1. Sometimes, You May Not Even Know That You're Somepony's Sister
Fluttershy felt her heavy eyelids blink several times in quick succession of their own accord; there was a small, resentful part of her that secretly hoped that, if she did this enough times, then the blue pegasus with the prismatic mane that darkened her doorway would suddenly turn out to be nothing more than a figment of her tired imagination. No such luck, unfortunately. “Oh, Rainbow,” she said as politely as she could manage, rubbing her eyes with the pointed ends of her hooves to try and free them of the thick film of gunk that glued her lids shut every time she closed them. “Uh, hi. Would you … like to come in?”
Grimacing slightly at her friend's dishevelled appearance, the white and purple dressing gown had clearly been thrown on and tied in a hurry, Rainbow Dash padded nervously on all four legs at the welcome mat adorning the threshold. Nonetheless, she replied, “Only if you don't mind. I know it's a bit late, but uh, I really need somepony to talk to about this right now, and yours was the first name to spring to mind.” Cross, but mollified somewhat by the flattery, Fluttershy could sense the ghost of a smile forming at the corners of her muzzle and she tried her best to push down her irritation at Rainbow Dash; sure, she could be a little bit – okay, a lot – insensitive at times, but she wasn't in the habit of waking ponies up in the middle of the night without a darned good reason. Briefly, the events of the opening day of cider season sprung to mind and she amended that to: mostly without good reason. She shuffled slightly to one side, hugging the cool wooden door almost, and gestured toward the cosy interior of her cottage. After wiping her dirty hooves on the doormat, Rainbow Dash moved from the dark hallway into the equally dark living room; she kept standing while Fluttershy lit a couple of her lanterns to provide them with some illumination, and it wasn't until her friend finally bade her to sit that she actually did so. “Would you like something to drink?” Rainbow Dash thought for a moment before shaking her head. “I'm good, thanks.” Sitting opposite her friend, studying her pensive expression in the soft orange light, Fluttershy tried to gauge her mood as best she could; when it came to animals, she could understand them like a shot, but when it came to ponies, it was a little bit more difficult. Especially when Rainbow Dash was involved. Whenever she was excited, everypony within earshot would instantly know all about it. Her other feelings were a mite trickier to discern, however, and it didn't help that she liked to pretend that she didn't have them either. “So. What's wrong?” Fluttershy finally asked, smoothing down her pink mane so that it didn't sprout off in random directions so much, realising that Rainbow Dash was not going to break the silence that had descended over them herself. Fidgeting nervously with the hooves of her forelegs, Rainbow Dash's cerise eyes darted between Fluttershy and the suddenly incredibly interesting striations in floorboards as she sought to put those feelings that she didn't have into words that could be understood by another. “You remember that camping trip I went on a few days ago with Rarity, Applejack and their sisters?” “I remember,” Fluttershy said, nodding her head. “Well-” she clacked her tongue against the roof of her mouth a couple of times, a hoof hovering uncertainly in the air “-on the way to Winsome Falls, Scootaloo let it slip that … she thinks of me as a big sister.” “Oh?” said Fluttershy alertly, interested in this development and her friend's reaction to it. While most thought of Rainbow Dash as a pony free of sentimentality, her recent experiences with Tank had betrayed a strong sense of compassion. That said, there was a difference between an elderly turtle and a young pony finding her way in the world. “And that's … bad?” “What?” Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrow in surprise. “No, of course it isn't, I didn't mean it like that at all! It's just that-” she exhaled softly “-I'm not entirely sure what, exactly, I'm supposed to be doing about it, you know? Scootaloo's a great kid, and if I can help in any way I'll gladly do it. She kinda reminds me of how I was at her age. I want to see her realise her dreams, no matter what they are, but … what do I know about being a sister?” She flashed Fluttershy a morose look. “What do sisters even do?” Fluttershy leaned forward, keeping her bright blue eyes on Rainbow Dash. “Sisterhood is a very special bond, one that isn't easily broken, and what it means is that you and Scootaloo would hold a very dear place in each other's hearts forever. It's a bond that goes a lot deeper than simple friendship.” “Deeper?” asked Rainbow Dash, a curious expression on her muzzle. The friendships that she had forged with Fluttershy and the others, especially since Twilight had arrived in town, already seemed to her to be pretty deep. That there could be something more intense than that provoked something within her. Something that was not used to feeling, at least not so keenly: fear. “Mm-hm,” replied Fluttershy, trying to get her racing thoughts in order. “They'll occasionally drive you crazy, they'll make