…” She cleared her throat. “Why did I have to hold still in that cold wind?”
Fluttershy couldn’t help but blush at the words and gesture. The painting before her was a portrait of the two of them flying together, but at fast speeds. They held hooves right as they broke the sound barrier, creating a double Sonic Rainboom effect that tore through the clouds between them. In fact, it looked like Fluttershy was flying just as fast as Rainbow Dash in that picture.
“Oh, Rainbow Dash, it’s beautiful, but I could never pull off a Sonic Rainboom.”
“Hey, I can dream can’t I? Why do you think I want you to be a better flier?”
Fluttershy giggled. She never believed that she would ever be able to do something like this, but she wouldn’t go against Rainbow’s dream.
Rainbow Dash turned Fluttershy’s face to her and pulled Fluttershy into a deep kiss. Her warm embrace was utter bliss to Fluttershy. Tomorrow she would show her own dream to Rainbow Dash. But for right now, she was enjoying Rainbow Dash expressing her dream.
___
The next day came and Fluttershy painted her portrait of her and Rainbow in her own dream fantasy. Rainbow Dash’s reaction resulted in her face flushing red to the point Fluttershy couldn’t help but giggle.
“F-fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash shouted in response to that giggle.
“I-I-I’m so-orry, Das-shie. You just look sooo cute!”
Fluttershy brushed Rainbow’s multi-colored mane as they looked at her portrait together. The brushing soothed Rainbow Dash’s tense embarrassment and her tail couldn’t help but swish around as she relaxed in that gentle touch.
Fluttershy had painted them together like before, but Rainbow Dash was a cute tiny breezie being held in Fluttershy’s hoof while they both looked into each other’s eyes with the cutest smiles.
It had started so innocently, a simple prank, harmless really. That's what the daredevil had thought at the time. Pinkie had made it seem so easy, trivial even, when she had first approached the cyan Pegasus before the Gala. They were friends, so what harm would it cause to go to the Gala together while pretending to be a couple? None, or so they had thought.
So they had showed up as planned, acting like a cute couple complete with sickeningly sweet nicknames and all that "mushy stuff" as Dash liked to refer to it. Things had gone well and all of their friends were shocked, as the two had anticipated, and the night had proceeded fairly well up until this point. "Where's Fluttershy?" Rarity asked, looking up from her cup of tea to notice the yellow pegasi had disappeared from their table.
The others looked confused, hadn't the shy mare been there not even that long ago? After a minor debate the group had tasked Rainbow with tracking her down; who knew her better than her best friend after all? It didn't take her long to find her, sitting there in the gardens, framed so beautifully under Luna's moon surrounded by a family of cute little bunnies. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, Fluttershy looked to be laughing with her animal friends st first glance, but further inspection showed that Fluttershy was far from happy.
Her normally beautiful tail and mane were dull and lifeless, any luster or shine they once had faded. Quiet sobs could be heard coming from the timid mare as Dash edged closer silently.
"a-a-a-nd she didn't e-e-even bother to tell me!" She could hear Fluttershy say to the little bunnies, who seemed to be trying their best to console the animal caretaker. "I've been her best friend for years, and she doesn't even consider letting me know she's into mares."
The words shocked Dash, not because of what was said, but just how true it was. She had known since flight school that she had been interested in mares, but never once had she honestly told, or even considered telling her best friend. Granted, she had her reasons, and they were pretty good ones. How do you go about telling your best friend that you're into mares, much less that the mare you've been in love with since you first laid eyes on her was, well, your best friend? It's a scary thing for anypony, mare or stallion, to admit.
Just as Dash had made a move to announce her presence, the canary Pegasus in front of her decided to speak up again. "And Pinkie Pie? I mean really? Out of all of the ponies in Ponyville, why did it have to be her? I can't even find it in me to be jealous, because she's one of my closest friends... But I really want to at least be mad at her. It's not her fault, she didn't know. But I hope she knows how lucky she is to have Dashies' heart." More tears followed the shy mare's statement and her bunny friends tried their hardest to comfort the kind pony. "Well, I hope she knows that if she ever hurts her, her flank is mine, forgive my language." The distraught Pegasus stated and cuddled one of the bunnies, the mama, close to her cheek.
