The feeling of not belonging is not a pleasant one, but also not the least bit unfamiliar to Fluttershy. There were many places she felt simply weren’t suited for a pony like her: Casinos, fancy dinner parties, and wild birthday parties starring alcohol. It was fine if Fluttershy was with her friends, but otherwise she always felt like the sole outsider.
This day was a slight variation of that. Fluttershy did not simply feel like an outsider. She felt as if she’d trotted into another dimension and stumbled upon a bizarre ritual performed by the inhabitants. Needless to say, birthday parties in Cloudsdale were a lot different than they were in Ponyville.
One of the key things Fluttershy noticed was how inherently buddy-buddy everypony was with each other, even if they were clearly strangers. Ponies approached each other without fear, striking up seemingly random conversations and even making lewd requests. Fluttershy suspected it was the abundance of alcohol that made it so easy for these ponies to interact.
Fluttershy sipped her cocktail—the first and only one of the evening—as her heart pounded. With every casual sweep of the room with her astute gaze, Fluttershy saw more and more things that made her uncomfortable. She saw ponies grinding against each other on the dance floor, ponies enthusiastically nuzzling each other, ponies kissing in ways that would have caused Fluttershy’s mother to scream and cover her adult daughter’s eyes. Why was she here? What had possessed her to venture into this den of depravity?
The answer was obvious: Rainbow Dash.
Fluttershy stood in her own otherwise empty corner of the room, drink balanced on her hoof. Why did Rainbow Dash have to invite her? Why not Discord? Discord would love this sort of thing. Pinkie Pie would as well, even if this was more intense than her usual parties.
But I’m a pegasus, Fluttershy thought.
She hadn’t realized it before, but she really was Rainbow’s DPF (Designated Pegasus Friend). As the only other pegasus of the group, Fluttershy was expected to accompany Rainbow—sometimes as her plus one—during any events that required a bit of flight. Twilight would do on short notice, but Fluttershy had the advantage—and in this case disadvantage—of having known Rainbow since fillyhood.
Why wasn’t I born an Earth pony? Fluttershy wondered.
Plowing a field or harvesting apples suddenly seemed more attractive than controlling weather.
Rainbow Dash appeared by Fluttershy’s side. She had clearly wasted no time getting completely shit-faced. The party had only taken off an hour ago and Rainbow was already unsteady on her hooves.
“What’s up, Fluts?” Rainbow said, slurring. “Some party, huh?”
Fluttershy watched as Soarin spun around in a circle and collapsed in a heap. A moment later, two pegasi Fluttershy did not know had collapsed on top of him.
“It’s a party,” was the best Fluttershy could answer.
Rainbow downed another drink in one gulp. She sighed happily, tossing the empty glass over her shoulder. Rainbow didn’t seem to hear the glass shattering against the wall behind her, even though the sound had made Fluttershy jump.
“You enjoying yourself, Shy?” Rainbow said, poking her. “Huh? Huh? You having fuuuunnn?”
Fluttershy sighed. So Rainbow was that level of drunk.
“I’d rather go home honestly,” Fluttershy said.
Rainbow looked shocked for a moment, then she burst out laughing.
“Home?” she said. “C’mon Shy, we can’t go home. The party don’t stop ‘till the birthday mare is asleep!”
Rainbow gestured towards Spitfire. Spitfire had climbed atop the refreshments table to dance. Given the look on her face, it seemed unlikely she was going to collapse anytime soon. Anypony who wanted to be home by midnight was out of luck.
Fluttershy moved slightly away from Rainbow. If she knew anything about Rainbow’s five levels of intoxication, she could expect Rainbow to start playing with her mane if she wasn’t out of reach.
“Lighten up,” Rainbow said. “You only live once, huh?”
Rainbow trotted away before Fluttershy could think up a retort.
Fluttershy sighed again. No matter how much she came out of her shell, she was just never going to like parties.
Maybe if I drink a little more? Fluttershy thought.
She braved another sip of her cocktail. To Fluttershy’s disappointment, she did not feel her confidence soar as her inhibitions fell away. She merely felt mildly sad that the bartender had given her such a pitying look when she ordered the least alcoholic beverage on the menu. Even a random stallion Fluttershy had only said all of three words to knew she didn’t belong at this party.
