Tonight was the night.
Fluttershy was almost giddy as she floated throughout her cottage. The feather duster firmly clenched between her teeth did nothing to stop her merry humming as she flew from shelf to shelf, carefully brushing away the dust, fur and feathers that had gathered there. Although she made a point of keeping a very neat and tidy abode, Fluttershy didn't want to leave anything to chances. She had a guest coming tonight, and she did not want to disappoint. Giving the last shelf a good brush off, she floated back to admire her work. Despite the fact that the sun had set several hours ago, the entire room still seemed bright and cheerful.
Pleased with her work, she turned around to see how the rest of the cottage was coming along. One might assume that living in a house full of animals would mean that there was a lot to be cleaned each day, when in fact the exact opposite was true. The critters who shared the small home were extremely courteous and well-mannered enough to clean up after themselves. When Fluttershy felt it necessary to do a little bit of extra cleaning, they were more than happy to chip in and help.
Much to Fluttershy's delight, the remaining chores were almost completed as well. The squirrels and mice were just finishing up the last of the sweeping while the bunnies were almost done wiping down the tabletops and brushing off the couches. A group of birds swooped through an open window, each one dropping a colorful flower into the vase sitting at the table. Next to that, Angel Bunny had just finished setting the two separate dinner places and was preparing to light the candles on the table.
"Oh my," Fluttershy exclaimed, quickly flying over and snatching the matches from his paws right before he could strike them. Irritated, he looked up at his master, his arms waving while he made all sorts of angry chattering noises.
"Oh yes, I know that it makes the table look... nice. But don't you remember what happened last time?"
Her question was met by even more arm waving and furious chattering.
"Well, I just don't want her to hurt herself. You know how she can get on nights like this."
Angel rolled his eyes and sighed. Turning around, he hopped off the table and headed into the kitchen. Fluttershy smiled as he left. Although he could definitely be a hoofful most of the time, he really was only looking out for her best interest. He knew how much this evening meant to her and was just trying to make it the best that he possibly could. She made a mental note to reward him with his a large salad after this was all over.
Salad. The sudden thought of food reminded her of the soup she'd left simmering. It had been a while since she had checked on it. Turning quickly, she flew into her small kitchen and switched off the stovetop, whisking out the small amber flame from beneath the steaming vat. Grabbing the ladle laying nearby, she stirred the mixture, carefully examining the various bits for any signs of burning. Lifting it to her mouth, she exhaled gently before raising it to her mouth and taking a sip.
While Fluttershy was skilled at a lot of things, cooking was not near the top of that list. Sure, she could handle a few basic dishes and prepare food for her animal friends well enough, but when it came to elaborate meals and baking, she would much rather leave that to other ponies. Still, there were a few things that she prided herself on and her soups in particular were among those.
No sooner did the soup pass her lips, than she felt like crying. However, that wasn't her only reaction. She could feel her tongue begin to burn as the steam started pouring out from her ears. Her throat felt like it was about to catch fire as she quickly dropped the ladle and flew over to the fridge throwing it open. Not bothering to grab a glass, she quickly snatched up the carton of milk and began pouring it into her mouth to stop the spiciness before it completely destroyed her.
It did the trick. Within a few seconds, the milk had extinguished all remaining traces of heat, leaving a gentle cooling against her now numb tongue. Returning the carton, she sat for a second, panting heavily to try and catch her breath. She glanced over at the pot of soup. Without a doubt, that had to be the hottest, most spicy soup in all of Equestria. Anypony would have to be crazy to eat it.
She smiled. It was perfect.
After brushing herself off, Fluttershy floated over and grabbed the pot, carrying it out to the main sitting room and placing it gently on the table in-between the two seats. With it now sitting in its proper place between the couple slices of bread and bowl of salad, the small meal was now complete.
Floating back, Fluttershy took one last look at the cottage. She smiled as it appeared that everything was in perfect order. She turned to the various animals that had lined up awaiting their final inspection and smiled. "Oh thank you," she warmly complemented. "Everything looks absolutely wonderful."
Her praise was met with a variety of happy caws, chirps, and barks as the animals rushed up to her in glee. It made her happy to see that they were still so willing to help out. It also made her a little bit sad, because she knew what she needed to do next.
"Now, um..." she hesitantly added. The animals seemed to sense the change in her tone and stopped prancing about. "If you don't mind, this evening is very important to me and, um... do you think it would be alright if you all left for tonight?"
