Done with her weather duties for the day, Rainbow Dash had then taken to her next favourite activity aside from flying and doing tricks. Which of course, was napping. She had managed to save herself a nice comfy cloud, which she took to lounging on and was napping away without care. It was a perfect day, so why not take advantage of perfect outdoor napping weather?
Sadly enough, the napping spell was broken the moment she heard the loud voice of Pinkie Pie some ways below on the ground. Accompanied was the dramatized upset voice of Rarity. This couldn't be good. Rainbow Dash knew now that her nap was ruined.
Just when she was about to get off her cloud and move it to a quieter spot, what the two mares below were saying caught her attention.
“I just cannot BELIEVE she would say such things!” Rarity cried, shaking her head and holding a hoof across her eyes.
“It was so hurtful! I never thought Fluttershy of all ponies could be so mean!” Pinkie Pie agreed, sounding just as upset.
“What are they talking about?” Rainbow Dash frowned. “Fluttershy and mean don't go in the same sentence!” She flew down from the cloud toward the two. “Hey, what's this you're talking about?”
“It's Fluttershy! Ever since she attended that seminar, she's changed!” Rarity despaired.
“What the hay are you talking about seminar, and change?” Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs, hovering in midair.
“Fluttershy's being mean! At first she's all nice and sweet like always, and then she comes back and she's all mean! Meaner than mean!” Pinkie Pie flailed her forelegs rapidly.
“It is no joke, Rainbow Dash. Please, find her and try to knock some sense into her! If anypony can, that would be you! You've known her since fillyhood and pretty much know her better than even I!” Rarity pointed at the Pegasus with her hoof.
“New Fluttershy isn't cool at all!” Pinkie Pie added. “Old Pinkie Pie doesn't like her!”
“Old Rarity agrees, yet again,” Rarity sighed.
“Well, then Same Old Rainbow Dash is going to make sure New Fluttershy knows what's what!” Rainbow Dash said eagerly, clapping her hooves together. “Be right back, girls!” She flew off, leaving a rainbow trail in her wake.
“I just hope this works...” Pinkie Pie said sadly.
“Don't worry, I have a good feeling about this, darling,” Rarity assured her. “I just know Rainbow Dash can stand up to her with no problem.”
Rainbow Dash finally found Fluttershy on the road not far from town, looking pretty proud of herself. She flew toward her, but paused when she saw one pony, who happened to be Doctor Whooves, pass by her and bump into her.
“Oh dear! I'm sorry, I hadn't mean to-” Doctor Whooves began, but was then cut off.
“Oh, you're sorry? You're sorry?!” Fluttershy sounded angry. “If they apologize, I criticize! Don't get in my way if you know what's good for you, chump! Now buck off!”
“S-Sorry!” The Doctor wailed, and hurried off.
Rainbow Dash practically sank to the ground. This was not Fluttershy at all. It was no wonder Pinkie Pie and Rarity were put off by her. She wasn't being assertive, she was yelling and acting rude. For no good reason. Oh, this was not good. It had to stop now.
“Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash zipped over to her. “What the hay was that?! He didn't mean to bump into you and he was sorry! No need to get your mane all up in a knot!”
“Not now, Rainbow Dash. I have some things to take care of!” Fluttershy tried to walk around her, but the cyan Pegasus blocked her.
“Yes now! You're acting out of your own character!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “This isn't like you, Fluttershy! I know I've always said that you need to work on your assertiveness, but you're going too far! You don't have to be so nasty!”
“Get OUT of my WAY!” Fluttershy snarled, already mustering The Stare.
For a moment, Rainbow Dash recoiled in terror. The Stare was even enough to affect her, and she had always hoped never to be on the receiving end of it. In fact, it was the only thing she was afraid of. She was even about to just give in and walk away. One more moment under the stare would've been enough.
But Rainbow Dash shut her eyes, shaking her head. “N-No! Fluttershy, stop this right now! You're not acting like yourself at all! Come on, pal...you're better than this,” Her voice softened as she tried to coax her best friend. “Please, just listen to me. I know you're not like this, and there are ways you can still be assertive!"