Fluttershy started to make her way across the room towards the bar. Perhaps she would have just one more. Maybe half of one? Could she get the bartender to halve it or something? Fluttershy was sure half of a cocktail would give her the buzz she needed to survive the night.
A few steps away from the bar, a mare stepped in Fluttershy’s way.
Fluttershy blushed.
“Sorry!” she said. “Am I in your way?”
The mare’s gaze was strangely penetrating. Fluttershy took a single step back as her heartbeat increased. Why was this mare—a stranger—staring at her in such a way? Why was she looking her up and down like that? Was there something in Fluttershy’s teeth?
A smile—wide and innocent—spread across the mare’s face. She had apparently seen something she liked.
“Nice mane,” she said.
Fluttershy was caught off guard by the compliment. Her hooves went to her mane. She half-expected to discover somepony had stuck a wad of gum in it.
“Thanks,” Fluttershy said nervously.
The mare shrugged.
“Compliments are free,” she said. “If only we could use them as currency, right?”
There was something vaguely unsettling about her voice. In fact, there was something vaguely unsettling about her in general, from her eyes to her smile. Fluttershy hadn’t met a lot of mares who kept their dark manes hoof-length.
“Um, I’d better find my friend,” Fluttershy said hastily.
She tried to move past the mare, but the mare once again moved to block her path.
“What’s the rush?” she said. “Is she dying or something?”
The mare tossed back her head and laughed as if she’d said some hilarious quip.
Fluttershy joined in with the laughter, although her nervousness was growing. Her gaze darted across the crowded room. Where had Rainbow Dash disappeared to?
“You like animals?” the mare said.
Fluttershy shifted her hooves uncertainly.
“Um, yes,” she said. “How did you know?”
The mare laughed again. The laugh was high-pitched and a little too enthusiastic given the situation.
“You look really nature-y,” the mare explained.
Fluttershy didn’t know what that meant, but she decided not to ask. She looked around, frantically searching for an escape route. The flanks of partying ponies seemed to be pressing in on them from all sides. Fluttershy could see no place to slip away and disappear.
“I love nature,” the mare said. “The trees, the grass, the flowers. It’s all so beautiful. It’s all so impermanent.”
Fluttershy did not particularly like the way the mare’s eyes lit up when she said “impermanent”.
“I bet you have a lot of animals at your house,” the mare said.
Fluttershy nodded with a forced smile.
“Oh, yes,” she said. “There’s Angel Bunny and Henry the Bear and Jasmine the Hedgehog...”
She trailed off as she realized that the mare did not seem to be listening. The mare’s eyes had moved from Fluttershy’s face to Fluttershy’s wings.
“You must be a strong flyer to keep up with all those exotic birds of yours, huh?” she said.
Fluttershy laughed.
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” she said. “My friend Rainbow Dash is a much stronger flyer than me.”
Fluttershy slightly backed away again. If she couldn’t find Rainbow Dash, surely Soarin, Spitfire, or Fleetfloot would rescue her. Unfortunately, they had all disappeared from sight at the exact moment Fluttershy would have given anything to see their intoxicated faces pop up in front of her. Where was Rainbow Dash drunkenly intervening to tell Fluttershy some inane fact?
“This place is pretty crowded, isn’t it?” the mare said. “Doesn’t it make you nervous?”
Fluttershy shook her head, although it was pretty clear she wasn’t telling the truth. She had started to sweat.
“No, I love parties,” she lied. “It’s my friend who doesn’t like them. I should really go find her.”
Fluttershy tried again to move past the mare, only to be blocked again.
“Nah, you want to get out of here, don’t you?” said the mare.
Her attempts at sounding and looking friendly only served to make Fluttershy more desperate to escape.
“I know somewhere we can go,” the mare went on. “Some place nopony will bother us.”
Fluttershy started to object. However, her objections were lost in the booming music and shouting from the drunk party-goers.
Fluttershy was dragged from the living room and through a door. The door did not—as Fluttershy had expected and somewhat hoped—lead outside. It instead led into a tiny bathroom only just big enough for two full-grown ponies.
