Watching Fluttershy as she skipped among the numerous butterflies with a girly giggle, Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.
She really didn't want to do this. With the exception of the annual bunny census, this was the most boring thing she would do with Fluttershy all year. If it wasn't for Pinkie Pie being too busy foalsitting for Mr. and Mrs. Cake on the afternoon of the rock concert, she wouldn't even be here.
Rainbow had been ecstatic to learn that one of her favorite rock bands, Alice in Reins, would be preforming in Fillydelphia. She had rushed straight to the Sugarcube Corner to tell Pinkie, her usual rock concert partner, but was informed by her apologetic pink friend that she couldn't make it. Knowing that neither Twilight, Rarity, nor Applejack would be interested in joining her at the concert, Rainbow had resorted to asking Fluttershy.
Fluttershy hadn't been too keen on the idea of attending a loud rock concert, but after learning that Rainbow wouldn't go if she didn't have anypony to go with, she agreed. She had added one condition, however. Rainbow had to come with her to the butterfly migration.
Rainbow sighed heavily as she turned her gaze to the beautiful sky above. It was such a perfect afternoon for flying. She had felt the unusually strong updrafts while following Fluttershy to this field, and knew that they were ideal for the new stunt she had been wanting to try. Hopefully, the updrafts would keep their strength into the evening, and she could give it a shot after her friend finally grew tired of playing with these bugs.
"Come on, Rainbow!" Fluttershy called excitedly as she took to the air and allowed the butterflies to completely envelop her. "This is so much fun!"
"I'd rather join Rarity in one of her Canterlot dinner parties," Rainbow mumbled under her breath. Glancing down at the two nets she was holding in her hoof, she asked, "Why did you have me bring these, anyway?"
Fluttershy swooped down and landed beside her. "Oops. Sorry, I forgot." Smiling sheepishly, she rubbed a foreleg with her hoof. "I know you get bored during the migration, so I thought that we could play a little game this time." Lowering her eyes to the ground, she added, "That is...if you'd like."
Rainbow cocked an eyebrow. "What kind of a game?"
"Well..." Fluttershy hesitated, then gripped one of the nets by the wooden handle and held it up. "We can race to catch butterflies. After a half hour, we'll count how many we each caught, and the one who catches the most wins."
Perking up at the mention of a competition, Rainbow exclaimed, "You're on!" She leaped into the air and did a small, excited backflip. "You'd better bring your A game, Fluttershy, cuz I'm not gonna hold back!"
Fluttershy beamed at the drastic change in her friend's attitude. "Okay." She nodded. "I'll do my best!"
Landing beside her friend, Rainbow crouched low to the ground with her wings fully spread and shot Fluttershy a determined smile. "We start on three. Ready?" Suddenly, all in one breath, she yelled, "One, two, three, GO!" and bolted toward the largest group of butterflies.
"Make sure you don't hurt them!" Fluttershy called after her.
The butterflies scattered as Rainbow neared, and after several frenzied swipes of the net, she found that they had all escaped.
Wow, I didn't know the little chumps were so quick. Rainbow glanced back at Fluttershy, who was leisurely gliding among a small group of the colorful bugs and grinned. I'm glad they're gonna give me a challenge. Celestia knows Fluttershy won't.
Suddenly, a lone butterfly fluttered right by her face. Quickly spinning around, she caught sight of the orange and black bug as it flittered higher into the sky.
"You're mine," Rainbow muttered as she took to the air in pursuit.
Rocketing past it, Rainbow enthusiastically swung her net and came to a halt. Gazing at the net triumphantly, her eyes widened in shock as she found it empty.
"How did..." Rainbow trailed off as the butterfly landed lightly on her nose. "Get off me!" she exclaimed irritably as she swatted at the pesky bug.
Effortlessly, the butterfly dodged her hoof and disappeared over her head.
Turning, she saw the butterfly heading toward the nearby tree line. "Think you're gonna lose me in the trees, eh?" Rainbow said as she started after it. "Fat chance, buster."
Swooping down, she cut the butterfly off and swung her net, but the bug swiftly evaded her. Quickly, Rainbow reversed her swing and brought the net back up. Again, the butterfly dodged the net and fluttered over her head.
In one fluid motion, Rainbow flipped backward in the air, swinging her net, but the butterfly did a small loop of its own and barely managed to clear the rim of the net.
Rainbow watched the butterfly with amusement as it disappeared into the numerous branches. The little guy had some nice moves, but it had no chance against her.
Hurriedly following her target, Rainbow landed nimbly on a thick branch and studied her surroundings. After a brief moment, the butterfly abruptly appeared from beneath a branch and flittered about, as if it were mocking her.
