Rebuilding a Rainbow

"Um, excuse me Rainbow," Fluttershy mumbled from outside of the Pegasus' house, but still she got no response from her friend.

"Rainbow, darling it is cold and we would greatly appreciate it if you would open the door!" Rarity said, as he paced and shook. A pink and purple scarf was wrapped around her neck and draped over her shoulder, a matching hat pinned into her hair and of course a pair of pink boots to top it all off, but it still wasn't warming her as much as she wanted, since they were at a high altitude.

"Oh, Rarity it isn't t-that cold," Fluttershy added with a smile, though she shivered as well since she only wore a pair of green boots and a green hat.

"Yes F-Fluttershy it is that cold!" Rarity said as she stomped her hooves against the clouds and began to complain, "I'm soooo cold!"

Fluttershy sighed and said, "Rarity, calm down, i'm sure Rainbow's just having a hard time getting down her stairs, that's all." She then smiled at the unicorn who didn't seem to accept her horrible attempt at making an excuse for their friend.

"Or maybe she is just ignoring us, she does it a lot lately and it annoys me," Rarity huffed as she walked up to the door and gave it a hard buck, giving them a clear path in.

"Oh, i thought Rainbow had that protected," Fluttershy said as she watched Rarity trot in. "She really should have that done, a-anyway," she added quickly as she followed after the annoyed mare.

Rainbow was sprawled out across her bed, glaring at the envelope that sat before her head. "Staring at it isn't going to magically open it for you. Your not a unicorn," she mumbled to herself, an attempt to force her body to stop staring at the sealed envelope and open it already.

"Yeah, but you did have to walk all the way to the mailbox a few minutes ago," she reminded herself, supporting her horrible habit of being lazy.

"Why can't i just be a unicorn!" She complained and then groaned as she moved her right foreleg up so that her hoof was flat on her bed.

"Because you love flying too much," she reminded herself as she lifted her other foreleg so that that hoof touched the bed and then let her back hooves do the same.

"Now stop being a lazy flank and open the letter!" She yelled at herself as she pulled herself to a sitting position. She then lifted the letter with her muzzle and rested it between her forehooves as she ripped it open. She groaned once more and pulled the letter from what was left of the envelope to begin reading it.

Dear Rainbow Crash,

So, hows my favorite crash test dummy doing? Funny i found out about that nickname, huh? Turns out your 'friends' are big fans of the Wonderbolts and were at our performance. They tried to start up a conversation with me backstage and i guess you were the only way they could begin one. Anyway, Spitfire told me to mail you this letter to remind you we will be back later today and that you better have done the wing-ups she instructed you to do when we left or she is going to kick you. Yeah, so have fun with that!

See ya soon, Soarin.

Rainbow rolled her eyes once she had finished reading the letter and hit it off her bed. "I'm not a crash test dummy!" She said angery as it hit the floor, but then a smile crept onto her face and she broke out into laughter.

"Okay, maybe it was just a little funny," she mumbled as she tried to make her face angry again, but failed. She then looked to the fallen letter once more and a frown appeared on her face. "I can't believe i pushed those wing-ups off for so long though," she groaned and forced her wings to open up.

She jumped onto the floor and got into wing-up position, though she really didn't want to. She had been instructed to do twenty a day, as the others in her group were in Spitfire's abstinence. Before she was kidnapped she probably would have blown them off and Spitfire would have never known because she was in good shape. But, since she hadn't really been trying her hardest in practice or doing anything outside of it she was not in that great of shape. Therefore, Spitfire would know she didn't do her instructed wing-ups and kick her.

By now she had a total of sixty to do before her instructor got back later that day and absolutely no ambition to do them, except for the fact that if she didn't she would be kicked. Being kicked would mean that Rainbow would no longer be aloud to train at the academy or have a chance at becoming a Wonderbolt, which was something she never wanted to happen. She knew that if she did get kicked then she would have to wait years until another former Wonderbolt announced they would be retiring and the academy would accept another group in hopes of filling that position. But, by the time that rolled around she would be way past her prime and wouldn't stand a chance of against the younger ponies.

