Chapters The clock ticked away slowly. Rainbow Dash watched it intently, waiting for the minutes to hit the grand finale. And minutes went by, crawling by at a pace that would make a tortoise proud. "So, if we take the x and divide the variable by π..." Rainbow listened to Mrs. Harshwhinny's monotonous voice drone on with mathematical narnar as the minutes inched by.
But the waiting paid off. The final bell of the day sounded, music to Rainbow's ears. She had to say that is could sound better than DAGames's songs, depending on the current circumstances. Hiding her glee, she walked out of the classroom with everyone else, until Mrs. Harshwhinny called her back. Rainbow growled inconspicuously, then whirled around and went back inside.
"Miss Dash, it has come to my attention that your scores in trigonometry have reached an all-time low. Would you care to explain how this happened?" Mrs. Harshwhinny was using the tone of voice that everyone remembers their mother using when they broke something.
"Well, you see, ma'am..."
"Are you going to beat around the bush again, Miss Dash?"
Rainbow sighed. "No ma'am. I've been busy with other things. Soccer practice, my job at Wendys, my dad's cancer treatments--"
"I know for a fact your father overcame cancer around two years ago." Mrs. Harshwhinny raised her eyebrow.
"Okay." Rainbow gave up. "I haven't been trying to do my homework." She expected Mrs. Harshwhinny to flip out and send her to ISS, but her teacher's reaction was extremely unexpected.
"Thank you for telling me the truth, Miss Dash. I'm glad you're finally applying those etiquette skills I taught you in elementary school."
Rainbow's heart swelled. She was off the hook.
"But your grade in trigonometry is inexcusable, and not paying attention is a federal offense in my book."
Rainbow's heart sank. She was still snagged on the fishing line.
"I would prefer you would spend your of doing sports and playing Pokémon Go . So, a fitting punishment is in order."
Rainbow winced. Another note to take home to her father. Another day where he would be in a semi-permanent state of depression. He was never the same after the chemotherapy treatments, and his mind was subjected to little things that made him depressed. Rainbow knew that I'd she told Harshwhinny all this, she would receive a lecture on "sob stories dedicated to kiss up to the teacher." Rainbow suddenly felt furious. Mrs. Harshwhinny was a heartless bastard! She would pay for this, someday...
"I will lower your overall grade for the year to a C-, so you academic average will need some serious work now."
Rainbow controlled her outward appearance, but she felt like she was about to go Super Saiyan.
"I hope you understand why I'm doing this. You may go."
A dazed Rainbow turned to leave, then asked, "How did you know I was playing Pokémon Go?"
Mrs. Harshwhinny gave an incredibly small smirk and deadpanned, "Remember the many times I confiscated your cell phone? You left your entire history up where anyone could see it."
Rainbow smacked her forehead and breathed, "holy crap, dammit!"
Harshwhinny advanced toward her desk, glancing back at Rainbow a final time. "And I really don't think pornhub.com/gay is really an appropriate site for you either." She sat down at her desk and did not say another word.
Rainbow left the room in a cold sweat. How could she have been such an idiot? She should have used the inPrivate browser, it was a simple click. But no--
"Um, Rainbow?"
A quiet voice interrupted Rainbow's frantic thoughts. She looked over at the wall of the locker room, and there was Fluttershy. Rainbow softened up at the sight of her childhood friend. Fluttershy was the one person Rainbow would have wanted to see at that moment.
"Hey, Shy. How'd your biology exam go?"
Fluttershy held up her paper proudly. "I got a 99. I only missed one."
"Great job! I knew you were a star student!" She saddened at the thought of her GPA, but she shook it out of her brain and looked at Fluttershy's paper. A red x was by a question that said, "What is the preferred amount of time that two humans should spend having intercourse? Fluttershy blushed. "I...didn't want to answer that one ."
Rainbow patted Fluttershy's shoulder and said, "It doesn't matter. School's out and we've got a beautiful afternoon ahead of us!"
As they walked out the front door, Fluttershy pointed to a fairly small cedar tree growing in the side of the lawn. "It's finally big enough to provide some shade," she said, motioning to Rainbow that they should sit under it. Rainbow followed her, and they settled under the rustling green leaves. Fluttershy tookoff her boots and socks, and laid down on her back, her arms propping up her head.
Rainbow followed suit, and for a few minutes, the only sounds were of cars, students talking, and the breeze blowing gently. Fluttershy broke the silence by saying, "Why did you want to be my friend?"