Dash moved closer, now only inches away from the depressed canary mare, a crooked smile on her muzzle. The speedster leaned forward just enough so that her muzzle was beside her ear before whispering "I don't think she has to worry about that."
Fluttershy let out an adorable eep and jumped in surprise, burying her face in her mane as she whipped around. Dash stood before her, a smirk forming on her muzzle and her cheeks burning the most interesting shade of red.
"D-D-Dashie, uh, how long have you been here?" The panicked mare stated frantically, hoping against hope she hadn't heard her little rant just now. The devious look in her prismatic friends eyes said otherwise.
"Long enough. So, you think Pinkie's lucky huh? Well, maybe not. Pinkie and I aren't together. We were pranking you guys. The others all know that as well. But you, you silly filly, you ran off before the big reveal." Dash commented, smirk never leaving her features as her flush receded and her gaze grew predatory. "Now, here's something even the others don't know. There is one pony in our group that I am in love with. You get three guesses as to which pony that is." She began to circle her friend, that predatory gaze and smirk ever present.
Fluttershy eeped in surprise and gave her first guess. "I-i-is it Applejack?' She questioned, turning to follow Dash in her circle, fear, excitement, and was that hope? Growing inside her.
"Not even close." Was the speedsters reply.
Fluttershy harrumphed and furrowed her brow in thought. "Rarity?"
"You're joking right?" Dash's predatory gaze faltered for a split second, overcome by something akin to nausea before snapping back into place. "She's great and all, but definitely not my type." She had edged closer, unnoticed by the yellow mare, who seemed to be in deep concentration.
"Then that only leaves Twilight" Fluttershy was now confident she had the right answer, as much as it hurt to know it wasn't her, who else could it be right? Confident that is, until Dash openly burst into laughter.
"Bwahaha the egghead? Seriously? Bwhaha oh wow, you're a hoot Flutters" Dash said, now rolling on the ground and clutching at her ribs with a hoof. Fluttershy was confused, why would Dash find the idea funny? Twilight was, by process of elimination, the last of their circle of friends. Unless...
Dash wiped away tears that had formed in her eyes and had finally managed to stand again, only to be tackled to the ground by a yellow and pink blur. As her hooves instinctively wrapped around Fluttershy's barrel, light laughter could be heard and she could feel the other mare's body as it trembled. "You know Dashie, your prank wasn't very funny" Fluttershy stated, silencing Dash before she could respond with a quick and chaste kiss. "But I have to say, it may have been your best one yet."
Dash smiled and kissed the shy pegasus on top of her, pulling her closer. All she could think to say as it ended was "Took you long enough." It earned her a swift smack to her ribcage and another kiss, so she couldn't really complain.
“Come on, Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash closed her distance between the shy pegasus with slanted seductive eyes. “You know you like it.”
Fluttershy’s cheeks glowed brightly as she backed away, trembling her steps. “I-I don’t know, Rainbow Dash,” She soon found herself out of room when her back leg was suddenly in contact with her bed. “U-um… shouldn’t we wait a little longer?” She hastily shot her head in random directions, looking for a way to get out of this as Rainbow Dash only got closer.
“Come on, Fluttershy, we haven’t made out in about two weeks.” When she reached Fluttershy, she flared her wings and gently pushed Fluttershy to lay on the bed. “And I’m hungry for some action.”
Fluttershy squeaked and hid behind her mane while she was pressed against the bed. Her frightened body warmed pleasantly when she found her mane moved aside by a cyan hoof. She was too afraid to move. The sight of Rainbow Dash licking her lips shrunk her eyes to bite sizes pieces and found the breath inside of her locked in. The closer Dashie got, the faster her heart beat.
Suddenly, multiple scratching knocks became present at the front door, distracting Rainbow Dash and shocking Fluttershy into motion. “Oh! I better get that!”
“Ah!” Rainbow Dash found her shy prey suddenly sliding underneath her, causing her to stumble before Fluttershy disappeared from sight. She watched the bedroom door Fluttershy went out of, annoyed and frustrated that her moment was ruined.
“Dang it, Fluttershy!”
Nightfall came and Rainbow Dash took a second chance at having her way with Fluttershy. This time, there would be no interventions, because they were sleeping together tonight. She moved a cyan wing under the covers, sliding and wrapping it over Fluttershy’s warm body.
