On The Wings of Love

Chapters

A fluttering heart
No sleep and a pink mind-reader
Generosity and a frightening prospect
Sweet Relief
You bet your apples!
Friendship is strong stuff sugarcube
A pink and purple bomb in the library
A story of revelations
Dreams of her own accord
How to proceed from here
When the walls come crashing in
What is love?
A few drunken confessions
The ghosts of her past Pt. 1
The ghosts of her past Pt. 2
A moment's sweet peace
Into the open air
Calm before the storm
Update and apologies

A fluttering heart

As she walked along the shore of the stream with Dash, A warm glow filled Fluttershy's heart. They had just had an amazing dinner with their friends; everypony had been laughing and having a good time, eating, drinking, joking around and sharing stories of their fillyhood. Then as the evening had wound down, most everypony had gone their respective ways except for herself and Rainbow Dash. The night had been ALMOST perfect thus far. “Only one thing could make this night any better.” She thought to herself. Suddenly, Dash stopped talking to face Fluttershy.

“Hey, Fluttershy... I have something that I need to tell you.” Dash said haltingly, clearly nervous.

“Yes Dash?” Fluttershy said in an excited, yet hushed whisper... Almost as if she knew what the beautiful cyan Pegasus before her was going to say.

Dash visibly steeled herself and spoke. "I Love You Fluttershy! More than ANYPONY should love anypony else!”

Fluttershy couldn't believe what was happening! Rainbow Dash, The ONLY pony she loved, had just confessed her feelings... FOR FLUTTERSHY!! So many thoughts rushed through her mind, telling her to kiss the rainbow-maned mare before her, to hug her close and confess her love as well, to finally be Rainbow Dashes mare! As she started to move towards Dash however, the moment was shattered as the crow of a rooster outside her window awoke her from her all-too-fantastic dream with a suddenness that made her squeak and jump out of bed with a rather violent start. Hearing the sound again, she looked to the window across from her bed to see a rather large rooster sitting on the window-sill, a blank expression on its face. Looking behind him, Fluttershy saw the first vestiges of sunlight peaking over the horizon.

Regaining her composure, Fluttershy turned towards the offending foul and softly said:

“Oh you startled me Mr. Rooster. Thank you for waking me though.”

And with a resigned sigh, she moved to begin her morning routine of feeding all of the creatures who lived with her in her small cottage at the edge of the ever-free forest. Scarcely had she started to walk towards the kitchen to get the birdseed when a carrot sharply struck the back of her head.

Turning around, she was greeted by the sight of a small white bunny with a questioning, albeit sleepy, glare on his face, crossing his front paws as Fluttershy cordially addressed him.

“What is it Angel Bunny?” She said cheerfully despite having been pegged with a carrot only seconds before.

The bunny wordlessly pointed to Fluttershy before folding his hands together, feigning sleep, then jumped up, arms flailing and bug-eyed, mimicking Fluttershy's reaction to her sudden awakening. As Angel finished his charade and returned to his previous spot, he looked at Fluttershy with an annoyed expression. As if saying “What gives?!”

“Sorry angel, it was...” Fluttershy paused for a moment before continuing, “Just a dream. A wonderful... wonderful dream.”
At this, Angel cocked an eyebrow at the yellow Pegasus before pointing behind her with a look that blatantly said; “I can see that.”

Fluttershy looked behind her to see that her wings were fully erect. Apparently, her dreaming had left her body fairly... aroused. Her cheeks turned a bright shade of red as she blushed, thoroughly embarrassed despite the fact that the only one who could see her was Angel.

“It's nothing! Just morning wings!” she lied to Angel, trying to make the situation a little less awkward for her.

Though obviously not convinced, Angel just rolled his eyes before pointing to his mouth, indicating that he was hungry. As he turned around and hopped into the living room, Fluttershy took some deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She felt her wings slowly start to relax and started her morning routine. Feeding all of her 'guests' and tending to those who were injured.

After her routine was finished, Fluttershy went into the kitchen to make herself something to eat. She had been able to feed everybody in about 30 minutes. Not bad considering how many guests she had in her little cottage at any time. Pouring herself a small bowl of Alfalfa and pulling a few apples out of the cabinets, Fluttershy ate a modest, healthy breakfast as she thought about what she needed to do today.

How hard could that be right?

Somehow though, her thoughts wound up right back where they had been before. On Rainbow Dash. She let out a soft sigh just as another airborne carrot made its way over the counter to smack into her head.

“Ow!” Fluttershy exclaimed as the carrot hit her none-too-softly.

Angel was hopping over the counter right as she looked up from the offending vegetable, the look on his face saying it all.

Ok, spill... What's on your mind?

Fluttershy sighed again. Obviously, angel wasn't planning on letting her off the hook without some answers.

“I just don't know Angel-Bunny...” Fluttershy said in a dejected manner,

“All I want, all I've been dreaming about... It's Rainbow Dash!!”

The small bunny gave her a questioning look.

“I know, she and I are total opposites... but I love her Angel, I have since we where fillies! I just don't know how to tell her that.” Fluttershy answered his look. The small bunny never actually said anything... but he spoke volumes to Fluttershy. He may be blunt with his attitude, sometimes borderline abusive with his carrot-throwing... but at the end of the day, he was still her friend. Fluttershy appreciated that, even though her friends didn't see how she put up with the rambunctious rabbit at times.

Angel could have already guessed that Rainbow Dash was the cause of this though. Ever since Dash had done her Sonic Rainboom (saving that melodramatic white unicorn friend of Fluttershy's and a few other feather-brained pegasi no less) at the Best Young Fliers Competition, he would, at times... awaken to quiet moaning reverberating through the house. The first time he'd heard Dash's name moaned, he had the whole thing figured out.. Fluttershy was hot for Dash. VERY. VERY. HOT.

Giving the butter-colored Pegasus a slightly empathetic look, he hopped over and patted her head, which was resting on the table after her confession.

“Thanks Angel” Fluttershy said, her voice barely a whisper.

“It's just difficult, ya know?” She was CLEARLY exasperated about her feelings for the cyan pegasus.

“Plus” She continued with her worrying

“I'm not sure how my friends would react if they found out I was a... Fillyfooler.”

Her last word burned like fire as she said it. She knew the views that some still had on fillyfoolers and coltcuddlers alike. She had even heard stories about some who had been “exiled' from their homes, forced to flee to the major cities of Equestria as their own neighbors turned against them. Being shown malice and violence from ponies they had once called “friend,” and “confidante.”

How could she make sure she wouldn't lose her friends because of this?

Her head now swam in a sea of confusion as she contemplated the worst scenario's.. The Elements of Harmony falling apart. Their bond of friendship... shattered... by HER actions.

She was on the verge of crying when she had an epiphany!

“I'll ask Rarity!!” She all but shouted, sending a startled Angel flying as her head snapped up and her hooves hit the table top.

Rarity was without a doubt, the most “Cosmopolitan” pony that Fluttershy knew! She practically lived and breathed the attitude and ideals of ponies that lived in such places as Fillydelphia, Manehattan, and Canterlot. She would be the BEST place to start among her friends! She would likely have the most open mind about it!

