A Helping Hand

Chapters

The Way Back Home
Caregiver
The Chosen Pessimist
Reach Beyond The Sun

The Way Back Home

--The Way Back Home--

“Wasn’t that race awesome, Flutters?” Dash asked as she pulled up to a stop-sign, easing her old clunker car in for a slow stop. She took one last huff of a completely diminished cigarette and tossed it out onto the road. A car passed by the intersection, blinding headlights illuminated the roadway behind them. It sped up, and soon was gone, long lost in the darkness the forest provided.

“Did you see how Soarin’ clipped that green car and how he spun? Man that was cool!” she motioned her hands up and hit them into each other, signifying the spin with her finger. She double checked no cars were coming and peeled off to the right, heading towards her hometown.

“Yeah, It was um, pretty cool.” Fluttershy turned to Dash and gave the most forced smile she could. To her, Equestrian Touring racing was definitely not fun. Watching heavily modified cars ring themselves around a closed circuit over and over was less interesting to her than picking ticks off of a dog, and much louder as well. “I hope he was alright.”

Rainbow ripped her eyesight from the road and to her friend. “Pretty cool?” Try the best thing I may have ever seen!” She settled back into her seat and redirected her attention back to the road. “And don’t worry about the drivers. They have like, two-something-million pounds of padding in those cars, as well as roll cages for when they flip.”

“Ahh, I see.” Fluttershy smiled but shifted her legs uneasily and bit her lip. If she ever had anything to complain about when it came to Rainbow, it was her driving; or the lack of attention she puts into driving rather. The mere second that she hadn’t been looking at the road almost gave her a heart attack.

Still, getting asked to go out and do something with Rainbow more made up for it.

It was a Sunday night, and Rainbow Dash was driving Fluttershy back to her cottage. They were heading home from a race starring the Wonderbolts; Dash’s favorite team. They had won that night. Seeing Spitfire cross the line first sent Rainbow into a frenzy of Shouts and obnoxious hand motions, drawing more attention to them than Fluttershy would ever want.

It was a loud sport, and was filled with angry drunks and whiny children. The truth was, Fluttershy hated the races, everything about them made her sick. She would never go on her own, probably wouldn’t with her own parents either.

But she was there with Dash. The one ‘best friend’ she had that she wished to be more. When she met her, they immediately hit it off as the best of pals, but Fluttershy quickly found that being ‘best friends’ with Dash wasn’t enough. She quickly started to see her in a whole new light. She no longer saw her as “just a pretty friend” but rather as a sexy and fun girl that she wanted to go out with. Really bad.

She knew that with being a lesbian and only having women friends this problem would arise eventually; but it seemed to happen all too quickly, and it scared her.

“I know its late, but you wanna’ swing by the corner store to grab a snack?” Dash asked. She rolled down her window and hung one arm loosely out, and pointed over to a road slightly off in the distance. “I know of a diner-bar-thing down that way actually, we could hang’ there for a while. Only if you want to though.”

“Oh, um, sure Rainbow, just please don’t drink. I don’t want you to be arrested.”

“Pshaww fine. It wouldn’t matter though, I can still drive like an expert when I get tipsy. Rainbow held her head up high like she was soon to receive and award for excellent drunk driving. Another car passed, its taillights lingering in the rearview mirror.

“Does that mean you’ve tried it?” Fluttershy questioned. She hated that thought, It wasn’t ‘foolish and silly’ to drunk drive, it was stupid and irrational. It almost got her mad to think that Rainbow bragged about it. Almost.

“Um,” Rainbow snapped her hand into the car and started to scratch the back of her head, “no…”

“Don’t lie, um, please.”

“Alright, maybe one time, with Applejack. And only because we were in a bad area and the people around looked, well, bad. I thought it would be better to leave, and I didn’t want to leave the car.

“Oh… Please don’t do that anymore, It’s silly.”

“I know this Flutters, and have since the third grade.”

“I know its just…”

“Do you think I wanted to? I got scared and bailed Jeesh, you act like my mom sometimes.”

“Sorry.” Fluttershy squeaked out, long since having shrunk down into the seat in shame. “Why do I ruin things?” She thought. It was childish to cry over something like this but that didn’t stop a tear or two from forming in the corner of her eyes. “Stupid.”

“Hey,” Dash brought her free arm around and squeezed her shoulder, “I’m sorry I got a little snappy, I just can’t stand dwelling on mistakes I’ve made when I can ignore them, you know this.” She sighed and pulled her arm back, “I won’t drink, alright?”

Fluttershy pulled herself up and smiled, wiping the semi-formed tears away with her sweater sleeve. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” Rainbow turned onto the road and they soon pulled up to the roadside bar. A small but friendly looking place that fit perfectly into a nature-built clearing in the trees. She stopped the car and yanked the worn key out of the ignition, once they had both gotten out, Rainbow locked the car again and they headed into the diner.

“What a crap time to have pasta.” Dash slumped down into her seat and hastily jammed her key back into the ignition. “Eleven-thirty makes for a very awkward time for garlic and salt. Damn key.” With one final twist the car kind-of-almost jumped to life, the engine sputtering and backfiring. “Damn car.”

Fluttershy giggled at her friend and nodded. “Thats why I got salad, there’s always time for salad. And I’m sure the car is trying very hard for you.”

Rainbow chuckled, “I guess there’s always time for sardines and vomit as well.” She made a motion towards her mouth and gagged. “Salad is gross, and it bores me.” She looked back through the rear window and pulled out of the crowded parking lot. “I still can’t believe we weren’t the only ones there.”

“It is a bar as well isn’t it? Most people drink later.”

“Ahh, duh, good point.” Rainbow stepped on the gas with decent force. It took plentiful effort to get the ancient vehicle moving. Once they were up to speed rainbow yet again rolled her window down and let the air blast her in the face. “Roll down your window, Shy; It’s hot.”

“But its December.” Fluttershy looked at Rainbow, and how she was all wrapped up in a track jacket and a sweatshirt. “Why didn’t you take the jacket off if you were hot.”

“Ohh I see, you want me to strip instead. I gotcha now.” Dash gave a sly smile and wiggled her eyebrows, she laughed harder than she had all night when she caught sight of the explosion of red that blanketed Fluttershy’s face. “Hahaha”

Fluttershy on the other hand was in battle with every thought in every way. “Does she know I’m gay? Who told her? No! don’t imagine that, not now. Why are you laughing at me?” Every thought that Fluttershy went through brought her self consciousness up more and seemed to be shoving her lower into the seat. “I-uh, no, I was, no I…”

“Hahahahaha, relax Flutters, I’m just messing with you. You gotta’ start taking jokes better if you want to… Hey!”

“Get off the damn road” A truck withholding a very profound and angry man overtook them. The driver of the truck was shouting out of the window and holding his arm back, giving Rainbow the finger. “Whats wrong with you women drivers.” He obviously made no effort to withhold anything he was thinking and it was clear to both Rainbow and Fluttershy he was trying to bother them. He punched the gas and his engine revved, they went speeding off ahead.

Rainbow leaned out the window and shouted ahead. “You best hope that truck drives fast and has a lot of gas, if I catch up I’ll beat you with your own arm!” She punched the gas and the gar jutted forward, albeit slightly. “I know you don’t have much to give, but I need you to give it all.”

If Fluttershy had a heart attack before, she wouldn’t know what to call this. “Rainbow, please slow down, please. Please!” She gripped the bar above her head and a part of the center console, her eyes were wider than dinner plates and the unsung hero of a car woke up and blasted ahead.

“That fat asshole.” “No Fluttershy, not today; I’m going to make that failed human being learn how to behave." Her clunky old car roared onwards, she hit ninety-five before she started to catch up. She felt proud for a while, but the truck driver started to really put his weight on the gas because he soon rapidly began to pull away again, the much newer vehicle despite its size proved to be far too much for the aging car to handle.

“Damn, damn, shit, damn…” Rainbow let loose a belt of endless curses as when she saw the truck turn a corner more than fifty yards ahead of them. She knew the chase was over, and she knew that once again her car had failed to do anything other than moving forward. She knew she took a chance and that she had, most definitely, scared Fluttershy into cardiac arrest. She knew how dissapointing of a friend she was at that moment.

She slowed the car down to a measly thirty-seven, just over the back-roads speed limit. She sulked her head down and turned to her know teary eyed friend.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t have…”

“Rainbow look out!” Fluttershy had her head held forward, eyes peeled open.

“wha?”

“Look Out!” By the time Rainbow had brought her head up it was too late. She had careened into the oncoming lane, and there was an oncoming car ahead, seemingly unaware of their presence. She slammed the horn in and jerked the wheel to the left without thinking. This brought her car into a sideways position, passenger facing towards the oncoming vehicle. They had slammed on their brakes, albeit too late, their cars collided with nearly thirty miles per hour between the two.

Fluttershy’s door was the door that got hit, her head snapped every which way as she got compressed by bending metal and a violently inflating air bag. She was lucky the car was old and made out of tougher materials, or the nearly three-thousand pound mass that collided with her would have brought certain death. She was knocked unconscious upon impact. Rainbow was slammed up against her door and window, she remembered to let her body go loose as to allow for free movement.

The car did not flip luckily, but was pushed rather onto the side of the road, with the other car coming to a rolling stop next to it. The flying debris had settled, dust and dirt filled the air making breathing difficult for someone even of perfect health. Wires in her car’s horn had grounded themselves out and that left the horn blaring endlessly. Rainbow put her head down and felt herself wavering in and out of consciousness, She could not see properly at first and certainly couldn’t hear correctly.

What she certainly didn’t expect was someone opening her door and dragging her out, laying her flat on the pavement. She heard distant voices but was still way too disoriented to make out what they were actually saying. When her vision cleared somewhat, she looked up to find a man -most likely the one from the other car- on the phone, craning his head to the side and rubbing his neck. “Good, he’s calling an ambulance.”

She looked around more, and saw her car sitting, mangled in the dirt, with the other vehicle not far from it. She saw debris in the road, and a stream of antifreeze pool onto the grass, seeping into the earth like water to a sponge. What she didn’t see was Fluttershy.

“Urgh.” She mumbled, pushing over into a push-up like position. She struggled upwards, but eventually got to her feet; adrenaline was kicking in and she felt most of her aches and pains die down.

“You’re awake, good. I need you to…” The man had advanced onto Rainbow, he held out his arm to help her along but she brushed him off.

“Wheres my friend?” Rainbow was not about to play games for once. She did not have a joke prepared for the situation, nor did she want one. “Where is she?”

“S-she’s still in the car, I called the fire department. They’ll need to, uh, pry the door open. I-uh, checked her breathing and pulse, she is alive.”

Rainbow didn’t reply rather took off in a quick jog to her car. Despite possible injuries she put all her effort into making it to Fluttershy. This was her own fault, and she couldn’t let Fluttershy suffer any more than she had to over it. She opened the drivers door and crawled in, she found Fluttershy in a heap, entangled in metal and with glass cutting down her arm. She pried the glass out and checked to make sure she was indeed, still breathing.

“She looks so bad.” Rainbow had begun to cry. After a long string of keeping in her emotions, she could no longer hold them. She had quite possibly, if help didn’t get here soon, caused the death of one of her best friends. Even worse, the person who least deserved it, out of anybody. “the fuck is wrong with me?”

“I don’t know if you can hear me Shy, b-but it’s going to be all right. Help is on the way, we’re going to get you to a hospital, o.k.” She laid her head onto the unconscious girls shoulder and let more tears flow, It was no longer a trickle but a torrent. “You hear that, we’re going to get help… I’m so sorry.”

