The Cuite and The Disaster
Okay, so this story starts off how most of my days start: An accident and being yelled at. You see, I was helping clear up the clouds since I’m a part-timer for Ponyville’s weather patrol. Things were fine at first, but then my mind kinda sorta maybe wandered off. It does that a lot, you know, wander off. Like one minute it’s all thinking, and another minute it’s all “Out To Lunch.” Well, problem is, when my brain wanders off I lose focus when moving or doing something, especially since my eyes are crooked.
So because of that, I flew into a piano that was being held by a crane and caused it to fall. This caused it to land on a cement mixer which went out of control and started spraying wet cement everywhere. Thankfully, nopony was seriously hurt, but a lot of market stands and houses got covered in wet cement.
That was the accident part. The yelling part was what was going on right now.
“This is the fifth time this week, Derpy!” Dash shouted as I lowered myself to the floor, trying to avoid her raging gaze. It was like looking into the eyes of a Gorgon, only instead of turning to stone I felt like I was shrinking. “Do you know how many times I’ve had to apologize to the mayor for the messes we keep making because of you?”
“I’m sorry, Dash. I just don’t know what went wrong,” I muttered, but she only facehoofed in response.
“If I had a bit for every time I heard that line I wouldn’t need to work out for the Wonderbolts. I could just buy the team,” she grumbled before turning her back towards me. “You’re lucky that I need part-timers and you’re the best there is at reading wind currents, otherwise I’d get rid of you. But this is coming out of your pay this week, okay?”
I winced at the thought. Although I had already paid taxes this month, I still was short on my mortgage. That meant working extra hours at the post office this week. Again. I sighed and lowered my head in shame. “D-do you want me to get back to work?”
“No, we can handle it on our own. Take the rest of the day off,” Dash said before she flew back up into the air to command the rest of the pegasi.
None of them really give me a second look as they flew by, which hurt more than Dash’s cold scolding, although I was used to that from her. Ever since we were fillies growing up in the same neighborhood, she and I never got along. I was a very clumsy filly, even more so than I am now, and I may have broken a toy or three of hers a few times. She saw me as dangerous, like a walking disaster. Then again, a lot of ponies did.
Walking away, I saw the damage I had caused as ponies moaned at the damage done to their property or glared at me as I walked past them. Even though this was normal, it still hurt to know that nopony in this town really liked me. It was either because of the eyes I was born with, which tend to freak ponies out, or because I’m always causing mistakes like this. It’s not my fault my sight problems have caused a hindrance in my coordination. It was just something I was born with.
But it doesn’t matter, does it? Most ponies prefer just to ignore me or shy away from me in case I cause the apocalypse to happen. I had one friend, once. But she and I... parted on bad terms. Besides, I’ve grown used to being alone. But that was soon going to change. You see, while I didn’t have any friends, there was always one pony who was always kind to me. Even when we were fillies.
And like an idiot I bumped into her while I was too busy feeling sorry for myself. I shook my head, ready to apologize, when I started stuttering and blushing at who it was. “Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going. Are you hurt? Please, don’t be mad,” Fluttershy said, as she got up and quickly started checking me for injuries.
I tried to open my mouth, but nothing came out. All I could do was look at her worried yet beautiful face with those angelic eyes and smooth pink mane that was prettier than any flower. Speaking of flowers, I could smell her cherry blossom shampoo that made me feel like I was surrounded by freshly bloomed blossom trees in spring. I wanted to touch that soft cheek of hers and lean in closer for a better look at her beauty.
But then I snapped out of it and quickly got up, my eyes swerving everywhere, a trait that happens when I’m nervous. I quickly bowed my head and gave a forced laugh. “Y-yeah! I’m fine! Silly me! Always bumping into ponies! I really need to pay more attention! Anyway, thanks, Fluttershy! Bye!”
I quickly flew off before she could say anything. I didn’t stop until I was miles away, near an alley, and holding my chest as my heart beat faster and faster. At first, my brain scolded me for bumping into her. Then it cheered because Fluttershy and I touched and she got close to me. Then I was scolding myself again for leaving her like that without an explanation.
And I’m pretty sure saying, “I have a huge crush on you,” would only make things more awkward.
I sighed as I slipped down the brick wall that held me and onto my haunches, curling myself up for warmth. Fluttershy was one of the few ponies I knew in my life that ever gave me any kindness. Most ponies ignore me or scowl at me; others, like Dash, scold me or mock me because of my eyes and coordination problems. Even my own parents look at me like I’m a failure, which is why I live here in Ponyville. But she never made fun of me. Not Fluttershy.