There seemed to be a collective sigh from the animals as they all turned and looked sadly up at Fluttershy. The looks on their faces was almost enough to convince her to change her mind, but not quite. "I'm sorry," she responded sadly, "but it's just for tonight. You can all come back early tomorrow morning. And I'll make you a nice big breakfast to make up for it, alright?"
That did the trick. Content with their promised meal, the animals all turned and filed out of the room, happily chattering as they left; at least, all of the animals except for one.
After the others had left, Angel remained behind in the very center of the room. He scowled up at Fluttershy with his arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently.
Floating down so that she could look him in the eye, Fluttershy gave him the nicest smile she could. "Oh Angel Bunny," she said. "Please can't you do this for me, just for tonight?"
With an over-exaggerated shake of his head, Angel firmly planted his paw on the ground. He was not going to give up his warm bed that easily.
"Now don't be like that Angel," Fluttershy responded. "You know how things get around here when she comes over. I don't want to see you get hurt or anything."
Angel turned his back to her with a huff, holding his head high in defiance. Fluttershy sighed. It was going to take a bit more to convince him. Unfortunately, she knew what would work, but dreaded making such an offer. Still, for this night to go well, she had no choice.
"Please Angel," she whimpered. "If you do this for me... I'll make you that salad you like so much."
The bunny's ears perked up. With his arms still folded, he turned and looked over his shoulder as if asking "...and?"
Fluttershy sighed. "And I'll even make sure to get those cherries you like so much for it," she said, dreading the shopping she would have to do to fulfill that promise.
Thankfully, that was exactly what Angel wanted to hear. Jumping back around, he happily nodded accepting the offer.
Despite the sudden lump in her stomach, Fluttershy smiled back. "Oh, thank you Angel," she said. "Now run along. She's going to be arriving soon."
Angel saluted his acknowledgement before turning and hopping across the room to a small hole leading outside. Just before exited, he turned back and waved to Fluttershy, wishing her luck. Then without another thought, he too was gone into the dark night.
Fluttershy sighed as he left. Save for herself, the entire cottage was now completely empty, a very rare occasion. The new silence pierced the room and caused the butterflies in her stomach to begin churning again. Had she remembered everything? She quickly went through her mental checklist. The cottage had been cleaned. Dinner was prepared and ready to be eaten. The animals had left for the night, leaving her and her guest their privacy. The bedroom...
Of course, she gasped. She had almost forgotten one of the most important parts. As quickly as she could, she flew upstairs to her bedroom. It wasn't anything fancy and was mostly bare. There were a few exceptions, such as the fireplace she had specially installed to help keep it warm during the cold winter nights, but other than that, there wasn't much else besides a small desk and the double bed seated against the middle of the far wall.
Wasting no time, Fluttershy tore the covering off the bed, exposing the soft down mattress underneath. Separating the blankets from the sheets, she took the latter and crumpled them into a ball before tossing them in with the other laundry. Opening up the closet, she pulled out a new set of sheets. This set was a pale blue and were specially ordered from one of the best shops in Canterlot. They were made with the finest silk, smooth to the touch, and so incredibly comfortable, that it was likely even the princesses themselves would have been jealous of them.
As much as she would have liked to admire their quality, Fluttershy would have to save that for later. She didn't have much time before her guest would arrive. Moving swiftly, she quickly placed the silky fabric over the bed, before returning the blankets as well, once again leaving the whole room as pristine as the rest of the cottage.
Fluttershy sighed as relief washed over here. Now, everything was ready. Just in time too, she thought looking up at the clock on the wall. It was just after midnight. It wouldn't be much longer now. Even if her guest was always late, she was at the very least always consistent.
Moving back to the living room, Fluttershy sat down on the couch and attempted to get comfortable as she waited. A task that was much easier said than done. Picking up a magazine, she flipped through the pages trying to find something to take her mind off of her upcoming guest, but she just couldn't do it. As the minutes ticked by, her worry began creeping up again. Was there something she had forgotten? Had she misheard and tonight wasn't the night she would show? Or perhaps...
*Knock... Knock... Knock...*
The slow hollow sound of a hoof beating against the door pushed Fluttershy's worries aside. She leapt up and began running to the door, only to stop and slow her pace. She didn't want to look too eager after all. Approaching the door, she reached her hoof up to the handle. Pausing for a moment, she took a deep breath to regain her composure, before pulling back. The door creaked backwards, slowly opening to reveal a smiling Rainbow Dash standing just outside.
Though, saying the pegasus was standing there was a bit of an overstatement. Her legs haphazardly moved about, just barely enough to keep the mare straight. Her knees shook and waved like jelly, seemingly unable to bare their own weight. Tilting back and forth, she looked as though she was about to topple over at any moment. One of her wings hung limply of to her side, while the other one buzzed in random directions in a futile attempt to keep her upright.