So, she was now in wing-up position, ready to force herself to do the required wing-ups when her bedroom door flung open and hit her in the head.

"Rainbow are you deaf?!? Your lucky Fluttershy and I didn't freeze out there," Rarity complained as she paced before the two pegusi on the floor.

"No, but you could have made me deaf with that dam door!"

"Rainbow language!" Rarity said, stopping her pacing to look at the mare for a moment and then continued on with her pacing and complaining.

"Dam, dam dam!" Rainbow taunted, but was interrupted before she could say it again by a butterscotch hoof that was shoved into her mouth.

"Rainbow language!" Fluttershy repeated, stopping from looking at the mare's head to see if there were any injures because she could no longer take the foul language.

"Yes, listen to us. Ladies don't talk like that," Rarity added as she approached the two pegasi and glanced at Rainbow's head. "You look fine anyway, so get off the floor, run a brush through that mane, put your winter attire on and leave with us. Oh, and brush your teeth as well," Rarity instructed, reaching a hoof out for the mare.

Fluttershy re-claimed her hoof and said, "Yes, Rainbow you are fine, but there might be a slight bruise there tomorrow. Now, would you mind please getting ready for us so that we can go out together."

"Yes mom and dad," Rainbow sighed as she grabbed Rarity's hoof and was pulled off the floor. She then trotted off to her bathroom.

"That is mom and mom to you!" Rarity added as she walked away and then laid herself across the bed to try and calm herself. "That mare sure is a piece of work," she added once she knew Rainbow couldn't hear.

"W-well do you blame her?" Fluttershy asked as she floated up and then landed on the bed.

"No, but i miss the old Rainbow. Fighting with her over modeling for me, her fashion sense and mane-do was much more pleasant then breaking into her home and arguing about other unnecessary things."

"I agree," Fluttershy added. "She's like Angel Bunny when i first took him in. He had been left by his family and was scared, but after awhile he got better and came to be the sweet bunny he is today," she explained with a smile.

"Or she is like my sweet Opal, her real self underneath all that armor that only comes out with certain ponies," Rarity added and Fluttershy nodded, but Rarity sighed. "Speaking of my dear Opal, i haven't actually ever seen her real self," Rarity added.

"That is because her real self is what you see her like everyday, i told you that when you were picking her out, but you didn't seem to listen," Fluttershy said sternly, she was like this usually when animals were mentioned.

"I just like to lie to myself sometimes Fluttershy, like you do with Angel," Rarity said flatly.

"I don't lie to myself about Angel Bunny, he is always so sweet to me," Fluttershy corrected.

"Then call me over if you find a colt-friend," Rarity added, glancing to the mare, seriously. She feared that Fluttershy would find a colt-friend just like Angel, and that wasn't good since he was always bossing the poor mare around.

"W-what d-do you mean? I-if you don't mind me asking," Fluttershy stuttered, not as comfortable now since the topic had been shifted from animals.

"Forget it," Rarity said with a sigh, sinking into the bed more. "Wow this is really comfortable," she thought as she snuggled into the bed a bit more.

"O-okay, i'll forget it," Fluttershy said submissively, still siting up on a pillow that rested on the bed.

"Alright, i'm ready," Rainbow mumbled as she walked out of the bathroom and glanced to the two mares on her bed. She wore a dark blue scarf and matching boots, not caring much for what looked good, but what was conveniently located.

"Rainbow dear, i know why you refuse to leave this little piece of heaven most mornings," Rarity responded, sprawled out across the bed with a smile on her face. "You have to explain how one of these things is made to me. Heck, i might even incorporate it into my designs, they will really sell then," she added as she pulled herself up and looked to the mare before her.

"Yeah, yeah, i'll so that later," Rainbow replied and walked closer to the bed. "Well lets get going guys," she added, impatiently, since she had to be back before nightfall to practice her moves and workout as she used to.

"I thought i told you to run a brush through that mane not just wash it," Rarity said flatly as her eyes wondered up to Rainbow's mane. "Do you just expect it to do itself?"

"U-um actually, that is exactly what she expects to happen. S-she um, has done it since we were foals," Fluttershy added as she glanced to Rarity.