Even when we were fillies she always treated me with a smile. I can still remember our first meeting, back when I was six. I was sad because I dropped my lunch on the way to school and it fell through the clouds. Everypony was having fun at lunch time and I was on the bench, alone. Then Fluttershy came by and offered me her chocolate chip muffin, since she saw that I wasn’t eating. I was so moved I didn’t know what to say, not even a thank you. Not that I had a chance since Rainbow Dash called her over two seconds later to see a new flying trick of hers.
I ate that muffin and it tasted like the greatest thing ever.
I didn’t know if my crush on Fluttershy started around that time, or if it grew the more I saw her and the kinder she acted towards me. All I knew was that I wished I was her special somepony, or even her friend.
I’ve tried to befriend her many times, but she’s always hanging out with Dash and her other friends. And I was just too nervous to do anything most days. Funny, huh? I was scared of approaching the most easily scared pony in Equestria.
But as I sat there, I realized that I couldn’t sit on my flank all day and think about Fluttershy. No, I wanted to actually talk to her. Befriend her. Get to know the real Element of Kindness. Sure, hopefully down the road we might try to be more if she’s into mares and all, but baby steps first. After all, I get involved in a lot of accidents, so who is to say one wouldn’t do me in? I could be destined to be pushing daisies in a few days by some freak accident and I’ll have died never befriending the one pony who was ever really kind to me.
A fire lit in my belly like a dragon with heartburn. I stood up, chest puffed out as I declared, “Tomorrow! I will talk to Fluttershy! And I will not back down! I shall triumph over my fears and—”
“Hey! Keep it down! I’m trying to get my foal to sleep!” shouted a mare from her window.
“Sorry! My bad!”
***
Okay, so I didn’t really have much of a plan when tomorrow came. To be honest, I was just sitting in a nearby tree waiting for Fluttershy to come out so I could talk to her. Only she came out three times already in the day. Once to get her mail, which I delivered as my last stop for the morning shift, and the other two times were to check her outside animals and gardens. It was getting to be noon soon and I was both hungry and starting to cramp up in very uncomfortable places.
With a heavy sigh, I figured I just wasn’t ready yet and was about to climb down when something small and furry smacked me in the face. I yelped and tried to get it off, but before I knew it, I started to lose balance on the branches I was on and soon fell. Hard. My eyes spun around in their sockets as I felt my head ready to burst with pain.
“Oh my goodness!”
I winced at the shout, which felt like a shrieking in my ear. I tried to get up, but the impact still made it hard to focus on what I was doing. Thankfully, somepony was right behind me and helped me up. By the time I turned around to thank them, I was already blushing again. It was Fluttershy.
“That was a big fall. Are you hurt? Do you need first aid?” she asked quickly, checking my head for any signs of cuts or bruises.
“Ice would be nice,” I muttered.
“Oh, dear. Please come inside,” Fluttershy urged, nuzzling my side towards the door. I stiffly obeyed and felt my heart soaring higher than even Soarin the Wonderbolt.
I was inside her house. Her house! A rough start, but I was gonna take what I could. Her home was as I imagined it to be. Very earthy and filled with animals that looked at me with curiosity and hesitation, but soon relaxed when they saw Fluttershy with me. The amount of animals that were there really surprised me. I knew she took care of critters, but not this much. “So many animals,” I whispered as I gazed upon mice, squirrels, dogs, cats, birds, chipmunks, snakes, lizards, fish, and more.
“Thank you, Derpy. Don’t worry about them, they’re just not used to strangers,” Fluttershy said with a smile as she guided me to her couch. I sat down, still trying my best to ignore the throbbing in my head. Fluttershy told me she would be right back and then left me alone with the various animals. Most of them went back into their dens, but there were still others that kept an eye on me.
One of them was a bunny with a glare that made it clear I wasn’t welcomed, like me being here was a threat to him or something. Thankfully, Fluttershy soon came back carrying a tray that had both tea in it as well as an ice bag. There was also some strange squirrel-like creature riding on her head, but it had wings of all things. It almost looked like some kind of kite squirrel.
