"You really goin' through with this?" asked Rainbow for the sixth time that day. She laid on a single cloud, although it floated not far off the ground.

Fluttershy on the other hoof decided to keep closer to the ground as she laid on the grass, looking up to her still in disbelief friend. "My parents had already found a dorm for me and everything down here. Sure it won't be as livid as staying with them but I promised to visit. It's for my own good as well, I don't want to risk falling from the sky.....or losing balance and fall from the edge of the clouds as I struggle to flap my wings, crying helplessly as I watch myself...." she didn't finish what she had said as she buried her face in her own hooves, accidentally scaring herself. "....n-no, I can't....."

Rainbow merely rolled her eyes. "I'll be there to catch you if you do, I told you this before."

"I don't expect you to be on the lookout for my safety all the time," Fluttershy explained.

"So you're gonna live an earthpony life as a pegasus? Shy, you'll learn to fly. You're not a pegasus if you can't," said Rainbow. Seeing Fluttershy's head drooped however, she continued on with a different approach. "You probably just need some time to adapt to your wings. Trust me, once your wings blossom you'll be soaring through the air in no time!"

"Blossom....you do know I'm a year older than you."

"So what? I probably just blossomed early," said Rainbow in a matter-o-factly tone.

Fluttershy however slumped even more down, her hair beginning to cover her face as she let out a huge sigh. "....what if I'll never learn to fly?"

"Whaaaat?" exclaimed Rainbow as she jumped up from her position and looked down at Fluttershy from the edge of her cloud. "No pegasus can't fly!"

"Well maybe I'm not meant to be a pegasus!" she exclaimed back as she felt her eyes welt up. "I-it's just....you make it look so easy.....almost all of our schoolmates can fly, heck- even Zephyr can fly by now! I just.....just...." she lowered her head back down. "....what if I never learn how to fly...." she started to whimper.

Rainbow looked down at her friend, who looked pathetic whimpering on the ground that way. However, she stomped, fluffing her cloud as she called for the timid pegasus's attention. "You can! And you will!" she flew off her cloud, and directly in front of Fluttershy, where she lifted her head up from her scalp. "Fluttershy, you know how I've always wanted to be a Wonderbolt?" she asked as she decided to take a seat beside her whimpering friend, who quieted down as she looked up to Dash. Shy nodded. "Well, you know how it's really hard to get into it?" she asked again. Shy nodded once more, although this time giving it much thought. "Well, I haven't given up on my dreams yet! Sure, I'm fast but I lack poise! That's what I remember from those history lessons about Commander Easyglider. And you know how my poise is," said Rainbow matter-of-factly. But, she lowered her head a little as she looked back to Shy. "Which reminds me to ask you- what does poise mean again?"

Shy rolled her eyes.

"B-but that's not the point, anyway! Point is....." Rainbow took a breath before continuing, thinking deeply about what she wanted to say. ".....I haven't given up. And won't. No matter how hard they say it is to be. No matter what I'll have to do to be one. No matter if I gotta walk through a field of bear traps to get the role! I will be a Wonderbolt sooner or later!" Shy raised her brow, and mummured. "What was that?" she asked, having trouble hearing her meek friend's words.

"...I said what does this have to do with anything?" Shy asked. Rainbow thought for awhile.

"Well it's.....uh......I forgot what I was gonna say," she finally said, and sighed disappointedly. "And I remembered I had a good speech to say as well," she shook her head. "But, whatever I'll say it in a different way. Just, don't give up, y'know. Dad once told me that goals in life are just obstacles that helps us to keep on living. If you know you have a dream, pursue it. You only live once, best to make the most of it," she said, smiling slightly at the memory of her father's words. "I know I'll make my parents proud if I do succeed in my dream. Won't flying make your parents proud?"

Fluttershy thought for awhile. "....my parents say they'll love me no matter if I can fly or not."

"Well then they'll definitely love you more once you surprise them with your flying abilities," stated Rainbow. She offered Shy a smile again. "Shy, I believe you can fly. It just takes time, and practice. And I'll even help you practice!" she said in excitement.

Shy giggled a little, funny seeing her friend get all excited with helping her achieve her dream. "Hmm. Okay, okay, I won't give up. But....." she looked down at the grassy ground below her. "I'll still prefer to stay down here. And school down here for the time being. You won't forget me, right?"

"Pfft, as if I could, we live in the same town. And, okay then. Guess I'll just have to visit you at times myself," she said, Shy giggling. "Also, Shy, don't think that I could ever forget you. Why would I forget a friend?"

Shy felt her heart go light at that statement. Friend. "You're too sweet."

"Uh, you mean awesomely cool, right?" Dash replied, coughing at the mere mention of her being sweet. Sky giggled again. "Also, if you never learn to fly I could trade you my wings for a change," she said. Weirdly enough, her hooves extended back to her wings and as if she were a toy, plucked the pair out. She handed it over to Shy, who looked at her friend in surprise.

"R-really?" she asked in surprise.