Uncharacteristically jumping over the counter, Fluttershy sped out the door and took wing; Leaving a thoroughly confused and frazzled Angel Bunny in her wake. Sometimes, he didn't understand the normally timid and gentle Pegasus he lived with. Dusting himself off, he hopped down from the table top, heading to his hutch to finish his breakfast.

No sleep and a pink mind-reader

Rainbow Dash groaned as the sun peaked through the “windows” of her cloud house, though they where no more than holes in the wall, they still let the unwelcome sunlight in to tell Dash a new day had started.

The unfortunate thing being, it hadn't woken her up.

She hadn't slept.

At all.

“BUCKING HAY!!!” she cursed rather loudly to herself.

She hadn't had a full night's sleep in over a week!!!

She'd been working full shifts on the weather team all week, sometimes pulling a double when other members wouldn't show for their shifts! Yet, she couldn't for the life of her get a solid night's sleep!!!

What made matters worse is that she knew WHEN it had started, but no idea as to WHY.

It had picked up right after the day she did a sonic rainboom to save Rarity and The Wonderbolts from certain death at the Best Young Flier Competition.

The weird thing was... Dash was used to the “Binge-and-Crash” lifestyle that on-the-edge fliers like her where famous for.

A simple look around her house confirmed that. Energy drinks, junk food wrappers and more than a few empty alcohol bottles littered the floor of her house. She could EASILY drink full-grown stallions under the table!!! Even Applejack had difficulty keeping up with Rainbow Dash when drinking shot for shot!! (even though she'd never admit it)

Despite that fact, Rainbow Dash was suffering big-time due to sleep deprivation. She had almost flown headlong into Twilight's tree the other day on her way home from work, her brain just barely snapping out of its near-comatose state in time for Dash to dodge!

Cloudchaser, a fellow weather-pony, had talked to their boss, noting the state that Dash was in, and gotten her a full week off from work on the weather team.

“I better not see you back here until you can fly a straight line with your eyes closed!” she remembered her boss telling her as he sent her home last night. He knew just as well as Cloudchaser that Dash was “off,” and didn't want to risk her getting injured on account of her insomniatic state. Problem was he had let it slide for this long because he didn't want to have the weather team missing its strongest member.

“I owe Cloudchaser for that one.” Dash thought drearily as she stumbled across her room. Still half-asleep, heading towards the kitchen so as to make herself some breakfast. Even though she only intended to nap most of the day, she still needed food. Her rumbling stomach confirmed that as she stirred.

“Ugh...” she moaned in response to her stomach's complaining

An Athlete's metabolism...

She opened the cabinets, only to find half a box of oats and a bottle of honey.

Not much, but it would have to do.

She sat down on the couch in the living room, eating straight from the box and occasionally pouring some honey straight into her mouth to help sweeten the half-stale oats. She wasn't going to get a gourmet breakfast today.

“Heh, Pinkie Pie would probably feed me until I couldn't even walk out the door!” Dash absentmindedly said to herself as she ate. Her eyes suddenly brightening up at the idea.

“YEA!! I'll go to Sugarcube Corner and get some REAL breakfast! She said to nopony in particular as she grabbed a bag of bits and burst from the door of her cloud-house. Free-falling until the last possible second, Dash fanned her wings out and leveled out, heading towards sugarcube corner at blistering speed.

**26 seconds later, at Sugarcube Corner...

Pinkie Pie suddenly had her “pinkie-senses” kick in. Her tail twitched as she was setting down a pan full of blueberry muffins on the counter. That meant something was about to fall out of the sky! She was barely able to duck before Rainbow Dash zoomed in through the open kitchen window, face-planting into the granite counter-top next to the muffins.

“Hey Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie said, completely un-phased by Dash's sudden, violent entry into Sugarcube Corner. “It's a bit early for you isn't it?” gesturing to the clock on the wall, a questioning look crossing her features.

Dash looked up at the clock... it was a quarter after six. The sun was just BARELY above the horizon!

“Uuugh!” Rainbow Dash groaned, growing more disgruntled as the time became evident.

Note to self, fill in the east-facing windows of my house!

“Hey Pinkie, I know its early but cou-” Dash started

“SURE!! Have some of those blueberry muffins you're laying next to!! They're totally Delish!!” Pinkie blurted out, not giving Dash the chance to finish what she was saying.

“But how di-”

“Easy, anypony with eyes could see you've been “running on empty” for the past few days Dashy!” the pink earth pony explained, again, not even giving Dash the time to finish her sentence.

Sometimes, Rainbow Dash seriously questioned whether pinkie cou-

“No I can't read minds, silly! Now eat up! You must be starving!”

Dash just looked at her with a disbelieving stare. She hadn't said a word.

Shaking her head incredulously, she looked to her left to see and suddenly smell the WONDERFUL blueberry muffins Pinkie had made.

“Thanks Pinks!” Dash said enthusiastically before practically throwing herself onto the muffins before her. They where absolutely, positively, PERFECT!!!

As Dash unceremoniously devoured every muffin, Pinkie Pie slid a bottle of milk down the counter. Dash looked up right as it came to a stop, just shy of her nose. She had been about to ask the pink earth pony if she had something to drink.

“I swear to Celestia, she can read minds!” Dash muttered to herself as she opened the bottle and watched her friend walk to the store front before starting to chug the bottles contents.

It was at this point that Dash realized just how hungry she was! Going back over the last few days in her head revealed that she hadn't had a solid meal in two days!! Up until now, she had literally been running off nothing but Minotaur-Madness energy drinks!

“I don't know how you drink these Dash!!” She remembered Twilight saying to her one time.
“You know these things can kill you right?! They have enough stimulants in them to make your heart explode!” She had continued.

“I dunno, just like the jolt I guess.” Dash had replied.

Her mind snapped back to the present as Pinkie walked back into the kitchen, a pair of warm Bear Claws in hoof.

“Thought you might want one of these to finish off breakfast!” Pinkie said as bouncy as ever.

“Thanks Pinkie.” Dash said before accepting the sweet treat and stuffing her face with it.

“No Problem Dashy!” Pinkie quipped enthusiastically before continuing; “You'll need the energy! My Pinkie-Senses are telling me something BIG is going to happen soon!”

At this, Dash froze. When Pinkie Pie's Pinkie-senses flared up, you heeded the warning! Twilight had found that out the hard way, Dash didn't need to!

“Say what?!” Dash said after swallowing the last bite of warm bear claw.

“Yup!!” Pinkie explained as she bounced up and down in front of Dash in her usual manner.

“Who knows, it may just involve you!” Pinkie added, pointing at Dash, stifling a giggle.

“Heh, yea right...” Dash said nervously, between Pinkie's pinkie-senses and her uncanny ability to get in just about everypony's head; even her jokes seemed prophetic at times.

“Maybe you'll FINALLY get some sleep?” Pinkie said, attempting to be helpful.

“Ugh, that would be GREAT!” Dash sighed, exasperated.

Dear Luna, if I could only get some sleep!!

“Well maybe you just have too much on your mind?” Pinkie said in a rare moment of seriousness.

“Sometimes, I'll have something on my mind and won't be able to sleep. Ooh! And sometimes I don't even know what that something is until I figure it out.” She said, returning to her usual bouncy, nonsensical self.

Dash looked at her blankly, half of what Pinkie had just said made absolutely no sense to her.