Fluttershy sat the tray on a nearby coffee table and passed me the ice pack which I took without hesitation. I sighed in relief as I felt the cool frozen water instantly work its magic on my head. Fluttershy then offered me a tea cup which I took with a smile and thanks. I fell in love with the brand, Jasmine I learned later on, as I wolfed it down like water in a desert. Fluttershy giggled a bit, but then she picked up the squirrel on her head and held him out to me.
“A certain flying squirrel here wishes to give you an apology for flying into you earlier,” Fluttershy said.
The flying squirrel gently glided over to my outstretched hoof and lowered it’s head while saying something in squirrel. I smiled as I then nuzzled the little guy. “It’s okay. I fly into things all the time. I’m not mad.”
The little critter seemed very pleased with this and nuzzled me back. “Aww, he likes you. Why don’t you take him as a pet, Derpy?” Fluttershy suggested with the most adorable squee ever. I was so moved by it that I almost did one myself.
“A-a pet?” I repeated as I looked upon the flying squirrel whose eye were wide with excitement. Well, after seeing that I just couldn’t say no. Besides, he was very cute. “Okay! I’ll do it! But, I don’t know how to take care of one.”
“It’s okay, I could teach you. If that’s okay, that is,” Fluttershy whispered as she hid behind her mane, but I could still see a small smile.
“That would be great!” I shouted which made her jump a bit. “Oops, sorry.”
And that was how I became friends with Fluttershy.
***
“Here you go, Little Guy! Fresh acorns for breakfast!” I said, while giving my pet his daily morning meal. The tiny flying squirrel quickly began to gobble up the acorns I had in my hoof, cooing as I saw his tiny cheek become fat with overstuffing. I named him Little Guy because Fluttershy said he was the smallest in his family, yet always the hardest working so he could prove to others that size doesn’t matter.
If anything, I felt a kinship with this flying squirrel. We were both outcasts, but we did our best everyday to prove them wrong. A perfect match.
It had been three weeks since I first got him. It’d also been that long since Fluttershy and I had been hanging out. At first it had been to train on being a good owner with Little Guy, but over time we began to drink tea together, go on walks, and even just sit down and chat. I was in no rush to ruin this moment by going out and asking her out yet, we were just friends and that was fine for now.
I still blushed and stuttered a bit, but Fluttershy assumed I was just shy like her. We had learned a lot about each other over the past weeks and surprisingly, we had a lot in common. Neither of us had good fillyhoods thanks to our fair share of bullies and parents who were disappointed in us. For me, it was my eyes and coordination problems. For Fluttershy, it was her lack of flying talents as well as her love of living on the ground. Most ponies, including her parents, saw her as a disgrace for being such an “earth pony.” The only pony that really stuck by her all the way was Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy admitted she and her parents didn’t talk anymore, but she still loved them and sent them cards on the holidays with hopes that would change.
I admit, I felt a bit guilty. While my parents and I aren’t the closest of ponies, at least they still kept in contact with me. I was their only child and, I guess despite being embarrassed by me, they still loved me to some extent. I suppose I was lucky.
But it wasn’t always depressing; we talked about things we both loved as well. We liked various books, we were huge fans of the Pony Tones, and we both were suckers for romance flicks. I could still remember the two of us, hugging and crying outside of the theater after the showing of Romeo and Juliet. Halfway through it, I pretended I was Romeo and Fluttershy was Juliet. Two lovers who had fallen in love but fate prevented us from being together. I imagined I was there, near the final scene, as I kissed her cold lips as a last effort to wake her from her eternal sleep. I wished our life was like that.
Only, you know, without all the death and tragedy.
Going to the movies was the only thing we did in town. Fluttershy had insisted on me meeting the rest of her friends, but I politely said I wasn’t ready to face them. While I had no problems with Pinkie Pie, then again no pony does, the others were a bit problematic. It’s not like I had any problems with Twilight, Rarity, or Applejack. They treated me just fine. It was Rainbow Dash that I was worried about. She didn’t trust me or like me because of my history of accidents and ponies getting hurt because of it. I’m only lucky I hadn’t gotten sued because of my physical disability, which I had been forced to play up in my favor. I didn’t like it, but it was better than the alternative.
No, I wanted to keep our relationship as secretive as I could. Until I was ready.
After feeding Little Guy, the two of us flew towards Fluttershy’s with the intention of spending all day with her. I had a day off from both my jobs and I was itching to learn some of those knitting techniques Fluttershy said she would teach me the other day.
It didn’t take long for me to reach her cottage and I knocked on the door. “Fluttershy! It’s Derpy! You in there?”