"Yeah, really. You can have it. I'll make you speedy and I'm sure you'll feel more confident with these on," she said, waving it in Shy's face as she wanted her to finally accept it. It didn't take long too, as Fluttershy quickly took her wings off and swapped it with Dash's. Shy snapped Dash's wing on her back, and like magic she felt herself able to flap them much easier than hers.

"W-wow! This is amazing!"

"Sure is, they're my wings!" said Rainbow proudly. "Oh, and do remember me when you fly with them. Come, have a speed test," said Rainbow, and she immediately took off, although rather slower than she usually was. Fluttershy didn't hesitate to follow from behind, however, going much faster than Rainbow, speeding through the air.

She felt so happy, the breeze hitting her face like wild, her wings feeling so free and not at all hard to control, the colour of her tail leaving a trail from how fast she went, much like Rainbow used to.

She felt so high, so free, so confident in herself. For once, she could fly. For once, she could experience what being a pegasus really is. For once, she.....she....

She felt something curl around her hind hooves, and attempting to hold her in place. All of a sudden, she was held to a complete stop, her hind hooves captured. She turned back in surprise, and was met with black spiked vines protruding from....a void. The spiral of purple weirdness emitted an off vibe to it. Growing scared, she began yelping for Rainbow. What's happening?

"R-Rainbow! H-help me! Please!" she said, struggling to kick her hind hooves free from the vines' grasp as she felt her tears welt up from the overwhelming fear swallowing her heart.

And fortunately, she could see the strands of the ends of Rainbow's tail hanging low in front of her very eyes. However.... "What's the matter, Shy?"

That voice. It wasn't Rainbow.

She looked up in surprise of the change of voice, to be met with the face of......the draconequus instead. "Forgot me?"

Her eyes jolted open as she awoke startled. Her body felt sticky from sweat. That dream....that dream....

It was only a dream.

She...sighed in relief. Her face felt wet, most probably drenched from her tears. The dream....it took a weird turn at the end. A nightmarish turn.

....a....nightmare.....

Discord. She shuddered suddenly. She felt herself feeling very uneasy. She realised in her dream, he looked so familiar at first yet so vague. She knew who he was, and it was probably her dream that caused her to feel scared of him.

He....he....

"....Fluttershy, are you alright?" asked Rarity, who yawned as she woke up from her slumbers as well from hearing the hyperventilation of the timid mare. "Another nightmare?" she turned to face Fluttershy who slept beside her.

They laid on the unaffected part of the floors of the cottage. They arrived back a few hours ago and after scavenging through the broken down cottage hoping anything good was left in the midst of ashes but finding nothing, they defeatedly decided to take rest in the least affected part of the cottage, with only a half burned curtain to keep them warm.

They were lucky that some weather pegasi were nice enough to water down the fire for them, as been thought with the bundle of clouds floating above the cottage, dry as haze. The roof of the cottage was unlucky however as the fire had created a large gap in the middle of it. However, a broken shelter is better than no shelter for now. She also hoped her birds were okay as there used to be more than just two bird houses up there.....

"N-nothing, just a nightmare is all," she explained casually, although her shaky tone showed more insight of what had jolted her awake.

"Mind sharing?" asked Rarity. Fluttershy gulped. But decided to turn her back away and faced Rarity instead.

".....uhm....it was just a dream about Rainbow lending me her wings so I could feel confident. Then something happened and....yeah.....it-it didn't turn out well." She left the last part out, not wanting Rarity to question her about it.

"Oh. You miss her, don't you?" asked Rarity. Fluttershy simply nodded. Rarity smiled. "Well, think of it this way then. They're probably watching over us up there in the heavens."

"Why would you think that? Won't they have anything else to do besides watching us?" she asked. Rarity laughed a little.

"Think of it, dear. We escaped your cottage unharmed. And half of your cottage was swallowed in the fire. Gods forbid this thing collapses on us while we're still under here. But it hasn't yet. Maybe they're watching over us, making sure we're safe."

Fluttershy thought for awhile, sniffling from her previous of tears. "Won't they have others to watch over? Like Pinkie with her family and Rainbow with...with her parents?"

"Well, they could possibly watch over all of us at once. The Gods work in mysterious ways. Maybe they were given the ability to watch us all from up there. Maybe the Gods are helping to watch over us as well." Fluttershy thought again, as Rarity gave out another yawn. "...well, enough about that, I'm still quite sleepy. We'll continue in the morning, if you don't mind."

"Oh, okay. Goodnight, Rarity. Sorry for waking you up...."

"Don't sweat it, dear. You get a good night's rest as well," she said, before turning herself back into her sleeping position.

"W-wait," Fluttershy suddenly called out. "...uhm...." she stammered. "....I'll do whatever it takes t-to get us to Canterlot, I won't let you live like this for long, just so you know."

Rarity didn't reply the first few seconds. "........we'll talk about this tomorrow. Goodnight, now," was all she said before succumbing to sleep.

Fluttershy merely nodded to herself, and laid back into her position once more.

....she will do all that it takes. Even if it kills her, she wouldn't want Rarity to suffer anymore than she has.

Author's Note

im so disappointed that nothing meta happened in the raid smh whErE wAs tHe gOrE wE WeRe pRoMiSed?????