Fluttershy tensed up, but relaxed over the contact. Her body was moved closer by that wing while her face was turned so that her eyes would meet with Rainbow’s.
“How about a little make out session before we hit the hay?” Rainbow asked.
Fluttershy couldn’t help but be mesmerized by those sparkling eyes she could see even through the night. Hesitant, she responded. “O-okay… I guess it would be--”
“Oof!” Rainbow Dash suddenly felt something small pounce on her body. It jumped immediately between them and to Fluttershy, wailing in fear as it cried tears.
“Oh my! Angel, what’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked the terrified bunny. “Did you have a nightmare?” Angel nodded. “Oh, don’t worry. You can sleep with Mama tonight. That’s okay, right Dashie?”
Rainbow Dash rubbed her side, groaning as she responded. “Fine…” She turned herself over, frustrated by another intervention.
The next day came, and Rainbow and Fluttershy were enjoying their picnic date by the lake alone. While they were enjoying their tea and cake, they paused a few times to gaze into each other’s eyes. On one of those occasions, Rainbow Dash slanted her eyes in a seductive manner, making Fluttershy shy away on purpose.
When Fluttershy focused on her cake, Rainbow Dash closed her face in and blew on the cake, causing a bit of frosting to be tossed onto Fluttershy’s lips and making her squeak. Rainbow Dash chuckled.
“Looks like you’ve got some cake stuck to you,” She slanted her eyes and moved her head forwards again in a seductive manner. “Let me get that for ya.”
Fluttershy was flustered again and tried to shy away. “U-um… I can get-”
“No no, I insist.”
Fluttershy’s blush intensified as Rainbow Dash came closer. She wanted to move, but couldn’t find the willpower to do so. She wanted Rainbow Dash to take her there, but was too scared with how rough she would be.
Rainbow Dash’s tongue came within inches from the frosting on Fluttershy’s lips, but then a bright light shined in between them, causing them to yelp as the force of that light knocked them away.
“Ooh! Is this a Tea Party we’re having?!” The bright light was none other than Discord. “And I wasn’t invited? I’m appalled!” Discord wrapped his arms around both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, gripping them in a hug with their backs turned. “Oh dearest me, this hurts worse than Celestia’s birthday party that I wasn’t invited to!” He used his magic to levitate two cups of tea to the two lovebird pegasi’s mouths, spawning a third so he could drink with his friends together.
Rainbow Dash spit the tea out. “OH, COME ON!” she yelled, clearly frustrated at yet another intervention. She slumped under Discord’s grip as she thought about how she was gonna deal with this problem. If she was ever gonna have some alone time with Fluttershy, they needed to go someplace that was not of Fluttershy’s environment. They needed a place she would be comfortable in, without the risk of any pony, animal, and possibly great deity of chaos, entering uninvited.
Or at least have no reason to go to. She had one place in mind.
The cottage doors slammed open. “HEYA DASHIE! HEYA FLUTTERSHY!” Pinkie yelled at the top of her lungs. “I’ve got great news! I am hosting the most funnerific, alicorn party for Twilight’s--” Pinkie suddenly stopped herself when she realized the cottage was completely empty of pegasi. Neither sound nor sight of cyan, nor yellow feathers. Only the sounds of whimpering critters with blasted eardrums scattered on the floors were present. “...Birthday?”
In the center of an open field surrounded by mountains, moaning sounds could be heard in the skies. They came from a large cloud mansion in the skies. The windows that used to always be open were sealed with clouds. Inside were two pegasi kissing and smuckering each other in bed in the middle of the day. Tank watched quietly from a distant desk. His owner had his previous owner pinned down above the sheets as they enjoyed a pleasant make out session.
Ponies hardly ever visited this place. Those who did visit, could not reach it, for they couldn’t walk on clouds. And ever since the two pegasi got together, they had less reason to ever visit. Tank was still present, but couldn’t move around much without his rotor, nor make much sound himself. But he didn’t care. He was at the perfect seat of the house.
Rainbow Dash soon pulled her head up from Fluttershy, licking her lips at the taste of Fluttershy’s lips while Fluttershy gasped for breath. They were both smiling.