A loud moan from an open window above caught my attention. Flying up, I looked inside and gasped upon seeing a pale and sickly Fluttershy in bed with a thermometer in her mouth and an ice bag on her head. I flew to her side and looked at her with worry. “What happened?! Are you sick?! Do you need me to get a doctor?!”
Fluttershy coughed a bit before looking at me with that same sweet smile she always had. “It’s okay. Just a really bad cold. It will go away in a few days. I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to knit, it’s all my fault.”
I held her hoof and shook my head. “Don’t say that! You had no control over this! In fact, I’ll make sure you get better by taking care of you. Sound good?”
“But,” Fluttershy coughed again, “what if you get sick too? I can’t let that happen...”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. I never get sick,” I said with a proud smile. It was true, I rarely ever got sick. Only time I ever got seriously ill was when Applejack made those “baked bads.” Ugh, not a pleasant memory.
And so I spent the whole day with Fluttershy. Little Guy was helpful in finding the things I needed to take care of Fluttershy, since he used to live here. I found medicine, ice, water, and crackers for her, plus any other items she requested. I fed her when she wanted to be fed. I read her books if she was bored or even did some funny impressions of some well-known ponies. I can do a very good Princess Luna, believe it or not. I even helped her to the bathroom when she needed to go. Nothing was too small for me to do, from fluffing her pillow to checking up on her animals and feeding them.
None of the animals gave me any trouble, except for Angel. He always glared at me or kept kicking me occasionally, until Little Guy here bopped him on the nose. He was pretty angry after that, shaking his paw before leaving the house in a fit.
By the time the sun was setting, I had watched as Fluttershy drifted off to sleep. I smiled and gently caressed her cheek with my hoof. She looked so peaceful that I wished I could cuddle next to her and dream whatever was in her head. I couldn’t stay here forever, so I decided to take my leave after leaving a note.
I was about to leave when the door opened and I froze upon whom I saw:
Rainbow Dash, who looked equally as surprised. “What are you doing here?”
I was about to ask the same question when I saw a familiar rabbit smirk at me before bouncing off with a satisfied smile. I resisted the urge to growl a that demonic bunny and focused on Rainbow Dash. “I...I came to take of Fluttershy. She got sick.”
“What did you give her?! Is she alright?! She’s not hurt, is she?!” demanded Rainbow Dash, marching towards me with a glare.
“N-no! She’s sleeping at the moment, go check yourself!” I quickly said, pointing towards the stairs.
After giving me a look that said, “stay here,” I watched her zoom up the stairs. I don’t think I was breathing until I saw her come down. She looked less angry, but still had an untrusting glare in her eyes. “Okay, she’s fine, but why are you here?”
I nervously began to poke my hooves together as my ears went flat behind me. Lying would just make this worse, so I decided to tell the truth. “Fluttershy and I became friends a while ago. I was coming to visit when I saw her sick.”
Rainbow Dash looked at me with narrowed eyes, as if she was trying to read my brain. I stood there, still as if I had been petrified by a cockatrice, while waiting for her to say something. The question was, would it be approval or a scolding?
Rainbow Dash sighed. “Well, thank you. I’m glad you looked after her.”
I sighed in relief.
“But I don’t want you seeing her again,” Dash finished with a huff.
My eyes widened as my heart began to slowly crack up, ready to fall to pieces from the hammer that was Rainbow Dash. “B-b-but why?”
“Because you're dangerous, Derpy! I know it may seem wrong to say, but you're a living landmine! Everything you do hurts somepony in one way or another! They get their things broken or you physically hurt them. Do you know how many ponies are afraid of you when they see you flying or walking? They keep expecting you to cause half the town to fall apart, and some days I believe it myself!”
I was doing my best not to cry, but I failed miserably. Tears leaked from my face as I sniffed and rubbed my muzzle. “B-b-but I don’t mean it...”
Dash put a hoof on my shoulder. “I know you don’t. But I don’t want Fluttershy to end up like Carrot Top.”
I winced and lowered my head. She had to use that name. My greatest failure. The one pony who tried to be my friend and ended up in the hospital for it. Carrot Top approached me with warmth and kindness, saying I looked so lonely and needed a friend. We were good pals for half a year and did everything together. She was my closest friend and the only one that I ever had. One day, she asked me for help on her carrot farm. Things were going well until I lost control of my direction again and hit an old farm house we were passing by.