Fluttershy just snorted. “I don't have to listen to you, Rainbow Crash."
Almost immediately, Rainbow Dash felt her heart sink, but then her gaze hardened to a glare. “What did you just call me?!”
“You heard me! Now OUT of my way! If somepony tries to block, show them that you rock!” Fluttershy ushed her aside, rudely, with her head before walking on.
“HEY!” Rainbow Dash came in front of her again, hovering in midair. “That was unfair! How dare you call me that! You know I hate that!”
“Oh, I'm sooo sorry, Rainbow Crash! What, did that hurt that little oversized ego of yours?!” Fluttershy retorted angrily. “Get over yourself! There are faster flyers than you! As if the Wonderbolts would EVER consider you! You crash all the time, you're lazy, you hate rules, and you have an ego that's bigger than your BRAIN! This is why you left Flight School! Because there's too many rules and not enough nap time!”
“....F-Fluttershy...” Now Rainbow Dash looked hurt. Her eyes pooled with tears, but she didn't let them fall. Her heart was shattering to pieces and being stomped on. By her own best friend. “How can you say that?! What's wrong with you?! Now you're just being a mean bully! Like those jokers I always defended you from! No! New Fluttershy is NOT who you are! Stop it!”
“Oh, I knew it. You want OLD Fluttershy back! You want the pushover, the little whimpering shrinking violet, the old Fluttershy who wouldn't complain!” Fluttershy advanced on her angrily, eyes blazing. “You want Old Fluttershy back so you can push her around! Fluttershy who you can yell at, roll your eyes at, and laugh at! Well, I won't grant you that pleasure! NOPONY messes with New Fluttershy! NOPONY!!” She yelled right in the other Pegasus' face. “Now BUCK off, Rainbow CRASH!"
It was too much. By then Rainbow Dash had tears flowing down her cheeks, and her ears even flattened. Completely heartbroken. “Well....FINE! Be that way! I don't know what you did to my best friend, but you're sure as hay not her! The Fluttershy I know would NEVER resort to petty, personal insults to her friends! I don't need you! Just....GAH!”
She flew off, having nothing more to say, and just wanted to be alone so that she could cry.
For the first time in years, Rainbow Dash sobbed her heart out.
Much later, in her home, Rainbow Dash sulkily lazed about, crying and sometimes just punching her pillows. Not only did the situation itself hurt her, but also how she was even reacting to it. She had cried, yelled, screamed, and ate some ice cream. Anything to ward off the pain.
Sniffling, Rainbow Dash took a framed photo from her bedside table. It was a photo from last year when Pinkie Pie was throwing a party for Fluttershy's birthday. The two Pegasi were grinning happily at the camera as they shared some cake together at one of the tables in Sugarcube Corner. A tiny smile crossed her lips as she remembered how fun that day was. Even though Fluttershy wasn't much of a party pony, she did enjoy the simple little party with her friends, and just had a blast the entire time.
Placing it aside, she looked at the photos she had arranged in a photo album that Fluttershy had put together for her (she had one just like it), flipping through the pictures. Fillyhood, the growing years, and recently. All commemorations of the good times they had together. Their first Wonderbolts show they attended as fillies, their last day of Junior Flight Camp, sitting together in content peace, when Rainbow Dash tackled her with a sneak attack tickle...
Sighing, Rainbow Dash continued flipping through the album. Even though the reminders of the good old times were always nice to look back on, it was only a cold reminder of what she lost. Her best friend. The sweet, caring, and adorable Fluttershy. Who had always been her rock.
That was just it. Rainbow Dash drew a warming strength from Fluttershy ever since they were fillies. Her support meant everything to her. She was always somepony she could count on, could trust with her feelings, and with her dreams. Fluttershy had always been supportive and encouraging. Maybe her cheering wasn't inspirational, but it never stopped her from being a great supporter. Seeing her encouraging smile, hearing her encouraging words, always made her feel so much better.