“See? I told ya you would like it,” Rainbow Dash said.
“You were right, Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy giggled. “I’m sorry I doubted you.”
Rainbow Dash smacked her lips together before she brought her tongue to Fluttershy’s lips, licking along them. Fluttershy wrapped her hooves around Rainbow Dash, moaning pleasantly just before Rainbow pressed her lips further for another deep kiss. No more interventions.
Little did they know, they were missing a great party that even Discord was invited to.
Fluttershy slowly woke as her two birds on a branch tweeted from outside her window telling her that it's morning. She rubbed her eyes with a hoof turning to look at the two with a yawn.
"Oh good morning Mr. and Mrs. Bluejay. Did you two sleep well?" She said.
The two birds tweeted some more. Fluttershy smiled. "That's good. Thank you again for waking me."
Tweeting once more they both flew off from their branch side by side. Fluttershy yawned once again and turned over to find Rainbow Dash still sleeping soundly next to her knowing that her birds wouldn't wake her. She placed her hoof on Rainbow's shoulder and began to lightly shake her gently speaking.
"Dashie, it's time to wake up." Rainbow Dash stirred with a grunt.
"Five more minutes. I'm at the final lap of a race." And she just dozed back off again.
Normally Fluttershy would just let her sleep for oh, five or so minutes. Sometimes more than that but a thought just popped from the back of her mind. She grinned at this thinking this was her chance to pay her back for all the times Rainbow woke her up for every cider season.
She thought of a perfect way to get her too. Of course there was also a part of her telling her that it was a bad idea and that she should just let her sleep. Then again Rainbow was always telling her to be more...assertive. She decided to cut her losses and take a chance on it.
If it turned out bad then she'll say sorry and promise to never do it again. Hopefully Rainbow doesn't get too mad for what she about to do.
She leaned her muzzle behind one of Rainbow Dash's ears and gave a small lick. The action only elicited a slight giggle. Fluttershy smiled at this and licked the back of her ear again which drew out a louder and more pronounced giggle from Rainbow.
"Wake up Dashie, or I'll make you get up." Fluttershy whispered in her ear before continuing to lick the back it.
Rainbow stirred once again showing signs that she was waking a little by tilting her head back towards her grinning.
"Make me." Then closed her eyes again trying to sleep again in a not so subtle manner. Fluttershy looked down at her marefriend with a soft smile.
"Oh, I will." She said as she placed her hoof on one of Rainbow's wing and rubbed a small spot of the base knowing it was sensitive.
There was her reaction though not as big as she had hoped. Rainbow was holding back from laughing to well. Fluttershy went back to her ear which added to Rainbow's strain to keep from laughing. After a minute of Fluttershy's tickle torture Rainbow finally caved in and started bursting out laughing.
“Ha,ha,ha,ha Okay, Ha,ha Okay Flut-Ha-Fluttershy! You Wi-win! Ha,ha,ha! I'm up! I'm UP! Ha, ha!" Fluttershy stopped her assault on her marefriend and wrapped her hooves around her kissing her cheeks.
"Good morning Dash." Rainbow chuckled.
"Yeah, Good morning Shy. You know you could have asked me to get up." Fluttershy nuzzled her neck.
"I did silly."
"Oh...right." Rainbow blushed as she scratched the back of her mane.
“Well I guess that's one way to wake somepony up."
"You didn't mind I did that?" Fluttershy murmured as she looked up to her.
“Nah, I didn't mind it at all. B~ut let's not make this my new alarm clock, okay Shy?" Rainbow grinned.
"Okay Dashie." Fluttershy giggled and leaned forward for a kiss. Rainbow grinned brightly, leaning in too and happily returned her kiss.
“No! Give that back, please!” Fluttershy pleaded as she tried to grab her letter back from one of the two bullies picking on her. The first bully threw the letter to the second bully as Fluttershy approached, and grabbed Fluttershy instead.
“Aww, Fluttercry! I didn’t know you were so desperate for love!” the first bully said as Fluttershy tried to pry from his grip.
“I wonder who her secret admirer is,” the second bully said. “I bet it’s me!”
“No, it’s gotta be me! Just look at this!” Fluttershy was desperately trying to escape the grip of the first bully as they spoke. “She can’t keep her hooves off of me.”
