The door gradually swung open as a blue mare pushed through it, slithering her body through the crack. She dragged her wings across the ground, her saddlebags bouncing as she slugged over to lay on the couch. She watched the clock tick to 10:30, and opened a saddlebag, pulling out a wrinkled pink envelope from under an apple. She gently tugged on it with her teeth until the glue unstuck and she could open it.
She pulled out the card.
The card was decorated with a picture of her and her best yellow pegasus friend. She held her hoof over the shy pony's shoulder as the two grinned wide to the camera.
Rainbow Dash felt a tear drip from her eye and her lips tremble. She wiped the tears from her blurred vision and, shivering, unfolded the card to read the words inside it.
Dear beloved Rainbow Dash,
I hope you win the flying competition soon! You're really good at flying! You'll kick the bullies' rumps.
"Do you still remember, when we were little?"
Rainbow Dash nodded, tears swelling in her eyes as she rested her hoof on Fluttershy's baby blue blanket, choking on sorrow.
"Yes, I do, Fluttershy."
I'm betting fifty bits on you!
Rainbow Dash stopped reading and looked up, forcing herself to hold back tears, wiping her eyes after setting down the card.
Also, after the competition, can we have a playdate? I've been dying to play with you!
Rainbow Dash dropped the card and felt tears burst from her eyes. Her lips began to stick as she wailed.
"We were playing at the park.. And you asked me what happens when you die... I said, you forget everything."
Rainbow Dash nodded. She felt her throat clog. The heart monitor was beeping steadily, slowly.
"Everything."
Rainbow Dash fell on the floor behind the ottoman, thudding the ground. "IT'S NOT FAIR!!!"
"Even you? You asked."
Fluttershy was silent for a few seconds. She gazed up to Rainbow Dash, sucking in air, and letting it out slowly.
"Yes, even me..."
She averted her eyes from hers, and stared up at the ceiling, her blue eyes hazing over.
"You did not want to die."
Rainbow Dash heard the heart monitor speed up, and the thudding of hooves as a doctor galloped over. The monitor was as fast as a bullet.The mare's head leaned over towards Rainbow Dash, and her eyelids shut gently."Never forget..."
Rainbow Dash screamed, flapping her wings to burst up wind. "Fluttershy! NO!"
Rainbow Dash struggled to her hooves and stared at the card on the ottoman. It had been 10 minutes. Wasted all by crying.
Crying.
She hobbled over to the card and picked it up.
P.S. Don't tell anyone, but know I love you!
Rainbow Dash remembered how much of a crush she had on the pegasus. She smiled warmly.
Rainbow Dash sat at the foot of the grave. Rain patted gently on it as the pegasus stared at the beautifully carved statue of a pegasus with long, wavy hair in front of the grave. Rainbow Dash gently wrapped her hoof around the risen one on the statue. "Oh, Fluttershy... I was too late..."
Rainbow Dash felt her eyes soothe, no longer puffy. She trotted outside, leaving the card on the ottoman, half open. As she turned to look at the card one last time, she saw a ghostly figure of a smiling yellow pegasus staring at her, with a wide smile.
Love,
Flutters.
