Chapter 5: Face Your Pain 'Shy

Ponyville entrance, Evening.

The sun was high in the sky and barely any clouds were out. A nice day to relax, right? It would be but not for Fluttershy's friends. Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rarity are at the Ponyville entrance. Four confused mares surrounding the cyan pegasus that is pacing and mumbling under her breath.

"Why would she do this? Why would she do this? Why 'Shy?" Rainbow Dash said aloud for everypony to get even more confused. Before she could make a perfect line of her pacing, Twilight stepped in front of Rainbow Dash stopping her in place.

"What did Fluttershy do?" Twilight asked. "You gotta talk to us Rainbow or else we'll get nowhere."

Rainbow Dash took in a deep breath into her nose. Letting the cool wind go through her lungs. Then, she blew it all out of her mouth. "Fluttershy ran away from her cottage."

All four mares made a loud gasp from each of their mouths. Twilight was the first one to speak. "Why would she run away?"

"I don't know." Tears started to sting her eyes. But she refused to cry in front of her friends. "But what I do know is that she's going to kill herself-" Dash was interrupted by gasps coming from the mares. "And we have to stop her because we are her friends."

All four mares nodded. "Alright then, lets go."

"WAIT!" A distant voice called out.

Everypony turned their attention to the call. It was Spike. He was running at full speed to the five ponies. He stopped about four feet away and was begging for air. After taking several deep breathes, he held out a scroll with his right hand.

"I ha- *gasp* I *gasp* I have a *gasp* letter for *gasp* Twilight." Spike said.

"Not now Spike. We have to find Fluttershy." Twilight said.

Spike lifted the scroll higher in the air. "But its *gasp* about Flutter *gasp* Fluttershy."

"What!" Twilight's horn glowed a purple aurora and the scroll lifted out of Spike's hand and over to Twilight. Levitating in front of Twilight, she cleared her throat and began to speak out loud.

Dear Twilight,

I found one of your friends. The one that you call "Fluttershy." I found her in the middle of the Everfree forest during one of my walks through the night. I found her lying next to a tree while blood was spilling out of her face. Don't worry she's okay. She's in our palace under great care of our medical staff. She's fine but she's going to stay for a while. Until she is fully healed, I'll send her back home with Flash Sentry as an escort.

Your princess of the night, Luna.

Twilight finished reading the letter aloud. "Did you hear that? She's fine. All we have to do is wait for her to get home."

Rainbow Dash started rubbing her left forehoof with her right. "I don't know, Twi. I think we should see her. You know, just in case." She said.

"Knowing Princess Luna. I know she'll fix everything." Twilight smiled. Reassuring Dash that Fluttershy would be fine.

"Then, what do we do?"

"Like I said." Twilight turned to the direction where Fluttershy's cottage is. And started walking in the direction. The pegasus flew to Twilight to catch up to her. "We wait." Twilight finished.

Canterlot, Royal castle.

"How is her condition nurse Redheart?" Luna asked. Hovering over Fluttershy's bed. (not flying. Just leaning over the bedside)

"She's fine. Luckily, she didn't break her nose from impact. But she is out cold. Its undetermined when she'll wake up. So make sure to have somepony keep an eye on her until she wakes up. Then give her at least an hour to stretch her legs, get water, something to eat, or basically until she stops feeling dizzy." Nurse Redheart replied.

"Thank you nurse. You may return to Ponyville now." Luna's horn lit up with a blue aurora and the doors behind her opened.

Nurse Redheart bowed and started walking towards the door. "It was an honor working in the castle your majesty."

Luna nodded and Nurse Redheart closed the doors. Luna took a few steps away from Fluttershy. She sat down on her haunches and closed her eyes. Her horn started to glow her blue aurora.

Ponyville, sugar cube corner.

Luna was walking down the dirt path in the streets of Ponyville. Celestia's sun was in the sky. Children were running while laughing their heads off. Mares and stallions of all races roamed the streets. It was a very busy day here in Ponyville.

Luna saw Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy entering sugar cube corner. Rainbow Dash walked out of the bakery store and started running towards the entrance of Ponyville. Soon, Twilight poked her head out of the doorway of Sugar Cube Corner. "Hey everypony! Who wants to see a real slut!?" She yelled.

Soon. stallions started to walk inside the little store. Noises of laughter mixed with crying started to grow from inside. Fluttershy suddenly burst through the doors with blood streaming down her cheeks. Luna caught Fluttershy with her magic and lifted her off the ground. Fluttershy was running in place with her eyes shut and the blood was still streaming.

Luna sat down on her haunches and waited patiently for Fluttershy to realize that she hasn't moved. Fluttershy opened her eyes, realizing that she was levitating. "Fluttershy, is it?" Luna asked.

"Princess Luna? Oh um....yes." Fluttershy replied, with her (adorable) quiet voice.

"Do you know where we are?"

Fluttershy looked around her surroundings. Then back at Luna. "Um.....Ponyville?"

Luna sighed. "Wrong." She slowly lowered Fluttershy to the ground. "We are not in Ponyville, Fluttershy. We are in your dream."