“No! Please don’t open it!”
The second bully ignored Fluttershy’s plea and tore the envelope apart. Adding insult to injury, he buried his face as close to the note as possible.
“Oh no! It’s worse than I thought!” the second bully said. Fluttershy’s face could only flush red in embarrassment and sadness as her secrets were going to be revealed. “She’s so desperate for love, she thinks Rainbow Crash is a stallion and has fallen in love with her!”
“No way! If the teacher ever saw that, she’d be in detention forever!” the first bully said. “Tear it up before he sees!”
“No!” Fluttershy yelled. But it was too late. Her love letter that she worked so hard on was being torn to pieces right in front of her. The bully then took those pieces and put it in his mouth, sloshed it around, and spit the pieces in the nearest trash can, so that nopony would even want to touch those pieces anymore.
“Come on, Fluttercry,” the first bully continued and took Fluttershy by the hoof. “Let me show you to my dorm.”
“We’ll show you all the real steps of finding that perfect stallion,” the second bully continued the sentence. “That way you can stop living in your little fantasy world.” Fluttershy continued to cry and struggle as she was being dragged.
“And what’s wrong with a little fantasy, huh?” A new voice became present.
“Rainbow Crash?! I mean Dash?!” the two bullies called out in fear. “We thought you were-” Rainbow Dash cut them off.
“You two pick on other pony’s loves because you can’t find love yourselves?!” she scolded. “Beat it!”
As Rainbow Dash stomped forward, the two bullies fled quickly in fear. As they left, Rainbow Dash walked towards Fluttershy to comfort her. But Fluttershy could only blush as she cried on her shoulder.
“It’s okay, Fluttershy. Those two bullies will never bother you ever again.”
After Fluttershy managed to calm down, she started heading back to her dorm, still blushing at Rainbow’s actions.
Rainbow Dash stayed behind. Those two bullies used to be her friends. But after what she saw, they were never gonna be her friends ever again. She pulled out her own letter to her secret admirer, made a few changes to it, and put it in the love letter box.
“I wish I could tell you how I feel,” Rainbow Dash said before walking away.
Anonymous: ‘Have a happy Hearts and Hooves day Fluttershy. I hope you’re doing well. P.S. Don’t let bullies discourage you. Follow your dream.’
The sound of running hooves pounding on concrete echoed in her ears, her heartbeat echoing loudly amongst the constant rise and fall. She heard them calling out, voices hoarse from shed tears and constant sobs, but she wouldn't turn back.
She couldn't, there was nothing left for her here. Everything important to her had been taken, robbed from her life in one fell swoop never to return.
She could hear them as they gave chase. She'd never been a particularly fast pony. Many would have happily called her slow, a snail in pony form really. And maybe they were right. But none of that mattered anymore.
Her canary yellow wings unfurled from her sides, reaching their full wingspan as she took to the skies. It was an unfair advantage and she knew it; none of her pursuers possessed the ability of flight. Her former self would probably have descended immediately and apologized profusely for exercising such an unfair ability, but she couldn't be bothered.
As she soared across the skies her tears fell like rain. She couldn't help but think how proud her lover would be of her in this moment. How very happy she would be to see her blaze across the sky she had so loved at speeds that would have impressed even her, but the thought was nothing more than a bittersweet reminder.
The pain hit her again, renewed full force as regret and despair overtook her. In one cruel moment she had lost her beloved wife of four years and their young adoptive daughter. And as she carried on across the skies, a blazing trail never before seen, all she could wish was that the raging inferno that had claimed her Rainbow could have taken a butterfly in it's place.
Lightning cracked again, and a fir tree below splintered and crashed to the ground. The two pegasi flying above the woods struggled just to stay aloft as heavy rain plastered their coats and gales tore at their wings.
“I know, I know!” Rainbow yelled back. She flapped her wings harder, bracing herself against the wind and gaining a little height. She had to find somewhere to take shelter. The woods below were too sparse, not to mention filled with any number of things that wanted to eat them. They needed a house, or a cave, or...
“There!” said Rainbow, pointing towards a waterfall tumbling down over a rock face. “There's a cave behind the waterfall, come on!”
“But we'll get soaked!”