Then to hear the petty insults, and even denouncing her dreams, just hurt the cyan Pegasus deeper than if somepony else said those things. She could take some random pony saying those things, since although annoying, didn't matter to her. But to hear bullying insults from Fluttershy, her best friend, that hurt more than anything she could imagine.
She felt tears pool in her eyes again. What had happened to Fluttershy? Her own best friend, who would never hurt a fly? Who would only get angry and assertive if her friends were threatened?
“Darn it, Fluttershy! What's wrong with you?!” Rainbow Dash set the album aside as she collapsed onto her bed again. “What happened to you, pal? What happened to the pony who supported me...who helped me...who helped others...who laughed with me...had fun with me...everything...”
Tank made a croaking noise from his aquarium. Rainbow Dash looked at him sadly, before flying over and taking him out of it. She set him on the floor, and sat down in front of him.
“Aww...Tank...I'm sorry. Looking at you now...just makes me think of her. She's the one who had you take a chance to be my pet... She was ready with a menagerie of pets when she knew I wanted one...” Rainbow Dash sniffled a little bit. “She did that because she wanted the animals to have a chance to get a good home...because she wanted me to be happy with a pet. That's just it, she's like Pinkie Pie...always ready to step up to make somepony, or some animal happy.”
Tank made a croaking noise in response, but he looked pretty sad, too.
Rainbow Dash sighed, wiping her eyes. “I just...I miss her, Tank. I know she needed to work on being more assertive and confident...but she was just being mean. And she hurt me...something I didn't think she could ever do! ...I miss the old Fluttershy. The Fluttershy who was sweet, kind, and always helpful... Sure she was always too shy for her own good, and could be a bit of a doormat, but she was still Fluttershy! I want the old Fluttershy back! I want the Fluttershy I knew since fillyhood, the Fluttershy who always stood by me and our friends! ...I want the Fluttershy I had snuggle-time with,” She blushed a bit at this admittance. “Yeah, I admit it! We snuggle! And I like it! And I think she's beautiful, she's the most beautiful and adorable pony I know! You got a problem with that?!”
Tank just blinked, but made no kind of response that said yes.
“Sorry...” Rainbow Dash slumped on the floor. “I just wish I knew what I could do to help her! But anything I try, there's just backlash and she'll hurt me again! ...And what if she's right? What if I really am just a crashing, graceless, not-so-fast flyer? What if the Wonderbolts will never take me on?”
Now Tank was slowly walking over to her, shaking his head.
“I mean...oh, what would be the point?! What good would becoming a Wonderbolt be if I didn't have the support of my best pal?! Sure, I know Twilight and the others would be there for me, that's all well and good, but Fluttershy...she...I just can't do it without her! She's a part of what inspires me, Tank! Oh, I know, what could Fluttershy POSSIBLY inspire in ME of all ponies? Well I can't explain it! I just...I just feel more inspired with her there! I can't take it!” Rainbow Dash slumped over on the floor again, her ears flattened in sadness. “I miss her, Tank... When I become a Wonderbolt...one of the first faces I always wanted to see was Fluttershy's. The one pony I would always come back to, Fluttershy. She's just a constant in my life that I counted on! I can't imagine my life without her, not since we became friends! Oh, I'd give up being a Wonderbolt, I'd give up my wings, I'd give up ever performing a Sonic Rainboom again if I could just have Fluttershy back!”
She began to sob again. Tank approached her, and gently patted her head with his limb.
“What am I gonna do, Tank? I'm pathetic! All of a sudden I'm falling apart because my best friend decided to be mean! What's wrong with me?! I'm even willing to give up my dream of becoming a Wonderbolt! No, I can live without her! Yeah! I can!” Rainbow Dash stood up big and proud. “If she doesn't need me, I don't need her! I can get on just fine without her! I'll just pick up and move on with my life! Simple as that!”
“Now Rainbow, my dear, I cannot express my delight!
It's abundantly clear
That somewhere out here
Is the pet that will suit you just right!”