Fluttershy wiped her eyes and stared at her hooves that were stained with blood. "A dream?"

"Yes, nothing more than a vivid imagination. Its all in your head."

"But it feels so....real." Fluttershy looked up at Luna.

"Give it a second look. You will see the truth." Luna pointed at her hooves.

Fluttershy looked down at her hooves and noticed that the blood started to fade. Fluttershy gasped and looked up at Luna. "A dream?"

Luna closed her eyes and slowly nodes twice. She looked back up at Fluttershy and opened her mouth to speak. "When you start to think rational, Fluttershy. Everything makes sense."

"What does that mean?"

"Your not thinking rational." Luna said quickly. Fluttershy lowered her head and started making tiny circles in the dirt. Luna sighed. "Fluttershy......you must think. Can a pony really cry blood?"

Fluttershy looked up at Luna and sheepishly smiled. "No," she whispered.

"Would your friends really treat you so badly? To humiliate you and allow those stallions to sexually harass you?" Luna put her hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder.

Fluttershy stood silent for a few moments. Letting the words sink into her. She never thought about that question before. But once she started thinking about it, she started realizing the true answer to that question. "No," she whispered. Luna took her hoof off of Fluttershy's shoulder. Fluttershy stood up. "No." She said, a bit louder.

Luna smiled and stood up on all fours. "Than its time Fluttershy."

Fluttershy's face started to turn into the facial expression of confusion. "T-Time for what?" Fluttershy stuttered.

"Its time to face your pain, Fluttershy."

"Where do I start?"

"By waking up and going home. Your friends will await for your arrival."

"How do you know?"

Luna winked at Fluttershy. "Just a feeling."

Ponyville, Fluttershy's cottage.

Rainbow Dash was sitting next to the door with her ears drooping down and a sad look on her face. She sat there staring at the doorknob, hoping for the handle to be turned. Twilight and Pinkie Pie were sitting on the couch with frowns on their faces. Applejack and Rarity were sitting on the floor, a few feet away from Rainbow Dash. Their faces had the expression of worry. Worry for their friend Rainbow Dash.

"She hasn't moved at all." Rarity whispered to Applejack.

"Ya know how much Rainbow Dash cares about Fluttershy. Especially with that there crush she has on her." Applejack whispered.

"What in Celestia's name are you two talking about?" Twilight asked in a whisper tone.

Pinkie Pie poked her left foreleg to get Twilight's attention. "Dashie has a crush on Fluttershy but she never really had enough courage to tell her. Because she was-believe it or not-too scared to tell." Pinkie Pie whispered.

"Rainbow Dash?" A facial expression of shock quickly spread across Twilight's face. She looked over at Rainbow Dash and back at Pinkie Pie.

All of a sudden, hoofsteps were being heard from outside the door. Rainbow Dash's head perked up and the door handle slowly turned. The door opened and there was Fluttershy in the doorway. A bandage was covering her nose and a small smile was plastered on her face. Rainbow Dash quickly embraced Fluttershy into a big bear hug. Fluttershy was caught surprised but she quickly reacted by wrapping her hooves around Rainbow Dash.

"Why did you run away, 'Shy?" Dash asked.

Fluttershy laid her head on Rainbow Dash's shoulder. A tear escaped her eye and streamed down her left cheek. "I wasn't thinking clearly, I was afraid." Fluttershy replied.

"Of what?" Dash said with worry and a sob mixed together.

"Of being made fun of, you abandoning me, being sexually harassed. I wasn't thinking clearly. It took a good friend to help me realize that." Fluttershy squeezed Rainbow Dash a bit tighter.

"There's something that I have to tell you or I'll never have enough courage to do again."

"What is it?"

"Fluttershy....I got a crush on you." Dash said quickly.

Fluttershy's small smile turned into a big grin. Dash pulled her head back to be face-to-face with her. She quickly placed her lips on Fluttershy's. Fluttershy was caught off guard at first but then she slowly kissed back. Their kiss broke and Rainbow Dash was smiling proudly. "Can you promise me something, 'Shy?" Dash asked.

"What is it?"

"Never run away again. Not without talking to us first. Not without talking to me."

Fluttershy looked around her living room to see all her friends smiling. Reassuring her that she will always have somepony to turn to. Fluttershy looked back at Rainbow Dash. "Of course, I Pinkie promise." Fluttershy brought her hoof up to her heart. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Fluttershy followed simultaneously with her words.

The End.

Written By: Cameron

No matter who you are, there will always be someone you can turn to whenever your down -Cameron.

(This chapter has been re-styled and is in the process of being re-edited)

Author's Note

The final chapter to my favorite story I've ever made. I'm so glad that a lot of people actually enjoyed this piece of work. Thank you all so much for reading. I've also learned a life lesson. I had to learn that lesson before finishing this story. That lesson is: "no matter how sad or lonely you think you are, you'll always have someone to turn to."

To Taythen: that is a lesson that will stay with me for the rest of my life.