Rainbow paced back and forth in the hospitals waiting room, and had been doing so for the past three hours. She and Fluttershy’s four best friends had long since shown up after Rainbow had called them all. The hospital only allowed them as far as the waiting room, and even that was a hassle to ask for. She had filled them in on exactly what happened,and got more than a few scowls for it. Luckily, they gave in when they saw how truly upset she was, although, Rainbow didn’t feel as if she deserved any form of pity.

She had been checked out with a minor concussion, a broken ring finger on her right hand, and a fractured rib. She was told however that Fluttershy was not so lucky. The doctors said she had broken ribs, one her elbow joints had shattered, and she had internal bleeding.

“I caused her to have internal bleeding. Internal. Bleeding. I need to be shot for this.” she thought. The doctors had thankfully told her that they could replace her elbow joint, “Bless all modern medical science.” and that they could repair her damaged organs, for they were not completely destroyed, just some had received a few lacerations. The ribs were going to be set and steadied, and she was most likely going to recover, in fact, if all surgery went as planned, she only had to stay in the hospital for the rest of the night and tomorrow.

It made no difference to Rainbow, because deep down she knew she was liable for holding the “worlds worst person” ribbon. She had hurt her friend, and she hurt her, because she got too angry to think correctly; something Fluttershy had always warned her about.

“Ya know ya’ll can stop pacing, right?” A voice shook Rainbow from her thoughts.

“Yes darling, we've all been worried sick, but you've been at that for hours, please just sit down will you?” another, but more, “high class” voice pierced her eardrums.

“Nah, I’m all set, thanks Rarity." Rainbow scowled at her friend. “If you can’t see how worried I am, you don’t use your eyes correctly.”

Rarity threw up her hands and lowered her voice down a couple decibels. “Only trying to help, dear.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Rainbow paced across the room a few more times before sighing and giving up her angry act. She threw herself onto one of the stone-hard plastic chairs that lined the room. “I, just… Can’t believe I did something so foolish. "

"It was a mistake, dear, but one that we can all eventually forgive." Rarity sighed, pulling out some tissues and wiping her wet eyes, smudging her beloved eyeliner in the process. "By Celestia, I hope she's doing alright. Poor thing is probably scared out of her wits right now."

"Ah think she'll still be unconscious Rare. Or they'll 'av put her on some drugs or somethin'." Applejack yawned out, leaning back in the seat and putting her hat over her eyes.

"I know that Applejack, I'm just..." She paused momentarily and rested her head in her hands, slowly beginning to weep. "I'm just so worried, I can't fathom loosing one of you."

Applejack pulled her hat off her head and shuffled to the seat next to the fashionista, wrapping her arm around her shoulder. It wasn't before long that Rainbow noticed the farmer was shedding her own tears. Something she had never seen for the few years she had known the hardy girl.

"Aww, please not you too Applejack. I can't deal with all of you crying at once." Rainbow turned away from the sorrowful sight and began performing some breathing exercises her old coaches insisted would always calm her down. In and out Dash, In and out.

Her coaches were liars.

"Hey, Dashie?" Rainbow turned to her head to her friend sitting a few seats to her right.

"Yes, Pinkie?"

"Promise me, all of us, that you'll be careful with her from now on. I know you feel the most comfortable with her, she's been your friend for years," Pinkie wiped her running eyes with her sleeves, "But that's no reason to get reckless, especially not with her, Dashie."

Rainbow looked at the floor solemnly as a few tears slid off her cheeks and onto the aging tiles below her feet. How could I let this happen? She nodded her head, unable to produce much more than a croak for a response. She was not a very pretty crier. She gave the room a few more solid sweeps, noting everything from the pristine magazines that got updated monthly to the lonesome dying plants set in between rows of chairs. Anything to get her mind to wander a little bit.

It wasn't long before she noticed that one of her few good friends hadn't made a peep. No input, no questions, and almost undoubtedly no crying. Twilight was not crying, no, but she was certainly not happy.

Rainbows gaze held for a few seconds before Twilight picked up her head to match her gaze. Her eyes bore nothing but anger. Rainbow looked away immediately, completely unable to hold contact with the icy gaze that she was presented with. The night was beginning to fill with first times for her. First time I saw Applejack cry, first time Twilight has truly scared me, and certainly the first time I've almost killed one of my friends. She sighed and threw herself, once again, onto the chairs behind her.

Rainbow stretched herself out across five of the chairs, using them as a makeshift bed. Her jacket was ripped down the back and she could no longer wear it, so she used it as a pillow to rest her head instead. Another fifteen minutes passed by without a single word spoken. She sat there and twiddled her fingers, humming sad songs in hopes the time would go by faster.

She began to notice how sweaty, dirty, and just gross she felt physically. Almost like you would after a grueling two hour workout. Every bit of energy she had left was spent trying to hold tears in, or trying to not fall asleep in case the surgery ended.

“Alright, Sorry girls, I have to go; I have library work in the morning. Please tell me the verdict when she gets out.” Twilight's voice broke Rainbow out of her trance.

“Bailing already Twilight?” Rainbow slurred and rolled over, facing the wall rather than her friend.

“You know, Rainbow, I would appreciate it if you didn’t act selfish right now. I have to go, I’m not just ‘Bailing’ as you say. You know I would stay, for Fluttershy’s sake, if I could.”

“Selfish!” Rainbow yelled but before she continued, she slumped again, and breathed out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, “Oh, why do I bother. I’ll tell you what happens after I see her.”

"Mhmm.” Twilight walked over to a now sleeping Pinkie Pie, her wild pink hair plastered over her dreaming face. She shook her shoulder, the girl snapping awake and let out a little yawn. “Pinkie, I know you don’t want to leave Fluttershy, but we need to get going.”

“Aww why, I should be here for her.” Pinkie's sleepy smiles dissipated and a frown took it’s place.

“Well, I’m your ride home, so…”

“Sorry for interrupting ya’ll, but ah got room in the truck if she wansta stay longer. I don’ need ta leave yet.”

“You sure Applejack? I can bring her home if you need me to. It would Be easier on gas”

“Ah wouldn’t’ve offered if I couldn’t bring her ho..uep.” Pinkie threw herself at Applejack, and hugged her with a inhumanly strong force. Applejack coughed and gagged, and squeezed out a plea for air before Pinkie let her go.

“Euuhg.” Rainbow covered her ears with her jacket and arm. “Everyone is too loud, this is ridiculous.” Despite her previous efforts, she closed her eyes and tried to block out her friends voices. It took a long while, but she eventually drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Rainbow was awoken by a gentle push on the shoulder and a blaring voice, which by was most likely just normal speak just amplified by morning grogginess.

“Sit up please, I need to speak with you.” Rainbow sat up and stretched, pressing her back into the chair, yawning the sleepiness away. When her eyes adjusted she was greeted by one of the head doctors sitting in a chair placed in front of her. “That's creepy.”

“haha, sup doc.” She smiled but stopped when she saw how cold his expression got, “Sorry.”

“It’s alright, but I need to speak with you about your friend.”

“Is she alright! She better be alright!” Rainbow raised herself, preparing to fight this doctor if Fluttershy had not pulled through.

“She did pull through yes, and with no complications. She’s sleeping right now, and may be for the remainder of the morning. She's on some very heavy medications as well, and she will be for her time in our care. However, her hospital bill, even covered by insurance will be astronomical If she stays hospitalized, and with modern medicine, we do have the ability to send her home later today. However, not without a caretaker. That arm will be useless for a long while, and she will be in too much pain to move for a few days, and will be bed ridden. Do you know of any family she has that will comply and be able to divert their time to her?”

“YES! She’s alright. Yes, yes, yes.” Wonderful and awful thoughts flooded Rainbows thoughts as she took in what the doctor had said. It was great that she would be fine, granted, it would take effort to recover; but that was fine. The problem was, she did not know any family that would take her in. Her Mom and Dad have been too sickly to take care of themselves, and she had no siblings. She wasn’t sure about aunts and uncles.

“Um, no I don’t, but” -time to repay her- “If she agrees, can I-uh, take care of her. I feel like I need to do something to make this all up to her.”

The doctor paused, for a moment he looked concerned, as if he was seriously doubting Rainbows “caregiver” abilities, but he relented, and softened his expression.

“Sure, as long as you’re over 18 and don’t have a criminal record, she can sign her self out under your name for protection. At that point, she will almost be considered to be a ‘minor’ and everything that happens to her will be your responsibility.

“Thanks, that's awesome doc,” Rainbow leaned over and gave him a firm handshake. “but I have to ask, you say it like you’ll be signing her life away, why?”

The doctor sighed. “Because I practically am. She was already deemed unable to see to her own needs; she would not survive alone in her home. So if you agree to take her, it will be your sole responsibility to help her on through this. If something happens, It will be put on you. Luckily, that chance is very small and she will most likely be fine through this. Do you still agree to take her.”

Rainbow sat their jaw agape, “So if I take this, I’ll be her life support, in a way?”

“Exactly.”

“That's a rough way to put it.”

It didn’t take her much thought; it was what she needed to do, at least to feel a little better morally. “I’ll still do it, just give the rundown on what she’ll need.”

“O.k.” The doctor nodded and stood up, motioning his hand for Rainbow to follow him.

Pills, Pills, and even more pills. Antibiotics, steroids, Analgesics, etc. Anything that Fluttershy could take, she was told to take; even if it wasn’t necessarily needed. She was informed that none of the pain medication she was going to be able to take would be nearly as potent as what Fluttershy was taking at the moment, so she would be practically painless for the first day only. Rainbow grabbed a piece of notepaper from a notebook she found at the front desk and began to jot down when she was going to need to take her pills.

She was still barred off from seeing Fluttershy, much to her disdain. They said that it was “unhealthy” for her to be around in-case she woke up unexpectedly and in pain, which was understandable. The doctor from earlier turned out to be the lead surgeon on Fluttershy’s job, and was supposedly damned good at his job, and it was just luck that he was on job then, for his shift had actually ended an hour before they had shown up.

Rainbow felt blessed and terrified at the same time. Fluttershy was supposed to wake up soon, as it was mid afternoon; she dreaded what she was going to say the face she had hurt so much. Yet she knew that she could make it better eventually, or at least bring peace between them. She prayed that she could revive their friendship. Even with Fluttershy’s unusual ability to forgive; she doubted this was going to get looked over.

“Alright,” she sighed, “Now I play, the waiting game.”

Against everything Rainbows tough exterior showed, she was terrified.

Author's Note

climbed into bed, thought of this.

Came home from school. Created it.

Oh the effort; please blast me with criticism and show me any mistakes I dun' made.

Caregiver

--Caregiver--

The ride to Fluttershy's home from the hospital was long and excruciating. Twilight had to pick Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy up because Dash’s car was recently deceased, and Fluttershy never had one. The entire ride was spent in an awkward and heavy silence. The only time Dash tried to speak, she was quickly shushed by Twilight. She had continuously received scrutinizing glances from her at practically every red light, and no longer felt up for conversation.

Yet, she could never blame her friend for being angry with her; especially with Fluttershy sitting right behind her, a constant reminder of what she had caused. Fluttershy looked tired and covered in bruises. Her arm dawned a cast, and the new wheelchair she was to use leaned on the seat next to her. Fluttershy could walk, but in endless and mind numbing pain, so she swindled the hospital out of a wheelchair for assistance.

Fluttershy was also filled with pain pills at that point, and was lost in her own world staring at the back of Twilight's seat.

