> A Dash of Shyness
>  by TM2 Dinobot
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter I
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



A Dash of Shyness
By Sam Ford




Chapter I

“Okay, Rainbow Dash. Here we go.” 

She entered the arena with thunderous cheers; the voices of a thousand Pegasi cascading over her. Chin up, head held high, long hair blowing in the wind, the blue-coated Pegasus trotted into the coliseum. Overhead the Wonderbolts roared past, thunder rumbling in their wake. Smiling, she sopped, striking a pose for her adoring fans, bringing them to a higher fervor. Standing on her hind legs, the young filly thrust her feet into the air. A flood of snapshots went off, promising the cover of magazine covers for the next year. The spectators, now on their feet and clopping with joy, began chanting her name.

“Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash! Rai--”

“Rainbow Dash, what in Equestria are you doing?”

Dash stood on her bed, chanting out her own name. The hand-me-down twenty year old dolls lay scattered before her, seated in a make shift stadium of clouds. Rainbow Dash blinked, wondering where her moment of glory had gone. Just a minute ago she'd been the greatest athlete in all of Equestria. Now she was once more just a common filly in a common home. Apparently it had all been in her head. Climbing down in embarrassment, Dash decided to forego her theme song as her mother stood in the doorway smiling. 

“Aww, mom. You spoiled it.” Rainbow kicked the bleachers with her hoof, sending the whispy clouds back into the floor.

“Let me guess." Firefly nuzzled her daughter, ruffling her long hair. "You were having your triumphal entry into Cloudsdale Stadium, where every Pegasus in Equestria was cheering you name, right?"

“Is there any other dream?” Dash smiled, tilting her head up, embracing the moment with her beautiful mother of the pink coat and blazing blue mane. 

“Yes. I dreamed that one day I would have you.” Firefly smiled “Just be careful what you wish for. You’re just a little filly.” 

“I’m not little.” Dash pouted. 

Firefly sighed. “So much to learn. Are you hungry?" 

"No." Dash trotted over to her window, looking out as the sky grass blowing on the front lawn.

"Well you should eat something." Firefly reprimanded her daughter gently. Dash would forget to eat for hours on end, foregoing the necessity of all Pegasi. 

"Moooom!" Dash whined, turning her head back. 

"You're that eager to begin your new life and leave you poor old mother behind?"

"Yes!" Dash stamped her feet. She wasn't falling for a guilt trip. Not today, on her special day.

"Oh well, it was worth a shot. Are you ready?”

“I’ve been packed for a week. Let’s go!” 

Sliding her saddlebags over her blank flank, Rainbow Dash started her engine purring. She’d been able to fly almost before she could walk. Firefly even said she flew around in her mommy's belly. Now all that pure determination was paying off; she was going to attend Cloudsdale Flight Academy! At last, after eight and a half years, she was going to be accepted as the youngest pony ever to enter the hallowed halls. 
Firefly followed her buzzing daughter down the hallway, lined with pictures, memories so dear to her. Her precious Dashie as a new born foal, her first day of school, mane all done up in pink pig tails, Dash with her father, Skystriker. There were earlier photos too; Firefly and Skystriker in the moonlight, Firefly's high school graduation, her teeth still in gawky braces. Skystriker with his Royal Guard unit. And there were friends too, so many lost friends, now gone.  
With a melancholic sigh Firefly joined her little bundle of energy out in the yard. It was a marvelous Equestrian day, without even the thought of rain. All ponies went about their day, thanking Princess Celestia for her gift of the sun. High in the sky weather Pegasi kept alert for any dark cloud on the loose. 
The neighborhood of Frederiksborg was a quiet little suburb just a short flight from the busy Cloudsdale. Close enough for the grown pegasus to commute, but far enough away from the noise and congestion of the weather factory. Rainbow Dash anxiously waited to leave, pacing in their front yard, smoothing out the nimbus whisps. Firefly stood calmly by, watching the lazy activity of their subdivision. She and her mate had chosen this location very carefully, escaping the past as much as planning for the future.

“What are we waiting on?” Dash whined. 

“A shift in the winds. Right now they’re coming from Cloudsdale. They’ll change soon enough.” Firefly said after a pause, testing the breeze with a taught wing feather. “So are you going to miss all your friends at school?” 

“Heck no.” Dash grinned. “I get to go to Cloudsdale Flight Academy!”

“Don’t get your expectations set too high, My Little Pegasus. It just means you have further to fall.” Firefly warned. 

“I can’t fall. You never fall when you can fly!” Dash did a little back flip. 

Firefly smiled knowingly. Had she ever been that young? Once, maybe. Now she just felt tired a lot.  Coming down the causeway flew Doreen, a mare with silver pelt and golden hair. She and Firefly were neighbors, with a daughter just a few years older than Dash.

“Hi, Doreen.”

“Hello Firefly! Rainbow Dash. My, don’t you look beautiful this morning.”

“My mommy made me comb my mane.” Dash responded shyly, hiding behind Firefly’s leg. 

“I see that. And what long, beautiful hair it is.” Doreen smiled. 

“How’s Ditzy Doo?” Firefly referred to Doreen’s teenage daughter who occasionally filly-sat Rainbow Dash.

“Oh, she’s just fine. She’s quite taken with a young Unicorn colt down in some little hamlet called Ponyville. We hardly see her these days.” Doreen sighed. 

“And you’re okay with that?” Firefly knew Pegasi were not the most open minded of creatures in Equestria. Unicorns weren't out to win any popularity contests themselves, usually being stuck up and at times becoming downright racist. 

“We have to be. She’ll be on her own soon. Wild dreams about finishing school and becoming Doctor Ditzy Doo and the Blue Box. But she has made it very clear that her life and relationships are her own affair. You know how teenagers are.” 

“I know. Some are wilder than others. This one takes after her mother.” Firefly smiled. “She’ll be the death of me yet. Oh hey, wind change! We’ll see you around, Doreen!”

Firefly hovered into the air, letting the wind do most of the work. Dash held onto her rear leg for a bit until she realized she was airborne, then she gladly leapt away and began showing off, darting in and out of the wind lanes. Firefly hefted her own saddlebags, carrying most of Rainbow’s ‘been packed for a week’ possessions. The filly hadn’t taken anything but a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a hastily drawn map and her hairbrush. 

“Rainbow Dash! What have I told you about playing in traffic?” Firefly scolded.

“Sorry mom.”

“Now come fly right beside me.”

“Aww, mom. Someone might see us!”

“I don’t care.” Firefly hovered. “We’re not going anywhere until you’re right beside me.”

“Fine!” Dash huffed, fluttering up next to her mother.

“Good. Now let’s go.” Firefly stepped into traffic. 

As they lazily drifted through town, Dash obeyed her mother, for the most part. It was perfect flying weather, with winds out of the south east, and visibility clear for miles. There was just a touch of chill at the higher altitudes, but there was nothing more anyone else could ask for. Dash passed the familiar sights and smells. The bakery was giving out free samples as usual, attracting hungry pegasi. Dash's stomach growled. The sandwich in her pack didn't even make it to the edge of town. 
Flying along, Rainbow Dash felt something come over her, a feeling she was not familiar with. Here, among her friends and neighbors, she was Rainbow Dash, the fast filly with dreams. And her dream, more than anything, was to go out there and let the whole world know her name. But out there, it was a great big world for one little filly. Was this feeling... fear?
At the outskirts, away from the busy traffic, Firefly shifted into the fast lane, picking up speed. Dash struggled to keep up.

“Come on, kiddo. Up on my back.” Firefly glanced behind her, slowing it down a notch.

“I can… do it…”

“Not this you can’t.” Firefly smiled. 

“You mean? Oh wow!” Dash cheered, leaping on. Firefly ‘woofed’ at the additional weight. “What are we going to do today?”

"I don't know, what do you want to see? I can do my Super Speed Strut? Or maybe the Fantastic Filly Flash?" 

"Nah, I've seen those." Dash made a face. Flying with her dad was great, but her mom was the best, always taking it to the limit.

“Oh really? Okay, miss smarty pants. I’m going to teach you something I promised your father I wouldn't. My signature move.” grinned Firefly, a mischievous glint in her eye. “The Buccaneer Blaze.”

“Oh wow! I’ve only ever heard about that!”

“Well hang on tight because you’re about to see it first hand!”

Firefly took a hard nosedive, aiming in a steep arc for the ground. As she picked up speed she streamlined herself as much as possible, which wasn’t easy with the extra weight of a pair of saddle bags and a rambunctious cling-on. Dark thunderclouds began forming in the concave of her hooves, rumbling as sparks began popping from their tips. 
Suddenly Firefly remembered why she had promised Skystriker she would not attempt the maneuver again. It had been many years since Firefly had last preformed the Buccaneer Blaze in service for Princess Celestia. Many of her friends on that adventure had moved on with families of their own by now. Some had not been so lucky, and were still gravely missed. Regardless, Firefly was not a young pony any more, and her body let her know it. As her wings strained to keep up, she could feel her tendons stretching. Her left hind leg spasmed in reflex, old injuries from a tangle with a wyvern. 
As the dive deepened, Firefly gathered as much speed as she could, scooping thunderclouds along the way. Dash was cheering, bouncing around with excitement. Firefly had neither the energy nor the concentration to still her daughter.
With a start the once-daredevil pony realized her mistake. She’d overshot her turn radius thanks to the additional weight on her back. Now the ground was fast approaching, and she doubted she’d be able to pull up in time. She and her daughter were about to become manure and Rainbow Dash, oblivious to any danger, cheered loudly in her mother’s ear. 
Clenching her teeth, Firefly pulled for everything she was worth, struggling to level out. The lightning now danced freely across her front legs, adding to the distractions. Managing a slight lift, Firefly dodged trees before she could pull up. 
Doing so released the storm clouds, shooting off in a parallel trajectory,  exploding into balls of thunder and lightning. The stunt, intended for use at higher altitudes, set the grass and trees ablaze, sparking a small forest fire. A very little one. Surely nothing that the authorities couldn’t handle. 
Dash went nuts, cheering and jumping up and down. Firefly breathed a sigh of relief, settling in for a, hopefully, easy glide to Cloudsdale. 

“Let’s not do that again.” 

~~~~~

“And this will be your room.” 

Dash, hiding behind her long hair, peered out into a dormitory of at least twenty beds. They were all empty now, their occupants at lunch. But that only meant there would be more ponies sleeping in her bedroom than had been in her entire class back home. The thought made her want to cower behind her mother’s leg again.

“Head Mare, we are not paying your outrageous tuition prices so my daughter can sleep in a room full of hoodlums.” Firefly put her chin up and best hoof forward. She was tired and sore, but she didn’t let it show behind her faux posh accent. 

“Why, I would hardly call my students 'hoodlums', Ms. Firefly. I am sorry, but your daughter’s application came far too late in the semester for a private room. Those are two per room, and usually reserved when out students are just foals. Why, some parents even apply before their foals are even born. There is little I can do to accommodate such a... colorful freshmare.” The brown Pegasus replied, not willing to back down. “At this point in time we are simply all filled up.”

“Well this is unacceptable.” Firefly was unphased.

“Um, mommy? It’s okay. I don’t mind…” Rainbow Dash squeaked. 

“No, I refuse.” Firefly began walking for the exit. Dash didn’t want to leave, but she didn’t want to be abandoned by the safety of her mother either. The Head Mare, taken completely aback, followed as well. 

“Ms. Firefly, I’m sure we can come to some kind of arrangement…” 

“A private room for my daughter, or we’re leaving.” Firefly dropped the accent, and threw everything into her voice that lent to her name. These ponies would relent, or she'd be back with Skystriker. And maybe a few of his ex-Royal Guard buddies to hoof. 

“That’s just not possible--”

“What about that one?” 

Dash was looking into a smaller dorm while the two adults had left her behind. Only half of it appeared to be taken, decorated with posters of birds and warm pastels. A gangly yellow filly sat on the bed with her back to the wall. Her long pink hair covered her face. She wasn’t reading, as far as Dash could tell. She was just… sitting.

“‘Two per room,’ eh? ‘All filled up,’ huh?” Firefly jeered. “How do you explain this one?”

“Oh.” The Head Mare seemed at a loss for words, as if she had forgotten about it. “That’s Klutzersh---- I mean, Fluttershy. But I’m sure your daughter--”

“We’ll take it.” Firefly declared flatly. 

Stepping in, she threw Dash’s bags onto the empty bed. Fluttershy’s ear twitched in surprise, but other than that, she didn’t move. Dash stepped closer, sniffing to see if the strange filly was safe. Her mother was arguing again.

“Ms. Firefly, this is just simply not done!” The brown teacher declared. 

“Head Mare.” Firefly forced her back into the hallway. Squinting, she read the pony’s nametag. “Wanda.” she declared flatly. “My daughter has the potential to be the best flyer that, not just Cloudsdale, but all of Equestria has ever seen. Let alone this tiny school. I know, because I am the best flyer Equestria has ever seen. My husband and I scraped together every red bit we own so that our daughter can attend your pathetic excuse for an institution; she will graduate with top honors, and she will have this room. If you do not do this, I will personally rain down hurt upon you unlike anything you have ever seen, and then you will hear from my friends. And trust me when I say that I have some very, very powerful friends. Do you understand?” 

Wanda, left completely speechless, could only nod. When Firefly cocked her head, the only thing she could say was “Supper is at six in the dining hall.” Firefly reentered the room, turning her attention to her daughter. 

“I don’t think she’s okay, mom.” Dash was sitting with a peculiar expression on her face, watching her new roommate. 

Firefly turned to the filly for the first time. She was old, far too old to still be in basic flight training. The knobby knees and large ears indicated pre-pubescence that, when finished, would leave this gangly little pony an angelic beauty to behold. 
Her mannerisms were strange, however. She hadn’t moved since the commotion began, let alone said anything. An observant eye could notice the subtle shake of her whole body, as if she constantly trembled. Her flank was just visible from where she sat; still bare as the day she was born. 
This couldn’t be who she thought it was, could it? The resemblance was uncanny though. Stepping closer, Firefly brushed the mane from her face and almost gasped. She knew exactly who this was and what had sent her into a catatonic state. The filly’s face was puffy from crying, her beautiful teal eyes slick with tears, unfocused on the world. Firefly swallowed, trying to find her voice. The years flew back, and Firefly felt Rainbow Dash's age, looking into those eyes for the first time.

“Hello, Fluttershy.” Aside from the slight widening of her eyes, Fluttershy remained unresponsive. “Say hello to Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash.” 

"'Lo.” Dash hid behind her own long mane. 

Fluttershy still didn’t say anything. Firefly put her leg around the young filly, hugging her tight. “It’ll be okay, dear. It’s okay.” Fluttershy didn’t move. If anything, the rate of tears increased slightly. Firefly pulled away, clearing her throat. “Alright, Dash. Let’s get your room set up. 

The pair spent the next hour in quiet banter, setting up Dash’s side of the room just the way she wanted it. There were Wonderbolt posters everywhere, dreams of a brighter future. She hung her goggles from the bedside lantern. Her special Megan doll was politely hidden under her pillow, just incase Fluttershy decided to tease her. Soon there was nothing left to do, and the mother-daughter duo sat on the bed, just snuggling together as they talked. 

“You’ll remember to brush your hair, right?” 

“Yes, mom.” 

“And study hard.”

“Of course!” Dash chirped. 

"And watch out for those who need watching out for. Don’t abandon your friends.” Firefly prodded Dash with her wing. 

“What friends? They're all back home.” Dash hung her head. 

“Be true to yourself and they’ll come. They may not be who you want, but they will be who you need.” She nuzzled her daughter. “This is your one chance, Dashie. Don’t let me down.”

“I’m scared mom.”

“I know. You’d be foolish if you weren’t.”

“I don’t want to go.”

“Yes you do. Just know that your father and I are right here with you every step of the way, even if you can’t see us.”

“I love you, Mommy.” Dash nuzzled her mother, trying to be brave and not cry.

“I love you too, Dashie. Come on, let’s go get some supper.”

As they stood, Dash stopped, remembering her mother’s words. “Want to come with us, Fluttershy?” It both broke Firefly’s heart and made her proud all at once. When there was no response, Dash simply shrugged and trotted out the door. “Suit yourself.” 

In the room, still sitting on the bed, Fluttershy continued to cry. But this time, she smiled. She wasn’t alone any more. 

> Chapter II
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter II

“Alright, fillies. Today I’m going to take it easy on you.”

Coach McHard Cheese (No, really, that was his name) stood on a cloud dune, watching over his students like a griffon. He chawed his tobacco, not caring what the school said. He'd been here longer than most of those namby-pamby professors had been alive. He'd taught their daddies to fly, he'd taught them to fly, and now he was teaching the latest generation of flutter flyers how to be real Pegasi. 
Flight training began before Celestia had even raised the sun. The half-mile run had done them good; or so they’d been told. No wings, just running. That's how they did it in the last border skirmish, and that's how these kids would do it.
Dash had sprinted ahead, not understanding everyone’s reluctance to hang back. This was her first day of Advanced Aerodynamic Techniques and they were going flying! She loved this school.
Fluttershy was there too, dead last as usual. She hadn’t spoken to Dash at all, even when they were alone in their room. She didn’t talk to anypony as far as Dash could tell. Now she hung at the back of the crowd, trying to not draw attention to herself. 
Coach McHard Cheese was notorious for being one of the toughest instructors at the flight academy. In his mind, if you didn’t pass his tests, you didn’t deserve to be in his skies. His dropout rate was almost universal. There were also some things about his name scribbled in the fillies’ locker room by the older girls. Dash didn’t understand them, and she didn’t really care. She was going to fly!

“We’re going to start with something easy today.” Coach brought Dash back to reality.

“Oh! Are we going to do barrel rolls? How about a double back flip? Oooh! Ooh ooh! There’s this move I read about called the Cobra where you actually pull up, cut the flaps and drop in behind the pony that’s tailgating you!” 

Dash’s words tended to run together when she got excited. She was ready to fly, her engine purring as fast as it could. She couldn’t even hear the laughter from her classmates through the grin on her face. Coach only stared at her, shaking his head. 

“You must be Rainbow Dash. I heard about you. You think you're special, what with the registering late and that multi-colored mop you call a mane? This is your first day here, so I’ll make this very clear. Don’t interrupt me!” Coach shouted. 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Dash blew him off with a wave of her hoof. “So are we going to fly or not?”

Coach spit, his chaw falling through the clouds. “No.” he said bluntly. “We’re going to hover.”

There was a murmur of excitement from the class. Here was something they knew how to do. It meant an easy A, and they were pleased. All except for Rainbow Dash.

“Hover?!”

“You heard me.” Coach smiled mercilessly. “I don't want to hear a single wing beat! You wait for a burst of wind, lean into it. Keep all hooves on the clouds and then just push off. Let the breeze take you. Ready class?”

They were certainly ready. When a stiff wind picked up, they cheered as the entire class took to the air. All but two. 

“What’s the problem, hot shot? Up!” Coach commanded her, hovering two feet above Rainbow Dash’s head. She mumbled something, losing it in the breeze. “What was that?”

“I said I can’t hover!” Dash snapped.

“What do you mean you can’t hover? Everyone can hover.”

“Except for Klutzershy.” Hoops, one of the colts laughed. He was silenced with a glare from the Coach. 

“I never learned, okay? I’m too light and the wind just blows me away. My wings aren't long enough.” Dash sighed. “I can do this though!”

She took off like an arrow, spinning around the entire class and pulling a respectable percentage of mach 1. She slammed on the brakes when McHard Cheese glided in front of her.

“Rainbow Dash, this is my class and I will not be disrespected. This is your second warning. I have not cleared you to fly, so you will not fly! Do you understand?”

“But--” 

“Today we are learning hovering. If Advanced Aerodynamic Techniques are too difficult for you, might I suggest a remedial class back with the foals?” 

“Maybe she and Klutzershy can’t hover because they don’t have their Marks!” Hoops popped off again.

“Hey!” His friend angrily retorted, bangs in his eyes.

“Oh, sorry Dumbbell.” Dumbbell didn’t have his Cutie Mark yet either. No one teased him about it though because he was lager than every pony else in school. 

“You’re not even going to try today, Fluttershy?” Coach confirmed absentmindedly. There was no response from the catatonic filly. finally he sighed. Alright, class. We’re going to do laps around the school. Use the air currents and stick together. This is hovering and gliding. The first pony I see that flaps their wings will give me five extra laps. Dash, you can help Fluttershy smooth out the Airball field. She’ll show you where it is.”

“But--”

“Okay, Fillies! Let’s move it!”

There was a cacophony of jeers and laughter as the class glided away, following the Coach like trained pets. As the noise quieted down, the only sound that remained was the wind blowing harshly, and the snapping of two manes in it.
Dash turned, humiliated. This was not how she’d thought things would turn out. She had only wanted to show Coach her flying skills. Instead, she’d been shot down right out of the gate. She’d never get into the Wonderbolts at this rate. Her mother and father worked so hard to get her here, and now Dash was letting them down. She was a failure. 
Fluttershy, in turn, still hadn’t moved. It was usual her custom to remain in place after the class left, and perhaps if it were a good day, shed only a few tears. Today though her eyes were focused and clear. There was something special about today. For the first time in a over two years she was not the only one left behind. She stared at Dash, making sure to avoid eye contact. It was so strange not being alone. 

“What are you staring at?” Dash snapped, fighting tears of her own. 

Fluttershy looked away, startled that she had been noticed. Quietly the pastel pony stood and began walking towards the sports field. Rainbow Dash sighed and simply followed in silence. 

~~~~~

The cafeteria was busy, as usual. Shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables were carted in daily, in addition to the usual fare of grasses. Sky grass, cultivated from the dew in clouds, was delicious, but impractical for feeding a large herd of Pegasi. Its high sugar dew content made it a perfect candidate for snacks, but the pegasi herd needed to eat more than other ponies to keep up their energy. 
Dash wandered in, eyes automatically tracking to the sound of laughter. A group of Pegasi shared in a hearty chortle, the youngest of them a full grade ahead of Dash. This was the crew she was destined to be with. They were the star athletes of the school, the first draft for the Cloudsdale High Stormball team, and maybe even the Wonderbolts. There was an empty seat at their table! This must be a sign from Celestia.
Smiling, Dash rushed through the food line, eyes constantly on the empty spot.  She skipped over the fresh Sweep Apple Acres apples, and accidentally chose thistle salad over alfalfa, her favorite. She was too excited to care, barely keeping her eyes on anything else. Finally through the line, she balanced the try on her wings, making a line straight for the popular table. That was when fate decided to rear its ugly head. 

“Just where do you think you’re going?”

The din in the cafeteria stilled as all eyes turned to the front of the tray line. Fluttershy found herself surrounded by her three largest supporters, the trio of stallions who bullied the rest of the school into submission and constantly singled out Fluttershy above all others. 
Fluttershy had just gotten her food when they cornered her. She may have tried to stutter out an excuse, but as soon as the harassment began, she began her usual routine of crying. 

“This food is for hard working ponies. If you spill it, we’ll make you pay.” Hoops threatened.

“Aww, Hoops, let her pass.” Touchdown put in, coming to her defense. 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Dash sighed, glad someone was helping. She continued her stride to the best table, once more setting out for the prize. Her destiny was almost within her grasp. Then it was snatched away by a tiny scream and a crash. 
All eyes turned once more to the yellow mop on the floor. Fluttershy was all hooves and no traction, her lunch tray spilt all over herself. It was easy to see what had happened. One of Hoops’ buddies tripped her while he kicked from behind. Now there was a mess called Fluttershy struggling to right herself. Touchdown even had the nerve to keep her pinned to the floor.

“Well, looks like you spilled, Klutzershy. I told you there would be the moon to pay if you did.” Hoops laughed. His mirth only lasted for a moment. 

A rainbow bolt slammed into him at full speed, a ball of spitfire half his size. He was screaming at the top of his lungs as Rainbow Dash trampled for all she was worth. If the cafeteria had been quiet before, it was a morgue now. 

“Dumbbell! Touchdown! Get her off me!” Hoops screamed like a filly.

Rainbow Dash didn’t need to be told how to fight. She’d been in enough scraps back at her old school to know when to throw a kick and when to run. Unfortunately she never listened to her common sense and flew away. That was one of the reasons why her mother had sent her to the Cloudsdale School, because she had nowhere else to go. No other school would take the troublemaker. 
If Hoops was large, then Dumbbell and Touchdown were enormous. Dash did her best to dislocate Touchdown’s jaw, zipping past to pin Dumbbell to the ground by his ears. Either they were slow, or Dash was faster than their nervous systems, because they didn’t start screaming till she was gone again. She was back on top of Hoops, trampling a message into his chest. 

“You! Leave! Her! Alone!” Dash shouted, making sure the massage got through loud and clear. She would have continued, but the captain of the Airball team pinned her to he floor.

“Woah there, little filly.”

“Get off me!” Dash was still in fight or flight mode, and gave a black eye to the stallion she most wanted to admire her. 

The Head Mare chose that particular time to make an appearance, standing in the doorway like Nightmare Moon herself. The bully trio ran her way as quickly as possible, heading for the safety of an adult. The Airball captain followed, ready to explain things.
Dash looked around for Fluttershy. Of course the skittish pony was nowhere to be seen. She had been there though, her spilt tray attested to that. With little else to do but wait for the wrath and eventual expulsion to blow her way, Rainbow began to pick up the filly's tray. Finishing and still awaiting her punishment, she went ahead and cleaned up the scattered food from her own tray. Maybe she'd get to eat lunch yet.

“Rainbow Dash!” the Head Mare called.

Walking out the long, fimiliar walk of shame, tail between her legs, Dash watched the occupants at the prime table shift to remove the excess spot. There was no room for her there; she’d ruined her future yet again. Sighing, she listened to the Head Mare rattle off a series of offences as they headed for the office, none the least of which were ‘excessive violence’ and ‘flying indoors’. Hilarious for what was supposed to be a flight school. 
She knew the routine well enough. Firefly would be called, and her mother would arrive, unhappy to make the trip after Dash had been there less than a week. Her personal record was a day and a half. Dash wouldn't say anything, Firefly would throw a fit, and then maybe, maybe, she'd get to say in school. It's not like she had other options at this point. 
Silently watching it all unfold from the corner, behind the safety of her pink security blanket that was her mane, Fluttershy watched her roommate take on the world in her honor. And this time she didn’t cry.
> Chapter III
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter III

“So, what did you get on number 42?” Dash asked. Fluttershy just stared at her, then blinked twice. “Two? Thanks.”

The pair were in their dorm room in the evening, doing homework. Rainbow Dash was notorious for not getting her homework done at her old school. But here there was nothing else to do. Unless she could produce an acceptable hover, the skies were closed to her. None of the popular students would speak to her, not after she'd bucked Ace, the Airball captain, right in the eye. And the bullies? Forget it. They wouldn't even tease her now. They just waited from the shadows and jumped her whenever they felt like it. 
The only pony who might possibly be her friend, the only one that would be in the same room as her, was her silent and helpless mute of a roommate. Fluttershy stuck to a strict regiment. Wake up in the morning, cry, make the bed, sit and cry, be late for breakfast, cry into the food, be late for class, cry all throughout, get yelled at by coach, pretend not to cry, go to bed, cry herself to sleep. Dash decided it was just easier to go along with the flow than try and change the established order.
Dash had been at flight training for two weeks now, and Fluttershy still had yet to say one word. At night Dash sometimes heard her singing to herself, but the youngster was so tired she never knew if she was dreaming or not. In the morning when she awoke, Fluttershy would already be up, ready for the day, and sitting on her own bed, watching Dash. Always watching her. It was kind of creepy. 
There was a habit the younger pony had taken too lately, that was sure to get her expelled if she was caught. At night, after the sun went down, Dash would sneak out and spend the evening flying. Coach McHard Cheese had refused to let her into the air until Dash had mastered hovering and gliding. Never one to be held back, Dash just found her own way up. She just needed to think, to be herself. She needed to fly. Sometimes Rainbow thought she was being followed, but there was never anyone there. Whenever she got back to the room, Fluttershy was already asleep.
Dash sighed. Her destiny sure wasn’t what she thought it’d be. While she hadn’t really expected to just waltz in the doors and be hailed as a heroine… She’d expected to just waltz in the doors and be hailed as a heroine. It had been two weeks already! She should at least be an understudy for the Wonderbolts by now. Life was much harder than her picture books said. And her roommate wasn’t helping. 

“Why don’t you talk?” Dash finally asked. Fluttershy looked away. “I know you can. I’ve heard you singing to yourself.” 

Fluttershy proceeded to hide behind her mane, the same thing Rainbow Dash did when she wanted to hide from the world.  Dash didn’t know how to treat her roommate. She was at least three years older, if not five. Most fillies usually had their Cutie Marks by her age, or could at least fly. Fluttershy was 0 for 2 in both categories. 

“Is it because of me?” Dash asked, hanging her head. A flash of alarm crossed Fluttershy‘s face. “You don’t like me either, do you? You think I’m a failure and a screw up just like everyone else.”

“Don’t you dare say that.”

Dash was so startled to hear something aside from her own voice in the silent room that she nearly sprung her wings in alarm. At her age the natural defense reaction wouldn’t have been so bad, but it would have still embarrassed her. 

Looking up, Fluttershy slid off her bed, walking over to Rainbow Dash. “You stood up for me when no one else would. You’ve been my only friend in this terrible palace, Rainbow Dash, and I won’t have you saying such horrible things about yourself.”

“You… you talked!” Dash just stared at her. 

“Oh.” Fluttershy looked away. “Would you prefer I not?”

“No! I mean yes. I mean…” Dash took a deep breath. “I though I was going to go crazy, just listening to my own voice.” Dash stared at her. “So…?” Fluttershy still didn’t reply. “Oh come on! You’re not going to clam up now, are you?”

“What do you want me to say?” asked the older filly. 

“Um…” Dash eyed the posters on Fluttershy’s side of the room. “I notice you like birds?”

“Oh yes! They’re very beautiful and so elegant when they fly. I just love how they soar so peaceful and quietly. I wish I could fly like them.”

“But you can fly.”

“Oh no, not like they can. They do it so effortlessly.” Fluttershy protested.

“But you have wings.” Dash couldn’t seem to get through to her.

“M’humm.” She nodded. “So do you.”

“Yeah, but I use mine.” Dash pointed out.

“Yes. And may I say I love how you fly?”

“You like my flying?” Dash beamed.

“Oh yes, very much so. I love how you soar so very high and then go below the clouds. It’s very impressive.” 

“Wait a minute, that’s a move I’ve been practicing. How do you know that move?” Dash made a skeptical face.

“Oh, um, I…” Fluttershy trailed off, her voice dropping to a shrill squeak. “I watched you our first day in Coach’s class?”

“I only did a few back flips that day.” Dash remembered. “It’s you! You’re the pony that has been watching me at night! Admit it!”

“Oh, I, um…” she trailed off again.

“Fluttershy.” Dash gave her a stern look.

“I suppose… I may have… snuck out and watched you… now and again?” She admitted slowly. “Please don’t be angry with me, Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy pleaded, tears welling to her eyes again.

“Why would I be angry?” 

“Because Ponies who ask too many questions get sent away.”

“From here?!” Dashed was shocked. How could they run a school if the students couldn’t ask questions.

“Oh, no. Not here.”

“Then where?” Now she was only confused. Fluttershy may have said something, but it trailed off. When it was clear she wasn’t going to say anything else, Dash changed the subject. “Well, since you already know, you wana see something cool?”

“Oh yes, please!” Fluttershy cheered up. 

Dash reached under her cloud pillow and pulled out a sheet of paper with mathematical equations on it. She talked through her teeth as she pointed to various ones with her pencil. Dash wasn’t great at math, but this was something she wanted to get right.

“I’m working on my signature move.”

“‘Signature move?’”

“Yeah. My mommy has one, so I need one too. Oh, it's going to be so awesome! I think I’m gona call it the ‘Blow Up the Sky!’”

“Oh my.”

“I know, right? Here’s what I’m thinking. I start way up high, convert altitude into speed, and then slingshot around some clouds to gain more speed. Then, when I can’t go any faster, I’ll break the sound barrier, and probably shatter the light spectrum as well, if I don’t punch a hole in the fabric of space time.”

“Is that what all these doodles are?” asked Fluttershy.

“Well, some of it is math, and that’s really hard. The rest I got bored and drew myself performing my Blow Up the Sky move for the Wonderbolts.”

“Here, let me take a look.” Fluttershy began pouring over the equations.

“You’re good at math?”

“I’m the school champ, you know.” Fluttershy squeed.  

“So how long have you been here?” Dash changed the subject as Fluttershy corrected her math.

“Um, almost three years?”

“And you haven’t graduated yet?” her answer surprised Dash. Fluttershy just shook her head. “Where did you go before Cloudsdale?”

“I went to a preparatory school when we lived in Manehattan.” 

“Wow, you lived in Manehattan? What was it like?”

“Loud.” Fluttershy replied. “I don’t remember much. There were lots of clothes and shopping. The maids were nice, but I didn’t have any friends though. Not like you.”

Dash blushed. “Why did you transfer here?”

Fluttershy stopped, her eyes growing wide in terror as she looked into space. The tremble of her lower lip fought to prevent the flood of tears that were surely about to burst through the dam. She was brave and held it in though. She had a friend for the first time, and she wasn’t going to cry in front of her. Distracting herself with numbers, Fluttershy turned back to the paper. 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” she said quietly.

“That’s okay. I don’t like talking about my old schools either.” Dash said sadly.

“You had friends?”

“Not really. Some, but never any once I left. My mommy says I run my mouth more than my wings. I was always getting into fights.”

“I don’t like violence.” Fluttershy said slowly.

“So I figured.”

“But I’m glad you fought for me. No one has ever done that before.”

Now it was Dash’s turn to wipe away the tears. She could still hear her mother’s words echoing in her head, but she had no idea that watching out for weaker ponies would be so hard. Or so wonderful. Dash never minded playing alone. She always had her mom to hang out with. But now, alone in the world, it was nice to have a wing mate. 

“Are you done with those stupid papers yet?” Dash snapped.

“I… I think so?” Fluttershy clammed up again. Dash could have kicked herself. 

“Sorry. Can you show me?”

“Alright.” Fluttershy pointed at the paper. “You’re going to have to hit your mark at a 12° angle. Otherwise the air pressure will bounce you off. Because Sign of theta of the mach cone is equal to the velocity of sound over the velocity of objects. Or Sin(8)=V sound/V object.”

“I… I don’t know what that means…” Dash’s jaw hung agape. 

“Oh. Well, I suppose you could always just do it by accident if you were going fast enough, like in a race. Or I could show you.”

“Great idea! Come on!” Dash leapt up, pulling Fluttershy out the door.

“What-- Where are we going?!” she squeaked.

“We’re going flying!” Dash grinned.

“But it’s night! We’re not supposed to fly! You’ll get in trouble!”

“They already grounded my wings for fighting. What are they going to do, ground me more? Sometimes you have to go around the rules.”

“But… but…” Fluttershy stammered. 

“Come on, live a little.” Dash continued pulling her for the main exit.

That was when Fluttershy realized the truth: she had a psychopath for a roommate. Of course she did. She was Fluttershy. Who else, aside from a crazy pony, would want to spend time with her? Even her own father didn’t want her around. 
And then, something happened. Fluttershy began walking under her own power, following Rainbow Dash outside. The pony who was afraid of her own shadow was about to do something incredibly against the rules and quite possibly dangerous. Absently Fluttershy wondered if she was the crazy one. Then she realized that it wasn’t dementia she was feeling, but rather the magic of friendship.

> Chapter IV
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter IV

Equestria was a marvelous land, filled with rolling hills, majestic waterfalls, vast parries where ponies could run for hours on end. And towering above it all, even higher than the royal city of Canterlot, floated Cloudsdale. The Pegasi fortunate enough to be in the city were greeted with the most stunning landscapes their world had to offer. 
Yet it all paled in comparison with Equestria at night. Standing at the edge of the city, it was possible to look out and see thousands of twinkling lanterns, stretching for miles. If the winds were just right, the fresh scent of the wild would drift in from the Everfree Forest to the south, or the crystal beach to the west, across the Smokey Mountains, adding an exotic twang to the air. Overhead the last traces of dusky pink would kiss the sky, long after Celestia had set the sun for all the other ground-bound ponies. 
And just when it couldn’t become any more spectacular, the stars would twinkle into place one at a time. The Ursas would appear, along with Cancer, while The Hunter would chase Nightmare Moon from the sky, forever locked in her lunar prison. 
Underneath the majestic audience of the sky, two fillies broke curfew, racing at full tilt to the edge of the school grounds without being seen. They slowed just as the bottom dropped out, allowing for a dive. 

“It’s so beautiful.” Fluttershy craned her neck, awestruck be the stars. 

“I know, isn’t it great? I come out here to practice.” Dash watched the ground, her rump swishing back and forth, contemplating a jump. 

“I wish we could go up there.” 

“Huh?” Dash made a face, finally paying attention to her roommate’s hypnotized face. “What do you mean?”

“Up there, in the sky.” The pastel pony pointed. “I bet the stars are so warm and friendly.”

“Well, let’s go find out.” Dash grinned.

“Oh, no. I couldn’t.” alarm crossed her face. 

“What to you mean?”

“That’s much too high.” Fluttershy backed away, retreating for the safety of the school. 

“Then we’ll just stick close to the ground.” Dash gestured.

“Oh no. That’s also much too high.”

“Fine.” Dash sighed. “We’ll land and wander around like a couple of Earth Ponies.”

“Eep!” Fluttershy ducked, burying her head under her hooves.

“What’s wrong?” Dash asked, concerned. 

“We can’t go down there. It’s dangerous!”

“It’s not dangerous.” Rainbow Dash blew her off.

“Promise me you’ll never go down there, Dashie. It’s not safe.” The words came almost as a whisper as Fluttershy held her hoof, looking into her friend’s face. 

“No one calls me ‘Dashie’ but my mommy…” Dash muttered. 

“I’m sorry.” Fluttershy let go. “I heard her call you that and I figured…”

“No, it’s okay. It bothers me when other kids call me that, but not when you do. It’s weird.”

“Oh.” Fluttershy simply stated. “Your mother is nice.” she smiled.

“She’s the best pony ever!” Dash beamed. “She once helped Princess Celestia all by herself. Well, her friends helped. I guess. That's how she met my dad.”

“That’s amazing. My daddy--” 

“What’s wrong?” Fluttershy had stopped talking so suddenly and turned s pale that Dash thought something bit her. 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” A barely audible voice came from her mouth. 

“Hey, let’s go flying. That always clears my head.” Dash nudged her.

“I can’t.” Fluttershy squeaked, barely any louder.

“Sure you can.” Dash insisted. “You just spread your wings and jump.”

“No, Rainbow Dash. I can’t!” She spat defiantly through her quivering lip. As realization crossed her friend’s face, the yellow filly looked away in shame.

Slowly Dash reached out, and as if holding a broken bird, took Fluttershy’s hoof. It was larger than her own, older in so many ways, but still trembled like a foal. Dash studied her features slowly slowly. 

“You can’t fly, can you?” 

Fluttershy shook her head, tears unable to allow her to speak. Why did she always have to cry? Why couldn’t she be strong like Dashie?

“Didn’t anypony ever teach you?”

“No.” Fluttershy admitted. “My daddy is a very important business pony in Manehattan.”

“What about your mom?” asked Dash.

“No pony.” was all Fluttershy could get out before her throat closed up. 

Dash took a moment to compose herself. “Well, that changes right now. Stand up, I’m going to teach you.” 

Fluttershy did as she was told. They walked to the edge of the cloudbank. It was a very long ways down. 

“Now, you’ve got to feel your motor running. Get it purring. Think speed. Get your heart racing. Is it racing?”

“I think so. Couldn’t we find someplace to do this a little less dangerous?”

“Fluttershy, concentrate! Now, feel my heart.” Dash grasped Fluttershy’s hoof and put it to her own chest. The older pony blushed red, but could indeed hear Rainbow’s heart beating out a speedy rhythm. “Is yours doing that?”

“No.” she shyly admitted. 

“Really? Not even when you think about speed? Hmm…” Dash thought a moment. “I’ve got it! You like animals, right? Think about birds and how they soar in the sky.”

“Okay.” Fluttershy closed her eyes. She certainly felt more at peace inside than she had a moment ago. 

“Is it working?” 

It was Dash’s turn to put her hoof to Fluttershy’s heart, who’s wings spread involuntarily, either from a peace of mind or puberty, she didn’t know which. Rainbow Dash was oblivious either way. 

“I guess so. Okay, checklist time. Eyes, check. Wings, check. Flaps, check.”

“Tail, check.” Fluttershy smiled. 

“Hey, how did you…?”

“I've been watching you, remember?"

"Yeah, but I didn't know I was teaching you without teaching you." the thought rumbled in Dash's young head. 

“I told you that you fly beautifully.”

“Thanks, Fluttershy. You ready to do this?” Dash took her friend’s hoof in her own.

“No…” 

“Great, let’s go!”

Dash jumped, pulling Fluttershy along behind her. The larger pony screamed, and forgetting her peace of mind moments ago, closed her wings and held onto Rainbow Dash for dear life. Dash did plenty of yelling of her own, because now they were both in an uncontrolled fall, and the ground was growing incredibly large. 

“Fluttershy, you donkey! Get off me!” Dash kicked. 

Fluttershy continued to scream, only changing her pitch as she was now on her own. Grasping wildly, she found Rainbow Dash’s long tail and clung to it like a life preserver. Unfortunately she was now out of Dash’s kicking radius, and they were both helpless. 
Dash spread her wings and gunned it, but there was just too much weight. She managed to slow their decent, possibly enough to survive. That was when her stomach growled. Supper had been a long time ago and she was now running on fumes. 
Dash kept trying, spreading her wings to the max as they slowly stopped purring and locked up. Maybe she could slow them enough to land on one of the clouds they were currently blowing through at top speed? If only she could think, but Fluttershy held a continuous pitch that drilled straight into her brain.

“Fluttershy! Stop screaming!” Dash looked down. Bad idea. She’d forgotten how big the world looked up close.  She decided now was as good a time as any to start praying. “Hail Celestia, full of grace, the sun art with thee, blessed art thou amongst ponies-- Fluttershy! We. Are going. To die. Spread your wings!”

Apparently Celestia really was with them that night. Fluttershy had seen too much death, and she didn’t want to bring that kind of pain on Firefly, or even her own father. Something in Dash’s words got through to her, and she focused on the warm spot of love in her heart. But she went deeper than chemical hormones or fuzzy animals would allow. She remembered the words that she held so very close to her heart. ‘I love you.’ And her wings spread at full mast, flaps extended.
There was a freak updraft from the direction of the Everfree Forest, and Fluttershy could swear she smelled jasmine. But that updraft saved their lives. It was enough wind to catch beneath their wings, pushing them back up. Fluttershy let go as Dash slowly spun around to face her.

“You are the worst. Wing mate. Ever.” Dash crossed her forelegs, a sour look on her face. Living in the moment, Fluttershy didn’t care. Dash couldn’t help but smile. “You’re still my best friend.”

“Thanks, Dashie. You’re mine too.” They floated there for a moment before Fluttershy looked around. “So, this is flying?”

“Well, not really. This is more of-- Hovering! Fluttershy, We’re hovering! We can pass Coach McHard Cheese’s class!”

“Well, I’m hovering. You’re spinning in place.” Fluttershy made a small circle around Dash.

“Oh, haha. Just tell me how you do that.” Dash’s circles were getting faster. She was about to throw up, right into the updraft.

“Admit I’m a better flier than you.” 

“You are not a better flier than me.” Dash pouted. 

“Fine.” Fluttershy banked away. “I’m going home.”

“Wait. Fine. You’re a better flier than me. There, are you happy?”

“Say please.” She turned back.

“Please.” Dash drug the word out as long as she could. Of course this was just good-natured ribbing between friends, right? Fluttershy wouldn’t really leave her quite literally hanging, would she?

“Alright. Now, spread your wings.”

“They are spread!”

“Do you want to fight or are you going to listen to teacher. Now, spread your wings further.” Fluttershy clarified. Dash sighed and did as she was told. “Now, use your tail as a rudder. Use little adjustments.”

Dash gave her tail a hard swish to the left. She started spinning like crazy. “Woah!”

Fluttershy grabbed her. “I said little adjustments! Better?”

“Yeah.” Dash’s eyes were still spinning. “Hey, I can actually control where I’m going now!”

“Yep. I think your problem may have been you were trying too hard.” Fluttershy smiled. 

“And yours was you weren’t trying at all.” Dash grinned. “I think we work really well together.”

“Of course we do.” Fluttershy grinned as well. “We’re friends.”

“Come on, buddy.” Dash took her friend’s hoof and turned for the east. “Let’s go home.”