“Rainbow Dash, you rock! Woohoo.”
“Yay.”
“Just let him try?”
“For the record, I don't mind-”
“Now wait just a minute! Oh, I'm sorry. I'm trying to be more assertive. Anyhow... She is going to do a sonic rainboom!”
“A sonic rainboom! Wooo! YEAH!”
As memories of many things Fluttershy had said and done with her floated in her head, Rainbow Dash fell to the floor again in tears.
“Oh, who the hay am I kidding?! Fluttershy is my rock! The bread to my butter! The ice cream to my apple pie! The cherry to the top of my sundae! The Pin to my Pang! The sunshine to my otherwise cloudy world! The flower to my lonely garden! The butterfly to my flower! The cloud to my open sky! The drink to my empty glass!” Now Rainbow Dash was wailing in tears, while Tank nuzzled her a bit to try to calm her down. “I can't help it, Tank...Fluttershy's just always been there! And now that she's gone, it's just...it hurts! We were two halves of a whole, and now we're just two broken puzzle pieces who don't fit into the last two places to complete the puzzle!”
Tank croaked.
“....No,” Rainbow Dash's saddened face became a determined glare. “I'm not gonna just sit here and take it! If I want my Fluttershy back, I'm going to have to BRING her back myself! No one is going to mess with my girl and get away with it! I'm going out there and going to let her know I WON'T let New Fluttershy be the boss! Oh no, Old Fluttershy WILL come back! Tank, thank you! I'm glad we had this talk!”
Tank smiled.
Rainbow Dash smiled too, then picked him up, placing him back in his aquarium. “I'll be back! I've got a best friend to bring back out!”
Arriving at Fluttershy's cottage, Rainbow Dash wasted no time. She approached the door, and knocked on it a few times.
But then nervousness set in.
What if Fluttershy wasn't home? What if she would come storming out? What if she was home and knew she was there, not wanting to see her?
Rainbow Dash was one step away from just flying off due to losing her nerve, but that was when Fluttershy opened the door.
“...Rainbow Dash?” Her eyes went wide upon seeing her.
“...Um...hey...” Rainbow Dash swallowed a bit, but was relieved for the moment. “Listen, um, I think we should-”
“Oh, Rainbow Dash!!!” Fluttershy tackled her in a huge hug, crying all the while. “Rainbow Dash, my dearest, I'm SO sorry! I was horrible to you and all you were trying to do was help me! I was mean to you, and to everypony, and to Rarity and Pinkie Pie too! They didn't deserve it, and you didn't deserve it, either! Oh, I'm so sorry! I-I-I didn't mean it, I swear! Those assertiveness lessons I took were what brought me to become such a monster! I've hurt my friends, and even more so, I hurt you! My best friend in the world! You had every right to be so angry with me! Oh, Rainbow, I'm sorry! You deserve so much better! So much better than a meanie like me! I'm fine now, I know, but that doesn't change what I did to you!”
“Fluttershy...” Rainbow Dash began.
“Oh, but I don't deserve your forgiveness!” Fluttershy's eyes filled with more tears as she clung to the other Pegasus tighter. “How could I have said those horrible things to you! I was completely wrong! I didn't mean it! You do deserve to be a Wonderbolt! You may crash sometimes, but that can be fixed if you just do your best and work hard! And I...I support you completely! I should never have said I doubted you! Oh, Rainbow Dash, I'm so sorry!”
“Fluttershy.”
“Oh, what can I do to make it up to you?! What am I saying, you probably don't even want to be my friend anymore! But that's what I deserve after what I said to you! Your dreams aren't worthless, they never were! I'd clip off my wings before I would let you give up your dreams! Please Rainbow Dash, just know that I'm very sorry!”
“Fluttershy!”
“Please, live your life and be happy! That's all I ever wanted for you! Even if we're not friends anymore, I'll always support you and l-”
“FLUTTERSHY!”
The creamy yellow Pegasus blinked, pulling back a bit in fear. “...Y-Yes?”