“Sooo, your saying I should see if something is on my mind, even though I don't know its on my mind?”

“EXACTLY!!!!”

Dash facehoofed lightly, Pinkie was bar-none the craziest pony she had EVER known. Maybe Twilight could help her make sense of everything? She was rational most of the time.

Feeling better from having actually eating breakfast, Dash walked towards the door; saying her thanks for the muffins.

“Thanks Pinkie, there's a bag of bits on the cou-” SMACK!! The bag of bits hit her soundly on the flank. Whirling in surprise, she saw a dismissive Pinkie Pie heading back towards the kitchen.

“Nope, those where on the house Dashy. Now get going to Twilight's like you where planning!”

Again, shaking her head incredulously, Dash picked up the bag of bits and started at a trot towards Twilight's tree.

Generosity and a frightening prospect

Fluttershy was trotting up to the door of the Carousel Boutique as the sun made it all the way above the horizon. It hadn't been but a few seconds after she had sprint out her door and taken flight that she looked down and realized she was flying A LOT faster than she was used to. At this realization, her wings plastered to her sides and she landed on her feet. She had fallen all of about a foot and a half and let out a surprised squeak as she hit the ground. Bringing her breathing and heart rate back to normal with some deep breaths, she again started heading towards Rarity's boutique on foot.

Reaching up and knocking on the front door, Fluttershy poked her head in and quietly asked;

“Is anypony home?

“Oh Fluttershy!! It's okay darling, please come in!” She heard Rarity shout from the kitchen. How she had heard the soft-spoken pegasus, even Fluttershy didn't know.

Walking in slowly, Fluttershy started to lose her resolve as she walked towards the doorway of the kitchen. What if Rarity didn't accept her? She knew nobody would then! What if...

“Good morning Fluttershy, what brings you around this early?”

“Well, I... uh... that is to say... I need some advice.” Fluttershy said quietly.

“Advice? On what darling?” Rarity inquired, turning her full attention to her friend. Being the Element of Generosity, Rarity had no problems helping with such things.

“Well, you see...” Fluttershy started, a bit louder... emboldened by Rarity's genuine inquiry.

“I have a... cousin...”

She lied

“Who just told me that she's a...”

Fluttershy froze... even though she was lying about who the advice was for, she felt like she was about to tell Rarity she was a fillyfooler.

“A what Fluttershy?” Rarity asked, still showing a genuine, if not now slightly worried interest in what her Pegasus friend had to say.

“Well, she's a... She came out to me as a fillyfooler!” She suddenly blurted out.

“And I don't know what to do!” she said, panic rising in her voice before quickly adding “I'm not sure on what advice to give her so I thought I'd come and ask you for some advice to give her since you're the most understanding pony I know and you basically live and breathe the social ideas of places like Canterlot and Manehattan so you're the first on who I thought of to ask for advice!!”

As Fluttershy caught her breath, Rarity was visibly taken aback at Fluttershy's sudden outburst. Staring blankly, Rarity said...

“So she's a fillyfooler. Nothing wrong with that darling.”

It was Fluttershy's turn to be dumbstruck. The nightmare scenario she had been imagining before started melting away.

“Really, you think so Rarity?”

“Oh, I know so!” Rarity said matter-of-factly.

“Why, my own Aunt Rose is a fillyfooler! Couldn't be happier for her too!”

At this, Fluttershy was shocked yet... excited. Almost elated, She posed a question to the Purple-maned unicorn.

“So if one of your friends was a fillyfooler, you wouldn't mind?”

“Not at all! In fact, I would help them as much as I could! Oh, I know some ponies think it's 'not right' or 'unnatural' “ she said making air quotes with her hooves as she continued; “but in my humble opinion, Love is Love and it is a beautiful thing that should not be judged based on the gender of ones partner.” She said, slightly over-dramatic, as one could almost always expect from the sometimes over-the-top diva what was Rarity.

Fluttershy couldn't contain herself anymore! She steeled herself and came out with it.

“Well, one of your friends IS a fillyfooler... It's me.” She said, a note of determination in her voice, almost like she'd had after Iron Will's “seminar”...

Minus the overly aggressive and violent tendencies of course.

She almost instantly regretted that decision as Rarity's eyes got as big as saucers and the cup of tea from which she had just picked up crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces. The expression on her face was one of pure shock. Upon seeing this, Fluttershy broke down and started softly crying into her hooves.

“I knew it! You hate me! You probably don't want to see me again! You probably-”

Her outburst was cut short as she felt Rarity hug her. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know if she'd be able to say anything anyway if she DID know what to say.

“Darling, I could NEVER hate you.” Rarity said soothingly, holding Fluttershy close as she started sobbing softly again.

“If you like mares, I see nothing wrong with that. Just follow your heart dear.”

Fluttershy stopped crying and looked into Rarity's eyes.

“You really mean it Rarity?”

“One Hundred Percent darling.” She confirmed, Smiling at the butter-yellow pegasi.

“Now...” She continued

“Who's the lucky mare?” She said, smiling slightly at Fluttershy as she inquired as to who had stolen her friends heart.

“Well... it's... Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy whispered, barely audible.

“I'm sorry love, but I didn't catch that at all... who was it again?” the white unicorn inquired.

Sighing softly and regaining her composure, Fluttershy spoke up;

“It's Rainbow Dash.”

Rarity seemed more shocked at WHO she liked than the fact that she was a fillyfooler.

Cocking an eyebrow at Fluttershy, she said;

“Rainbow Dash? If you'll pardon my bluntness dear, but what in the world could you be attracted to in that reckless, uncouth, blatantly crass, and garish pegasus?”

At this, Fluttershy told Rarity EXACTLY why she was attracted to Dash. Her tone portraying a defensive nature that Fluttershy did not often show.

“Because, she's strong, funny, caring, loyal, amazing and she makes me laugh! Honestly, she's the main reason I found my life here in Ponyville! I owe so much to her and I love her for it!”

Fluttershy wasn't done yet though. Tears started to well up in her eyes again as she continued.

“When we where just fillies in flight school, she stood up for me when I got picked on by everypony. She was the ONLY ONE Rarity!” Fluttershy emphasized on how protective Rainbow Dash had been of her. In more than one way, it was touching to Rarity. As the element of generosity, Rarity knew how much a simple selfless gesture could mean to somepony and Fluttershy's recount of her fillyhood memories only reinforced that fact. They all owed Rainbow, as it was her first Sonic Rainboom that gave them each the spark of inspiration that granted them their cutie marks. Fluttershy however, owed her even more than that.

“You know what that tells me dear?” Rarity asked Fluttershy softly.

“What?”

“That you DO love Rainbow Dash.” Rarity Smiled, the tenderness in her voice giving away the soft spot that Fluttershy had just hit.

Fluttershy smiled up at Rarity, her tears now turning happy as they streamed down her face. She hugged the white unicorn, silently thankful that she now had a friend that knew. Suddenly, Fluttershy stiffened... a terrifying thought coming to the forefront of her mind.

“Rarity??” Fluttershy breathed, wide-eyed.

“Yes darling?” Rarity said, worried by her friends sudden change in demeanor.

“What if Rainbow Dash isn't a fillyfooler?!”