> Chapter V
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter V

The next few weeks went better for everyone. As the semester dragged on, a general malaise fell upon the school, a sort of apathetic, unbreakable routine. The bully trio settled down, only occasionally making rude comments. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were eventually passing in Coach McHard Cheese’s class, more or less. Even the teachers appeared to grow tired, struggling to make it through the semester with no end in sight. 
Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash became even more inseparable, filling in where the other couldn’t. Fluttershy helped Dash with her book studies, the older pony having taken the classes before. Dash covered for Fluttershy during flight training, helping her fly stronger, or watching her back in Airball. As a result, neither of them excelled at her full potential, but neither lagged behind either. For once they both got what they wanted, just to fit in. 
Flirefly and Skystriker visited their daughter and her roommate every few weeks. They'd bring little treats and the four of them would go on picnics. At first Fluttershy refused to join in. She wouldn't even look at Skystriker, and it utterly confused her how Dash played rough with her father, how Skystriker adored his daughter. But soon, with Firefly's coaxing and Dash's prodding, they managed to get the little filly out of her shell and into the sun. Dash absolutely loved those moments were her family. Yet, they were becoming more infrequent; Firefly was arriving less and less, while Dash's father stepped up more and more. 
Dash still wished the ‘important’ ponies at school would notice her, however. She longed to one day fly in the Wonderbolts, though that dream seemed to shatter every day at lunch. Dash would get her tray and then try to sit at a table. Any table. They would all miraculously fill however, or somepony would be saving seats for friends, or just be an unpleasant atmosphere of neighing. Ace, the captain of the Airball team, never seemed to reject her. Nor, however, did he stop his teammates from doing so on their own. 
So every day Dash would make the rounds, and with all avenues closed to her, sit at the one table at the back of the cafeteria with the only other lone occupant.  The yellow pony was grateful not to eat alone any more, and Dash couldn’t say she minded the company. She knew her quite well. 

“So how did you do on your math test?” Fluttershy smiled as Dash sat down.

“I didn’t.” she sighed, pushing her food around the tray with her snout.

“Oh my.” Fluttershy thought for a moment. “Even when I showed you how to use the abacus?” Dash shook her head. “Oh my.”

“How was your wind tunnel test?” Dash munched on some alfalfa. 

“It, um, went… okay?” Fluttershy hid behind her bangs.

“Did you get off the ground even?” Dash sighed. This was not unexpected.

“No.” Fluttershy’s face was completely obscured now. “I did lose a feather though.” she held up a wing. A laugh from another table caused her to snap it back in place, even though no pony would ever pay attention to the two in the corner.

“Cool. You have a story to tell now.” Dash tried to muster up some enthusiasm. “Did it hurt?”

“No. It… it was kind of loose already.” Fluttershy drank some apple juice.

Dash sighed. “Fluttershy, what’s happening to us? When did our lives become so boring?”

“Boring is nice.” Fluttershy smiled. 

“Not this boring. I thought by now we’d be learning how to do barrel rolls or dog fight or something.”

“But this is pleasant. No one has gotten hurt. School is fun.”

“No, school is boring. I want to fight terrible creatures or something.” Dash waved her hoof off handedly. 

“No you don’t.”

It was such an oddly definite statement from the filly that Dash had to do a double take. Fluttershy wasn’t angry or shouting. She just plainly stated a fact that no one could refute. Except now she wasn’t looking at Dash; she was staring out the window as hard as possible. Dash watched her closely. She wasn’t crying or trembling, but she didn’t smile either. She was more emotionless then Dash had even known her to be. It was creepy.

“At least we have history after this.” An unnerved Rainbow Dash changed the subject. “That’s sometimes fun.”

“Ugh.” Fluttershy groaned. 

Fluttershy, while not a bookworm, generally loved studying more than the average filly. She would check out stacks and stacks of books from the library, both novels and text books. Her favorite story was The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumare. Fluttershy would sometimes leave her lantern burning long into the night, falling asleep sprawled over a good read. Dash would have to wake up, tuck the egg head in and blow out the light.
Yet, for all her love of knowledge, Fluttershy could never muster enough feeling one way or the other to care anything about history. Dash, on the other hoof, quite cared for it. Well, parts of it. Seeing as how they were in flight school, they often covered historic races or flight-related events. Dash soaked it all in, absorbing everything she could about flying. 
The pair left before the bell, leaving their unfinished lunches and a cafeteria of whispers behind them. Stopping on a balcony, they stepped outside, leaning on the rail and watching the Cloudsdale skyline. The autumn winds had set in, and it was actually cold at their altitude. Both fillies found themselves wishing they had their scarves. 
The winds buffeted the clouds, shifting and molding them like a potter’s clay. The city of Cloudsdale employed superior materials in all their buildings, reinforced with super light but incredibly strong ice beam hatch work. This meant that the city stayed together instead of being torn apart be the sharp seasonal winds. The downside however was that it moved the city at random. It was possible to employ a team of Pegasi to move the city manually, hold it in place perhaps, but the subspecies were notoriously lazy. It was sometimes possible for a strong gust of wind to blow straight through a building, but that rarely happened. Besides, they were Pegasi; they could fly. Well, most of them.

“Do you ever wonder what’s out there?” Dash watched beyond the cloud line, at the mountain ranges bordering Equestria. 

“No.” The wind whipped Fluttershy’s mane back, exposing her face. “Sometimes I want to just fly away though.”

“We will someday. Together.” Dash promised, her own long hair flapping in the breeze as well. 

“You mean that?” Fluttershy watched her. “Are you really serious?”

“Of course.” Dash smiled an open, inviting grin. 

“You and me, Dashie. We’ll fly away together, and you’ll never abandon me?”

“Anywhere you want to go.” 

“I don’t care where we go.” Fluttershy stepped close, hugging her. “Just so long as we’re together.”

“Aww, Fluttershy.” Dash blushed but hugged her back. 

It was an inopportune moment for the bully trio to walk by. Touchdown was about to yell an inappropriate comment through the window, only to be stopped by Hoops. Hoops was not the smartest pony in the stable, but he was an excellent bully. And the sight of two fillies sharing a tender embrace was an opportunity not to be passed up. Nor, however, was it an opportunity to exploit right away. So he kicked Touchdown in the gut, ceasing his braying before it began. 

“What was that for?” the larger pony asked. 

“Shut up. Just keep walking and laugh like I said something funny.”

“Like what?”

He square-jawed Dumbbell, while not as clever as Hoops, had more common sense than Touchdown. He didn’t know what their ‘leader’ was planning, but whatever it was would be good. He laughed at Touchdown’s stupidity, and Hoops joined in. The third colt seemed oblivious to the laugh at his expense and joined right in. 
Fluttershy heard the laughter and pulled away immediately. Before Dash could blink, Fluttershy was on the other side of the balcony, acting as if nothing had happened. It left Rainbow dazed and confused. As soon as the laughter was out of earshot, Fluttershy turned and headed inside. 

“We’re going to be late.” she said briskly. Dash followed. 

It was not a good day in history class. They were not covering the Grand Prix, or the history of flight. In fact, ponies barely featured in the lesson at all. It was some boring lecture about Celestia and treaties and border disputes. Dash drifted in and out until Miss Skywishes said something that got the entire class’s attention. 

“What eats ponies?”

It was a question no pony had ever considered before. Ponies were at the top of the food chain, so to speak. No other creature in Equestria rivaled their intelligence and technology. Certainly a few creatures of legend were supposed to have eaten their share of herbivores though. 
In the time before time the Ursa Major was said to have eaten entire villages of ponies with a single bite. The Hunter, a bipedal creature of horror with two legs and two hands and a wit that put any pony to shame. He was deceitful and wise and foolish all at once, and cared nothing for the effect of his actions. Then there was Discord, but he never ate ponies. He just… did what he did. It could be argued he devoured souls as he slaughtered millions, but what were semantics over mythology anyways? And lastly there was the Chaos Bringer, the devourer of entire planets who was said to be locked out of their universe forever by an ultimate sacrifice. But Dash couldn’t think of anything alive today that actually ate ponies. How barbaric. 

One of the students raised a hoof. “Buzzards?”

“Very good, Renaldo. Anything else?”

A few more guesses were hazarded. Insects, large predatory birds, the Head Mare. Every pony laughed at that one. 

“Alright.” Miss Skywishes smiled. “Ponies have not always been as well protected as we are today. In our history many beings have preyed upon us: Griffons, Hydras, and Mountain Lions. Celestia, our beloved leader, has made Equestria one of the safest lands in our world. Yet it was not always so. There was a time when Equestria was at war with our greatest enemies; the Dragons.”

Skywishes flipped over her teaching board to 'ooh's and 'aah's. There, on the board, was a dragon in its full fury. As large as a house, it had razor sharp spines and nigh impenetrable scales. Teeth as long as a pony’s leg guarded its fire breathing maw, and claws of pure death tipped its toes. Two huge wings spread on its back as it breathed fire at a poor pony sure to become incinerated. 
Only she wasn’t. The pony was casting a spell of protection, shielding itself against the great heat. Outlined by the orange fire she looked almost pink, but there was no mistaking that regal stance, and those spread wings. Celestia was battling a dragon. 
Dash glanced at the desk next to her. Fluttershy had grown small and still, her eyes quivering orbs. It may have been a trick of the light, but she appeared two shades paler than she had moments before. Dash reached out and touched her, but there was no response. 

“This is a dragon.” Skywishes continued. “In fact, this is Apollyon, leader of the dragons in the Great Equestrian War. Dragon physiology is quite fascinating. They eat red meat, and a bacterium in their gut produces hydrogen, a lighter-than-air gas. This allows them to fly, and believe me when I tell you they are most proficient flyers. I dare say no pony alive today could out fly one.”

“Except for Rainbow Crash.” Hoops snarled. 

The entire class laughed. Dash had picked up that name when she took a hit in Airball and slammed into the ground at top speed. She’d been laughed off the field, spending the rest of the day in bed with a mild concussion by the nurse’s orders. No one except for Fluttershy knew that she took that hit to save Fluttershy from suffering the same fate. The delicate Pegasi didn’t know how to crash land safely; she might have broken something. So Dash intercepted the hit instead. Fluttershy stayed at her bedside the entire time. 

"Now, class." Skywishes got back on topic. “In addition to requiring a constant supply of food, which, unfortunately, they seemed to like the taste of horse flesh, dragons have a second biological imperative. They required platinum, a precious metal found in more abundance in Equestria than in the mountains where they live. Dragons ingest the platinum, storing it in a second pouch in their mouths. When in danger, a dragon is capable of expelling hydrogen from their flight bladder, and a small amount of platinum from their mouth pouch. When the two chemicals are exposed to oxygen, a reaction occurs.” 

Miss Skywishes moved to the table, exposing a bowl mixed with hydrogen and platinum to the open air. There was a satisfying ‘WHOOF’ as fire rushed out, extinguished as quickly as it began. Some of the students in the class screamed. Others found it amazing. Dash leaned forward, fascinated. Fluttershy watched in horror, trapped by her own memories. The picture on the board did not do him justice. That dragon had a face that, once seen, could never be forgotten. 

“The Great Equestria War began some 1,300 years ago and lasted for almost two centuries. The combined forces of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were enough to beat the scale faces back beyond our borders. After catastrophic losses on both sides, the merciful Princess Celestia offered the dragons a truce. They quickly agreed, though Apollyon himself refused to surrender, choosing instead to be exiled from his own clan.”

One of the ponies raised their hoof. “If the Princesses had them on the run, why did she offer a truce?”

Miss Skywishes smiled. “The war was costing more lives than anypony imagined. Everpony thinks of soldiers as casualties in war. But in actuality more than 75% of casualties are civilians: Stallions, mares and foals like you. A solution needed to be reached quickly. And while Princess Luna’s... modified Shrikebat forces proved to be particularly devastating, it is always unwise to keep throwing lives at a problem that has another solution. So a treaty was reached that is still in effect to this day. Equestria is off limits to all dragons and dragon sub-species, unless explicitly invited by the Princess herself. Any encroachment into Equestria by enemy forces could be seen as a violation of the treaty, and the war could start again. There is an exception to this, however. Does anypony know what it is?"

"The... forest?" one of the colts asked.

Skywishes nodded. "The Everfree Forest, while in Equestrian borders, is neutral. Any species that pleases may live there. And while any dragons living there must remain peaceful, we have not had an official sighting in well over twenty years.”

“What happened to Apollyon?” Rainbow Dash found herself surprised that she was actually paying attention. Fluttershy seemed even more horrified at that question, if that were at all possible. 

"An excellent question, Rainbow Dash. I'm glad to see you paying attention for once. Apollyon left Equestria and headed for the mountains, taking a small contingent of hydras with him. He swore vengeance on Princess Celestia. Then, about twenty years ago, he made his move, marching on Canterlot with his ten remaining hydras. He never got there. A small force was created, led by six ponies hand picked by Princess Celestia herself. Apollyon was defeated and fled to the Everfree Forest where he is presumed to have died of his wounds. His last three hydras abandoned him, retreating and avoiding capture. No one knows what happened to him after that. He is incredibly old though, even for a dragon. If he did survive his last battle, which is incredibly unlikely, his war lording days are long behind him. He's nothing to be afraid of."

A single tear rolled down Fluttershy’s cheek, as an undeterminable mummer lodged her in mouth. “That’s what you think.”

> Chapter VI
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter VI

It was a do-nothing day. There were still several weeks left in the semester, but that didn’t seem to matter. Nightmare Night had come and gone. Fluttershy had spent the night at Rainbow Dash's house, and they'd gorged themselves on candy. Now there was nothing but school left before the holidays. 
Autumn had moved in with full force, and the Weather Factory was doing its best to pump out warm clouds. Demand far outpaced supply though, all the shops had a waiting list. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash sat in their room, 'studying', while the tiny heater did its best to keep them warm, the only dorm in the entire school that had a heating cloud. How Fluttershy had snagged one of the expensive little things Dash didn’t know. She’d returned from Weather Wrangling Training to find the little cloud churning out heat as best it could. 

“Ugh! I’m so bored!” Dash had all feet in the air, simply because there was nothing better to do. 

“We could play a game.” Fluttershy suggested.

“Like what?” asked Dash skeptically. She already knew the answer. 

“The Quiet Game. I’m--”

“The world champ, I know. No thanks.” she rolled over. 

“We could study.” Fluttershy suggested again, quieter this time.

“I’m four chapters ahead for the first time in ever, no thanks to you.” 

Fluttershy bit her lip. “We could... do some decorations for the holidays?”

Dash bolted upright. “Yeah! We could head into the city and see the Hearth's Warming Eve decorations! That’s a great idea, Fluttershy.”

“Oh my, go into town...? Who’s going to fly us?”

“Oh. Yeah.” Dash thought for a moment. “I guess I could give my mom a call.”

“Oh, we don’t want to bother her. I guess we'd better not go. Oh well." Fluttershy said quickly. 

“Pshaw, she won’t mind.” Dash declared.

Firefly minded. The conversation was not going at all how Dash had imagined it. Usually her mother, so happy to hear from her only child, would be delightful and cheery. Today she just sounded tired. 

“No, Rainbow Dash.” 

“But moooom!” Dash whined. 

“I told you, I’m too busy. I've got an appointment. If you and Fluttershy want to go into the city, I can take you tomorrow.”

“But we have classes tomorrow.” 

Firefly sighed. “Then I can take you next weekend. But it can’t be today.”

“But mom, we never do anything any more.” Dash played the neglected child card. “I haven’t seen you in a while.” 

“Dash!” Firefly scolded, seeing through the ploy. “I said no! If you make me come down there, I swear to Celestia it won’t be to take you into the city, but to give your little flank a beating unlike anything you’ve ever had! Now go spend time with your friends.”

Dash was in shock. Her mother had threatened to beat her. Her mommy never beat her. Sure, sometimes she’d give Dash a quick swat, but this wasn’t the same. Her mommy had yelled and threatened. And despite the volume, she'd still managed to sound tired and out of breath. 

“Okay...” was all Dash could get out.

“I love you, Dashie.” 

“Yeah, sure.” Dash broke the connection. 

“So?” Fluttershy stood right beside her, pawing at the floor. “What did she say?” 

“She said for you to practice the quiet game some more. Because you’re manure at it.” Dash shoved past her, headed for the door of the school. 

With a grunt Dash flopped down on the front lawn, landing with enough force to wobble her cloud. Maybe she’d take a nap. But even when she closed her eyes, her heart wouldn’t stop racing. Why had her mommy yelled at her? It wasn’t an unreasonable request. And even if it was, she was just a little filly! There was no excuse for yelling at a filly and making her cry. 
Cry? Dash wiped her face. Yep, she was crying, and she hated it. Crying was something Fluttershy did, not Rainbow Dash. Stupid Fluttershy. Why had Dash snapped at her? She was probably off somewhere crying as well.
Fluttershy was indeed crying; words, even from a best friend, could hurt. But the ‘off somewhere’ was right next to Rainbow Dash. The larger filly daintily folded herself down next to her friend. With a twist of her neck she flopped Dash’s scarf over her friend’s neck. Dash, in turn, leaned into Fluttershy, snuggling for warmth. She was suddenly very afraid of being cold. There they sat on the front lawn, both sniffling, trying to stop the water works even as the wind blew their tears away. 

“Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked, barely more than a whisper. 

“Yeah.” Dash wiped her nose. “I’m fine.”

“What did your mom say?” 

“She said no. She didn’t want to see me, Fluttershy.”

“Maybe she’s just tired?” The pastel pony suggested. 

“Maybe. I think something’s wrong. She yelled at me. She never does that. And she sounded more tired than I’ve ever heard her.”

“Oh my.” 

"What if she and dad are breaking up?"

"Oh, Rainbow Dash. Don't be silly, that could never happen. Your parents love each other too much to ever let that happen. And they love you too." Fluttershy necked her friend with a hug.

"I guess. I just don't know what it could be then."

Dash’s eyes trembled with fear as a thought occurred to her. To express it would be a crime, but she had to, even if it was just a whisper. 

“What if she dies?”

Much to Dash’s chagrin her friend didn’t answer right away. She just looked at her companion with those beautiful eyes of liquid turquoise, a caring heart behind her wonderful mind. When she spoke, they weren’t words of denial, but rather compassion. 

“Every pony dies, Dashie. The solution is to live with enough love that you’ll never be forgotten. Will you ever forget how much your mother loves you?”

“No.”

“Then it doesn’t matter when she dies, as long as you remember that.”

“Oh course it does!” Dash stood up, aghast.  “How can you say that, Fluttershy? You don’t know anything!”

“Oh.” Fluttershy looked away, crying again.

Dash sighed and dropped back down. “My mommy did say one other thing.”

“What was that?” Fluttershy choked around the tears. 

“You’re the best pony at the Quiet Game in the entire world. Even Celestia can’t beat you.”

Dash waited for a response, but when none came, she was afraid she’d ruined her friendship by shooting off her mouth again. Then there was a sound like a sneeze or a cough that came from her friend. Dash leaned over, concerned that Fluttershy might be choking, given the subtle shake of her shoulders. That was when she saw the smile. Fluttershy was laughing at her! Dash was ready to smack her friend when she found herself laughing in turn. 

“You’re my best friend, Dashie.”

“You’re mine too. Hay, you’re my only friend.”

“I love you.” Fluttershy sighed, leaning close. 

“Aww, Fluttershy.” Dash blushed. “Hey, lets go watch the last part of the Airball game!”

“Alright.” Fluttershy stood. 

The pair wandered towards the Airball field. Even though they were passing Coach McHard Cheese, just barely in Fluttershy’s case, the Coach still expected them to clear the field of equipment after every class. Fluttershy had been more than happy too, but Dash had complained loudly until Coach agreed to give the fillies extra credit. Every other pony wanted in on it after that, but seeing as how the two of them had been doing for a full semester already, it was kind of their unofficial jobs now. Besides, it helped keep their otherwise dismal grades up. Maybe Coach wasn’t such a bad pony after all.
The game was in full swing. It was just a practice game between the older ponies, all members of the same team. Every pony was taking it seriously though. Rainbow Dash almost jumped up and down at the ferocity that was taking place on the field. The score was 24:23, and one more goal and the ‘home’ team would win. The battle was quite fierce. Pegasi buzzed around the field, several mock dog fighting in the sky. One led the other too high and Coach called a penalty on both of them.
In the center of it all, Ace stood, stoic in the face of adversity. As other ponies screamed and grappled around him, he simply waited. Then his moment came and he took off like a lightning bolt, aimed straight for the loose Airball. One unfortunate pony got there first and Rainbow could hear the crack clear across the bleachers as Ace’s kick connected with his teammate-turned-opponent’s jaw. 
Now Ace had the ball and rushed all out for the goal. Sweat frothed on his chest, his wings beat the air with a savage power that lent them to their paramours’ nature.

“Oh wow! Did you see that hit?” Dash exclaimed. “Go Ace!”

“Dashie.” Fluttershy said quietly, trying to draw her attention. She struggled to hold her wings tight against her body. She wasn’t going to make it.

“Come on, buddy! You can do it!” Dash cheered louder.

“Dashie.” Fluttershy cried with some urgency. Her legs were locked up, otherwise she’d run.

Ace was almost at the goal. He looked incredible, a true Adonis. “Yeah! Go Ace!”

“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy hollered. Her wings were now out of her control, and she had to get out of sight, quick. She needed her friend’s help, Dash she was apparently not listening. 

“Huh?” Dash looked back. “Hey, what’s wrong with your wings?”

If Fluttershy had been embarrassed before, she was mortified now. Not only did she need her friend’s help, but she was going to have to explain it to her as well? This day just kept getting worse. She tried to act like Dash and blow it off as no big deal, but the stammer of her voice and the knocking of her knees indicated otherwise. 

“I’m, uh, having a wing problem and I, um, can’t move.”

“Why?” 

Dash cocked her head, approaching slowly. She’d seen wings her whole life. All Pegasi had them. So did birds, griffons and dragons. They were used for flying, weren’t they? What was the big deal? And what was that scent? Dash had never smelled it before. Was it Fluttershy? Dash gave a quick nibble, trying to get her friends wings back in place. Fluttershy squinted, biting her bottom lip hard.

“Well, you see, I, um, kind of might, possibly, just a little bit, think that, in just a plutonic way, Ace is cute?”

Ace took that opportunity to score his goal. The air horn blew, signaling the end of the game. “What?!” Dash couldn’t hear.

“I said I think Ace is cute!” Fluttershy used the loudest voice she had. 

Unfortunately the air horn stopped and every pony of the field heard her declaration. All eyes turned to see those two weird ponies that ate alone in the lunchroom, the older one with her wings spread wide as the day while she declared her undying love for Ace. In fact, the Airball captain looked right at her. 
A few snickers were all the warning there was. A flood of laughter cascaded across them, washing Fluttershy with embarrassment. Ace shook his head sadly. She knew that look; it stemmed from pity. She knew that look far too well. Turning, Fluttershy ran off at top speed, her legs suddenly cooperating. Dash followed, still not understanding, as Fluttershy took to the sky and flew straight for Cloudsdale

> Chapter VII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter VII

“FLUTTERSHY!” Rainbow Dash called. 

It was no use, this city was huge. She’d managed to track her friend to east, the yellow dart headed for Cloudsdale. It had taken every skill Dash knew just to arrive in one piece. She’d been blown off course three times, her weight much less than what the wind normally tangled with. Her wings had locked up twice from the length of journey and speed required of them, and her stomach was now a continuous growl, letting Dash know that there would be no return trip until it was requited. She had no idea how Fluttershy had managed it.
Cloudsdale was everything Dash remembered it to be. The busy sky lanes were jammed with traffic, and the shifts changed every few hours or so at the Weather Factory, ensuring the walkways were always packed. Dash had to move faster than usual to keep from being stepped on. Stallions and mares walked right past her, uncaring and unconcerned that she was just a young foal. She wasn’t used to it.
But that didn’t matter. Dash had to find Fluttershy. The crying pony had beaten her to the city by minutes. Before the second time she tangled with the wind and lost, Dash was staring at they little yellow blank flank for almost ten minutes. She almost had her! But as soon Fluttershy she hit the sky lanes, it was over. That had been hours ago, and it was growing dark. Dash was cold and worried and, though she would never admit it to anyone, lost. She’d never been to Cloudsdale without her parents, and she needed guidance. 
Inside the Weather Factory, unbeknownst to any pony outside, a silver Pegasi named Ditzy Doo was finishing up her shift hauling snowflakes. This was her third job in the factory in as many weeks, and the foreman had told her that if she messed up one more time, he’d stick her in the mailroom. It actually wasn’t her fault. Sure she’d spilled coffee all over the foreman, and dropped a bucket of hail on him, and accidentally pushed him into the rainbow vat. But it wasn’t her fault! She kept daydreaming about her ground-bound beau. He was so charming and preformed wonderful little tricks with his magic. He was a unicorn, and her parents didn’t really approve, but that made him exotic. At least her grandfather understood. 
Sighing, she carried the snowflakes to the storage room. Passing by she bumped a wrench. It fell off the railing and harmlessly onto the floor below. Smiling, Ditzy resolved herself to finish her job, hurry back to pick it up, and then clock out. 
Unfortunately for every pony, the wrench did not fall harmlessly to the floor. It landed on the foreman’s head, knocking him out cold. Ironically it actually did some good, because from that day on, all ponies in the Weather Factory were required to wear hard hats. 
As other ponies gathered around to make sure he was all right, the wrench was kicked into the snow generator, which had been running at full capacity for the coming season. The generator, now blocked by the foreign implement, began to back up rapidly. No one noticed until the klaxons started, and by then it was too late; the emergency had reached critical levels. A high-pitched whine emanated from the generator, coalescing into a scream. One brave pony rushed for the emergency shut off, but it was far too late. The generator had reached critical mass, exploding with the force of a blue northern. Snow and ice were everywhere. 
Pegasi, while in charge of the weather for all of Equestria, were notoriously fickle concerning their own weather. They hated walking in snow more than anything, and extreme temperatures could ice up their wings. They liked things hot and sunny. Therefore Cloudsdale itself hadn’t seen snow once in the past eighteen years. 
This was their lucky night. Or, depending on how a pony chose to look at it, their unlucky night. A massive ball of snow and ice shot skyward from the factory’s tower, landing with a SPLAT and coating the entire city in a fine blanket of powder. It was known as the Freezing Factory Flub-up from that day forward. And no pony ever let the foreman forget it. 
Ditzy Doo emerged from the thick walled freezer to see the factory floor in shambles. While not the most graceful pony ever, she knew to get when the getting was good. Ignoring the wrench, she quickly clocked out and left, promising herself that this would be the last time she ever messed up. 
Rainbow Dash was clear on the other side of town when the alarms went off. While all the other ponies watched the giant ball of snow fly skywards, Dash decided to put the phrase ‘discretion is the better part of valor’ into practice, even though she didn’t know what it meant. Taking shelter in a trashcan, she cringed as the snow came slamming down on top of her hiding place. Now she was going to be cold, wet and smelly. 
As last vestiges of day surrendered fully to night, Dash’s worry gave way to panic. She was now good and truly lost, and the northern winds blew through her like she was nothing but a pile of bones. Forced to walk, she shivered too much to fly now even if she’d had the energy. 
That was when a miracle decided to grace Dash with its presence. Passing by on the snow-slogged sidewalk, Dash felt a warm glow from one of the shop windows. Something smelt delicious, and her stomach growled in agreement. Looking up, she practically salivated at the pastries presented in the window. Her breath condensed, fogging up the view and obscuring the yellow filly inside. Wait, yellow filly?
Dash cleaned two holes to peer through the window. There, at a table, hiding from the world behind her mane, sat Fluttershy. Dash yipped and tried to do a back flip, but it was too cold. Rushing inside, she didn’t even stop to wipe her hooves.

“Fluttershy!” cheered Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy’s ear twitched, but otherwise she didn’t move. “I’m so glad I found you!” she rushed up. Nothing. “Fluttershy?” 

Dash reached for the trembling creature, pulling her mane back. Fluttershy was back to the way she’d been when they first met. Well, almost. Now she didn’t even have her eyes open. Before the tears had been an emotionless sadness. Now they were tears of fury, and she closed her eyes tight, lest she unleash some sort of impossible death stare on the entire world. She shivered with rage and it was all she could do to contain it. 
Dash sat in the chair opposite, doing her own fair share of shivering, but that was more from walking in the cold than any type of emotion. There was a cinnamon bun and a cup of coffee left untouched in front of Fluttershy. Dash’s tummy rumbled again, but she muscled through, focusing on the emergency at hand. Dash, while not renown for her patience, always had a special place for Fluttershy. Except now she didn’t know what was wrong or how to help her. 

“Fluttershy?” Dash said slowly, the voice of a concerned child. “Fluttershy, won’t you talk to me? Please?” If anything, Fluttershy’s silent fury intensified. “Whatever I did, I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?” 

Dash thought she might be getting somewhere, because now there was a high-pitched whine coming from her friend. Almost the exact sound the snow generator had made before it exploded. If Dash had recognized it, she might have left well enough alone. 

“Are you mad at me?” She asked at last. 

“YES! Yes I’m mad at you, Rainbow Dash! Didn’t you see what happened?! I’m so furious I could just SCREAM!” 

Fluttershy was good for her word. She loosed her pent up, unbridled rage on her best friend, sending Dash into tears before her first sentence was even complete. It was a decibel level Dash had never heard from the pink-haired Pegasi before. Other pastry shop patrons looked on with great concern, but no one knew what to do.

“What-- What did I do?” was all Dash could stammer out, barely above a whisper. 

“You left me standing there, humiliated! I called to you for help and you ignored me! I was so embarrassed in front of everyone one, and you just stared at me, right along with Ace! I am mad at the both of you.”  Fluttershy was breathing now, regaining a sound closer to her old self. “But it’s not your fault. It’s mine. You’re my best friend-- you’re my only friend, and you’d never make me feel bad about myself.” 

Dash nodded, grateful that whatever had happened, and she still didn’t understand what that was, it still wasn't her fault. Fluttershy’s words had missed their mark, because Dash was the mistress of taking her anger out on her friends. That was why she didn’t have any. Well, except for Fluttershy. 
Dash had mostly stopped crying now, and it was again Fluttershy’s turn. The tears of fury hadn’t left, but they were replaced with embarrassment and a deeper pain that could never be healed, no matter how many buckets of tears fell. 

“Except I do. I hate me. I hate these-- these-- Things!” Fluttershy spread her wings, glaring at them. “They're too big, and they have a mind of their own. All the colts stare at them! I didn’t ask for them. I don’t want them. I just wish they’d go away. I just want to tear them off!” 

Fluttershy clamped down on the base of her left wing, drawing blood. Then she began pulling and tugging, tearing feathers loose by the mouthful but unable to even budge the appendage. Dash’s alarm was unequaled by any pony in the now-vacant café. How her friend could just try to tear off her own wings, the symbol of what it meant to be a Pegasi, the gateway to flight, Dash couldn’t understand. 

“Fluttershy, stop!” Dash reached across the table to stop her, spilling the coffee. 

Fluttershy turned, spitting out yellow feathers. She looked deep into her friend’s eyes. The younger pony didn’t get it. To her, wings were freedom. To Fluttershy, they were symbols that bound her to the clouds, ensuring every pony would always look at her in a certain way. 

“Let’s go home.” Fluttershy sighed, walking for the door.

“Fluttershy?” Dash followed. That cinnamon bun looked so good, but there was no way she was going to lose her friend twice in one day.

Outside the night sky had turned Cloudsdale into a city of glistening ice. No ponies wandered the streets, and the weather wasn’t conducive for flying. What did the wind expect Pegasi to do, walk?! Fluttershy watched her winter breath for a moment, but even the simple pleasure of clouds couldn’t cheer her any. She turned briskly, the rainbow pony at her side. 

“How do we get home?” asked Fluttershy.

“I… I don’t know.” Dash struggled to keep of the trot. “I… got lost.”

“Well, if we fly east we should be able to find the school.”

“Can’t fly… too tired…” Dash gasped. 

Fluttershy turned. Rainbow Dash was on her last legs. While Fluttershy had been snuggled in the warm café feeling sorry for herself, Rainbow Dash had been wandering the streets of a dangerous city, alone, looking for the friend she’d sworn never to abandon. And Fluttershy, the klutz she was, had dragged her out of the café without even buying Dash a snack, let alone a proper meal. Now they were too far away to make it worthwhile. 

“Oh, Dashie.” Fluttershy snuggled her neck for a moment. “You are the loyalist friend any pony could ever ask for. Thank you for coming to find me when I needed a friend so badly.”

“Hey, it’s no biggie.” Dash blushed as she blew it off. Those few words had gone a long way to repairing her bruised feelings. A warm meal wouldn’t hurt either. “So what’s the plan?” 

“Um, I think we could get a taxi.” 

“Isn’t that going to be kind of expensive?”

“I’ll pay for it.”

“No, I mean like, I only get a two bit allowance every month, and even I had it on me, I don’t think I have enough saved.”

Fluttershy giggled. “I’ll take care of it, Dashie.”

“How are you going to do that?” Dash was confused again.

“I told you, my father is a very important business pony in Manehattan.”

“So?”

“‘So,’ I’m rich.” Fluttershy grinned. 

“Well. Well. Well. Ain’t that something’, boys?”

Dash and Fluttershy both gasped. Out of the shadows walked the three meanest looking stallions Dash had ever seen. Two were so blue they were almost black, most likely brothers. Wearing flight goggles tended to be intimidating, especially at night, and they both pulled it off masterfully. Both their manes had been spiked and dyed electric blue. Tattoos adorned their chests and legs, mirrored designs from the other.
The third, their leader, had a pelt as red as blood. His mane was unkempt but natural, like a black cloth wafting in the wind. He wore no facial protection, gladly showing off the long scars running down his head and across his defunct eye. Spreading his wings wide, Dash gasped again. Not content with tattoos, he’d pierced his wings, studs and chains adorning them like shrapnel from a flack cannon. Entire feathers were missing, adding to the effect. 
They began approaching, spreading out and unconsciously herding the girls back into an alley. The red leader’s hooves clopped on the hardened clouds, making a sound unlike anything Dash had heard before. That was when she noticed his fore hooves. They had been drastically sharpened, filed into three deadly claws. A pony with talons instead of hooves. Dash shuddered visibly at the thought. 

“I see you noticed the merchandize. They usually get the attention of the fillies. Would you like to feel them?”

“No! Go away!” 

That Fluttershy was even able to utter that phrase was a testament to her bravery. She continued crawling backwards, making herself as small as possible behind Dash. Rainbow Dash, never one to back down from a fight, spread her wings and puffed her chest out, making herself as large as possible. It wasn’t very effective on either of their parts. 

“Aww, now that isn’t very nice.” The ringleader replied with mock sweetness. “Allow me to introduce myself. My friends call me ‘Claw’. Well, they would if I had any friends. I’m the leader of the Sky Hawks. Perhaps you’ve heard of us?”

“Can’t say I have.” Rainbow Dash sounded braver than she really was. She was quite pleased with herself. “What do you want?” 

“What a pity.” Claw examined his, well, claws. They didn’t move independently. They didn’t have to in order to kill. The two flankers continued to herd the fillies further into the dark alley. “It’s simple. My comrades and I were trotting along on this beautiful night, when we happened to overhear your friend’s comment. Now I, being somewhat of a business pony myself, thought her father and I could reach some sort of arrangement.”

“What sort of… ‘Arrangement’?” Dash was having a little difficulty tracking Claw’s line of thought through his thick Trottingham accent. 

“Quite a simple one. He pays us my weight in gold, and I don’t send his daughter back to him in itty bitty pieces.”

“Ransom.” Dash figured it out. She bumped into Fluttershy who had stopped. Sparing a glance, their backs were now good and truly against the wall. 

“Now you’re getting it.” If it hadn’t been for the evil grin on his face, Dash would have thought the stallion was genuinely happy. 

“What about me?” She asked slowly, a sense of danger prickling at the back of her head, like a bogie on her tail.

“What about you?”

“Are you going to ransom me too?” asked Dash.

“Do you have rich parents?”  asked Claw. 

“…No.”

“Then no. Boys, she’s all yours.” Claw gestured. 

One of the stallions blinked behind his goggles. “Boss, are you sure? She’s just a filly.”

“Gentle ponies,” Claw sighed. “Allow me to relay to you what my old stallion taught me concerning fillies and the age of consent. ‘If there’s sky grass on the field, play Airball. And',” he added with a smirk. “'Sometimes it’s alright to play on a sandlot.'”

Dash was now good and truly afraid. She’d never wet herself before, but she was considering it, given that Fluttershy had just decided to pursue that option. Dash was going to have to find a way out, and fast. She might be able to take both of the stallions on the sides, alight maybe just one, but that left Fluttershy with Claw. And if she attacked Claw, one swipe from those hooves and she'd be a ground-bound amputee for the rest of her life. 
As the three giants loomed closer, Rainbow Dash growled for all she was worth. Her heart was racing near the point of cardiac arrest. With a moment of clear revelation, she made her decision. She’d tackle all of them at once, giving Fluttershy a chance to escape. It would be a glorious end to an otherwise lack-luster beginning. Dash only regretted not being able to see her mother one last time. No going back now. 
Revving her exhausted wings for all they were worth, she opened her mouth to tell Fluttershy to run. Except, when she shouted, thunder erupted. 
Dark clouds coalesced above the alley, shooting lighting like the original Devil’s Box itself. The three stallions stepped back, startled. One last thunder clap shot to the ground between them and the girls, a pinkish-blue bolt of fire; the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself.

Firefly had arrived. 

> Chapter VIII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter VIII

The thunder rolled far too long overhead. Claw and his companions reared back, trying to figure out where this stranger had come from. She looked like death warmed over, eyes blazing like fire, mane in her face. She snorted hot breath into the cold night air, giving her the countenance of a dragon. Her wings spread, almost filling the entire alley. Blue hair mingled with pink feathers in the wind. She was no filly, and would not be taken so easily. 

“Who, the hay, are you?” Claw managed to sound calmer than his two companions. Dash had to give him that. 

Firefly didn’t bother answering. Dash was sure her mother was going to say something dramatic, like ‘I’m the dark place in your heart.’ Or ‘I am the night.’ Or even the classic ‘Your worst nightmare.’ But her mother remained silent, breath dragging through clenched teeth, knees locked as if to keep herself from passing out. Feathers and horse hair continued to waft through the wind long after they should have stopped. Firefly didn't smell like, the scent of antiseptic and bile hanging around her. The color of sick. 
The brilliant silence stretched from intimidating into awkward, indicating weakness. When Firefly finally spoke Rainbow Dash barely recognized her own mother’s voice. 

“You’ve got five seconds… to leave. Then I’m… taking you down.” she rasped.

Claw smiled. He knew that look. She was broken. “How do you intend to do that, my dear? You can barely stand by the looks of it.”

“Looks can… be deceiving. First… I’m going to break his jaw.” She looked right. “Then I’m going to break his legs.” She looked left. “And after that… if you’re still here… I’m going to tear your throat out.”

Claw’s smile disappeared. “Kill her.” 

The attack went more or less how Firefly had planned it. She took the stallion on her right entirely by surprise. Spinning round she bucked hard, landing a kick that shattered his jaw, sending him scampering. Next she got ready to snap the second twin's legs. Unfortunately that was where the similarities to her plan stopped. The remaining two Sky Hawks tackled her, pinning her to the ground. 
Dash watched, torn. Her mother was losing a fight! Dash had never wanted to join into anything so badly in her entire life. Yet, brash as she may have been, even she had to recognize when she was in over her head. Besides, she had Fluttershy to watch out for. No, those were lies. Rainbow Dash was right and truly terrified. This was life at its ugliest; how could she even stand in the face of it?
When she saw Claw poised to slice a chunk out of her mother, Dash changed her mind. Gunning her wings with everything she had left Dash slammed into the blue stallion, knocking both of the gang members over. That gave Firefly enough time to struggle to her own feet and snap the foreleg of Claw’s remaining wingman.

“Dash! Get back!” Firefly ordered. She shouldn’t have turned her back. 

It was an image Rainbow Dash would never forget as long as she lived. Claw went airborne, red wings slapping the air, black as night. He raised a claw, polished hoof glinting in the street lamps. He tore at Firefly’s wings and haunches while her back was turned. Blood; so much blood. The pink Pegasi screamed a long, harsh bray. That would haunt Dash’s dreams for years to come. If she hadn’t been watching it with her own magenta eyes, she wouldn’t have even recognized it as a sound from an animal, let alone her own mother. 
Firefly collapsed with the weight of the stallion on top of her. Claw repositioned himself like a tiger, digging in even further. Firefly moaned and screamed, trying to right herself but spraying blood with every movement, even as some splattered across Rainbow Dash’s face. 
The world stopped for Rainbow Dash. With a hyper-extended sense of reality, she thought she could sense everything at once. From behind her came Fluttershy’s stifled sobs as the yellow filly buried her head in the snow. The warm blood tickled as it rolled down Dash’s face even as it stained the snow burgundy, pooling beneath her mother’s fallen body. Claw’s breathing enraged hissing, the rasping of hooves on slate; a dark, violent sound that lent itself well to his persona. And lastly Dash could hear herself screaming, the sound reaching her though a deep, long haze. 
She tried to move but her body just had no more left to give. Even her legs failed her in Dash’s greatest hour of need. She though for sure she must be crying, but nothing was happening; no tears would come. 
That horrible moment stretched on forever. Firefly stopped whimpering. Claw never stopped attacking. The angry spurts of blood had turned into a steady stream and then to a slow trickle. As Claw raised his hoof for the final death blow a lone snowflake garnered Dash’s attention. It drifted through the air listlessly, searching in vain for a place where it belonged. Rainbow Dash could almost feel comradery with the tiny partial of ice. Her own place in a world gone mad. Deciding to give it a push, she breathed gently out, winter breath condensing and melting the flake even at it soared upwards, winking out of sight.
Or was that into sight? The white speck flew towards her, growing larger with every heartbeat. In fact, Dash wasn’t even sure that was snow. Straining her eyes, she recognized the rainbow colored military cut mane. That wasn’t a snowflake! That was her--

“DADDY!” Dash screamed.

“What?!” Claw looked backwards. 

That was his mistake. Unbalancing himself, Firefly bucked with everything she had, dislodging the bandit. While her foe was in the air, Firefly threw herself back, shielding the girls. That was the last thing Dash saw as Skystriker plowed into his wife’s attacker. 
The skirmish was quick yet brutal. Skystriker, an ex-Royal Guard, was not a slouch in a fight. Claw, while younger and less experienced, had the upper hoof when it came to weaponry. Dash shut her eyes tight against the sounds of two stallions tearing one another one into submission. The air filled with screams and hooves and froth, followed all too quickly with the iron smell of blood, and the unmistakable snapping of bones.
When the snow finally settled, Skystriker stood victorious. He had several deep lacerations across his chest, his sleek periwinkle pelt bruised and matted, stained with blood. But he was alive. Claw was not. Standing with his variegation tail flapping in the wind, Dash had never been more proud to be her father’s daughter. What was left of Claw lay inside the building conjoining the alley, having broken through an entire wall in their fight.

“Daddy!” Rainbow Dash rushed up to nuzzle her father. Skystriker stopped her with a glare. 

“Wait on the street.”

“Yes sir.” Dash stopped herself from saluting. 

She’d always been her daddy’s filly, but something in his voice wasn’t right. Dash hung her head but quickly obeyed, her tail dragging behind. Fluttershy followed close on her hooves, not wanting to be left by her friend. The pair waited under the streetlamp for what seemed like an eternity, slowly freezing again. Her father's two friends didn't even look at the fillies when they arrived.
Dash found herself trembling, but not from the cold. She’d come as close to death as she ever had, but this wasn’t the same as skydiving. She hadn’t been in control and it frightened her. Fluttershy stopped crying but the same, unstoppable shake gripped her as well. At least they shivered together.
Soon the pair sat down together beneath the lamp. Fluttershy was still crying, and Dash allowed her friend to dry her eyes with her scarf. She was too scared and cold and tired to remember her hunger.
After waiting far, far too long, almost entire minutes, the adults finally emerged from the alley. Sky Striker came first, his fellow soldiers carrying Firefly's body between them. She was unconscious and pale as the dawn. With a word from Skystriker the two stallions took off at a run, rushing downtown. Dash hadn't even gotten to check on her mother! 

“Let’s go.” Skystriker ordered again, turning towards the hospital. 

The sight of Firefly’s visage paled Rainbow Dash visibly. It had been weeks since she’d last seen her mother, and she appeared much gaunter than Dash remembered. Her once powerful legs were withered and scraggly; her beautiful wings, once so wonderfully interlaced them with her husband’s, now barely supported her as she had flown to protect her daughter. 
Skystriker had seen better days, that was for sure. He had nasty gouges on his chest and legs, along with a bite mark on his wing. Yet for a stallion that had once protected and served Princess Celestia herself he seemed incredibly worried. What was the matter? He'd beaten Claw. Dash's mother and father had saved them. Now everything would be okay. Right?
As Fluttershy and Dash fell in step behind her father, the brash Pegasi was in for another shock. The blood trailing from her mother left a brilliant trail of red, a stark contrast to the pure white snow it stained. Yet, the thing that demanded her attention, even as she stepped through snow drenched with her mother’s blood, was the feathers. Dozens of feathers floated behind Firefly, like a wedding train of pink. They were various sizes, some ranging from full length flight appendages to the downy t fur, barely eyelash length. And they weren’t alone. A puff of wind drifted by, plucking up fallen strands of hair from Firefly’s blue mane and tail, as if they were nothing more than pussywillows on a spring day. 
For her entire life, Dash had tried to emulate her mother’s footsteps. Now as she very literally walked in her mother’s presence, she wondered what the feeling was that gnawed at the pit of her very core.