Dash sighed and turned her attention to the scenery around her. She noticed that they were on Fluttershy’s road, and were making the turn onto her impossibly rocky and long driveway; something Fluttershy took pride in having. Kept unwanted company out, after all. “It’s about time we got here, I need food.” Her stomach gurgled along with her thoughts. The large SUV pulled to a stop in front of Fluttershy’s cottage.

“Hehe. Looks like its lunch time, right Twilight?” Dash chuckled and nudged Twilight, who was currently opening the drivers side door.

“Dash.” Twilight paused and turned to give Dash a cold, hard stare. One that held little to no sympathy.

‘Y-yeah, Twi? She gulped and nervously scratched at her leg.

“After what happened, I don’t want to hear you making jokes and fooling about. You hurt her, and for once, you need to be serious. I’m not in the mood for small-talk, and you shouldn't be either.”

“Hey, I’m only trying to lighten the mood…”

“Yeah, well It’s not really time for that. Now get out and grab the wheel chair, please.” Twilight twisted around and pushed a button that unlocked the rest of the doors. She slid out of the over-sized vehicle and slowly opened Fluttershy’s door.

“Sorry, I guess.” Dash also clambered out of the meaty vehicle, and trudged over to the rear doors. She pulled open the door on the passengers side to pull the wheelchair out. She struggled to get it twisted out from in between the seats without bumping it into Fluttershy, but she quickly popped it loose without damaging anything. She brought it over to Twilight and unfolded it, a maze-like jumble of metal bars and fabric unfolding into an expensive looking wheelchair. “Ooh this one has Two cup-holders. Fancy.”

“Alright Fluttershy,” Twilight gently nudged the injured girl to attention, “We’re going to help you out of the car and into the wheelchair, but you need to tell us if we’re hurting you, o.k?” Fluttershy sat and stared, seemingly bewildered, at Twilight for a few moments, before coming back to reality and and complying.

“O.k.” she gave both girls a meek smile and slid her body around so her legs were hanging right above the ground. Twilight took her by her uninjured arm and Dash lightly around her waist to keep her steady while she eased herself into the chair. Fluttershy winced as her legs made contact with the ground, and gave a little “Eep” as she sat in the chair. “Ouch.” She thought, “Being hurt is… Painful.”

Dash grabbed the handles on the mobile chair and started to push Fluttershy towards the placid cottage. “Thanks for picking us up, Twi!” She yelled and waved back to her friend, who had already backed up and turned around to drive off.

“Take care of her, Dash.” Twilight gave a half hearted wave out the window and sped off, taking extra care to avoid hitting any rocks on the trip down the long driveway.

“Not even a goodbye, she must be pissed.” Dash sighed and continued pushing Fluttershy to her door. “Can I see your keys, Shy?” she motioned her hand towards her friend, who quickly dropped the keys into her open palm. “Why thank you.” She fumbled with the multitude of keys a bit but eventually found the right one and unlocked her friends cottage, and was immediately rushed by a multitude of ecstatic animals, all too happy to see their beloved owner.

Fluttershy squeaked in surprise but shot the happiest smile in the history of giddy smiles at the barrage of furry creatures. Her prized bunny, Angel clambered onto her lap and sat down, nuzzling her gently in the stomach.

“Aww, Angel I missed you too.” She winced as the bunny jumped on her lap, but still started to scratch behind the bunnies ear. Angel thumped his foot happily in response. “Sorry for being away Angel, Mommy had a little… Accident.” Rainbows heart sank when she heard her petite friend already bringing up the incident. Angel turned and motioned his head away from his owner and caught sight of Dash. He immediately tensed up and his ears shot out, trying to scope out any noise from the “intruder.”

“Uhhh…” Dash stared back and the white ball of fluff and gave a nervous wave, “Hey lil’ guy…”

And like that the rabbit was off. He used all the power he could muster from his hind legs to propel himself off Fluttershy. She yelped in surprise mixed with pain at the rabbits sudden motion. Angel took off around a corner and into the living room of Fluttershy’s cottage, and was soon followed by all of the animals she had in her care.

“Oh-oh my…” Fluttershy turned to Dash with a shocked expression.

“He-he, I guess they don’t really, like me all too much… Um you hungry.” Dash scratched at her head awkwardly and stared at her feet, not quite brave enough to make eye contact with the animal caretaker. A clock on the wall had started to whistle a tune like a bird, signifying that it was already five o’clock.

Fluttershy’s stomach rumbled in response to the question and she blushed heavily. She was also starting to find her feet a very interesting thing to stare at. “Umm, yes, but my animals need to be fed first and…”

“Oh, I can do that!” Rainbow quickly placed herself behind Fluttershy and took hold of the wheelchair. She speed walked into the kitchen and began opening cupboards, in search for animal food. “Nope. Nope. Nope. Umm.” “You seem to have a dire situation here Fluttershy; it seems all of your cabinets contain cobwebs rather than food...” “Shy, you’re outta’ critter chow.”

“Umm… Sorry, Rainbow, but all the animal food is in my shed.” She pointed out of the kitchen window to a wooden shed, nearly surrounded by overgrowth and shrubbery. “Their food smells, um, bad, and I don’t like to keep it in the house… Sorry.” She shifted uncomfortably in the wheelchair.

“Oh, uh, duh. Hold on, Shy; I’ll be right back, I’m gonna’ go get that.”

“Oh no Rainbow, I can get it. Besides, you have to do a lot of sorting with food for specific animals.” Fluttershy put her good hand down onto the chair handle and started to push herself up, wincing in immense pain while she did so. Dash whipped around and sprang away from the kitchen cabinets. She gently pushed her back into the seat.

“Nooo way Shy’. The doc’ said you need to stay relaxed and that you can’t put pressure on that arm or midsection. I’m no expert, but that probably means you shouldn’t be getting up and walking around. No no, Shy’. I can do this as long as you tell me what critter gets what.” She put her hands on her hip and beamed at Fluttershy.

“Gosh she has such a cute smile.” Fluttershy blushed and looked away from Dash and to the floor. “Oh my, I almost said that out-loud.” “Umm, o.k, thank you, Rainbow.” She looked up and gave her a meek smile.

“Cool.” Rainbow took her chair and swung around, out of the kitchen. She went slower than before because some of Fluttershy’s many animals were coming out of hiding, and a few of the braver ones were taking interest in this new contraption their owner was sitting in. Soon they reached the door, and after a small struggle to get it open without hitting any small critters, Rainbow managed to get outside with Fluttershy.

“Alright, now lets get those guys some food.”

Fluttershy had seen through all of the feeding to ensure Rainbow did what she would call an “on par” job. She explained to Dash what animals needed what kind of food, how much they needed, and when they would need it. All the information was mind boggling for Dash, so she ended up writing it all down and nailing the sheet of paper to the inside of the shed anyhow. Much to Rainbows surprise, animal care was very difficult, and proved to be exhausting. By the end of the three hour ordeal, through all the yelling at pets that stole from other pets, she was completely exhausted. And still hungry.

Dash slowly trudged back inside the cottage, she slumped over Fluttershy’s wheelchair as she pushed her along, half asleep. Her stomach gave another earthshaking rumble, and she grumbled out a few curses as they entered the kitchen. “how the hell does she take care of those beasts… Why the hell does she take care of them?” She almost wanted to ask, but she kept quiet as to not offend her long term friend and more recently, patient.

“Fluttershy…” Dash sighed as she brought herself to the fridge “I. Am. Starved.” She opened the fridge, and was shocked to find it filled with mostly beverages and lunch meat. “Freezer?” the freezer contained only frozen snack foods and a tub of ice cream. “Shy’, you’re outta people chow.” Dash looked at Fluttershy and gave her the worlds most heart melting sad-puppy face she could muster.

“Aw, Please don’t give me that look, Rainbow.” “ I, normally eat out or get food delivered, it’s much easier on me…I’ll order pizza, If you would like, that is.” Rainbow quickly nodded and grabbed her phone out of her jeans pocket.

“I actually have that new place in my contacts, I think they deliver.” Rainbow found the restaurant in her phone and brought it up to call. “What kind do you want? I got the tab so get what you’d like.”

“Oh, any kind is fine, but you don’t have to pay i’ll…” Fluttershy was cut off by rainbow bringing up her hand in defense.

“No-ope! I’ll pay, it’s the least I can do.” Rainbow clicked send on her phone and brought it up to her ear. “Now is just a plain cheese with garlic o.k?”

“Yes…”

“Cool.”

Rainbow ordered a large pizza for her and Fluttershy and much to her disdain, waited over half an hour before the delivery guy found the house. There would have been an all out fist fight between the lanky teen and Rainbow if Fluttershy hadn’t luckily wheeled herself outside to calm Dash down. Dash brought the pizza into the living room and helped Fluttershy onto the couch, the couch in which she soon sprawled herself out on.

“Mmm this is good.” Rainbow said as she grabbed at a third slice, hastily taking a bite out of it.. “They really pounded the garlic into this thing.” She reached over and snatched a remote off the coffee table and flipped the t.v on. She grazed through the channels until she settled upon one of her favourite movies, Ronnie Darko.

“It is quite good, and I love this movie… though it sort of um… scares me.” Fluttershy blushed and shrunk down into her couch a little more. She put her half eaten slice of pizza back onto a paper plate. Dashes eyes shot towards her and she stopped eating mid-bite.

“Thif mofie scaresh you.” She swallowed, “Sorry, but this isn’t that bad.” She calmly took another bite out of her pizza, never taking her eyes off of Fluttershy.

“Umm… Yes, that bunny is… creepy. Sorry…” She shrunk down even further into the crouch, wrapping herself into the blanket she donned.

“No need to be sorry,” Rainbow reached over and took hold of Fluttershy’s shoulder, “it is kind of creepy… don’t tell anyone I said this, but I cried when I saw this the first time. I mean, I was only nine but still, that thing scared me… Yeah don’t tell anyone I said that, ever.” Fluttershy was startled at the sudden contact but soon calmed and melted into it. It made her feel warm and safe.

“Oh, I won’t say anything Rainbow.” She turned her attention back to the movie and sighed happily. “She’s so warm… I wonder…” She looked at Rainbow who was eagerly watching the movie, and decided to take her chances. She calmly brought her head down to rest on Rainbows shoulder, and held her breath, waiting for her to say something.

Rainbow was confused for a moment, but shrugged off the sudden affection as more of a “friendly touch.” She decided saying something about it would probably scare Fluttershy out of her mind, so she let it be.

“Yay! She doesn’t mind.” Fluttershy silently cheered. “Maybe I do have a chance… I shouldn’t push it though… I’ll settle for this tonight.” She smiled and closed her eyes, relaxing into her friends shoulder like a human pillow. Soon enough she drifted off into a light snooze.

“Aww.” Rainbow whispered when she took note of the now sleeping Fluttershy. Fluttershy let out a soft, high pitched snore, and nuzzled further into Rainbows neck. “Thats kinda’ cute.” She sat silently and watched Fluttershy snore away until the movies last scene played out. She flipped the t.v off and was left with the soft glow of the table lamp next to her. She decided against waking her friend and scoured the room for something interesting to look at. her gaze fell upon a pile of cd cases Fluttershy had stacked on her coffee table. she picked up the one at the top and silently read it over. She frowned and placed it lightly back onto the pile, and shuddered slightly. “that's some… brutal stuff Fluttershy.”

Dash sat in the silence for a while until she began to feel sleep grabbing at her as well. She nudged Fluttershy gently a few times before the sleeping girl awoke, albeit still in a groggy daze.