Rainbow choked on her saliva. That question came out of absolutely nowhere. "COUGHum, well, because you're, uhh, really nice."
"No, the real reason." Fluttershy looked deep into Rainbow's eyes, her blue gaze piercing Rainbow's fuschia one. "Why, of all the girls at Cloudsdale Middle School, did you befriend me?"
Rainbow was at a loss for words. She had no idea haw to answer that. She didn't even know why herself. But then, she heard it. A tiny voice in her head, sounding suspiciously like her secret crush Soarin, told her the answer. And then she knew.
"I wanted you to be my friend because I really admired your every quality." An adorable grin spread across Fluttershy's yellow face. "Th-thank you, Rainbow. I wanted to make friends with you because I really thought you could be a great person. And I know you are."
The two girls seemed like they were speaking directly to each other's heart. A tear of happiness formed in Fluttershy's eye, but she wiped it out, hoping Rainbow wouldn't notice. Rainbow felt amazing inside, but it soon faded because something odd caught her attention.
"Uh, Shy? Where's your car?"
Fluttershy owned a preowned electric Smart, staying eco-friendly of course. Rainbow had not noticed it was absent from the school parking lot.
"I walked here today. I wanted to get up early and exercise." Fluttershy only lived a half-mile away from the school, over on Shelter Blvd.
Rainbow felt slightly worried. "You walked from Shelter Blvd. to here? Isn't that near that really dangerous crosswalk is?"
"Yes, but I always look both ways."
Rainbow put both her hands on Fluttershy's shoulders. "Shy, three pedestrians died at that crosswalk last year. If I were you, I would play it safe and come here by car."
"It's fine, Rainbow. If you were there too, I'm sure you would watch out for me."
"Yeah, I guess I would." They both leaned back on the tree trunk and looked up at the sunny sky.
"Rainbow? What do you think that cloud looks like?" the cloud was a rounded square with a semicircle wisp floating out the top. Rainbow was reminded of her grade, but she used a little imagination and said, "I think it's a Tattooine hut."
Fluttershy looked confused. Rainbow clarified, "A thing from Star Wars."
"Oh," Fluttershy nodded. Rainbow found a cloud that was shaped like an insect with giant wings. "Shy, what does that one remind you of?" "A butterfly!" She gave it a little volume, somewhat startling Rainbow. "I love butterflies so much." Fluttershy was genuinely happy, and Rainbow felt happy too. Away from the troubles of everyday life, it was relaxing to get away from it and spend quality time with a close friend.
They spent a while naming cloud shapes, back and forth.
"A banana."
"A motorcycle."
"An ampersand."
"A diamond."
"A penis."
Rainbow stared at Fluttershy, her pupils the size of pinpoints. "Eep!" Fluttershy slapped a hand over her mouth. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to..."
Rainbow laughed and said, "It's ok. I guess I've been rubbing off on you!"
Fluttershy shot up and said, "Oh my goodness, I have to get home and feed the animals. I need to go right away." She put her boots back on and slung her backpack over her shoulder. "I hope this doesn't seem too abrupt."
Rainbow shrugged. "Naw, I understand. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye, Rainbow." Fluttershy started to walk on the direction of her house. "Wait!" Rainbow called after her. "Please be careful at that crosswalk."
"Don't worry, Rainbow, I'll be extra careful just for you."
They shared a tender gaze with on another and then went their separate ways. Rainbow jumped into her blue sports car and headed home.
Rainbow was actually working on her homework. She wanted to suck up to her dad before she gave him the note. He would be proud of her and might actually stay happy. His vibrantly-colored hair was growing in nicely, and Rainbow loved having the same type. It was pretty uncommon.
Our dying grace is to remove you WITHOUT A TRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rainbow's cell phone rang with the hyper metal sounds of Game Over . She picked it up and answered it. It was Rarity, and she was sobbing uncontrollably. "What is it? Rarity, make some sense!" Rainbow's heart was hammering progressively faster inside her ribcage. Rarity sounded truly traumatized. She made a word between heavy, shuddering breaths, then a full sentence.
As the full sentence was revealed, Rainbow felt like she had been hit by a bus.
Just like Fluttershy had been.
Author's Note
This was an effort, but I managed to write it as I went along, and in the span of only an hour and a half. And yes, there will be a second chapter. And I'm sorry, I went a little hyperlink crazy.
"Oh f**k, oh f**k, oh f**k f**k f**k f**k F**K!"