> Chapter IX
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter IX

The room was silent and dim. Only a single candle remained lit, illuminating the falling snow through the window. Dash had never been in the room before, but she knew instinctively that she did not want to go in. It wasn’t a good place. Whenever she had to go to the veterinary practice she always got shots. And those nurses only looked at foals! She had no idea what nurses did to big ponies. 
Swallowing loudly, Rainbow Dash held her head high and walked into the room, the door swinging shut behind her. The din was so silent that Dash just knew the pounding in her chest would bring the entire hospital staff down on her for making such a ruckus. 
She waited a few beats, listening. There were no Earth pony machines, no roar of fans. Just the sprinkling of snow outside and the hushed, labored breathing of the one she loved so dear. There was nothing else to do but continue. She was Rainbow Dash; she sure as hay wasn’t going to turn tail and run.
The object of her love and desire lay folded onto the only item of bed in the entire room. Firefly dozed on extra soft clouds, her breathing shallow. Dash didn’t know what had been going on. 
When they arrived at the hospital the doctors told her father that Firefly was already in something called 'surgery.' The stitches that had taken her daddy two hours to finish took her mother three times as long. Dash and Fluttershy had both had a long nap since then, and the nurses gave them both fresh fruits and hot coco. So if all that had happened already, why was her mother still asleep?
Slowly making her way forward, Rainbow stopped at the edge of the bed as the nurse had instructed. This wouldn’t do; she couldn’t see her mother clearly, couldn’t feel her warmth. Glancing back at the door, Dash decided to risk it, climbing onto the bed. She folded herself down neatly next to Firefly, giving her cheek a lick and a nuzzle. Firefly stirred. 

“Mommy?” Dash asked hopefully. 

“Hello, my love.” 

That was her mother’s voice, but it wasn’t the same, even since that morning. Somehow, all the fire that lent itself to her name was missing. Dash promised herself that she and Fluttershy would go find it again.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes dear, I’m fine.” As if to prove a point, Firefly spread her wing and draped it across her daughter. A lone feather fell out. 

Firefly did not look all right, however. Her haunches were all bandaged up, including her shoulders and part of the base of her wings. One of the swatches above her Cutie Mark looked like some blood was seeping through underneath. On top of all that, patches of fur and feathers were missing, and not just from the fight. 

“You don’t sound alright.” Dash curled her lip, a skeptical look planted on her face. 

Firefly breathed oddly. Was that a giggle? “Yes, I’m fine. The doctors just gave me some medicine that makes me sleepy.” 

“Oh.” Dash thought. No, that didn’t make sense. “Does the medicine also make your fur fall out?”

“Where’s your father?” Firefly changed the subject.

“Out in the hallway with Fluttershy.” 

“Ah.” The older mare watched the door. 

“How did you find us?” Dash still couldn’t figure that out. 

“You two left school without permission. You shouldn't do that, Dashie. Not even on a weekend. A lot of ponies saw you do it too. The school called us and I remembered you asked me to fly you into the city. Your father's friends and I started looking there.”

“Oh.” Dash looked down. 

“Looks like we were just in time too. If I hadn’t hit those thugs with my Buccaneer Blaze… I thought you were smarter than that, Dash.” 

“I am smarter than that. I think.” A funny look crossed Dash’s face.

“So? What happened?” Her mother asked.

Dash relayed the story; all of it. It came spilling forth without stop. She hadn’t seen her mother in weeks, and desperately wanted to share new wondrous things with her. Dash told about her nightly flights with Fluttershy, and her history paper. She explained how she and Fluttershy split their homework, and watched out for each other in the halls. She replayed stories about the bullies, and the teachers, and Ace. 
Then she got to that morning, and Dash explained in great detail how Fluttershy was her best friend and her mother just shouldn’t be angry with her. She'd been sitting there after her call, watching Airball with Fluttershy. Then something broke with Fluttershy's wings, and she made her embarrassing, silly confession of a crush. Then Fluttershy flew away, and Dash just had to chase her. She had a pair of broken wings, after all. What would happen if she got half way to Cloudsdale and they gave out? Fluttershy could barely fly as it was.
Firefly, for her part, enjoyed her daughter’s renewed energy, nodding in agreement even when the conversational track went array. Then Dash explained about chasing after Fluttershy, and how her mother should just be so proud of her, because she didn't want to go but it was the right thing to do. The trip was so hard, but she made it by herself. Her mother fell deathly silent as Dash relayed the adventure, barely daring to breath, lest she change the past, killing her filly. As Dash wound down, so did her mother, the anxiety riding on both of them for the last twelve hours suddenly dissipating. 

“And then the nurse let me and Fluttershy sleep in the same bed, which Fluttershy said she’d never done before, and neither had I. And then we had dinner, or I guess breakfast cause I've never been up this late before. And then I had a talk with Daddy after the doctors were done with him.” 

“What did he say?” Firefly could guess. 

“I told him what I told you, about chasing after Fluttershy. He just stared at me and said a good soldier leaves no pony behind. And then he actually saluted me!” Rainbow Dash beamed. 

“Hah!” Firefly could just imagine Sky Striker’s face. 

“And then he told me to come see you, because he had to talk with Fluttershy. Is she in trouble? I think it might be because of her broken wings.” Dash whispered. 

“No, she’s not in trouble.” Firefly sighed, thinking about how to approach this. Now while she still could. “Rainbow Dash, do you remember when you first started flying? How you had growing pains in your wings?” 

“Yeah.” Dash cringed. 

“Well, as young fillies grow older, their bodies start changing, kind of like the growing pains. As you start to become a young mare, things happen. One of those are when your wings pop out and you can’t stop them.”

“Like a wing boner?” Dash asked innocently. 

“Where did you hear that?” Firefly couldn’t believe what had just come out of her daughter’s mouth.

“Some of the colts from school were saying it.”

“Well don’t. It’s a disgusting phrase. What it’s actually called is Alatus Mentula.”

“What’s Alatus Mentula mean?”

Firefly sighed. “‘Wing Boner’.”

“Oh.” Dash didn’t get it.

“Okay, look. Your wings are not just used for flying. They’re much more expressive. You can show that you’re happy or sad or lonely, just by using your wings.” Firefly demonstrated, making her daughter laugh. “It is part of how Pegasi communicate with one another. They're also sensitive. I lock wings with your father when we go for a walk, or he wraps you up tight in a hug. I'll sometimes nibble his wing tips and it... tickles." 

"I tried that with Fluttershy." Dash supplied helpfully.

"Don't do that." Firefly said flatly.

"Why not?"

"Because its not the same thing. I'm sure she doesn't appreciate it."

"Why not?"

"Dash!" Firefly snapped, coughing. Rainbow put a hoof on her mother's. "How do I explain this? Wings are universally expressive among all flying creatures, for happiness or shock or pleasure. Other winged creatures get Alatus Mentula as well, like Gargoyles and Griffons. Those bird brains are a bit too up tight to show it though.” 

“So if it’s just like smiling, why is it a big deal?”

“Because of when it happens. It hits at puberty when your hormone production is at its highest. Any heightened emotion will make them pop: fear, surprise, shock, attraction. They aren’t used for intimacy exactly, but that is where the term ‘wing-mate’ comes from. So if you like some pony, it could happen. And because colts and fillies can be incredibly cruel, if it happens for any reason at all, they'll tease you that you have a crush on some pony. It’s no fun at all.” 

“Did that happen to you?” 

“All the time, kiddo.” Firefly nodded. 

“So why are they teasing Fluttershy? She’s so nice.” Dash defended her friend. It made her mother’s heart warm. 

“Fluttershy is a very beautiful filly, and since she's older her wings are coming in a little sooner and larger than any other ponies like her. It makes the other girls jealous and the boys want to touch them.”

“Eww.” Dash stuck her tongue out. 

“You just keep thinking that honey, every time a colt wants to lock wings with you.” Firefly smiled. “But Fluttershy is very shy, and the school yard event was probably very traumatic for her. She’s going to be teased for sure.”

“I’ll stick up for her.” Dash was wound up just thinking about it.

“I’m sure you will.” 

“So why don’t I get them?”

“You used to pop your wings every time I’d play peek-a-boo with you as a foal. But really you’re a little too young, and they’re not large enough to be that expressive. It’ll happen soon enough though.” 

“How long does it last?” Dash was becoming a little freaked out. 

“It can last though your 20’s. You could just be standing there one day, and a pink pony could jump out dressed in some flamboyant costume about to sing a song, and there’s nothing you can do about it because out they come!” She tugged on her daughter’s wings. 

“MoooOOOooom!” Dash giggled. Firefly laughed along with her. “This all sounds kinda gross though.”

“It’s all part of growing up. Just wait till I tell you about going through heat sometime.”

“Doing what?” Dash was lost again.

“Never mind.” Firefly smiled. 

She snuggled with her daughter, remembering not that long ago they’d lain like this in her new room, and Dash had admitted that she was scared. Now Firefly tried desperately to express those words to her own daughter. She was scared. There were so many conversations left that they were never going to have, so many flights that were being cut short. Too many mother-daughter moments like this that would now never some. 
It was time, Firefly knew, and there was no flying around it any longer. Drawing a shuddering breath, she looked into her daughter’s eyes, the child that carried so much of her own personality and heart. 

“Rainbow Dash? I have something I have to tell you, and I need you to be brave.”

“Yes, mom?” 

“Dashie, I have cancer.”

“You have what?” That sinking feeling in her stomach was back. 

“I’m very sick.” Firefly sighed. Why couldn’t this be easy?

“But you're going to get better, right?” Dash’s head was reeling. 

“That’s what the doctors are trying to do, but it doesn’t look good. I’ve been sick for a long time.”

“Is that why your hair and feathers are falling out?” 

“No, that’s the medicine the doctors are giving me. They’re trying to stop the disease.”

Dash was beginning to see the larger picture. She thought for a moment, giving her mother a short reprieve. The next words truly and utterly broke her. 

“It’s not working, is it?” 

"No." The words locked behind her teeth like a bit. There was no way she could leave Skystriker to do this by himself. Dashie needed her. 

“You’re going to die, aren’t you?” The silent head nod tore both of their hearts out. Dash uselessly fought against the tears. “I’m not going to get sick, am I?” she barely dared to whisper the forbidden question haunting her mind. 

“Oh, Dashie, no. Praise Celestia, no.” Firefly hugged her as tightly as possible. It wasn’t very tight. 

“How long?” Dash supposed that was the only question that mattered now. 

“A few months, probably. Maybe more, maybe less.”

“Promise that you’ll see me fly at the graduation ceremony.” Dash demanded.

“Oh, Dashie.” Firefly closed her eyes. “This world is so much larger, and so much meander, and so much more frightening, and so much better than anything you can ever imagine. I was the best flyer in Equestria before I even graduated school. I found a wing-mate who took me to lands that I’d never dreamed I’d see, and married the same wonderful stallion that gave me the greatest adventure ever. You are my treasure beyond anything, and you are my greatest adventure of all time.”

“But… I don’t want you to go!” How much simpler could Dash make it than that?

“Oh, Rainbow Dash. Just as one generation yields to the next, I have to set so that you can rise. But I am not leaving you. I will be with you always, pushing you to greater heights, and pulling you towards the future that is more magical than anything I will ever see.”

“I don’t want to be greater than you! You’re the best pony ever! I just want to stay in your shadow.” 

Dash was quickly exhausting her mother’s already wearied spirits. How could Firefly explain this in a way that her daughter would accept? Then again, maybe Dash didn’t have to accept things the way they were. That would give her the courage and drive to change things. Maybe it wasn’t enough to know that things simply were; she needed to know why they were. 

“We don’t always get what we want, Dash.” 

“But I thought that was your job?”

Such a hearty laugh coming from Firefly’s weakened form stopped Dash cold. Her tears slowly dried on her face, staring up at her mother in confusion. Had she gone mad?

“I want to tell you a story.” Firefly smiled. 

“What kind of story?” Dash asked skeptically. Usually books were boring, but stories could be cool.

“The story of a princess, a dragon, and a quest.” 

As Firefly regaled her daughter with tales of her last great adventure, an extra set of ears listened in intently. The hallway was noisy, and dangerous. The only safe place was the bench against the wall, but even from there she could hear the shouts that had drawn her to the door. And as Fluttershy listened to her best friend speaking with her mother, great tears of pain flowed down Fluttershy’s face, reopened by a wound she had thought salved by friendship. Rainbow Dash’s mother was going to die. 

Just like Fluttershy’s.

> Chapter X
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter X

Rainbow Dash emerged from the room as pink peppered the eastern horizon, allowing her mother to sleep. Fluttershy remained exactly as Dash had left her, curled up on the bench in the hall. Dash expected nothing more than her trademark ear twitch, but Fluttershy actually lifted her entire head, watching her friend. Her teal eyes gleamed red with recent tears, but now she only sported a soft smile. 
Dash flopped down beside her, blowing out a raspberry. She thought to bury her face behind her long mane, to hide away. But Dash found she just didn’t care anymore. Instead she just laid her head across her folded forelegs. Nothing mattered any more. 

“Hello, Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy offered. 

Dash only glanced her way. Her friend hadn’t left the entire time, instead staying in the hall waiting for Dash to come back. Fluttershy was the truest definition of kindness Dash would ever know. And right now Dash needed a friend more than anything. 

“What did you mother say?” Fluttershy asked. Dash turned away. “Is she going to be alright?”

“Cancer.” Dash tried to spit the word out like venom but in the stillness of the air it sounded like any other word. It wasn’t fair. “Radiation poisoning.” 

“Oh.” Was all Fluttershy could say.

What else was there to say? Scooting closer, she laid her head across Dash’s back. Dash tried to be strong. Her anger flared up at the injustice of the world. She wanted to rage and shout. She wanted to tear Equestria into a new continent. Yet the warmth and love across her back and the tired right down to her tiny bones only allowed her to cry. And in the embrace of her best friend she began to let the emotions run free, just a little. They sat like that, sharing tears of comradery, forged through a common loss. 

“I lost my mother too.” Fluttershy admitted after a time. 

“I’m sorry.” Dash sniffed. “What happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Fluttershy shut her eyes so she couldn’t see the blood. 

“Me neither.” Dash could still smell her mother’s fur even as it drifted through the air. “Hey, Fluttershy?”

“Yes?”

“I’m pretty sure I’m still in shock here. Does it get any worse?”

“Yes. It gets a lot worse.” Fluttershy could have lied, but what would have been the point in that? 

“Oh.” Dash sighed. She needed something else. Anything else. “So,” she grinned. “You like Ace?”

“Eep!” Fluttershy pulled away. “N--no. Who told you that?”

“You did, feather brain.” Dash stared. 

“Oh.” Fluttershy sighed. “No. I said he was cute. And my wings kind of…” 

“I know. Mommy told me. It was kinda gross.” 

“At least your mother told you. I had to have a talk with your father.”

“Okay, you win.” Dash cringed. 

“I don’t feel like I won anything.” Fluttershy hung her head. “First I boned my wings in front of every pony at school. Then they all heard that I think Ace is cute. Then I had to have a talk with your scary ex-Royal Guard father. Why is this important? Why can’t they just leave me alone?” 

“I don’t know.” shrugged Dash. “I’ve only ever had one colt like me before.”

“What happened?” Fluttershy found herself surprised. Her friend didn’t seem like the romantic sort. 

“We were both foals in day care together. He brought me a flower and told me he loved me. I kicked him in the shins.” Dash smiled wistfully. “Ahhh, that was my first fight.”

“Oh my.”

“So what about you? Do you have a crush on any pony else?”

“I don’t have a crush on Ace.” Fluttershy vehemently defended. “I think he’s cute. That’s all.”

“Okay. Sor-RY.” Dash rolled her eyes. 

“I just don’t like ponies claiming you like some other pony when you really don’t, and you can’t defend yourself against the rumors.”

Fluttershy wasn’t apologizing. That was the first thing Dash noticed. Looking into her friend’s face she could see a determination there that spoke from experience. She wasn’t going to back off this point. 

“Did that happen at your old school?”

“Yes.” admitted Fluttershy sadly.

“What happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” the older filly mumbled. 

“Yes you do. Otherwise you wouldn’t have brought it up.”

“No, I don’t.” Fluttershy hopped down and began walking away.

Dash followed. “Fluttershy! Tell me!”

“I kissed another student!” 

Fluttershy yelled. Which, for her, barely equated normal speech levels. Still, that didn’t stop her from turning red and bolting into the nearest unoccupied room. Dash followed, not wanting to lose her again. Fluttershy had crawled under one of the beds. Dash could barely see her in the dusk. 

“Okay, so?” 

Fluttershy sighed. Her friend was so naive. “When I lived in Manehattan my parents enrolled me at an art school. I showed great promise as a designer, but really I just liked sewing. There was another student there named Morgan le Hay. He was older than me and already had his Cutie Mark, but he was still nice and showed me the ropes, taking me under his wing. With his help I became a much better artist, and there was even talk of scholarships. I was so happy. Working so close together with my mentor, I thought he really liked me. I guess I was nothing more than my teacher’s pet.”

“What happened?” This didn’t sound so bad, Dash thought. 

“I decided to tell Morgan. I thanked him for everything and then…” Fluttershy trailed off. “I kissed him.” 

“So? Why is that so terrible?” 

“Because Morgan wasn’t a colt. She was a filly.” 

“Oh.”

“Yes, ‘oh.’ Morgan laughed at me because I was such a stupid filly I didn’t even know a boy from a girl. How could I? I may have been talented, but I didn’t know anything about any pony. I cried and apologized and asked her not to say anything, that it was my mistake.”

“Then what happened?” Dash felt her anger rising. 

“That’s when the bullying started. At first there was just horrible name calling. And then the older ponies started pushing me. Then one day they dumped paint all over me. My mother decided to home school me. But... that didn't last long. After that I just tried to hide away from the world, and got quieter and quieter.” 

Fluttershy had no idea how she’d made it through the story without crying. How she’d told the story at all was beyond her. Rainbow Dash may have been her bestest and only friend, but this was still a personal matter and Fluttershy didn’t think she was brave enough to share it. Then again, maybe her mother had been right and she was braver than she thought. 
Rainbow Dash, for her part, was fuming. How day those ingrates treat Fluttershy with such callous disregard. It was an honest mistake! All foals do it from time to time. Yet the older ponies, unwilling to forgive, lashed out at the weak link. And Fluttershy didn’t have Dash there to fight her battles for her. Well never again. Dash wouldn’t leave Fluttershy’s side no matter what.

“Those-- Those-- ASSES!” Dash yelled. “How dare they?! Come on, Fluttershy!”

“Where are we going?” Fluttershy crawled out, shocked by her friend’s rage, and followed at a distance. 

“Manehattan. I’m going to show these ponies what happens when you mess with a friend of Rainbow Dash.” 

“Dash, no!” Fluttershy rushed around to stop her. “It was a long time ago. It’s alright.”

“No, it’s not alright.” Dash tried to push around the larger pony. “They hurt you and they need to pay.”

“No, Dash. They need forgiveness.”

“How can you forgive them after everything they did to you?”

“Because they wouldn’t forgive me.” Fluttershy needed to make her friend understand. 

“But-- but-- No! You can’t forgive some pony when they hurt you so openly.” Dash cantered off. 

Or at least she tried to. She found herself moon walking in place. Behind her, Fluttershy had her tail between her teeth, keeping her best friend from making yet another bone headed mistake. Dash watched, Fluttershy’s eyes glistening with love. A small bandage adorned the base of her left wing where she’d tried to gnaw it off. Here she was, communicating need the only way she knew how. She couldn’t ask for Rainbow Dash to stay; she could only hang on and hope Dash figured it out on her own. 
How could Rainbow Dash do anything else? Turning, she hugged Fluttershy. There they sat in the hall, waiting for Skystriker to take them back to school. Things were bad right now. In the coming months they would get worse. But they could take it all on, together.

And together they would win. 

> Chapter XI
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XI

Dash fanned herself, trying to relieve some of the blasted heat. It was the middle of winter for neighing out loud. Why was it so hot? 
After the debacle at the weather factory, the Cloudsdale town council decided that they’d already had their share of winter, and in order to keep up production for the rest of Equestria, Cloudsdale would be forced to sit the season out. Of course it was all just a lie to disguise the fact that the politicians didn’t want to wander around in slush any more. 
It wasn’t just hot, either. The air held an oppressive humidity, forcing every pony to pant like dogs because of the unusual weather. It was as if autumn had given winter and spring a miss and went straight on into summer. 
The rest of the country didn't much care for that, especially the other Pegasus cities. It wasn't their fault Cloudsdale bucked up so badly. How come those Pegasus got to cruise through an Indian summer while they had to suffer snow and ice and Winter Wrap Up? Cloudsdale objected highly to having their sovereignty overlooked. How dare other ponies stick their nose in Cloudsdale business! It got to be bad enough that Princess Celestia was called upon to moderate the situation.
Cloudsdale, for their part, had yet to relent. If they wanted their city warm and humid, what did it matter to everyone else? They could just get the Unicorns to use magic if they broke the natural cycle of things. Or better yet, Celestia could do it herself. That argument was winning them no favors, especially right before Hearth's Warming Eve.
Not that Rainbow Dash cared. All she recognized was that the heat was on. At least the swimming holes were still open.

“It. Is. Sooo. Hoooooot!” 

Dash was splayed across her bed, belly up. She’d returned to her room after another disastrous Weather Training that, for once, hadn’t been her fault. Snow simply did not like 80-degree weather. 

Fluttershy chuckled. “Um, I don’t think it’s really that hot. It’s just humid. It kind of makes your wings stick together.”

“Lucky for you.” teased Dash.

“Dashie, you promised.” Fluttershy’s cheeks flushed.

“I know, I know. It’s just… Look outside, Shy.” Dash didn’t have the energy to move. “See those black clouds below Cloudsdale?”

“Yes?”

“That’s the weather barrier. There’s cold and warm air trying to mix, creating monstrous thunderstorms.”

“Oh my.” Fluttershy hadn’t thought of that before. 

“And you know what?”

“What?”

“I’d rather be inside the storm than here. Because, it. Is. Sooo. Hoooooot!”

Fluttershy giggled. “At least we can go swimming.”

“Too hot.” 

“Flying?”

“Too hot.” 

“We could always do our homework.”

“Way too hot.” 

Fluttershy was beginning to recognize a pattern. “You could always lie on your bed and complain.”

“Perfect weather for that.” 

Fluttershy giggled and Dash couldn’t help but giggle as well. They sat, trying to cool off, the weather matching the general temperament in the air. 

“Have you heard from your father lately?”

“Not since the last twenty times you asked.” Dash huffed.

“Oh, sorry. I’m just worried about Firefly.”

“I know. Me too. Daddy says now that she’s out of the hospital she'll rest at home. Which means I get to stay in boarding school over vacation instead of spending it at home with my friends and family, just so mom has time to get better. Whatever.”

“Maybe we could go see her over the Hearth's Warming Eve break?” Fluttershy offered. 

“Yeah.” Dash was none too enthused with that idea. 

She loved her mother, but seeing her like that… It hurt. A lot. Firefly had always been so strong and alive, and seeing her reduced to a weakened form, well, Dash would rather just avoid it all together. 

“What about your father?” Dash suggested. “I hear Manehattan is pretty in the snow.” 

“It’s quite beautiful.” Fluttershy nodded. “But my father doesn’t want to see me.”

“How do you know?”

“He told me so.” Pink bangs hid her face as she spoke. 

“Recently?” Asked Dash. Fluttershy’s pink-shrouded head nodded. “It doesn’t matter anyways.” 

“Why not?” Fluttershy wiped her nose. At least she wasn’t crying again. 

“Because, it’s. Sooo. Hoooooot.”

Fluttershy giggled, hopping down. “I know it’s still two weeks away, but I got you something for Hearth's Warming eve.”

“Aww, Fluttershy. You didn’t have to. It’s just gona be you and me alone in this great big school over the break. That’s good enough for me.” 

“Now now, Rainbow Dash. You must respect the spirit of the holiday. I pondered for a long time what to do for you, and I thought about getting you a fashionable necklace, but you never struck me as the fashionable type.” Fluttershy wandered over to their closet. “Then I thought about sewing you a dress, but I never perfected my French haute couture. And then I remembered your hairbrush.”

“Hey! You leave my hairbrush alone!” Dash jumped up, ready to defend her favorite grooming tool. 

Firefly used to comb her daughter’s hair with it every night when she was a foal. It was the first gift Skystriker every brought his wife when they were courting, and Firefly had given it to Dash. Lately Fluttershy had taken a turn with it, spending hours combing Dash’s mane and tail. She was the only one that could get the rambunctious pony to sit still long enough to get a brush through it. 

“Just teasing.” Fluttershy gave her squeaky grin. Dash nearly smacked her own face. This was probably payback for the wing comment earlier. “But I found something even better. I found out the Wonderbolts will be performing at the Grand Galloping Gala in the spring.”

“Fluttershy, they perform there every year. Every pony knows that.”

“Yes, but did you also know that Cloudsdale will be right in their flight path this year?”

“You mean--?!”

“Ta-da!”

Fluttershy produced two tickets from her hiding space in the closet. They were obviously made with her own love and talent, yet still looked amazing. Each had a picture of the Wonderbolts and said ‘Admit One’ while one had a drawing of Dash and the other of Fluttershy.

Dash freaked out. “Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!”

“You and I will be in Cloudsdale and watch as they fly over head to Canterlot, so close we can almost touch them.”

“Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!”

“I’m sorry it’s not more. And that you have to wait for spring. I wish I could do more to express how much you mean to me.”

“Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!”

“Do-- do you like them?” 

Fluttershy crossed a leg, ducking her head. Apparently Dash’s exclamations of ecstasy weren’t getting through. Drastic measures were required to convey to the older filly just how amazing the gift was. So Dash glomped her, knocking them both ever. 

“Fluttershy! You are the most amazing and thoughtful friend ever! Do you know who's on the Wonderbolts this year? Spitfire! My heroin! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!”

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’” She smiled, struggling to breath with the extra weight on her chest. 

“I got you something also.” Dash reached under her bed.  

“Oh, you didn’t have to.” 

“Fluttershy, you know how much I mean to you?”

“Yes?”

“Then stow it, because you mean just as much to me too.” 

“Okay.” Fluttershy wasn’t sure that was right. How could any pony love her as much as she loved Dash? She was Fluttershy; she was useless.

“You’re my best friend, and I wanted to get you something you’d like. I finally figured it out, but I think it may be broken.”

Dash pulled an object from under her bed, whipping the blankets back down on top. It was fairly large, shaped like an upturned watermelon with a handkerchief over it. Dash slid it carefully across the cloud floor, careful not to jiggle it. 
Fluttershy eyed it curiously, unsure what to make of it. She let out a surprised gasp as Dash pulled back the handkerchief. A gilded cage sat before her, containing a single white bird nestled onto the swing. It looked sad, almost filling the cage, its wing bent at a peculiar angle. 

“Oh my.” Fluttershy breathed. 

Dash removed the bird from the cage. It barely moved. “I found this guy while flying one morning. He was trying to get away from a hawk, and wasn’t fast enough. I caught him on the way down.”

“What is it?” Fluttershy approached cautiously. She’d never seen a bird like this up close before. He was beautiful, with a black head and white body. His eyes though were dimmed by sadness. 

“I asked Miss Skywishes. She said it’s a ‘sea gull.’ They rarely fly this high.”

“Is that good?” Fluttershy was afraid to touch it.

Dash shrugged. “I just know how much you like birds. So I got him for you. Go on, take him.”

With a trembling hoof Fluttershy reached out, gently caressing the bristly feather’s along the gull’s back. He turned his head to stare at her, as if wondering what new tortures and pain he would now know from this new being. In that moment, clairvoyance crossed Fluttershy’s mind. The bird longed to fly again, to sore where birds belonged. Yet pain from his past kept him bound to the clouds. Fluttershy knew at once what she must do.

“Oh, Dashie. He’s beautiful. But I can’t keep him.”

“Do-- do you not like him?” Asked Dash, afraid of her gift being rejected. 

“Of course I do. But he can’t belong to any pony. He’s a wild creature, and I have to fix him so he can continue to live wild. I’m going to fix his wing and set him free.”

“That works too.” Dash agreed. “If any pony can fix him, you can.” 

“In the meantime I think I’ll call him Snowball.” Fluttershy nodded once. “What does he eat?”

“Usually whatever I feed him off my plate. I don’t think he likes it very much.” 

“Oh, that will not do at all. We must find a proper diet for him,  mustn’t we Snowball?”

“Um, Fluttershy?” 

“Yes?”

“Are you, um expecting the bird to talk back?” 

“Animals do talk, each in their own way. You just have to be willing to listen.” 

“Great, I’m never going to get you away from the parrot, am I?”

“It was your present.” Fluttershy smiled. 

“Happy Holidays, Fluttershy.”

“Happy Holidays, Rainbow Dash.”

> Chapter XII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XII

The new year came hard and fast on the hooves of the winter break. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash experienced unparalleled freedom over the holidays with the school almost utterly abandoned. Coach McHard Cheese and Miss Skywishes were the only teachers to remain behind. The two fillies didn't notice, but their teachers shared more than a few cups of eggnog together, and one moment under the mistletoe. The old war veteran and the young teacher were an unlikely pairing, and it may have had more to do with being alone than any romance. 
They kept their minds on their jobs when they counted, though. Coach kept an eye on things while Skywishes kept them all fed. That left little for Dash and Fluttershy to do except race through the halls or romp around outside with Snowball. 
In fact, after many complaints from the ponies, the Cloudsdale town council reinstated winter, allowing for just a few inches of snow. That was enough for two fillies who had the world to themselves. 
They spent time with Dash’s parents, she and Fluttershy (and Snowball) arriving for supper on Hearth's Warming Eve. Skystriker greeted them without a smile, looking more tired and worried than he had in 20 years. Firefly never left the bed. The sudden chill, then heat spell, then chill again played havoc with her immune system, giving her something called ‘pneumonia.’ It was not something Dash liked the sound of, and by the worried expression her usually stoic father carried, she had every right to be afraid. 
Once Snowball started squawking and Fluttershy was unable to shush him, Skystriker threatened to throw the bird outside. Fluttershy immediately teared up, Rainbow Dash jumping to her defense against her father of all ponies. The pair got into a shouting match louder than Snowball ever thought of being. Skystriker tanned her daughter's hide and flew them back to school. At least her tears turned to ice on the way so he wouldn't see her crying. 

"I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash." Skystriker stood on the Airball field, ankle deep in snow. 

Her father rarely said those words. "I know."

"I need you to be brave. I need you to follow orders and not fight me, Dashie."

"Then don't yell at Fluttershy!" Dash was not letting this go.

"I WASN'T-- I wasn't yelling." Skystriker sighed, sitting down. He didn't care if his rump got wet or not. 

Dash glanced back at the school. She could just see a lock of pink watching from the dormitory window. Floors above her two teachers were also peeking out.

"You can't yell at Fluttershy, Daddy. She's special." 

"I know." 

"Are you still going to take us into the city to see the Wonderbolts fly over for the Grand Galloping Gala?" Dash approached slowly. Maybe her father needed her scarf?

"I don't know, Dash. I'll try."

"You have to promise." Dash stared up at his face, no idea it would too soon be the only face she had.

"I can't promise. Do you have any idea what's going on at home?! You're not there; you don't know! You don't see her every day. There's a reason you're staying at school, Dash. I can't take care of you and your mother at the same time, and you shouldn't have to watch her wither away."

Dash stood on her hind legs, cupping her father's face between her hooves. "Promise." she whispered. 

Skystriker shut his eyes. He was a former member of Her Majesty's Royal Forces. He couldn't cry. He hadn't cried when his parents died, he hadn't cried when his friend lost a wing, and he wasn't going to cry now. Not in front of his daughter. 

"I promise."

Rainbow Dash stood in the field for a long time watching her father fly away. He'd hugged her goodbye, but hugs didn't mean what they used to. They used to mean everything was going to be okay, filled with warmth and hope. Now they just seemed... desperate. She stood there until the sky turned dusky pink and frost settled on her wing tips. Finally Coach brought her inside. Even the warm soup and holiday song couldn't lift her spirits. Dash went to bed dreaming of happier times. 
Fluttershy, for her part, spent the winter break reading every book the academy had on animal husbandry. There weren’t many. Miss Skywishes had to make two trips to the Cloudsdale library in as many days. By the third she sent Coach instead. He didn't seem to mind. There was a scamper in his step the girls had never seen before.   
Snowball opened up under Fluttershy’s care, blooming like an idiot. Dash had no way of knowing when she’d caught the injured bird, but apparently sea gulls were noisy, annoying creatures. She couldn’t count how many times the bird woke her up with its laughing. Dash knew that as long as she lived, even if she met a pony that somehow imbued the element of laughter, she would never hear any pony else laugh as much as that stupid bird. 
Fluttershy treated that bird like a treasured family member made of solid gold. She fed it the proper food and gave it just the right amount of water and exercise. She’d cried like a foal when Coach had to re-break Snowball’s wing so it could heal right. The bird never liked him much after that.
The last few days of vacation were spent in a marathon game of tag/hide and seek/follow Coach McHard Cheese. Dash and Fluttershy never stopped giggling for an instant, even when it meant getting caught. They hid in the dusty old attic, chased each other across every open piece of land, and played spies as they followed coach around. He didn't do much but yell at them when he caught them looking, but that only made them laugh and run harder. 
With the advent of spring and new classes, Fluttershy and Dash were off again. They’d perfected their friendship to an art, ensuring that one’s strengths would overcome the other’s weakness. In flight training Dash excelled, even while picking up Fluttershy’s additional slack. While the loving filly focused on her bird she seemed to forget everything she’d learned about flying herself. 
The Grand Galloping Gala approached and it was Dash’s turn to grow excited over her present. It was the first year the Wonderbolts would be performing with their rookie team member, Spitfire. Traditionally the group was made up of nothing but Stallions. They were the best of the best, and no mare had ever broken their application requirements.  But then along came Spitfire, blowing them all away. With some of the fastest lap times on record she'd been accepted by a vote of pine to two, opening the doors to mares everywhere. 
True to his word Skystriker flew the girls into town that night, leaving a recovering Firefly at home. Dash and Fluttershy sat together on one of the towers, along with what seemed like half the city. There was a cheer as the first of the Wonderbolts appeared. Then another from the opposite direction. Then one more, following the same pattern. Obviously someone had informed them about their fan gathering and decided to provide a free show. 
Shooting towards one another the ponies criss-crossed, barely missing each other by inches. They roared overhead leaving thunder in their wake. Then one broke ranks spinning high into the sky, almost beyond sight. The gathered crowds held their breaths as she shot downward, spiraling through the gap in the middle of her comrades. All of Cloudsdale went nuts. Streaking past, her orange mane visible for all to see, Firefly showed off. Dash stared in amazement. They were so close that her hair stood on end from the electricity. 
Then it was over. One by one they fell back into formation, heading for Canterlot. Spitfire, not wanting to disappoint her fans, did a double back flip barrel roll, ensuring that she would forever have one adoring fan. Dash vowed then and there, someday that would be her up there.
As the first amber touches of spring began to bloom forth at the academy, Fluttershy found herself in a melancholic funk. She knew that soon she’d have to release Snowball. The gull was feeling much better, causing ruckus all over the school. It was impossible to hide from other students and added yet another layer of 'weird' to the pair. The teachers, on the other hoof, were another problem entirely. Only a generous extra incentive from her father every month allowed the creature to remain in her care despite the strict ‘no-pets’ environment. 
Fluttershy took little notice of any of this, though. Throughout everything, the dirty looks, almost failing flight training, falling asleep in class, the bribes, she only held eyes for that loud, obnoxious bird. And Snowball, equally unaware of everything, kept staring wistfully out the window. Fluttershy was afraid to even take him outside any more for fear that he’d fly off.  Finally it was unavoidable.

“Um, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy stood in their room, kicking a hoof around. Dormitory quiet time was in five minutes.

“Yep?” Dash was putting on her goggles, about to break curfew and go flying as usual. She didn’t really need to; Coach gave her almost unrestricted flight time now. But some habits were hard to break.

“I was wondering, um, could we come with you?” 

Dash looked up. Fluttershy stood with Snowball perched on her back, wrapped in a scarf that he obviously did not care for. It was the only way she’d take him outside without being crippled by fear. The tears in her eyes told Dash everything she needed to know. 

“Sure, Fluttershy. I’m just going out to the point anyways.”

The pair wandered into the evening dusk, watching the world shift in colors around them. The point was the drop off where they’d both first learned to glide together, and it was a popular dare spot for the other Pegasi in the day. At night though, it had become Fluttershy and Dash’s special spot. 
As they walked, Dash tried to think of something to say. Fluttershy was about to lose a friend and would probably need comforting. But then again, when Dash found out she was going to lose her mom, Fluttershy had been perceptive enough not to say a word. Sometimes silence was the best answer. 
Reaching the point they stared out over Equestria at dusk. From this high up, on this rare cloudless night, they could see everything. The country dipped and moved with valleys and hills. Farms and hamlets dotted the countryside, bathed in the last touches of their Princess' sun. Cloudsdale was slowly making its seasonal travel across Equestria again, meandering towards the Everfree Forest. Plenty of wild space to fly free in.

“Alright, Snowball.” Fluttershy set him down and began unwrapping her scarf. “I want you to promise that… that you’ll be a good bird.” Snowball only laughed quietly. Fluttershy continued. “Remember to eat your breakfast, and be nice to the other gulls, and clean your feathers, and…” Fluttershy’s voice cracked.

“And watch out for hawks.” Rainbow Dash added. 

Fluttershy smiled. “Yes. Watch out for hawks.”

Snowball laughed once more, staring at each of them in turn. Then, almost before the last fold of the scarf was off, he was gone. Both the girls had expected him to fly high into the sky and out of sight, but he immediately dove for the earth. Sea gulls were not fans of heights. 
The pair just stood there as he disappeared, heading for the shoreline. There was nothing to say, and both found tears of joy stinging their eyes. Only Fluttershy let them run free. 

“Mommy says that every pony has to go, but that we never truly leave.” Rainbow Dash said at last. “I wonder if he’ll remember us? I’ll sure remember him. Maybe now I can get some sleep.” 

“You’ll miss him too, won’t you?” Fluttershy leaned in close. She was still larger, but Dash was growing up quick. 

“Yeah, sure, whatever.” Dash blinked. 

“So were you still going flying?”

“Nah. The wind’s all wrong. And besides, I need someone to brush my hair.”

“Can I put it in braids?” Fluttershy squeed.

“Don’t push your luck.” 

> Chapter XIII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XIII

It was inevitable, really, if only from the mathematical tide of probability against them. Fluttershy and Dash were both loners, but not by nature, so they spent as much time together as possible. Yet not with any pony else. Never mind the fact that no pony else would have them. Fluttershy’s ‘event’ and subsequent breakdown were well-established lore at the school now, along with Dash’s fighting skills and short fuse. And to top it all off, fewer creatures have longer memories than bullies. 
So the next day, when Fluttershy and Dash arrived for lunch, they had no idea the maelstrom waiting, about to test their bond to the brink. Dash had long since given up looking for a spot at the popular table, resigning herself to sit in the back corner with Fluttershy. It was simply easier. Except for today. Their table wasn’t empty.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Rainbow Crash and Klutzershy.”

“What do you want?” Dash threatened. 

“‘What do you want?’” mocked Hoops. 

Fluttershy sat down anyways. Dash would run them off momentarily. She just had to make herself as small as possible. 

“You got a problem with the way I talk?”

“We’ve got a problem with everything about you.” Hoops still remembered the beating he’d received at the hooves of a girl half his size. 

“Take a walk, dill weed, before I make you kiss my hind hooves again.” Dash tried to brush past him. 

“It’s better than what I hear you like to kiss.” Dumbbell snickered.

Something about the comment perked Fluttershy’s ears. She’d heard this kind of verbal trap before, and Dash was about to walk right into it. They should leave; now.

“Huh? What kind of weak comeback is that?” Dash snickered. Bullies really were stupid if they couldn't come up with a better retort. 

“You should know, with that rainbow mane of yours.” Hoops wasn’t laughing.

“What?” Dash was lost. 

“Um, Rainbow Dash, I think maybe we should probably, if you want to…” Fluttershy started but trailed off as the eyes of her tormentors turned on her. The other tables were quieting down, attentions turning to the drama brewing at the freaks' table.

“See? Even Klutzershy gets it. I guess those rainbow roots really do make you dumb.”

“What are you talking about?” Dash sighed. She’d just about had enough of this. Coach should be along any moment to either shoo the bullies off or break up the fight that was sure to come. 

“I’m saying you’re too dumb to even realize what kind of a dyke you are.” Hoops sneered. The lunchroom went deathly silent. 

“What’s a ‘dyke’?”

Touchdown and Dumbbell howled with laughter. “Do you hear that? Even with that rat’s nest of a mane, she’s so dumb she doesn’t even know her own title!”

“I’m calling you a dyke, stupid. A filly-fooler.” Hoops’ mock good nature dissipated. This was his payback. 

“‘Filly-fooler?’”

“Hey now.” Fluttershy jumped up. She couldn’t let this happen again. Not to Rainbow Dash. Names were hard to escape. You couldn’t just run like you could from a fight. “Leave her alone.” 

“Oh, look boys. The pipsqueak squeaks. What are you, her mount?” Hoops glared hard at Fluttershy. 

“Yeah, we heard she likes to ride your blank flank ever night!” Touchdown put in. “Every pony knows you love it from anything that moves because you can’t have Ace.”

So there it was. Fluttershy could stand firm and be smeared with horrible lies and names once again, or she could cut and run, throwing Rainbow Dash to the proverbial wolves. Hoops had it all figured out, and he also knew which side of the fence they would both land on. Dash would stand there and fight, taking everything they threw at her and spitting it back. That was her strength. It wasn’t Fluttershy’s. She couldn’t do it. Not again. 

“What are you talking about?” Dash demanded, coming to Fluttershy’s aid. “What’s a ‘filly-fooler’?”

“They’re saying you like to kiss other girls, Rainbow Crash!” 

The words themselves were not as shocking as their source. Fluttershy stood on the table, staring at her best friend whom she’d just sold out. By using the bullies’ moniker, she’d thoroughly sided with them, leaving Dash without any backup against an attack she didn’t understand. Fluttershy instantly regretted the words, but like Snowball once flown, they were impossible to take back. Fluttershy had taken the easy way out. 
Comprehension slowly dawned on Dash’s face as the shock faded. She remembered Fluttershy’s story about Morgan, and all the fallout it had caused. She now understood that what happened to Fluttershy years ago, Hoops was insinuating Dash did every night. 
And Fluttershy. Poor Fluttershy. Dash didn’t blame her for turning away. She was Fluttershy; it was perfectly understandable. But she could have at least given Dash a little warning before walking into a trap. She hadn't gotten it; she still didn’t really understand. 
Dash looked around. All eyes in the cafeteria were on her. Fluttershy still stood on the table, shaking like a leaf out of fear and self-loathing. The bullies simply sat, watching her. Dash could deny the accusation, but what good would that do? Fluttershy had taken the one and only escape route, shifting the blame to another pony. There was no one left for her to shift blame to. She could straight up call the bluff, but then it would be her word against Hoops’. The cloud of suspicion would hang over her forever.
That was the real problem, wasn’t it? She couldn’t clear her name because she hadn’t done anything. It was simply a groundless accusation, but it stained. Dash could go to the Head Mare, but there was precious little she could do. After all, the Bullies were hardly out of line. They were at the table first. They weren’t fighting; they were using words. If there were a fight, Dash would be the one to start it and the one to be in trouble. Besides, it would make Dash look like a whiney cry-foal, which wouldn’t help her case at all. 
So Rainbow Dash did the only thing she could think to do. She did what Firefly would do. She held her head high, turned, and simply strode from the lunchroom. Even in the hallway she didn’t gallop off. She left with as much dignity and poise as she could muster by thinking about her mother.
Fluttershy spent the rest of the period at the same table with the worst company in the world, pushing food around her plate with her nose. The bullies ignored her; their damage done. Fluttershy was no longer any use to them. 
She longed more than anything to shout, to run, to do something! Flutershy needed to chase after Dash, beg her forgiveness. But any movement at all could be perceived as truth to the accusations. Every pony knew that if she moved, she was guilty of being a filly-fooler, just as every pony knew that every moment she didn’t move brought her best friend more pain, alone in the world that much longer. Fluttershy couldn’t take the withering glances and names again, so she saved her own hide at the expense of her friend’s, waiting till the lunchroom was entirely empty before running through the halls to find Dash. 

