The Equestria Games

Fluttershy felt her heart stop as every eye turned to stare at her, all showing the same mixture of pity and relief. Pity that her name had been chosen. Relief that it wasn't them. Fluttershy couldn't take it in. Was this how her mother had felt? Unbelieving, terrified, desperate. Had it been worse for her, leaving behind a daughter barely old enough to understand? Fluttershy was leaving behind no family; she never knew her father and her grandparents had passed away long ago, but there were the many animals in her care who relied on her in the harsh winters, and her close friends. Their faces flashed through her mind, that of Rainbow Dash, her oldest friend, lingering the longest. She closed her eyes as her knees gave way and she collapsed, wishing desperately that when she opened them it would all be a dream, she'd be safe at home…

"Fluttershy?"

As she heard her name called again, she knew no amount of wishing would make this any less real. Having no other choice, she forced her trembling self to stand and slowly took a small step forward. And another. And another. Every step she took led her back, back to that day when her mother had taken these exact steps. She couldn't do it, couldn't go into

that place, the place her mother lost her life. Her steps faltered…

"I volunteer!"

Every eye in the room, and those watching on the screens on the streets outside, turned to the blue pegasus with the rainbow mane hovering defiantly above Fluttershy.

"I volunteer!" Rainbow Dash repeated. The whole compound was in shock. Mutterings rose up from the previously silent hall, nopony quite believing or understanding what was happening. Volunteering for another tribute was allowed, but it was almost unheard of, except the occasional Career pony. It hadn't happened in so long, nopony could quite remember how the volunteering system was supposed to work. At the front, Silver Trinket was involved in a rushed, whispered conversation with the mayor, trying to remember what she was meant to do.

"R-Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash turned and smiled down at Fluttershy.

"It's okay, Shy." She whispered and flew up to join Silver Trinket on the stage. Fluttershy knew she should do something, fly up there, stop Rainbow, but all she could do was stand,

frozen, as Silver Trinket, quickly recovering her sickly sweet smile and hushing the crowd, got Rainbow to introduce herself, and asked why she volunteered. Rainbow Dash looked her

right in the eye, somehow managing to ignore the crowd and speak directly to them at the same time.

"Fluttershy is my friend." Rainbow said simply, though in truth there was more to it than that. She had known Fluttershy since they started flight school and, for some inexplicable reason, had always viewed the shy pegasus as a sort of younger sister, despite Fluttershy being the older one. Rainbow had stuck up for her and beaten up those who bullied her,

coming out the first few times considerably worse off. Fluttershy had always been there for her, seeing her at her lowest moments and yet never judging, always knowing exactly what to do and say. Rainbow alone knew of what had

happened to Fluttershy's mother, and knowing that this would make the arena twice as hard for her friend was what had sparked her spontaneous volunteering. As she said those few words, she knew that ponies would whisper and rumour that there was something more to it all, especially with Rainbow being such a tomboy, but Fluttershy knew the truth and that

was all that mattered.

"Well then, it seems you're a very good friend indeed!" Silver Trinket gives Rainbow a huge smile before turning back to the audience. "Let's give a huge round of applause to this

brave pegasus!"

The compound erupted into applause, everypony clapping, cheering and whistling. Every pony except Fluttershy. Despite Rainbow's puffed out chest, proud stance and defiant smile,

Fluttershy, who had known Rainbow longer than anypony else, could tell that her friend is completely and utterly terrified.

The rest of the reaping passed quickly.

Rainbow Dash was joined onstage by the second female pegasus tribute, Indigo Rain, a pale purple pegasus with a pure white mane who was practically still a filly. As she joined them on the stage, crying, her large family weeping and being held back by the peacekeepers, Rainbow wanted nothing more than to put her arms round the young foal. But she forced herself to stay stationary. Once in the arena, every other tribute would be her enemy and getting close to them now wouldn't make it any easier.

Even though Indigo Rain had such a large family, nopony volunteered for her.

The two male tributes Rainbow would have no problem keeping distant from. Dumb-bell and Hoops, two of the pegasi that had bullied Rainbow during flight school, both Careers.

"Should be fun, huh, Rainbow Crash!" Hoops sneered as he stepped up on stage. Rainbow would have made a witty reply, but she was too busy stopping herself shaking and keeping herself from crying. She had to appear strong, especially for Fluttershy.

The anthem played, the four tributes were led away, the rest of the pegasi go home, either to celebrate or weep. By the time Fluttershy remembered how to move, the hall was

empty and her friend had gone