It fell apart and Carrot was covered in the rubble. I dug her out and took her to the hospital where they healed her, but she had suffered multiple broken bones because of me. When I went to see her, she screamed at me and said every pony was right in calling me a hurricane waiting to happen. She told me to never speak to her again and I hadn’t since.
I never got over it. Even now, when I see her at the market or when our paths cross, she just glares at me with all the rest. Only it’s worse because I deserve it.
I began to wonder what would happen if such a thing happened to Fluttershy. What if I did something that hurt her or made her hate me? I couldn’t bear such a thought. I don’t think my heart could take it. I lost a friend because of my stupid cluelessness. I didn’t want to lose the pony I loved as well.
And yet I couldn’t leave Fluttershy. She was the one pony I wanted to be with both as a friend and more, for as long as I could remember. I never had been this happy before I finally entered her world.
Rainbow Dash looked at me with one more glare before she warned me, “I don’t want to see the one I call ‘sister’ end up in the hospital because of you. So stay away from her or else.”
With that said, she pointed to the door and I obeyed. Little Guy flew onto my shoulders and looked at me with his big, sad eyes, as if telling me he knew I was in pain. When we were far enough from the cottage, I held onto him and cried.
***
A few days passed since Dash confronted me; I hadn’t had a chance to talk to Fluttershy since then. I didn’t know if she had recovered or if she had gotten worse, which drove me crazy. It bugged me all day, my dilemma with Fluttershy and Dash, to the point where I kept messing up at work. Well, more so than usual. I had my entire self torn between obeying Dash’s orders to stay away from Fluttershy or flying off to that cottage right then.
“I don’t know what to do, Little Guy,” I said to my pet as I flopped on the couch. “Why does my life have to be so complicated?”
He gave a few squeaks that I believed were suppose to be comforting words, but without Fluttershy around I couldn’t understand. Still, I smiled and patted him in thanks. I sighed and turned to the side, staring at the wall. I knew Dash had a point with me being dangerous and all, but at the same time I had been more careful around Fluttershy than I had in my entire life. And when I was with her, I felt that loneliness in my heart fade to the point where I felt normal for once. She didn’t make fun of me, pity me, or hate me because of my problems. Fluttershy didn’t see a pegasus born with an unlucky disability.
She just saw Derpy Hooves.
My thoughts were interrupted when I heard knocking at my door. Curious, I got up and walked over before opening to a big surprise. “F-Fluttershy?!”
My mouth dropped and, before I could comprehend what happened, I felt her hug me while I sat frozen as a statue. “It’s good to see you, Derpy. I missed you while I was sick,” she told me as she nuzzled my cheek.
“Y-you’re l-looking bet-t-ter!” I stuttered while blushing worse than ever. While a small voice in my head was warning me about Dash, the rest of my brain was doing cartwheels on the fact Fluttershy was both nuzzling and hugging me. If I died right there, heaven wouldn't feel as great as I was right now..
To my disappointment, Fluttershy ended our hug and smiled at me. That smile was so happy and cute that I felt all my previous woes from only minutes ago wash away. “Well, I didn’t see you for a while and Rainbow Dash told me that she said she would take care of me while you went back to work. Rainbow is such a good friend. And since I never thanked you properly for keeping me company and helping me get better, I decided we should go on a picnic.”
I finally noticed the basket on my stoop and began to daydream of Fluttershy and I. Alone. On a picnic. Forget going to heaven, I felt I was already in it. Just the two of us, enjoying each other’s company. But then I thought about Rainbow Dash and her angry face. If she saw the two of us, I didn’t know what she was going to do.
Still, the thought of both of us on a picnic...
Yeah, I was won over in a second.
“I’d love to go!” I said cheerfully before I turned to Little Guy and smiled.
“I’m going out! Don’t throw any parties!” I teased, to which he gave me a salute in response.
Before I knew it, I was flying side by side with my friend to what I hoped would be a fun and uneventful time. But it turned out not to be...
***
By the time we finished the sandwiches and juice, I felt my belly ready to explode. I lay there, on the blanket, tongue sticking out as I rubbed my gurgling stomach. “I think I ate too much...”
Fluttershy giggled before she walked over and started rubbing my belly for me. I curled up and giggled while she treated me like one of her dogs. I even did a little few barks which made her smile widen, making her even more beautiful in the rays of the sun above. “Who’s a good Derpy?” Fluttershy teased as she rubbed me harder, now tickling my fur. “Yes, you are. Yes, you are.”
