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

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.