Rainbow had to lift her rain plastered fringe out of her eyes to raise an eyebrow at her partner.
“Oh,”said Fluttershy. “Right.”
The two of them angled themselves towards the waterfall and pushed their way through the storm. Rainbow braced herself and punched through the wall of water like an arrow, into the cave beyond.
It wasn't deep – she could see the back wall even with what little light came in through the opening. There were stalagmites-- stalactites-- pointy rock things on the floor and ceiling, but other than that, it was empty and unremarkable. But it was dry, that was all that mattered.
Fluttershy touched down behind her with an “Eep!” and immediately collapsed to the ground, shaking and shuddering as her waterlogged wings fell limp at her side. Rainbow went to her.
“Hey, pal. You alright? You hurt?”
Fluttershy's eyes were squeezed tight, and the shaking was almost violent. “N-no,” she stammered. “J-just cold. Very c-cold.”
“I know,” Rainbow sighed, freezing too. She sat down beside Fluttershy and flapped the rain from her wings – which didn't help much – before offering one of them to her partner. “Come on. It'll be warmer if we cuddle.”
Fluttershy quivered and nodded. “O-okay.” It took her a moment, but she managed to push herself up and move to Rainbow's side, where she lay down facing the mouth of the cave. Rainbow folded the wing around her, and Fluttershy snuggled up against the warmth of her body.
Drenched as they were, it wasn't exactly the most comfortable of snuggles, but Rainbow was immediately grateful for the change in temperature, mild as it was. Any other comfort she might've got from the touch was drowned out by the cold.
“I-I'm sorry I dragged you out here,” said Fluttershy. “It was just supposed to be a nice, s-safe butterfly migration.”
Rainbow shook her head and spoke quietly. “It's a freak storm, must've blown over from the Everfree. You couldn't have known.”
Fluttershy let out a mewl that was probably her attempt at apologising again, but lacking the energy. Rainbow just closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. The warmth from Fluttershy's body was starting to spread through her, and she managed to stop shivering after a while. It took a bit longer for Fluttershy's shaking to calm down, if not completely.
“Hey,” said Rainbow, opening her eyes and nudging her partner. “At least I was wrong about it being boring, huh?”
Fluttershy let out a shuddering laugh and pressed closer to Rainbow. They sat in silence for a long time, just listening to the tumbling of the waterfall and the thunder still cracking outside. It wasn't going to stop any time soon – it'd be hours, at least, before they could go outside again. Rainbow shifted and got as comfy as she could on the rocky ground, settling in to try and get some rest.
After the longest silence, when the shivering had stopped and they were beginning to drift into sleep, Fluttershy spoke up quietly. “I'm glad you're here with me,” was all she said.
Rainbow gave a long sigh through her nose. “Yeah,” she said, squeezing her wing tighter around Fluttershy to comfort her. “Yeah. I know.”
Rainbow Dash trotted through Cloudsdale, slowly. Few things were different. The schools were mostly the same, the weather factory hadn't changed a bit, and the memories to be reaped were all too clear. It all made her unhappy.
Stupid magic, stupid spells. She just had to go playing with things she doesn't understand. There was nothing fun about having been sent 10 years back in the past. Well, almost nothing. The daredevil paused, and watched from a distance, as she spied two ponies playing together, in the clouds. One filly bore the unmistakable awesomeness that was her own. There was the cool rainbow mane, along with the bright, flashy cutie mark. The other filly was no doubt her best friend. Adorable, pink mane, and shy demeanor. Rainbow Dash watched the two of them play together, simultaneously recalling the very day she was currently witnessing, in the recesses of her memory. She stood, watching, thinking, as her past self had fun with her best friend. In the silence, though, Rainbow Dash simply hoped that when she returned to her own time, she would have the courage to admit her feelings.
The two fillies took a moment's rest, having played the day away in a long haze of joy. They simply lay on their cloud, not far above the city.
"Hey, Fluttershy?"
"Yes, Rainbow?"
"Do you ever think about the future?"
"The future?"
"Yeah, the future. You know, like 10, 15 years from now, when we're both full-grown ponies".
"Yes, I do. Probably more than I should, actually".
"And what do you think it'll be like?"
"Well, I don't really know. But, I hope that, at least, you're there".