“F-fluttershy! S-stop!” I laughed, doing my best to hold it in. Deciding to get even, I pounced on her and started tickling her side. It was her turn to laugh, but I didn’t stop laughing either.
When I finally stopped, I noticed that we were really close together and I was on top of her. Fluttershy realized this too as she began to blush and quickly gave a small, “Eep.” I could feel her increasing breath as I stared into those innocent and curious eyes. I think she was waiting to see what I would do next or questioning why I hadn’t gotten off her yet. To be honest, I was doing my best to look away from her pretty face and not kiss it.
I thought about confessing right then and there. I wanted to tell her how I really felt about her, what I had always felt deep inside.
But before I could do that, something fast and blue knocked me three yards away from Fluttershy. Painfully, too. I heard Fluttershy shout something but my ears were still ringing. When I got up, I first adjusted my eyes to see as straight as I could but I wished I hadn’t. Because I had a very, very angry looking Rainbow Dash growling at me with Fluttershy, horrified, rushing towards us.
“I thought I told you to stay away from her, Derpy!” Dash shouted as I felt my wings lock up. I wasn’t flying out of this one. “I said stay away from her and then I see you tackle her and hear her screaming?! It’s one thing to accidentally hurt a friend of mine, but to hurt them on purpose?! You’re gonna have both your eyes blanked for that!”
“Wait! Dash, stop! Derpy wasn’t hurting me!” Fluttershy shouted as she got between us, wings flared out. “She was only tickling me! We were just having fun!”
Rainbow Dash’s angered expression lessened a bit but not fully as she stood straight and looked at the two of us. “You’re telling the truth?”
“Yes, but why would you tell Derpy to stay away from me? She’s a friend,” Fluttershy questioned.
Raising an eyebrow, Rainbow Dash looked at Fluttershy as if she had been hiding under a rock. “Ugh, Fluttershy? You do know that nearly half the accidents in Ponyville are because of her, right? Her reputation is pretty much known by everypony in town! She’s dangerous and ponies get hurt because of her!”
“Yes, but she doesn’t do it on purpose! And Derpy hasn’t harmed me in anyway! She’s been a good friend,” Fluttershy counterpointed, giving a rare look of disapproval. “You
are just being mean to her and I don’t want to see my two friends fighting!”
“I’m trying to protect you from her,” Dash said, putting a hoof on her shoulder, but Fluttershy shrugged it off. “Look, I get it. Not the nicest thing to say, but Derpy is a danger to be with and I don’t want you to end up in a body cast at a hospital.”
“What’s the difference between that and the stunts you do! You’ll end up in the hospital at least every so often! At least Derpy doesn’t go out looking for danger!” Fluttershy raised her voice a bit and stood firm in my defense.
I felt like I was being held between the two ponies in a tug-of-war match. I winced every time Dash said something about me being a walking disaster, but smiled every time Fluttershy defended me. But I didn’t want to see this continue. Dash and Fluttershy had been friends for years and I didn't want to be the one who broke that friendship. I felt my heart shatter with the prospect of knowing what I was going to be doing, but I couldn’t let this go on. It was fun while it lasted, but it was time for this fairy tale to end. I stood up and shouted, “Stop!” They both listened to me and then glanced at me. Lowering my head, I sighed. “It’s okay...I’ll leave. I’ll stop being friends with Fluttershy.”
“Derpy, no!” Fluttershy shouted, rushing to my side and grabbing my rear hooves. “You don’t have to leave! I don’t care what other say about you, I think of you as a dear friend.”
I gave her a sad smile and shook my head. “But Dash is right. I’m always messing up or causing some accident that gets ponies hurt. I once put my best friend in the hospital and she’s never forgiven me. I’ll never forgive myself if that happens to you, too.”
“But if you were so worried about that, why did you try to befriend me at all?” Fluttershy asked.
I sighed as one of my eyes stared into her pretty blue ones while my other gazed on the ground. “Maybe it’s because I was tired of being alone. Maybe I was just being foolish...but the truth is, it’s because I really...like, like you.” Okay, so I didn’t say, “I love you,” but the message got across as both Fluttershy’s and Dash’s eyes widened. Fluttershy held her hooves to her mouth as I gave her a sheepish grin. “You were one of the few ponies who was ever kind to me, even when we were fillies. Between that and how pretty you are...I guess I just hoped we could be something more, but I guess not.”