Sweet Relief

Dash knocked on the door of Twilight's tree. Even if it was early for most other ponies, you could bet your left hoof that Twilight Sparkle was awake.

"It's open." Came a reply from inside.

Pushing the door open, Rainbow was greeted by the purple unicorn.

"Rainbow Dash? What in the name of Celestia are you doing up this early? You look exhausted!"

Dash sighed, even Twilight could see how tired she was.

"Well, I couldn't sleep again and came to Ponyville to get some breakfast. Figured I'd swing by here to see if you could help me with something."

Twilight's eyes went wide.

"You couldn't get to sleep AGAIN?!"

"Nope. My normal stuff to sleep isn't working... Even drinking didn't help! Just stayed awake until it all wore off!! You know the shifts I've been pulling right?"

Twilight nodded and said.

"Yea, I remember Cloudchaser talking about how you where starting to show the symptoms of Sleep Deprivation."

She chuckled before including.

"That, and when you almost ran into my tree two days ago... I kinda figured you where tired."

Dash blushed slightly with embarrassment, she was hoping nopony had seen that.

"Heh, you saw that huh?"

Giving her a whimsical smile, Twilight said

"Dash, I was on the balcony. You flew right past me."

Perfect.

"Heh, yea... Anyways, I've got no clue why I can't sleep! Pinkie seems to think there's something on my mind that I don't know about. Was hoping you could make sense of what she meant before I see if I can fly back home and pass out."

"Oh no you don't Rainbow! You're not flying anywhere until you've had some sleep!" Twilight said as she cast a spell on herself.

"Huh?"

"I'll walk you to your house and teleport us up there."

"Us?" Rainbow inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. Us. Once we get you there, I'm going to cast a sleeping spell on you. How does 12 hours sound?"

Rainbow's eyes went as wide as dinner plates.

"Make it 15 and I won't even fly the whole way home!"

"Deal."

And with that, they trotted out of the house. Twilight yelled up to Spike.

"Spike, I'm going out for a bit. Do you need anything from town?"

"Yea, think you could pick me up some sapphires?"

Twilight rolled her eyes... he always asked for sapphires.

"I'll see what I can find." and with that, started walking towards where Rainbow had her house.

As they walked through the streets of Ponyville, Twilight began to question Rainbow.

"So, if I heard you correctly in the library... you said that Pinkie believes you have something on your mind but don't know what it is?" A look of confusion spreading across her features.

"That about sums it up yea..."

"Thing is, I normally have dreams. If something is on my mind, I'll dream about it. Weird as it may sound, that sometimes helps me to figure it out ya know?"

Twilight nodded her head. "I know the feeling, had one time where I couldn't for the life of me figure out one of the steps in Starswirl The Bearded's magical barrier amplification spell. Took me a week to figure it out and the answer hit me in a dream that last night."

Dash rolled her eyes at the comparison... Twilight could be such an egghead sometimes.

"Aaanyways... as of late, I haven't had any dreams. Just fitful naps between being awake."

"I bet working as much as you have hasn't been helping that fact."

"You can say that again!! If it wasn't for Cloudchaser, I'd probably be in Ponyville Hospital again!" Dash said, cringing at the memory of the crash that caused her last visit there.

"Well, the good news about this sleeping spell is that it allows for normal dreaming patterns."

"Do some not?" Dash asked.

"Well, Some keep you from having dreams. Some have pre-programmed dreams. Some even have... fantasies... pre-programmed into them." Twilight said, blushing slightly.

Dash raised an eyebrow.

"Fantasies huh? What kind?"

"Well... Uh..." Twilight turned beet red and said "sexual" almost as quiet as Fluttershy would have.

"Really? Twilight, you're probably the last pony I'd EVER expect to hear that from. Where did you pick that up?"

"Oh, it was in a study about the effects of sleeping spells for medical vs recreational use. It covered the different reasons many use them for recreation and-"

"And some of them use it cuz they can't get any flank in real life!" Dash laughed, causing Twilight to blush further.

"I hadn't thought of it that way actually."

"Geez Twi, if every there was a pony who needs to get out and learn a thing or two about real life, its you!" Rainbow teased her.

"Oh, you mean like how to fly into the door three times in a row... from the inside?" Twilight said, reminding Rainbow of her... accident... at Pinkies last party.

Visibly wincing at the memory, she said "Alright Sparky, we're here."

A bright flash of light later and they where walking through the door of Rainbow Dash's cloud house.

Looking around at the mess, Twilight couldn't help but take another jab at Dash.

"Love what you've done with the place."

"Yea, Yea... Shut up." Dash said, sticking her tongue out at Twilight.

"Now, lets get you to bed." Twilight said.

"You could at least buy me dinner first."

Twilight rolled her eyes. How could Dash always make everything she said sound perverted?

"Either you get there before I put the spell on you, or I'll just make ya pass out now and put you there after I do it."

"Geez, no need to get pushy Twi." Dash smiled as she climbed into bed.

"So how soon should this kick in?"

"You'll be out as soon as I cast the spell. After that, I doubt Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice could wake you up!"

They both giggled at the thought.

Suddenly, Dash pulled a straight face and said. "Level with me Twi, you're not going to put one of those sexual-fantasy-dream spells on me are you?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Well, knowing Pinkie..."

"Ugh, will you feel better if I Pinkie Pie Promise?"

Dash nodded, "Yea actually I would."

"Ok then. I, Twilight Sparkle, will NOT cast a sexual-fantasy-dream spell on you. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

"Works for me." Dash said, laying her head back on the pillow.

Twilight's horn started to glow as Dash said "Hey, Twilight..."

A bright flash filled the room as Dash said "Thanks" and passed out cold.

Twilight walked out of the room and quietly said "See ya tomorrow Dash" before teleporting back to the ground. Leaving her friend to get the sleep she so badly needed.

"Now, to get those sapphires for Spike."

You bet your apples!

"Rarity, are you... uhm... sure that this is a good idea?" Fluttershy quietly asked her friend as they trotted towards Sweet Apple Acres. The air around them was still crisp and cool despite the rising sun.

"Absolutely darling! Oh I know AJ can be rather brash at times, but she needs to know because, well lets face it dear, Applejack can see straight through ANY lie!"

"Well, I... uh... you're right of course, but..."

And she was. As the Element of Honesty, Applejack had proven time and again that she could indeed tell when her friends, or most anypony for that matter, was lying.

Could she have been able to lie herself, she probably would have been Equestria's greatest Poker player!

However... she couldn't do that either. So whatever her opinion was on Fluttershy being a Fillyfooler, on her having a crush on Rainbow Dash, on everything. She would say it. Which absolutely terrified Fluttershy.

"But what darling?" Rarity inquired

"What if she doesn't approve? What if she doesn't trust me anymore? What if-"

Rarity had placed a hoof over Fluttershy's mouth.

"You keep imagining these nightmare scenario's Fluttershy. You have to remember that the ponies that you're going to tell are your closest circle of friends. We're here for you." She said with a comforting smile.

Fluttershy smiled a small and unsure smile back to her friend. She wanted to believe what Rarity was saying, she just knew though that something was going to go wrong at Sweet Apple Acres though.

With that, the two friends trotted through the gate of the orchard. The apples above them ripe and ready to be bucked.