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath, looking at her in the eye. “Fluttershy, can you please let me talk?”
“O-Oh! Sorry...please, go ahead,” Fluttershy nodded, looking at her with anticipation and anxiety.
“Thank you,” Rainbow Dash cleared her throat, and tried to gather the right words. “Fluttershy, I....well I...yes, I was really hurt by what you said. It wasn't even just about what you did say...it was the fact it came from you. My best friend, the one who supports me the most...the one I always count on. The fact you said those things hurt me more than what you said. But, I...” She sighed heavily, unsure if this was even coming out right. “I just...I can't just let you go like that! That's why I cam here, I wanted to knock some sense into your head! I knew that you being that mean wasn't like you, and I...Fluttershy, thing is...you...you're...I mean...you...well I...we...”
Fluttershy blinked, and hesitantly placed a hoof on her shoulder. “...You can tell me, Rainbow...”
“I...Well I...” Rainbow Dash blushed a bit. “Fluttershy, I need you! I need you in my life! It's just...you've always been there, ever since I was a filly! And I just...couldn't throw you aside like that! Sure, you hurt me a lot...but losing you, the real you forever was what scared me and hurt me even more! I just...well you've always been the pillar of support, the tower of strength...or however those phrases go! I just...can't see my life without you there! I just...gah!! I'm no good at this sappy stuff! Darn it!” She buried her face in her hooves, groaning.
“...Rainbow Dash...” Fluttershy said gently, and gave her a gentle nuzzle. “...I understand what you're trying to say....and I...well...I feel the same way...”
Sniffling, trying to hold back tears, Rainbow Dash looked at her with surprise. “You...you do?”
“Of course I do,” Fluttershy smiled a bit then. “After I realized what a jerk I was and managed to assert myself without being...well, a jerk... I realized I nearly lost you...and for no good reason! But even so, Rainbow...you've always been a part of my life, too. I just can't see my life, my future...without you there somehow. You give me strength, inspiration, and even confidence... And most of all, your loyalty to me and all our friends have always been so...wonderful. I'm so sorry again, Rainbow... I didn't mean any of those things I said....can you ever forgive me?”
A sad smile came to Rainbow Dash's face, and she nodded before hugging her. “Of course I forgive you, Fluttershy! I'm just glad Old Fluttershy is back.”
“It's good to be back...” Fluttershy murmured, and hugged her back. “Oh, Rainbow...thank you so much! I promise, I'll make it up to you...”
“You really don't have to do that, pal.”
“Please?”
“....Ah, what the hay. All right,” Rainbow Dash smirked a bit, pulling away. “So...have any plans, Fluttershy?”
“Um, no. Why?” Fluttershy blinked.
The smirk remained in place before Rainbow Dash pointed a hoof toward Ponyville. “Let's get a bite to eat, then we'll go back to my place for some much-needed snuggle-time.”
Fluttershy blushed and giggled, nodding. “That sounds like a wonderful idea, Rainbow... I have some apologizing to do someponies, anyway.”
“All right! Then let's go!” Rainbow Dash grinned, already hovering in the air. “C'mon!”
Fluttershy beamed as she nodded, flying after her. “Coming!”
Dear Princess Celestia,
I learned today that sometimes, you and your friends can say or do things that you end up regretting. It can even hurt yourself or your friends in the process, and that's not cool. But when you realize just how much they mean to you, and all the good times you've had together, you feel motivated to try to fix things between you and your friends.
When you see how sorry they are, you can find it in your heart to forgive them, and realize that your friendship together can still be strong enough to overcome the tough times.
I learned that today with my good pal, Fluttershy. Even on the brink of despair, realizing I may lose her forever, I knew that I coudn't just sit back and let it happen. I had to fight for her! And I'm glad I did, because we came out of it a lot stronger than we've ever been. I forgave her for what she said, because I knew that our friendship meant more than any mistakes we ever can and will make.
Gotta run! I've got some...things to take care of with Fluttershy.
Your loyal and super cool subject,
Rainbow Dash