"Yeah Rarity, how else do you think it gets done? I don't waste my time on that diva stuff, i have better things to do," she said as Fluttershy began for the bedroom door and she followed.

"I am not a diva! I hate that word! It is always used as an insult when referred to me!" Rarity complained as she followed after the two mares.

"U-um, Rarity she didn't call you a diva," Fluttershy corrected and Rarity rolled her blue eyes, not appreciating the mare's observatation.

"I know Fluttershy," she said flatly, walking out the bedroom door after Rainbow.

Soon the trio had reached where Rainbow's front door would have been, if it wasn't kicked out of existence by a certain marshmallow colored mare.

"Rarity! This is the second door I've had to fix because you got inpatient and kicked it!" Rainbow began to complain as she headed out the door to grab a cloud and begin her repairs.

"Well the first time i had to or Scootaloo and i would have been sitting there worried sick about you for ever!" Rarity said in her defense, but she soon noticed that Rainbow did not care for the explanation and had chosen not to listen to it.

"Well, you should get the house protected anyway," Fluttershy mumbled, though it wasn't heard over the two mares who were complaining about one another.

"I wasn't going to die or anything! You didn't have to worry! I'm grown up!"

"Yes you are grown up, but i am older than you and all the other girls except Fluttershy. Therefore, it is my job to make sure you all are fine!"

"No one asked you to foalsit us! In that case why don't i just foalsit Pinkie Pie, since i'm older than her,"

"You are only older than her by a month, that doesn't count. I am older than you by 9 monthes Rainbow!"

"Get off my flank Rarity!" Rainbow yelled as she turned to face Rarity, done with her repairs on the door.

By now Fluttershy had repeated her words multiple times and had grown tired of not being heard. So, she took a deep breath and shouted, "You should just get your house protected then!"

Suddenly, the room was quieted and Fluttershy was the center of attention, which scared her. "I-i'm so sorry i didn't mean to shout," she said quietly as she looked over the two mares who stared back at her.

"No, it's okay Flutters, we should have listened to you the first time," Rainbow said, to cheer coax the butterscotch mare out of her scared state.

"Yes, we shouldn't have continued to fight over your words," Rarity added, still watching Fluttershy.

"O-okay," Fluttershy stuttered, still a bit uncomfortable with all the attention being on her.

The room fell silent as the three mares looked to one another quietly. They all knew there was another apology in order, but the two mares who needed to give one we both too stubborn to start it off. Lucky for them the third mare was very used to apologizing, even if it wasn't necessary and was happy to give the two a boost.

"So, what were you two talking about?" Fluttershy asked, staring down at her hooves.

"Oh, um well....Rarity and...Oh forget it!" Rainbow huffed as she tried to help Fluttershy understand while dancing around the apology she knew was in order.

"Fine Rainbow, i'm sorry," Rarity sighed in defeat, knowing that it was left to her to start the apology off.. "I didn't mean to upset you, i was just worried, you know?" She sniffled as she flung her hooves around Rainbow's shoulders.

"Yeah, i guess that's okay," Rainbow said as she pulled Rarity off of her and flashed her a smile. "I forgive you and i'm sorry for getting all upset at you for watching me, since i am a bit reckless," she added with a slight chuckle.

"Good, i hate when we fight, i fight enough with Apple Jack," Rarity said as she walked out the door, apparently ready to continue her day.

Rainbow nodded as Rarity spoke and then turned to walk out, but stopped for a moment as she looked out and at Rarity who was waiting to be lifted down by Fluttershy. She had to resort to being carried up earlier and down now because Pinkie was no where to be found earlier, so she couldn't ask to borrow her balloon. This left her with only one option, to cast her own cloud walking spell and be lifted up by Fluttershy, which in her surprise worked.

"U-um Rainbow, w-would you mind flying out so i can get through?" Fluttershy asked shyly, now standing behind the cyan mare.

"O-oh, um... yeah! I'm going, sorry about that Flutters," Rainbow stuttered as she flew out of the door and over to Rarity, a bit nervous about leaving the safety of her home.