“whaa.” She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked around the room, still gathering her surrounding, she noticed she was using Dash as a pillow and abruptly pulled away from her. She winced in pain as left her resting spot.

“Sorry! Sorry, I didn’t mean to uh…” Fluttershy rapidly shot out a defense while her mind raced at a mile a minute. “I really hope I didn’t do anything foolish while I slept.” Rainbow quickly pulled up her hand and waved Fluttershy’s hasty apologies away, laughing all the while.

“hahaha, calm down Shy’, It’s cool. But I’m going to get going, I’ll see you in the morning.” She got up from the couch and stretched out, releasing all the pent up tension from sitting for a couple hours. She leaned over and snatched up the track jacket she left in a crumpled mess on the floor.

“But Rainbow, you don’t have a car, and It’s dark out.” Dash stopped halfway to the door and looked outside, only to see the pitch black sky staring back at her. A large type of canine barked off in the distance; the loud yet heavily muffled screech of something could be heard.

“Oh yeah…” She brought her hand up to scratch her chin, “Shit…” she gave an awkward smile to Fluttershy and turned to her.

“You can spend the night, if you want to that is. It would be… easier for both of us. And also,” Fluttershy pointed towards her stairs and frowned. “My bedroom is up there, and I can’t get up the… stairs by myself.”

Rainbow followed her finger and facepalmed when it dawned on her how stupid leaving would have been in the first place. “And to think I’m supposed to be taking care of this girl… I’m so stupid, it’s ridiculous. “I’m sorry shy, I’ll help you get upstairs and I’ll just crash on the couch.”

“I could sleep here… It would be easier.” Fluttershy twiddled her fingers as she spoke.

“Yeah, but that’s not fair to you, and I figure you need a bed to sleep on. I really don’t want you to like, roll of the couch in you’re sleep, or something.” Rainbow smiled and while grabbing Fluttershy’s good hand, helping her into her wheelchair yet again. She moved
Fluttershy slower than last time, trying her best to keep her completely free of pain. Her plan worked until Shy's landed softly in the seat, where she winced in pain despite Rainbow's efforts. Fluttershy was a trooper however, and her small frown was back to a smile after a couple seconds.

“Oh, um, o.k.” Rainbow grinned and wheeled Fluttershy to the bottom of the stairs and stopped at the bottom. She stared blankly up the darkened stairwell and scratched at her head.

“Shy’, there’s no way I can bring this thing up the stairs…” Rainbow leaned over Fluttershy to turn the hall-light on, illuminating the ten measly steps that stood in their way

“Oh, that's alright Rainbow, I can sleep on the couch…”

“I can carry you up.” Rainbow gave Fluttershy a weak smile as she held her arms out. “Promise I wont drop you.”

Fluttershy blushed madly at this. “Yes… hold me… Oh my that sounds ridiculous.” “...Sure. Please be careful, this isn’t that safe…” Fluttershy allowed Rainbow to pick her up, one hand under her legs, the other behind her back. “Please don’t drop me, please don’t drop me, please don’t drop me.” Rainbow turned and took the first step, slowly but surely she began ascending the stairs.

“Please don’t drop her, please don’t drop her, please don’t drop her. At least she’s light.” It took a few moments, but soon enough, Rainbow made it to the top of the stairs, and then to Fluttershy’s bed. She placed her lightly onto the bed, and set up the pillows behind her head so she could sleep upright due to the recovering elbow. Fluttershy shifted herself under the covers, and relaxed into the pillows. She let the universes most adorable yawn.

“Thanks Rainbow.” She closed her eyes with a gentle smile still plastered on her face.

“Heh, no problem Shy’. Imma’ going to go crash on your couch, yell if you need anything, alright.” Rainbow turned and headed towards the hallway, turning out the light as she left the room.

“Ask her to stay here, in the bed, with you… No! don’t ask that, not yet…” Fluttershy sighed, and rested back into the pillow. “Alright… Goodnight, Rainbow.”

“Night!” Fluttershy closed her eyes again and lost herself in her own thoughts, seemingly sporadic. She thought of how hard living with her crush was going to be, she thought to how hard the next few weeks would be in general, and how she should be grateful that the miracles of modern medicine aided her in a quick return home. All sorts of thoughts flooded her head, and ever so slowly, she drifted off into a very shifty and shaky sleep.

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long to shove out, I haven't been very inspired to write lately.

"Doogle Gocs" often gives me a hard time with formatting when I transfer it over to this site, so If you notice any random paragraphing mishaps (or any issues for that matter) please tell me, and I'll fix it up. Thanks :3

The Chosen Pessimist

Author's Note

So this is where I have no excuse for the long wait, and where I put out my next chapter because one sole writer convinced me to do so. I feel like I owe a lot of you this story, So it will be my new mission to complete it.

I've made a couple changes to the previous chapters as well, If you wish to re-read them. Tell me If you've noticed anything different.

On a side note, the google docs to FIM formatting is still pure garbage, and I have no true way of knowing if what I post will work or not, so please tell me if you see any big errors.

Thanks everyone.

The Chosen Pessimist

Fluttershy is quite possibly the happiest girl walking mother nature's green and blue planet when the sun breaches the horizon to start the day.

It comes with her love for nature. The birds sing out their first songs of the day and the dew leaves a pleasant smell of light moisture in the air. To her; all mornings have a scenic beauty to them. It goes without saying that Fluttershy is indeed, a morning person.

But not this morning.

Fluttershy awoke slowly, her eyes sluggishly prying open as sunlight poured through her half closed curtains. She could tell by the lack of bird song, besides a few lonely avian souls, that it was very early in the morning. Closer to five than six she figured. She took an uneasy and deep breath, expecting to simply feel the cool morning air as it rushed into her lungs, but instead, the breath came with immediate pain. A lot of Pain.

"Owwww. Oh sweet Celestia, this is awful" She steadied herself, closing her eyes and clutching her relatively little fists, trying to fight back the pain that shot through her torso with every breath. Her arm felt sore, but that wasn't half as bad as the burning in her stomach. "It's okay Fluttershy, your medication just wore off. You'll. Be, Fine" She forced out a small smile and relaxed a little. Surprisingly, the pain began to ever so slowly edge away. "See, fine." Then a stark white rabbit hopped onto her stomach, as fast as a little white rabbit could go.

Pain has a vengeance.

"RAINBOW DASH!" Fluttershy shouted as loud as she could, which wasn't much louder than the average person speaking. She put all of her energy into that shout. She shouted once more, however the affronting pain was a growing to be too much so she had to stop. Fluttershy lifted the rabbit off of her stomach and carefully placed him on the bed, shooing him off with her good arm. She waited about as patiently as she could for her friend to come help, silently praying that she had heard her.

Rainbow Dash was beyond fast asleep on the comfiest couch she had ever rested her head upon. It had taken ages to actually get to sleep, worrying about Fluttershy's health a constant problem for her, but she slept like stone once she was able to keep her eyes closed for more than a few minutes. She slept peacefully, one arm dangling off the side of the couch, a line of drool dribbling onto the pillow squished under her face.

"Earmm" She sighed out in her sleep, clutching the warm and worn-in pillow tightly and nuzzling into it. Her slumber was about as peaceful as sleep could get.

That is, until she heard a shrill screech coming from upstairs.

"RAINBOW DASH!" Her eyes snapped open, all sense of peace shattered with the calling of her name. "Uh oh" She launched off of the couch, the blanket she was dawning tripping her in the process. Ignoring the fall she got back up and looked around the room. "Uh uh uh. Medicine! He said to give her medicine when she woke up. Said she’d be in pain. Oh, I’m such an idiot." She frantically stuttered to herself. She twirled in place for a moment, looking around to find any of the medication that the doctor had prescribed for her. "The kitchen counter!" She remembered placing it there last night.

"Rainbow Dash!" She heard her name being called out again, this time a bit quieter. Rainbow arrived in the kitchen and all but ripped the bag containing the plentiful pill bottles open. Time was something that she knew deep within her very soul that she could not waste. Tearing through the pills, she used the list she had made in the hospital to gather the ones that she would need and poured the right amount into her palm, quickly grabbing a bottle of water on her way back out of the kitchen. She sprinted all the way through the living room and up the stairs, using the railings to launch herself up, only making contact with two of the steps.

"I'm coming!" She shouted, slowing down to a jog as she made her way down the narrow hallway. Fluttershy's door was at the end, the last door on the left she remembered. Pulling the door open with the hand she was holding the water bottle with, she slicked into the room and immediately found the source of the problem.

"Come on, rabbit." She barked, taking the intruder off the bed and placing it in the doorway. "Get. Go. Scoot. Skedaddle." She waved her hands frantically to shoo the rabbit away. When Rainbow had successfully warded off the hare, she finally got to opening the water and sitting beside Fluttershy, careful not to let her sudden weight shift her friend around too much.

"Fluttershy, I am so sorry I didn't leave your pills here. It was stupid, very stupid. I know. I know. Please don't be mad at me, please please ple..." her words were abruptly ended by a graceful and delicate hand placed on her shoulder.

"It's okay. I was just a bit... worried, is all. And, this hurts more than you would think." Rainbow nodded, turning to a beautiful and forgiving gaze. Fluttershy's wide open eyes doing nothing but melting her heart. "She looks so pretty… Well, duh. She’s always been pretty.” Rainbow blushed and looked away.

"Why did I just think that? Eh, doesn’t matter, ignore it.”

"I'll be sure to leave these here for tomorrow morning, and I'll make sure to shut the door so no animals, favorite pet or not, can scamper on in." She untwisted the cap and gave Fluttershy one of the pills. It took time and a lot of wincing from leftover pain, but the two of them eventually managed to plow through every pill. Even the big and scary ones.

"I'm sure I'll be feeling a little better tomorrow Rainbow." Fluttershy whispered with a dainty smile. "And I don't mind my pets coming in, so you can leave the door open... I-If you want to, uh, that is." Rainbow wiped a bead of sweat off her forehead and nodded, already exhausted by the early morning escapade she had just, barely, lived through. They both sat in a comfortable silence for a while, only the sound of breathing warding off an impending awkwardness.

"She is wide open for a hug Fluttershy, wide open." Her conscience told her. Rainbow looked perfect to her at that moment in time. Even more perfect than she usually does. Her heavy breathing was causing her streamline body to ripple lightly, this looking extra incredible as it was caused by her rush to help in every way she can. Fluttershy loved how toned she was. She had muscle that didn’t give her a masculine physique, it only carved out her curves more, accentuated them. She loved how her perfectly imperfect hair clung to her forehead. She loved how she just wore her jeans and T-shirt to bed, how she couldn’t care less about what she wore in general. "Perfect"

So she hugged her. A simple motion; her one good arm wrapped around the waist of the beautiful girl helping to heal the other one. Both of their breathing stopped for a moment, but the silence that followed was anything but awkward. It was bliss.

They hugged for what felt like an eternity but was no more than five minutes. Futtershy felt Rainbow's heartbeat and Rainbow felt Fluttershy's. They traded a comfortable and a cuddly heat, Fluttershy working up the nerve to rest her head on her friend’s shoulder once more. "I love you, Rainbow" She thought.

”You’re really lucky you’re so cute, Fluttershy. Hugs aren't normally part of my agenda.” The perfect moment lasted for another few perfect minutes, perfect for fluttershy at least.

Rainbow was fighting an inwardly battle at the moment.

“I just called her cute again… Uh oh.”