Rainbow rushed down the stairs at a record-breaking pace. She thought she could feel the house shaking, but it was probably the massive system shock she had received a few seconds prior. She smacked her shin on the coffee table in the middle of the living room, but she felt nothing. Her mind was focused on one thing only.
"S**t, f**k, f**k, s**t, motherf**king s**tty assblasting c**tbusters!"
"Rainbow?" Blaze called from the tv room. "Have you been watching The Sopranos again?
Rainbow shuddered. Fine time for him to give her a lecture about appropriate media choices.
"No, Dad, I haven't," Rainbow struggled to get the words out, her voice sounding incredibly unhealthy. "A...thing has c-come up, and I...I...I nEed to go right nOw!" Blaze took no notice of the obvious trauma in gr voice and said, "Come here a minute, Dash."
Rainbow swallowed the giant lump in her throat and wiped her moist eyes on her shirt sleeve. On the tv was an old episode of General Hospital , playing at a practically inaudible volume. "Great," Rainbow thought. "Just what he needs to keep his spirits up." "What is it, Dad?" she said out loud.
"Are you done with all your homework yet?" Rainbow was not one to lie to her father, but in this emergency case, it was mandatory. "Yes, Dad, I finished it all. Even the trig." Her words were slow and wavery, and her right hand was involuntarily twitching.
Blaze, still completely oblivious to these hints of tragedy, calmly said, "Ok then. I'm reall proud of you. You've put so much effort into getting a good grade, and I like that." It broke Rainbow's heart even more because of the horrible timing, but she felt a spark of gratitude within her, so she simply said, "Thank you, sir." Rainbow never called him 'sir', except when she was deeply disturbed by something.
Blaze said nothing concerning the odd use of 'sir', he only said "You may go," and turned back toward the tv. Rainbow ran through the entry hall and out the door, slamming it loudly behind her. She didn't hear Blaze say "make sure to close the door" before she shoved herself into her Mazda and sped out of the driveway, tires screaming for mercy.
Rainbow turned the radio on in hopes of distracting her from the imminent tragedy. She knew it probably wouldn't work, but she was not expecting THE ONE SONG to be on:
Near, far, wherever you are, I believe that the hot dogs go on...
Rainbow could not believe it. There was no mercy. It just kept piling up against her like the hate mail to Donald Trump. "S**t, s**t, s**t, s**t," she cursed, trying to block out the waves of tragedy."F**k, s**t, c**k, ass, titties, boners, bitch, muff, p*ssy, c**t, butthole, Barbara Streisand!" she shouted, quoting her favorite movie. It didn't help. "Ball-breaking, p*ssyf*ggot, s**theaded Taco Bell condom-induced vaginal infection!" She shouted louder now, using some more creative terms.
You're here in my heart, and my heart will go on and on...
"GRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" Rainbow hit the radio's off button so hard it most likely broke, but the horrible moment was over. The worst was still yet to come, though.
Rainbow could hardly see straight through the tears clouding her vision. Both tears of furious rage and tears of an aching heart. The road stayed straight until it reached the crosswalk at Shelter Blvd. It came out of literally nowhere, just a sharp turn and there it was. Except now, the area was filled with rescue vehicles, police lines, and lots of bystanders murmuring among one another.
Rainbow jumped out of the car, not bothering to turn it off, not even hitting the parking brake. She cared about only one thing: Fluttershy. She shove past a bunch of strangers and Bulk Biceps, who gave a girly scream upon contact. She had reached the police line when a solid figure blocked her path. It was a well-built man with dark glasses, a blue mustache, and a police uniform.
"Officer Sentry," she shakily greeted Flash's father, hoping that her good ties would convince him to let her pass. Officer Sentry did not budge from the spot, but he did lean down and tell her something that gave her a rush of sad joy. "I'm very sorry, Rainbow. They're going to take her to the ER and you might be able to visit her then."
Rainbow tried to thank him, but all that came out was a lot of sobbing. She did something she never thought she would do to a police officer: she hugged him. She squeezed him as hard as she could, burying her face in his muscular shoulder. He patted her on the back and told her, "This did not have to happen. Were doing the best we can."
Another officer shouted, "Ok everyone, break it up. We're leaving for the hospital and we won't appreciate any paparazzi!" The crowd of people slowly disbanded, and the ambulance containing Fluttershy's broken body zoomed off at full speed, soon followed by Officer Sentry and the rest of the police squad. Only three people were left on the premises: A traffic cop filing an accident report, a Crystal Prep bus driver talking to the cop about the accident, and one broken-hearted girl with rainbow-colored hair.