Looking up at the beautiful sight around her, Fluttershy was startled when the pony to their left spoke up.

"Well, ah'll be. How are ya today Miss Rarity? Miss Fluttershy?"

"Eep!" Fluttershy froze up and fell to the ground, not unlike a startled goat.

Looking a bit startled himself, Big Macintosh walked over.

"Ah didn't mean to startle ya Miss Fluttershy. Y'all ok?"

Regaining her composure, Fluttershy stood up and said "Yes, I'm sorry if I worried you Big Mac."

"S'no problem Miss Fluttershy. Just wanted t' make sure you're ok." He said, a relieved look relaxing across the red stallion's features.

"So what bring's y'all to the acres today?"

"Well, actually we where looking for Applejack. There's something of great importance we have to speak with her about." Rarity stated, matter-of-factly.

At this Big Mac looked from Rarity to Fluttershy a few times, cocking an eyebrow as he did so.

"She's down in the southern end of the orchard. Bucking the golden delicious apples today." He said with slight hesitance, his gaze settling on Fluttershy.

If she didn't know better, when she looked up at Big Mac, she could have sworn she saw him crack a bit of a smile... almost as if he knew something funny.

Shrugging his shoulders, he pointed them towards the direction Applejack was working and trotted towards the barn, a wagon full of apples behind him. Turning to call after them, "Oh, and when ya find AJ, tell her the bet is still on!" before pulling the wagon into the barn.

Walking to the south end of the orchard took a while. Neither pony minded though, the weather was perfect for long strolls. Once they saw the golden delicious trees up ahead, they knew they where in the area. It only took a solid THWACK to confirm they where in the right area. Upon finding their first baskets full of apples, they followed the trail of them that led them to Applejack.

The orange earth pony was glistening in sweat despite the cool weather. She had started working just as Celestia's sun was starting to color the horizon. It was now mid-day.

Looking up, she saw her friends trotting towards her. She smiled as she greeted them.

"Howdy Rarity, Fluttershy. What're y'all doin' here? Not that Ah don't enjoy the company mind ya."

"Nor the break I'd imagine dear." Rarity said, looking over AJ's slightly disheveled appearance.

"Heh, yea. Don't tell Big Macintosh that though, I'd never hear the end of it!" she chuckled.

"Oh, speaking of which... Big Mac said to tell you 'The bet is still on'? Whatever that means."

Applejack cocked an eyebrow before her eyes widened a little bit as she remembered the bet in question. Looking back and forth from Rarity to Fluttershy, much the way Big Macintosh had earlier.

"Oh, Ok then. So what are y'all out an' about doin' today?" She said as nonchalantly as she could.

"Well, we actually came to talk to you darling. A bit of a... political survey... as it where." Rarity said, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

Apparently, both of them where too busy to notice the other's nervous fidgeting.

"Oh? What about?" Applejack said, visibly calming down. This apparently wasn't the subject she was worried about being questioned over.

"Well... oh, how to put this delicately? What are your thoughts on Colt-Cuddlers an Fillyfoolers?" Rarity asked, taking on a diplomatic tone of voice.

Applejack visibly blanched at the question, making Rarity think she had asked the wrong question. Suddenly, and much to both Rarity's and Fluttershy's shock, Applejack started laughing.

"AAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!! Whoo-doggy!! I thought y'all was gonna get into real pony politics, not that ol' argument!"

"So what is you're opinion on them then dear?" Rarity said, her voice showing a bit of frustration at Applejack's laughter.

"Well, while it ain't mah cup of tea. Ah don't see anything wrong with it sugarcube. Love is Love and as long as it's true, Ah don't see no harm in it." Applejack said, shaking the leaves out of her blonde mane an tail as she got up.

Rarity breathed a sigh of relief as Fluttershy's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.

"So, what in tarnation brought that up?" Applejack asked, looking back and forth between Rarity and Fluttershy again.

"Well... um... I actually..." Fluttershy whispered, barely audible.

"Sugarcube, could ya say that again... Ah couldn't right hear ya."

Fluttershy sighed.

"I'm a Fillyfooler Applejack."

At this, Applejack's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped.

"Sugarcube are you pullin' mah leg? Did Big Macintosh put you up to this?"

"Uh... no... why would he put me up to this?" Fluttershy said, shrinking into a ball.

"AW... PONYFEATHERS!!!"

Applejack's voice carried all the way to the barn, where Big Macintosh looked towards the doorway then just nodded to himself.

"Eeyup. I told her that Miss Fluttershy was a Fillyfooler. Ah knew it from the minute ah clapped eyes on her that day."

Meanwhile, down at the southern end of the orchard. Applejack realized the immediate repercussions of that shout.

Fluttershy had broken down into tears, Rarity had come to comfort her and was staring at Applejack with a look that could likely have scared a Manticore.

"What the buck is the matter with you Applejack?!" Rarity screamed, cursing in a rare moment of rage.

"Oh Celestia forgive me! Ah'm awful sorry about that me hollerin' Fluttershy. Ah can explain myself if'n ya let me."

Sniffing and fighting to hold back her tears, Fluttershy choked out:

"Ok *hic* Applejack."

"You had better have a damn good explanation you insensitive BRUTE!" Rarity said, still shielding Fluttershy from Applejack.

"Ah have an explanation, Ah know it's not going to excuse what Ah just did though." Applejack said, rubbing the back of her neck with a hoof and taking off her Stetson as she looked down at the ground.

"Ya see, Big Macintosh's had this bet going on with me since the day we got back from Cloudsdale. He said he could see it in Fluttershy's eyes that she was a Fillyfooler. Normally ah don't question Mac on stuff like this. He could tell when my cousin Braeburn went to the other side of the street as it where. I swear it's like he's got some sorta gay-dar, he can just sense 'em somehow. Anywho, Brae actually came out with that a few months before we all went to Appaloosa. Ah owed Mac a case of mah special Sister's Crown Whiskey after that. Ah normally don't bet against him anymore but when he said Fluttershy was a fillyfooler... I thought he was just pullin' mah leg. He bet me a case of Mares Mark Bourbon that he was right. Now, Sugarcube, that got me fightin' mad for some reason. Ah thought he was jus' jokin' at your expense."

Applejack's head hung low "Some friend Ah am, making bets on my friends. Shouting like that when Ah lost, not even thinkin' about how it'd make ya feel. Sugarcube, Ah'm sorry."

Fluttershy had gotten quiet and now walked over to Applejack and gave her a hug.

"I'm not mad Applejack. I was just worried about what you would think."

"Well sugarcube, I think its great." Applejack said, throwing her hooves around Fluttershy's neck in a hug.

"Now, who's the lucky mare?

Letting go of her friend, Fluttershy looked Applejack in the eyes and said

"It's Rainbow Dash... I'm in love with Rainbow Dash."

Applejack's eyes went wide and her jaw hung on its hinges.

Shaking herself out of it, she said. "Y'all want to talk about this in the barn? I'll get Big Mac to come down here and cover for me."

"Oh, if you... um... wouldn't mind... yes?" Fluttershy said, returning to her timid demeanor.

And with that they trotted off towards the barn.

Friendship is strong stuff sugarcube

Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy where making their way to the barn as Big Macintosh was walking out, pulling a now-empty cart behind him.