”Well of course, you’ve always thought she was cute.”

"Yeah, but… not like that."

”...Uh oh.”

Rainbow blushed hard, but she kept her position the same, even putting her arm around her friend’s waist to sweeten the moment.

”I think I love you, Fluttershy.”

The mounted clock struck six, the sudden sound making both girls jump, then giggle like it was the best joke ever told.

"I'll go get your breakfast started." Rainbow said, getting up and spreading her arms, stretching out her achy muscles. She turned to the bedridden girl and pointed at her. "You're getting breakfast in bed." Rainbow smiled at her friend.

"Don't blush you silly girl. Stop blushing" Fluttershy inwardly chastised herself. "That would b-be lovely, Rainbow." Rainbow nodded, walking towards the door. As she opened it she cringed, stopping abruptly and turning back to her friend.

"You still, uh, don't have any food... If you have a bike or something I could run to the store... Or, well, bike to the store. Or, something." Rainbow scratched her head and chuckled nervously.

"It's in the, uh, shed. Please be careful." Fluttershy pleaded. Rainbow shot her a bright beam and a hardy thumbs up, speed walking out of the room. She tripped over a, clearly, misplaced box in the hallway, Fluttershy cringing while she fell. The resulting thud echoed throughout the hall and startled a few critters waiting at the top of the stairs.

"...Please." Rainbow only nodded as she took off again

”You totally love her.”

The whole ride to the store had been like this. She almost got hit twice by angry and rampant drivers, but her thoughts stayed the same. She turned off of the busy main road and into the already crowded parking lot of the nearest supermarket. She knew it was impossible for it to be so busy at seven in the morning, but she didn’t bother to question it.

”You totally love her.”

She walked into the store and grabbed a shopping cart, pushing it out of the rack someone had jammed it into and walking into the busy store. She slapped at a stray itch that had crawled up her arm, she fixed her shoe that was falling off, she scolded an angsty teen as he got in her way, but her thoughts remained the same.

”You totally love her.”

”Yeah, I know.”

”But do you accept it?”

”... No. Well, maybe. Yes.”

She shook her head, convinced that the circular thoughts would only slow her mission down.

"Stupid useless cart..." Rainbow tried muttering to herself. Though her friends would all argue otherwise, she is quite sure that she was cursed at birth with the worst curse ever to be bestowed upon any human. A curse so awful that not even Celestia could banish it unto a darker realm. It was a curse that crawled up from the pits of a place unmentionable, and one of pure evil.

She always got the shopping cart with a wobbly wheel.

"Why do I even have this thing? I shouldn't be getting that much. Though, if I don't want to be coming back here every day, then I guess I should stock up. Oh and, by the way. You love her." Rainbow sighed and sagged onto the cart, one wheel shaking violently and squeaking with every rotation. She found herself in the frozen food section, looking up and down the glass doors pondering which frozen goods would kill her and which ones might be healthy enough to eat.

Not as if that mattered to her or anything.

"Fluttershy “will not eat any produced or overly marketed meat. Those companies are always cruel to the animals they get their meat from.” I suppose she is right." Rainbow snagged a few select meals and tossed them nonchalantly into her empty cart. A few secondary sweeps later and she wandered into the one section filled with fresh produce.

Lettuce, onions, tomatoes, oranges, apples; anything that she thought a girl like Fluttershy would be content to snack upon, she grabbed. "She would love, uh, baby spinach." She picked up the small package and looked over the front of it. "Looks tasteless enough..." She smiled with pride over the impeccable choices for food.

”You totally love her.”

"I know that."

”Maybe if you got her something that she liked, she would love you back…”

”That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard.”

”Hey, you thought it.”

"You know darling, she will eat more than just salad." A voice rang out from behind her, startling her just enough to make her almost drop the spinach she was holding. She craned her head back to see Rarity, standing just behind her, wearing one of her overly flashy and posh jackets that sold well in today's market.

The market that Rarity pretty much dominated.

"Fancy Seeing you here, Rare." Rainbow said sarcastically, flipping the bag over in her hands and looking it over further.

"No it isn't, everyone goes to the store." Rarity rolled her eyes and shook the basket she was holding in front of Rainbow's face. "I eat too you know. Anyways, you could pick up something a little bit more special than just ingredients for a salad, dear Dash." She gave clear advice that went completely unnoticed by Rainbow.

"Uh huh." Rainbow looked unamused, still combing the contents of the bag of spinach. To her surprise, it was made up of mostly spinach.

"You could perhaps pick up something a little more...Elegant." Some more advice.

"What would I need to to that for?" Rainbow turned her head to catch Rarity winking at her. She let the spinach fall into the carriage and turned completely to look at the offending fashion designer. "Shy's told me before that she enjoys a good salad."

"Yes, darling, but you might want to spruce things up a bit more with the food. Something a little more romantic. Possibly?"

"...Ohhh"

Rainbow brought her hand up to her forehead and sighed. "Oh shit. Was I talking out loud?."

Rarity only nodded, a huge grin spread across her face. Rainbow swore under her breath and looked at her cart, now more disappointed with her choices rather than happy. She sighed once more in defeat. "Alright Rarity; please tell me what I can get her, and I’ll stop being weird and talking to myself. Please.”

The clothing designer squeed and pulled a pen and paper out of the purse hanging loosely from her shoulder. "Don't worry dear. I know just the thing."

The starkly contrast duo trudged out of the bustling supermarket onto the sidewalk, Rainbow pushing an overstuffed cart through the large automatic doors. "I just dropped two hundred dollars on food made by some large sweaty chef off in Italy. This better be worth it, Rarity." She slowly followed the fashionista and was about to wander into the large parking lot before her attention shifted to a bike rack a few paces from the store's entrance. The bike rack with Fluttershy's bike on it. "Brilliant"

"Hey Rare, could you hold up a minute?" Rainbow let her head dangle below her tired shoulders, already completely fed up with today's day of shopping.

"Holding." Rarity spun around to face her, holding her basket filled with beauty products and the occasional food product above her head.

She was beaming.

"Yeah, teeheehee, very funny. I kinda' forgot that I biked here... Do you think that you could spot me a ride back to Shy's place? Pretty please?" She clasped her hands in front of her while silently giving a not-so-formal prayer.

"Why of course, dear Dash. I'll get your carriage, you go get the bike." Rainbow sighed in relief, thankful for her friends constant generosity. Rarity playfully swatted Rainbow away from the cart and shuffled it to her sleek car. A car that Rainbow practically drooled over. Returning with the now unchained bike, she basked in its glory. Rarity had bought her C class Mercedes because it was luxurious. She bought it because it showed that she was not only successful, but thoughtful. Intelligent. All Rainbow could think about was the roaring, beautifully polished, V8 sitting under the hood.

The one that has never seen true use. Forever living on to sit practically dormant, pushed forth by the world’s most calm woman ever to exist. It almost hurt.

She grunted as she forced the mountain bike into the trunk, surprisingly spacious for a luxury car once one of the back seats was collapsed. She moved to the side of the car to help her friend get all of her food in the back seat. They sorted each bag carefully, certainly different from how Rainbow usually loads her groceries, leaving room to spare. It only took a single minute, which was great. Rainbow knew she was keeping Fluttershy waiting.

"It's been almost two hours... It's almost eight o'clock." Both girls clambered into the car and strapped themselves into the seats with, as stated by Mercedes, the luxury seat belts. Rainbow could hardly suppress her excitement as Rarity turned the key, bringing the work of engineering beauty to life.

"This car is far too powerful for a girl only making runs to the nearest hobby shop for extra silk." Rainbow chuckled as she ran her hands over the air vents.

"Ehem, I am a lady, Dash. I am not a simple girl. And this car isn't powerful, certainly not like that hulking, awful thing you drove around. Rarity pulled out of the parking lot, content to drive at the speed limit. It was driving Rainbow nearly insane.

"Hahaha. Five hundred horsepower would love to tell you otherwise. This car was built for the circuit, not the market. Why were you out so early anyways?" She shifted her gaze to look at the passing scenery. If there was anything to admit about her town, it would be its constant level of breathtaking beauty. Rolling hills, sparkling ponds, rustic housed dotting large plains. It was the definition of scenic.

It was perfect for Fluttershy.

Rainbow sighed solemnly. She couldn't help but think about the wallflower at every corner, with every minute she passed in life. She loved her. She didn’t know how she didn’t notice before, but she loved her. However, while the Dash family was a surprisingly loving group, they were also a surprisingly paranoid one as well. Every positive thought she had about her crush came with ones filled with regret, ranging from why she couldn’t pick up the right foods for her to why she was such a bumbling fool around her. It was safe to say the accident was still fresh in her mind.

"I am a grade-A fool. A dolt. Top Shelf"

"Rainbow, dear, are you even listening?"

"Everything I do ends up hurting her in some way."

"Rainbow? Come on dear, don't pretend you aren't listening."

"I couldn't even help her very well this morning. Why can't I just..."

"Rainbow!" Rarity yelled with a light pinch to the arm.

"Huh?" Rainbow looked at Rarity for a moment before drooping her head back onto the glass.

"Well, first of all, we're here. Secondly, You asked me a question then drifted off into your own little world for a bit." Rarity unlocked the doors and shut off the car, but stayed where she sat. "Is everything alright?"

"Of course everything is... Ahhh, no. It's not." Rainbow banged her head against the glass lightly. "Can you tell me why I'm such a fool sometimes?" She closed her eyes and sunk into the leather seats.

"Ahh, beating yourself over the accident dear? You aren't a fool, you're human. You make the occasional hiccup just like the rest of us." Rarity placed her hand on Rainbow’s shoulder, covered by her backup track jacket.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I understand the whole "We all make mistakes" shit, but this wasn't a fucking hiccup." She swatted the gentle hand off her shoulder and waved her hands in retort. "I. Hurt... Her. It had to be her that I put in a hospital. Now she can't even go to the store and get herself some breakfast." Rainbow slumped farther into the seat. "Hell, she can't even get down the stairs."

Rarity stared out her window and nodded. "O.k." she wiped absentmindedly on some dust that had settled on her dashboard. "You messed up. Awful. Horrible thing that you've done. Never to be forgiven." Rainbow twisted her head, looking at Rarity in shock, her lips twisting into a frown.

"Why would you say that? Thanks for the encouragement, I guess, Darling."

"It's what you wanted to hear, wasn't it? You asked for me to call you the fool, so I obliged." Rarity was now slowly shaking her head in disapproval. "Do you know why it sounded so horrible, Rainbow Dash? Because none of it was true." Rarity pointed at the cottage in front of them and continued shaking her head. "In that house is the most forgiving person to ever walk this planet. A wonderful girl so full of love to give out that she leaves no room to give some to herself. She does the same thing you're doing to yourself right now on a daily basis, and what do we tell her every time she does it? Her self loathing nonsense?"

Rainbow cast her gaze to the floor, as she knew she had been caught in a snug fitting trap.

"We all tell her that she's wonderful, and has nothing about herself to hate." The designer smiled, and nodded at her reply. She waved her hand, pressing her on for a longer answer.

"And... What else?"

"We tell her that everyone makes mistakes, and that none of us will judge her for it." She cracked a small smile, starting to visualize the big picture her artistic friend was sketching for her.

"Exactly." Rarity opened her door and swiveled to get out. "Mistakes are mistakes, Rainbow. None of us judge you for it, that includes the girl in that cottage. The girl still waiting for her breakfast." Rainbow's eyes grew wide as she realized it was nearly eight thirty, and she hadn't even entered the house yet.