Like the rest of her body, Rainbow's head was unable to stay straight though it was trying its hardest. She looked up at Fluttershy with hazy, bloodshot eyes. She was taking large, deliberate breathes as well. Although it would have been hard to miss anyways, each exhale intensified the heavy scent of cheap alcohol that surround the light blue mare.
"...H...Hey Fluttershy..." she managed to slur.
Fluttershy turned for a second attempting to get a breath of fresh air from inside the cottage. "Rainbow Dash," she sternly responded, "have you been drinking?"
"I just had one or two," Rainbow responded, raising up her hoof and brushing aside the rhetorical question. That was a poor choice of action as her remaining 3 hooves and wings were lost without the raised limb. She stumbled forwards and would have fallen straight on her face had it not been for Fluttershy's quick reflexes. Reaching out, she managed to save her friend from having to deal with a sore nose and helped her back up to some semblance of balance.
"Alright," Rainbow Dash managed to say with a sheepish grin once her hooves were again somewhat planted on the ground. "Maybe three or four..."
Fluttershy shook her head with a sigh. It wasn't uncommon to see Rainbow Dash go a bit too far while drinking, though she had never seen her this bad before. "Let me guess," she began in a disappointed, yet almost motherly tone, "you're not able to fly back up to your own home and need a place to stay for the night."
"Are you saying I can't fly?" Rainbow very defensively asked. Standing as tall as possible, she held both of her wings out at completely odd angles. "I'm the best flyer in Equestria. I'll show you right now that I can fly just as well as anypony else." Crouching down, she leapt up as high as she could, flapping both wings in a completely uncoordinated fashion.
Fluttershy had just barely enough time to leap underneath her friend. She let out a loud oompf as Rainbow quickly plummeted onto her back. Completely oblivious to the fact, she continued flapping her wings with a triumphant look on her face. "See, I told you that I could fly. Look how good I'm flying right now."
With yet another sigh, Fluttershy turned and walked into the cottage, carrying her still ignorant friend on her back. With a kick of her back hoof, she kicked the door shut behind the pair. The sudden slam caused Rainbow to jump. This time however, Fluttershy wasn't quite quick enough and Rainbow rolled off her supporter's back, landing on her own with a thud. Seemingly unaware of her current position, she looked around the room. "Hey... Has Discord been here recently? I think he turned everything upside down again."
Rolling her eyes, though smiling as she did so, Fluttershy reached over and pushed her friend until she was once again facing right-side up. Rainbow's eyes lit up as the room seemed to mysteriously right itself. "That was amazing!" she exclaimed. "How'd you do that?"
Reaching down, Fluttershy helped Rainbow Dash back onto her own shaky hooves. "Magic," she responded simply, knowing it was pointless to try and explain the concept of direction at the moment.
In her inebriated state, Rainbow Dash was more than happy to accept the explanation. "Speaking of magic," she said smacking her lips together as her rose back up, "you wouldn't happen to have anything to drink here would you?"
Fluttershy shook her head. Of course, she did have a few bottles of wine stored away for a special occasion, but there was no way she'd hand them over to Rainbow in her current condition. "Sorry," she said causing the blue Pegasus to look downtrodden. "But, I do have some soup you can have if you'd like."
Rainbow's ears perked. "Soup?"
"Oh yes. It's even that spicy one that you like so much. Are you interested?"
Rainbow Dash quickly nodded her head, an action that would likely have knocked her over yet again had Fluttershy not still been holding onto her. With a smile, Fluttershy guided the intoxicated pegasus over to the table. No sooner was Rainbow sitting down in her chair, than she reached out towards the large pot, knocking over one of the (thankfully unlit) candlesticks in the process. Fluttershy quickly slapped her outstretched hoof, causing Rainbow to quickly retract it. "Now be careful," she said sternly. "It's still very hot. You don't want to burn yourself."
Grabbing Rainbow's bowl, Fluttershy floated over to the pot and ladled out a generous helping of the red soup. Rainbow Dash's mouth was visibly watering as Fluttershy carefully placed the bowl back in its original spot. The second the bowl clicked against the plate underneath, Rainbow dipped her head down until her muzzle was mere centimeters from the liquid contained within. For a moment, Fluttershy was worried that Rainbow would just start lapping up the soup, much like a cat would milk. However, Rainbow just sat there for a moment letting the aroma tickle her senses. Breathing deeply through her nose, Rainbow sat back up, much straighter than before as the mere smell of the spice within the concoction worked its magic, helping to clear her head. Grabbing the spoon seated next to her, she began quickly devouring the delicious food.