Seeing him, Applejack looked dead at him and said. "Now, Ah don't wanna hear a word out of ya Big Macintosh."

Giving his sister a humorless look, the stallion merely stopped in his tracks.

"You weren't gonna say anything where ya?" Applejack asked dejectedly.

"Nope."

Facehoofing, AJ apologized to her brother.

"Ah'm sorry Big Macintosh. Think ya could cover for me in the south fields for a while? Ah gotta talk to the girls for a bit."

He replyed with a simple "Eeyup."

Trotting out of the barn towards the trail, as he passed Fluttershy, he gave her a small nod and a smile. Then, without a word, headed south towards the golden delicious fields.

Applejack sighed.

"Ah need to calm down. First Ah yell at ya down in the orchard. Them I'm jumpin' on Big Mac as soon as Ah see him."

Shaking her head as she pushed the door open and walked in, she beckoned the girls to follow her.

"Ah don't know about you two, but Ah could use a drink." Applejack said, grabbing a bottle of cold cider from the ice bucket and a few mugs.

"Actually darling, that sounds rather lovely." Rarity said, sitting down on one of the chairs at the table where Applejack had plopped down and graciously accepting a mug.

"Yes, I'd like one too... if you don't mind." Fluttershy said.

After handing each of the girls their cider, Applejack poured herself some and started sipping on the cool drink.

For a moment there was silence, each mare just drinking her cider until Applejack finally piped up.

"So... Rainbow Dash huh?"

"Oh, um... yes." Fluttershy said quietly, Blushing slightly.

"Sugarcube, if'n ya don't mind my askin'... what brought all of this around? Ah know you two have been friends since flight school, but what changed?" Applejack inquired, raising her gaze from her glass to look Fluttershy in the eyes.

Fluttershy sighed and looked into her cider.

"Do you remember when we all went to the Best Young Flier competition in Cloudsdale?"

"Ah sure do! That Sonic Rainboom was somethin' else!" Applejack said, calling up the exciting memory.

"I still remember how I felt when I saw her do that. I felt like my heart was going to explode! I felt so proud of her... So happy that she had finally done it. I'd watched her practice and practice. Watching as she failed every time... it broke my heart. Then when she did that to save Rarity and the Wonderbolts, that was when it all just clicked for me. When she got back, I could have kissed her right then and there. I was THAT happy for her!" Fluttershy recalled.

Rarity caught herself as she was starting to say "So why didn't you darling?" Instantly thinking of the reasons that the usually timid pegasus would have against such actions.

Sighing to herself, Rarity said "So what are your plans now? I know you're telling all of us, which leaves Twilight and Pinkie Pie to tell but I doubt we'll have any trouble from them. How do you intend to talk to Dash about this though?"

Applejack glared over at Rarity, while tact and gentle word play where normally the fashionista's social talents... she had been uncharacteristically forward in her last question. And it showed. Fluttershy's eyes widened and her breathing quickened... she was scared to death.

"Way to be subtle there Rares." Applejack said, facehoofing lightly before walking over to the nearly-hyperventilating Fluttershy.

"Easy does it there sugarcube." She said, pulling a small bottle from under the table and pouring some of its contents into Fluttershy's drink, putting a forehoof around the pegasus.

"What-is-this?" Fluttershy said between gasps.

"Somethin' t' help steady ya nerves Flutters."

She didn't need any other explanation. She started taking big gulps of the drink. Hoping whatever Applejack had just put in there would do the trick. Stopping to take a few breaths, she started making herself breath more calmly. Noticing a distinctive warmth coming from within her chest as the drink's new nature was revealed to her.

"Whew, what was that Applejack? I'm starting to feel all warm and fuzzy."

Applejack held up the bottle. "Sweet Apple Acres Black Label. We don't make much of it and we don't sell much of what we make. Its more-or-less a family secret. Good for calmin' ponies down though."

Setting the bottle down, Applejack continued, "Anyways, back to the topic at hoof. Ah think what Rarity so "tactfully" asked ya is actually a pretty valid question. Cuz ya know you're gonna have t' talk to her sugarcube." She was showing her claim to fame as the Element of Honesty.

Sufficiently calmed down, Fluttershy sighed and said "I don't know. I've thought about just coming out to her and saying it but... the thought of her rejecting me..." she looked down and continued "I can't bear the thought of that happening."

Applejack and Rarity glanced at each other, then back to Fluttershy.

"An' just what makes you think she's gonna say no?" Applejack asked.

"Applejack, I'm not even sure if she feels anything like what I do. I'm not even sure she's a Fillyfooler for Faust sakes!" Fluttershy exclaimed, tears starting to roll down her cheeks once again. Hanging her head, she drank the last of her cider and set the mug down on the table.

"Well, Ah can't answer that one for ya sugarcube. All Ah can tell ya is that she's told me before that she ain't been with no stallion's. She didn't elaborate past that, but the way Ah look at it, that means one of two things." Applejack disclosed before continuing.

"One: She's still "pure" in most every way."

"Or Two: She's a Fillyfooler."

Rarity leaned over to whisper into Applejack's ear.

"But what if she lied about having not been with a stallion?"

Turning to look at the white unicorn with a flat expression, Applejack point-of-factly asked "To the element of honesty?"

"Ah... right... sorry darling." Rarity said, she had momentarily forgotten the reason that they had come to Applejack was because of that fact.

"Besides that fact," Applejack continued "Ah'm pretty sure Ah've caught Rainbow checkin' out a few mares flanks in the past. Could be wrong though."

"Really?" Both Rarity and Fluttershy where rather shocked to hear Applejack say that.

"Yup. Will say this though, some of those mares, even AH couldn't help but stare! And Ah'm not even into mares like that!"

Applejack's last statement gave Fluttershy hope. Hope like she didn't think she could have about this whole situation.

Wiping the last of the tears from her eyes, Fluttershy hugged Applejack and said

"Thank you Applejack, for everything."

Hugging her back, Applejack said "Aw, think nothin' of it 'shy. You just go out there and find your happiness."

Giving a hug to Rarity as well in departure, Applejack asked "So, where are y'all headed now? Ah'd come with ya but I got t' get back t' buckin' them there golden delicious down." as she gestured towards the south.

"We figued Twilight would be the next stop. She lived in Canterlot for most of her fillyhood so she's probably got a pretty open mind about such things."

"So that leaves Pinkie and Dash after that." Applejack stated, a knowing expression on her face.

"Well, good luck you two!" she said, breaking into a smile as they trotted back towards Ponyville.

As Applejack watched her two friends leave, Granny Smith opened the door of the house and hobbled over to her and asked "So, Big Mac was right?"

"Yea, he was Granny..."

Nodding sagely, Granny Smith just said "Well, Ah just hope she finds happiness. Everypony deserves to have somepony special." and slowly walked back towards the house.

Looking back at Granny Smith as she left and sighing, Applejack started her trot back down to the southern fields. She had a feeling it was going to be a long next few days.

A pink and purple bomb in the library

Reaching the outskirts of Ponyville, Rarity and Fluttershy stopped for a moment to sit on a conveniently located bench. Despite the lovely fall weather, the distance the two had covered had made them quite tired.

Speaking first, Rarity said "I don't know about you darling but I am FAMISHED!"