"Shit." She scrambled out of the car and grabbed two arm loads worth of groceries, Rarity quickly following suit, laughing the whole way.

"Here we go Shy' Breakfast in bed!" Rainbow burst through the bedroom door with a tray full of food and the brightest smile that she could muster. Her new object of affection golf clapped quietly and returned her smile with one of her own. Rainbow placed the tray over her lap, putting her plate on the bedside table and reclaiming her spot next to her friend.

"I made a Sweet potato and spinach casserole." Fluttershy beamed brightly at the food that she was being presented with

"Rainbow is so perfect."

"Oooo. Thank you Rainbow, this looks amazing." She picked up a fork, taking the first bight a sighing as it was just as good as it looks. "She went through so much trouble for me, just to get everything right. How can anyone not love her?" She jumped slightly when Rainbow slid her arm ever so lightly around her waist, but smiled brightly and snuggled into it. They ate contently, knowing that few words had to be spoken to prove how perfect breakfast in bed with a good friend can be.

"Sorry I took so long. I ran into Rarity, and well, you know she's a talker." Rainbow chuckled, finishing off the food on the butterfly printed plate, replacing it onto the bedside table. Fluttershy was only halfway done with her plate, clearly the daintier eater. She sipped at her orange juice, just happy that none of the surgery was going to prohibit her eating habits like she thought it would.

"It's quite alright, Rainbow. I slept most of my time alone away anyways. It was pretty easy once the pain pills kicked in." She shuffled against her friend, until their sides were touching ever so slightly.

"Speaking of which, how are you feeling, Shy?" She smiled at her friend and took her plate off of her tray as she finished, leaving the juice for her to sip on while they sat. A breeze drifted through the window, just enough to give the room a pleasant coolness. A chill that gave her no goosebumps, but only served to make everything feel more alive.

"Well, to be honest I'm not feeling nearly as good as I was last night." She frowned but continued on. "But, I'm feeling a whole lot better than I was when I woke up. Thanks Dashie." Her eyes widened as she said it, sending her into a slight panic. "Oh you fool, you know she doesn't like that name."

Rainbow blushed hard."She's always called me that, why does it feel so... Feel so...

"Adorable?"

She sighed happily. "Yeah"

"You're quite welcome, Shy." She said this while lowering her head to rest in the crook of Fluttershy's neck.

"Oh... My... This is wonderful." Fluttershy let her head rest once more as well, leaning on top of her friend's head, them supporting each other from falling onto the bed. "I thought this morning was perfect but this is..."

"Perfect." Rainbow knew that there could be nothing better than this moment. She also knew that she could never deny again that she was in love with her childhood best friend. Deeply, madly. in love with her. It was the most uncool thing that she had ever felt, but yet, it was the coolest thing she had ever felt. It was a feeling she wouldn't trade for the world, and no, not even Rarity's big dumb Mercedes. She was in love with the feeling of being in love. "I'm going to tell her tonight."

Fluttershy hummed happily. "I'm going to tell her tonight."

But for now they sat, content with just being with each other. The comfortable chill in the room replaced with the far better feeling of body heat. For now they let their love grow, they let it simmer and sizzle.

Neither of them could be any happier.

Reach Beyond The Sun

--Reach Beyond The Sun--

"Dash... What do you think about our sky?" A young Fluttershy was standing on the balcony of her mother's home, head craned towards a slowly dimming sky. Thick grey clouds lazily drifted across the vast blue before them, blessed with an orange tint seeping through the edges. Fluttershy reached her arm out to the sky and slowly traced the nearest cloud with her finger. The simple motion only took her a few seconds, barely a wink of time, but the cloud she traced was miles long. She grinned at the waning sky, content to gaze into it until complete blackness fell upon the world.

"I mean, it's okay I guess. We see it everyday, Shy'." Rainbow Dash looked on towards the open blue for a few moments before getting bored, turning her spastic attention to a beetle scurrying its way across the railing she rested her arms on.

"Pewww." And with a flick of her finger, the beetle was gone.

"D-Don't be mean, Dash. I meant... Oh goodness, never mind." Fluttershy harrumphed, blushing more than she probably should have. She felt a quick soft prick on her head, then another. The sky slowly began to open up, the masses of grey above them fulfilling their natural duties.

Neither girl budged.

"Hey, don't be like that." Dash lightly rustled the slightly shorter girl's hair, frizzing it up until the immanent downpour would eventually wet it back down again. "What'd you have to say?" Dash put a hand above her eyes so she could look up without being blinded by the rain. She never truly understood how the world could go from cloudy to storming in just a few moments. She wondered, but she wondered about the same that all teenage girls probably would.

She's just never cared.

"H-have you ever really thought about how amazing our sky is? H-how wherever you look you are seeing for thousands, even millions, of miles." Fluttershy cupped her hand and caught some of the rain, letting it trickle down and off her palm, the suspended droplets rejoining their brethren in their final journey together. "You never think about it, but even during the day you're getting a wide glance of our galaxy."

She gestured towards the passing Nimbostratus. "You can see multiple clouds at once, but each cloud stretches out for miles. They look so soft. Like you could just hold them in your hand and squeeze." As she spoke her eyes shined in a way that was completely Fluttershy. The big blue orbs taking in everything that they could, a nearly impenetrable smile adorning her face. "Everything is so... Pretty."

Dash looked up but felt none the wiser. Clouds were still just clouds, and the sky was permanent.

"I guess, but you see the sky all the time. It isn't really, well, special..."

"B-but that doesn't mean it isn't still incredible." Fluttershy shrugged her lean shoulders and basked in the life bringing weather. The pitter patter of rain had climbed in pace and volume, becoming a constant drawl. A continuous slosh that never changed in pitch, promising the life of any plants in the area. Fluttershy loved it

Rainbow Dash was confused.

Rainbow stared at a currently lost Fluttershy for a few moments before letting out a light chuckle. "You can get kinda' freaky sometimes, bud." Fluttershy blushed and pocketed her hands in her already-dark-now-made-darker sweatshirt, taking sudden interest in her bare feet as she shuffled them.

"I'm not freaky..."

"Girls!" Fluttershy's unusually tall mother opened the sliding glass door to the balcony and waved at them frantically, "Girls your age should be out at the mall buying silly things or whatever, not just sitting in the rain getting soaked. Now come inside, I'm making food." Her mother waved the duo into the home, and both teens promptly trudged inside at the thought of some nourishment. Fluttershy stopped to take one last glance at the now fully grey canvas before her, then she too joined the world indoors.

"You know, my young and simple teenagers, if you want me to keep my sanity you're going to have to not bring a gallon of water inside with you. That's something that your little cousin would do, Fluttershy. Not you." The sound of butter sizzling on a frying pan provoked Fluttershy's mother to dump a bag of rice in to start frying. She expertly traced a spatula through the rice, keeping it from burning while letting it sizzle.

"Yeah, Vie, we know. We we're just kinda' relaxing but then that storm came in like lightning... Ha... Get it. Because it's a storm..." Rainbow nervously chuckled and winked to Vie while she cooked.

"First of all, Dash, Its just a shower. Secondly, you've been listening to your father's jokes far too much." Vie rolled her eye's and added some vegetables to the mix, as well as some spiced chicken.

"Hey, his shitty jokes can be pretty funny." Vie chuckled.

"Oh, so you've been out drinking?" She continued expertly stirring the food without giving the pan a single look.

"What?" Dash held up her hands in defense, a lighthearted smile still etched on her face. "I'm like, a law abiding sixteen-year-old, Ma'am. Come smell my breath if you don't believe me." She pointed into her open mouth with a finger.

"Only drunk people think your dad tells funny jokes. They're pretty bad. You're lucky I don't tell him that you've been drinking"

"Ahh, but then you'd have to tell him that his jokes are bad." Vie laughed off her daughter's friend and continued flipping rice around on the stove. "Can you go change into something that wont water log my kitchen, please."

"Yes, Mommy. I have to go to the bathroom anyways." Dash rolled her eyes and kicked her shoes off, putting them near the door and waltzing off to find some of the extra clothing she dragged with her to Fluttershy's house.

"Don't get lost, you old drunk." She heard Rainbow shout something back, but the long hallway morphed whatever she said into a bland babbling. She couldn't help but love the upbeat girl like a second daughter. Vie sighed and scratched behind her head. Long and thick pink hair slid between her fingertips, tied back with a hair clip so she didn't get pounds it in the food. She remembered her first day on the job as a chef. Specifically, she remembered how the first time she cooked a few strands of her impossibly long hair fell into the burner and caught fire. It was horrifying then.

It's giggle worthy now.

She knew that time could close the widest and deepest of wounds, both mental and physical. However, she also knew it was your own actions that decided how much time had to be spent healing the pains throughout your life. Time can indeed, heal any wound.

If you let it.

She saw that her only child was pressed against the window pane, staring out into the rain as it continued draining life back into the earth. She was very quiet. Even for Fluttershy.

"Hey honey. Isn't the scenery a bit... Dull, for today? Hmm?"

"Eh..." She replied without turning. Vie poured the now finished stir-fry onto a large plate but left it to sit on the counter. Pulling up a chair next to her daughter, she planted herself on it and pulled her daughter into a one armed hug.

"What's wrong, dear." Fluttershy shrugged, but accepted the motherly affection and rested into it.

"Nothing, Mom." She betrayed her own words by letting her head fall against her mother's shoulder. It reminded her about how short she was compared to the sky scraping woman. It almost made her smile.

"Bah, I can tell that isn't true sweetie. Is it something you want to tell me in private, after Dash leaves?" Fluttershy shook her head no, breathing in deep to try to calm herself.

"I've been thinking about Dad a lot."

"Ahh, and out comes the truth."

"I know it's been a year now, but I still miss him. A lot." Fluttershy felt her eyes get teary, but she sucked back the tears as they threatened to spill. She wouldn't cry over him. Not again at least.

"Aww, honey." She pulled her daughter closer. "Your father was the greatest man that I've ever met. He had brightened the lives of hundreds by the time he turned twenty. He loved you until the day he passed on, and I'm more than positive he still loves you all the same."

"But that doesn't make it any easier, Mom." She felt a tear drip down her cheek. That battle never lasted long.

"It should. Honey, look; He left with no bad blood between any of us. No fights, he was always happy, he never really got mad. Everything about him screamed fun and love, and if not that, jokes that were far better than Dash's old man's are. You need to remember that you got to spend so many perfect days with him. "Just the good times" would include practically every day."

Fluttershy nodded. "I suppose you're right."

"Well of course, I'm the mom. It's in the job description."

"I guess I miss his actual presence, all of his little quirks. I still come home after school thinking that I'll pass him rocking in his favorite chair, watching whatever was on t.v. Most likely yelling at a show if it wasn't 'on par with his pristine rating system'. Or the times that he would claim the chef role for the night, and thirty minutes later we would get handed pizza he ordered from his friends restaurant. He'd write his name on the box over the big "Baurinzelli's" logo at the top. I keep expecting to get texts from him every day during school telling me that..."

"If you find a cute girl, she'll have to fist fight him to earn the right to love you." Her mother finished her sentence with a hearty giggle escaping Fluttershy.

"Mhmm." She wiped away a stray tear, but her smile didn't falter this time. "I never deleted those messages, not one. It was the same message every day, but I kept all of them. They made me laugh whenever I was having a bad day." Her eyes traced rain drops as they fell. "I remember being scared to come out to him. I knew you would understand, but I had heard all the stories about dads rampaging about stuff like that. Yet, I clenched my fists and stormed up to him and out came the secret. "Dad, I'm Gay." Do you remember what he told me?"