Rainbow's knuckles wer pure white due to her death grip on the steering wheel. Her foot never left the gas pedal; she had no regard for red lights. She sat there in a fit of seething rage, her body dripping with sweat and her eyes dripping with tears. She didn't bother to flip the blinker as she turned into the parking lot of the Redheart Institute of Medical Science. It was on the campus of Canterlot College, only a mile away from the high school.
Rainbow parked as close to the front entrance as possible, coughing the phlegm out of her tired lungs. She took no notice of the newly redesigned front entrance gate, gleaming with chrome silver and faux diamonds. Inside, nothing was new, no changes had been made since she last came here for a broken leg when she was in eighth grade.
The receptionist looked at her with a friendly smile and asked, "How can I help you?" Rainbow used a large portion of her remaining energy to say, "I'm here to see Fluttershy Breeze." the receptionist scanned her computer screen for a second, then told her, "Second story, room 226. Fifth door on your right."
Rainbow muttered a tired "thanks" and dragged herself to the elevator. She thought of her father, and the many, many times he had come here to get radiation pumped into his body. She thought of her mother, who had come here for alcohol remediation before abandoning them. Rainbow was only six then. So young, and yet in so many mature situations.
The elevator door opened to reveal a seemingly endless row of bland faux-wood doors. Rainbow remembered the receptionist's words "fifth door on the right" and stood in front of room 226.
It reminded her of February 26th. Her birthday, and usually the happiest day of the year. So ironic.
She slowly twisted the shiny handle on the door and entered the room. She was surprised, and a little relieved, to find all her friends already in there.
Sunset stood up upon Rainbow's entry, and the rest joined her. "Rainbow," Sunset went over to the unresponsive girl and gave her a tender hug. "Rarity was the first one to find out about the accident. She called us all, and we came here in the ambulance."
Rarity said, "We saw you in the crowd, talking to Flash Sentry's father. We tried to get your attention, but it was of no avail."
Applejack continued for her. "She's still awake, but we ain't heard anything from her yet." She lowered her leather Stetson hat over her forehead. "We already said our goodbyes, just in case she...ya know."
Twilight looked grave. "She may not have any time left anyway. I know how terrible this must be for you."
Pinkie didn't say anything. Her hair was straight, draping over her shoulders.
Rainbow had heard and understood every word they said, but she didn't want to answer them. Instead, she said a single word: "Alone."
Sunset nodded and said, "I understand." She motioned to the other girls to leave withe her, and they all hugged Rainbow on the way out. Pinkie even gave her a kiss on the cheek.
The door closed gently behind them. Rainbow stood static for about a minute, before sluggishly shuffling over to Fluttershy's deathbed. She sat down next to her closest friend's still-breathing body and gently squeezed her hand. Fluttershy's eyelids opened slightly, revealing weary, bloodshot eyeballs beneath. "R-Rainbow..." Fluttershy managed to get out. There was a thin trail of blood leading out of her mouth. Several teeth were missing.
"Fluttershy," Rainbow gasped, her voice soft. "Please stay with us."
Fluttershy made a tiny movement with her neck, but winced in intense pain. "I...can't...I have to...go...elsewhere..."
"No, Fluttershy," Rainbow squeezed her hand tighter. "We've been friends for so long. Don't walk out on me like this."
Fluttershy blinked. She obviously was on the verge of tears. "Say...bye bye...to all...the...animals...please..."
Rainbow somehow found herself unable to cry. "Your friends. They want you back too. Can't you do it for them?"
Fluttershy was silent for a while. She lay there, struggling to keep her eyes open. She had gone beyond the levels of pain known to mankind. After a long time she made a request. "Can...you...close...window...? C...Cold..."
Rainbow got up and said, "Anything." She slowly advanced toward the open window to shut it. A soft breeze was blowing outside, just like a few hours earlier, when they were under the cedar tree. Rainbow put both hands on the window frame and pushed it closed. "Warmer now?"
She turned back to face Fluttershy. "Are you better?"
Her questions fell upon un-hearing ears. Fluttershy was better.
Fluttershy was gone.
Rainbow drove home, the sky now bathed in dusky hues. She was in a daze about what had happened. She couldn't fully grasp the concept that her very best friend was gone forever. She never blinked; still no tears came.