And through it all, Hoops simply smiled. 

~~~~~

How long was she going to just stare at the door? Fluttershy knew Dash was inside, but she just couldn’t bring herself to knock, even if it was her own room. How could she face her best friend after what she’d just done? She betrayed Dash by running, instead of standing strong together. The soft clip-clop of Rainbow Dash inside indicated she was doing something, but Fluttershy was once again too afraid to find out what. 
Then a thought crossed her mind. What if Dash were trying to hurt herself? Certainly she wouldn’t, but when Fluttershy was bullied, she always hid. What if Dash couldn’t do that and had to find some other way out? Gingerly she eased open the door. 

“Dashie?” Fluttershy squeaked. 

The first things the shy Pegasi noticed were the colors. They were everywhere, as if a rainbow had exploded in their room, now drifting lazily to the floor. In fact, now that she looked down, the entire room was covered in nothing but colors. Every surface held a dusting of fine rainbow colored hairs, stirring up with the slightest movement.
The second thing that captured Fluttershy’s attention was the sound. What she had thought was Dash walking behind the door instead turned out to be a metallic snipping sound. Fluttershy cocked her head, trying to identify it. Where was it coming from? Dash? And where was her roommate? 
Shutting the door behind her, Fluttershy turned the corner, letting out a small gasp. She immediately began coughing out colored hair. Dash stood before their mirror, a pair of scissors between her teeth, hacking away at her majestically long mane. Her tail was already nothing more than a bushy and careless memory of what it had been just an hour before. 

“Dash!” Fluttershy coughed. “What are you doing?”

“Uuting nie hair. Ut ose it ook iike?” Dash managed around the scissors, craning her neck and trying to cut her own mane. 

“Why, Dash?” Fluttershy slowly stepped forward, the tears welling up, trying to take the place of her walking. 

“P‘tOOie!” Dash spit out the steel. “You heard those guys. They think I’m… I’m…But I’m not!”

“I know.” Fluttershy had given up on walking, simply content not to shiver. Her nerves were trying to shake her apart. 

“Why would they think that?” cried Dash. “Just because of my hair? Yours is exactly the same length as mine.”

“It’s because your hair is rainbow colored.”

“So? I’ve got rainbow hair. My name is Rainbow Dash. Just because of that they think I’m a… a…”

“Filly-fooler?” 

“I don’t even know what that means!” shouted Dash. “Why can’t they just let me be?”

“Oh, Dashie, I’m so sorry!” Fluttershy collapsed at her friend’s feet in abject sorrow. “I am so sorry. Please forgive me!”

“For what?” Dash’s tears would stop.

Fluttershy almost choked on the words. They came out at an almost indiscernible pitch. “I called you names. I sold you out instead of helping you.”

“Oh, Fluttershy, you feather brain.” Dash smiled. Pulling up her friend. “Of course I forgive you. There was nothing you could have done to help. If you hadn’t, other ponies would have gone back to saying horrible thing about you.”

“You really forgive me?” 

“I wish you could have been able to give me some kind of warning, but that wasn‘t your fault. And like my dad says, ‘wish in one hoof, poop in the other, see which one fills up with manure first.’”

“I have no idea what that means.” Fluttershy was taken off guard for the absurdity of the statement. 

“Me neither. But the point is that you’re my friend and I forgive you.” 

Fluttershy found herself overcome with emotion. Here was her best friend, whom she’d betrayed for nothing more than an uneasy truce that would be broken the moment the bullies remembered that she was Fluttershy. And yet her friend forgave her just like that. Dash’s capacity for loyalty was unequal. As Fluttershy stood there, trying to dam the welling cascade of tears, she hugged her friend with all her tiny might, nearly collapsing them both.

“Woah!” Cried Dash.

“Thank you, Dashie. I love you. I am soooo sorry. You are my best friend, and you always will be.”

“Until you sell me out again.” Dash smiled teasingly. 

She didn’t mean any harm, and Fluttershy knew that. Still, the words went deeper than even Dash could have foreseen, cutting Fluttershy down to her very core. She’d betrayed her friend terribly, and even if Dash had forgiven her, Fluttershy had yet to forgive herself. The words, thrown in jest, were just the right ones to cultivate the seeds of doubt already in Fluttershy’s heart about her own innocence. 

“Why… Why are you cutting your hair?” Fluttershy wiped her eyes.

“You heard those jerks. They were teasing me because of my mane. So if I don’t have it any more, they can’t tease me.”

“They will always tease you, Rainbow Dash. It’s part of who they are, just like your beautiful hair is part of who you are. If you cut it all off, they will find something else to bully you about. Your hair will still be there; you just can’t see it.”

“Oh.” Dash stared at the rainbow colored floor. “Just like mommy. She doesn’t have any more hair, but she’s still the same.” 

“Exactly.” Fluttershy nodded. 

“Do you think ponies can change, Fluttershy? Are we creatures of habit, or can we change who we are? Can a dragon change its scales? Can I change my mane?”

“I don’t think so. We are who we are, not what we are. It’s the lessons that your mother gave you that make you who you are. Those lessons are with you forever, even if…”

“Even if my mother isn’t.” Dash nodded. 

“What are you going to do, Dashie?”

“My mommy taught me to look out for smaller and weaker ponies. She didn’t say nothing’ about dishing out pain on bullies.”

“You can’t beat them up!” Gasped Fluttershy.

“Of course not. I’m going to beat them at their own game. Next time they mess with either of us, I’m going to challenge them to a race. And I’m going to win!”

“Oh, that would be marvelous!” Fluttershy grinned. “But wouldn’t that hurt their feelings?”

“After what they put US through you’re worried about THEIR feelings?” gawked Dash.

“Well, I just don’t like seeing any pony get hurt.”

“I’ll… try to go easy on them.” Replied a skeptical Rainbow Dash.

“Oh my, what are we going to do about your hair?” Asked Fluttershy as if the thought had just occurred to her.

“It’ll grow back.” Dash swished her bristletail. “Besides, I kinda like it.” 

“Yes, but it looks funny.”

It did indeed look funny. Dash had managed to more or less get her tail under control, but there was only so much she could do with her mane without magic or at least another mirror. She studied herself sideways; some hair dangerously close to the scalp, others still as long as Fluttershy’s. 

“Aww man. I look like a moose!”

Her yellow companion giggled. “Moose.” 

“Here,” Dash picked up the scissors, handing them to Fluttershy. “You finish.”

“But I don’t know how!” she panicked. 

“Use that freaky knowledge of fashion and at least make it all the same length. I don’t care if it looks like I got hit by lightning.”

“Well,” Fluttershy gingerly accepted the implements. “Alright. Here goes.”

The next several minutes were spent with nothing but the snip-snip of steel against hair. Fluttershy had never cut manes before, but she knew what she wanted. After months of combing her roommate’s hair, knew what she had to work with as well. Trepidatiously at first, she quickly found herself taking to the art form. Once finished, she brushed her friend’s hair one last time. 

“Well? What do you think? Be honest.” she stepped back, cringing.

“Really? Well…I…” Dash cocked her head, studying herself in the mirror. Fluttershy just knew that she’d hate it. “I love it! I look so awesome!”

“Really?” Fluttershy’s jaw fell open.

“Yeah! I look just like my daddy! Now my hair won’t get in the way when I fly! It’s much more streamlined.”

“Oh. Well I’m glad you like it.” Fluttershy smiled. 

“Huh.” Dash turned to her hairbrush. “I guess I won’t be needing this any more.” 

“I guess not.”

“Come on, Fluttershy.” Dash picked up her most prized possession, headed for the door. 

“Where are we going?”

“Out.” 

They didn’t need to worry about other ponies; classes were in session and there wasn’t any pony around to bother them. Still, they snuck through the halls like they were in a 007 Bon-Bon film. Once they made it past the Airball field it was a mad scramble for the point. 
They pair stood in the harsh light of afternoon, watching the clouds whiz by exceptionally fast. Rainbow Dash gingerly set her hairbrush on the cloud. 

“You’re not going to…” Fluttershy indicated the vast expanse before them.

“Why not? I don’t need it any more.”

“But it was your mother’s!”

“She really doesn’t need it.” Dash stated sadly, studying the brush. 

“But that’s no reason to get rid of it.”

“It’s just an object, Fluttershy. You can’t love an object. And every pony eventually dies. So why hang on?”

“Because they make us laugh. And laughter is what tells us we’re alive.” Fluttershy leaned into her friend. 

And with that Dash kicked the tiny brush off the cloud, watching it spiral down off the point towards the ground far below. They couldn’t all get what they wanted, and Dash certainly wanted more than a hairbrush. So why bother with the small fry? From here on out, she was a shoot for the big dreams or die trying kind of girl. 
Without a word she turned and trotted back inside. Fluttershy stood on the point and watched her friend’s laughter fall away. 

> Chapter XIV
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XIV

Things changed between the two friends. They’d always been the inseparable, but now they started appearing in public without one another. Dash ceased constantly covering for Fluttershy on the Airball field, letting the yellow Pegasi get pegged more often. Fluttershy eased up on tutoring Rainbow Dash, letting the pony’s grades to drop. The suspicion around the pair persisted but it was their attitude, rather than their denials, that stemmed the flow. It was a shame really; they had to stop being friends to ease the accusations.
Their private life was another matter entirely. In their room the pair were closer than ever, talking and sharing their feelings. Fluttershy also joined Dash for more nighttime flying. Their friendship shifted from one of childhood bliss to lifetime companionship.
Dash started fighting again though. The badgering had stopped, but the air surrounding her hadn’t. Her hygiene took a nosedive as she frequently skipped showers and even meals. Rumors began to circulate that Dash was experimenting with new, black market stimulants, or practicing some dangerous move forbidden at the school.
In reality, only Fluttershy knew the heartbreaking truth. Dash was spending every spare moment she had with her mother. Firefly seemed to be in and out of the hospital every other day now, fighting her cancer with everything she had. It wasn’t enough. Dash was using all her free time, including showers, to either fly back home or into Cloudsdale. She was becoming a more proficient flyer, stronger and faster, but it was taking its toll on the young filly. 
She was falling asleep in classes, which didn’t help her already dismal grades. More frequently Fluttershy was awakened to the sound of her best friend having a nightmare, screaming in bed or crying in her sleep; sometime both. There wasn’t much she could do except climb into her friend’s bed and hum “Hush Now, Quiet Now” until they both drifted back into the restless grip of unconsciousness. 
Fluttershy did her own share of crying. The other ponies weren’t picking on her; it was worse than that. She’d gone back to being invisible. When she wasn’t with Rainbow Dash she wasn't any pony worth noticing. When she joined her friend, she put them both at risk. Three days ago during Airball practice Rainbow Dash intercepted a particularly nasty speedball that headed Fluttershy’s direction. She’d nailed it, but crashed into the ground, inspiring jeers from their teammates. Hoops, in a particularly lazy moment, kicked a ball at Fluttershy. It hit her in the face, causing a lovely black eye. Dash saw the whole thing and went after Hoops like a banshee. Coach stopped her before she had a chance, sending both Dash and Fluttershy inside. 
The pair sullenly stewed in the nurse’s office, one with a bruised eye, the other with a bruised ego, neither saying a word. Perhaps if they had been a little older, or more experienced, they could have felt it approaching. If they did perchance feel it, they may have just chalked it up to the taste of late spring. As it was, they didn’t recognize the electric charge in the air for what it really was. There was a storm coming.

***** 

“Ugh.” Rainbow Dash smacked her head against her desk again. “Midterms SUCK!”

“It’s not so bad.” Fluttershy rolled the pencil in her mouth, wincing. Her black eye was still tender. 

“Yes it is. When am I ever going to use pre-Equestrian History? It’s not like I plan on becoming Commander Hurricane.” 

“Oh thank goodness.” Fluttershy giggled. But her heart wasn’t in it. 

The pair sat in the vacated homeroom, studying over their lunch period. Cramming for a test was more of Dash’s style than Fluttershy’s, but the yellow filly had found even her own grades to be lax the past few weeks. She was working to maintain her GPA; Dash was struggling just to stay in school. 
They weren’t so interested in books, however. The gorgeous spring air was perfect for flying, with sweet, exotic updrafts coming from the Everfree Forest. Other Pegasi romped and raced around the yard outside, while the two friends sat cloistered in their school. 

“I’m sick of this.” Dash headed for the door. “Let’s get some air.”

“But… midterms…” Fluttershy started. 

“Relax, will ya? We’ll be back in, like, ten seconds flat.” 

The pair enjoyed the remainder of the lunch break, strolling in the sunny air. Pegasi schools had an elongated lunch period to compensate for higher caloric intake. Most of the students learned to eat faster so that they could play longer. Routine had turned into tradition after a while. 
Dash walked out first, the glare in her eyes blinding her to the crowds. There were more students on the Airball field than usual this afternoon. As soon as the rainbow pony stepped through the door, all heads turned her direction. 

Still blinking back the sun, Dash turned to her left. “I’m going to get some water. I’ll catch up.”

“Alright.” Fluttershy stood alone.

Her choice was simple: continue standing there and look like an idiot, or find something to do and possibly avert some of the gazes in her direction. She chose the later, but it wasn’t easy. Fluttershy wasn’t good at sports, especially with a teacher not around to make sure the other students didn’t gang up on her. She was an incredibly weak flyer, so mock dog fighting was out. Instead she focused on a leaf blowing across her path. It was stupid, but it would occupy her time. Almost happily she began to follow the leaf.
Fluttershy tripped. It wasn’t much, but it was the sign of weakness that predators searched for. They were on her instantaneously, and not just the usual trio. Laughter rose up from her classmates, callous and spiteful. Fluttershy began to break her record streak of tearlessness for the week. Just as the shadows of despair threatened to over take her, a new shadow fell across her face.

“Hey! Leave her alone!”

“Ooh, what are you going to do about it, Pigsty?” The crowd parted as Hoops made his way forward. 

“Keep making fun of her and find out!” snapped Dash.

“Dashie, don’t…” Fluttershy warned. 

“Yeah, ‘Dashie’. Don’t.”

Rainbow Dash wanted to glare at Fluttershy. She’d given away Dash’s special name, the name that only her mother used. Fluttershy had gotten away with it for so long, and now she’d sullied it by throwing it to the proverbial Diamond Dogs.
Dash cocked her wings, ready to sprint right into Hoops’ face. She didn’t care if she got expelled or not, it was time to finish this punk off for good. Hoops must have seen it to, because his eyes widened behind his mane, just a little. 

“Alright, hold your horses.” Coach McHard Cheese had Dash by the wings. “You two have been trying to one up each other all semester, and I’m sick of it.”

“The time for words is over, Coach!” Dash’s voice cracked as she lunged at Hoops, regardless that she was dangling in mid air.

“I don’t know what her problem is, Coach. I’m just an innocent bystander.” Hoops offered.

“Cut the manure.” Coach laughed. “You’re the biggest troublemaker in this school. You’re just enough smarter than your friends that you don’t get caught. You’ve been rattling Fluttershy’s cage since before Dash got here.”

“It’s not Klutzershy that I have a problem with.” glared Hoops.

“You just can’t stand that Rainbow Dash is a better flyer than you are.” Fluttershy offered up, finding the courage somewhere deep inside. 

“Oh yeah?” he laughed, staring at Dash. “Prove it.”

“Gladly!” Dash began her wriggling anew. “Coach, let me at him!”

“Oh I will.” Coach set her down, grinning. “But you two will settle this in the ancient Pegasi custom: a sky race.”

“Bring it on.” Dash smirked. The race was as good as won. 

“Gladly.” Hoops mocked Dash’s earlier comment. 

In reality, the young stallion felt anything but ready to face Rainbow Dash. He’d seen her race; she was fast. But Coach was right as well. Hoops was indeed clever. If he couldn’t beat Dash outright, he’d just have to cheat. And there was always some pony he could rely on to be a klutz at just the right moment.

“We need a starter.” He glared at Fluttershy.

“Me? Oh no, I couldn’t.” Fluttershy backed away. “Coach, you do it.”

“It’s a race between you kids.” Coach chawed his tobacco. “You’re going to have to do it. I can’t be involved. Unless some pony else steps in for you.” 

Fluttershy looked around. No pony spoke up, no pony stepped in. Her only friend smiled back sadly with those magenta eyes. Fluttershy was on her own. Like it or not, she’d have to have a hoof in defending herself this time. Squaring her shoulders, Fluttershy stepped forward.

“Alright.” 

In reality she slunk back, her answer barely registering at a decibel ponies could hear. But Dash recognized her bravery, and tried to offer support. 

“Good, it’s settled. I’ll meet you at the point in five.” 

Hoops and his crew trotted off, taking most of the school body with them. Even Coach headed in his own direction. Just what was the old pony playing at? That only left Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy standing on the field all on their own. 

“I can’t do this.” Fluttershy was trembling like a leaf. 

“Sure you can, it’s easy. You just wave the flag.” Dash nuzzled her friend in a rare moment of public affection.

“What if I mess up? Every pony will be staring at me.” Fluttershy commended herself for not crying. Almost.

“Fluttershy.” Dash lifted her chin, drawing the older filly to meet her gaze. “It’ll be fine. Trust me.”

“Aren’t you scared?” Fluttershy admired her friend’s courage. She could never be that brave.

“Of Hoops? Nah. I could beat him with one wing tied behind my back.” Dash brushed it off. “Come on, it’s time to go.”

The setup was simple. Fluttershy stood on the point with the flag in her mouth. Of course it was the finish flag, but they were on a budget. Hoops and Rainbow Dash lined up, ready to annihilate one another. Most of the school had emerged to watch. Races were strictly off limits, especially grudge matches. Any pony caught would be suspended for a week. 
That hadn’t stopped most of the teacher from joining in with the spectators. It was said that the Pegasi invented racing. All ponies could run, but only Pegasi could fly. Which Dash always thought was a stupid saying, but she understood the sentiment.

“See you at the finish line.” Barked Dash.

“I don’t think do, Rainbow Crash.”

The wind stilled to almost nothing as the two Pegasi prepared to duel. Dash pawed the ground, as if that would help. Her insides tightened up, like a ball of energy preparing to be unwound. Fluttershy raised her flag high, visibly shaking with nerves. Hoops grinned. Fluttershy dropped the flag. And Rainbow Dash was gone. 
Hoops blinked. He’d forgotten just how astonishingly fast Dash was. She very simply just vanished. But he was fast too.  His wings thrummed into overdrive, his extra muscle mass making up for Dash’s pure speed. He could run her down if he had to. But fortunately he had a surprise. 
As he passed the point, he lightly brushed Fluttershy’s nose with his wingtip before returning to Dash’s trail. Fluttershy wiggled her nose, unsure what had just happened. Hoops was hot on Dash’s heels when he heard a sneeze from above. Up top, Fluttershy had disappeared, just like the two racers. 

“Huh. I guess she wanted in on the race after all.” One of the ponies observed.

Fluttershy had not wanted in on it, however. What had really happened when she sneezed was worse. Shed stepped back, missed, and fallen off the point. Currently she was upside down and tumbling rapidly to the earth, still too busy choking out little sneezes to see straight. 
As Dash completed her second barrel roll, turning into the long straight away to the south of the school, Fluttershy stopped sneezing long enough to notice she was falling. Then the screaming began. Unfortunately for her she was already too far away from the school for any pony to hear her. She whizzed down past Dash and Hoops on their third lap. 

“Wasn’t that your friend?” Hoops laughed, using the moment to pass a shocked Rainbow Dash and take the lead. 

“Fluttershy?” Dash still couldn’t believe her ears as the rapidly descending pony fell from sight. “Fluttershy!” Dash took a nosedive, her wings pumping to air, begging for more speed. Tears began to sting her eyes. Where were her goggles? “Fluttershy, open your wings!”

Where was she? Dash was certain she’d fallen through this particular cloud. She couldn’t see, but the ground would be very close by the time she broke through the cloudbank. And she was right. At just over a thousand feet the ground was much closer than Dash had ever seen it on her own. The Equestrian Mountains already loomed overhead, with the Everfree Forest looking anything but inviting, especially at her current rate of decent. But where was--
There! Fluttershy was a few degrees starboard, flapping for everything she was worth. It wasn’t much. She would have made better progress if she’d simply tried to glide down. Her legs kicked as if she could run out of her current situation. And she was still a few hundred feet below Dash. It was sad, really. They were both about to die and Dash wouldn’t have the chance to tell Fluttershy how funny she looked. 
Dash stopped flapping and concentrated on angling her dive. She might make it, but it was going to be close. She’d never tried to bank speeds this high. She wasn't sure what would happen. 
Five hundred feet. Strange thoughts filled her mind. She wished she’d studied more for her midterms. She wondered what the holes in Swiss cheese tasted like. But mostly she thought of her mother. Dash wished she’d had one last chance to say good bye, rather than the sullen ‘bye, mom’ she’d curtly offered at their last parting. 
Trees were whizzing past now. Something inside Dash’s wing pulled loose, and she hoped it wasn’t broken. Absently she realized that she actually had used her Equestrian Equations to complete her bank, and wished that her physical performance could be counted on the exam. But then she didn’t have time to think anything as she became very acquainted with a fluffy yellow blob, then the ground and then nothingness. 

“Dashie?” 

Her mother was trying to wake her again. She’d been late for school three times this week, and she couldn’t do it again. But that didn’t matter. All she wanted to do was sleep. 

“Dashie!”

“Not now, Mom. Give me five more minutes.”

Why did Dash’s body hurt so badly? She hadn’t thought that a street game of Airball could be so rough. Her right wing hurt really bad too. Maybe her family was right and it was time to stop acting like such a tomboy? But then who would kick all the boys’ flanks?

“Rainbow Dash!”

Wait a moment, that wasn’t Firefly’s voice. What was going on here? Dash sat up panting, suddenly very afraid. She was someplace dark, with strange noises and even stranger smells. The air didn’t have that manufactured sent from the Weather Factory. Rather, this smelled wild and untamed. There was also a chill that accompanied the evening, even with the late spring. 
Wait, evening? Dash took a closer look at her surroundings, taking them in. Tree branches were snapped at an angle that lined up perfectly with the crater she found herself in. There was a distinctive lack of dust in the air however, or falling limbs that indicated she’d just crashed. The sun, far too low in the sky for noontime, also clued her into the passage of time. Finally she settled on a yellow Pegasi hiding behind her pink mane. 

“Fluttershy?” Dash choked, her voice horse. 

“Oh, Rainbow Dash! I’m so glad you are awake!” Fluttershy hugged her, causing her to wince. 

“How long was I out?” 

“A few hours. I was very worried. I took care of you.”

“What happened?” Dash tried to gather her feet under her. They were terribly shaky. 

“You caught me just before I crashed. Well, you crashed. We both crashed. But you saved my life!” Fluttershy was as bouncy as a foal, glad to not be alone any more. 

“Okay, calm down. I’ll have us out of here in a jiffy.” 

Dash spread her wings. That ended up being a mistake as she bit her lip to stop from screaming, her knees gong weak. 

“What’s wrong?” Fluttershy rushed to her side. 

“My wing.” Dash gasped. 

“Oh my, let me have a look.” Fluttershy gingerly pulled at the appendage, prodding it and listening to Dash’s reactions. “I don’t think anything is broken, but I think you may have hurt a muscle very badly. Maybe even torn something.”

“In other words.” Dash looked around. “We’re stuck here and going nowhere fast.” 

“Yes.” The single word sounded far braver than Fluttershy felt. She was still quaking, but at least she hadn’t broken down in terror. Yet.

“Where are we, anyways?” 

“The Everfree Forest.”

> Chapter XV
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XV

Fluttershy had never stayed up so late before. Not since that night in Cloudsdale. Even when she went flying with Rainbow Dash, she managed to get them back inside and into bed at a reasonable time. They needed to be well rested for school, or other activities. Wandering around so long after dark was not a notion that filled her with great confidence, especially when the place that they were wandering was the Everfree Forest. 
Somewhere is the distance a screech owl made its presence known. Something snapped just beyond the tree line, stalking them from the underbrush. Fluttershy sidestepped, bumping into Rainbow Dash’s bad wing. The younger pony hissed in pain, glaring at her friend. She enjoyed walking even less than Fluttershy. Her wing was busted, her feet hurt, and she couldn’t see. Equine physiology was designed with night vision in mind, yet the dense canopy prevented even the faintest traces of starlight from filtering down to the two ponies. Precious hours were slipping by, and they were no closer to finding their way out of the forest than when they’d begun. 
The murky woods provided the perfect backdrop for ghost stories and tales of horror, told at campouts all around Equestria. Foals hid themselves under their blankets at the very name of the Everfree Forest, conjuring up images of buzzards that buzzed and lions that lied; of manticores and cockatrices just prowling the gloomy depths, waiting to gobble up some young, unsuspecting pony.
The problem for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, however, was that they were not sitting around a campfire roasting swamp mallows, enjoying a good scare for fun. They were smack dab in one of the five most dangerous places on the planet. So many ponies had been lost in the Everfree Forest over the centuries that search and rescue refused to send out search parties, instead declaring the poor souls deceased and without hope.
Rainbow Dash wasn’t giving up though. She saw this forest and its offerings; she was unimpressed. Skystriker was an ex-Royal Guard; he would refuse to give up until he found them. The thought of her father losing both the women in his life in such a short span pushed Dash further. Her father would find them. That is, if he even noticed she was gone at all. Would her mother even know? Would it break her already wounded heart?

“Rainbow Dash?” asked Fluttershy.

“Yeah?” the forest seemed to eat her words. Sound didn’t carry down here like it did in the air.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Why?”

“Well, you’ve just stopped, that’s all.” Fluttershy stepped closer, if that were at all possible. 

“I was just thinking about my dad. And my mom.” The last words trailed off. 

“Oh.” The pair still stood there, listening to the life around them. 

“Tell me about your parents.” Dash continued, trying to take her mind off of the ailing Firefly. 

“There’s… there’s really nothing to tell.” This was the one subject Fluttershy never discussed with any pony; not even Rainbow Dash. 

“You lived in Manehattan before, right?”

“My father still lives there.” nodded Fluttershy. 

“Then why are you going to school in Cloudsdale, instead of a flying school there?”

“He doesn’t--” Fluttershy choked, hanging her head in shame. 

“Hey, it’s okay.” Rainbow Dash looked up into her friend’s face. “It’s me. I promise, Fluttershy, I will never make fun of you.” 

“He can’t stand me.” Fluttershy looked up from behind her hanging bangs. 

“What? That’s ridiculous! Who couldn’t stand you?”

“Oh no, I don’t blame him at all.” Fluttershy jumped to her father’s defense. “Sometimes I can’t stand being around me either. I’m such a loudmouth and a klutz, and I can be quite reckless. But the worst part is when I look in the mirror.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Dash didn’t know whether to laugh or by angry. She promised not to laugh, but she couldn’t be angry with her best friend; not while she was admitting her faults. “Fluttershy, you’re beautiful. You’re the most amazing, kind-hearted and quiet pony I’ve ever met. How could any pony not like the way you look?”

“Because I look like her.” 

“Who’s ‘her’?”

“My mother.” Fluttershy whispered. 

“Your mother.” Dash remembered what her friend had told her. "What was her name?"

"Posey."

“She died, right?” Fluttershy nodded. “I’m sorry, Fluttershy. That must have been rough. But what does it matter if you look like your mom or not?”

“You don’t get it, Rainbow Dash! You don’t look like your mother. Firefly is exactly like you, but you’re not her copy. I don't just look just like my mother, I'm identical! The same hair, the same coat, the same eyes. I bet we’ll even have the same Cutie Mark. My mother was kind and loving and protected life wherever she found it. But my father is a hard stallion, and hasn’t smiled once in his whole life. When my mother died, he was left with a daughter that he didn’t even know, that looked exactly like the mare he loved. He blamed me for my mother’s death. He couldn’t stand looking at me, so he sent me away.” 

“Fluttershy,” Dash stared. “I… I had no idea.”

“How could you? How could any pony?” Fluttershy was shouting in her own way, anguish pouring forth, yet Dash had to strain to hear every word. “How could he? How could he, Dashie? I’m his daughter! All I ever wanted was for him to love me. I would have been his servant if he let me. I'd clean the house and sleep in the yard. I would beg for his forgiveness. I would have gladly done anything he asked if he had just loved me.”

Fluttershy finally broke down crying, the weight of shame finally abated. Dash hugged her friend, listening closely for predators that the crying might attract. So far though she’d seen nothing larger than a cricket. There was something out there, however, watching them with beady little eyes. 

“It’s okay, Fluttershy. It’s not your fault.” Dash cooed. 

“No, Dash. It is.” The pink-haired friend pulled away.

“No it’s not. Bad things happen. Dad says ponies die, and it’s no pony’s fault.” 

“This isn’t like that, Dash. There’s something I have to tell you, but if I do so, you’ll never be my friend again.”

“As if!” laughed Dash. 

“No, I’m serious, Rainbow Dash. I just want you to know that you’re the best friend any girl could ever have, and before you leave me here, I want to tell you thank you for everything.” 

“Fluttershy, what is this about?” Dash scoffed, perplexed. 

“I killed my mother.” 

The words came so suddenly and out of the blue that Dash hadn’t even recognized the statement till long after they passed. Even then they didn’t register. Fluttershy killing anything, let alone her own mother, was a natural impossibility. Dash doubted her friend would have the mental fortitude to snap a bear’s neck, even if it was about to eat her. So murder was absolutely out of the question. And her own mother?

“Wait,” Dash finally found her voice. “What?”

“I killed--”

“I heard that part.” Interrupted Dash. “Fluttershy, go back. Start at the beginning.”

Fluttershy sighed and began walking again. She didn't start talking straight away, but instead rolled her tongue in her mouth, as if trying to recall memories long locked away.

“It was three years ago. I was a much younger pony then, smaller even than you. We were living in our Manehattan loft. My mother was a very important pony that everyone wanted to know. She used to direct art shows and hold parties and thing. But after what happened at my old school she stayed home and taught me. And I loved every single minute of it." Fluttershy sighed, remembering. "One day my mother received a strange telegram from some old friends. She didn’t say what was happening, but it was the only time I had ever heard my mother shout. My father tried to calm her, but she was inconsolable, and said horrible things to him. 
"I was scared; my parents never fought. My mother simply cried and my father remained stoic as always. But that day something changed within my mother. That note made her twenty years younger and brought out a fire in her eye that I’d never seen before. She reminded me of Firefly.” Fluttershy smiled. 

She paused for a moment, struggling to fly Rainbow Dash over a large, scaly bolder. Dash was unceremoniously hauled up and over as Fluttershy grunted, working her under-used wings. Once Dash was over the crest, they both tumbled back down to solid ground, not without their fair share of new cuts and bruises. Their underbrush stalker went around the bolder, still hunting them just out of sight. 

“Then what happened?” asked Dash, brushing herself off. 

“My mother began packing. My father went to work, and she told me to stay in the house until he returned. I was afraid; I’d never been alone at home before. The maid wasn't even there! So I did the bravest thing I had ever done in my life till that point. I got up and followed my mother all the way to the train station. She stopped at the bank along the way and came out with another bag. When she boarded the train I panicked and jumped on.” 

Fluttershy paused. How much did she want to tell Rainbow Dash? If she stopped now everything would still be the same; she'd still have their friendship. But one look at Dash's face and Fluttershy knew she had to keep going, if not for her friend then for herself. 

“Several hours later we arrived at this little town called Ponyville. That was where the telegram was from. I followed her through town; she seemed to know the way.  A few minutes later she stopped at some farm and talked with the ponies there. They pointed her further into the strange country. I had never been any place that wasn’t a Manehattan sky rise loft. The rolling hills and grasses were just beautiful as the wind rushed through my mane. I felt like singing. That is, until I saw the darkest and most terrifying woods I’d ever seen in my life.”

“The Everfree Forest?”

“The Everfree Forest.” Fluttershy nodded.

“I remember the first time I saw it. Mommy said dragons live there.” Dash recalled, swallowing loudly. “I mean, live here.”

“She’s not wrong.” Fluttershy continued. “As my mother entered the woods, I couldn’t decide what to do. Should I run for help, or follow her in? I couldn’t lose sight of my mother for an instant, not with her going into those woods.” Fluttershy looked around. “These woods. I was so scared. I just kept following and walking. It was dark by the time I bumped into my mother. She didn’t notice; she just kept staring up, transfixed. I couldn’t see what she was looking at, but I heard the voice.”

“What was it?” Dash stopped. They’d reached a moss-covered cliff wall and would have to find another way around. 

“It was the most horrible sound I’ve ever heard. It reverberated through my whole body, deep and long. But there was a higher vocal quality that sounded like hooves on a chalkboard. I immediately hid under my mother’s tail, trying to get the voice out of my head.” 

“But what did it say?” asked Rainbow Dash. 

“It demanded to know why a pony would disturb its slumber. My mother introduced herself, and offered an entire suitcase of gold she’d withdrawn from the bank. Then she asked about a ‘cure’ and the voice became angry. The entire forest shook, coming alive as it shifted like noon shadows.  I cowered like a fool even further, but I peeked out just enough to see the most massive dragon that ever existed.”

“A dragon? In Equestria?” Dash tried to recall her history lessons. 

“Yes, and he was terrifying. My mother bravely stood her ground, demanding what she’d come for. The dragon became furious. I didn’t follow much of the conversation, but my mother swished her tail and kicked me away. She knew I was there after all. I couldn’t leave her side so I turned back, but then I had to stop. She was looking right at me, her eyes filled with such love and kindness. She only said one word: ‘Run.’ So I did. When I looked back she was watching me, not the dragon; not the teeth. I heard her say 'I love you.' At least, I think I heard her. Then there was the slap of blood across my face and that was it... she was gone.” 

Fluttershy didn’t bother hiding the tears rolling down her cheeks. She was close to hyperventilating, reliving her most traumatic memory. All color had drained from her pelt. The nightmare that had plagued her for so long was real.

“There was a sound, a crashing of trees. I stopped running; I couldn't move. I don't remember anything after that except for the feeling of flying and of pink fur. I woke up at home, and two Royal Guards were there speaking with my father. He hasn't looked at me since.” 

“But, Fluttershy.” Dash cocked her head. “That wasn’t your fault at all. It was the dragon’s.” 

“No, it wasn’t! It was my fault! If I hadn’t been such a coward, I could have done something. If I hadn't left school she wouldn't have been there to receive the telegram. I could have taken my mother’s place. I should have done anything else but hide and run.” 

“Okay, Fluttershy.” Dash hugged her friend. The deep secret was finally out in the open, and Fluttershy let the last of her tears run free. “It’s okay.” 

“No it’s not, Dashie. I killed my own mother. How can you stand to even look at me?”

“Because no matter what you think, it doesn’t change facts. You didn’t kill your mother, and you’re still my best friend.” 

There was a rustle of wind in the trees as it started raining. The pair stood in silence, simply holding each other. But Dash noticed something weird. Usually when it rained the temperature became colder. Yet here in the forest the opposite was true. Even some of the rain itself felt strange, thick and viscose. It didn’t fall like the other raindrops. Why was it even raining at all? Shouldn’t the tree cover protect them? 
Dash looked up. The cliff face jutted out at strange angles, continuing on long past where it should have stopped. A serpentine bridge curved upwards, far beyond the canopy. The strange liquid was coming from the ivory stalactites far overhead. There were lights at the very top of the crest, like smoldering campfires in the night. Then the entire mountain moved. 
The half-starved jackal that had been stalking them for the better part of the past hour took that moment to try his luck with the two fillies. Leaping from the undergrowth he snarled, ready for a fresh meal. Both girls screamed, neither ready for a fight in the dark. The jackal had them dead to rights. Or he would have if he'd been there any longer. A massive rock slammed down, crashing him flat. Then the rocky crag retreated, drawing massive furrows in the ground. What was happening? Rocks didn't move.

“Uh, Fluttershy?” Dash prayed that the strange rocks were actually rocks.

“Oh, Celestia. It’s him!”

With a reptilian shift, all the pieces fell into place. The mountain wasn’t a natural formation at all. The boulders wasn’t a rock but instead a massive toe; the cliff face was a massive underbelly. And the stalactites were fangs longer than a carriage. As the head snaked its way closer to the ground, Dash could pick out the individual characteristics that accumulated with time. Long scars raked across the massive muzzle, while the once powerful eyes were reduced to frosted cataracts. 
Still, there was no mistaking the powerful jaw, dapple coloration or simply the sheer size. This was a dragon far older than any other mortal creature, having faced more enemies in battle than the world had ever seen before, whose very name was forbidden in Canterlot theaters, and tales of which were taboo for children to hear. Dash watched in morbid fascination as a myth came to life before her very eyes. 

“Apollyon.”
> Chapter XVI
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XVI

Words.

There were no words.

No sound the mouth could produce, no thought the mind could contemplate, no horror the soul could imagine could ever approach the epitome of that moment. Time itself stood almost completely still for the two fillies as they started at death itself rising from the forest floor. The very personification of nightmares, Hades' greatest son, the warlord that had faced a thousand battles and won. 
Dash felt light headed. She needed to remember to breathe, but her body refused to obey. She could no nothing but gaze upon the lonely mountain before them, her mind refusing to cement reality. This simply could not be happening; it was a farce or a nightmare. Or she was dead. Death would be preferable to living in a world where such a monster still existed. The Jackal she could wrap her mind around. The predators, the bullies, even the death of her own mother. She didn't like them, but they were true; they shaped the world into what it was. 
But this? Him? He was a legend, a metaphor. Something reverends screamed fire and brimstone about in worship service. Celestia and Apollyon, the last battle, the final judgment. How, how could he be real?!
Fluttershy watched and studied. No shivering; no tears. The terror that should stab its icy talons into her heart never materialized. She felt no fear, nor joy, nor happiness, nor sorrow. She felt... nothing. Had it come from facing the great beast before? Had he already done his worst? Unable to bring up any emotion, standing there with an empty heart and an open mind, she did the only logical thing she could think of. She began to study. 
Burnt red scales, once as golden red and the sunrise itself, now lay cracked and dulled, their iridescence long since lost. Parasites had moved in, sucking the blood from the cracks, sliding in-between the scales. Several had become infected, swollen with puss. Weeping lesions interwove with moss and mildew, leading to a dappled dance of death. The underbelly had long grown over, roots struggling to take hold, binding him to the ground from so long on his belly. 
The claws, once visages of legend, now hung cracked and broken. Age had turned the ivory talons of death into dark rotted reminders of former glories. The jackal, so recently crushed beneath the titanic paw, was already being consumed by the carrion eaters living in the hollow, rotting nails. 
A rumble filled the tree tops, a cracking sound of snapping limbs. The wings of death stretched, able to beat out a hurricane and blot out the sun herself. Twitching just a little, they gave a flap, sending dirt and grime falling from the sky. Fluttershy could see star light through the holes in the membranes, high above. The veins stood out on the paper-thin wings, now used for little more than regulating heat. His flying days were long over. 
The tail didn't twitch. It never moved, just laying there without a reaction. Once so expressive, so versatile, it lay like a limp rag, unable to move for all the gold in Equestria. Trailing her eyes along his back, Fluttershy spotted a massive crater just forward of his rear legs. Scales were snapped, torn and rent, many missing all together. The stench of gangrene poured forth, seeping down into the minor lesions and infections along his sides. Once, not so terribly long ago, something had broken his majestic back. This titan was paralyzed from the legs down.  
That was not to say he was defenseless. The head pivoted at the end of a massive neck that swung around at impossible speeds. Always watching, always listening, always sniffing, the head stood out far and above as the most dangerous of a dragon's weapons. The stood as round as an Airball field at the base, constantly on the move. Razor spines and healthy scales armored the snake-like appendage, working down to the head. That terrible head. Yet there was a subtle shake, an inability to keep steady, like a new born foal on its first legs. 
The teeth. Every pony always looked at the teeth first, longer than Princess Celestia herself. Once serrated and sharp as crucible steel, they now combated dry rot and disease from within. Dull as they may have appeared, a crushing blow from one would still snap any enemy into pieces. Drool slid down the fangs, picking up the blood seeping from the gums and through the cracks, dripping off the ends before slapping the forest floor far below. Some were missing entirely, more evidence of the terrible incident that crippled his back. 
The nostrils flared, billowing smoke from the caldron chamber deep inside. The heat radiating from his belly kept the ponies well warmed on such a cold night; the temperature in those idle nostrils must have been enough to burn anything. Fluttershy couldn't imagine the full force of fire. She easily believed the legends about melting flesh from bone and transforming fertile land into glass. 
Finally she focused on the eyes. White and frosted by cataracts, he'd been blind for such a long time. That in no way indicated stupidity or helplessness. Unseeing though they may be, those eyes still held an intelligence and wisdom second only to the Goddess herself, and an evil surpassed by none. His eye might not work, but he still saw all and knew all. 
Fluttershy knew something too. Her eyes worked just fine, and while she may not have centuries or even years of experience behind her, she got straight A's. She was a smart filly, at the top of her class. And she knew death when she saw it. After bringing so much of it to others, the great equalizer was finally giving him a last call. He had seen his last sunset. Apollyon was dying. 

"Rainbow Dash."

The words would not sink through to the trembling blue pony. Was Fluttershy crazy? She'd bring ultimate wrath down on them both! How could she even possibly speak in his presence?

"Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy spoke gently, prodding her friend. 

Dash finally looked over at her friend, but still unable to peel her eyes away from the titanic terror before her. Her neck ached from looking so high up for so long. Finally they snapped away, instantly meeting with those of her friend. Fluttershy just smiled. 

"I don't... How can you...?"

"It's alright." Fluttershy reassured her. 

"Alright?! Fluttershy, RUN!" Dash spun in place, ready to bolt. Fluttershy tackled her, landing on her bad wing. 

"Rainbow Dash, no! You must never run from a dragon. Run and they will have no choice but to chase you."

"How do you know that?!" Dash crawled to her feet, heart about to beat out of her chest. She had to get out of here. 

"I read it in a book." Fluttershy said shyly. 

"Of course you did." 

There they stood, two ponies in the worst place in Equestria, next to the nightmare of legends. Nothing moved, nothing made a sound. Not that close to the dragon; not that dragon. The only thing they could hear was the occasional plink plink of rain on the canopy and the deep rumbling breathing of the mountain next to them. There was no where to go. Even if they left the danger zone of this catatonic demon, a feat that would require walking miles, they still had no idea where they were or where to go. So they gave into the inevitable, sat down and tried to rest. 
They didn't sleep. They couldn't sleep. Thought itself was barely possible this close to pure evil, let alone letting their guard down entirely. Dash tried to figure a way out, a path that would lead them home. She'd never been on land; she had no idea where any cities were, or farms, villages or hamlets. She could tell north by the starts, but what good did that do her without being in the air? Ground bound as she was, Dash would have been just as lost in the middle of an open field. The dense, impenetrable forest didn't make the matter any worse. 
Fluttershy lost herself to thought, reliving memories long ago. Things she thought she'd blocked out, images she'd refused to see. The smash of teeth, the crunch of bone, the flay of flesh, the spray of blood. She could still feel the warm trickle down her cheek; still feel her eyes quiver in disbelief. She remembered floating away on a cloud of pink and blue. But mostly she remembered her mother, the last look of kindness and mercy on her face, and her final words. 

"I love you." 

"Huh?" Dash asked, coming out of her daze. 

"'I love you.' Those were the last words my mother ever spoke. And she looked right at me when she said them. For years I thought I'd made it up, or that I was remembering wrong. The psychologists my father sent me to sure tried to convince me of that. But no, I remember. That was what she said." Fluttershy stood and faced the dragon. "Just before he ate her?"

"That... Fluttershy, I don't get it. How can you be so calm?" Dash stood next to her friend. "If I was able to see cancer I'd buck it right in the teeth with everything I had. But you, you're actually facing the... thing that killed your mother. How can you be so kind?"

"You think this is kindness, Rainbow Dash? You take my lack of screaming and shouting as forgiveness? No, I've lost yet again. I will not have revenge, or vengeance, or a screaming fit. There's no reason to now."

"What do you mean?"

"Dashie, look at him. Really look." Fluttershy gestured to the growling fortress before them. "He's dying. He took something from me, some pony I can never get back. Just because he could, because he had the power, because she was there. But look at him now. All that power, all that strength, all those years and where does it get him? Celestia's greatest nemesis, and he's dying, alone, in a jungle three thousand miles from his home. And no one will know about it but two little ponies." Fluttershy sighed. "Come on, let's go." 

The clearing was not a small one, now that they began to walk away. Trees that had once lived here were trampled flaw. Flash and scorch marks pocketed the ground, turning the earth to glass that crunched beneath their hooves. This site, unnatural in its devastation, had once been the site of a great battle. Possibly the same battle that had paralyzed the great dragon, toppling him where he now lay. 
Yet even now there was hope. Life returned, little tendrils of green reaching through the radioactive glass. No forest as wild as this one is so easily tamed, not by an alicorn and certainly not by a dragon. The Everfree Forest would bow to no creature. It cared not for stature or power to intention. It was all consuming, unstoppable. Everywhere it went life spread in its path. Ponies could attack it, dragons could hide it, but no force could stop life. Not even death.
Fluttershy observed the ferns that refused to be held back. They would go on, they would live and breed and die. That did not mean they never existed. Indeed, to that fern every day it was alive was a very important day. 
She would survive. Dash would survive. They would get out of this forest and return home. Like the fern every day was important. 

"I'm not going to die here." Fluttershy set an edge to her voice. Her statement was fact.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I escaped this forest once before. And we're going to do it again, together!"

"Yeah!" Dash smiled, looking into her friend's face. Fluttershy was right, they were survivors. No matter what it took they'd make it home. "Hey Fluttershy? I was thinking."

"What about, Dashie?"

"Well, you said to never run from a dragon, right?"

"Oh yes, it is a very bad idea."

"But didn't your mother tell you to run?"

"Yes."

"So how did you outrun the Apollyon?"

Fluttershy stopped and Dash ran into her rump. Fluttershy didn't notice, she was busy trying to remember. Cocking her head she replayed her mother's death over and over in her mind. How did she outrun Apollyon?"

"She didn't."

The sound came from the deepest pit on the darkest star in the emptiest speck in the galaxy. It was a sound of crushing rock, a warbling cough of a blizzard in an avalanche. Icy and cold, every word dripped of stolen magic, a generation of unseen things that would melt the soul. It was a voice not heard in centuries, an echo of the past that only three ponies remaining alive had ever laid ears to. One of them was currently locked away in the moon, the other dying at home. 
The third could not raise the sun fast enough for Rainbow Dash's comfort. The unholy screech of words sent chills down her spine for one solid minute.  Once she finally got her legs under control she was able to turn. 
Apollyon was huge. Really. Bucking. Huge. As far as the pair had walked from his main body, he only had to crane his neck a bit to meet them face to face. Now it was Dash's turn to relive her bowels. The ultimate predator, he was impossible to fight, impossible to kill and impossible to outrun. A fact made all the more poignant because Flutttershy somehow had. 
Now she was face to massive face, once more within striking distance of those incredible jaws. His breath did indeed burn, but the stench of the beast up close stank of rot and death. It was a punch to the gut to breath in the disease filled air. 
Still, even now Fluttershy kept her head. The monster leaned in close, sniffing hard. Fluttershy's mane whipped back and forth in the artificial breeze. She could just reach out and touch the snout of the animal. Then he pulled his lips back into a most terrible vestige with a smile.

"She escaped."

> Chapter XVII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XVII

The voice; that voice! The same voice from three years ago. Fluttershy's eyes went huge as she flashed back. She couldn't make out the conversation, but she could hear the tone. Posy stood at the edge of a clearing, speaking loudly with... something. Something that killed her. Something that was going to kill her daughter. That voice haunted her dreams for years. She'd managed to forget it. Rainbow Dash had chased the fears away. Except now they weren't just memories that couldn't hurt her; they were real.
Dash, who had never heard the immortal sound of Apollyon before, was certainly struck by his power but was by no means locked in a backwash of fever dreams. If anything the fact that he spoke made him less terrifying. If he could speak than he wasn't all evil... right?

"What do you mean?" Dash piped up, mustering every last reserve of courage she held. She'd probably turn into a fainting goat after this. "How did she escape?"

"She had help."

"I don't understand. From who?"

"You."

"What? That's impossible." Confusion and curiosity began to override fear. "I just met Fluttershy last year. She's my best friend, but I didn't even know her when her mom died, let alone help her!"

Apollyon never took his eyes off Fluttershy. They no longer worked, but predator programming was hardwired in, and his eyes would zero in on prey. Now though he shifted his attentions to the smaller pony, the one who smelled of manure. 
Leaning in close Apollyon smelled the other pony as well, sniffing hard. It was Dash's turn to have her mane caught up in the sudden whirlwind, snapping back and forth. She stood her ground, leaning into the breeze. And then just like that it was over. 

"Not you. Half of you."

"What?" Dash didn't understand. "What do you mean half of me? How can half a pony save any pony?

Realization snapped inside Fluttershy. The last piece of the puzzle fell into place. There were nightmares and horrors in the world, sure. There were terrible and awful things that happened to ponies. And there were terrific and awesome things that happened to ponies. Eventually the nightmares leave and are replaced with other dreams. Dreams of hope and love; of sailing away on fluffy pink clouds. 

"Your mother." she breathed, finally realizing the truth.

"What?"

"'Half of you.' He means your mother. She was there that day. Firefly saved me."

"Firefly..." Apollyon rumbled low and long. Fluttershy and Dash both covered their ears, cowering. "Tell me, Half of Firefly. Where is your progenitor, so that I may thank her?"

"Thank her?"

"SHE did this to me." Apollyon gestured back to his unmoving tail. His wings twitched. 

Rainbow Dash could believe her mother doing many things. Saving the world, taking out the garbage, beating up thugs. Even standing before Princess Celestia, all in stride. But crippling him?! There was a limit to even Dash's belief. 

"I don't--"

"Understand, yes, I know. Much you do not yet understand. Your short life is still ahead of you, while mine is all but finished. Tell me, Half of Firefly, is life precious because your time is short? Or is your time short because of the preciousness of life?"

"I... I don't..." Dash trailed off again, not wanting to anger the unseeing dragon. She stepped back again, further shattering the green glass under hoof.  Finally she drew the courage to speak freely. "All life is precious. Time has nothing to do with it."

"Time is everything, child. I have given rise to a hundred kingdoms and razed thousands to the ground. I have led armies that blotted out the sun, and I have brought goddesses to their knees in fear. I have birthed hundreds, protected thousands and slaughtered millions. I have seen countless eons pass while you? You have but seen days. Time is everything."

"No, I... I don't think so." stammered Dash. "Every pony's life is precious. It is what you do with it that makes your special; who you help, not hurt. What you remember, not regret. That's what my Mommy tells me anyways."

"And what do you know of the world?! Have you seen your brood trampled 'neath an equine heard? Have you seen your kind driven before the rising sun like dust the wind? I have, my little pony, and I stood not ideally by while our oppressors lorded over us. I made those mares take notice of me; of dragon kind. Every one of your 'precious' lives that I took ensured my kind would stay safe forever. And I spat in Celestia's eyes even while she blinded my own."

"That's awful!" Dash couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"Should I? Do you know why I came back to Equestria? Do you know why your mother crippled me, Half of Firefly?"

"No..." Dash crossed her legs. Was this dragon just crazy? 

"I came to watch the fall of Celestia at the hooves of her greatest failure. I came to watch the planet die, wrapped in eternal night."

"My mother stopped you!" Dash thought she had it.

"No. Your brood parents tricked and bloodied me, stoned and crippled me. Time is the one that stopped me. Your life is too short to understand eons; mine too long to understand years. I was thirty years too soon. I was here for this forest's creation, when the magic was ripped from the very fabric of this world. Now you shall outlive me unto the death of your 'Princess'."

"What does Princess Celestia have to do with this?"

"Celestia? Nothing. Your parents? Everything."

"Our parents?" Dash looked to the still-as-death Fluttershy.

"Firefly and the Wonderbolts and their Apple friends and so many tasty morsels sent to finish Celestia's dirty work. They burned with Dragon's Fire; they grew sick with age"

"Sick?" Dash shuddered, picturing her mother in the hospital. Her mind flashed back to class and the question of 'what eats ponies?'

"Your mothers thought to bargain my knowledge for useless trinkets of gold. I struck an accord more to my liking. I offered my knowledge of a cure in exchange..." Apollyon turned his full attention to Fluttershy. "For you." 

"What... what happened?" Dash asked carefully. Had she crash landed Fluttershy back into the jaws of death for a second time?

"Firefly. Once again that accursed flyer snatched victory from my grasp. I would have had them both if Posey had not interfered." 

"How dare you? What do you know about my mother?!" Fluttershy demanded, speaking up for the first time. She stamped her hooves into the ground, staring up at the cruel smile spreading across the dragon's lips. 

"Only that she was DELICIOUS!"

Horror found its way into Fluttershy's heart that day. Before she believed that there was some good in all creatures. Now she realized the truth. What dragons were truly, undeniably and without equal; evil. 
Apollyon lunged, ready to taste longed-for horse flesh for again. Fluttershy screamed, Rainbow Dash bucked, Apollyon hunted. His massive head moved with unearthly speed, as fast as a snake. He caught Dash by the wings, tossing her high into the air. He wouldn't even bother chewing with this one. With a snap Dash was gone. 
Fluttershy didn't see. She couldn't see anything but the ground and the air and the blood covered glass as she rolled along. Apollyon moved, lunging hard for her. He missed, sending her skidding further along. 
Inside the putrid rotting hold of the dragon's maw Dash fought to hold on. If she went down that wet firestorm of a throat she'd be dead. Sliding further backwards down the slime coated through she dug in with everything she had, refusing to die without a fight. 
Through the jagged, gapped teeth Dash could see Fluttershy running every time the dragon snapped at her. Finally he reared back, Dash's view going skywards. She began her final decent into the very heart of death.
Run. Just run. That was what her mother told her, so that's what she did. Fluttershy had no idea how to outrun Apollyon; not again. Not without help. Firefly had saved her from those final snapping jaws last time. Now there would be no reprieve, no saving. She just had to run or she'd die like her mother. 

"We have something in common, little Brood of Posey." Apollyon reared his neck back to its full height, standing far above the tree line. "Neither of us will ever see the sun again."

Apollyon struck with quicksilver speed, snaking his head down toward the fleeing pony. He could hear her hooves on the fragile ground, sense her panicked breathing. She would be an easy catch. Mouth agape, his forked tongue could already taste her scent on the air. 
Rainbow Dash got there first. Shooting from the monster's open jaw, she managed three flaps before her wing gave out entirely. Still, it was enough to launch her ahead of the dragon's fury. She careened into Fluttershy as the titan slammed into the ground just inches from her tail. 
The ground, weakened by years of slow rot, Dragon's Fire, titanic weight and radioactive glass fanned out in a spider web pattern, shattering on impact. The shockwave rolled up everything in its path, sending out a concussive wave of dirt, dust and silica. The two feathered ponies rolled along, helpless in the whirlwind. 
Apollyon fared far worse. Slamming into the ground at striking speed, his head broke through to the caverns beneath the forest. The splintering ground arced far back, crumbling beneath his helpless body. The mighty dragon began to fall, tipping forward into the pit and his own doom. His death roar never stopped till he hit the bottom, splitting his body and igniting a massive fireball. 

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash rolled to a stop at the tree line, Fluttershy slapping away the Dragon's teeth that surely had her. 

"Hey, it's me! Ow!" Dash held down her hooves, waiting for her friend to open her eyes. 

"Dashie? Oh Dashie, you were wonderful! You saved me jus like your mother!" Fluttershy hugged her neck.

"Yeah, I guess I diiIIIIII!!!" screamed Dash as the splintering ground gave way beneath them. 

Fluttershy landed on stable ground but Rainbow Dash had nothing, freefalling into the rolling torrent of flame. She tried her wings, but they would not save her this time. Helplessly, she watched her friend fall upwards and away. Skystriker couldn't save them; Firefly wouldn't be swooping in and saving the day. She'd survived the dragon only to fall to her death. 

"Bye, Fluttershy." Dash waved sadly. 

Only, she didn't die. In fact, she'd stopped falling entirely. Fluttershy held tightly to her hoof, refusing to let her friend fall, a strained look across her face. If Fluttershy could hold on, if she could hoist her up, then she might live. Dashed sighed in relief. Then she looked down.

"Fluttershy, PULL!  Oh Celestia, get me out of here!" Dash scrambled, the fireball rising incredibly fast. She might not fall, but she'd certainly be roasted alive. 

With a mad dash the two ponies scrambled out of the way just as the explosion swept past, sending a rolling green and orange fireball miles into the air, a signal to all that a legend was dead. And no one would believe the two little ponies that'd done it. 
They lay there for a while, bellies up, panting with fear and relief and exhaustion. The radioactive dust gently fell from the heavens, not enough to worry about later in life, but enough to resemble the snow of the pair's Cloudsdale adventure. Finally, when they could stand it no longer, they burst out in girlish giggles of relief. 

"I can't believe we're alive!" Dash exclaimed. 

"I know. He was so big!" 

"Did we really just do that?" 

"Yes." Fluttershy rolled over into a tight ball. "And I don't ever want to see another dragon ever again."

"Not even if they're a cute little baby dragon?" grinned Dash.

"There's no such thing. They're all huge, gigantic, terrifying, enormous, teeth gnashing, sharp scale having, horn wearing, smoke snoring, could eat a pony in one bite, totally all grown up dragons."

"Um, you sure about that? I'm not sure about that."

"Yes." Fluttershy responded, covering her face with her mane.

"Hey now, it's okay." Dash rolled over, hugging her friend. "It's all over. We won."

"Can we go home now?" Fluttershy peeked out.

"Sure, but we've got more walking. And I'm not sure where to go." 

"I don't mind, as long as we're together. There's nothing else in this forest that could possibly scare me."

"Unless it's another dragon?" teased Dash.

"Eep!" Fluttershy was hiding again. 

Dash just shook her head. She stood, offering a hoof. "Come on, scaredy cat. Let's go."

Nothing else bothered the two fillies the rest of their night in the dark wood. Aside from some intermittent rain the journey was completely quiet. The deadly explosion of Apollyon had sent shockwaves throughout the forest, both physical and magical, sending every other creature scattering of hunkering down for the night, waiting on the dawn. 
Several hours later, with sore hooves, tangled tails and exhausted eyes, the pair began to notice a lightening of the foliage. Before where it had been impossible to see and often meant bumping into trees and rocks, now it was just hard to see. The dense canopy was growing sporadic, and for the first time since Apollyon's clearing they could spy an occasional glimpse of starlight. 
Encouraged by this prospect they kept walking. Conversation had failed them hours ago, the need for sleep draining any other emotion except the drive to live. They could sleep once they were safely home. So the pair kept walking, occasionally bumping into one another at first, and then fully leaning against each other by the time they couldn't stand up straight. 
Finally they emerged as the gray sky began to give way to touches of pink. One by one the stars winked out just as suddenly as they had appeared. The two survivors walked away from the deadly jungle, conquerors. Before them stood the rolling hills of Equestria; above, Cloudsdale. 

"I need sleep, Dashie." Fluttershy whined. 

"Yeah." Dash smacked her lips, heavy eye lids already sagging shut.

They walked on, more out of motor habit than conscious thought. Cresting the hill they looked out over the tiny village of Ponyville. It was nothing but farms and homes, so small it didn't even have a railroad junction within fifty miles. The girls didn't care. Towns meant adults, and adults meant they could sleep. 
Staggering down the dusty road, Fluttershy took a tumble. It wasn't her first of the night, but certainly her third in the last twenty minutes. Dash was on her second. They couldn't go on. Off to the left, far removed from town, was a boarded up cottage. No pony had lived there in years. Run down and decrepit, the home needed paint and the garden weeding. 
Without saying a word the two girls both turned off the road, passing over the little run down bridge that creaked when they walked. They didn't even try the door; the boards would have been impossibly for them to remove even on their best days. Instead they tried the window.
There was a gap between the sill and the lowest board. Some pony hadn't put it on straight, and it left just enough room for two fillies to crawl through the broken window. Fluttershy went first, being careful of the glass. Gingerly she got her wings through, straddling the wall, feet off the ground on both ends. That was when she noticed her problem. 

"I'm stuck." she whispered.

"What?"

"I'm stuck." she whispered again. 

"Fluttershy, we don't have time for this." Dash was whining now.

"I can't get through, my rump is stuck." Fluttershy was larger, and older, yet still developing. Once again she cursed puberty. 

Dash mentioned something about 'plots' before planting her fore hooves on Fluttershy's flank and pushing. The older pony fell into a heap on the other side. Dash hopped in, making in through easily. Her wing was really throbbing now though. 
Inside the dust and grime hid itself well from the outside world. There wasn't much furniture left, just a few apple crates, some sheets and some old hay. Scooping the hay into a pile, Rainbow Dash lay down while Fluttershy dragged a sheet over. Neither of them had slept on the ground before, but they'd read that some ponies used hay as beds. It was a poor substitute to clouds in both their opinions. 
Curling up together, they both expected to be out instantly. Instead something flashed in Dash's eyes. Looking through the slat in the window Celestia's sun was just cresting the hill. The new day had come at last. 

"Look, Fluttershy. The sun." Dash scooped the lovely pink mane from her friend's aqua eye, spooning it behind her daintful ear. Snuggling in closer, she closed her eyes. "We made it." 

And with that they were both asleep. 
> Chapter XVIII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XVIII

Morning came, and went, without so much of a twitch from the two fillies. Curled so tightly around each other, they clung together like beacons of life in a sea of pain. Nightmares plagued both girls, visions of fire and scales, of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Both ponies saw their mothers in peril, and both were unable to save her. 
Without a princess of the night to guide their fears into a safe cove of slumber, nightmares ran rampant across Equestria, even for its smallest members. Fluttershy finally woke herself in the late afternoon, shivering and crying in her sleep, soaking her side of the hay with sweat. It took more than a few nudges to awaken her screaming companion. They both just sat there, looking upon the world with eyes far too old for fillies so young. 

"Are you okay, Dashie?" Fluttershy ducked her head, hiding behind her mane. 

"My wing hurts." Dash couldn't even move it. The pulled muscle had swelled up while she slept and Dash couldn't even open her wing without pain. "And I'm a little horse."

"You are." Ignoring the unintended joke, Fluttershy showed nothing but concern. "You were screaming in your sleep."

"I was having a nightmare." admitted Dash quietly. "I was dreaming of my mommy."

"It'll be okay." Fluttershy wrapped her in an embrace. 

"What about you?" asked Dash, pushing her away. "You're drenched!"

"I had a nightmare too..." Fluttershy looked away sadly. 

"Well we've got to get you cleaned up. Help me look around. Maybe we can find a raincloud for you to shower off with or something."

"I don't think they use clouds down here." Fluttershy stood, walking around the cottage, shivering all the while. 

"Well why the hay not? It's sure to be more sanit--saniter-- cleaner than anything these ponies have lying around."

"I don't see anything but old crates."

"There's got to be something!" Dash called from the second floor. 

For the first time Fluttershy got a good look at the inside of the former house. While still musty and dark, the high sun outside let in enough rays through the slats to see by. Obviously abandoned for some time, the cottage had once been a wonderful home, filled with love and family. Faded green and red paint began to peel from the walls, tacky to the touch. Several apple motifs matched the abandoned broken crates. A fireplace stood in one corner, hastily bricked up. Horrible scratching sounds came from behind the fabricated wall, no doubt equine eating creatures with claws and sharp teeth just waiting to gobble up a tasty pastel pony. 
Fluttershy backed away quickly, tripping over another crate. She fell on her back, wings and legs sprawled. She was sweating again. She was cold, even in the close confines of the sealed home. She had to find Dashie and get out of here before even more trouble found them. 
Scrambling to her feet, she bonked her head on a hat rack by the door, old moth eaten garments falling everywhere. Suddenly Fluttershy could see nothing but red and white. Scuttling backwards with all her might, Fluttershy ran into the fireplace again. Every terrible, unimaginable monstrosity living in the chimney scampered at once. Fluttershy let out a tiny, high-pitched scream.

"I didn't find anything, Fluttershy." Dash descended the stairs. "What did you--?"

Fluttershy plowed into her friend. "Get it off! Getitoffgetitoffgetitoff!"

"Okay, alright, I got it. OUCH! Get off my wing, feather brain!" Dash calmed her friend down, pulling the bonnet off her head. "What is it?"

"It's a hat. I think."

"Why would any pony wear a hat? They get in the way of flying." Dash sniffed the head garment cautiously.

"Oh they are very fashionable. All the ladies in Manehattan wear them."

"Yeah, but do they fly?"

"...No."

"See? Who cares?"

Rainbow Dash tossed the bonnet aside. Fluttershy examined it carefully. It had been well worn, smelling of dirt and sun and age. Some pony had ether loved it very much or used it every day. Perhaps both. It wasn't fashionable like the hats Fluttershy knew of, but rather a hard working garment designed only to keep the sun out of the eyes. Peeling back the lining Fluttershy found the initials embroidered there. G. S.

"I can't find anything, Shy." Dash pawed at the wood by the wall. "Let's take a look outside. Maybe we can wash up in that moat?"

"Okay." 

Fluttershy set the bonnet down. She wasn't looking forward to getting stuck in the window again, but she trusted Dashie. Worming their way into the yard once more, the same thing happened. The two little girls, tired are sore, were much less agile on the exit than their unceremonious entrance had been. Fluttershy managed to get herself stuck twice, tangling her hind legs in the dusty green curtains. Dash slid out just fine but managed to bump her hurt wing on the way. Fluttershy had to hug her while her friend cried, just a little. 
Outside they just stood around for a bit, watching. The sun was high but certainly on its way down. Had they really slept all day? Cloudsdale, so close that morning, was no where to be seen. Any hope of rescue they may have had left with the shifting winds. 
Soon hunger got the better of them and they went out into the garden to see what was to be seen. It was a large garden, only half cultivated, with bushes as big as summer-houses, of Marshal Niel roses, lime and orange trees, clumps of bamboo, and thickets of delicious high grass. 
Dash was hesitant at first, chewing lightly but keeping a firm eye out for danger. Her experiences last night would not soon be forgotten, and with the Everfree Forest so close, she was taking no chances. Besides, the grass down here tasted funny. Swampy, crunchy, too much chlorophyll. 
Fluttershy couldn't disagree more. Or if she could she didn't care to. Head down, she was face first in the fresh green food, chewing it as fast as she could swallow the last bite. Pegasi needed more energy than Unicorns or Earth Ponies, and the fillies hadn't eaten in two days. On top of which, Fluttershy was a growing girl. Even her own body wouldn't leave her alone, mocking her with constant hunger as often as growing pains. 
All too soon Dash forgot the troubles at her back, focusing her attention on her stomach. Between the two of them they'd managed to clear most of the shorter, sweeter grass around the run down cottage. That left only the tough, dead stalks and neither of them was that hungry. Not yet anyways.

"Are you full?" asked Dash, licking her teeth.

"No..." Fluttershy admitted slowly. She didn't like to eat in public, afraid other ponies might call her a pig. So she stayed hungry most of the time. 

"Me neither. My mommy says I've got a hollow leg. Whatever that means."

"Me too." Fluttershy giggled, covering her mouth. 

"How are you feeling? Are you still cold?"

"A little. I feel better though."

"Come on, let's check out the water." Dash headed for the small stream. 

"I don't smell that bad, do I?"

"No. Well, maybe. You were pretty ripe when you were sweaty, but I was more concerned about you catching a cold. Or pneumonia..." Dash trailed off, remembering the past Hearth's Warming Eve at home with Firefly. "All I know is that I smell worse than the time I got into a fight in the trash. Mommy made me take two baths."

"I like baths." Fluttershy smiled. 

"Well I hate them. I'd rather stand under a rain shower and get clean that way. Baths make my hooves pruney and get my feathers soaked. Then you have to preen. I hate preening. You have to sit there for hours as your mother preens your wings, getting them back in shape--"

Dash turned around. She'd stopped hearing the gentle clop clop back and to her right where Fluttershy usually stayed. That meant the yellow and pink pony had stopped again. This meant Dash had gone and stuck her hoof in her mouth. Again.
Sure enough, Fluttershy was just standing there, aqua eyes quivering with moisture. She was somewhere in the past. At least this time it didn't seem too painful. Dash approached slowly, looking up into her friend's face.

"Fluttershy?"

"It's okay." she sighed. "I was just remembering."

"About what?" Dash hated hurting her friend. She hated her own big mouth so much sometimes. 

"My mother used to preen my wings. She'd comb my mane and we'd groom each other and just talk about anything and everything."

"I'm sorry." Dash shut her eyes tight, fighting her own feelings. 

"It's okay, Dashie." Fluttershy leaned forward, placing her forehead on her friend's. "It's a happy sad memory. I'm so sad that she's gone, but I'm grateful for the time we had together."

"You wanna talk about it?" 

"...No." the faint smile on her lips seemed to fade away.

"I liked it when you used to brush my mane." Dash started walking again. 

"I still wish you hadn't thrown your mother's brush away." Fluttershy followed. Dash's ear twitched, unsaid words and emotions desperately trying to break through. Finally she gave up. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Dash didn't even hesitate. 

The moat, such as it was, had dried since the owners moved out. Left to ruin in its natural state, every heavy rain brought trash flowing down the little creek. Currently it was in a state of duress, mud thick enough to hold a pony tight, but nowhere near enough brown water to get clean in. The stink alone would have kept the two young mares out. This was a place for frogs, snakes, flies and mosquitoes; it was not a place to bathe in. The high reeds and pussywillows kept them hidden from the tiny dirt road. Not that any pony would be passing by so far from the edge of town.

"I am not washing in that." Dash trotted off.

"But its water." squeaked Fluttershy, unsure if she should stay and risk it or follow Dash's example and leave the putrid water behind.

"It's the color of manure!" Hollered Dash. 

"Where are you going?" Fluttershy chased after her.

"I smell fresh water somewhere. There's got to be something else we can-- Hey, what's this?"

They'd found a stone wall, about two feet tall, circling around to meet itself. Just a round stone wall, set off by itself away from the house. Some wooden beams had stood beside it in the past, but those had rotted away or been removed a lot time ago. Now there were only slats across the top of the wall. Just like the house it had been boarded up.

"I don't know." Fluttershy wasn't as interested in the stones as Dash was. 

"Who would build such a little wall in a circle and then just board it up?"

"Maybe they locked up when they moved out?" offered Fluttershy.

"Maybe." Dash agreed, hopping on top of the slats. 

"Um, Dashie? I don't think that's a terribly good idea.

"Relax, will ya?" Dash began hopping up and down. "I'm a Pegasi; light as a feather. What's the worst that can happen?"

The boards were old. They were not made for bouncing upon, and Dash was heavier than she realized. They snapped, and without her wing Dash went tumbling down to the ground. Correction: further down than the ground. Much further down. 
She landed in the water at the bottom of the well, sinking deep before she even realized she was wet. Panic began to tug at her before she remembered her swimming lessons. Pools were one thing, but this was dangerous. Dog paddling for her life, her head broke the surface with a gasp.

"You okay, Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy called, peering over the edge. How had she gotten so high up?

"I found the water!" coughed Rainbow Dash. 

"Now we know what the wall was for." 

"Yeah, great. Get me out of here, will ya?"

"I'll go find a rope."

"Fluttershy, you're a Pegasus pony. Just fly down here and pick me up."

Fluttershy bit her lip. "I don't know if that's a good idea, Dash. I almost failed vertical flying, remember? How about I go get a rope?"

"Fluttershy!" snapped Dash. "I can't touch the bottom. You can fly; just come get me!"

"Okay..." 

Fluttershy wasn't sure about this at all. Bravely she swallowed and began flap her wings, hovering above the entrance to the well, and her friend so very far below. With as much courage as she could muster, she gently let air from beneath her wings, slipping lower and lower into the vertical shaft. Pegasi were not meant to fly straight up and down, and Fluttershy was far from the strongest flyer. To fly straight up carrying passengers? Fluttershy doubted even Dash could do it, even if she were flying at supersonic, light spectrum-shattering speed. 

Hovering just above the water line, Dash reached up, grabbing Fluttershy's tail. Fluttershy squealed. "Not the tail!"

"Sorry!" Dash strained, reaching for an extended hoof. 

For a moment Fluttershy thought they might make it. She pulled Dash partly out of the water, holding her close. They started to fly up, water pouring off her friend. Then they started to go down. As her pink tail dipped further, becoming water logged, Fluttershy pumped harder, over working herself. Her wings began to give out while their wet weight pulled them down. 

"Fluttershy!" whined Dash. She didn't want to get wet again.

"I'm trying!" sobbed Fluttershy.

She couldn't do it. In the end Fluttershy flapped till her wings started kicking up water. Then she gave up and started swimming. Stuck at the bottom of a hundred foot well, with their overhead daylight rapidly fading, they paddled just to keep their heads above the water. Fluttershy couldn't take all the blame for this one, she knew. It hasn't been her mistake to fall in or her feather brained idea to fly down. No, they were stuck and for once Dash was to blame. And she apparently knew it too. 

"Well," Sulked Rainbow Dash, bobbing along. "Here we are." 

"I told you I should have gotten a rope." 

> Chapter XIX
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XIX

Swimming. Dash had to keep swimming. If she could just keep her head above water she'd be fine. The narrow window of sunlight had given out long before her strength, but soon even that was fading. Now, facing the encroaching darkness, the bottomless well and the end of her reserves, she finally had to face her doom. 
She couldn't fly. Even if her wing still worked, even if the cold and the wet hadn't seized the muscles tight, she doubted she could fly with soaked feathers. Especially not carrying another pony. And she knew Fluttershy couldn't.
Dash didn't blame her friend. She'd tried her best, and no pony could reasonably ask anything more. Deep down she knew it was her own fault that had gotten them both into this situation. That didn't stop her from whining, complaining and begging for help. She was Rainbow Dash! She'd survived Apollyon for neighing out loud! It couldn't end here; it just couldn't.

"Well, Fluttershy." Dash had trouble getting her tongue to work through the shivers. Her body refused to give up, sacrificing everything to stay warm. Slowly she turned, swimming to face her friend. "I think this might be-- What are you doing?"

"Huh? Oh." 

Fluttershy's face flushed red instantly. She had one leg in the air, scrubbing furiously. Her wings were already clean, and she'd managed to wash her tail. Now she paddled there, looking guilty as sin, wet mane plastered to her face.

"Are you taking a bath?"

"Well, um, we were here in the water already, and I thought that, since, you know, I was kind of filthy I might, um, fix that?"

Rainbow Dash planted a hoof in her face. "I can't believe it. We're about to die and you're concerned about how you smell."

"But you said--"

"I know what I said!" Dash sighed. "You're not worried?"

"Of course not, silly." Fluttershy grinned. 

"Why not?"

"Because I'm with you."

That stopped her cold. Did Fluttershy really trust her that much? Then again, did she trust Fluttershy? Staring into her friend's upturned, smiling face, Dash recognized the truth. Sure they trusted each other, but it was more than that. She trusted Miss Skywishes to be right, or Coach to be tough, but that didn't mean Dash would trust them with her life. No, this was a bond of friendship forged through experiences. 
The pair had cried together, laughed, loved; they'd fought bullies and monsters and thugs, stayed up late whispering to each other. The two of them knew more about that school than all the other students combined. They'd spent all winter break together. They'd been to Cloudsdale and the Everfree Forest, to the Head Mare's office and down the gullet of a dragon. 
And through it all they'd been together. And they'd survived everything life had thrown at them. Together. So no, it wasn't that Fluttershy just blindly trusted that everything would be alright; she had faith. It was like Princess Celestia sometimes said: faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 
Dash felt braver. Perhaps not stronger, she was still exhausted, but certainly stronger. Fluttershy swam concentric circles around her in the well, humming to herself lightly while she shivered as well. And then Dash had faith too. Things looked bad now, but she was with Fluttershy; everything would be okay. Everything was always okay. 

"You're right, Fluttershy." 

"I know." The pony paddled. 

"I've been so concerned about myself."

"Well, we are stuck in a well." Fluttershy giggled. 

"Did you just make a joke?"

"Oh, uh, did you not like it? Sorry it wasn't very good."

"No, it's fine." Dash lifted a leg, watching the dirty water spill off. Making a decision, she started to scrub. "I guess you're right to take a bath. I mean, we were looking for fresh water anyways."

"Exactly."

"Hey, can you get my back?"

"Um, okay."

Swimming over, Fluttershy pressed in close. She was much warmer leaning against her friend like this. They'd be able to fight the cold much easier if they stayed together. 
Gingerly she reached a hoof out, rubbing down her friend's back, being careful of her sore wing. Dash unconsciously leaned closer, tongue lolling out as her mind went blank. She loved having her back scratched. 

"Uuuuhhhhh, that feels good mom." 

Fluttershy stopped. Did Dashie think she was her mother? Maybe it was just the cold and the back scratching talking. It was just a slip of the tongue, right?
Observing her own reflection in the water, Fluttershy began to wonder who that girl looking back at her was. Her ears had always been too long, and her nose too short, but it looked like she was starting to grow into them. She'd been changing lately, growing a little older just like Skystriker said she would. 
He'd been so kind, just a wonderful father figure. But he didn't know; he wasn't Fluttershy. He didn't have to wake up in the morning and decide if she should hide or not. He didn't have to wonder which bully would beat her up today. He didn't feel the ache in her wings and legs like she did, as her limbs tried to out grow her body. He didn't have the vivid dreams she did...
Pressing in closer, she hugged Rainbow tight. Yes, she was changing. It was just a natural part of growing older. But she had a good friend to help her through it. They'd be together forever. They'd faced troubles before; they would face monsters in the future. And that future meant that they'd be getting out of this well. 

"What are we going to do, Rainbow Dash?"

"I don't know." Dash clung to the wall. "The stones are too smooth to climb up. Besides, we're ponies, we can't climb walls. Maybe if we had special pets, or knew a masked heroin or something." 

"You read too many books, Dashie."

"I hate reading." Dash stuck out her tongue. 

"What if, um, we pressed out backs together? We could lean on each other and climb out."

Dash looked back, judging the distance. "We'd never make it; the walls are too far apart."

"Oh." Fluttershy bit her lip. "Well, um, we could, oh, um, lckwngs..."

"What?"

"I said we couldlckwngs..." she trailed off again.

Dash turned to her friend. Fluttershy was red from the neck up. Not like when Dash caught her bathing, but super-embarrassed, red. Admitting-she-had-a-crush-on-Ace, red. Whatever was going through that pretty little head of hers, she didn't want any pony else to know. 

Silently Dash just stared at her. Finally Fluttershy got the hint. "I said we-could-lock-wings!"

That just might work, Dash realized. If they locked wings and pressed against one another, they might gain enough traction on the wet stones to climb out. It was a great idea! So why was Fluttershy so emberas-- 
Oh. Dash remembered the conversation with her mother, and what she should and shouldn't do. But Firefly just said not to let any boys touch her wings. So Fluttershy was okay, right?

"Um... I don't think my mommy wants me doing that." Dash tried to cross her legs, to look cool and aloof. Instead she forgot to paddle and sank deeper in the dark waters before bobbing back to the surface, coughing. "Besides, I hurt my wing, remember?"

"Right. I'm sorry, it was a terrible idea. I should never have brought it up in the first place. Oh, Fluttershy, you and your silly filly brain." She bonked her head.

"Hey, it's okay, Fluttershy. It was a fine idea. I just... mine don't work like that, okay?"

"What?"

"My wings. They fly. That's it. Honestly, the thought of them doing anything but flying creeps me out, alright?"

"You think that's creepy? Wait till it happens to you. Then you'll really hate it." Fluttershy sank lower, her nose and eyes just above the water line, hiding behind her pink locks. 

They paddled for a while, trying to find warmth together in the frigid liquid. Soon even maintaining a float became more difficult, paddling an effort, and their breathing slowed. Neither of them knew it, but hypothermia stopped by to visit, making sure to become acquainted with the girls. 
Dash didn't know what else to do. She was so cold and wet now. Just thinking was a struggle, and words were almost lost all together. Looking up, she gawked at the streaks of color far above. 

"What time do you think it is?" she mumbled weakly. 

Fluttershy gazed skywards as well, replying in a softer voice than usual. "I think it may be about six. Maybe seven?"

"They're eating dinner back at school by now. Tonight's fruit salad night."

"My favorite."

"Mine too." 

Necks craned upward, they both watched the purple and pink wink out, replaced by a wide-brimmed silhouette. Dash thought she was hallucinating until the voice spoke. 

"Hey! Y'all alight down there?"

What was she going to say, yes, they were fine, thank you for asking?! Fluttershy spoke first, finding her voice loud and powerful in the echoing walls of the well. 

"Help us, please! Get us out of here!"

"Alight, y'all just hang on now, ya hear?" The high-pitched, squeaky voice replied. There was a splash as something long and snake-like fell into the water. "Y'all just hitch that there rope around yerselves and we'll have y'all out in a jiffy." 

Fluttershy and Dash scrambled for the rope, their actions fueled by adrenalin alone. Within moments they were tightly wrapped up together, but the knot was causing them both troubles. Finally Dash got it as the line slipped through her hooves for the last time. 

"Okay, we got it!" Dash shouted. Nothing happened. "Hello?" She looked at Fluttershy who could only stare back and shrug.

"Alight, big brother. Pull!" 

The voice came faintly over the edge of the well. The rope quickly picked up the slack, snapping the water as it grew taut. Both girls squealed as they we pulled tight, rising upwards. At last glad to be out of the water, they realized that the air was even chillier than when they had been swimming around. Hanging onto each other, they barely had time to register when the knot gave way. Suddenly Dash was dangling by nothing but Fluttershy's hooves. 

"Dash!"

Too weak to hold on for long, both of their grips slipped and Dash went falling back down the shaft, slapping the wall and the rope on the way. Then Dash did what she was best at. Assessing the situation, she reacted, just like flying. Grabbing the trailing end of the rope between her teeth, she held tight, feeling a jolt as her mouth tried to outrun her body. 
She could see above her as Fluttershy slipped over the edge. Then two orange legs reached over, grabbing hold as it was Dash's turn. She spilled over the rough stone, flopping unceremoniously to the so-close ground on the other side. Upside down, Dash could not see anything but the legs of their rescuers. Nothing had ever looked so good. Not the red, muscular build of the soon-to-be-stallion, nor the orange hooves of the filly about their own age. She didn't even care as they stood around, watching the two water logged Pegasi. 

"Well by Celestia's Beard. Where'd y'all come from?"

> Chapter XX
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XX

The five ponies wandered up the dirt path, under the green orchard grove peppered with young apples. Rainbow Dash searched the colored sky in the setting sun, longing for any feathery sign of home. She and Fluttershy hung back, leaning against one another again as they followed the three Earth Ponies. Cold and wet, she was not looking forward to another night on the ground. At least they were together.
The road widened the closer to town it became, slowly paving over from untraveled dust to well packed dirt. Wagon tracks scoured into the ground, a well-used route to the farm. Turning right, away from sleepy town, the band of ponies passed under a massive arch at the edge of the apple farm. Dash noted the need for repair. The once vibrant colors had faded, and the wood work was beginning to chip. Still, even she had no problems making out the name. Sweet Apple Acres. 
With apple trees stretching further than the eye could see, it was no wonder how the farm got its name. The ponies who lived and worked here must strive very hard to support so many trees. Dash had no idea how they could stand to root around in the earth all the time, staying filthy day in and day out, working on such a very large plantation, down amongst the dirt.
The group slowly approached the barn, passing smaller plots of withering crops and empty pens that smelled of old animals. Nothing bloomed and nothing moved, save for the apple orchard. The barn still stood tall and proud, but with perhaps a little less snap in its appearance. The red paint had faded with time, shutters falling on their hinges at an angle. It was in desperate need of yard work as well. 
The trio of Earth Ponies leading them up the path also looked worse for wear. The middle girl, a little older than Rainbow Dash, pushed her toddling sister along, mumbling at her the entire way. The tiny foal did little more than whine and cry as she stumbled along underneath her oversized bonnet. Neither of the blank flanks even looked at the two newcomers. 
The young stallion did though. Cowboy hat perched high on his head, he walked with all the grace of an accident, clomping along with a straw between his teeth. Though he hunched his shoulders high he was almost certainly tired from working all day at the front of a plow. Still, he put on a good show, glancing back at Fluttershy and her friend when he thought they weren't looking. Fluttershy never even noticed. Rainbow Dash was too tired to kick his flank. 
Despite their home-grown pride and disconcerted air, they all looked as tired as Rainbow Dash felt. Finally arriving at the barn house, they all stopped for a rest. The orange filly, too tired to stand any longer, called out to someone in the house. 

"We found her, Granny!"

The kitchen door opened and an old mare slowly walked out, wiping her hooves on her apron. Her green pelt shimmered like crushed velvet, while her graying-white mane pulled back tight in a bun, showing her age. 
Dash had never seen any pony that old before. Head Mare was old, but still walked with a fire in her step. Pegasi did not age gracefully. The clouds were not a place for a pair of old wings. Most Pegasi took shelter on the ground as their age began to show, retiring for warmer climes and leaving the sky to the younger generation. Those that did not eventually met their end skyward, falling to their death when their bony wings could no longer contain their youthful souls. Dash could sympathize; that's how she wanted to go out. Not gently falling to sleep in a warm bed on some Celestia forsaken patch of ground, but committing Semppuku kamikaze, meeting her end with honor. 
This mare though... She wore her age, not with shame, but as a badge of courage and honor. The slow bags under her eyes testified to more wisdom than Dash could hope to learn in a hundred lifetimes. Walking with a cane, she bore it not as a handicap, but a weapon. Yes, life had been hard for her, but she wasn't giving up yet; not by a long shot.

"Where was she?" The mare kept her eyes focused on the youngest sister. "My old homestead?"

"Eyup." The young stallion replied. 

"Little Applebloom, darlin'. How many times have I asked you not to wander off? It's dangerous for one so young, my little pony. Your big brother and sister can't watch you while they're working. Can't ya just stick close to home?"

"No! I want Mommy!" the baby cried, tears of exhaustion spilling forth. 

There was a deep sense of loss there as well, and she wasn't the only one who felt it. The older sister began to tremble, rage darkening her face. This was an old fight, her emotions in turmoil as she fought against pouring her wrath out on her younger sister. 
Then her brother, the big red clod, leaned in close, and she was okay. The storm passed once more, and she hadn't attacked and bullied the smallest and most defenseless member of their family. She could always count on her brother. 

"What have we here?" Granny turned her attentions to the newcomers. 

"Hi I'm Rainbow Dash this is Fluttershy thanks for saving us." Murmured Dash, swaying on her feet. She could barely keep her eyes open, despite her cold pelt and the wet still in her hair. Fluttershy never even glanced above her hooves. 

"We found 'em in the well." the orange filly told her grandmother. 

"Gracious! How long were y'all in there?"

"Long enough." Dash coughed again. 

"AJ, you go start a fire. We've got to get these two dried out. Applebloom, go get some blankets. You know where they are."

"Yes, Granny." the two sisters trotted off, the past forgotten. They had a mission.

"Little Mac, I leaving it to you to finish up out here, sonny. We're shuttin' it down early tonight."

"Yes ma'am." Little Mac nodded once before picking up the tools for the night. He glanced at Fluttershy as he passed.

"Now, let's get you two inside. I've got some nice turnip and beet soup I can pour into y'all. It's hot and tastes of the good earth. It'll fix ya right up."

Dash had never heard of turnips, or beets. She'd never lay before a fire, or been inside a barn. She'd never even met Earth Ponies before. Yet she and Fluttershy followed Granny right inside. Night was upon them and Dash was too tired to do anything but trust. 
It was more homely inside than Dash would have envisioned. There was a kitchen and a sitting room on the bottom level, while all the bedrooms were up the stairs. The rest of the barn, on the other side of the wall, was used as a barn. Whatever Earth Ponies used barns for.
The orange filly was kneeling before the black, pot bellied stove, working the kindling for all she was worth. Within minutes she had a roaring fire going, heating the kitchen right up. Applebloom arrived, dragging the good quits by her teeth that were at least twice the size she was. 
Granny set about to work, drying the two Pegasi off, and generally making a mess of their coats, before wrapping them in thick downy quilts. She then prepared two bowls of soup, and set both the girls and their soup in front of the fire. 
Dash managed to hang on through supper. Fluttershy actually had to be woken up by her friend in order to eat. It tasted alright. Dash didn't hate it, so that was saying something. Then again, she was so tired some pony could feed her meat and she'd probably eat it. 
Dash tried to be polite, to remember the manners her mother had taught her. She tried to thank the family for saving them and taking them in, but her mumbles only dribbled soup from her mouth. Without another word, Dash dropped off mid sentence, flopping over against her best friend. 
Granny chuckled, tucking them in close to one another. Sitting back down at the table, she ladled herself a bowl as AJ and Applebloom finished their supper. 

"May we be excused, Granny?" AJ asked. 

"Sure. Y'all two make sure to do your studies before going to bed."

"Yes ma'am." They answered in unison, galloping upstairs to their room. 

Sitting in silence, Granny slowly ate her supper, watching the two Pegasi. Where had they come from? She hadn't been into town this week, so she hadn't heard any news about them, missing or not. Pegasi this young rarely showed up at ground level, let alone appeared in wells. There was something unusual about them, and they certainly had a story or two to share. 
The door opened slowly as Little Mac entered, wiping his hooves on the mat. He took one look around before zeroing in on the sleeping forms in front of the fire. His eyes barely left them as he sat at the table. 

"Finish up, young'un?" Granny ladled him some soup as well. 

"Eyup." He watched the fillies. 

"Your sisters are upstairs. We've got to do somethin' about little Applebloom runnin' away."

"Eyup." Little Mac slurped on his soup, still watching. 

"I expect she's reacting to Applejack. That girl still ain't grieved right-like, and she's sartin' to take it out on every pony else.  I know you're doin' whatcha can to calm her a fare bit."

"Eyup."

"She's a fetchin' one, ain't she?"

Granny followed Mac's view to the sleeping Fluttershy. Just a few years younger than himself, she was indeed a beauty. It also didn't help that she was the first filly Mac had seen in days that wasn't his sister. Little Mac bowed his head, studying his soup intently. Granny chuckled once more. He was a good boy, but she worried about that crippling shyness.

"We're gonna have to start callin' you 'Big Mac' soon." Granny smiled.

Rising from her chair, she patted Mac on the head, ruffling his mane before heading for the stairs. She turned back, a knowing look in her eye come from having raised plenty of strapping young stallions of her own. 

"Soon. But not yet. G'night, Mac."

In the silence like his grandmother before him, Little Mac finished off his supper and just sat there along with his thoughts. Granny was right; they needed to do something about AJ. He tried to be a calming personality; a sea of placidity that he allowed his younger sister to drink from whenever she needed it. And she needed it more and more lately. More than once she'd bucked and fought and cursed him as he just stood there, letting her blow her top. He was bigger, he understood her pain. He could take it. 
But things change, and AJ needed change. She exploded whenever any pony mentioned their parents, but she shut down when he talked about college. The thought of her losing him was almost enough to make Mac rethink the entire thing. But he still had a few years. They'd work it out. And who knows, maybe these two Pegasi would provide just the change she needed?