"Don't get her pregnant." Of course her mother would remember. They both shared a laugh now. Fluttershy picked her head off her mother and stretched her arms, noticing that she was still wearing her drenched clothing from outside. They stayed like that for a few more comfortable minutes, reminiscing in the strong bond they've kept. Even through Fluttershy's teenage years.

"He was a pretty perfect Dad." She gazed up at the sky, finding a whole new beauty in it. "I bet you he's up there right now, trying to run the place. He probably thinks Celestia and Luna are Inefficient." Her mother laughed at this, getting up and giving her daughter one last hug before returning to the meal she had crafted.

"That's the spirit, sweetie. Now stop getting the floor wet, I have to change now too." She glanced across the room and saw that half of her mothers pale orange blouse had been assaulted by a generous helping of water. She covered her mouth and giggled.

"Oh my... Sorry, Mom."

"It's quite alright dear. Before you change, check to see if the drunk got lost. It's been a good ten minutes since she left to get changed."

"I'm here!" Dash came into the room with vigor, much more dignified than the average drunk. "I had to practically go diving to find my lazy clothes, sorry." She wore a pair of old and tired track shorts, with a matching pale white tank top. Halfway through her march into the room she stopped, turning back around and starting back towards the hallway. "...And I totally forgot to use the bathroom. Whoops."

Dash started jogging away.

Vie started giggling.

Fluttershy started staring. Staring at Dash to be more exact. Staring at the way the athletic car junkies toned body rippled as she jogged away.

Vie started staring. Staring at Fluttershy to be more exact. Staring at the way her daughter's eyes followed how the athletic car junkies toned body rippled as she jogged away.

Vie started giggling again

Dash slammed the bathroom door in her rush, breaking Fluttershy out of her stupor. She turned her attention to her mother whom was still giggling.

"W-what?" Fluttershy blushed and folded her arms, pouting. Stir fry poured onto individual plates as they were set on the table, carefully, can't scratch the table after all.

"She would have given your dad quite a walloping."

"Fluttershy, your shower is way too damn sophisticated." Dash walked into Fluttershy's homey living room, the owner herself lounging on the couch. Her injured arm was propped up on the arm rest, feet resting on the coffee table in front of her. She was sipping on a glass of water, nearly spilling it when Dash approached her.

In just a towel.

"Oh...Y-yes, it is quite towel. I mean, uh muscular. I-I meant Towel!" Fluttershy stammered as her lifetime crush stood utterly confused. She could feel her cheeks turning red, and nothing but. It took a few moments for Rainbow to truthfully grasp what her friend was on about. Then it hit her.

She's never laughed harder in her life.

She laughed all the way back to the bedroom. She laughed when she swapped the towel for a fresh pair of jeans and a new shirt. She laughed again when she saw the towel draped on the floor, and she laughed some more when she re-entered the living room. When Fluttershy sighed in relief at her change of attire, she laughed.

She laughed a lot that day.

"Oh I'm so sorry, Fluttershy." The short girl crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"N-no you aren't."

"No, Really. I am. Honest," She sat down on the couch next to her friend and crossed her legs, snagging the remote for the t.v off the table and flipping it on. She looked at Fluttershy's still flustered form before realization dawned on her.

"Hey Shy'. Sorry for bringing this up after that little fiasco, but, how will you bathe?" Even Rainbow got a little quiet at the question.

"Oh... I can just sit in the tub. I shouldn't need help with that..." Rainbow stopped sweating, which was a nasty side effect to being extra nervous. She wiped off her brow and sighed in relief. "Narrow escape."

"Oh thank goodness, errm. No offence. that would be..."

"Awkward..." The usually headstrong Dash nodded quite meekly. Silence ensued, however it was anything but comfortable. It was a more awkwardly flustered silence. It took an unusually loud knock to break through the foggy cease to conversation.

"Ooh, that'll be Applejack." Fluttershy made a motion to get off the couch before remembering that she wasn't capable of doing so. She asked for the remote instead.

"Did you ask her to come over today?" Dash placed the remote next to her friend and made her way through the overly-friendly living room to the overly-friendly door. Dodging the occasional cat bed or hanging birds nest as she bumbled her way through.

"No. N-not that I mind that she's here or anything."

"So how do you know it's her?"

"...She knocks loud."

Fluttershy was right. Well, half right. Upon creaking the old wooden door open she caught sight of the hard working farmer. Unironically, she was chewing on a length of straw. Along with the plaid dawning farm girl was her giddy younger sister, as well as her two friends. She should have expected the company, but yet the sudden appearance of 4 extra people through her for a loop.

"Hey Applesmack," She looked down and put her arm out for a knuckle bump. "Squirt!" The smallest of the three kids, Scootaloo, gave her that knuckle bump.

"Howdy, Rainbow. Ah' reckon Fluttershy would be in there somewhere, ya'll mind if..."

"Ooo! Ooo! Yeah, Is she okay?"

"Ah' hear she got banged up!"

"I heard she lost her arm."

"Scoots, that's ridiculous. She still has both arms."

"You don't know that..."

"But what if she doesn't."

"That would be... That would be..."

"Girls!" They all snapped to attention. "Didn't ah' just get done tellin all'a'ya'll not to act like that? Can you hush fer just a second?" Each girl collectively nodded, all a little bit disappointed in themselves for breaking Applejack's one rule and bringing upon a scolding. Applejack took a large breath and calmed herself before she continued.

"Is Fluttershy here, sugarcube? Ah haven't seen her for quite a while, and Pinkie said she got discharged. She also said that she didn't watch it happen, she just had one of 'er feelins'." Applejack smacked a bug off her arm without looking, so used to them from her work outside that the two second combat came and went without a second thought.

"Yup, she's lounging on the couch right now. Come on in, I'm sure she would love to see you three. Same goes for you, hillbilly." Applejack rolled her eyes and playfully thwacked Rainbow on the arm, and it came without saying that with years of farm work under her belt, she can hit pretty hard. Still, Rainbow shrugged it off and both girls had their laughs, and headed inside. Fluttershy patiently fiddled with the remote while she sprawled out on the couch, unaware of the mass majority of her visitors.

"Fluttershy!" Her head snapped from the remote to the collective voices, beaming brightly when she saw the girls.

"Girls!" They each gave their unofficial aunt a soft hug and bombarded her with questions. Each girl had a measured amount of softness to their voice when they were around Fluttershy. They asked questions specifically benevolent, ones that Fluttershy could only answer with a smile on her face. Even Scootaloo gave up the cool girl act for her injured one time caretaker. It made Rainbow happy to see her slowly growing, in more ways than just physically. Each one of the trio ended each new day a more mature and knowledgeable outlook on life. It would seem the adventures they spent so much time on actually did benefit them.

They were all pretty damn smart for their age.

"Fluttershy, can we come by and feed the animals and stuff sometimes? Like, since you're all hurt and everything."

"Yeah, we should!" We can be like, the animal feeder...uh, people." Applebloom nodded in approval.

"Pleaaase?" They all asked at once, putting their heads together and smiled equally toothy and equally wide. Fluttershy's heart melted into a pasty puddle.

"Yay! I'm so glad you think about the animals!" Fluttershy beamed in pure excitement. "Of course girls, It's actually almost time to feed them today. You can all start your new work soon, if you would like." They came in to hug her softly once more, careful not to put too much pressure on her. Rainbow couldn't help but notice that Applebloom was only about a foot shorter than Fluttershy, the other girls not far behind.

She also thought her crush looked adorable. "She'd be the perfect mom."

"Alright squirts, let Applejack talk to Fluttershy for a bit. I'm sure she has stuff she would like to say too." The girls nodded. "Go fiddle with trees or the river outside, or something. I'll be out to help feed the animals eventually." The trio ran out of the home, waving a goodbye to both Rainbow and Fluttershy. Applejack followed them out yelling about not burning down Fluttershy's chicken coop.

She re-entered the living room, Dash having taken a spot next to Fluttershy on the couch.

"Take a seat, farm girl." Rainbow pointed to Fluttershy's plush and fluffy reclining chair that sat adjacent to them.

"No thanks, rather stand anyways."

"Sit." Dash rolled her eyes.

She sat.

"Mind If ah steal a drink? Mighty dry out in the sun all day." Applejack kicked her feet up but pointed to the kitchen. The looked visibly relieved to be off her feet for the first time that day.

"We have water, Is that cool?" Dash flung a rubber band she found on the table at the farmer.

"Perfect."

Rainbow got up and bowed. "I'll even go get it for you, ma'am." Applejack flung the rubber band back, hitting her on the head.

"Much appreciated."

"Sit." Applejack pointed to the couch, Rainbow tossing a bottled water to her. She brought another cup and straw for her crush to sip on as well , plus her own bottle. Applejack took a heavy swig, downing half the bottle in a few long gulps. Rainbow tossed her own bottle to the farm girl.

"So, how're ya'll felling, Sugarcube?"

"Oh I'm feeling really good!" She smiled at Dash. "Rainbow has been doing her best to help me heal." Applejack smiled at this.

"She better be, or ah'll kick her hide up and over mah farmhouse." Rainbow chuckled, giving Applejack the finger, covered by her hand so Fluttershy could not see.

"I'd never let you down, bud."

"Rude hand gestures and violence are never the way to solve an issue." The wallflower stated, all of them chuckling.

"Well, in all seriousness, ah really just want to be sure you don't need extra help. By Celestia, Me and the family are here if you need it. With anything really, as you can see from the girls proposition earlier. Ya'll don't have ta' let 'em help if they'll be trouble ya' know. They can be quite a hand full."

"Oh no, it won't be any trouble at all. I love having the girls around." Rainbow nodded in approval.

"The only problem is that it's pretty hard work out there, and it takes a while. It took me hours to really grasp the task at hand yesterday. I'd love it if "Them dern young'uns" helped, but it's going to be actual work." Rainbow pointed to the shed door with the long list nailed onto it. "That's a pretty big list."

"Don't ya'll worry about that. They all have plenty'a time on their hands, not to mention they're tough as nails. Hell, they all told me they'd be here everyday to help if it wasn't for their few responsibilities at home."

"Well alright, they can help as long as they wan't to then. Does that sound okay?"

"Eyup"

"Totally."

They called the girls back in for a few moments and laid their plan out to each of them. They couldn't have been any happier, although Applejack said that Rarity will collapse in agony when she finds out her sister is working outside. In the muck. The girls were sent back out to study the list before Rainbow would join them, to get a real feel for the task at hand.

"We need to get all the girls together soon. I-I haven't seen any of them for almost a week..." Fluttershy frowned lightly.

"Tell that to Twilight. Have you seen her recently, Rainbow?" Applejack took on a look of slight concern, intriguing both the permanent and temporary residence in the home.

"Not since yesterday, why?"

"She's showed up at the farm to "Help out". She's still steaming."

"About me?"

"Eyup. She blames you for every bit of the accident, and ah don't think that girl has a hair on her head that cares if it wasn't actually your fault or not. Damn near chilled me to the bone, some of the looks she was shooting off around the barnyard."

"Oh sweet." Rainbow slumped back into the couch cushions. "That's reassuring."

"B-but, Rainbow has helped so much. I'll talk to her if she wants..."

"Whoa-ho-ho, slow it down there sugarcube. That's not such a good idea. I reckon Twilight is just a bit scared and needs some time to get used to all'a this. Think about it; girl's been a bookworm her whole life, but to the point where she didn't have any deep friends. Ah could only imagine how hurt she'd be if she lost one of us. We're practically all good people she has 'round here."

