1 - In which Rainbow Dash Underestimates the Power of a Butterfly
Chapter 1: In which Rainbow Dash Underestimates the Power of a Butterfly
It’s not everyday that you get to see Fluttershy enjoying herself within a swarm of butterflies under Cloudsdale. Then again, you don't get to see Fluttershy near Cloudsdale very often. The scene is like that out of a fairy tale—perhaps you've seen a similar one—where the princess is surrounded by the flora and fauna of the surrounding forests.
Every time she went, Fluttershy would ask her friends to come along. Sometimes they would say yes, sometimes they were busy. Fluttershy didn't mind, but she does enjoy the company. Spreading the serenity and joy of the butterfly's beautiful dances as they travelled from the south to the north was something Fluttershy was happy to share, but she understood if others had other commitments.
One pony who had never been along to see the migration was Rainbow Dash. There had been some awkward excuses. 'Sorry, Fluttershy, I need to clear the skies', 'Sorry, I've been working on a neat trick and want to get it just right' or 'Sorry, I didn't get much sleep. I think I'll take a nap instead.'
One day though, Rainbow Dash was bored. So bored, in fact, she was hankering for something, anything to do. She'd resorted to watching a cake rise in the oven with Pinkie; she helped Rarity pick out some gems while she looked out for Diamond Dogs; she assisted Applejack in picking some apples, and even helped Twilight reshelve some books. Inevitably, though she performed an admirable job, her antsy disposition got her into more trouble than good.
Twilight caught her shelving the books in the wrong section; Applejack got a mound of unripe apples; there wasn't much problem with Rarity, although the escort was a trip that ended too soon, and Pinkie's souffle deflated when Rainbow thought it was finished. After the fifth time the book was reshelved inappropriately, Twilight remarked that Rainbow should probably go see the butterfly migration with Fluttershy.
Rainbow replied, "I can't do that!" She frowned. "That's so uncool."
Twilight shrugged. "I'm only suggesting it because you're bored, Rainbow Dash. You've never been before, have you?"
Rainbow conceded the point. Twilight was right. She hadn't been to the butterfly migration. Was it that bad? She shook her head. Anything was better than shelving more dusty old books.
"Hey!" Twilight shouted. Rainbow realised she had been talking out loud.
"And now I'm referring to Rainbow Dash in third-person," she finished and gave a sheepish shrug, exiting the library with speed. In her wake, Twilight shook her head and went back to reshelving the books.
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Fluttershy was fluttering timidly outside Rainbow Dash's house. Just as she was about to knock, Rainbow's raspy voice called out to her.
"Hey, Fluttershy!"
"Eep!"
Rainbow cocked her head as the pegasus dove into the cloud, her behind sticking out and shaking. Rainbow rolled her eyes. "You know, I can see you from here."
"Oh," Fluttershy responded, looking abashed. "Rainbow, thank goodness it's you."
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "Yeah it's me, who else would it be—a griffon?"
Fluttershy scanned the skies nervously. "There aren't any griffons around… are there?" Rainbow Dash shook her head and swooped down onto the cloud patch with Fluttershy.
"Uhh nope. Listen, do you have a moment? I wanted to ask you about–"
"The butterfly migration?!" Fluttershy perked up, smiling winningly.
Rainbow was a bit uncomfortable.
"Yeah," she said. "That."
"Oooh! Truthfully that's what I was here for," Fluttershy continued with enthusiastic fervour. "I was hoping you'd come with me to watch the butterflies migrate!"
Rainbow held her smile, though it was slightly forced. She was bored, but hopefully this wouldn't turn out to be that bad…
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"–And there's also the flowers around the area that give the butterflies some wonderful food for their long journey. The flowers are actually special, there's a nectar in them that gives them enough energy to last the long flight. These butterflies are small but they're– Rainbow Dash—oh my—am I boring you?"
Rainbow yawned and flexed her neck, feeling the stiff joints crack. All the time in flight to Cloudsdale, Fluttershy kept talking about the butterflies and their habits as they went through the migration. Rainbow tuned out about halfway in, but she didn't realise her friend's voice would be a comforting aid for sleep. She'd nearly zoned out and forgot to flap.
"Oh, heh, sorry Fluttershy. I think I drifted off there."
Fluttershy looked a little downcast at that. Rainbow quickly added, "Oh no, it was, uhm, very interesting!" She shrugged helplessly. "I just think that interest doesn't extend to me all so well since I couldn't understand half that animal and plant stuff you were talking about." She yawned. "Sorry again, Fluttershy."
Fluttershy nodded and smiled in understanding. "That's okay, Rainbow. Animals and plants may be enjoyable to look at, but I understand if you're not interested in the details."
They flew in silence for a few moments.
"So–" they both started.