you want to tear your mane out, but they'll also have your back more than any other pony in Equestria. They'll understand you in a way that nopony else ever could. They'll … inspire you to want to become something better than what you are.” “Inspirational, huh? Yeah, I guess I could do that,” Rainbow Dash said flatly, swallowing loudly while rubbing the back of her neck anxiously. She had come to Fluttershy for clarity, and now she felt her thinking was more muddied than ever. The job of being a sister seemed to come with lot of responsibility attached to it, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for that kind of pressure just yet. Or if she ever would be. “If you agree to this,” Fluttershy said, her eyes glittering warmly in the lantern light, “she'll be looking to you for guidance. About everything, not just when it comes to flying or the Wonderbolts or the best hayfry restaurants in town.” She paused for a moment, giving Rainbow Dash a lopsided grin. “Young ponies usually look to their older siblings, not their parents, to tell them the truth about life, school, how to deal with others. Relationships.” “Ugh,” said Rainbow Dash, narrowing her eyes and sticking her tongue out in distaste. “I don't think that's my style at all.” Fluttershy stifled a laugh at Rainbow Dash's antics, covering her muzzle with her hoof. “Don't be so silly. For whatever it's worth, I think that you'd make a great big sister to Scootaloo.” “How can you be so certain about that?” asked Rainbow Dash, feeling her face contort into a frown as she fought to hold down a sigh. “Like with the Sonic Rainboom, I feel as though it's something that I should have some practice with first rather than just rushing into it all scattershot.” She let a hoof dangle in the air before dropping it down by her side. Feeling a heaviness in her heart at that expression – it was so unlike Rainbow Dash to have all of this doubt and uncertainty clouding her – Fluttershy said, “I know … because you've been such a great sister to me over the years.” Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, Fluttershy wished that she could take them back. “Fluttershy-” “-Oh, Celestia, I'm so sorry,” Fluttershy said quickly, squeezing her eyes tightly shut, her cheeks flushing brightly as apologies continued to tumble forth. “I didn't mean to embarrass you, Rainbow Dash. Look, just trust me: I know that you will do great if you do decide to accept Scootaloo as your sister. She couldn't ask for a better pony to learn from than you.” “You … you see me as a sister, too?” was all Rainbow Dash could say. Fluttershy could only nod dumbly, feeling the red tint to her coat intensifying as she did so. It was a long moment before Rainbow Dash felt able to speak again; it was rather an odd situation that she found herself in, having gone, in the space of just a few days, from zero to two sisters. “I-” “-I totally get that you may not feel the same way as I do, and that's okay,” Fluttershy said hurriedly, hoping to ward off any further chagrin. “This is just … me. My perspective.” Looking at Rainbow Dash through lidded eyes, she continued, “Ever since we were fillies, you were always there for me. Protecting me from the bullies, encouraging me to break free from my shell, inspiring me to become a better flyer … and a better friend. If it wasn't for you, I'd still be afraid of my own shadow, never mind dragons.” Rainbow Dash looked at her friend and, in the same way that clouds parted to reveal the sun, so, too, did her tangled web of thoughts part to reveal the self-evident truth. “Maybe,” she said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully, “just maybe I do feel the same way as you?” “You don't have to say that just to make me feel better, Rainbow-” “-I'm not,” Rainbow Dash said, cutting Fluttershy off sharply before she could allow her self-doubt and panic to build up a wall between them. “I promise.” Her expression became thoughtful. “Think about it, though: I came here to you for advice instead of going to Applejack, or Twilight, or Pinkie Pie, or Rarity, all of whom do have siblings that they're very close to. Maybe … our special bond told me that you and not them would be the right pony for the job. That you could offer a more-” she tutted as she tried to find the right word. “-A more unromanticised view, perhaps?” Fluttershy said. “Yeah, that's it,” replied Rainbow Dash, nodding graciously. “Maybe,” Fluttershy said with a thin half-smile, not quite able to fight off the suspicion that Rainbow Dash was just trying to cheer her up. Still, at least she was trying, and wasn't that what good sisters did? Even if it was hopeless, they would fight to their last breath to make you feel better? “Or maybe you knew that I'm the only one in Ponyville who'd let you in at this hour without hollering at you.” Rainbow Dash tried not to giggle at that. And failed. “Touché,” she said, conceding Fluttershy's point with a hearty grin. With a touch more seriousness, she added, “I'll probably screw things up, make loads of mistakes, give her bad advice.” “I'll always be there to help you,” Fluttershy said. “And the others. You should definitely speak to them about their experiences, too.” “I will. Thanks, Fluttershy.” “You're welcome, Rainbow Dash.”