"But that doesn't explain why she's gotten all pissy."

"Well, sure it does. Remember that time you almost spilled your drink because our waiter bumped into ya. Ya'll didn't spill it, but ya still got mad. It's like that with Twi but on a larger scale."

"O-oh, yeah. I guess that makes sense." Rainbow sat puzzled along with Fluttershy. They hadn't really thought of how such a close call could still hurt those around them. They had figured that the miracle of Fluttershy's life would be enough to brighten the spirits of those around them. It's not uncommon for the good to outweigh the bad in life.

Or vice versa.

"Ah think ya'll should just wait 'till Shy' is healed up, then surprise her. It sounds right bad, but it'll be much better for all'a us if she gets mad at herself for worryin' too much than if she gets mad at you two. Ya'll haven't really done anythin' ta deserve it.

"Soo... Wait it out, I guess?"

"Do you think she'll be alright?"

"Bah, she'll be good. Old Jacky over here knows what she's talking about. You two catch up, I'm going to go start food duty." Rainbow saluted both her friends and marched out of the room. Applejack launched a perfectly aimed rubber band at hyper speed into the clear target, her rear end.

"Go on, get."

And so she did.

Fluttershy sat on her comfy bed, resting her head on her good arm and looking out the window. Her mounted clock rang out eight times, signifying a new hour with the quiet chirps from an Eastern Yellow Robin. She didn't even hear it. The sun had fully set over the horizon, and the blanket of night was slowly being dragged over the sky she still held love for. But It was her favorite time of night. It was the time where the blue sky still fought back the covet of darkness. The silent battle before her left the worlds ceiling a dull grey. There were no stars to look at yet, only grey.

She stared out into her back yard, passed a large field that harbored animals during the day, but sat empty at night. Her favorite tree sat at the end of the field, completely unobstructed by any sort of vegetation other than the grass that lay at it's base. It was her favorite tree because it sat alone. She had spent many nights by it, shielded by its massive stature. She would lay at its base and rest her head on it, drifting off into a deep sleep more times than she could count. Spending time with a tree may sound silly to some people, but if she did not, the tree would sit alone.

Everybody needs a friend.

The grey sky gave enough light to see her tree, and only just. Passed that was an endless black, and even the tree was blanketed with the light haze of an unyielding darkness. Soon the night would creep up and claim the tree along with everything else, but she didn't mind The light would bring it back tomorrow. Every night that she could, she would watch the picture like state of the world as night fell. Yet, as far as she could tell, there was no reason why she did it. She just did.

It gave her an odd feeling. Indescribable. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, but nor was it pleasant. Undoubtedly unique. She never tried to explain it to her friends, she was sure that the words she required to fully explain it did not exist. She could tell that they wouldn't be interested in it either. After all, It is something that happens every night. She did not believe there was was a real reason for this feeling. It just was.

A clank of plates rang out from her kitchen, loud enough that she heard it from upstairs. It was the telltale sign of dishes and silverware being cleaned after a meal. Of course, she already knew her crush would be cleaning up the kitchen. Rainbow told her that she would five minutes ago. She thought back to her crush, or rather, back to when the crushing had started.

Rainbow had always made her laugh. It could be the slightest of jokes to the most brash sarcastic gestures, but unadulterated laughter was common between them... Throughout their time in high school together, Fluttershy would be a giggly and bubbly mess and it would all be Rainbows fault. However, many people make her laugh. Pinkie Pie did it every day.

Rainbow was quite intelligent, though she hid her above average intellect behind a sharply crafted bronze and imminently-dangerous cut out of herself. It was the kind of forefront that scared the crows away, that nobody with even half the smarts she had would mess with. The reason that she was always able to hide her irrefutable intellect is because she had the brains to do so. Yet, Rainbow isn't even close to the smartest person she knew. Twilight's simplest of studies boggled all of their minds.

She was perpetually incredibly fit, as it came with her tough gal facade. When she wasn't working, either at the corner store or her job down in the pits on the local race track, she would keep up on her sports. The all access gym membership Fluttershy had bought her last year was put to use every other day. She was the queen of the athletes in school; the poster girl, the popular one, the demijock. Everything about her screams fitness... But it's practically the same with Applejack.

Fluttershy liked the feeling of security. She was always afraid of the benevolent, taken to a phobic level by anything that did, and sometimes did not, posses a threat. Rainbow was the one who gave her that security. Every bully that picked on her got her friends fist, in literal terms. She supposed it could have started then, right? Rainbow was practically her personal knight in a glittering school uniform, protecting her whenever she had needed it. But that couldn't be it, Fluttershy was not a very needy girl.

But maybe that's where the answer laid it's weary head. She had never asked to be given kindness, but Rainbow had always given it to her. As far back as she could remember, they had been mutual friends. Mutual because, for once in Fluttershy's life, she was treated with the same respect she gave out. Sure, Rainbow could be thoughtlessly rude on occasion, but those day's always ended with a hug and an apology. Maybe it was just simply because Rainbow was her very first friend.

She felt a strange and bubbly thought crawl up into her head. It was one that she had many times before, but it never truthfully out-shined her other emotions. It used to be a little nibble, a simple peck at the back of her mind, but now it snapped at her attention. She didn't know why she loved her. She had a few clues why her love may exist, but not one reason she could set in stone.

Fluttershy supposed that she just did.

Even besides all of the contemplation, there was never a doubt about her love for the tall and charismatic local superstar. She embraced it with open arms, even if the more she thought about it's underlying cause the more confused she became. She still loved her with every bone in her body.

Another clank rang from the kitchen

She opened her eyes in suddenly. "O-oh my... Did I dose off?" It was quite obvious to her that she had. Her favorite tree was gone. She sighed lightly, with slight sadness behind it. She never liked to miss out on her favorite time of night. Even if it was because she passed out.

"Hey, I finished up the kitchen."

"Eep!" Fluttershy nearly launched out of her.

"O-oh my goodness. You startled me." Rainbow chuckled, sliding herself onto the bed next to her friend, sitting in between Fluttershy and the window.

"Whatcha looking at?" Fluttershy realized that she was still staring outside.

"My favorite tree..." Rainbow looked out of the window as well, but saw nothing but black.

"Huh, cool tree..." They sat silent for a few moments. They had been doing this frequently these past two days, just silently sitting with each other. Though, those who understand each other often have no need for words. Fluttershy resumed her new favorite position, leaning to the side and against her friend, Rainbow of course accepting the affection. It was becoming the regular thing for them to do, done without much thought. It occured to Rainbow as her friend leaned on her that thing was indeed a form of snuggling. Snuggling was totally uncool.

"Snuggling is totally cool."

"Oh..." A signature Flutterblush crept up onto the shy girls face. "I-is that what this is? I just thought it was...like a super long hug..." N-not that I mind! Of course." Rainbow smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Yes bud. We're pretty much snuggling."

"Ooo, Yay." She snuggled in closer. A new feeling of comfortable entered the room.

Though, something new happened that night.

As they sat, Fluttershy felt Rainbow's hand move off of her leg and next to her own hand. She felt her crush's fingers come into contact with her's, and she felt both of their hands clasp together. Fluttershy sighed happily and leaned in further, now hand in hand with her love. Rainbow was shocked that Fluttershy accepted the hand holding, but she was far happier than she could imagine. Rainbow's thumb grazed over the back of the smaller girls hand lightly, a subconscious motion that went unnoticed by Rainbow, but not unappreciated by Fluttershy.

They sat like that until the clock gave nine consecutive chimes, and then some. Rainbow gave one last squeeze of her hand and started to get up, unclasping her hand from her friend's. Fluttershy quickly grabbed her arm.

"Please don't go..." Rainbow looked a little surprised.

"We're both dozing off anyways, Fluttershy. I should let you get some sleep." Fluttershy shook her head and blushed. It's now or never, Fluttershy."

"Would...W-would you stay here for the night."

"Of course, I'll be right downstairs if you need me." Rainbow turned to leave again, promptly being stopped short once more.

"I-I meant here. Like, with me..."

"Oh, uh, Oh!" Rainbow blushed heavily. "If you really want me to..." Fluttershy vigorously nodded, now consisting of seventy-five-percent blush. Rainbow pulled the covers down and crawled into the bed, pulling them back up and over both of them.

A few moments of awkwardness passed before they settled in like they had before. Fluttershy scooted next to her friend, silently cursing her still healing arm. The odd position it put her in stopped any sort of cuddly affection when sleeping. Yet, Dash understood this. She sat up and put a pillow behind her head, now matching the position Fluttershy had to sleep in. Fluttershy put her good hand out for Rainbow to take, and in an unspoken understanding, she took it in her hand once more.

"Tell her..." Rainbow looked sleepily over to her elated friend.

"Tell her..." Fluttershy, elated, looked over to her sleepy friend.

It was funny how hard such a small phrase could be to utter. It was three words that, said around the correct person, could mean an entire life's worth of happiness. But the trio can bring a a comparable amount of hurt when said to the wrong person. That second issue stops even the bravest of souls from speaking their minds. They could be with the person they are the most comfortable with in any situation, it makes no difference. It takes a particularly brave soul to break that silence.

At one point in everyone's life, they will have that moment to shine.

Fluttershy had rested her forehead on her crush's chin, still gripping her hand tightly. She looked up, and they both made eye contact. Butterflies swam in her stomach. She felt weightless. Before she knew she had even moved, she gave her friend a light kiss on the cheek. It was a simple gesture, a safe bet she could place that could still win her the love she was longing for. However, when they made eye contact again, she knew that there was more to be said.

She leaned up once more and gave the taller girl a long kiss on the lips. She didn't really know what she was doing, or how long to kiss for that matter, but after a second or two, her friend kissed back in full.

It was the best moment of their lives.

It was pure, unwavering, joy. It was two loving people showing their previously unknown love for each other to each other. The best part was that they now both knew. They both understood that from that moment on they would have one another to hold onto and enjoy. They knew that this moment was the very beginning of their own story together.

They basked in each others warmth. The room started to feel sweaty, but it was an excellent sort of sweaty. Rainbow's lips were tantilisingly smooth, yet characteristically gruff. Fluttersh had, without a shadow of doubt, the softest lips in existance.

They pulled apart, Fluttershy nuzzling back into Rainbow's neck.

"I love you, Rainbow..."

"I love you too..."

They fell asleep together. It didn't matter what would become of tomorrow, because they had that night to fall asleep with one another. Fluttershy fell asleep first, her small and adorably snores barely audible to Rainbow. Each snore came rhythmically, eventually working its own charm on the athlete.

No, they did not have any worrying about tomorrow, because tomorrow was going to be an entire day to just love each other. Tomorrow would be, undoubtedly, incredible.

No exceptions.

Author's Note

You think its going to end there, do ya? You think that I'm just going to start cranking out chapters somewhat regularly only to end the story there? On such a cliche and sappy note?

Well tough luck, bub, This story is just starting on its journey, and It's going to need to take some of you with it for the ride.

Comment if you liked it, leave brutal hate mail if you wish my death to be slow for writing a chapter you find in poor taste. I Still have not even a whisper editor, though I thank one friend for sending me a few inspirational and spectacularly helpful pm's to get this story rolling again. He pushed me to clean up the two first chapters somewhat so the story can fit a little bit better into its own little nook in everybody's library. Still, if you find little mistakes, including spelling or grammatical errors, please tell me I muffed up. Have a good week, folks.