She stopped in her usual parking spot in her driveway, and got out and locked the car. She inserted the house key into the front door, and opened it. Her father was still planted at the television, but the local news was on now.
"Is that you, Rainbow?" he asked, never turning away. "Did you hear some girl was run over by a school bus today? Says here her name was Fluttershy Breeze. Did you ever know her?"
Rainbow walked up the stairs without answering. She entered her bedroom and shut the door behind her, locking it. She stood in the middle of the room for a while without moving. She saw all the pictures on the walls and on her desk with the half-finished homework assignments on it. All the pictures of her and Fluttershy, ever since they were six years old.
Fluttershy.
Rainbow suddenly dove onto her bed, head first. She covered her head with one of the many pillows she owned.
And then she cried.
Author's Note
R.I.P. Fluttershy
The sun.
The sun was shining brightly. It made everything look so bright and cheerful.
Rainbow hated the sun more than anything else. It was not cheerful at all, but the true embodiment of a living nightmare.
Rainbow was driving home from Fluttershy's funeral, the most heavily disheartening and horrible three hours of her entire life. She was still crying, still trying to accept the fact that her best friend was never coming back. Her eyes were pouring rain, but her mouth made no sound. Silence was the only thing she could handle.
The sun kept shining. The sun was pure evil today. The clouds eventually had pity on her and covered up the sun's ever-happy gaze.
Rainbow pulled into the driveway of her two-story suburban home on the outskirts of Canterlot City. The trees in her backyard stood there as always, but they looked uninviting. Maybe they were mourning Fluttershy's passing as well.
Once inside, she put the car keys on the mud room floor and took off her boots. She threw them in the corner where her dad's old crutch was, from the time he broke his leg. He was passed out on the couch, probably from watching too much tv. He hadn't even bothered to come to Fluttershy's funeral, he only cared about his own life.
She walked past him and went upstairs. She sat looked in the mirror at her sad form. Unkempt hair, puffy red eyes, tear stains on her cheeks. She was wearing the same dress Rarity had made for her on the night of the Fall Formal, almost a year before.
She undressed and sat down on her bed. She looked at the messy drawers filled with all her clothes and sports uniforms. Half of them were too full to close. She did not want to even bother with them, especially not today.
The rain started to fall outside. The sky was crying with her. She wiped her eyes, making little difference, and got out her cell phone. She saw a text from yesterday that she had never answered. It was from Fluttershy's idiot brother Zephyr. She gave a weak and wobbly sigh. How had he gotten her new number?
It read,
Hi RD, I herd about FS acident 2day and im sad.
Rainbow knew that he had a major crush on her, and now there was literally no reason to be near him anymore. Fluttershy was gone, and the house would feel very empty there. Zephyr was a humongous pain in the ass, and she was actually a little glad that he wouldn't be in her life anymore. She deleted the text and put her phone down.
She looked up at the still-unfinished homework assignment, then dropped her head back onto the pillow. She could get an F, who the hell cared?
She picked up her phone again and went to YouTube. Maybe a DAGames song would make her feel less miserable. She looked through the playlist and stopped. She stared at the screen for a while,then tapped on the one song she hadn't listened to yet.
"Oh god..." Rainbow thought. Of all the themes for a Five Nights at Freddy's song to be, why did it have to be the passing of a loved one?!
In my dying breath I repeat your name
Rainbow felt her heartbeat start to rise. This was existing. This was happening.
But alas, I couldn't heal your broken shards
The tears were welling up in her eyes. She felt like the song was written just to make her feel more miserable. And yet she loved it, she didn't want to stop listening.
Now I rise through holy trinity
Rainbow's mouth was wavering. Her throat felt dry. Fluttershy was speaking to her a final time, through this song. Rainbow wanted to answer, but there wasn't any way to.
(I'll never forget you)
Fluttershy had been the equivalent of a sister to Rainbow. They were bound like blood brothers, and then they were ripped apart. The bond was gone, and it would never resurface.
Goodbye!
Rainbow put down the phone. She just realized how tragic it was. A song, basically explaining what had unfolded the previous day. It was Rainbow's fault for not supervising Fluttershy at that crosswalk. She was the cause.
She crawled into a fetal position and cried herself to sleep.
Will Ryan looked confused as he finished reading the story. He was a little proud of the fact that his songs were included in the fanfic, but he didn't understand why Fluttershy had to die.
He got up from his chair and took two plushies off his shelf, one of Rainbow Dash, and one of Fredbear.
He took them over to the other side of the room and threw them out the window.