*
Once Rainbow Dash had departed from her cottage, feeling much more positive about her potential adoption of Scootaloo as a little sister than when she'd arrived, Fluttershy soon found herself drawn to an old oak chest that habitually sat in the back of her cupboard. It normally went unnoticed, even by her, covered as it was by clothes, books, games and various animal-related paraphernalia, but she'd made the effort to dig it out of the mire as respectfully as possible. She hadn't looked inside it in years – she hadn't had much of a reason to – but her talk with Rainbow Dash had brought back some memories. Despite how long it had spent forgotten in her cupboard, Fluttershy found that the chest opened as easily as if it were brand new; the key settling smoothly into the lock, the tumblers turning with only the most delicate of noises. Angel Bunny's ears pricked up with interest at the tiny click and he leapt down from where he had been perched upon the bed, eyeing his owner with a pensive mien. Fluttershy felt little paws prodding insistently at her flank, the butterflies there matching the ones playing merry havoc in her stomach, and she looked down at him. “Are you sure that you want to do this now?” his expression seemed to say. “It's all right,” she said, offering him a reassuring smile as she stroked his raised ears softly. “I need to do this, okay? I'll be fine.” After a moment's hesitation, Angel Bunny eventually nodded and curled himself up in Fluttershy's tail. “I'm here for you.” Thanking the bunny for his consideration, Fluttershy's eyes quickly turned back to the chest; she lifted up the lid, wincing slightly at the creaking wail its old hinges made – it conspired to sound much worse than it really was in the stillness of her bedroom – and scanned the plethora of items within. Souvenirs, mementoes, of home. It took a moment or two to locate what she was after and it was with a heavy heart that she took it in her hoof. The much-faded photograph depicted a lovely summer's day in Cloudsdale; in a park that seemed to have been fashioned out of the clouds themselves, four figures stood by an ice cream stand, smiling broadly. Though it wasn't common, it was by no means unusual for parents belonging to one pony race to have children that belonged to another, and Fluttershy couldn't help but sigh when her eyes locked on to the form of a lanky green earth pony standing beside her tiny self, her beaming muzzle smeared with chocolate. Unbidden, tears dripped down on to the photo. Her mother and father had done their best, though she hadn't been fully aware of the lengths that they had gone to until much later in life; they had found a powerful unicorn who could cast a cloudwalking spell on her, and they had modified the house so that there was no danger of her accidentally falling through something, but as she got older it quickly became apparent that she was not happy. An earth pony deprived of the land, unable to work their magic, quickly became restless, depressed. It was all too clear to everypony that she did not feel at home in the skies. Though it broke their hearts to do so, her parents ultimately made the decision that, on some level, they must always have known that they'd have to make sooner or later; though she was a little bit older than was ideal, there was no shortage of loving ponies looking for a child, and a suitable foster home was soon found on the ground. Fluttershy had always harboured hopes that, one day, when she was a strong enough flyer, she would swoop down to the farm that her sister had moved to and surprise her. Fate, of course, had other ideas. The last letter addressed directly to Fluttershy from her had spoken of her excitement at an upcoming event called the Harvest Festival; a time of great joy and celebration amongst earth ponies, apparently. Months had then gone by with no contact. Fluttershy had, at first, tried to get on with her life as best she could, always with a little voice in the back of her head telling her that something would come from her sister in the morning. She made a noise in the back of her throat as she remembered those days spent waiting patiently by the mailbox. Growing impatient, Fluttershy had finally tried confronting her parents about it, but they would become … evasive whenever the subject was broached. Usually deflecting her away by saying that her sister was too busy with this, that or the other to get in touch and that she would most likely do so as soon as possible. Only by spying on them was Fluttershy eventually able to discern the truth: her sister was dead. Killed in some kind of accident, as far as she was able to make out from her parents' hushed conversations in the middle of the night. They hadn't known how to break the news to her. Guilt gnawed at them as they contemplated the worst thought of all: if she'd just stayed here, she would still be alive now. As a result, Fluttershy had become more insular and withdrawn; without her sister to share her feelings with, and her parents too consumed by their grief to pay much attention to her scholastic failings, she'd almost flunked out of flight school. That is, until the day that she'd met a very special pony indeed who then helped her turn her life around. While Rainbow Dash could never replace her real sister, Fluttershy nonetheless treasured everything that she had done for her; she had acted as a salve for a wound that would never heal, and she continued, unknowingly, to do so to this day. For the first time, Fluttershy felt that she was able to contemplate her sister's passing without grief. Yes, she knew that the sadness would linger on her soul forever, but it was a sadness diluted by the comforting awareness of knowing that her spirit continued to live on. Fluttershy's eyes alighted upon a yearbook photo of Rainbow Dash; in it, she was pulling a silly face, grinning a goofy grin, for the camera. She couldn't help but laugh at it despite the pressure she felt behind her eyes. It was so typical of her to show-off whenever everypony was watching her. “Don't ever think yourself unworthy of the great honour that Scootaloo has bestowed upon you,” she said quietly, stroking the photo tenderly. “You are the best sister that anypony could ever ask for.”