Fluttershy followed after her quietly, but she watched Rainbow, sensing that something was wrong with her. Rarity hadn't seemed to notice, since Rainbow hid it cleverly by offering to help her down instead of making Fluttershy do it. But, since she had known the cyan mare since they were young, Fluttershy could clearly see through the armor.

"W-whats wrong Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked as the two flew beside each other, Rarity walking below them.

"Nothing," Rainbow sighed, not even bothering to look towards her friend.

"O-okay," Fluttershy said quickly and tried to look away from Rainbow's nervous expression, but failed. "y-you know during winter wrap up i have to coax the animals out of their little homes. They are a little afraid at first, since they haven't been out in awhile, but i help them get over it and soon they are as good as new," she said with a smile.

Rainbow sighed and said, "I know, i get it Flutters, you know i'm afraid," in defeat.

"Oh, I've known you were afraid since you hesitated when we left your front door. It's okay though i'm here," Fluttershy added with a smile.

"I am too," Rarity added, glancing up at the two.

"I know, that's why i'm fine now," Rainbow responded, now knowing that Rarity had been listening and not comfortable enough to let her walls down with her in the conversation. She didn't know why, but she was always hesitate with telling Rarity about her feelings and her opinions even when she was designing her dress for a very important event, The Gala.

"Good because we are here, I'm going to take off and do a bit of shopping for myself, but you two have fun!" Rarity added as she looked up at the sign that said "Food Market."

"See ya," Rainbow said as she took off down an aisle with Fluttershy.

"U-um Rainbow, your going down the wrong aisle, that stuff is unhealthy," Fluttershy said, turning in a different direction which led to the vegetables.

Rainbow groaned and turned around to look at Fluttershy, "Yeah, but it tastes good, so lets go!" She said with a smile.

"I know that," Fluttershy said flatly, as she turned to face Rainbow. "But, you are clearly lacking in nutrition since you mane and tail seem dull. So, you need the vegetables, now come on."

Fluttershy's words were as soft as they usually were, but Rainbow could tell that the mare meant business. So, she sighed and trailed after her, secretly happy that she now knew how to get the vibrant colors of her mane and tail back.

The leading mare smiled, knowing that she was helping her friend get healthier and all she had to do was treat her like on of the animals she cared for. "I guess ponies and animals are more alike than i thought, since they both eventually listen to my reasoning and need the right foods to keep their coloring," she thought as she stopped to look through a bunch of broccoli.

After about an hour of whining, complaining and reasoning the two pegasi were finished shopping. They sat on a bench outside the door waiting for the marshmallow colored unicorn they had come with to finish her shopping as well. They didn't wait very long, since a few minutes after they finished the mentioned unicorn came prancing out of the store, levitating her bag of food behind her. "Oh, good! You two are done as well, now we can get to my favorite part of the day."

"What's that?" Rainbow asked as she jumped off the bench and began to walk forward, her items now being levitated by the unicorn as well.

"Oh, well we are going to the spa," Rarity said with a smile as she pranced on.

Fluttershy was walking with the others now and she nodded, "Oh yes, Rainbow we are going to have a nice relaxing evening," she said. A smile printed on her face as well.

"I thought that was kind of your thing," Rainbow said, glancing to Fluttershy for a moment and then back to Rarity.

"Oh no, that isn't our thing dear it is open to everypony. But, no pony ever joins us. Twilight is always too busy with some new kind of spell or order from Celestia, Apple Jack is always busy on her farm, Pinkie is always too busy with something i don't quite understand, and you just refuse to go out of fear that they will touch your precious hooves," Rarity said with a sigh.

Rainbow laughed nervously and then asked, "Wait they aren't going to touch them, right?"

"Not if you don't want them to," Fluttershy said. "It's like how i don't get my whole face covered with the seaweed mask where as Rarity does," she explained and the cyan mare nodded in understanding as they all walked along.

"Alright, now that are stuff is locked away i'm going to go sign us up for our treatment," Rarity announced as she started to leave the room they were standing in.

"Oh, Rarity just sign me up for a seaweed mask," Fluttershy called after her.