It didn't take her long to finish the first bowl. With already improved coordination, Rainbow Dash managed to grab the ladle herself, and dish up another bowl with only minimal spilling. Glad to see her friend's condition already improving, Fluttershy took the chair across from Rainbow and sat down. Not desiring to destroy her own mouth again, she grabbed the salad, dished herself up a small portion, and proceeded to eat it with small delicate bites.
Save for the sound of Rainbow's slurping, the pair sat in silence as each ate their respective meals. In addition to not knowing what to say, it would have been pointless for Fluttershy to try and hold a conversation anyways. Even if Rainbow was showing some improvement, she was still very drunk and not thinking clearly. What little conversation would most occur most likely would end up being completely and utterly incoherent.
Fluttershy couldn't help but feel sad about that fact. It would have been so much nicer to just have a real dinner with her friend; one where they could sit together and laugh and talk about all the things going on in their lives. She pictured it in her mind so many times. They could go to a nice restaurant, or even a nice picnic. They would sit and talk, just the two of them together. Then, to finish off the evening, they could silently stroll through the park, eventually sitting underneath the moon together. It was a lovely dream, but unfortunately, Fluttershy was certain that was all that it would ever be.
A soft, though clear sound brought her out of her fantasy and back to the dinner she was currently at. Across the table, Rainbow had stopped eating, though she still had some soup left in her bowl. She was staring down at the few potatoes and carrots and sniffling. For a moment, Fluttershy wondered if perhaps she had made the soup just a little bit too spicy, and Rainbow was now beginning to feel the effects. However, before she had the chance to ask, Rainbow Dash spoke first. "Why am I so pathetic?"
Fluttershy sighed. Even though she knew this was coming, she never felt prepared for it. "Oh Rainbow Dash," she kindly responded. "You're not pathetic. You're awesome, remember?"
"No," the drunken pegasus insisted. "I'm pathetic; completely and utterly worthless. My mom's right about me. I'm never going to amount to anything."
"Don't say that Rainbow," Fluttershy countered. "It doesn't matter what that letter you got from your mom said today. You are not pathetic. You're the most amazing pony that I know. Anypony should feel lucky that you'd consider them a friend."
But Rainbow Dash was beyond reasoning at this point. Her sniffling had evolved into actual tears by this point. "I just don't get it," she cried. "I'm the greatest athlete in Ponyville, the greatest flyer in Equestria, the Element of Loyalty, and afraid of nothing. But whenever I try to talk with a stallion, they always shoot me down. Why? What am I doing wrong?"
Fluttershy trotted over to her friend planting her hoof on her shoulder to try and comfort her. "Don't be so hard on yourself Rainbow. You just haven't met the right pony yet."
"No," Rainbow refused to be consoled. "My mom is right. There's something wrong with me. That's why I'm still I'll never have a special somepony. It's because I'm worthless. I need to just accept the fact that nopony will ever love me."
It broke Fluttershy's heart hearing her friend say things like that. More than anything, she wanted to through her hooves around her and hug her until she felt better. However, she knew she couldn't do something like that. "Come on now. That's just the alcohol talking," Fluttershy persisted. "You still have all of your friends besides you, even if you don't have a special somepony. Right now, you just need to get some sleep and you'll feel much better in the morning."
Carefully, Fluttershy pulled the still distraught pegasus onto her back before turning and heading up the stairs. Rainbow continued to protest, but was too busy crying to struggle. The room was still very dark as they entered, Fluttershy deciding it was better not to bother lighting the candle. Pulling back the covers on the bed, she gently deposited her load right onto its center. Rainbow quit fussing as Fluttershy fluffed the pillows and helped her friend to lay down on top of them.
"Why do you do this Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked, grabbing one of the pillows and clutching it between her forehooves. "Why do you keep putting up with me like this?"
Fluttershy smiled. "It's because we're friends Rainbow, and that's what friends do; we help each other."
"Yeah," Rainbow said calmly. The smooth feeling of silk against her fur was doing wonders to improve her attitude. "But still, how can you put up with me. I mean, Applejack would have thrown me out on my face if I showed up there even once. But you've let me come over, what, a dozen times now?"
"Thirty-four... actually..."
Rainbow yawned. "Yeah, that's what I meant. Why do you keep doing it 'Shy?"