I turned away, spreading my wings open as I flew as fast as I could. I had finally told Fluttershy my feelings. I wanted her to know before we never spoke again. I’m just glad she didn’t see the tears I left in my wake.
***
I didn’t sleep at all that night. I spent most of my time sobbing into my pillow with a broken heart in my chest. Little Guy had done his best to comfort me, but it only helped a little. I hated Rainbow Dash, but I hated myself more. I hated being cursed with these stupid eyes. I knew Fluttershy said she didn’t care about me being clumsy and all, but I still couldn’t help but picture her in Carrot Top’s place all those years ago. That hurt me even more.
By the time the sun rose, my pillow was completely wet with tears. I was glad it was my day off that morning because, work or not, I didn’t think I was in the mood to leave my room. Well, that was until I heard somepony knocking on my door.
Groaning, I got up and made my way downstairs. After tripping a bit and landing hard, as usual, I got up and opened the door to find Rainbow Dash. I wasn’t sure why she was there since I had agreed to leave Fluttershy alone yesterday. What I wasn’t expecting was her trying to avoid eye contact at me and with a face similar to that of a scolded puppy. “H-hey? Mind if I come in?”
I cleared my eyes from any remaining tears and nodded. She came inside and looked around a bit, not that there was much to see since I didn’t really keep many things in my house. When she looked at me she gulped and pointed at my face. “Have... have you been crying all night?”
“Y-yeah, but it’s not like you care,” I answered, bitter and resentful of course. I didn’t even know why I was talking to her.
“You’d be surprised, but... I do care,” Dash said, sighing. “And I’m sorry.” My ears perked up as I turned to Dash with my mouth wide open. “For everything.”
I had to resist slapping myself to make sure that this wasn’t a dream. Rainbow Dash. The Rainbow Dash was apologizing to me. She had never done that until right that second and I was stunned to say the least. “W-what? Why now?! Why, out of all the times you’ve yelled at me, are you apologizing now?!”
Rainbow Dash sighed before rubbing the back of her neck. “Because...after you left, Fluttershy opened my eyes to see how wrong I was about you. And how I treated you.”
Hearing Fluttershy’s name, I quickly focused as she continued. “When you left, Fluttershy gave me such a tongue-lashing that I nearly wet myself. She said that I should be ashamed for treating you like...well, some type of monster, when all you really were was a lonely pegasus. I admit, I was starting to doubt my feelings earlier during your talk with her, but after Fluttershy pointed out how wrong I was...” Dash shook her head. “I realized I was acting no better than the bullies that used to be mean to me. Not to mention I know what it’s like to be alone. It sucks. Why do you think I crave attention so much?”
I didn’t say anything. I just stared at her with a blank look on my face.
Rainbow Dash walked up to me and looked at me straight in one of my eyes while the other was staring at the ceiling. “Look, I’ve been a jerk. A big stupid jerk. And I want to make things right. I’ll stop yelling at you and treating you like a bomb ready to go off. And... I want you to go see Fluttershy.”
“Fluttershy? But I thought...”
“It’s not my place to say who my friends can’t and can be friends with. Or who they want to snuggle with at night,” Rainbow teased with a snicker. “She misses you, and I think... she cares the same way about you.”
My eyes widened as my heart came to a complete stop for one second, and then started thumping around for joy. I shook my head in disbelief, but a smile was already warming its way onto my muzzle. Everything else in the world didn’t matter as I asked Dash, “R-really?”
Smiling back, Rainbow Dash said, “Yeah. She didn’t have to say it, but I think the way she talked so passionately about you makes it clear enough she has feelings for you, too. So go to her, alright?” She then glared at me again. “But if you break her heart, I will tear you apart, cool?”
I smiled. “Yeah, we’re cool.”
Dash smiled and held out her hoof and I shook it. “Okay, I held you up long enough. Go see your mare.”
I didn’t need to be told twice, I was already out of the house and to Fluttershy’s.
***
By the time I landed in front of her cottage, I slammed the door open and called out her name over and over again. Sure enough, out from under her couch where she had ducked upon being startled, was Fluttershy who quickly gasped and came out of hiding. The two of us didn’t need to say anything, we just hugged each other as tight as we could.
“You’re back,” she whispered, joy in her words as she looked at my eyes with tears of happiness. “I thought...you would never...”
I put my hoof on her lips and said, “I’ll never leave you again. I’m here to be with you. Always. If you’ll let me.”
Her response was a small peck of her lips on my own. And that was all I needed as an answer.