~~~~~

Fluttershy was flying. She didn't normally fly, not if she wasn't at the point with Dashie, but today she was. Way high up at the top of the world she was able to escape, to leave her problems behind. No bullies, no parents, no dragons; just her and her wings as Celestia intended. She could soar with Snowball by her side as he made happy clanking sounds. 
Hold on a hoof. Snowball? Clanking? Seagulls didn't clank, they laughed. She'd heard enough of his melodious chatter to know from experience. And then she'd released him already, so what was he doing back? For that matter, what was she doing way up here in the sky? 
Her wings ached. Glancing back, Fluttershy's worse fears came true. They were huge! There would be no hiding these things now. Her wings were longer than her entire body, and growing bigger. She was a freak, and no pony would ever lover her. 
Where was Rainbow Dash? She had to find her friend; Dash would know what to do! Weeping, she lost control, plummeting to the earth far below. Snowball just laughed at her, his clanking voice echoing in her ears. Tumbling earthward she could catch snippets of land then sky then land then sky and then teeth. Apollyon's massive maw reached up to engulf her. Fluttershy screamed as she was consumed whole with a mighty crashing laugh, just like her mother.
Sea foam eyes snapping alert, Fluttershy lay sprawled on a strange floor. She didn't remember much, and it took her more than a moment to remember where she was. Her hind legs were tangled in a quilt she'd tried to kick free as sweat trailed down her head, chest and back. Wings ridged and alert, they stood at full mast on Fluttershy's back, an instinctive reflex to any danger. 
With the glow of the fire from the stove, Fluttershy could see an old green mare over in the corner, picking up spilt pots and pans as they crashed around on the floor. Snowball's laughter. 
A dream. Fluttershy had been dreaming. Looking around, Rainbow Dash still slept soundly at Fluttershy's side in the same position she'd lay down in. Usually a heavy sleeper, tonight she was out like a sack of griffon eggs. 
Everything was alright; it had just been a nightmare. Taking a few deep breaths Fluttershy tried to calm her racing heart and sooth her stiff wings back into a more socially appropriate position. Maybe then she could go back to sleep. 
There was a rattle as the elderly Earth Pony walked over to the table, working with ingredients that Fluttershy couldn't see. Looking around, she got her first impressions of the home. 
A common misconception that many ponies held of cloud homes is that they are nothing but fluffy white houses, good for nothing but lazing around upon. This couldn't be further from the truth. Clouds had personalities and features all their own, ranging in colors from nearly invisible to dark blue. Ice and rain added texture and filtered light into every color of the rainbow. The structures could stand up to a fierce wind yet were gentle enough to allow a cool summer breeze to pass through. There was no warmer place in the winter than a well insulated cloud home. Pegasi homes had as much personality as the ponies that inhabited them.
So it came as a bit of a bit of a shock to realize that Earth Pony homes held just as much personality as well. They weren't just wooden boxes on the ground as Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash had been taught. Yes, there were wood floors and wood walls, but it smelled of spice and dirt and work and love. Honestly this was only the second wooden structure Fluttershy had been inside in her life, but over all it reminded her much of the first one. The same apple motifs were everywhere, with the same rustic, lived-in feel. This home had character and history. Love permeated every nook and cranny. 
There was pain too; a familiar pain Fluttershy couldn't sense but knew was there, just the same. The wallpaper apple border around the ceiling was beginning to chip and peel. The various photos of families and happier times hung just off-center. Dust was beginning to build up. They were doing their best with love, but love was failing. 