Kicking her hooves against the ground, Fluttershy hesitated. "Well... it's because you're my oldest, and my best friend Rainbow. It's because you've always been there for me no matter what. It's because I think that you're the most amazing pony I've ever met..." Closing her eyes, she struggled with her words. "It's because... it's because... I, I l... I love..."
She was cut off by the sudden sound of loud snoring filling the room. Fluttershy sighed. Even now, she couldn't bring herself to say it. Grabbing the covers, she pulled them over her sleeping friend. Rainbow Dash grabbed them immediately with another snore and a smile. Fluttershy couldn't help but smile as well. Leaning over, she pressed her lips carefully against her friend's forehead and gave her a gentle kiss goodnight before turning and retiring from the room.
Stopping at the doorway, she looked back one last time. Tomorrow Rainbow would wake with a terrible headache and no recollection of this night. Fluttershy would make sure that she was there for her once again, just to make sure that she got out alright. She would always be there for her friend, no matter what happened. And perhaps someday, she'd actually manage to get the courage to tell her how she really felt.
Fluttershy sighed as she headed down the stairs. Perhaps someday.
Fluttershy floated about the kitchen sluggishly. The morning sun had not been a welcome sight when it came pouring through the windows and awakening her much earlier than she would have liked. With a yawn, she stretched her back in a vain attempt to loosen the knots that formed during the night. Although her couch was comfortable, it wasn't the greatest thing in the world to sleep on.
Taking another sip of her tea, she opened the cupboard and began fishing through it. She had a big day ahead of her after all. Her animal friends would all be returning soon and she needed to make sure that breakfast was ready for them as she promised. Not to mention, she had to get ready to go to the market to get the last remaining items she'd need for Angel's salad that afternoon as well.
The sound of groaning behind her made her pause and turn around. There hovering in the doorway with her head firmly planted in her hooves was Rainbow Dash, awake much earlier than Fluttershy had assumed she would be. "Why in Equestria does the sun have to be so dang bright?" she moaned, while rubbing her head. "Do you think if I got Spike to send her a letter, Princess Celestia could tone it down a bit?"
Fluttershy laughed. "I don't think it works like that Rainbow."
"Well why not?" she snapped back. Her own loud volume caused her to wince in pain once again. "We're the freaking Elements of Harmony. Couldn't she do it for just one day?"
Fluttershy just shook her head. Grabbing another cup, she poured some more tea. "Here," she said handing it over to her friend. "Drink this. It'll help you fill better."
Rainbow Dash gladly accepted the cup, downing its contents in a couple a large gulps. "Thanks 'Shy," she said pulling the cup back with a sigh. "Now, tell me, how bad was I last night?"
"...Pretty bad honestly. You were pretty out of it I'm afraid."
"Yeah, I could tell," Rainbow said rubbing her head once again. "I can't remember the last time I drank that much."
"Oh," Fluttershy asked hesitantly. "Do you remember much about last night?"
Rainbow sat and thought about it for a moment. "Well, I remember going to the bar and having the first couple of drinks. But... after that everything is just a blur until I woke up this morning and realized where I was." She looked horrified for a moment. "Please tell me I didn't do anything stupid."
Fluttershy smiled. "No, you just showed up here shortly after the bar closed, had a quick bite to eat and went right to bed; nothing stupid at all."
"That's good," Rainbow said with a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry to have to put you through all of this. I wish there was something I could do to make it up to you."
"Don’t worry about it Rainbow," Fluttershy said, the tiniest hint of sadness in her voice. "It's what good friends do." She turned back towards the breakfast she was preparing. "Now, you must be hungry. Have a seat and I'll whip you up a nice breakfast to help you get back on your hooves."
Rainbow shook her head. "Thanks, but I'm afraid I've worn out my welcome enough as it is. Besides, I've got to get to work before the mayor gets after me for their still being clouds in the sky." She placed the cup down on the table and stretched. "Thanks again 'Shy. I owe you one."
"Really, it was no trouble at all," Fluttershy responded. "I'm happy to help out."
For a moment, Rainbow looked nervous. Her head darted around the room as though she was looking to make sure nopony else was around. "No really, I mean it." Stepping forward, she reached over and planted her lips gently on Fluttershy's cheek giving her a quick kiss. "Thanks a lot Fluttershy," she said pulling back with a slight blush in her cheeks. Then, turning tail, she flew out of the cottage without so much as another word.
For a whole minute, Fluttershy just sat there completely stunned. Slowly, she lifted her hoof to her cheek, and caressed the area of Rainbow's embrace. Her heart felt like it was going pound out of her chest as a bright smile slowly formed on her face.
Perhaps someday wasn't as far off as she thought.