The rainbow filly grinned. "I'll always be there, shy".
Blow after flawless blow, the weapon hit its target over and over, the blade's wielder focused entierly on the task at hand: Train.
Yes, the sword was but wood, and its victim a simply constructed dummy, but the woman holding the oaken blade fought as if her life depended on it.
In a way, it did. She was a humble Knight in service of Her Majesty, Queen Celestia, and had been selected to be the personal guard of one of her most favored subjects. Messing up a duty like that tended to get you killed, either in the process, or slain by the ramifications of law if you returned without your charge.
Thus, training was in order.
Satisfying cracks rang through the night air, the empty training pit's acoustics carrying the noise through the night. The fact that nobody seemed bothered by the noise was miraculous, the woman's blows were quite loud.
As wood continued to meet wood, the woman in question's mind was racing, countless lessons with the sword all coming back to her, mixed with her own experience in battle, culminating into a flurry of stabs, jabs, and slashes that any wise man would be wary to cross.
One lesson in particular came to mind- a simple mantra, one oft recited by her old master: A man with a reason to fight is the greatest adversary one can face.
Now this, she could personally confirm.
The Knight had her reason to fight, though not immediantly. After recieving her call to serve and protect one of Her Majesty's chosen five royals, she was estatic. Perhaps she would serve the rough-and tumble Lady who heralded from the southern fields, or the eccentric sweet-loving one who loved to bake.
Alas, much to the young Knight's chagrin, she was sent to serve the timid, introverted Noble who adored animals and detested violence.
Things were quite... rough, at first for the two. Their vastly different personalities made it nearly impossible for the two to bond, and the Noble was always seen as a crybaby, rather than a friend.
This all changed when a gang of bandits nearly killed the both of them whilst traveling back to Castle Canterlot. The Knight's eyes were opened to the Noble's plight of constant fear and anxiety, and the Noble saw the Knight as the protector she had always dreamed of. With the two now on good terms, their relationship would only continue to grow.
Back in the present, the Knight caught a flash of gold as her next blow flew to the mock fighter. Her wedding ring.
Yes, their relationship had grown quite a lot.
After another half hour of nothing but hammering the dummy with everything she had, the Knight finally stopped to take a breather. To her side, about two or three yards, sat a pink-haired Noblewoman atop a blanket cast over the dirt. She was garbed in casual, albiet well-made, clothes, and a matching gold ring was set upon her left hand.
The Noble rose, a flask of water in her hands. "Rainbow, that was amazing!" She softly praised, "How is it possible to get that good with a sword?"
The Knight smiled. "Training, Fluttershy. Lots and lots of training."
The voices never ceased. They tormented her; relentless in their assault. There was no escaping them.
"It's YOUR fault. How could you do that?" "We trusted you, we never thought you would've done something like this." They hounded her even in her dreams, accompanied by visual images that would sicken most ponies.
The warm blood spread all over her coat, the cyan feathers woven into her mane from the brutal plucking, the light leaving her eyes as the knife plunged home over and over again. These images assaulted her in her sleep. Her friends crushing looks of disappointment and betrayal, fear and anger. They accompany her in her cell, her only company.
But they didn't understand. They couldn't. What did those ponies know about her, about them, about love? Nothing she thought, as another mad chuckle escaped her. She had to do it. She loved Rainbow, so very very deeply. She had to ensure she would never leave her, she had to make sure that Dashie would be hers, always. Nothing could separate them. She laughed again, louder this time, reverberating off the cell walls as she flung her disheveled pink mane back out of her eyes and flicked her long pink tail from side to side. They could never understand and that was fine, they didn't have to. She could still feel the blood on her canary yellow fur, feel the feathers in her mane. Her lover would always be hers now, no one could come between them.
Twilight watched from her place outside the cell. Tears weighed heavily in her eyes as she watched her longtime friend cackling madly to herself. She didn't seem capable of acknowledging the world around her, as if she herself was disconnected and existed in only her own world. As the insane cackling faded to be replaced by sweet nothing's spoken to a love that could no longer hear her, that could never reply to anyone again she called for the guards to lead her away from the asylum. Fluttershy would never return to normal and Rainbow Dash was forever robbed from the rest of the world by a twisted form of love