Fluttershy blushed. "Go ahead, Rainbow."
"Oh, I just wanted to know if we're close."
Fluttershy checked the distance. "We're headed for that clearing between those two oaks."
Rainbow narrowed her eyes, taking in the ground automatically. "I got it," she said, grinning. "Thanks."
In a few minutes they arrived at the clearing.
Fluttershy lay down on the grass with her wings extended, trying to cool down from the moderate distance flight. Rainbow just tucked her wings in easily. She was used to longer flights and didn't need to cool down. "Fluttershy," she admonished. "You're way out of shape."
Fluttershy's cheeks mantled in embarrassment. "Oh," she said in reply. Rainbow noticed a slight panting between speech. "Sorry Rainbow Dash, I've just been so busy with the forest animals that I haven't had much time to fly around."
Rainbow shrugged. "Don't lay off flying too much or you'll be winded every time we need to get somewhere without a train."
Fluttershy nodded timidly, then her ears flicked. "Oh! They're here!" She practically bolted to the centre of the clearing.
Rainbow shook her head and stayed where she was. Nopony had hearing like Fluttershy had.
With nary a sound, the butterflies came flooding through. At first, a small trickle, then a sweeping tide, then a veritable flood filled the clearing. As they neared the centre they swirled around, creating a small funnel that made Fluttershy look like she was standing in the eye of a very colourful tornado. The air was filled with a constant light rustle like the leaves shifting, or the lightest drizzle of rain.
For a moment Rainbow stood there, mouth gaping. "I've got to admit," she finally conceded. "That's coolness bordering on the side of radical."
Fluttershy smiled demurely, communicating the sentiment with a profound nod.
"I'm glad you like it," she replied. As Fluttershy stood in the centre, Rainbow suddenly had the urge to join her.
Flapping her own wings, she immediately saw the problem. The butterflies formed a wall between Fluttershy and Rainbow. Rainbow gave a mental shrug. They're only butterflies, she thought. I could just dive through them.
Between the fleeting gaps of the butterflies, Fluttershy saw Rainbow prepare to dive through the shifting wall.
"Rainbow Dash!" she cried in warning. "Wait–!"
Her warning was lost as Rainbow sped towards the wall, going straight into the butterflies. Rainbow came through the other side, perfectly fine.
"No worries Fluttershy," she boasted. "I made it through."
Fluttershy stared at Rainbow in horror. Rainbow looked down at herself. It was then she realised exactly why she had failed to encounter any resistance. Matted along her coat, from the tips of her ears to the tip of her tail, Rainbow was covered with hundreds, possibly thousands of butterflies.
"Oh pony feath–" was all she could get out before she was flung bodily from the swarm's circular progression around Fluttershy.
As Rainbow tumbled onto the ground outside, she gritted her teeth.
No way a bunch of butterflies are going to get the one-up on me! She thought darkly.
Stomping towards the swarm, she ignored Fluttershy's warnings and pounced on the butterflies. Like an elastic net, the butterflies came together and rebounded the rainbow-maned pegasus to the ground. The motion looked to Fluttershy like a foal bouncing off a trampoline, except sideways.
When Rainbow blinked and shook her head, she found a single butterfly perched on her muzzle. Her eyes narrowed fractionally.
"You wanna play this game then? Alright, we'll do it your way."
Fluttershy had barely the time to squeak as Rainbow dashed towards the tornado. The cycling butterflies seemed to hesitate but Rainbow didn't crash into the cyclone as expected. Fluttershy watched as Rainbow sped around the clearing in the opposite direction. Her eyes widened. Rainbow was trying to create a whirlwind!
"Stop!" she called out again. "Rainbo–"
Some of the butterflies spun around, then cohesively they sped up. Moving impossibly fast, the butterflies fluttered with ridiculous speed, gaining momentum and pushing against Rainbow's air currents. All too soon, Rainbow found herself straining against the wind currents caused by the butterflies.
"Enough, both of you!"
At her cry, both pegasus and butterfly paused, glancing in the direction of Fluttershy who stood there with narrowed eyes. Immediately, the butterflies settled down, blanketing the clearing with their outstretched wings. Rainbow found something very interesting to look at on the ground and she meekly kicked a hoof.
"For shame, both of you! Rainbow, I thought better of you, to overreact like that. Butterflies, I would have thought you'd know better than to rise to Rainbow's challenge. Now apologise to each other!"
The butterflies flapped their wings a little. Rainbow mumbled an apology.
For the rest of the migration, Rainbow and the butterflies learned to get along. In the end they enjoyed a peaceful evening with a common friend.
As they headed back to Ponyville, Rainbow's last thoughts were mixed.
Well, she mused. At least it wasn't boring.
Author's Note
Better fly, butterfly...
If you want an explanation, here is one: magic.