"Y'er up early, little one."

The strange voice sounded cracking loud in the silence and almost sent Fluttershy scurrying back under her quilt. Instead she collapsed, making herself as small as possible while peeking out from behind her bangs. There was another gentle chuckle, one Fluttershy barely remembered from their arrival. Glancing up, the old mare was still working away at whatever was on the table. Standing a little taller, she peered out the dark window. 

"It's almost four. You should try and get some more sleep, darlin'." 

Standing to her feet, Fluttershy's shock at the face greeting her almost mirrored Dash's from the night before. But where Dash had seen a wasted life and the need for an honorable death when she looked at Granny, Fluttershy saw years of love and wisdom, along with some hope for the future.
Fluttershy had to touch her. She'd never seen any pony this old before, and she may never again. All thoughts of rudeness fled from her mind as she slowly approached. Granny, twice her own size, never said a word. She kept kneading her ingredients, watching Fluttershy watch her. Slowly Fluttershy stretched out a hoof, poking the mare's saggy cheek. 

"They're jus' lines, sweetheart. They ain't gonna bite ya."

Fluttershy pulled away like she'd been bit. Granny just chuckled again and went back to kneading her dough. Turning her attention to the table, Fluttershy watched in amazement at the skilled hoof work while Granny added just the right dash of flour from a bowl or water from the pump. Then she'd beat it into just the right consistency. The dough never stood a chance. 

"You like drop biscuits?" Granny glanced her way. Fluttershy's eyes never left the kneading motions on the table. "Fetch me that skillet, would ya?"

Fluttershy saw where Granny indicated and retrieved the cast iron skillet. It felt as heavy as her entire body, especially at this time in the morning, given the day they'd had yesterday. It took everything she had to heft it onto the table. 

"Thank ya kindly, dearie."

Granny pulled off a chunk of dough and rolled it into a ball, dropping it into the greased skillet. Then she did it again. It only took two tries before Fluttershy joined in. Reaching out with a tiny hoof, she pulled off a piece, rolling it into a tiny ball. Granny just smiled and nodded as Fluttershy dropped it in the pan.
There was a commotion from the stairs as the big red stallion came clomping into the room. Their visitors entirely forgotten, he made as much noise as usual as he entered the kitchen. The sight of Fluttershy's ears poking above the table stopped him in his tracks. Glancing at the fire he confirmed that, yes, Dash was still asleep and, yes, Fluttershy was helping out Granny. Approaching slowly from the other side of the table, he leaned over till he made eye contact with the yellow filly. She turned her quivering gaze down, afraid to meet his eye. He stood up and cast and inquiring glance at Granny. 

"She don't say much." she shrugged, continuing to make breakfast. Forgoing his morning routine, Little Mac headed straight to work out the back door. Fluttershy glanced up at Granny afterwards as she shrugged again. "He don't say much neither."  

After a while Fluttershy had trouble keeping her eyes open. The sky was just starting to lighten in the east, a few fingers of gray in the otherwise blue slate. Little Mac left without breakfast and didn't return. Finishing the biscuits, Granny slid them into the oven, filling the kitchen with the sweet aroma of home cooking. Fluttershy yawned again and Granny gently nudged her back to her quilt on the floor before the fire.

"Don't you worry your purdy little head none." Granny smiled, pulling the quilt back around Fluttershy. "Ol' Granny Smith is here to take care of you." 

Fluttershy shut her eyes without a fight, snuggling close to her best friend, drifting back into dreams. For the first time in a long time she felt safe and warm, watched over by a maternal figure that actually cared. Overwhelmed by the feeling that everything would be alright, it was easy enough to believe. And for once, it almost was. 

> Chapter XXI
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XXI

For the second time in two days Dash awoke mid morning. The house was quiet and the fire was now nothing more than ashes. Fluttershy lay beside her, a nice little dribble of drool running down her cheek as she sprawled out across the floor. Dash gave her a gentle nudge in the side, eliciting only a moan. 
Feeling refreshed and alert, Dash noticed the plate sitting on the table. Four apple fritters rested under a terrycloth napkin, smelling warm and inviting. Dash's stomach growled in response. 

"Fluttershy, wake up." Rainbow Dash whined. She was hungry but refused to eat without her friend. 

Fluttershy stirred, smacking her lips as she stretched long, pawing at the ground. Finally she rolled her head towards Dash, giving her an empty, happy smile, pink tresses spilling at unnatural angles. 

"Oh. Good morning, Rainbow Dash."

"There's breakfast." Dash smiled, her impatience momentarily forgotten.  

"It smells wonderful." Flicking her hair out of the way, Fluttershy sat opposite at the table.

Without too much discussion the two Pegasi tore into their food, trying to be polite but acting like a pair of starving litter girls. They'd had sleep, now they needed food. Fortunately Granny Smith delivered in spades. The fritters were easily the biggest pastries either of them had even seen. Thick and heavy, they were filled to the choking point with lush apple goodness. Even still, it only took a few minutes for the first pair to disappear. The fillies were polishing off the second set when Applejack walked through the door. 

"Oh, Good. Y'all are up. Granny was jus' wonde-- Did y'all eat all them apple fritters yourselves?"

"Um, yeah? Why?" Rainbow Dash chirped, perhaps a bit ruder than she should have, as she felt the need to protect the now-hiding Fluttershy.

"Hold your horses, pipsqueak. I'm jus' surprised, that's all. Granny makes them so big that Little Mac can barely eat one. Me and Applebloom always gotta split ours."

"I guess we're just hungry then, aren't we?" Dash felt her tail bristle a bit. 

"Okay, just simmer down now. Granny jus' sent me to check up on y'all. That's all." AJ wiped her brow. 

"What are y'all-- I mean, you, doing out there?" 

Dash noticed Applejack for the first time. Lean and strong, built kind of like Fluttershy, she just wasn't as big. Her muscles, though still young, were becoming defined under her coat. A little older than Dash, she was already a work horse. Not necessarily for the better.
She walked with a limp in her left hind foot, a sprain that hadn't quite healed yet. Her pelt was caked with dust and sweat, turning it into mud. Refusing to wear sissy a bonnet like her little sister, the sun gave her a delicious daily dose of sun stress. 
There was laugher in there somewhere, buried deep, happier times hiding under an avalanche of pain. All that emotional turmoil simmered, slowing boiling under the persona of an honest, hard working farm girl. She'd been raised well, not to dwell on her problems but fix them. Dash didn't know what her problem was, but she wasn't fixing it very well. 

"Oh, we're jus' out in the back field, tryin' to get in a few of the new saplings before the seasons over."

"What's a 'sapling'?" Asked dash.

"A saplin' is a baby tree." AJ cocked her head. "You really don't know nothin', do you?"

"I know more than you!" Dash tried to spread her wings, to make herself look bigger on her seat. Instead she only ground her teeth as her wing refused to cooperate. 

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Um, girls?" two sets of eyes turned to Fluttershy, trying her bravest not to cower. "Um, Applejack, if you don't mind, that is, um, we, Dashie-- I mean Rainbow Dash and I, well, we could really use some place to, maybe, um, freshen up?"

AJ Just stared at the pink pony for a moment. Their coats were almost the same color, but their personalities could not have been more diametrically opposed. While Dash realized what she was asking, Applejack was still trying to figure out what she'd said. 

"Well I ain't never heard so many words used to get to the point before, and I've been to the Apple Family Reunion."

"She's asking for the stall." Dash interceded, still standing on her stool. 

"Oh for land sake, sugar cube. Why didn't you jus' say so? Straight up the stairs, second door on yer left." AJ turned back outside, a scowl on her lips. "Don't worry about fresh supplies, we ain't got any. Just use what's up there; me and Applebloom gotta share anyways. Share and share alike, Granny says."

With that she was gone, leaving the two Pegasi alone once more. With nothing else to do Fluttershy made for the stairs. Rainbow Dash could only follow.
The bathing room was right where AJ had directed them. It was a bit on the small side compared to Pegasi stalls. Dash was feeling a bit claustrophobic; she didn't know how Fluttershy could handle it. She managed though. Dash pulled the door to and they both got a good look at themselves in the full view mirror. 

"We're a mess." Dash pointed out.

Matted hair, crumpled coats and split hooves were just a few of their problems. They'd both picked up their fair share of scratches and burns in the Everfree Forest, not to mention the parasites like ticks and chiggers. Spending most of the day at the bottom of an abandoned well hadn't helped either. Spider webs and dust, grass and bits of debris clung to their legs and bellies. 
They were indeed a mess. Dash just wanted to brush her mane and be done with it, but Fluttershy pointed out there was no way they were going to clean up without a bath. Not something Dash was looking forward to, all things being equal. 
The tub wasn't much better than the well in Dash's view. As Fluttershy drew the hot, soapy water, Dash could only stare. She never liked baths to begin with, but now all she could think about were the hours spent struggling for her life. 

"Nope."

"Come on, Dashie." Fluttershy pulled her toward the tub, scrub brush in hoof.

"No, forget it. I'll take my chances smelling like dried dragon spit."  She backed away. 

"Don't make me force you into the tub." Fluttershy threatened. At least, Dash thought she threatened. 

"Oh, right. What are you going to do, stare at me?" 

"Maybe." Fluttershy tried to smile. Dash relaxed just a bit.

That was when Fluttershy pounced. Overwhelming her faster friend with nothing more than her lankier frame, Fluttershy wrestled Dash to the ground, sitting on her. Dash couldn't believe it; she'd been bushwhacked! How could Fluttershy do that? Every pony knew Dash was the stronger of the two; the faster. How could she be pinned so easily?
Then Dash noticed the give in her legs and wings. Fluttershy had her, sure, but it wasn't a very good hold. Fluttershy wasn't trying to hurt her, she was just playing.

"Oh yeah? Let's see how you like this!" Dash grinned. 

Bucking her friend off, Fluttershy squealed, landing in the bathtub with a plop. Approaching slowly, like a stalking panther, Dash flicked her tail, waiting for Fluttershy to appear. And waited. And waited. Was Fluttershy okay? Had she hit her head on the tub? What if she drowned? Did Rainbow Dash just kill her best friend? Springing to her feet, game forgotten, Dash searched the mass of bubbles. 

"Fluttershy?" she asked pensively. 

"Gotcha!" 

Fluttershy burst from the water, grabbing her friend's neck in a hug and pulled her in. Dash barely had time to scream before Fluttershy was scrubbing her down good, working the soap into her fur and mane. Already soaked through and through, Dash had no choice but to sit and whine quietly as Fluttershy hummed to herself, cleaning the dirty little Dashie. 
When Fluttershy finally let her go Dash pulled away, letting her friend tend her own coat. Dash stared at her hooves, mildly embarrassed at being in a bath tub with Fluttershy, but more so at having been cleaned like a foal. She wasn't three, she could do it herself. Then she noticed the brighter sheen to her fur, and the darker consistency of the water. Regardless of how she'd gotten clean, Rainbow Dash felt better. She used her teeth to work at some of the more tenacious parasites on her forelegs while Fluttershy finished up.
The yellow pony couldn't have been happier. She felt more well rested, safe and clean than she'd felt in days. Dash might not have shown it, but Fluttershy was feeling quite playful and knew her friend appreciated being clean as well. 
Things were looking up. She still dreamed about Apollyon and her mother, those nightmares would be with her always, but she felt that perhaps now she could move on. Maybe with Dash's friendship flowing through her like magic she'd have the power to face anything. Optimism bloomed in her heart, not giving doubt and horror any room to grow. All they had to do was find a way home and everything would be fine. 
When Fluttershy pulled the drain plug, which was all the signal Dash needed. She leapt clear, landing rear-legs first. She hated water, and she hated being wet. Fluttershy sure took her sweet time, daintily stepping out one leg at a time, still humming to herself. 
Like AJ said, there were spare supplies. They had extra towels though, Dash was thankful for that. Her feathers hung droopily, soggy and unable to support flight. She needed them dry. Whipping her hair back and forth, she shook like a dog, trying to dry off before going to work on her wings with the towel. Fluttershy was content to wrap herself in the fluffiest towel she could, wrapping it warm and tight while putting her mane up in a second one. She looked at herself in the mirror.

"Um, do you think they'll mind if I brush my teeth?"

"I don't think so." Dash was trying to run the towel between her individual feathers. She wasn't doing a very good job of it. "But I don't think they have spares."

The pair looked to the sink. There was a glass of water, something called 'denture cream', and three tooth brushes; large, medium and small. It didn't take a lot of skill to figure out which belonged to whom. 

"Have-- have you ever used a boy's tooth brush before?" Fluttershy stared. 

"I've never used any pony else's brush beside my own before." admitted Dash. "I'm still trying to get my head around that part; I don't think I want boy cooties in my mouth just yet." 

"Me neither." Fluttershy picked up what was most likely Applejack's brush. Applebloom's was just too small. "I hope she doesn't mind us both using her brush."

"It's not like there's anything else we can do." shrugged Dash, going back to drying her wings. 

After Fluttershy it was Dash's turn to brush her teeth. She tried not to think about the fact that both her best friend and a total stranger had had it in their mouths before her. 
While Dash cleaned up Fluttershy took a well-used grooming brush to her coat. It was coarse and hard, missing several bristles. She didn't care for it much. Pulling her towel down, she started to run it across her back and mane when Dash let out a sharp intake. 

"What's wrong?" Fluttershy noticed the gloss below her friend's eyes. 

"Nothing. I'm fine." Dash still worked with the towel. She gasped again.

"Dashie..." Fluttershy nudged her. 

"It... it's my wing. It hurts. Bad." Dash turned back. "What if I hurt it forever? What if I can never fly again, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy leaned out, licking Dash's cheek. Dash wiped at it furiously. "Eww, gross! I just cleaned that!"

Fluttershy giggled. "Did you forget about your wings?"

"...Yes." admitted Dash.

"See? It worked. Now, as for your wing..." Fluttershy rummaged through the drawers, trying to find what she was looking for. Finally she pulled out a roll of gauze. "I think I can help, just like with Snowball." 

"I don't know if that's such a good idea." 

"Don't you trust me?" Fluttershy cocked her head, smiling eyes lighting up the whole room. Of course Dash trusted her. How could she not?

"Stupid bird." Dash extended her wing as far as she could get it, shutting her eyes tight with a cringe. "Just be careful." 

"Of course. I'll be gentle."  

Fluttershy was good to her word. With soothing sounds and the skilled hooves she'd learned from the library's animal husbandry books, Fluttershy patched her friend up. She wrapped the gauze tight enough to add pressure and encourage healing, but not so tight to cut off circulation to a vital limb. Securing it in place, she stepped back, admiring her work. Dash's bandaged wing wouldn't be causing her any more problems. 

"Wow, Fluttershy, that feels great!" Dash looked sidelong in the mirror. 

"Thank you." She grinned. "Don't worry about your wing, Rainbow Dash. Just take it easy and you'll fly again real soon. Though not with feathers like that."

"What's wrong with my feathers?" Dash extended her good wing. 

"You look like goose down." Fluttershy giggled.

"I can't help it!"

"Well, um, you need to preen them. And I don't think the Apples have a preening brush."

"Yeah." Dash sighed. "Man, I hate preening." 

"Is there anything you don't hate?"

"Good food. Flying really fast." Dash thought for a moment. "You."

"Aww." Fluttershy blushed. 

"Seriously, Shy. I couldn't have done this without you. All of this. I know I complain a lot but, well, you're my best friend and I love you." 

"I feel the same way, Dashie." Fluttershy smiled. "Want me to do your wings for you?"

"FFffiinnneee." Dash neighed, just wanting it over and done with. 

Preening didn't hurt so mush as it involved tugging on sensitive little feathers, hot, moist breath in places that weren't used to it and sitting forever as each feather was lined up in place, hooking in with its neighbors. It almost made Dash wish she had a book to read. Almost. She wouldn't have been able to concentrate anyways, not with all the sharp little pangs. Finally Fluttershy stepped back, admiring her work once more.

"There you go. Um, I hope you like it."

Dash gave her wing a flap and almost flipped over. She hadn't felt that good in a while. "That's great, Fluttershy! Thanks! If I had my other wing I think I could get us all the way back to Cloudsdale on my own."

"Oh, sorry."

"Don't worry about it, you did a great job." Dash looked away for a minute. "You, um, you want me to do yours?" 

"Okay, sure." Fluttershy replied quietly. 

Fluttershy lay down, extending her wings. Her feathers were a mess as well. Some were broken or missing entirely. But mostly they just needed a good once-over and they'd be fine. Dash knew what she was doing, in theory. She's preened her own wings enough, and even her mother's once or twice, that she thought she could handle it. But doing it with Fluttershy felt kind of strange. 
Before Dash got too far along Fluttershy started making tiny moans. Dash didn't think she was hurting her but she lightened her touch anyways. Fluttershy didn't stop though. Instead her face flushed while she bit her lip.

"Um, Fluttershy? You okay?"

"Yes. I, um, it just feels good." 

"Oh. It hurts when my wings get preened. Does it feel good when you're older?"

"Maybe." Fluttershy didn't know any more than Dash did. 

"Want me to stop?"

"No, that's okay. We don't have any other option. You can finish, if you don't mind." Dash was about half way through with the right wing. 

"Okay." 

Dash wasn't sure what to make of the moaning and didn't really want to bring it up. Fluttershy was clearly trying to stop, and didn't like the way her body made her feel. It was like catnip. Dash didn't know what else to do other than work faster. She couldn't let Fluttershy wander around with fluffy wings some foal. Maybe Fluttershy could maybe do it herself, but Dash doubted her friend would be able to move by the time she was done. Moving to the left wing, Dash was starting to make headway when she misjudged and bit down on the wing stem. 

"Oh! Alright, that's just about enough of that, I think." Fluttershy's face flushed red. 

"You sure?" 

"Y-yeah. Don't... Just don't nibble my wings."

"I didn't mean to." Dash remembered what her mother had said. "Sorry."

"I know." Fluttershy wasn't tucking her wings back in.

"Can you put those away?" Dash backed away to the other side of the tub. 

"Sorry. I'm trying."

"Well they're freaking me out over here, Fluttershy. You're acting way too weird!"

"I'm sorry! I can't help it." Fluttershy looked like she was about to cry from embarrassment. She certainly wanted to. 

"They popped again, didn't they? Just like with Ash?"

"Yes." Fluttershy was already mortified. That memory didn't help.

"Just tuck them under. Like this." Dash demonstrated with her good wing. 

"I can't." sobbed Fluttershy. 

There they sat, both trying to figure out what to do. What a strange world this was, where they could fight satanic dragons all day long but simple bodily functions confounded them. Not for the first time Dash wished Firefly was here, but now she missed her more than ever. Her mother always knew what to do. If only Dash could be more like her mother. 
Finally Dash made a decision. Standing, she trotted up to Fluttershy. The poor girl was studying the wood grain in the floor, avoiding eye contact. Dash didn't give her a choice, leaning out and licking Fluttershy's cheek. She pulled back like she'd been bitten, shock slowly fading away.

"What was that for?" Fluttershy studied her friend's face, rose color flowing through her cheeks. 

"Did you forget about your wings?"

"...Yes."

"Then it worked." Dash grinned. "The way I see it, we can either sit here in the stall all day, trying to figure out what we don't know, or we can go outside and explore. The Apples don't know us; they aren't going to stare at your wings. And even if they do, they took us in; I doubt they'd make fun of you." 

"Are you sure?" Fluttershy was inclined just to stay in the bathroom all day, if she had her druthers. 

"Sure I'm sure. Besides, don't you want to go see what an apple farm looks like?"

"I guess..."

"Fine then." Dash helped her taller friend to her feet. "Let's go."

> Chapter XXII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XXII

The Apple family farm was certainly large enough to get lost in, and the two Pegasi did just that. Large uncultivated fields ran east towards uncharted forests storing up hay for the winter, while acres upon acres of apple trees circled the rest of the property in a lush crescent. Abandoned animal pens and run down vegetable plots huddled close to the barn. The pens in particular interested Fluttershy, new scents of creatures she had never seen. The furry friends, unfortunately, were long gone, leaving only their faint stink behind. They probably hadn't been there in years. The vegetable gardens didn't have long for the world either, it looked like. 
Picking a direction, the brash cyan pony chose the most well-worn trail into the orchard. Fluttershy followed close behind. Neither of them had a clue where they were going. How hard could it be to find brightly colored ponies amid a bland crush of trees? 
It took them forty minutes before they could pick out the steady whump whump of apple bucking, and another twenty minutes still to reach them. By the time the fillies broke through into a clearing they were ready for a much-needed break and in serious want of water. 

"There y'all are!" Applejack greeted them, trotting up. "I was beginnin' to wonder if y'all were gonna show at all." 

"You're surprisingly hard to find." Fluttershy looked around. 

"This place is huge!" Rainbow Dash spread her forelegs in a grand gesture. 

"Heh. Yeah, I guess so. I keep forgettin' that new comers have a hard time findin' their way around." 

"Get many guests, do you?" asked Fluttershy. 

"Not hardly." AJ scowled, circling around them. "But look at you two. I ain't never seen nothing like y'all up close 'fore. And there you are, smellin' fresh as a daisy in the rain."

"You don't get any Pegasi down here?" Dash's head followed Applejack as she circled. 

"Pff, think again. You two are the first feather dusters I've ever seen down on the ground afore."

"'Feather dusters'?"

"Don't get yer tail in a bunch there, little miss. It's just a name; I didn't mean nothin' by it."

"What's a 'feather duster'?" Fluttershy whispered to her friend.

"'Little miss'?! I'm as old as you are!" Dash's voice cracked as she bounced forward. 

"Yeah, right." The country pony rolled her eyes. 

"Well I bet you haven't done so much that you're so much more mature than me. Me and Fluttershy have been through a lot lately."

AJ gave her a long stare before turning away. "Listen kid, come back and talk to me when you've got a week's worth of chores and two days to do 'em in. When you've gotta be up with the rooster, but you can't sleep cause you're so sore from the day's work and there's another one right around the corner. And another. And another. When your little sister starts screamin' in the middle of the night for your mamma, and you have to be the one to shush her up..." 

AJ's gaze turned skyward, looking into the sun. Her eyes teared up, though from the sunlight or the memories Dash couldn't tell. Trotting off, she headed back for her apple crates and the sleeping bundle beneath the tree. Little Mac was a ways off, just out of ear shot, bucking his own trees. Granny was there too, picking up the fallen apples. 

"Then you come find me and we'll have a nice long talk about maturity." Applejack turned, bucking her hind legs into the tree for all she was worth, emphasizing her point. 

"Well, we don't have it so easy either." Dash followed, avoiding the falling apples. 

"Uh-huh." 

"School is hard, and me and Fluttershy get bullied a lot."

"Ya don't say." The orange cowgirl wasn't buying it. 

"Flight training is tough. Sometimes in orienteering class I get swept away cause I'm so little, and it feels like I have to map out all of Equestria just to find my way back."

"You're complaining about flying?!" AJ stuck her head above the rows of crates. "Get off mah farm."

"But it's true!"

"Listen kid, there ain't nothing the two of you can tell me that'll convince me y'all are anything' but namby-pamby, rocks-for-brains, feather dustin', fillies."

"My mother died." 

There was no comeback for that. Dash stood there, shocked, as Fluttershy let loose the secret it had taken her months to confide in her best friend. Now she was telling perfect strangers? What had gotten into that girl's head? 
Dash turned to the creamy yellow Pegasus. Something was different. It was hard to say for certain, but Fluttershy seemed bolder, more confident. Something had changed. Applejack noticed it too. 
The eyes. It was those aqua blue eyes. No longer filled with so much sadness and pain, they shimmered clearly, not hidden by bangs or tears, but facing the world head on. Apparently confronting Apollyon had given her some much-needed closure into her own mother's death. So much so that now she could speak freely about it. 
That was not to say there was not still pain there. Striding next to Dash, she stared down Applejack, a faint smile on her lips and a knowing pain in her heart. Dash could only hope for half her strength in the future. 

"Ah'm sorry." AJ looked away, a mouth full of mumbles. 

"It's okay." Fluttershy smiled. "You may not like flying, but we can't do that very well anyways. Well, I can't. Rainbow Dash is amazing, but she hurt her wing saving my life."

"'Not like...' Are you crazy? 'Not like flying.' Who wouldn't like flying?! I dream about it all the time."

"Why?" Rainbow Dash had never met an Earth Pony that shared her dream of flying. Actually, she'd never met an Earth pony before. 

"You kiddin' me? To get away from here! To get off this farm and never look back." 

"Oh, but don't you like it here?" Fluttershy asked. "You get to live here on this beautiful farm."

"This ain't living." AJ turned her head, gazing sorrowfully across the orchard, with Little Mac and Granny Smith still working away. "This is surviving." 

"Huh?"

"Let me show you somethin'. Come're." 

The three fillies gathered beneath the closest apple tree. AJ had apparently set up base there, stacking the apple crates neatly before filling them with apples picked from the ground. Resting next to the closest crate lay a bundle of blankets. AJ reached out quietly, pulling back the outer most layer. Little Applebloom moaned softly, rolling over and continuing her nap. 

"She's supposed to be helppin' me, but she works till she just falls over. I can't wake her. She's dreamin', and I would never take that away." 

"She's so cute." Fluttershy squeed quietly. 

"Yeah. She likes it out here. The scent of the warm sun on the apples in the trees reminds her of-- It's the only thing that makes her happy." AJ sighed. "And I can't stand to look at her."

"Why not?"

"Cause all I see is her future, stuck on this farm doin' the same thing every day. Her life ahead, the same as mine. We're both prisoners here, but she don't see that yet. And that makes me mad."

"Is she... tied up?" Dash noted the rope tied around Applebloom's waist, the coils connected to the tree. 

"Yeah." AJ sighed. "She'll stick with Granny on her own but she runs away from me when I'm not lookin'. So I tie her up so she don't get away again. That's how we found y'all last night; she ran to Granny's old homestead. Lucky for y'all, huh?"

"Yeah, lucky us." Dash winced at the memory of soggy feathers and the still-fresh preening session. 

They spent the remainder of the afternoon with Applejack, crating the apples she bucked from the trees. Dash tried to have a go but failed spectacularly. Fluttershy couldn't even get both rear hooves off the ground at the same time. So mostly it was AJ doing the hard work. Though Dash sure considered gathering fallen apples to be work. 
Long about mid day Applebloom started screaming, yanking at the tether and hollering for Granny. She got into another shouting match with AJ before Granny had to wander all the way across the field and tell them both to knock it off. Figuring midday was as good a time as any for a break, Granny called Little Mac over and they all sat down for some lunch. 
Pulling dishes from her saddle bags, Granny laid out a nice picnic on a red and white checkered cloth. She'd prepared a nice selection of mollichop sandwiches, dried sugar beet pulp, and hot apple cider. Applejack and Applebloom bickered back and forth between bites, and Little Mac just sat silently, eating his food without comment. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash lay on the grass together off to the side, discussing the strange food presented before them. Granny Smith just smiled politely at them with her eyes shut. She may have been asleep. Finally with few other options the two winged ponies dug in with the rest of them.  
It wasn't half bad. Neither of them had had any of it before, and Dash found herself almost enjoying it. The mollichop was a bit chewy, and the cider tasted watered down, but other than that she had no complaints for once. She and Fluttershy both managed to surprise every pony by eating as much as Little Mac. He wasn't sure what to make of that, almost being out-eaten by a sky blue filly a third his size. He wouldn't even look at Fluttershy. 
After lunch the Apple family stacked the full Apple crates together and moved the empty ones closer to the trees. There weren't many apples ripe yet, most still too early to pick. The ones that did come off though they gathered up and would sell later. Applejack explained that historically Sweet Apple Acres was the larger apple grower and distributor in the entire southern half of Equestria, cultivating more than sixty-nine verities of apples in an average planting season. They used to single handedly ensure that over a tenth of the population would have fresh apples at any time in any season. By the time they were done moving crates Dash knew more about apples then she'd ever wished to know. If she knew so much about danged apples, why was she so keen on leaving? 
Wandering back to the tree, she lay down for a nap. Fluttershy was playing with the still-tethered Applebloom, ensuring her distraction and keeping the foal from screaming while her family continued to work. Dash thought no way would she be able to snooze out here in the open; not on this hard ground, with Fluttershy playing and the steady whump whump in the background. But soon enough, Dash was proved wrong as she gently drifted off for an afternoon at Sweet Apple Acres. 

> Chapter XXIII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XXIII

Dash's afternoon nap didn't last long. Just long enough to get lost. She would have preferred to doze on a cloud, or maybe in the branches of a tree, but the fertile grass was comfortable enough. When she finally opened her eyes sometime later, every pony was gone. There was no smarmy Applejack, or stoic Little Mac, or leashed Applebloom or Granny Smith even. Even Fluttershy was gone. That fact caused her to bolt upright.

"Fluttershy?" Dash called. No answer. "Fluttershy?!"

Dash was starting to panic. No Apple family? No problem. Sure, they were kind enough with their home grown ways and funny accents, but they were Earth Ponies. They meant a warm bed and help getting back home. No Fluttershy though? No Fluttershy meant no friend. No Fluttershy meant going back to loneliness and longing, of fights and flunking. Without Fluttershy there was no Rainbow Dash.
What if something happened to her? What if the Apples were actually a gang of banditos from the badlands, here to kidnap Fluttershy and hold her for ransom? It was a possibility; Claw was planning on doing that. Maybe Fluttershy was in trouble. Dash had to find her, and fast.
She set off at a clean gallop in a blind direction. If she'd used her head she may have noticed the trail of lightly grazed grass leading away from the tree, or perhaps even the itinerant apple crate standing out like breadcrumbs.
Running wild, it took Dash several minutes to work herself to a point where she could think straight. Her brain was working, even if her mind wasn't. Slowing to a trot, she swept her ears back and forth, scanning for any tell-tale sounds. There should have been the sounds of apple bucking, or Applebloom's cries; something! Instead she couldn't make out anything but the rustle of leaves and the blood rushing in her ears.
No, that wasn't quite true. There, on the wind, she could hear the faintest of sounds. It was a high, squeaky range with a melodious octave; Fluttershy. She'd been running exactly the wrong direction. Rearing around, Dash kicked into high gear, rushing for her friend. She could hear her now, just faintly but growing clearer.
The orchard was well organized, Dash gave it that. The trees, some older than her father, were laid out in patchwork rows. Easy enough to run through, especially if you were Rainbow Dash. She zeroed in on the sound of Fluttershy's voice.
Dash almost ran headlong into Applejack's backside. She had to put on the breaks to keep from slamming into the slightly-larger Earth Pony. Even then she smacked into her orange blank flank. Applejack glanced back, scowling at Dash.

"Where'd you guys go? Why di-"

"SSSHHH!" AJ shushed her.

Then Dash heard it; the singing. She should have known all along. Fluttershy stood in the clearing, twirling around on her hind legs, singing at the top of her longs. Eyes shut, wings and forelegs outstretched, hair whipping in the wind, she was the purest picture of innocence. Dash had heard her sing before, several times. Yet here, in this open fresh air with no pony watching, Fluttershy demonstrated the full range of her vocal talent.
Only... there were ponies watching. Every member of the Apple family poked their heads through the tree line, watching this young angel sing. Across the clearing the large, red head of Little Mac poked through, orange mane flapping beneath his brown Stetson. Even Applebloom fell silent at Granny's feet as she stood, star struck.
Dash, for her part, stood transfixed as well. Fluttershy was beautiful, with a voice that made nightmares fall in love. Singing lullabies in their dorm room was nothing compared to this. This was a song every pony knew from foal-hood, that they sang ever Summer Sun Celebration. But here Fluttershy sang it from her heart, full and happy.

We will sing together
And the mountains will hear our call;
And we will raise our voices
Remembered forever, the Land of Equestria

We will dance through the country
And the night and the day will be one;
Holding hooves, we will unite
As one mind, as one soul, the name of Equestria

Oh, Luna's night full of bright stars
With the moon shining down on the land;
Celestia's summer skies
To guide us, to lead us, in ruling Equestria

We will live in joyous laughter
With the love and the trust that we share;
And the world will know the good times
Glory and honour, the Land of Equestria.

A single tear rolled down Applejack's cheek, shimmering as it crashed into the dust below. Dash glanced her way, studying this hard-willed pony. Everything about her, from the set of her eye to the movement ion her stance, even the way she lay her hair, all screamed one work; Hard. Yet Fluttershy, with nothing more than an impromptu acapella version of what many ponies considered to be their national anthem, had brought this young filly to the verge of tears. Dash didn't like Applejack, but she felt that she understood her, even if just a bit.

"Are you alright?" Rainbow Dash asked quietly.

"What are you doin' here?' AJ turned away quickly, wiping her face on her foreleg.

"I woke up and you guys were gone."

"This here's a farm, pipsqueak. We ain't got time to be lollygaggin' around while you're off bein' lazy somewhere."

"I wasn't 'off somewhere.' I was right there! You could have woken me up or something."

"I don't have the time enough in the day to be worryin' about some stranger like you." Applejack turned, staring down Rainbow Dash.

"It wouldn't have taken any time at all! Just a 'Hey y'all, Rainbow Dash, we're moving down that thar farm a ways.'" mocked Dash.

"I guess I could've." The orange workhorse leaned forward, looking Dash in the eye. She was a good head taller than Dash. "But I didn't. Now get outta my way; I've got a farm to run."

AJ swished her tail as she trotted past, smacking Dash in the face causing her to sneeze. That was the last straw. Some girls, like Fluttershy, would have been in tears by now. Not Rainbow Dash; she'd had more than her share of dealing with bullies. She knew just how to handle them to defuse a situation, and what to say to start a fight. Unfortunately she never could hold her tongue very well.

"Yeah, well at least I was just napping and not hiding in the bushes crying." Dash shot back, a smirk spreading from ear to ear.

AJ pulled up short, ears alert, voice ice cold. "What did you say?"

"I guess I should put it in terms you understand." Dash walked slowly forward, favoring her good side. There was a fight coming, and she needed to protect her damaged wing. "Y'er shirkin' y'er work an' cryin' like a little foal."

Applejack turned, facing down the smaller filly. Granny had told her not to fight; time and time again she'd been told to stop fighting with the other children, to just let things go. And time and time again she ignored Granny's warnings and bottled things up till she exploded. Every filly and colt in Ponyville knew not to mess with Applejack, or you'd end up seeing Nurse Redheart. She fought dirty, she fought mean.
Rainbow Dash, never having met the Apple family before, had no way of knowing that every pony avoided the toe-headed filly. She didn't know about the days and nights AJ spent alone without a friend in the world besides her brother. She didn't know about her short temper, or her dirty tricks, or even her main weapons, "Bucky McGillycuddy" and "Kicks McGee."
But Dash had been in enough scraps to know a fighter when she saw one. Applejack stood stalk still, nostrils flaring, ears twitching as those emerald eyes burned into her own vermilion pair. Dash shrank a bit, making herself a smaller target. Inside her heart began to race. This wasn't like fighting Hoops and his gang. They were bullies. Bullies beat up ponies and ran. They didn't have what it took to stick with it; they weren't fighters. But Applejack...
Dash felt an unsettling cold nestle into the back of her lungs, a feeling she tentatively identified as fear. She'd faced down punks, thugs and Apollyon, for Celestia sake! How was she scared of some no account farm girl? She thought about how to take her down. It had to be the neck, the neck below the head. And once she was there she must never let go. Dash had to buck that bronco till she dropped, and she wasn't quite sure she could do it.
It was far too silent. The breeze barely moved the leaves in the thicket, and Fluttershy's melodious voice had fallen still. It was just the subtle shift of Applejack's muscles and her own blood pounding in Rainbow Dash's ears.
Dash was just about to call it off when Applejack made her move. There was no scream, no whinny; she wasn't so unprofessional as to advertise her attacks. She simply charged, spun and bucked hard. Dash's instinct was to fly higher, a mistake that almost took her head off. She remembered her out-of-order wings with barely enough time to duck as AJ's buck cleared just a whisker from where she'd been. Rolling, Dash found herself looking into the sights of those double cannons again, swiveling her direction. Dash rolled aside again just as they fired.

"Hold still, ya varmint!" Muttered AJ.

Dash then realized something. Yes, Applejack was bigger, stronger, heavier and more powerful than Dash, but she was also an Earth Pony. Rainbow Dash was a Luna-blessed Pegasus! She was lighter, smaller and faster than anything AJ had fought before. Dash might not be able to beat AJ in a straight fight, but she could wear her into submission.
Applejack fired off another bone-breaking kick, this one far too close for Dash's comfort. Tearing off for the nearest tree, she heard AJ grunt in protest as she gave chase. Dash leapt around the curve of the trunk just as Applejack body checked it. Then she was gone again, leaving the stunned orange cowgirl behind. It was Dash's turn to whip her tail, giving AJ a nice crack across the face as she went by.
That was her mistake. Dash was flying mid-leap one moment and then belly flat on the ground the next. AJ had her by the tail, slowly winding her in like a lasso.

"That's enough of that." Applejack towered over her.

Grounded and winded, Dash was precious short on time and options. With as rage filled as this pony looked, she had little doubt she was about to meet the business end of a buck. Quickly flipping over, Dash found the soft and venerable underbelly to be such an easy target. And her only target. She started trampling from below, pounding into AJ's frothy chest and abdomen. The older pony gasped and Dash had an opening to roll aside.
Instead, she pressed her luck, continuing to pepper her opponent from below. It didn't take Applejack long to catch on, slamming Dash's head into the ground three or four times. She lost count as her vision blurred.

"Any last words?" Three Applejacks loomed above her, dancing around one another. Dash couldn't even tell which was the real one to defend herself against.

There was a scream. Fluttershy. Dash had to fight for Fluttershy. She raised a hoof weakly only to have to brushed aside by all thee Applejacks. Then there was another scream, shouting Granny's name. This wasn't Fluttershy, the pitch was all wrong, too much of a baby. Where was Dash again? What was happening?
One of the Applejacks slammed her hoof down and then the only thing Dash could see were stars and light. She could taste the iron in her mouth. Was that blood? Dash could just make out Applejack raising both fore hooves again, only to be wiped out by a titanic red streak. There was a bit of a scuffle, and Dash could hear the slap of hooves on flesh and AJ screaming 'Get off me!' Dash wasn't on her. What was going on?
Then Fluttershy was there, caressing her face and calling her name. 'Stop crying, Fluttershy, you're getting my face wet' thought Dash. Even unfocused Dash could make out that kind and caring face, with eyes that would never lie or betray her. Fluttershy was here, everything would be alright.
And with that, Rainbow Dash blacked out.

> Chapter XXIV
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XXIV

The world flowed, dancing in and out of colors. The breeze of yellow, the taste of wind, the vibrant pulse of life all worked to remind Rainbow Dash that she yet lived. All was well with the world. The muted and humble tones flowing through a veil of fog seemingly called her name, reminding her who she was. Go away, this was beautiful, and endless journey where she might fly forever. Wait, was she dead? No, this didn't feel like dead. This felt... peaceful.
The voice called her again, away from the light, into the fog bank of life. She didn't want to go, not after having seen such beauty. Open fields and glorious skies, where a pony could run forever. Then the tendrils of pain found her, pulling her faster, upwards into darkness. 
That was her name being called, alright. She couldn't see anything yet, but she knew her name. But why did her head hurt so badly? It was as if her entire body groaned in protest at leaving paradise, and now she would pay for it.

"Dashie?" 

"I think she's comin' around

"Give her some room, AB. Come on, girlie, wake up now, ya hear?"

She could hear, but she didn't want to wake up. Every step closer to consciousness was another moment of escalating pain. In vain she dove deep, trying to hide from life. Yet there was no respite from within, as she bubbled closer to the surface. The lights grew brighter, the voices more audible and the smells crisper until they all snapped into place. 
Dash was staring up at the ceiling. Rough hune wood, not sanded, dusted nor polished since it was installed, but well loved and aged all the same. Indoors; she was back inside the Apple home. Not much time had passed given by the light in the window. The springs in the worn and frayed couch dug into her back as she shifted, a sharp pain rather than a dull ache, another indication of how little day she'd lost. 
Turning her head slightly, Rainbow Dash stared into the three faces hovering over her. Granny Smith was there, her furrowed brow relaxing its wrinkles as Dash came around. Tiny Applebloom was there too, kicked up on her hind legs as tall as she could to see the excitement. 
The last face was one Rainbow Dash would never forget as long as she lived. The fuzzy candlelight yellow complexion of her best friend, aqua eyes tinged red from recent tears. 

"Oh Dashie!" Fluttershy cried, clinging to her with a relieved sob "I-- I thought I'd-- I'd-- You--"

"GAHK!" Dash was fully awake now, pawing at the couch beneath her. 

"Oh, are you all right? Tell me what's wrong. Do you need me to get you something? Granny Smith made some nice tea."

"Get off my wing!" Shouted Dash. Fluttershy quickly jumped up, removing her knee from the bandaged blue wing, blushing with shame. 

"Boy, am I glad y'er back." Applebloom chirped. "We though you was a goner fer sure!"

"We thought no such thing." Granny Smith leaned down, adjusting something on Dash's forehead while staring intently into her eyes, checking her pupils. Dash couldn't tell what she was doing; she couldn't feel anything above her neck except a fierce throb. "Y'er just a bit concussed is all. If I've learned a thing or two about Pegasus ponies in my day, it's that y'all have got hard heads. You should be right as rain tomorrow."

"Ugh. What happened?" Dash sat up with Fluttershy's help.

"Should have warned ya about my sister. She's got a mighty fierce temper."

"She tried to kill me!" Dash remembered the finishing blow. 

"Nah, she jus' meant to rough ya up a bit. Y'er a lucky one; kids around town call her 'the Bone Breaker.'"

Dash's eyes went a bit wider. Fluttershy, sitting next to her friend on the couch, clung to her leg tighter, afraid of staying in a home with a psychotic thug. Memories of Claw's menacing threats and his subsequent fight, and demise, with Skystriker came gurgling back. Seeing two stallions tear each other apart in a life and death display of pure power was mesmerizing. But a little filly earning that reputation? 

"That's quite enough, Applebloom. Go get your brother now." 

"Yes, Granny." Applebloom tore up the stairs on legs half a foot too short for the steps. 

"Now, sweet pea, can you recall what happened? AJ ain't said a word since Mac drug her back to the house." Granny pulled up a chair. 

"Um, I think so." Dash gently touched her forehead. "I know I got in a fight with Applejack, but I can't recall-- I mean, I don't remember who started it." 

"Start at the end an' work your way back." Granny suggested. 

"Well, I remember her giving me that little love tap, that's for sure. And I remember Fluttershy screaming." 

"I thought she was going to kill you." Fluttershy nuzzled her friend. 

"Stop, that tickles!" Dash giggled. "I know we fought. Before that... I was mocking her. I don't remember what I said, but I know I was making fun of her accent."

"Oh, Dashie." Fluttershy scolded, giving her tongue a click. How could she? They were guests here. 

