A Shocking Lack of Commitment
A Shocking Lack of Commitment
A Shocking Lack of Commitment
Fluttershy sat at her kitchen table, happily sipping a cup of tea and listening to the birds chirping beyond her open window. She’d been waiting for some quiet time like this for a few days, especially after her usually calm schedule had been so suddenly interrupted. She supposed she could thank herself for that in some regard, but she had to assure herself that most of the blame lay with her lazy brother.
The time she'd spent attempting to get him off his tail and trying something new had really exhausted her. Not to mention the embarrassment she'd faced when trying to get him a job with her friends. At that thought, she gave a little sigh, and gazed out of the window as a gentle breeze blew past her face.
Despite the fact she was more than happy her brother had followed through on his ambitions to become a mane therapist. She couldn't help but wonder what may have happened if he'd accepted one of the jobs in Ponyville. The thought made her laugh and shudder simultaneously. Even though the idea of him happily working in her hometown was a nice one, the thought of him living with her wasn't so positive. She'd have no reason to kick him out if that had been the case, and just because he'd have had a job, it wasn't a guarantee he’d change his ways completely. Then she'd practically have been stuck in the same situation as her parents for a long time.
Yet at the end of the day, he was still her brother, and she loved him despite his flaws. She knew she would have supported him regardless of what he'd chosen, be that fabric dyeing, castle window cleaning or...
Fluttershy paused as her mental list went on, rising a hoof to her muzzle in suspicion. What exactly had Rainbow Dash made her brother do at the Wonderbolts headquarters? As far as she knew, Rainbow had taken him up there and promised to zap him with lightning every time he failed to do as she instructed. From the way he'd returned afterwards, she assumed he'd not done as instructed more than a few times. That image of him conjured up a mix of emotions in her mind, ranging from humour to sympathy. Once again however, she had to assured herself that it had been a necessary step on the path to doing the right thing.
It still didn't answer her question though, and as she pondered the idea further, a shadow passed over the window. Moments later, as if on cue, there was a knock at the frontdoor. Fluttershy stood, set her tea down on the table and trotted over to answer. Opening the door, she found the cyan mare that had been the centre of her curiously standing there.
"Oh hello Rainbow Dash." She greeted in her usual friendly tone, stepping aside to invite her friend in.
"Hi Fluttershy, just came to see how you were doing after... Well, you know." Rainbow responded, twirling a hoof in the air in emphasis of her lattermost words.
Fluttershy smiled, making her way back into the kitchen as Rainbow Dash closed the door and followed.
"I'm doing fine thank you, now can I get you anything?" Fluttershy asked generously, as she hovered up to one of her cupboards.
"Thanks, but I'm good. I'm only dropping by really, still got a bit of a mess to clean up at the barracks after the other day." Rainbow Dash responded somewhat wearily.
Despite a minor bit of guilt, Fluttershy nodded and flew back to the her seat. Then, Rainbow's words crossed her mind and her thoughts began to wonder again. Rainbow Dash took a seat across from her, leaning her head on an arched forehoof as she peered out of the window.
"Hey Rainbow Dash, can I ask you about something?" Fluttershy began, catching her friend’s attention.
"Fluttershy you know you can ask me anything, what's up?" Rainbow assured her.
"Well, I was kinda wondering what you made Zephyr do the other day? He was a pretty shocking mess when he came home." She asked, stifling a laugh, even if a small part of her disapproved of it.
"I'll say, I don't think I've ever had to kick a storm cloud so much, poor thing was exhausted by the end." Rainbow admitted, chuckling to herself.
Fluttershy cocked her head in mild confusion, and at her friend's perplexed look, Rainbow paused.
"The storm cloud was the exhausted one Fluttershy, I didn’t make him do anything more than anypony else would. Besides, it's not like anything I did actually worked." She assured her, a slight hint of frustration peaking in her voice at the thought of failure.
"And what did you make him do?" Fluttershy pressed, and Rainbow laughed to herself again.
"Well, first I had him clear the sky above the landing strip, but it turns out if you convince some eager cadets to show off their stuff, they'll pretty much do it for you." Rainbow began, raising a hoof to count the first of her misfortunes. "Then I asked him to clean all of the team’s gear, but all he had to do was tell Soarin I was the one who wanted it done and for some reason he just went and did it all for him!" She went on, confusion surfacing in her expression.
Despite everything, Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle slightly at that fact, and her response only added to Rainbow's puzzlement.
"Anyway, I had him clean the runway next, then take out the trash, make the beds, dusting and change a lightbulb. By Celestia, he couldn't even do that without moaning!” She went on, disbelieve building in her tone as she struggled to comprehend all of the many failed tasks, then she smiled smugly. "Oh, and I also gave him his own nickname, that was my own personal touch."
Fluttershy thought about what she’d been told for a moment, and rolled her eyes at the simplicity of it all. Her brother had been incapable of changing a light bulb? It was hard not to be embarrassed by that fact.
"Well, it sounds like you tried your best, I just guess none of it was for him." Fluttershy offered reassuringly, as the cyan mare boggled at the ideas.
"Yeah. Although, it's kinda annoying that what suits him was right in front of him the whole time." Rainbow stated, tapping a hoof on the table before her in emphasis. Then she sat back, "Well at least he's out of our manes now." She added in relief.
At her friend's relieved words however, Fluttershy looked down at her tea, twirling a hoof about the cup’s rim awkwardly. Rainbow Dash noticed the hesitant look on her friend's face, as well as her slow motion.
"What is it Fluttershy?" She asked cautiously, and the butter yellow pegasus looked at her with a face that was both hopeful and apologetic.
"Well, Zephyr's going to be graduating from mane therapy training soon, so my parents invited him and me around to celebrate. I was kinda hoping you'd come with me again?" She asked hesitantly.
Rainbow Dash let out a disgruntled murmur, her awkwardly shifting mouth unable to formulate words. Then she finally sighed, and reluctantly responded.
"Only for you Fluttershy, only for you."
Author's Note
Quick little story I put together in light of the most recent episode.
Hope you enjoyed!