"Don't you want to stay for the whole thing with us?" Rarity asked as she glanced to Rainbow who seemed too content with the small bowl of berries on the table to pay attention to the other two mares.

"Oh, i would love to, it's just i didn't have time to feed my animals this morning and they are probably really hungry right now. So, i have to rush home and feed them, which will take awhile and i'd miss it all anyway," Fluttershy explained. "I'm so sorry to leave you two," she added with a small smile.

"Nah, it's okay Flutters we understand," Rainbow said, now paying attention to the other two since she had come to the bottom of the bowl. Rarity nodded in agreement.

"O-okay, again I am so sorry you two," Fluttershy responded, apologizing as usual.

"There is no need to apologize Fluttershy, we understand that your animals need you," Rarity added as she continued out of the room.

"O-okay," Fluttershy stuttered once more as she sat, waiting for Lotus and Aloe to come and whisk her as well as Rainbow off to the beginning of their treatment.

"There you are Mrs. Fluttershy. Just the cheeks as usual," Lotus said as she finished putting the seaweed mask on Fluttershy's cheeks. She then turned her attention to Rainbow and asked, "Do you have any preferences Mrs. Dash?"

"Um...I guess not," Rainbow said, not having the mask on before and not knowing if she really did have any preferences.

Okay then, allow me," she said muffedly as she dipped the brush she used to apply the mask into the mixture it was made from with her mouth and began applying it to Rainbow's face. Her sister, Aloe had been creating Rarity's mask as she worked on the other two.

"There you are," Lotus said with a smile as she placed cucumbers on Dash's eyes, finishing up the mask.

"Alright now i will set the timer and we will return at the sound of it to remove your masks," Aloe said, once her sister had finished Rainbow's mask and then the two walked out of the door.

Rarity listened for their hooves clopping against the floor and then began to speak. "So who is going first?" She asked, glancing to where she knew Fluttershy and Rainbow would be sitting, even though she couldn't see them with the cucumbers over her eyes.

"First for what?" Rainbow asked, not aware as to what Rarity was referring to, since she never went on these spa days with her.

"Oh, Rarity likes to talk about colts, fashion and other things that we don't normally get around to when we have our weekly meetings with everypony else," Fluttershy explained, glancing over to Rarity to see if she approved of her explanation.

Rarity nodded, letting Fluttershy know she did approve and said "Since you are the new member of our group, you should go first Rainbow," with a smile.

"Um, well...I don't really bother with colts, fashion or anything else you'd be interested in hearing about," Rainbow explained with a slight shrug, not knowing what she could really talk about that would fit into Rarity's interests.

"Well then, how are you and Soarin doing?" Rarity asked with a smirk.

"We're both alive," Rainbow said flatly as she laid her back and head down on the chair she was seated on.

"Oh, that's nice," Fluttershy said with a smile, trying to relief some of the tension between the two mares before her.

Rarity nodded, catching onto what Fluttershy had done and asked, "What about you Fluttershy?" In an attempt to take the attention off of Rainbow and calm her.

"Oh, well i got a new shampoo and conditioner for my mane and that's about it," Fluttershy said with a smile.

Rarity nodded, letting Fluttershy know that she listened to that bit of information and then asked, "So anything new with you and Big Mac?"

Rainbow sat up, knocking the cucumbers off her face when she heard the mention of Big Mac. She wasn't aware of anything going on between the two and was now listening carefully to try and figure it all out.

Fluttershy felt Rainbow's stare and glanced to where she was sitting, confirming that Rainbow was indeed watching her. So, she turned away quickly and focused on the timer so that she wouldn't feel so insecure about Rainbow's stare. "Well, he asked me out to eat, but i had to refuse because i wash my animals on that day," She mumbled in response to Rarity's question, her face flustered a bit as she spoke.

"Oh, well at least you now know that he is interested as well," Rarity said with a smile as she laid herself back on the chair.

By now Rainbow was even more confused and gave up on trying to figure the whole situation out on her own so she asked, "Wait! When did this start?"

"During the weeks that you were spending in your house," Rarity explained.

"Okay," Rainbow sighed, still wanting to know more about the whole thing, but not thinking that the others should be responsible for catching her up. Since, she had chosen to act like a foal and lock herself away for weeks.