"I... I'm a little hungry myself." Fluttershy replied. Just as both of their stomachs grumbled.

Both ponies went wide-eyed, halfway horrified that their stomachs had given away just how hungry they were before they started giggling at the coincidence.

"Ah, well darling... given the stress you've gone through today, lunch is my treat today." Rarity said, waving her hoof in the general area of the local restaurants. "Where would you like to go?"

"Oh! You don't have to do that Rarity, I can pay."

"Nonsense darling! What kind of friend would I be if I didn't treat you to something nice after what happened back there." Gesturing towards the general direction of Sweet Apple Acres.

"Now, where to?"

Uttering a resigned sigh, Fluttershy quietly suggested "How about the Open Range Cafe?"

"Sounds splendid!" Rarity said as her stomach grumbled again. Wincing at the unseemly sound, she stood up and started trotting quickly towards the patio, hoping her stomach wouldn't embarrass her further with Fluttershy right behind her.

After getting a table, the two friends started talking about the weather, Fluttershy's animals, Rarity's latest designs, anything to keep the subject of how she was going to talk to Twilight, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash.

"Oh, you simply MUST stop by the boutique to try on the dress! With your figure, your poise, your personality... This dress will look simply STUNNING on you darling!" Rarity said as the waiter came to their tables, orders in hoof.

They where regulars and only needed a wave at the manager to let them know what to make. It was almost comical seeing the other patrons faces when the former supermodel and the fashion designer be served without a word.

"It... it does sound lovely Rarity." Fluttershy said, just barely picking at her food with a fork.

After taking a few dainty bites of her own food and observing the distracted nature of the pegasus before her, Rarity couldn't help but ask why her friend seemed so forlorn.

"Dear, you've barely touched your food... What's on your mind?" As if she didn't already know the answer.

"I... I'm still so worried Rarity. Mostly about how... how to talk to Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy said as she closed her eyes and hung her head, letting her bangs fall in front of her eyes.

Clearly she needed someone who she could relate to.

But who could they talk to about such a... touchy subject? That would be something she would have to ask Pinkie Pie about. She seems to know EVERYTHING about EVERYPONY.

"Oh, dear I know you're worried about that... however you really should eat. I know you must be positively famished." Rarity bluffed, trying to buy some time so as to think of who to ask. Maybe on the way to Twilight's she'll think of something.

With a small sigh, Fluttershy looks up at Rarity. Her eyes portraying her innermost terror.

"I know... Thank you Rarity. For everything. You've been helping me since you found out and I really appreciate it." She said, giving her friend a small smile before she started eating.

Score one for Rarity... now who to ask for advice on this matter??

Having finished lunch, the two friends had started walking towards Twilight's tree. A light breeze had blown in, courtesy of the weather pegasi.

Rarity was still wracking her brains to figure out who to ask for advice. Perhaps one of the local "studs"? Her nose wrinkled at the idea. Most of them only fed mares the lines they wanted to hear until they got between their flanks. Fluttershy definitely did NOT need advice from those tail-chasers.

Normally, she would consider asking Aloe or Lotus since they where such... sensual... ponies. A shudder runs up her spine at a borderline steamy memory.

Lotus had offered to let Rarity have a mane-grooming free of charge if she didn't mind it being rather... intimate. Her reasoning being that they had heard of certain well-known spa's using more species-oriented "treatments." Such as preening for Pegasi and mane grooming for Earth Ponies. Giving in to the heat of the moment Rarity had been surprised at just how intimate the spa pony had gotten in grooming her mane. Or was she...

She shook the idea from her mind... Lotus was a professional.

Yea, a professional in pleasure

Again, she shook the idea from her head as they reached the tree where Twilight lived. Opening the door and entering without so much as a knock, Rarity was surprised to find the lights inside the tree off save for the light let in by the windows. Arching her eyebrows, she glanced left and right. Looking for a sign that somepony was home.

About to call out, she felt Fluttershy tap her flank and turned to see her point to a sign on the door that Rarity apparently hadn't seen.

Out of town for the day, will re-open tomorrow. -Twilight Sparkle

Having read the note and reaching to close the door, Rarity was surprised to see Fluttershy over by the door to Twilight's room. Her hoof was on the knob and she had only just cracked the door. She seemed... frozen in place?

Fluttershy had seen the sign on the door as Rarity walked in. Tapping her friend on the flank to get her attention, she pointed to the sign and stepped back to let her friend read it.

Suddenly, she remembered that she had been meaning to pick up a book from Twilight on first aid and that Twilight told her it was on her night stand by her bed.

Trotting quietly across the library's main room, she opened the door that led to Twilight's room. Stopping as she heard what sounded like a... moan?

Listening again, she heard a sharp gasp, followed by another low moan.

Looking through the crack in the door and up at Twilight's bed, she felt her jaw drop and her eyes bug out. She couldn't tear her eyes away from what she saw.

Walking over to her friend, Rarity was about to ask Fluttershy what was wrong when she felt a hoof lightly pushed onto her lips, keeping her from speaking.

Without looking away from whatever she was looking at, Fluttershy motioned Rarity to come and look through the crack in the door. Obliging her friend, she lined an eye up to look in the space between the door and its frame. Casting her gaze up to Twilight's bed, her eyes grew wide and she quickly reeled back and gasped loudly, covering her mouth with her hooves the instant she realized what she had done.

"Hey, did you hear something?" Both ponies heard come from within the room. They needed to get out of there before they where-

"Who's there?!" A very assertive and visibly mussed Twilight Sparkle asked as she threw the door open. Shocked to see her friends staring at her wide-eyed, her face went blank as she put two and two together, her own eyes starting to bulge as the full realization hit her. Using her magic to close and lock the front door, she looks at both of her friends before sitting on her haunches and scratching the back of her neck. Her face conveying her embarrassment.

"I'm guessing you two saw us huh?" she asked as Pinkie Pie came and rested her head on Twilight's neck. Nuzzling her affectionately.

"Uh, well... yes we did darling." Rarity said, having half broken out of her shock.

Fluttershy was still frozen and bug-eyed, it seemed as if she was barely breathing.

Twilight sighs as she looks back and forth between her two shocked friends, her hoof absent-mindedly reaching up to caress Pinkie Pie's cheek.

"Lets talk about this in here, shall we?" she said, gesturing into her room with her head. Her embarrassment still clearly conveyed.

"Ahem, indeed." Rarity said, regaining her composure and nudging a still-shocked Fluttershy towards the door. This was going to be interesting... However, it did take care of her problem of who to ask for advice.

Walking up the stairs, Twilight led the trio of ponies up to the loft where her bed was. As she crested the staircase, she felt a light nip on her flank and jumped slightly. She whipped her head around to see Pinkie Pie wink at her before jumping onto the bed and laying back onto the pillows, putting her hooves behind her head and giggling.

Fluttershy and Rarity followed, their expressions not having changed much since they where "caught" downstairs. Taking a seat, if apprehensively, at the foot of Twilight's bed, they both stared at Pinkie Pie, then back to Twilight, seeking an explanation.

"Well... um... where to start?" Twilight deadpanned. This was going to be awkward as buck and she knew it.

"Um, try where you where nibbling my-"

"PINKIE!!" Twilight whirled on her lover. A furious blush painting her features.