"Yeah, not my finest hour." Dash rubbed the back of her neck. "Sorry."

Granny Smith frowned, clearly not happy but willing to let it slide. "So you two exchanged words..."

"Yeah. Before that... I don't know. I woke up and you guys were gone. I found AJ while Fluttershy was singing. And then we started fighting." 

"You were fighting over my singing?" asked Fluttershy.

"Yea-- No, that's not right. There was something else she was doing. Applejack was... crying?"

Little Mac reached the bottom of the stairs right then, pausing to hear the end of the story. Granny turned back to look at him as they exchanged a few glances and unspoken words. He never came in the room though; Fluttershy knew he didn't like to be around her. Yet another pony in the world who hated her. 

"You sure 'bout that, young'un?" Granny asked Dash once more. 

"Yeah, positive. She was listening to Fluttershy sing and was standing there crying."

"Inerestin'." Granny mulled, resting her hooves on top of her cane. "She ain't cried since 'fore--"

"I'm goin' back to work, Granny." Little Mac spoke more words than he had since the Pegasi arrived. 

With that he swished his tail and left. Fluttershy glanced at the door after him, eyes darting from Granny, to the door, to the stairs, and back to Rainbow. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she wasn't about to leave Rainbow Dash's side; not again. This was all her fault. Another pony she loved had almost died because of her. 

Granny sighed, rising to her creaky legs. "I suppose I'll get Sunday supper started. We'll have a short day today. Fluttershy, care to give me a hoof in the kitchen?" Fluttershy shook her head, pink locks swishing back and forth. "Suit yourself. Don't let that one fall asleep till bedtime." Granny pointed to Rainbow Dash, jabbing her lightly in the ribs with her cane. Both the girls grinned as Granny turned, heading for the kitchen. 

"You could help if you wanted. I'm okay here." Dash held her friend's hoof.

"Nuh-uh." Fluttershy shook her again once more. "I'm not leaving you side." She leaned in, resting her head on Dash's shoulder, clinging tightly to her foreleg. "Not again. I can't let it happen again."

"What, you think AJ's going to come back for round two?"

"No, not that. I can't--" Fluttershy's voice trailed up the octave scale, cutting out with a shudder. 

"Hey, what is it?" Dash noticed the tears. 

"I thought everything would be alright since Apollyon died. He was a murderer, he killed ponies. He took my mother from me. He was this monster that let you put a face on evil. And with him gone, everything would be alright. But it's not, because I know the truth." Fluttershy could barely choke the words out through the tears. "I'm the evil one!"

"Fluttershy, hey! Don't say stuff like that."

"But it's true. Every pony I love dies, or leaves me, or hates me. I'm a worse monster than Apollyon ever was. I make Discord look like a cartoon villain!"

"Fluttershy, no. Come on, you're not evil. Please stop crying. I don't know what to say when you get like this." Dash stroked her friend's hair.

She didn't know what to say. When something was bothering Fluttershy, she fixed it. If a bully was teasing her, she beat their face in. If she had trouble with a flying exam, she gave Fluttershy an extra bump draft. 
But how do you help some pony when their enemy was inside? How do you combat doubt, depression, and fear, when all you can see if fluff and feathers? When something was bothering Rainbow Dash she went to Fluttershy. So who did Fluttershy go to?
They lay there for a long time, Fluttershy sobbing gently into Dash's chest and shoulder, staining her cerulean coat a darker shade. It gave Fluttershy release; it gave Dash time to think. Finally the pastel pony cried herself out, and they huddled together like emotional life rafts. 

"Feel better?"

"A bit." Fluttershy sniffed. 

"I hate crying. But it makes me feel good sometimes, like when I think about mommy."

"I hope she's okay."

"She's fine. Just you wait and see; when we get back, we'll go and see her and tell her everything. And you know what she'd say?" 

"What?"

"She'll agree with me. You're not evil, Fluttershy. Far from it. You're the kindest, most peaceful and innocent little pony that was ever born." Dash smiled.

"But things keep happening around me! Ponies keep dying! Or getting hurt. Or leaving." Fluttershy welled up again. 

"'Every pony dies, Dashie.'"

"What?" Fluttershy pulled back.

"That's what you told me one time. 'Every pony dies.' you said. 'The solution is to live with enough love that you’ll never be forgotten.'"

"But I don't want them to die!"

"Well hay, neither do I, Fluttershy. Do you think I want my mommy to have cancer? Don't you think I'd trade a thousand careers as a Wonderbolt just to make her better?" Dash sighed, rolling over. 

She pulled Fluttershy close, lying nose to nose. It gave her a few moments to put her thoughts together. She didn't understand this. Coach McHard Cheese talked about 'philosophy' sometimes, and most of it went over Dash's head. But sometimes he'd take the time to explain it to his students that were willing to listen. Dash didn't get it, but she listened anyways, trying to stay on Coach's very slim good side.

"But... I don't think life works like that. Ponies just die. Or get hurt. Or leave. Princess Celestia isn't going to do anything about it; I don't think she can. Not if she wants us to be free. There's more to life than just breathing. We have to make mistakes; we have to die. That's called living." Fluttershy just stared into her magenta eyes. "That's what Coach says, anyways. 

The tears slowly dried as Fluttershy contemplated her own words fired back at her by a friend. Yes, every pony dies; she'd discovered this the hard way. But does that make their love any less? Even if Fluttershy caused their deaths, even if she were pure evil, does that make their lives any less meaningful? 
Lives could be impacted by evil, sure. But couldn't they also be touched and leave them better? Wasn't kindness better than pain, small gestures better than grand? Fluttershy was just a little pony; she couldn't make that big of an impact anyways. It's not like she was capable of saving the world four times in a row and once as a doppelganger in another dimension. 
There was still pain, though. There would always be pain. Fluttershy didn't trust herself. How could she? Though Rainbow Dash's words echoed a truth she'd once known to be true, the doubt in her heart would always whisper 'You're the one, you drove them all away.'
Peace and love; pain and anger. That question had yet to be settled in Fluttershy's own heart. The same for Rainbow Dash and Applejack as well. They all had a difficult and uncertain journey ahead of them, a path as blank as the cutie marks on their flanks, or as bright and wonderful as the future 
But for one tiny pony, eavesdropping by the stairs, the answer was clear. She would love. Not because there was no other choice, but because love was worth sharing. 
She didn't know what was going on most of the time. No pony wanted to talk to a three year old filly. Most of the time her sister treated her like she didn't exist. But Applebloom knew she was loved, even if they were no longer here to show it. And that was good enough for her. 

> Chapter XXV
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XXV

"Soup's on, every pony!" Granny hollered, ringing the diner triangle. "Applebloom, would you set the table?"

"Yes, Granny."

Little Mac came through the back door, looking spiffy and clean, if not a little wet. Had he showered at the pump outside? Why would he not just use the upstairs stall? Granny took one glance his way and sighed. Applebloom looked around, once more not understanding what was happening. 
Fluttershy helped Dash from the couch and walked her into the kitchen where supper was prepared at the table. It looked delicious; corn on the cob and fried okra, garden salad, cornbread with honey, apple tarts and lemonade. It was enough to make both Pegasi's mouths water. 

"Little Mac, would you go get your sister?" Asked Granny.

"Eyup." Mac headed up the stairs. 

He returned just a few minutes later, sitting down on the bench without comment. Granny slowly pulled out her chair at the head of the table, creaking into it. Applebloom hopped up, parking herself in her booster seat between her brother and grandmother. Fluttershy and Dash looked around, picking the spots closest to the wall. Dash sat down next to Granny, keeping the empty spot as far away from her as possible. Fluttershy finally let go of her hoof, sitting down close beside. Now they were just waiting on the last member of their dining party. 

"Applejack, darlin'. We're waitin'!" Granny called. 

Slowly the orange filly descended the stairs, taking her sweet time of it. Dash almost expected her to come stomping down, rolling into the room like a storm front. Instead she entered almost meekly, gaze downcast, sorrow etched on her features. She knew she'd messed up, even if her pride wouldn't let her apologize. Maybe she and Dash could get along after all. 
Until she looked up. Applejack froze, knees locked in place as she glowered at the two Pegasi. This wasn't just about Dash; she was glaring at Fluttershy too, who only scooted closer to Dash and shrank down. AJ's face turned from light orange to a burnt umber, rage tugging at the corners of her eyes. She had the attention of every pony in the room.

"Y'all don't sit there." She whispered. 

"I'm sorry?" Asked Fluttershy. 

"I said. You. Don't. SIT THERE!" 

AJ lurched forward, screaming at the strangers. Mac had his sister by the shoulders as her wrath spilled forth. Fluttershy was hiding behind Dash, quaking but for once not crying. She didn't know what had set the strange Earth Pony off. Neither did Dash, but she was in full protection mode, fore hooves on the table and wings locked, wounded or no, ready for round two. No one yelled at Fluttershy and got away with it.  

"Applejack!" 

And with one word from Granny Smith all tension alleviated. Applebloom and Little Mac, still holding his sister, looked to their Grandmother. Fluttershy raised her head up from behind her friend, paying heed to the elderly pony. But Applejack never moved. She just locked eyes with Dash, anger threatening to boil over. And Dash just stood there, unwilling to abandon her friend. 

"Applejack. Sit down, girl." 

"No!" AJ finally turned, eyes pleading with her grandmother. "Granny, they can't sit there. They've gotta move! Please."

"It's been three years, child."

"Please, Granny." AJ begged. 

Granny Smith sighed. "Applebloom, set two more places."

"I set the table already! You told me to set the table!" Applebloom, just a little foal, started to cry. She wasn't entirely sure what the problem was, but Applejack probably hated her. Again.

"Hush your tears, peanut. For land sakes, no pony is angry with you. Now get up and set two more places."

Applebloom did it quietly and efficiently, squeezing in two more places at a table designed for six. Fluttershy and Dash moved. They didn't know what the problem was, but ever pony shuffled around to make room. Applejack finally sat down at the end, with her brother squished in next to her. Then Applebloom, Fluttershy and Dash shared the bench furthest from the wall. Granny Smith got to stay in her chair, but she moved over to give Dash some elbow room. 
At last they were all seated, all staring at the two empty place settings and pretending to ignore them. All except Applejack. She kept watching the empty places like she was waiting for ghosts to speak. Dash glowered at her. Little Mac watched Fluttershy when he thought she wasn't looking. Fluttershy watched the floor. 

"Applejack." All eyes turned to Granny Smith once more. "Pray." 

Applejack sighed. “Celestia, our ancestors cleared this land. We plowed it, sowed it, and harvest it. We cook the harvest. It wouldn’t be here and we wouldn’t be eating it if we hadn’t done it all ourselves. When it rains, we eat. When it droughts, we starve. We worked and fought dog-bone hard for every crumb and morsel, but we thank you just the same for the food we’re about to eat. Amen.”

Dash didn't know what to think of such an obtuse prayer. Her family wasn't religious, not by any stretch, but her mother still made sure Dash said her prayers before bed. But to openly mock the princess, their goddess... It just didn't sit right. Apparently not with Fluttershy either, as the two feathered fillies glanced at one another. 
Perhaps it was just what remained of the Pegasi loyalty to Princess Luna. In the last war they'd sided with the Princess of the Night, and their religious chaste suffered greatly because of it, now all but gone. Such was the price of following a dead goddess. The Unicorns had no such problem; their clerical sect still flourished, serving Princess Celestia, and all of Equestria, to this day. 
These Earth Ponies apparently got along just find without monks or chapels. The young Apple family didn't seem to care given the way they ate their food, and Granny Smith merely frowned before following suite at a much slower pace. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, old enough to care but too young to know what to do, shrugged at each other and joined in the meal. 
It was delicious, as expected. Dash helped herself to copious servings of okra, corn on the cob and some more dried sugar beet pulp from lunch. She almost started an eating contest with Little Mac over the cornbread muffins. They kept glancing at one another as the muffins dwindled lower and lower. Little Mac took the last one, setting it on his plate with a grin. Applejack never said a word. She just knocked his Stetson off his head. While he bent over to get it she took his muffin from his plate and tossed it to Dash, winking at her.
So what, they were friends now? She could just give her food and a wink and everything would be okay? Dash touched the bandage on her head and looked away. No, she wasn't willing to be friends that easy. Applejack was a thug and a bully; nothing more. 

"Applejack, I need you to bunk with your sister tonight, so our guests can have some place to sleep." Granny Smith instructed.

"Great, what else is new? Now I've even lost my own room."

"Then I want you to take these two with y'all into town tomorrow." Granny nodded to their guests. "See if they can't find a ride back home, or at least send a letter to their folks lettin' them know they're safe."

"Yes Granny." AJ chewed her salad. 

"And glory be, don't leave them alone like you did that Cheerilee girl when she first got to town neither." 

"She had it commin'." muttered Applejack, looking away. Her brother took note of it but never said a word. 

"What was that?"

"I said 'yes, Granny!'" she grinned. 

"An' come home after school. I've got stuff for you to do."

"Can't Mac do it? Or how about Applebloom? She don't do nothin' all day!" 

"You know very well Little Mac is working as hard as he can. He's college bound. And your little sister is a... wonderful help around the house, but we wouldn't want to put her in the yard and risk a repeat of the other night, would we? Don't argue with me, young filly. I need you straight home."

"Aw, Granny! I was going into Ponyville to pick up some power converters!" 

"You can waste time with your friends when your chores are done." Granny served herself a wobbly helping of jam.

"Yes, ma'am." Applejack grunted. Pushing her corn around her plate with her snout, she went back to muttering to herself. "What friends?"

They went back to eating in silence. Applebloom and Granny finished first, with Applejack was right behind them. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were left to polish everything off once Little Mac bowed out with a groan. He just couldn't believe that two little girls could eat more than him. Everyone reclined for conversation as the Pegasi licked their plates clean, quite literally in Fluttershy's case. She stopped once she caught Mac watching again. 

"Granny," Applejack cleared her throat. "I was thinkin' about our agreement? About me stayin' on another season? And if the harvest comes in good this year... I want to go stay with Aunt and Uncle Mosely Orange."

"You mean the next semester before the harvest?" Granny rocked back, thinking. 

She'd known this would come up sooner or later. Applejack would leave; there was no question about that. But she needed to stay here for now; she was still too little, too angry. She might hate Granny Smith for it, but sometimes that's what adults were there for, to be hated by children in order to keep them safe. 

"Sure." AJ smiled. Or tried to anyways.

"Harvest is when I need you the most, AJ. You know that. Maybe this year we'll make enough money from the harvest that we can hire some more hands. Then you can go to Manehattan next year. You know I need you here, Applejack."

"But that's a whole 'nother year!" Applejack tried not to whine, but to put just enough inflection into her voice to be annoying. Based on how Little Mac ground his teeth, she got it right.

"It's only one more season."

"Yeah, that's what you said when Braeburn and Barbara Seed left. That's what you'll say when Mac goes." pouted AJ.

"It's a moot point anyways, AJ. Looks like we're in for a poor Zap Apple crop this year." Granny commented, lighting her after-supper pipe.

"Why?" Applebloom chimed in. That was all she said most of the time. 

"The magic's all gone wrong. Something happened. I woke up the other night and my rheumatism was actin' up somethin' awful." 

"Magic?"

"Zap Apples grow on magic, don'tcha know? The Everfree forest is tryin' to right itself from where the magic was ripped from the very fabric of nature itself. Zap Apples are the magical runoff from the cold spot in Equestria. But even voids have ebbs and flows, and this season don't look good. Some kind of magical fallout."

"There was some kind of explosion there the other night." Applejack commented. "It woke me and Mac up, didn't it, Mac?"

"Eyup." 

"Oh, that was us." Rainbow Dash smiled. 

"What?" Four sets of eyes turned to the new comers. 

"The explosion? That was us, right Fluttershy?"

"Oh, yes, it was." nodded Fluttershy.

"Honestly I'm surprised you could hear it this far away. Maybe we were luckier than I thought."

Granny leaned forward, tapping on her pipe. "How can two little ponies make such a big noise, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Well, we didn't explode if that's what you're asking." Dash laughed. "It was Apollyon. He blew up."

If a fly had been on the wall right then, gone home and found his wife who was waiting for him, and started screaming for her husband to swat her like a naughty fly, the ponies would have been privy to every embarrassing, buzzing sound. No one spoke. No one dared breathe. Dash and Fluttershy glanced at one another, beginning to realize they may have done something wrong.  

"He... exploded?" Mac chose his words carefully. 

"Yep. We killed him." Dash's grin was difficult to tame. "It took like, I don't know, ten seconds. Flat."

"You. Did. What?!" Applejack contained her shriek, even if just barely. 

"We... killed him?" Dash sank a little lower. "He'd dead?"

"How?" Mac asked the question one sister wouldn't think of and the other currently couldn't get out. 

"He fell to his death." Dash felt some shame. She thought she'd done a good thing. 

"Rainbow Dash is a hero. Apollyon tried to eat me, and she saved my life. She's my best friend and you all should be thanking her instead of scolding her." Fluttershy spoke up, coming to Dash's aid.

"We ain't scoldin' y'all, little ones. In fact, I'd say y'all downright did a good thing. We're jus' a bit surprised is all." Granny tussled Dash's mane. 

Applejack stood up, a hollow look in her eye. "I'm goin' for a walk." 

And with that she was gone. Granny Smith called after her but she had already disappeared into the cool of the evening. Mac and Applebloom stood, clearing the table. 

"We didn't mean to upset her." Fluttershy apologized. 

"Don't worry about it. Some ponies 'round here have been lookin' for revenge for a long time. It can come as quite a shock to discover everythin' you've been livin' for is gone." Granny smiled. 

Granny retired to her rocker in the living room where she promptly fell asleep. Little Mac took Applebloom upstairs to, under much protest from both of them, give her a bath. That left the two Pegasisters downstairs. Able to relax for the first time in days they played cards with an old, mismatched deck lying around. Old Maid may not have been the most adventurous thing ever, but it sure beat slaying dragons. Playing with her best friend, there was nothing else Dash would rather be doing, given the past few days they'd had. 
Little Mac came back downstairs half an hour later, soaked from nose to tail with bubbles in his ears. Fluttershy tried not to laugh; Dash didn't bother hiding it. Mac just turned a slightly darker shade of red, sitting down at the small writing desk in the corner. Opening his text book, he began logarithms, doing his best to ignore the giggles. Even though he had a farm to run he couldn't let his grades slip.  
The Pegasi played a few more hands before Dash couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. Yawning, she was asleep before her cards even hit the floor. Fluttershy gently pulled a throw blanket over her, biting her lip. Now she was alone with a strange young stallion. Should she say anything? Should she leave?
Wandering over, Fluttershy peeked at his arithmetic equations. He was steadily pounding them out, summing them up longhand, rather than using an abacus. Fluttershy could mostly follow them; she tried to say ahead of her grade, having repeated it twice already. So she'd study more difficult math problems in her off time. She didn't tell Dash because she already thought her an egg head as it was. Fluttershy didn't need to give her further ammunition. 

"Um, that one is five. I think." Fluttershy pointed to the problem Mac was having a particularly difficult time with. 

He quickly summed it up on paper. "Eyup." 

It went like that for a little while longer, with Fluttershy running equations in her head and Little Mac checking them longhand. Finally she yawned. She needed to take Dash to bed, so they could get some proper sleep. Though it was nice to finally be with some pony as quiet as she was, Fluttershy never came within six feet of him. That was just fine by Mac as well. 
Finally the grandfather clock started chiming, hammering out steady beats. A lot of them. Was it really that late already? Fluttershy really did need to go to bed. Little Mac must have thought the same thing, because he stood, closing his text book. 

"Granny." Mac nudged her gently. 

"Wha? Landagotion! Mac, ya scare me."

"You told me not to let you sleep in the chair again." 

"Right, right, sonny. Let me just catch my breath. Is Applejack in bed already? I want to talk to her."

Mac and Fluttershy exchanged glances, the first time they'd ever met eyes. Except now they weren't thinking of themselves, but confirming what the other knew. Applejack never came home. 

> Chapter XXVI
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XXVI

It didn't take Mac five minutes to find his sister. Getting to her was another story entirely. They both had places they liked to go and think when things bothered them. His was behind the woodshed; Applejack's was high. Very high. 
Slowly he cantered toward their almost, but now-destined-to-never-be, finished tree house. Little Mac could see his sister's outline, orange fur glowing in the moonlight. She perched on top of the roof, staring up of the mare in the moon. Mac stood below, listening to her gentle breathing. He hoped she didn't make him climb up there.

"AJ? Come down."

"Why?" The muted reply came back, chin resting on her legs. 

"It's late. Y're worryin' Granny." He really didn't want to climb up there.

"What does she care? She'll just be mad if I miss school tomorrow, or skip my stupid chores."

She was going to do it, wasn't she? After a day of working and studying and being bone-dead tired, his sister was really going to make him walk up that ramp and climb on top of that club house. Mac did it though, grunting and cursing every step of the way. His sister needed him more than he feared heights. Who invented Gravity anyways? They were Earth ponies; they belonged to the good, rich earth.
With a struggling step Little Mac pulled himself onto the roof. He scrunched low, dog crawling towards the peak, afraid of looking any direction even related to down. Applejack never lifted a hoof to help, she just rolled her eyes and went back to star gazing. 

"I didn't invite ya up here, ya know." 

"Eyup." 

Mac settled in next to his sister. Cold and rigid, she let her armor fall away around her brother, the only pony she could trust to let her be herself. Sometimes she almost cried, sometimes she beat him, and still other times she just talked, pouring out her feelings. Tonight she was content with nestling in close, rubbing up against him so close that their ribs touched. Her protector, her champion; her big brother. 

"I hate this farm." 

Applejack didn't bother looking at it, she'd seen it so many times she could walk it blind. Instead she kept her face turned upwards, moon glow showering down upon her. Mac let his eyes dance across her, one of the prettiest young mares he knew. Of course, he was biased, so maybe his opinion didn't count. Granny's neither. 

"Don't give me tha' look, I'm serious. I'm leavin', Mac. It's just a question of when." Mac blinked. "I don't know, pro'ly with Aunt and Uncle Orange. I'm gonna be a proper city miss." Mac blinked again. "I can too, if I wanted! If not Mahehattan, then maybe Hoofston. I've just gotta get off this farm. It's killin' me inside. I already hated it, and now I can't turn anywhere without seein' their faces. It's fine for you; you always wanted to be a cowpoke. Me? I want something more. Aw, shucks, you wouldn't understand."

Applejack was mistaken, Mac did understand. Yes, he enjoyed working at Sweet Apple Acres, just like his father, and his father before him. But that didn't mean he held no dreams. He wanted to go to college, major in agriculture, try to help the floundering farm. Maybe science could prevail where perspiration alone had failed. Oh yes, he knew about dreams, and loss, just as much as his sister. 

"What do you want?" Little Mac offered a rare sentence. 

The only time he spoke with any eloquence was around Applejack, or when he had to save her from Applebloom. When AJ got really mad she wasn't smart enough to out think their smallest sister, and Granny strictly forbade Applejack to harm a hair on her red head. That left their brother to save them both from what was currently a fairly equal playing field. He never faulted either of them, though. 

"I want to be free. I want to run, to fly, to soar. I want to man an airship, glidin' way up high like the Pegasi do. I want to battle sky pirates and fire the cannons and command a sky frigate. I want to attend fancy parties and be a truly elegant lady. I want to be rich! All the stallions will love me, and I will break all their hearts before I fly away in my armored zeppelins, jus' like in my stories."

"Those stories aren't real, AJ." Thank Celestia. Just being this high was enough to give Little Mac the shakes. Being that far off the ground would send him into convulsions. 

"I know that, ya dunce. I 'rote them, remember?"

"You never finish them." 

"I could if I wanted to! I could be a writer!" 

"Eyup." Little Mac rolled his eyes, smiling. 

"Don't you give me that face, big brother. This is your sister Applejack, remember? The loyalist of friends and most dependable of ponies? I can do anythin' I set my mind to." Applejack warmheartedly jabbed her brother in the ribs. "Besides, I know those stories ain't real. But if I become a proper lady, maybe part of my dream'll come true. The real part." Applejack sighed, staring up at the stars once more. "...An' maybe then I can find my home."

"You are home." Mac reassured, resting his head on top of hers. 

"If home is where your heart is, then why does my heart hurt so bad?" 

~~~~~~

Rainbow Dash snored. Fluttershy knew that already, but normally she wasn't this loud. Maybe it was something about their bed? Considering it was a mattress stuffed with hay and a roped cross-hatch box spring, it certainly wasn't as comfortable as a cloud. It just didn't have the same warmth or give. Still, if it were good enough for Applejack, Fluttershy would offer no complaints. She just wished Dash would stop snoring already. 
Jabbing her friend in the ribs, gently, Fluttershy rolled over with a sigh. Why couldn't she sleep? Her body certainly needed the rest, but she just couldn't stop her mind from dog fighting. So many thoughts raced around her mind; Apollyon and her mother and Dash's mother, school and boys and wings, the Apples and fighting and Applejack. Little Mac. 
She did like him, just not the same way she liked Ace. She dreamed about Ace sometimes, imagined them getting married. But Little Mac... He made her whole body warm. He made her feel safe. They hadn't said fifteen words to each other but she couldn't get him off her mind. The way he stood, the way he smelled, it etched itself onto her mind. She saw the way he treated Applebloom and especially Applejack, the way he looked at her, and the way AJ treated him back, and it made Fluttershy want to act like Rainbow Dash and kick her in the head. How could any pony be mean to Little Mac, especially his own sister?
Was that it, perhaps? Fluttershy was envious, yes, but she didn't think this was a crush. This felt... safer, somehow. Did she view him as Applejack did, as a brother?
Pegasi anatomy usually only called for a single child. There were occasional siblings, Ace's teammate Thunderlane being one of those with a baby brother. In incredibly rare cases there had even been reported twins. For the most part though, every Pegasi was an only child. If anything, that only strengthen the bond between Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash; they were the sister that neither of them would ever have. 
The floorboards in the hallway creaked. Fluttershy's ears went alert, searching out the sound as her eyes subtly shifted on instinct, alert for predators. Applejack had come in about an hour ago, grabbed a few things and left without comment. Fluttershy tried to say hello, but her tongue tied at the pony's brisk nature. Rainbow Dash had already fallen asleep. 
Gently, so as careful not to disturb her impossible-to-disturb bed fellow, Fluttershy rose to her feet, quietly walking to the door. There she peeked out and listened. Granny Smith stood in the hall, clad in her night robe. Fluttershy wondered if she'd gone senile, forgetting where she was again. Then she opened to door to Applebloom's room, peering in. Fluttershy got it; she was checking on her grandchildren. That left a fuzzy feeling in Fluttershy's heart and made her want to cry at the same time. 
Walking to Little Mac's room, Granny Smith did the same thing there, looking in on her charges. Finally she reached Applejack's room, and paused. Applejack wasn't there, no need to check. Yet she still hesitated. Fluttershy held her breath; she wanted Granny to check on her, needed her to! She needed someone, somewhere to show her that she was still loved. Granny paused, listening. Fluttershy held her breath, sinking deeper into the shadows. 
Then Granny moved on. The door didn't open, no green head peered in. Fluttershy almost sobbed. Throwing open the door she hurled herself into the hallway, panting heavily and choking back quiet sobs. Granny looked her once over and offered a sad smile. Then came what Fluttershy least expected, but needed most. She got a hug. 
Fluttershy didn't have any pony in her life to hug her; not since her mother died. Her father certainly never did, and the maids weren't allowed. Nor were the teachers. Firefly would, but they were weak sickly things lately, and Fluttershy was afraid to squeeze for fear of hurting her. Skystriker would just lay an approving hoof on her shoulder. And Dash, well, Dash was never much one for hugs. 
But Granny Smith was made for hugs. Beguiling her frail form, her muscles were still strong as woven cables, and her grip held Fluttershy fast. This hug, these limbs, they were safe. Fluttershy felt herself going spineless, flopping back and forth like a rag doll in arms she never wanted to escape. 

"Oh Granny..."

"Hush." Granny released her, indicating the doors and their sleeping occupants. 

Then she gestured towards the stairs. Fluttershy nodded, following her down. She paused once to stare in through the open door to Little Mac's room. He was there, curled into a tight ball against the wall. But there was just enough moonlight coming through the window to illuminate the sleeping orange form sprawled next to him. Fluttershy shot a questioning look to Granny who only smiled, continuing down the stairs. 

"She gets nightmares." Granny poured a cup of tea, handing it to Fluttershy sitting across the kitchen table. She then poured one for herself before settling down as well. "Sneaks in there sometimes. They think I don't know." 

"Why?" Fluttershy sipped from her cup. It was good, strong chamomile tea in dainty little cups; much like the Apples themselves. Probably the most expensive things they owned, too. 

"In case you ain't figured it out already, Applejack's mommy and daddy passed away. It fell to me to take care of their three young'uns. Applebloom will most likely never remember her parents. Little Mac was about your age, maybe a little older. He's come to accept it. But Applejack, she ain't let it go yet."

"Was it an accident?" 

Granny shook her head. "I'll admit two going at once was mighty peculiar, but the circumstances were strange enough. It seems there were a bit of trouble some years back, my son and his young bride got themselves mixed up in. Helpin' a "special" task force from the Princess or some such nonsense. Couldn't keep my baby from dyin'. Dragon fire, as you well know, is radioactive. In the end, though, it was just plain ol' cancer that got 'em." 

Fluttershy's eyes went wide, immediately thinking of Firefly and her own struggle. Firefly, who was dying at home, who would soon leave Rainbow Dash without a mother, just like Fluttershy. Posey, who tried to bargain for a cure, for the lives of her sick friends, the Apples. 
Fluttershy understood the pain in this house now, and why she and Rainbow Dash got along so well; they were all children of pain, children of Apollyon. Now the only one left to be baptized in the fires of death was Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow Dash's mother is dying too."

Granny nodded. "It is a hard road, child, and your little friend will need you more than ever 'fore this is over. Applejack still ain't through it, three years on. And Little Mac may look Big, but it don't never leave you."

"What can I do? I'm just one pony."

"You're her friend, ain't ya? Be kind. She's gonna be hatin' somethin' awful, and even if it's you, don't stop lovin' her. She'll come around in the end. Jus' be there for her and you'll be fine."

Fluttershy looked away. What should she say? What could she say? Here were yet two more lives claimed by the evil of Apollyon, at the hooves of her mother. If she'd left well enough alone, perhaps her friends might have lived. Certainly Firefly would not be ill. If Posey had stayed out of it, at the very least, she'd still be there for Fluttershy! It was a selfish though, but there it was just the same. Rainbow Dash was wrong. Ponies couldn't just die, right? Someone had to be at fault. Someone had to be blamed. 
So Fluttershy blamed some pony who wouldn't mind, some pony who was already dead. She blamed her own mother. But the act of blaming and hatred hurt far more than she expected. Fat tears welled up involuntarily, tapped deep inside from her pain and anger. It took Granny some time to notice as Fluttershy tried to dry her face. 

"Hey, what's your problem? You're not hurt."

"It's not fair. She should have known better. That was Apollyon." Fluttershy wiped her nose. "It's all her fault."

"All whose fault?" Granny thought she'd lost her teeth again.

"Mother's."

"Oh." Granny put two and two together. "I see. I see."

"Why did l wander so far from home?"

"Oh, it's not your fault, child. It's not your mother's fault. Now, you pay attention to ol' Granny Smith: It is nobody's fault. The great circle of life has begun." Granny put her hooves on Fluttershy's comforting the crying girl. Granny felt her own eyes grow misty, remembering this exact conversation with Mac three years ago. "But, you see, not all of us arrive together at the end."

"What'll I do? I miss her so much."

"And you'll always miss her. But she'll always be with you if you remember what she taught you. In a way, you'll never really be apart, 'cause you're still a part of each other."

"My tummy hurts." Sniffed Fluttershy.

"Well, that too shall pass in time, young'un." Granny refilled her teacup, sliding it back to Fluttershy. "But only in time."
> Chapter XXVII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XXVII

Rainbow Dash awoke the next morning feeling sore yet refreshed. Her head and her wing both throbbed, but the fuzziness clouding her mind and vision for the past two days was gone. Granny was right, Pegasi did have hard heads. 
Rolling out of bed, she arched her back, stretching like a cat before landing on the floor with a plop. The sun shone brightly through the window, but not high enough to warrant concern. It was still morning, and an important day at that. Today was the day she and Fluttershy went home. 
Wandering down the stairs, she found the youngest and oldest members of the Apple clan in the kitchen along with Fluttershy. Her yellow friend perked up, rushing over as she entered the room. 

"Oh! Dashie, I'm glad you're up. I was just about to come get you."

"What's going on?" Dash leaned around Fluttershy, sniffing. 

"Here ya go, young'uns. Flapjacks fresh off the griddle." 

Granny Smith set down a stack of pancakes. Dash and Fluttershy sat down as Applebloom tore into them, gnawing on one as large as her head. She held it between her hooves, trying to tear off chunks with her baby teeth. Without saying anything Fluttershy leaned over and began cutting the foal's food into bite sized pieces. 

"Where's Applejack and Little Mac?" Dash noted their absence. 

"Mac's already at work in the back forty. Applejack is upstairs in the stall gettin' herself ready." responded Granny.

"She's gettin' gussied up. She thinks she's pretty." Applebloom snickered. 

"She is pretty." Granny smacked her with the spatula and went back to cooking. "Now finish up so you can do your chores."

"Yes, Granny." Applebloom chewed faster. 

The three fillies ate the rest of their meal in silence. Dash had to admit, it was good. She'd had pancakes before, at home. Firefly used to make them. The texture was a bit off, but Dash suspected that had more to do with the ingredients than the cooking. Granny Smith could be the cafeteria lunch lady and the food would still be amazing. 
Several minutes later, as Dash licked the syrup from her face and Fluttershy slowly finished chewing, Applejack came clamoring down the stairs, descending with all the quiet dignity of a cacophony. She stopped and stared at their table guests, a slight rose blush on her cheeks. 
Dash had to admit, she did look pretty. She'd spent enough time longing to sit at the popular table to tell that's where Applejack wanted to sit too. She'd bathed, scrubbing the dirt and grime accumulated over the weekend from her coat. Her mane was neatly combed, sinning straight and healthy. She must have gotten up before sunrise to accomplish that feat. She even smelled nice. Who was she trying to be, a proper city miss?
Applejack averted her eyes, rushing up to Granny to kiss her on the cheek. Grabbing a pancake between her teeth, she rushed for the door. Fluttershy and Dash just stared at one another before scrambling to their feet, rushing to catch up. 

"Don't forget your chores!" Granny called. 

"Ah won't!" AJ was almost at a dead run now. Rainbow Dash poured on the speed.

"Thank you for... for everything." Fluttershy paused at the doorway. She couldn't cry this morning. She wouldn't. This wasn't goodbye; this was a happy day.

"Oh, my dear." Granny smiled, hugging her. Fluttershy clung tight, holding on even after Granny tried to push her away. "You'd better go. Go!" 

"Eep!" Fluttershy looked back. She'd never catch up with Dash now. But she'd try. Rushing after them, she called back one last time. "Goodbye, Granny!"

"G'bye, child! You take care of your friend, y'hear?" Applebloom took that moment to squeeze out the kitchen window. 

"I will!" Fluttershy waved. 

Waved? Yes, she had a free hoof. Four free hooves in fact. She was flying and hadn't even realized it. Letting out a contagious giggle, she flapped harder, pretending she was Rainbow Dash. Even with her minimal air speed she'd catch up to her friend for sure now. 
The light clopping beside her nearly sent her spiraling into the canopy. Applebloom ran along, wobbling her short legs for all she was worth. 

"Hi, Fluttershy!"

"Hello, Applebloom. Um, are you supposed to be out here?"

"I can go as far as the gate." Applebloom huffed. "But we'll never catch up with mah sister."

"Oh yes we will!" Fluttershy scooped her up, holding her close. 

It put an extra strain on her wings, but she found the strength to compensate, as if she'd been meant to fly all along. It wasn't like Applebloom weighed more than a bunny anyways. Pulling up, Fluttershy went sky born. She forgot how mush she loved the air. The earth was interesting, but kind of boring. It held far too many dangers, and the dust and dirt got everywhere, filling your nostrils and lungs. Too many smells and no clear line of sight meant a limited sense of danger, and a failing to appreciate nature. Nothing lived down there save for dead and dying farms; no cute animals or pretty bugs. Not even a simple bird. 
But here, up here in the sky where she was born, Fluttershy felt at peace in the only home she'd ever known. Pulling higher, faster, she began to feel a little ripple in her mane as her speed picked up. With training, one day she might even get up to half a wing speed. 
Applebloom loved it, squealing and laughing the entire way. Fearless, she tried to let go three times. Fluttershy, not so fearless, nearly screamed each time. The wriggling bundle might get them both killed. Flying over a hill, the two fillies looked down to see Little Mac struggling to cut a plow through the compacted dirt. 

"HI LITTLE MAC!" Applebloom waved ferociously. 

Little Mac tracked them overhead, watching his sister fly so far off the ground. "Enope." He went back to plowing. 

Tired and slowing down, Fluttershy made a bee-line for the dirt track beneath the trees. It was a good thing she hadn't tried to fly the injured Rainbow Dash back herself that first night, or they never would have made it. She couldn't carry a little pony more than a few dozen yards, thirty feet up. 
Coming in for a landing, Fluttershy spotted Dash trotting just ahead. She also saw the gate entrance with Applejack still reigning towards it. She also managed to catch a very large glimpse of the ground, coming up very fast. Holding on tight to Applebloom, she slammed into the hard dirt, tucking and rolling like Rainbow Dash taught her. If she thought impacting with tough clouds hurt, then she got a very real lesson on dirt and exactly how much it moves. Answer: none at all. 
Cart wheeling once, twice, three times, Fluttershy came to rest on her bum, still holding fast to her tiny, giggling charge. Applebloom leapt from her arms, rushing for her older sister while a look of expressionless shock rested on Fluttershy's face. Wide eyed and tiny pupiled, she barely noticed as Rainbow Dash came cantering up. 

"Show off." 

"My life flashed before my eyes." 

"So? How was it?"

"...Boring." Fluttershy climbed to her feet, rubbing her rump. "Ouch. Not an experience I'd recommend."

"Yeah, tell me about it." Dash gestured to her wing. "You'll live. Come on, let's catch up."

The two Pegasi raced after Applejack, who was now moving at a much slower pace, being annoyed by Applebloom. "Didja see me? Huh? Didja, sis? I was flyin'! Like a bird. Hey! Hey, AJ? Didja hear me? Didja hear what I said?"

"Yeah, that's great, Applebloom." AJ impatiently stamped her hoof. "Would you two come on? Y're gonna make me late for class!" 

The two Pegasi caught up and the three of them stampeded through the gate, riding towards town. Applebloom followed after them, hanging onto the fence post and waving. Fluttershy waved in return.

"Bye, Applejack! Bye, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash! I'll never forget y'all!"

"Yeah, bye, Applebloom. Whatever." Applejack muttered. 

"You don't get along with your sister much?" Fluttershy asked. Running at an acceptable speed, she was able to keep pace with the other two. 

"What, y'er gonna tell me you get along with your siblings?"

Fluttershy and Dash looked at each other. "We don't have siblings." Dash replied. 

"Lucky."

Applejack put on just that much more speed, pulling away and leaving the two Pegasi behind as she headed into town. 

> Chapter XXVIII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XXVIII

"This is the school house." Applejack gestured. "You two can wait outside, I guess. You probably won't understand most of it, bein' Pegasi and all."

Dash swished her tail, thinking she understood just fine. But then again she didn't know what Applejack meant by her 'Pegasi' comment, which actually may have proved her right. Did they have special Earth Pony teachings in there? Were they educating children in some kind of dark language of miniature horses?

Fluttershy simply pointed out the obvious. "Gosh, it's so small. How do all the ponies fit in there?"

Fluttershy was right. The school house was about as big as Coach's Airball shed, let alone an entire wing of the Cloudsdale Flight Academy. How did they all fit in there?

Applejack sighed. "They teach the younger kids in the mornin' an' the older ones in the afternoons. At lunch we swap. My brother'll be by later for his classes, and I get to go take his place in the fields. Yay. Now look, y're gonna make me late. Just, I don't know, sit on the swings or somethin'."

With that Applejack marched up the steps, shutting the door behind her and leaving the two friends alone in a strange town. They did sit for a while, playing Tic Tac Toe in the sand. Fluttershy grew restless at a much slower pace than Rainbow Dash, but even she eventually grew bored. After two days of loafing around, sitting lost some of its appeal. 

"I'm bored." Dash hopped down from her swing. 

"Me too." Fluttershy admitted. 

"Come on, let's go."

"Go where? We don't know where anything is."

"So? Let's go find out." 

"Granny told Applejack not to leave us." Fluttershy reminded her. 

"She also told us to make sure we send a letter. So we'll be doing what she told us."

That logic did make some sense, but Fluttershy was obviously still uneasy with the plan, glancing back towards the schoolhouse. "I don't want to get Applejack in trouble." 

"We won't. She said they let out at noon, right? So we'll go, send for help, and be back by then, okay?"

"Okay." Fluttershy hopped down as well, following her friend out of the playground. 

Ponyville appeared to be a quaint little town full of timber-framed, thatched-roof buildings. Two story businesses intermingled with residential homes, providing a homely, break-into-song-at-any-moment feel to the town. It lay in stark contrast to the sleek, modern Cloudsdale and its suburbs that Dash was used to, or the bustling, skyscraper metropolis of Manehattan where Fluttershy had grown up. 
That was not to say this village was boring or lower class, oh no. The food alone would have made up for any of that. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash wandered through the center of town, tongues lulling out at all the delicious food. It was Monday, and to the people of Ponyville that meant market day. They brought out their best wares, setting up shop with whatever their specialty was. From fruits to vegetables, pies to candies, arts to crafts, seemingly ever pony in town had a booth set up. 
Rainbow Dash had a hard enough time keeping her eyes in her head, let alone her tongue. Perpetual hunger or not, not even Princess Celestia could resist smells like this. She was just about to resort to begging when Fluttershy elbowed her in the gut. Dash wheezed, turning to see a despondent Fluttershy staring at something toward the end on the market. She followed as Fluttershy slowly approached. 
It had been abandoned for years, a strong case of wood rot and termite damage setting in. Sun baked, the booth stood in contrast to the freshly painted booths of its contemporaries. They kept it away, a distance of tolerance, as if afraid to catch the bad luck it represented. Standing as a constant reminder to the fragility of life and en memoriam to pain, the sign across the top now hung only by one nail. Sweet Apple Acres. 

"Applejack." Dash touched the booth. 

Something clicked inside. She got it; Applejack wasn't mean, she wasn't trying to hurt others. She was trying to hurt herself. She was like Rainbow Dash when she acted out because she didn't have any friends. It was her own fault, and she made herself feel pain, just so she could feel something. Applejack wasn't evil; she just needed a friend.
Fluttershy was smiling at her. A weird smile, the kind her mother and other mares always used. The 'Ah, you're so young' smile. Dash hated it. She knew Fluttershy had this figured out long ago, but she'd waited for Dash to piece it together on her end without saying a word. Well fine, two could play at that game. 
Dash didn't say anything, but just continued back through the market. Fluttershy kept of that 'I'm older than you' smile, now lessened dramatically as she sped on Dash's heels. Rainbow Dash wasn't looking at the booths any more; her stomach hurt too badly now to notice the smells. She just wanted to go home. 
She was so preoccupied that she didn't see the mare in front of her until it was too late. 

"Oof!"

"Hey!"

Dash was on the ground backwards. She'd landed on her bad wing again and felt the shooting pains right down to her lungs. Fluttershy and another gray mare were helping her to her feet, but she could barely offer an apology as stars danced before her eyes. 

"Sorry."

"You okay, Rainbow Dash?"

"Yeah, I--" Wait. How did this stranger know her name? Dash did a double take. That gray pelt, the blond tresses, the voice, the clumsiness, and those eyes. Those beautiful, unforgettable eyes. "Ditzy!" Dash threw her arms around her neck.

"Woah! Okay, first time I've ever been hugged for messing up." Ditzy fell back on her haunches. 

"I'm so glad to see you!" And she was. Dash felt tears sting the corners of her eyes. They were saved! Finally. She hugged tighter. 

"Who's you friend, Dash?" Ditzy derped. 

"Um..." Fluttershy hid behind her pink locks.

"This is Fluttershy, my best friend in the whole world. Fluttershy, this is Ditzy Doo, my foal sitter."

"Nice to meet you." Fluttershy managed to squeak.

"How's it going? So is Firefly here? I haven't seen her in a while." Ditzy Doo looked around. 

"No, she's not. We need your help." Dash got serious. 

"What's wrong, kiddo?"

"It's a long story."

Dash and Fluttershy quickly explained their situation, taking turns elaborating on parts, often speaking over one another in high pitched voices. They told about the race, and the crash, and fighting Apollyon, brushing over the scarier parts. Then they explained about being saved by the Apple family. 
Ditzy Doo just blinked, unsure if she was having her leg pulled yet again. Ponies always tried to make fun of her, pulling a fast one just because of her looks and ditziness. The bubble headed blond often believed what she was told, no matter how outrageous. Dash had sometimes used that to her advantage. Now she regretted every word. 

"That's some story, Rainbow Dash." Ditzy smiled. Dash and Fluttershy nodded in unison. "What do you think I am, stupid? I've got bubbles on my butt, not my brain!"

"Ditzy, wait!" Dash called as she turned away. "Please!"

"Every word of it is true." Fluttershy rushed forward, desperate for help.

"You two really expect me to believe that you faced a dragon?" Ditzy paused. The fillies nodded again, much less enthusiastically this time. "Okay, fine. Let's say you did. What do you want me to do about it?"

"We need you to go for help!" Dash couldn't believe she was having to explain this. Then again, it was Ditzy Doo; yes she could. "Go get my daddy!"

"Why don't you just go?" Ditzy cocked her head sideways, eyes sliding in opposite directions. She wasn't being contrary, she just didn't get it. 

"Rainbow Dash hurt her wing." Fluttershy explained. "And I'm afraid I'm just not very good at flying." 

"Oh!" smiled Ditzy. "Why didn't you say so?"

"I thought we did." Muttered Dash. 

"Sure, I can go tell your dad. I'm great at delivering messages. But I think I'd better eat first. You guys hungry?"

"Starving." Dash perked up.

"Um, okay." Fluttershy shrunk back a little. 

"I know a great spot. Come on!"

The derpy pony lead them through town, trotting along at a happy pace. The market day seemed to bring out the best in every pony and Ditzy happily greeted everyone with a smile. Fluttershy looked around, observing everything. Not even a cranky donkey could hate this place. Finally Ditzy lead them to a small outdoor cafe. 

"Order whatever you want. My treat." She smiled as they sat down. 

The waiter sighed, seeing the infamous Ditzy Doo back at his establishment. And not just that, but she brought friends. Between the three Pegasi they managed to clear out most of the menu.

"Um, that's kind of expensive. Are you sure it's alright?" asked Fluttershy.

"Oh sure. I mean, I don't have a job right now." Ditzy looked away despondently. "Again. But hey! That's just an opportunity for yet another job again, right?"

"Oh, um, okay."

"So what are you doing here in town?" Dash scratched her ear with her hind foot, ignoring proper manners. 

"Oh! I'm seeing my colt friend. He lives here in town."

"Oooooh!" Fluttershy and Dash teased at the same time before breaking into giggles. 

"Yeah, ha-ha. Kind of crazy, right? I mean who would like a girl like me?" Ditzy let out a nervous laugh. 

"What's he like?"

"Well, he's a, um, Unicorn?"

That announcement, when proclaimed at her family's diner table, had sent her father into a rage. No Pegasus daughter of his would be seeing a no-account, good-for-nothing, magic-using Unicorn. Doreen, her mother, was equally horrified but less inclined to exile their daughter. Still, she was embarrassed enough, Ditzy noted, to not tell any pony but Firefly, her friend and neighbor. 
The girls, though, were still too young to pick up on the subtle racism and stereotypes that populated the adult world, even in this day and age. They just thought it was sweet that Ditzy had found someone that she loved, and in return loved her back. 

"Yeah, it's great. He's training to be a Royal Guard, so he gets to serve in the line of duty."

"Wow! A soldier like my dad!" Dash chirped.

"That's so great!" grinned Fluttershy.

"Yeah. He's on leave right now, so he's staying with his parents here in Ponyville before he gets shipped out for the Northern Wastes next week. We've got a very special weekend planed." 

"Special? How?"

"Is it romantic?" Fluttershy's eyes went all dreamy as she grasped her hooves. 

"Yeah." Ditzy's voice took on an equally dreamy quality.

"Yuck. Will there be fireworks?!" Dash wanted to know about the exciting stuff.

"Um, yeah, I guess you could say that." The two fillies failed to notice the blush rushing to the mare's face as she looked away. "Can you two keep a secret?"

"Yes!" They answered in unison. And they could, too. Probably. Maybe. 

"Well," Ditzy leaned in close. "We're planning on eloping this weekend!"

All she got back were blank stares and curious bobbing of heads.  

"What's an 'elope'?" Asked Rainbow Dash.

"Is that like an antelope?" Fluttershy guessed. 

"When will the food get here? I'm hungry."

"Me too."

Ditzy sighed. "Never mind. You two are too young."

"We are not!" Dash hated being treated like a little kid. 

"Fine. What's the capital of Equestria?" Ditzy teased, crossing her forelegs.

"Um..." Dash trailed off. 

"Haha! See?"

"Fine. Do you know?" Dash knew just how to turn the tables with her favorite foal sitter.

"Oh. Um..." 

"See? You don't remember either!" pointed Dash.

Fluttershy raised a sheepish hoof. "Um, isn't it Canterlot?"

"Oh yeah." The other two Pegasi answered in unison. 

Then the food arrived. It took three waiters to bring all the plates. Most of them were little more than lunch specials, and it was a short menu, but the food still managed to cover the entire table. All three Pegasi felt their stomachs growl as their eyes widened, glistening at the delicate morsels before them. It barely took them a moment to set aside civil decency and dig in. The waiter wandered away, nose held high in disgust. 
It wasn't bad. Fluttershy tried a little bit of everything, trying to pinpoint her favorites. Dash just ate, shoving whatever was within her reach into her mouth. Ditzy Doo picked out her favorites, gobbling them up. She tried to stay away from the sweets; she had a very special some pony now; she didn't want it to go to her hips. Still, she never could resist a good muffin. 

"This is good." Dash said between mouthfuls. "But it tastes kind of funny."

"The hay is a little dry." Fluttershy commented, picking out a strawberry. 

"I know." Ditzy sighed. "That's the thing about living down here, everything is so dry. It's like there's not enough dew. And they cook stuff in shortening."

"Weird." Dash took another bite, slowing down. The food was almost gone anyways.

"When I get home, I'm going to eat a big bowl of sky grass salad." Fluttershy remarked with longing. 

"Yeah." The other two Pegasi replied, equally enchanted.

The waiter walked up, setting the check on the table. He coughed, getting the attention of the spellbound young ladies. He really just wished these Pegasi would stop coming to his institution all together. The only thing worse than sky ponies were baby dragons, always ordering gemstones. 

"Your bill, madam." 

"Thank you." Ditzy smiled. The waiter wandered off. 

"Um, Ditzy? I was wondering, if you don't mind, that is, how can you afford all this?"

"Oh, that's easy, Fluttershy. I work a lot. I also screw up a lot, so I guess I kind of get severance pay. Sometimes the owners just give it to me out of pity. I guess cause of my eyes..." She trailed off. "But that's okay. I just get back up and try again. I'm saving up so I can have a little family of my own, maybe my own dinky foal. It's tight, but I always seem to have enough money." She opened the bill, eyes going wide. "Woah, but not this much. I think we may have to dine and dash." 

"What?!" Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash exclaimed at the same time, equal parts horror and disbelief crawling up their faces.

"Don't worry about it; I do it all the time. Well, not all the time. And sometimes I get caught. That's how I met my colt friend actually. But don't worry; there aren't many Pegasi in Ponyville. We can just fly away."

"We can't fly!" Fluttershy cried.

"That's what we needed you for in the first place!" Dash yelled. She couldn't believe this. "Fluttershy's no good for anything other than short glides, and my wing is busted."

"Oh yeah, let me see that." Ditzy wandered around, prodding Dash's bandaged wing. "Yep, looks like you hurt it alright."

Dash hid her face in her hooves. Ditzy had a great heart, but sometimes she could be far too feather brained for her own good. Fluttershy couldn't imagine this girl watching a baby Rainbow Dash; she'd burn the house down. And it was made of clouds!

"You should go see a doctor."

"Do you know a doctor?" Fluttershy ventured.

"Well, I know the Doctor. But I haven't seen him in a few months. Which isn't unusual for him, actually. Especially after that last bit with the mechanical Timberwolves in Trottingham, that was weird. I mean, what's up with that? I needed some time off after that one and--"

"Ditzy!" Dash tried not to snap, but couldn't hide the bite from her voice. "Doctor?"

"Oh, right. Well, I think you'd be better off seeing Nurse Sweetheart. She's sweet and has a soft spot for kids. I'd try her. She's down the street there. Take the first left and you'll find her office. Can't miss it."

"Thanks, Ditzy." Rainbow Dash stood. "Make sure to come and find us again when you come back with my dad, okay?"

"What? Oh yeah, your dad! Don't worry about a thing, Rainbow Dash; your life is in my hooves."

"That's what I'm afraid of." muttered Dash. "Come on, Fluttershy." 

"We're just going to leave her?" Fluttershy whispered as they walked away. 

"I don't see what else we can do. We needed to get out of there before we got blamed. Don't worry, she'll probably find some unsuspecting pony to pin it on before flying away."

"Hi there!" Behind them Ditzy called to a yellow-pelted pony with an orange, curly mane that just happened to be walking by. "Care to join me?"

"See?"

"I just don't like it." fretted Fluttershy.

"Tell you what. When we get home, if it's still bothering you, we can talk to my dad about it. I'm sure he'd know what to do." Dash took a left. 

"Okay."

The office was a small little building with a slanted window across the front. A homely little place, Dash wasn't sure they were even in the right spot as they entered. The bell above the door jangled, signaling their arrival, yet no one greeted them. The red cross out front usually meant the universal sign for medical care, and the posters around the office certainly made this look like medical facility. So where was the nurse?

"Um, hello?" Dash called. 

The door behind them burst open, a monster standing there, breathing hard through its long, beak-like nose. It was hideous, with glowing red eyes and terrible breath, covered from head to hoof in mud. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash both grabbed one another as they screamed. What was this thing doing here in the middle of town?!

"Huh? Oh!" 

The monster reached up, peeling its own face off. Except, it wasn't really a face at all. A white pony stood beneath the mask, damp pink fair spilling free. She looked kind enough, if not a little tired. Perhaps a little gruff around edges. The mud certainly didn't help her appearance.

"Um, Nurse Sweetheart?" Rainbow Dash guessed.

"Nope, she's off today. I'm Redheart." She began to peel off the rest of her mud slathered clothes. 

"Um, why are covered in mud?"

"The Jensen's have an outbreak of Saddle Arabian mites. Easy enough to cure, but they're a bit backwards at times, so I was trying a homeopathic recipe to kill the little biters. Slathered the whole family up good. Things got a bit... rough."

"You don't mind rough?" asked Fluttershy. 

"Hey, if you want something sugar coated, go see Nurse Sweetheart. If you want it fixed, you come to me." 

The rest of her clothes hit the hamper with a splat. She washed up, scrubbing her hooves down. It felt good to be out of those rubber gloves. She was half tempted to shove these two fillies out the door and take the rest of the day off.

"Good. We're in the right place." Fluttershy scooted Rainbow Dash forward. 

"Um, I don't know about this, Fluttershy. Maybe we should see Nurse Sweetheart?"

Fluttershy ignored her, pushing her right up to Redheart. "She's got a hurt wing that we need you to look at. I must warn you though; this patient can be a bit tough to manage at times."

"A wise girl, huh? Okay. Hop up on the table and we'll get to work." Dash did so, due much to Fluttershy's prodding, while Nurse Redheart put on her hat. "Huh. Pegasi. Not much call for you around these parts. Though I wish we could get a new weather team down here; we could use a bit more rain. Still, I remember the essential mechanics. Okay, stretch your wing out for me please?"

Rainbow did so, grimacing all the while. Redheart poked and prodded, listening to her breathing and checking her heart beat. Fluttershy held her hoof the entire time. Finally it was all over.

"Okay, you're good. You can pull your wing in now."

"She's going to be okay?" asked Fluttershy. 

"Yeah, she'll be perfect. Just a pulled muscle. The absolute, most important thing you can do is stay. Off. That. Wing." Redheart pointed. "You'll be good to go in a few days. Maybe a week. Two at the most. Who dressed this, anyways?"

"Oh, um, that was me?"

"You did an excellent job there. You could be a nurse if you wanted to."

"Oh no, I want to be a veterinarian." 

"Plenty of need for them too." Redheart smiled. 

"Woah, woah, woah. You're telling me I can't fly for two weeks?!" Dash butted in.

"That's about the long and the short of it." 

"What am I supposed to do till then?" 

"I don't really care. Was that all?" 

"Yeah, sure." Dash sulked. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Yeah." Redheart checked her clock. "It's about half past one."

"'Half past one'?!" Fluttershy and Dash looked at each other. They had to get back to the school before Applejack found out and brought her wrath down on both their heads.

Leaping down, Dash joined Fluttershy and headed for the door just as it blew open, rocking back on its hinges. The wind picked up as the aura coming off the pony standing there burned like fire. Slowly she entered the office, her presence filling every nook and cranny. Eyes shining with unrestrained anger, her nostrils flared as her muscles clenched, ready for a fight. It was too late; Applejack found them.

> Chapter XXIX
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XXXIX

"Where have you been?!"

"Oh, sweet Celestia, she found us!" Dash dove for Nurse Redheart, cowering behind her larger flank.

"Where have you been?" AJ hissed again.

Fluttershy hid. There was nothing else to do but stand stalk still and try to make herself invisible behind her bangs. Maybe, if she didn't move, Applejack wouldn't attack her like she did all the other town children; like she had Rainbow Dash. So she stood there, praying to Celestia that she were a tree, listening to the slow drip drip of water.
Except, the pump in the room wasn't leaky. It hadn't been dripping a moment ago. Whatever happened, it changed the moment Applejack stormed into the office. Which, given the time elapsed, why wasn't she attacking?
Tilting her head ever-so-slightly to peer out, Fluttershy got a look at the orange pelted pony. Her hooves were muddy, and while Applejack was never known for her love of cleanliness, she was filthier than she'd been when she'd entered school hours ago. There was a tremble, a subtle shake to her muscles, like she'd been running for a while. Her breathing ran in time with the drumming of her heart, backing up that hypothesis. But none of that explained the dripping. That was reserved for her eyes.
Applejack was crying. Her great emerald eyes quivered with fear as tears slowly ran down her muzzle. She was afraid, and crying. If Fluttershy hadn't been staring right at her, she never would have believed it. 
Applejack locked eyes with Fluttershy behind her pink locks. Wiping her face with a muddy hoof, she entered in with one smooth motion, looking naturally furious and erasing all clues to weaker displays of emotion. 

"Where have y'all been? I've been sarchin' high and low for y'all all over town!"

"We're sorry, Applejack." mewed Fluttershy

"Didn't I tell y'all to wait for me?"

"Yes."

"Now Big Mac is late for school lookin' for y'all, and I'm late for my chores!"

"Sorry." She was covering, Fluttershy knew that. But AJ still managed to bring out the guilt in Fluttershy's heart. 

"Don't apologize to her, Fluttershy." Rainbow Dash emerged, ready for another round. Her prey instinct subsided enough for fight or flight to take over, and Dash never flew away from a fight. "You left us alone."

"Y'all were fine. Ya should have waited."

"Granny told you not to leave us. Who do you think would be in more trouble?"

"You wouldn't." AJ turned, nose to nose with Dash. They were about to tear the house down.

"Well, you have to tell her something." Fluttershy commented, trying to be helpful. "You're already late."

"And whose fault is that?" 

"You left us!" Dash shouted, pushing harder. She wasn't backing down; for once she had both the superior moral high ground, and Applejack knew it. It was an unusual feeling for Dash. 

"Fine." AJ relented, turning back to the door. "You know what? Fine. Let's all jus' head back before we ALL get in trouble." 

She left without another word. Fluttershy and Dash stared at each other for a moment before following her out the door. There was no fight, no shouting contest. It had been all together too easy. They weren't going to complain about it, but neither expected that they'd heard the end of it. 
Following their companion down the street, Fluttershy made sure to shut the door behind her. 

"I'll just do this free of charge then?" Nurse Redheart called to an empty room. "Sure, why not? Stupid government healthcare."