The room was silent for a moment as Rainbow tried to piece together the information she had just been given with the few images she had gotten of Ponyville over the last few weeks. But, Rarity quickly broke the silence once she realized she had forgotten to tell about herself.

"Oh, i almost forgot to talk about myself," she said, sitting up and knocking the cucumbers off her face at her realization.

Fluttershy nodded at this and looked to Rarity waiting for her to begin talking.

Rainbow had already grew frustrated with trying to figure the whole Big Mac and Fluttershy thing out. So, she also gave Rarity her attention.

"Well i changed a few of my mane products, finished a few more designs, oh, and got back in touch with Bareburn." Rarity listed, not attempting to organize the thoughts from her mind as she usually did.

"Oh, that is good. Hopefully something happens between you two," Fluttershy said with a smile, referring to Rarity's mention of getting back in touch with Bareburn.

"I hope so as well," Rarity said with a smile as she started to eat the cucumbers that had fallen from her face so that the spa ponies wouldn't have to pick up after her.

Rainbow was quiet once again, trying to piece together when the whole Rarity and Bareburn thing started. Again, she came up with nothing and asked, "When did all that start?"

"Oh, I've always had an interest in Bareburn and wasn't quite sure about how his feelings towards me. So, i left him alone once we left Appaloosa, but when he got in touch with me a few weeks ago, i began trying to figure out if he had feelings for me as well. But, a week ago we lost touch once more and i became worried that the feelings were not mutual, until he got in touch with me once more," Rarity explained with a smile.

Fluttershy nodded and said, "It's all Rarity has been talking about in our meetings with all of the girls."

"Oh, well how do you even like him?" Rainbow asked a bit confused as to how Mrs. Primadonna fell for the country colt.

"Rainbow have you not seen his body?" Rarity asked with a chuckle.

"Yeah, he's built!" Rainbow said, after she took a few moments to remember Bareburn's appearance.

"Exactly," Rarity said with a smile before continuing to munch on her cucumbers.

Rainbow laughed at Rarity response, and thought the whole situation over a bit more. But, the more she thought about it the madder she got at herself because she had to ask the other mares to fill her in, since she had locked herself away like a foal.

The timer then went off, and the spa ponies came in to remove the masks as Rainbow and Rarity munched on their fallen cucumbers. They were both a little hungry, since they only had breakfast and nothing more that day.

Fluttershy smiled as she watched the two munch almost at the same timing and then stood to her hooves. "Bye girls," she called as she turned to walk out the room so that she could get home and bathe all of her animals.

"Oh, Goodbye dear," Rarity called as she finished up her cucumbers and stood to walk to her next part of the treatment.

Rainbow said goodbye as well and then walked with Rarity to their next treatment.

A few hours later

The two mares left the salon, their things being lifted over their heads by blue aura.

"Wasn't that just so relaxing?" Rarity asked, glancing to the cyan mare beside her.

Rainbow nodded as she walked along, a lot more at ease then before, Even when she did get a few stares from colts as they walked she kept her same relaxed look. Any other time she would have taken off to her house where she could hide from them \or started some sort of argument because that is how she chose to hide her feelings.

Soon the two had parted ways and Rarity had generously offered Rainbow her saddle bags so that she could carry her things home. So, there Rainbow was walking alone in the dark without a care in the world because she was just too relaxed to care and she had to admit it felt good. A smile crept onto her face as well by the time she reached the spot underneath her cloud home and took flight to reach it.

She was just about to her front door, all ready to pull out her keys and unlock it when something rammed into her and pinned her beneath it on a cloud. She screamed as she was hit and then glanced up, taking in the dark outline of a colt's face above her, but not being able to make out who it was. He lowered his face towards hers and she squirmed, an attempt to free herself from his grip, but she couldn't, he was too strong.

So, there she laid, helplessly staring up at her captor who was still leaning in closer to her. She tried to shake her fearful thoughts from her head, but was failing at that as well. Her thoughts screamed for her to run, but she couldn't and so they told her it was over and that she had been captured once again by her kidnapper.