The mare pulled the door shut behind the two of them. She was no longer smiling.
Fluttershy backed up as far as she could. Her flank hit the edge of the tub, causing her to utter a squeak of brief panic. With the door shut, the sounds from outside were muffled. Fluttershy felt as if she’d been imprisoned in a bubble. Fluttershy was not usually terrified of cramped spaces, but she was willing to make an exception.
“That’s better, right?” said the mare.
She flashed Fluttershy a reassuring smile that did not put Fluttershy at ease in the slightest.
“Not really,” Fluttershy said.
The mare laughed again. She took a step toward Fluttershy. The mare laughed again as Fluttershy uttered another squeak and pressed her backside against the bathtub.
“What, are you afraid of me?” the mare said.
The way she said it made Fluttershy feel as if she expected—and wanted—a “yes”.
“No,” Fluttershy said in a trembling voice.
The mare smirked.
“Yes, you are,” she said. “You’re terrified.”
She stepped forward again. The mare reached out a hoof and gently brushed Fluttershy’s face.
“Calm down, sweetheart,” she said. “I’m not gonna hurt you.”
Fluttershy offered a smile as if she believed the words, but she wouldn’t have fooled a newborn foal. She was rapidly going over her very limited options. Could she back into the tub and pull the shower curtain closed? No, that was silly. Could she shout for help? No, it was unlikely anypony would hear her with how loud the music had become.
“Can you guess what I do for a living?” asked the mare.
Fluttershy’s eyes darted from the toilet to the sink. Neither offered her a possible means of escape.
“You style manes?” Fluttershy guessed randomly.
The mare threw back her head and laughed again. This time she did little to contain that edge of craziness she’d been suppressing the last time. She leaned forward, looming over Fluttershy like a bat pony looming over its prey. The mare’s eyes seemed to burn a hole in Fluttershy’s mind.
“Nope,” the mare said finally. “I sell pegasus wings.”
The mare’s eyes went to Fluttershy’s folded wings, her expression turning to one of hunger.
“I’m sure some unicorn would love to get their hooves on these beauties,” she said. “You know, pegasus wings are in high demand.”
The mare backed up slightly. She was looking Fluttershy up and down again, but this time in a more appraising fashion.
Fluttershy took a deep breath. Her thoughts were coming faster and faster as she fully assessed the situation she was in.
The mare took another step towards Fluttershy.
“So, you gonna let me have those wings?” she asked.
Rainbow Dash nudged Soarin’s side. He rolled over onto his back to stare up at her, a vague smile on his face.
“Have you seen Shy?” Rainbow asked.
Although Rainbow didn’t want the party to stop, the liquor was starting to wear off and the first signs of a headache were creeping in. The next morning was going to be an absolute trip through Tartarus.
Soarin stretched out on the floor, front hooves behind his back.
“I think I saw her with some mare,” he said. “They went into the bathroom or something.”
Rainbow raised a quizzical eyebrow. The bathroom? What business would Fluttershy of all ponies have in the bathroom with some random mare? Then again, Rainbow had always thought Fluttershy was just waiting to unleash her naughty side. What better place than a party full of anonymous ponies looking for a good time?
However, a minute later it occurred to Rainbow how silly she was being. Fluttershy? Precious, innocent Fluttershy going into the bathroom with some random pony for lewd dealings? Whatever was going on in that bathroom, Rainbow Dash had a gut feeling it wasn't good.
Rainbow was only three steps towards the bathroom when the commotion started. She paused, her heart pounding. She could hear scuffling, yelling, and perhaps the sounds of bones cracking. Rainbow had the impression something—or somepony—had hit the bathroom door with great force. Fluttershy?!
“Get your filthy hooves off of her!” Rainbow screamed.
Rainbow spread her wings. She launched herself towards the door, her mind clouding with rage at the thought of Fluttershy being battered.
The bathroom door crashed open dumping two mares onto the floor. One was shouting gibberish and the other was screaming.
“Let go of her!” Rainbow shouted.