Beginning to grow annoyed with the bothersome pest, Rainbow prepared to attack. Locking her gaze on the insect determinedly, she suddenly bolted straight toward the butterfly with lightning speed, her net up and ready.
The butterfly hovered in place until the last possible second, and then swooped down just as she swung her net. As her gaze followed the bug to the ground, her net connected with something solidly, and a moment later, she heard a loud buzzing sound.
Glancing up, she saw the large beehive that she had just hit swaying back and forth from its branch as an angry swarm of bees emerged.
Crying out in fright, Rainbow raced away with the bees in hot pursuit. Quickly spotting a nearby lake, she dove headfirst into the cool water and remained beneath the surface for as long as she could.
As she slowly raised her head above the surface to see if the bees were gone, the butterfly once again landed lightly on her nose. Staring down her snout at the little nuisance, she snorted in anger, causing the bug to fly away.
"Oh, it. Is. On!"
Taking to the sky once more, Rainbow brought the net up over her head as she advanced on her target. Just before reaching it, the butterfly veered straight up and flew into the sun.
"You're a clever bug, I'll give ya that!" Rainbow called as she squinted to see the insect against the glaring light.
Catching sight of the bug as it slipped into a cloud, Rainbow felt a surge of excitement. There was nowhere for it to go now!
"Ha, got ya now!" Rainbow cried. Kicking the cloud, she prepared to swing her net as it dissipated, but then blinked in surprise when she found no trace of the butterfly.
Catching a blur of orange out of the corner of her eye, Rainbow turned to find the butterfly flittering around a second cloud. Racing forward, she kicked it, but once again found no sign of the bug. Upon noticing it behind a third cloud, Rainbow gave a shout of fury as she began to clear the sky.
Let's see it get away once there isn't anywhere else to hide!
Approaching the final cloud in the sky, Rainbow was about to kick it when the butterfly abruptly landed on her nose. Immediately freezing, a wicked grin spread across Rainbow's face as she slowly raised her net.
Without warning, Rainbow brought the net down over her own head. "Gotcha!"
Her smile soon faded, however, as the butterfly flittered by her face on the other side of the net. Glaring at the bug in disdain, she felt her face flush in anger as it stuck its tongue out at her.
"Why you little-"
As the insect swooped toward the ground, Rainbow hurriedly pursued it, swinging her net with reckless abandon. Her teeth clinched and her eyes narrowed in concentration, Rainbow invested all of her remaining energy into catching the little terror. Veering when it veered, banking when it banked, she realized that she had it right where she wanted it and victory was only seconds away.
Suddenly, the butterfly turned and latched onto her left eye.
Crying out in shock, Rainbow squeezed her eyes shut as she brushed frantically at her face. Knocking the bug loose, she opened her eyes just in time to see the huge mud puddle below her.
Pulling up hard, Rainbow hit the mud puddle on her stomach and skipped several times before coming to rest in the field not far from where she had begun.
Groaning, she spat out a mouthful of mud and rolled onto her back as the butterfly landed lightly on her nose. Completely spent and gasping for air, Rainbow could do nothing but stare at the insect in disbelief.
I've been beaten by a bug! She thought incredulously. A bug! After everything I've accomplished, how could a bug beat me? Then a horrible realization struck her as her eyes landed on her empty net. I didn't just lose to a bug. I lost to FLUTTERSHY!
"There you are, Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy said cheerfully as if on cue. "Let's see how many we've caught!"
Beaming brightly at her friend lying on the ground, Fluttershy trotted over. "I have five in my net!" Just then, the butterfly lifted off of Rainbow's nose and eased itself down into Fluttershy's net. "Oh!" Fluttershy exclaimed, "now I have six!" She giggled. "How many do you have?"
Rainbow silently fumed as she glared at the ornery bug that was flittering around inside of Fluttershy's net.
Stepping forward, Fluttershy glanced down at her net. "Why, Rainbow, you don't have a single butterfly in your net!" She cocked her head to one side. "Were you even trying?"
As Rainbow's face began to flush with anger and she gritted her teeth in frustration, Fluttershy turned away. Lifting her net up over her head, she spoke sweetly. "All right now, it's time for you to continue your migration. And I'm sorry for disturbing you, we were just playing a little game."
Rainbow crossed her forelegs across her chest grumpily as she listened to Fluttershy talk to the butterflies. She hated losing, and she hated this stupid butterfly migration even more. If it wasn't for the concert, she wouldn't even be here.
But then she saw Fluttershy giggle as the butterflies swarmed around her. She saw her friend's bright smile and the joy that sparkled in her eyes, and realized that there was another reason she was here. A reason that she would never admit to anypony else.
She would do anything to make Fluttershy as happy as she was right now.