~~~~~

The journey back to Sweet Apple Acres turned out to be much less adventurous than the morning had been. It took several minutes to track down Little Mac. Applejack explained the situation using more words than necessary, including a few that Granny Smith probably didn't want her knowing. But Mac just said 'Eyup' so it all came out even in the end, as most of their conversations did. 
With her brother back in school, Applejack lead the herd back to the farm down the dusty country roads. She didn't say much of anything, looking rather dejected as the duo trailed behind.

"That was weird." Dash whispered. 

"What?" Fluttershy whispered back.

"The whole situation in town." 

"Oh. Yes. It's a lovely town though, don't you think?"

"No! I mean, yeah, it's okay I guess. Everything's so hard though. Too much wood and dirt. But I meant Applejack."

"I thought you meant at the restaurant." Fluttershy still felt ashamed. "Do you think she got the message out?"

"Who, Derpy? She'll be fine." Dash rubbed her neck. "I mean, it's not like I'd trust her to deliver mail, or move furniture or anything. But I think we can count on her this time."

"Do you think she's okay?"

"Ditzy Doo?"

"No. Applejack." Fluttershy whispered even lower, watching for the listening twitch of the pony's ears.

"Why wouldn't she be? She's just her angry, moody self."

"She was crying." Fluttershy hesitated to admit it. It almost wasn't any of her business. 

"Are you sure about that, Fluttershy? Granny said that AJ hasn't cried since... I don't know when. You know how it is; you face into the stinging wind so no one can see you cry."

"Well, maybe she doesn't know that. But I know tears, Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy turned away. "I, of all ponies, know tears. You should know that by now. Applejack was crying."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Maybe she was afraid she'd lost us, too?"

"She doesn't even like us!" Dash exclaimed, causing AJ's ears to swivel their direction. 

"So?"

"So? How can she be afraid to lose us if she doesn't even like us? She's just a heartless wretch."

"Oh, Dashie. Don't you know anything?" 

Fluttershy stared at her sadly, almost with a sense of pity. She, Fluttershy, pitied Rainbow Dash! Dash's tail went bottle brush, riled up and ready to fight... who? Her best and only friend? Fluttershy obviously knew something Dash didn't, but that didn't make her stupid. Nor did it give Fluttershy the right to act superior. They were supposed to stick together. Applejack was the interloper here. 
Fluttershy trotted ahead, riding astride Applejack. Even thought she was older and somewhat taller than her companion, Fluttershy still managed to be outmatched next to Applejack. The Earth Pony was shorter, for sure, but her stout and powerful build put Fluttershy's gangly frame to shame. One could see, not only the individual differences between the two girls, but the divide between the species. It was a barrier that some ponies said could never be crossed. Nor should it. But Fluttershy was going to try. 

"Um, thank you for coming to find us back there." Applejack just looked at her sidelong. "It was, um, nice."

"What did you think I was gonna do, leave y'all behind?"

"Well you could have, couldn't you?"

"Sugar, I'm Applejack, as honest and loyal as they come. I never leave ponies behind." 

"I see." Fluttershy started to slowly drift back. 

"They leave me."

Fluttershy wasn't sure she caught that, a stray breeze snatching her apple-scented words away. Her ears pirouetted forward, but it was too late. Applejack was looking another direction, hiding her face from Fluttershy. But it was encouragement, and Fluttershy decided to try again. 

"Um, Rainbow Dash and I don't really have any friends back home. We're usually alone and the other ponies make fun of us or just ignore us. So I understand. That is to say, I know how you must feel sometimes. I know about being alone. And, well, if you want to, we could always be there for you when you need?"

AJ Stared hard at her for a moment. "Are you tryin' to make friends with me?" Fluttershy nodded her head, grinning madly. "Well stop. I don't need no friends, especially not with some two bit, no account, bird brained feather dusters." The smile instantly vanished from Fluttershy's face. "So no, I don't want to be friends."

"But... maybe some day?" Fluttershy made one last attempt, concentrating on not crying.

Applejack sighed. "Sure. Maybe one day when we're all grown, and go on adventures, and have slumber parties and wield ancient magical powers, maybe then we'll be friends." 

"Okay." Fluttershy fell back, offering a faint smile with all the kindness she could spare. It wasn't much, but she'd take it. Applejack didn't turn her down entirely, so there was still hope. 

It would be a long, hard road home for the three fillies, harder for them than most others. Friends or not, the only thing they could do is band together, clinging to each other for hope through the journey called life. Fluttershy and Dash had one another, a bond they would never break. Applejack stood alone. It would take her longer, but hope would come. She would come to find friends, and love and forgiveness. But for now, she faced into the wind so no one could see her cry.

> Chapter XXX
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter XXX

"Do you see him yet?"

"He'll be here."

"Maybe Ditzy Doo forgot?"

"He'll be here." Rainbow Dash stated with more power. She didn't want to consider the very real possibility that Derpy had forgotten. 

"Oh. Sorry."

The pair were hunched on a hill just above Sweet Apple Acre's fence line, affording them an unbroken view of the western sky. They'd been sitting since early afternoon, watching for any sign of Skystriker coming over the sleepy hamlet of Ponyville. Ignoring the boredom and hungry that arose some time back, Dash refused to take her magenta eyes off the sky even for an instant. 
Fluttershy, meanwhile, contented herself with the small, ground-crawling insects. At least until she discovered with a scream why they were called Fire Ants. After that, no matter how bored she was, she didn't leave Dash's side, even to the point of pressing up against her bad wing. Now, hours later, there was still no sign of rescue.

"Don't do that."

"Don't do what?"

"Apologize for everything."

"Oh. Sorry."

"See? Don't--" Dash glanced at her friend's face, dropping the sentence where it lay. Fluttershy was smiling, teasing Rainbow Dash. "Fluttershy, you got me!"

"About time." Fluttershy grinned. 

"That was a good one." Dash smiled back. Then her stomach took that opportunity to groan again. 

"Your tummy's talking."

"Yours too." Dash chewed her lip. It had been almost three hours since they'd eaten. It was bad enough to be grounded, but to be hungry as well? They might as well become mules. But could she just leave her station? How would her daddy know where to find them? But she had Fluttershy to think of as well as herself. "Okay. Let's go back to the barn."

"What about your father?"

"He'll be here." Dash said one last time. "But... I don't think our going hungry will speed him up."

"You're a good friend, Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy helped her to her feet.

"Thanks, Fluttershy. You too."

The pair trotted back towards home. Dash mulled the words over in her mind. Home; home. Perhaps they could walk home? All the other species seemed content to keep all four hooves on the ground. How hard could it be? Perhaps as a last ditch effort they might try galloping to Cloundsdale. Or maybe they could even stay here until the city made another pass? Loathed as she was to admit it, Dash was beginning to fear Ditzy Doo may have forgotten after all. Or she flew east instead of west. Again.
An extended stay with the Apples was not a pleasant notion. She and Applejack would probably end up killing one another. Not that she couldn't take her. And welcome as they may be, she and Fluttershy would become nothing more than ground pounding farm hooves. The thought being grounded for that long caused her wings to tremble.  

"Are you alright, Dash?" Fluttershy noticed her friend's mis-step.

"How are we going to get home, Fluttershy?"

"Some pony will come get us, you'll see."

"What if we never make it home? What if-- What if I never see my mommy again?" Dash's voice cracked. 

"You can't think like that, Dashie!" Fluttershy held her friend's face between her hooves. "Everything is going to be alright. We'll be fine."

"I can't..." 

"It's okay." Fluttershy intoned in a soothing voice, nuzzling her friend's face. 

Rainbow Dash swallowed hard, her bravado returning. Fluttershy was right. They were Pegasi, bless by Princess Luna with the gift of flight. More than that, she was Rainbow Dash. If any two ponies in all of Equestria had a whinny's chance of making it home it was Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Together they could do anything. 
And yet, the world was a much more complicated place than either of them gave credit for. Sure, they were up to their ears in manure, but that didn't mean everything would be alright. Things weren't always bleakest before the dawn. Sometimes... sometimes the darkness just swallowed you whole. Firefly often said 'Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, no matter how right you are; sometimes the dragon wins.'
Neither Dash not Fluttershy knew this yet. If they did, it was not a lesson they could articulate into a letter, shoehorned onto the end of a day's adventure. With age and experience also came doubt and bitterness, something they still had a great deal to learn about. They were still too young and inexperienced to fully grasp the intricacies of a very real and uncaring world. 
Applejack understood though. As she watched the two Pegasi trot towards the house, she saw the dark clouds following them, still ripening on the vine. She embraced the darkness of the world quite easily for one so young. Little Mac and Granny didn't get it; they let things go too easily, forgave too readily. Applejack couldn't do that. Honesty was her gift, the ability to see the worst in ponies and to be brutally truthful with them. The world was cruel, why should she be any less? 
Seeing her move to intercept them, Dash's trot slowed a pace. Applejack was filthy, covered in sweat and scratches, her chest thick with froth. When she said she shared Mac's work load she hadn't been lying, doing the same jobs as her brother who was more than twice her size. It was not an easy job. She looked utterly exhausted and... Beaten? Envious?

Dash stopped, letting her catch up. "Hey, AJ. What've you been doing? You stink like a bayou breeze."

"Been tryin' clear out the brambles down near the tree line. Rabbits keep gettin' into our crops."

"Oh! What's a rabbit?" Fluttershy perked up.

"Little varmints. When ya find 'em ya gotta wring their necks or they'll just breed us outta house and home." AJ tried to brush herself off, actually embarrassed of her appearance. The blood was one thing, but sensible girls didn't wander around with foam on their chests when they had company. Her embarrassment just served to irritate her further. "I gotta tell ya though, I wish Granny would let us jus' burn 'em out; they sure do wriggle 'tween yer teeth when ya have to snap their necks. The briar patch is too close to the trees, though, so we can't risk the flame. Still, it'd almost be worth it jus' ta get the screams out of my ears. At least there was only one today."

Dash didn't quite understand what their toe-headed friend was talking about. There wasn't any kind of real wildlife in Cloudsdale to speak of. Still, if Applejack said that the nuisance had to be dealt with then it must be true. She knew much more about farming and animals than Rainbow Dash ever would.
For Fluttershy, however, no amount of shock or disgust could properly convey the horrible feeling deep in her gut. She'd seen a rabbit once in a book. The fluffy little mammal had been so adorable, Fluttershy had no idea how any sensible pony could kill one. Bursting into tears, she made a bee line for the door. 

"Fluttershy, wait!" called Dash.

"She alright?" asked Applejack. 

"I'd better go see."

Following her runaway friend into the house, Dash spent fruitless minutes searching the corners of the home. She had to be hiding somewhere, cowering behind her bangs. She was so sensitive, she cried over every little thing. Dash needed to protect her, but right now she couldn't even find her. AJ snorted, heading for the stall to wash up. Dash was verging on panic until Little Mac pointed toward the stairs. Taking them three at a time she rushed for the last door on the left.  The door to AJ's room was shut tight and no amount of knocking would open it. 

"Fluttershy? It's me, Dash. Come on, let me in." Her ears swiveled toward the door, hearing nothing but quiet sobs and her own breathing. "Fluttershy, please let me in. Please?" Dash didn't know what to do. She didn't know what had made Fluttershy so upset, and more to the point she couldn't concentrate. Hunger was making her light headed. If she was this hungry, then chances are Fluttershy was as well. "I'm going to go get us some food. I'll be back. Okay, Shy?"

When no answer came, Rainbow took that as an affirmative and dashed off to find something to eat. Maybe a nice head of lettuce or eight would take her mind off of whatever AJ had said to set her off. What had Applejack done anyways? Obviously the thought of killing a rabbit was quite upsetting. Dash didn't know what a rabbit was, or a varmint, but she knew a nuisance; she'd been called that enough to last a life time. She usually didn't need to be punished, let alone killed; she just needed some pony to talk to. So maybe that's all rabbits needed too was a friend? Heading downstairs she decided to discuss it with AJ once she got out of the stall. 
Applejack, meanwhile, ran through the conversation in her mind, kicking herself even as the water rushed through her mane. She hadn't meant to upset Fluttershy, she just hadn't thought about it. Applejack sometimes lacked a filter between her brain and her mouth. It was like some supernatural element deep inside constantly compelled her to be honest. She should have just treated Fluttershy like she did Applebloom; simple and easy to upset. But there was no reason to be upset, that was just how life is, and the faster the accepted that the better off she'd be in the long run.
UGH! She was doing it again! She was trying to change ponies' view of the world to better suit hers. Bowing her head, she watched the soap suds wash off her body and spin down the drain. She had a higher point of view than the soap; she knew where it would end up. But the soap would know too soon enough. Maybe she should just let ponies live their own lives without philosophical commentary from a cowgirl who could even spell 'philosophical'?
Toweling off, she gave herself a good rub down. Mac and Granny always told her to take a comb to her coat, but that just took too long, and she never really felt like it. If 'scruffy' was the cost of quick and casual, she'd take it. 
Wandering down the hall, she entered her room without knocking. It wasn't locked; those two pesky Pegasi must have been off elsewhere. Probably crying. Sighing, Applejack reached tor a tail ribbon. She'd almost finished putting her tail into an easy braid when she heard a sniffle come from her bed. 

"What tha hay?!" She nearly jumped out of her skin, dropping her hair. Pulling back the sheets, she found Fluttershy curled into a ball. "What are you doing here?" 

Fluttershy just whimpered. 

"Didn't ya hear me?"

Fluttershy curled tighter, scrunching her nose and eyes. Applejack sighed. Calm, she needed calm. Sitting on the bed she searched for the right words to say. They weren't easy to find.

"Look. What I said earlier, about them rabbits, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything. I forgot how much like my sister you are, and I didn't figure it'd upset you like it did." There was no response, not that she expected one. Fiddling with her hair ribbon, she was ready to hop down and head for the door. "I'm sorry."

"Youdidn'thavetokillit." muttered the mound under the covers.

"What was that?"

"I said you didn't have to kill it, Applejack. They're just sweet little bunnies; you could have figured something out."

"They're jus' varmints. We've already tried everything we know--"

"Then try something else." Fluttershy wasn't making a suggestion. Applejack could see that as the pony sat up. Eyes crisp, if not a little red, she met AJ's stare full on. She was telling her to find another solution. 

"But I-- We--"

"They're just scared of you, the poor dears. They'll probably move if you ask them nicely."

"Ask a rabbit?!" AJ couldn't believe what she was hearing. 

"Uh-huh. I can go with you tomorrow. I've never seen a woodland creature up close before. I'd be very happy to help you."

"But Fluttershy... They're jus' rabbits. If we don't get 'em the Timberwolves will." 

"I'm not worried about them as much as I am you." Fluttershy's wings drooped slightly.

"Me?! What's wrong with me?" 

"Applejack, no pony so young should have blood on her hooves. Even if you do only consider it a nuisance. We're not animals."

"I-- But we-- You..."

"It's okay, Applejack."

Applejack found herself wrapped in a tight embrace of gangly, yellow legs. Fluttershy was concerned about her, about what such a violent, every day act was having on her. AJ was following her own policy of facing life's ugliest head on, and for the first time she realized she really kind of hated it. She hated killing innocent creatures just because they were in the way. Rabbits were sweet; they never deserved such a violent end. They had to go, but Applejack didn't want to be the one to do it. Let Little Mac handle it if no other solution could be found. Fluttershy was right; no filly should have to be that strong.
AJ let out a shiver, clinging tighter to Fluttershy's lanky form. Applejack outweighed her, her stockier girth threatening to crush her winged companion. But Fluttershy wasn't worried; she could almost double her legs around the Earth Pony. Her wings were soft and sweet, so fluffy and voluptuous. AJ nuzzled her face deeper into them.

"Thanks, Fluttershy." 

"For what?"

"You really do care. Y're the kindest pony I've ever met." AJ spoke, her voice muffled by the tickle of feathers. 

"Life is mean, Applejack. That doesn't mean we have to be mean back."

"Yeah, you're right. You can let go now."

"I'm not the one who is shaking."

Fluttershy was right; Applejack was shaking like a leaf. Pulling away, she held onto her new friend's hooves, trying to get the jitters out of her system. This only lead to an infectious giggle fit in Fluttershy that quickly spread to AJ as well. The two sat there on the bed, laughing up a storm. 

"Fluttershy!"

Rainbow Dash stood in the hallway, a bowl of greens balanced on the hoof. The two ponies jerked, pulling away, afraid of Dash's reaction. Applejack kicked herself for showing weakness, while Fluttershy waited for the thunder bolt, afraid Dash would think she'd been replaced. But Dash wasn't paying any attention to them; her ears were cocked skywards, searching.

"Listen!" she almost whispered. 

Fluttershy couldn't hear anything at first. Her wars swiveled back and forth, trying to pick up the sound that had Dash so excited. There was nothing but the usual noises from the farm. Then she slowly caught on, a growing drone like insects or a train. Maybe even rain on a tin roof. Whatever it was, it started low but was steadily becoming louder.  
Applejack had never heard anything like it before. It was a rush of wind and power, but not a tornado. She'd lived through enough of those to recognize those killers coming a mile away. Besides, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. She was just as lost as the older filly. 
Then Fluttershy got it. It was the steady beat of wings; racing, powerful adult wings. And not just one pair, oh no. This had to be the sound of at least a dozen or perhaps even a score of them. She and Rainbow Dash locked eyes. 

"Pegasi." Fluttershy took a moment to let that revelation sink in. "We're saved!"

Rainbow Dash's eyes went wide with excitement. "Daddy!" 

And with that she was out the door and gone. 

> Chapter XXXI
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Chapter XXXI

Feathers. That was what Fluttershy picked up on first; the smell of feathers and fresh skies. She'd been grounded so long that she'd actually stopped noticing the dirt between her hooves and the dust in her mane. The earth got everywhere. She didn't mind so much, but it was startling to realize that she'd grown accustom to it. The fresh scent of open skies, cloud grass and silky feathers hit her like a tornado. Sounds could be faked, she could be going insane, but there was no mistaking home. 
Dash practically flew from the room, leaving her friend sitting in flusteration. Applejack turned her head back from where she rested on the bed, giving her a look she couldn't quite read. Anxiety, hope and more than a little fear, perhaps? Fluttershy's heart was racing too fast to think properly. She found herself wanted to cry from relief, and from the fear of getting her hopes too high. She turned and raced from the room, which for Fluttershy meant a fast trot. 
By the time she reached the kitchen the droning sound of wings had crescendoed to a roar. Fierce winds whipped the trees around outside and slapped the shutters against the windows. Little Mac had a wild eyed, bewildered look plastered across his face, as if the entire bard were about to collapse on his head. Applebloom was shouting at Granny, who, deaf under the best circumstances, was shouting back 'what?!' Fluttershy decided to stay on Dashes trail, following her out the open door. 
The open air was significantly worse than inside. The chuff chuff of wings beating the skies increased four fold, and the wind whipped Fluttershy's mane around, stinging her eyes with debris. She slowly crawled forward, coming along side Dash. She'd often thought it reckless when Dash had lopped off her mane, but for the first time she envied her friend's scraggly haired look. 
Dash stood in the freshly ploughed field, nose pointed skyward. Fluttershy craned her neck up as well just as a shadow fell across her face. She slunk back, fears of their recent dragon encounters causing her to take shelter as close to her friend as possible, while the back of her mind recalled facts about he short-lived and oft-forgot Griffon Wars. 
She had nothing to fear though; the shadows belonged to neither foe nor predator, but to allies and friends. Dozens of Pegasi filled the skies, circling the farm. There were so many that their bodies blotted out the sun, leaving a dappled pattern across the ground. Fluttershy couldn't quite place them. She saw no one she knew, yet their coats seemed strikingly familiar. Their golden armor shone in the early evening sun, creating a maelstrom of reflective light. It was breath taking and terrifying. 

"The Royal Guard." 

"What?" Fluttershy thought Dash had said something, but over the din of wings it sounded little more than a whisper. 

"Their armor. They're the Royal Guard." Dash continued to stare, awe struck. She then turned to Fluttershy, her voice loud and clear. "Fluttershy, Ditzy Doo brought Celestia's personal air force!"

"Oh my."

Fluttershy looked again. It was true. Fluttershy never thought that she, a lowly Pegasi, would ever have the opportunity to see a Royal guard. Now, here she was, a thousand miles from home, surrounded by dozens. 
The flight patterns changed as several Pegasi broke ranks. Four or five came flying in from the west, landing at the edge of the field. Dash squinted her eyes, the sun obscuring her from telling who they were. One was certainly smaller than all the others though, at least half the size of the full grown stallions. They wore no armor either. As soon as they landed they staggered a bit, turned around in a full circle and trotted towards the fillies. 

"Fluttershy," asked Dash. "Is that--?"

"Rainbow Dash!" Ditzy Doo called out.

"Ditzy!" Both fillies rushed forward, hugging the young mare. They held on tight, as if she were a dream, until she complained that she could no longer breathe. Then they began to pepper her with rapid fire questions in the way that only little girls can. 

"What took you so long?"

"Where'd you go?"

"How'd you know where to find us?"

"Who did you get to help?"

"How did you get Celestia's Royal Guard to come?"

"Are we rescued?"

"Are you hungry?"

"Why don't you have a uniform?"

"Are you a secret agent?"

"Can I get a uniform?"

They asked questions so fast that Ditzy had to close her eyes to keep them from spinning. It had been an eventful day, and foal sitting Rainbow Dash was trying at the best of times. Before she could answer anything, though, a red Pegasi broke rank and veered off, pirouetting to the ground. He saluted the commander, snapping to attention. 

"Report, sergeant."

"Sir," The red Pegasi began. "Area secure, sir. I've set of a patrol along the Forest edge. If anything comes through, we'll know about it." 

"Excellent work, Sergeant. And thank you."

"Thank you, sir. It feels good to be back in the saddle again."

"Hooves up in five."

"Yes, sir!"

The red Pegasi relayed the order then hung back as the commander approached the three girls, his golden armor clinking as he walked. That last bit of conversation was entirely outside of military protocol, a fact Dash missed as she was too busy concentrating on the voices. She knew them; she just couldn't quite place it. The red one was too far away to quite hear properly, and the armor obscured getting a good look. The commander though, heading towards them, was big.  Almost as big as her daddy. She couldn't see his Cutie Mark, but his pelt was a faded periwinkle, graying with age. His armor was also not as polished as the other soldiers', pitted and scarred as if it had seen better days. The plume on his helmet crest was the most striking, almost variegation in color. As he reached up to pull his helmet off, Dash realized that she'd only seen that color mane twice in her life; once, every time she looked in the mirror, and the other on her...

"DADDY!" Dash screamed, leaping into his arms.

Skystriker held her tight, falling back on his haunches. Dash was laughing so had she got the hiccups, while her father just squeezed harder, wetting her side with his tears. There was no one else in the entire world. Nothing else mattered. They once more had one another and that was enough.

"I missed you so much!" Dash hiccupped again. 

"I thought I'd lost you, Dash." Her father could barely whisper. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Oh, daddy. I was so scared. I tried to be brave for Fluttershy, but I was just afraid I'd never see you or mom again."

"You did good, Dash. I love you so much." Skystriker gave her the tightest hug she'd ever had in her life.

"Ack! I love you too!" She squeaked. 

Skystriker released her, standing up and wiping his eyes. Apparently stallions weren't supposed to cry. Then he looked around and motioned to Fluttershy. She rushed forward and they repeated the process all over again, albeit with a little less hugging and slightly faster. Fluttershy had never been so glad to see any pony in her entire life. 

"How did you find us?" Dash leaned against her father's side. Fluttershy leaned against the other side. 

"Your little foal sitter is quite the messenger pony, isn't that right, Miss Doo?"

"Sure is!" Ditzy trotted forward, a huge grin on her face. She then tripped and face planted into the ground, but quickly righted herself and continued forward. "I did well, didn't I? I took off like you said, Dash, except I got confused and flew west instead of east. But lucky thing, too. I found all these Pegasi flying around the Everfree Forest." 

"Weren't you scared?" Fluttershy whispered, straightening up. 

"Are you kidding? With all these stallions around?" Ditzy grinned, then immediately hung her head. "Yes."

"She almost got eaten by a Venus Horsefly Trap." Skystriker supplied. "Twice." 

"Yeah. Luckily Mr. Striker was there to pull me out. Twice. And whoooo doggy, do I ever need a bath!"

"Oh, Ditzy." Fluttershy laughed. 

"Dad?" Dash craned her neck up, her voice squeaking. "What were you doing in the Everfree Forest?"

"Dash, I've been looking for you for four days now. Ever since I got a call from the school that you'd disappeared. I took off right away and started looking."

"Then where'd all these soldiers come from?" 

"Ah, yes." Skystriker blushed. "That would actually be your mother's doing, taking care of me to the last. She figured I could get a lot more done with a squadron than by myself so she... called in an old favor."

"And she was okay with that?"

"I don't think you quite understand, Dash. Firefly said 'Don't come back without my daughter.'" Skystriker leaned forward, resting his forehead against his daughter's. "I couldn't lose you."

"Aw, daddy." Dash nuzzled her father, familiarizing herself with his scent once more. 

Finally it was almost time to go. Skystriker straightened up. "Sergeant!"

"Yes, sir!" The red stallion trotted forward. 

"Keep an eye on them. Skystriker gestured to the three mares."

"I'll guard them with my life, sir!"

There was another look Dash didn't quite catch that passed between the two. Something that translated to the effect of 'You'd better.' Dash was studying the sergeant's face, his red, grizzled snout and the scent of sky grass 'tween his hooves. She knew him too, she just couldn't place it. Fluttershy could, though.

"Coach?" Fluttershy tentatively asked, stepping out of Ditzy's shadow. 

"Hey there, little Fluttershy." Coach answered. 

"Coach McHard Cheese?" Dash's jaw dropped. "You're in the Royal Guard?!"

"'Was' in the Royal Guard. What? We can't all be teachers forever."

"What are you doing here?"

"Your father and I served together many years ago. I'm just helping out an old friend." Coach sighed. "That and, what happened technically was my fault. I'm so sorry girls."

"It's not your fault, Coach, it's all Hoops an--"

"You should be!" Fluttershy burst out crying. "Letting little kids race like that, what were you thinking? We almost died!"

Ditzy, while not the freshest hay in the loft, was an excellent mother. She knew when she was needed. So she drew Fluttershy in, holding her tight. Fluttershy cried a little while Ditzy shushed her and dried her aqua eyes. 

"I know what happened was wrong, and I've got a reckoning coming, believe me." Coach hung his head. "All I can say is I'm sorry and ask for your forgiveness."

For Dash, he hadn't really done anything wrong. She didn't understand why other ponies were mad at him, as he was a great teacher who actually cared. How many other teachers would be out here searching for two lost students? She couldn't hold a grudge, and she needed him to know that. So she rushed forward, hugging him. It took Fluttershy all of half a minute to forgive him and hug their teacher as well. Coach, not used to the touch or love of others, was unsure how to respond and could only grunt in surprise as they latched on. Ditzy, unwilling to be left out, leaned forward and hugged him as well, a perfect stranger. Tentatively at first, Coach wrapped a hoofed leg around them. He'd almost forgotten what it was like to have another pony care about him, no matter what Skywishes said. 
Skystriker took his leave, approaching the barn house. The half door stood open with three young faces peering out at the sight in the sky. There were more flying horses than they'd ever seen before in their short lives. Skystriker was unsure how to proceed until her heard a commotion from inside the house. All three children turned back, looking behind them before scattering. 

"Git outta tha way, git outta tha way!" Granny Smith flung the door open, staring down the Pegasi why weighed nearly as much as she did. That was heavy for a Pegasi. 

"Hello, Ms. Smith." 

"Y're not welcome here, sonny. I remember you an' the last time you were here."

"I heard about what happened. I'm sorry about that."

"Git off my farm b'fore I throw you off!"

"Granny, I--" 

"Out!" Granny gave a little hop, her bones creaking. 

Skystriker turned away. "Thank you so much for saving my daughter."

"What was I suppose't do, leave her high an' dry?"

"You could have." The commander turned his head back, meeting Granny's clear, wise eyes. 

"Apples don't turn down nobody that needs help. I thought you learned that last time you was here. I suppose I was wrong."

"I suppose so." Skystriker nodded. "If there's anything I can do to thank you--"

"The only thin' I want from y'all is to leave." Granny nodded toward the filed. Skystriker, with nothing else to say, returned to his squadron.  Then Granny called after him. "That girl o' yours; she's mighty special." 

"I know." He called back.

"She's stronger than you. Don't push her away when the time comes."

Skystriker's gate faltered for just a step before he righted himself. Not much, but enough for any pony watching to notice. It was weakness; weakness of the spirit, and he had displaced it before a lesser species. Somehow the old Earth Pony had known about his wife's disease. He didn't know which of the two girls had talked, but his money was on Fluttershy. Dash was too strong to talk. She was like her father. 
Two minutes later they were in the air, the entire squadron flying escort as they made a pass around the city. Skystriker and Coach had both shed their golden armor, leaving them with a pair of their pack horse escorts. They flew with a different, more precious kind of burden. Fluttershy held on tight to Coach's neck, while Dash practically danced atop her father's back. Ditzy Doo, flying wing mate, had graciously declined the offer of a ride. She was doing a commendable job keeping pace with full grown males, but she would undoubtedly be riding piggy back before the long journey was over. 
Dash watched as they circled Ponyville, looking so different; so small from this height. It was a precious little village where ponies lived, loved and died. So different from Cloudsdale in so many ways, yet so similar in the majesty of life. 
As the sun set lower Dash was reminded of their first night on the ground. Looking up, she watched as the stars winked into existence one by one. The stars, so far away by themselves, always seemed close enough to touch no matter her altitude. They were a reminder, a prayer, silently whispering to Dash of the wonders she would see and the things she would do. Each star was different, a dream yet to be fulfilled. Dash watched them appear faster the higher they flew, arriving like a spark of magic. Finally the sky came alive with lights and colors, the sun giving its last gift to the world. As they flew through the pink clouds Dash lost sight of Ponyville, far below. 

Five minutes later she was fast asleep.