She stopped herself just short of giving Fluttershy’s assailant a good smack right in the muzzle. Rainbow stared. Her wings folded themselves as she regarded what was before her. The scene quickly rearranged itself in her puzzled mind to form a completely different picture.
Fluttershy was standing on top of a mare with a coat the color of milk and a long dark mane. She had one of the mare’s front legs behind the mare’s back. A trickle of blood dripped from the end of the mare’s muzzle, although Fluttershy herself was untouched. Fluttershy’s gibberish slowly became recognizable as words being repeated over and over again.
“I’m sorry!” Fluttershy kept saying. “I’m so sorry! I’m sorry! Oh dear!"
She hadn't meant to do any of that. It had just kind of happened.
As expected, the party died right about there. The police were called and Fluttershy had to give an explanation as to what had happened. Fortunately, even though there were no witnesses to corroborate Fluttershy’s story, her status as a hero in Equestria was more than enough evidence. In addition, it was discovered that the mysterious mare—learned to be named “Smoky Moon”--was a member of a local crime syndicate dedicated to obtaining and selling illegal potion ingredients.
Rainbow and Fluttershy were the last to leave after the police. Spitfire was surprisingly nonplussed about the abrupt end to her party, even after Fluttershy and Rainbow explained. Apparently she was used to this kind of stuff. It was par for the course at Wonderbolt birthday parties.
As Rainbow and Fluttershy flew home—Rainbow insisted on dropping Fluttershy off at her house even though she assured her it was fine—Rainbow thought it was time to break the silence.
“I’m so sorry, Shy,” Rainbow said. “I shouldn’t have made you come.”
Fluttershy couldn't believe what she had done. This was the first time she had physically attacked another pony. What in Equestria had possessed her to do such a thing? Despite the circumstances, Fluttershy regretted it. She wasn't sure what had gotten into her.
I was thinking about Angel Bunny, she realized.
It wasn't just Angel Bunny. In the moment Fluttershy raised her hoof, she'd been thinking about all of her animals. She was thinking about how they'd feel if she were to disappear. How would anypony except her communicate to them what had happened? What about her friends, grief-stricken over her meeting such an abrupt end after all they'd faced? These thoughts were all the adrenaline she needed.
Rainbow Dash shook her head in amazement.
“Gee, there sure are some crazy ponies out there,” she said. “I’m sticking by your side next time, okay?”
Fluttershy stared straight ahead.
“You don’t always have to protect me,” she said curtly.
Rainbow didn’t know what to say to that. Fluttershy had never questioned this aspect of their relationship before. It seemed such a foregone conclusion: Fluttershy was the damsel, Rainbow was the hero. It wasn’t the best kind of relationship, but Rainbow had seen it that way since foalhood.
“It’s what friends are for,” Rainbow said. “Why would you want that to change?”
Rainbow realized the answer a second after asking the question. This aspect of their friendship had changed a long time ago. One moment Fluttershy was a terrified filly being confronted by bullies, the next she was a full grown mare facing an evil changeling queen without the slightest hint of cowardice. At some point during their adventures, Fluttershy had matured in ways Rainbow couldn’t have imagined. Of course today’s Fluttershy could handle a creepy mare if she absolutely had to. Smoky Moon was nothing compared to the horrors they’d faced.
“I guess that’s not true nowadays,” Rainbow said with a smile. “Now that you’re all grown up and everything.”
Fluttershy surprised Rainbow by turning and giving her a midair hug. She still felt guilty over what she had done, but she was steadily putting it behind her.
“Silly Rainbow,” Fluttershy said. “You can still protect me, but you need to understand that I don’t always need you looking out for me. I can take care of myself.”
Fluttershy’s grip tightened, squeezing the air out of Rainbow Dash.
“No matter what, we’re still friends,” Fluttershy said reassuringly.
She finally released Rainbow.
It was a few moments before Rainbow could get her breath back and start flying again. She allowed Fluttershy to get a slight headstart as they started off.
It was close to midnight. Fluttershy predicted Rainbow staying over at her cottage that night. She didn’t mind. As long as Fluttershy was able to sleep off this long night—and that one drink—she was up for anything.
Rainbow Dash was glad it was dark. Otherwise Fluttershy might have seen the happy tears in her eyes.