"I'm just kidding Twi" Pinkie said through half-hooded eyes. Rarity could almost feel the lewd heat of that gaze.

Clearing her throat, Rarity brought both of their attention back to the present.

"Ahem, so then... Twilight. Pinkie Pie..." Rarity was straining to keep her composure.

"Will you please explain to us what we just saw?"

"Well... I... uh-"

"Twilight and me where makin' loooove" Pinkie said, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

PINKIE PIE!!! Twilight shouted at her. She was now a shade of red that made beets seem quaintly light.

Rarity's and Fluttershy's eyes got as big as dinner plates. They hadn't expected such a blatant confession. Both ponies now had a blush to match Twilight's. Fluttershy looked like she was ready to explode.

"So you're..." Rarity hesitated to say the final word.

"Fillyfoolers... yes." Twilight said, her head sinking as she continued her confession.

"We've been seeing each other secretly for a few months now."

"Yea, the sex has been GREAT!" Pinkie Pie blurts out.

Though Twilight turns and gives her a glare, she doesn't verbally scold her this time. Sighing, she looks back to her two friends. "I was just hoping we would be able to come out to all of you at some point. I know you probably think its not right for us to be doing this but-"

Twilight was cut short by Rarity raising her hoof. She looked at Twilight with understanding eyes. "My dear, you have no idea how much easier you've just made things."

Both Pinkie and Twilight glance at each other before staring back at the white unicorn. A confused look on both of their faces.

"Uuuhm... come again?" Twilight says, trying to wrap her head around what Rarity just said.

Rarity glances over at Fluttershy, who had finally come down from the shock of "walking in" on two of her friends having sex. Catching Rarity's glance, Fluttershy shuffles her hooves and quietly says.

"I... I'm a fillyfooler too..."

Twilight's and Pinkie's eyes go wide and their jaws fall to the ground.

Suddenly, Pinkie Pie is right up in Fluttershy's face, cupping it in her hooves.

"Say Rainbow Dash."

"R-Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy nearly whispers. Her heart caught in her throat.

Pinkie's eyes bug out even more.

"Oh Dear Celestia, I was right! Fluttershy is in love with Rainbow Dash!"

Three ponies stare at her wide-eyed.

How the buck could she have known that?!

Fluttershy broke the silence first.

"H-how...?"

A story of revelations

"H-How?" Fluttershy whispered, wide-eyed. She was BEYOND shocked, as was every other pony in the room.

Twilight was the first to snap out of her reverie to ask "How the hay did you know?

Looking back at Twilight with a mischievous grin, she simply shrugged her shoulders said "Meh, I can just tell." and bounced back to the bed, tackling Twilight as she reached it and pinning her down. "Just like I could tell with YOU."

Again, another lewd gaze. However, Rarity was not about to sit back and let what she knew was going to happen if she didn't speak up, happen.

"AHEM!! Really girls, do you mind? We're still here after all." Rarity barked at the two love birds.

Pushing Pinkie off of her, Twilight sat up on the bed and looked from Rarity to Fluttershy.

"Sooo, you DO love Rainbow Dash?"

"Eep!" Fluttershy hadn't expected a question. Hiding behind her mane and cowering before her friend, she merely nodded. She couldn't speak. The shock of what was going on still sending her head reeling.

They had originally come to tell Twilight about Fluttershy being a fillyfooler. Instead, they find out that Twilight and Pinkie Pie where fillyfoolers too? And TOGETHER?! Shaking her head and forcing herself to snap out of it, she looked at her two friends in a different light. One that instantly made her much more comfortable.

"Yes, now... seeing as you're... shall we say, experienced... in this area... Would you happen to have any advice for Fluttershy?" Rarity said, choosing her words carefully so as to not be overly blunt. While she was quite tactful and able to fully articulate what she was after in most any subject... this was definitely new territory for her.

Twilight cocked an eyebrow at Rarity

"Like what?"

"Like how she can ask Rainbow Dash if she is of the same... inclination. You two did talk before starting your... intimacy's... didn't you?"

Twilight and Pinkie looked at each other then back to Rarity.

"Uh... Kinda?" Twilight said, shrugging sheepishly.

Rarity's formerly near-calm look disintegrated back into a look of wide-eyed shock.

"YOU DIDN'T!!"

"Well, we did... after the first time." Twilight said, weakly defending herself.

"Yea! Things got a bit crazy after my "Lets have an uber-mega-ultra-awesome Friday!!" party back in August! Hehe, I think Twilight had a bit too much of my super-special punch!"

Rarity shuddered. They all had too much of the ridiculously sweet concoction that night. Somehow, Pinkie had managed to put a ridiculous amount of alcohol into it without it burning too much or not tasting good. The result left even Berry Punch and Rainbow Dash thoroughly buzzed after only two glasses. Considering that Berry Punch was the only pony capable of out-drinking Dash... If barely just, she was FAR from a lightweight. However, after a mere five glasses of the punch... even Berry wasn't even able to stay on her hooves. It hadn't stopped her from plopping down and drinking another four though. How she handled that much alcohol, nopony would ever know!

She didn't think Twilight had drank that much... but then again, she herself had felt the unwelcome after-effects of a hangover after only three glasses.

"Just how many glasses did she have?" Rarity inquired, rather curious about just how much it had taken for Twilight to go from a quiet, prudish librarian to a wild, provocative fillyfooler. And with Pinkie Pie no less!

"Uh.... two glasses?" Twilight said, again rubbing the back of her neck. She was clearly embarrassed.

It was Fluttershy's turn to surprise the group.

"Is that all?"

All eyes turned to her, causing her to shrink back a bit.

"How many did you have Flutters?" Pinkie asked energetically.

"Um... five..."

Twilight's and Rarity's jaws dropped. Pinkie did a hoof-pump and said "Way to go Fluttershy! I never knew you where such a party pony!"

Nopony had been the wiser. She hadn't swayed at all that night.

"B-but... how... you where perfectly fine that night!!" Rarity said, shocked beyond belief.

"I don't know." Fluttershy shrugged.

"Aaaanyways" Rarity continued, still looking at Fluttershy from the corner of her eyes "You're telling me you two... after that party? You... did it?"

"Well... yea, pretty much." Twilight said, absent-mindedly pawing at the covers of her bed with a hoof.

"So SCANDALOUS!! So what did you do the next morning?"

Pinkie snickered at the question, opening her mouth to answer Rarity. No doubt about to give away some rather explicit details. However, Twilight shoved her hoof into the pink mares mouth, effectively silencing her.

"Well, we talked about it after..." she hesitated "After that night" Clearly trying not to elaborate too much. Removing her hoof from Pinkie's mouth, she said "Why are you so interested?"

"And? What brought you to want to stay together?" Rarity asked, clearly ignoring Twilight's question.

"I... we just... it just felt right! It wasn't just the... uh..."

"Intimacy?" Rarity offered helpfully.

"Yea... that. It wasn't just that... we both felt something after that night. Something that kept us coming back to each other. Oh we've fought a few times, mostly over trivial things... even tried splitting up for a while, but somewhere along the way, I've come to love this pink goofball." Twilight said, wrapping her forehoof around Pinkie's neck and pulling her into a headlock, roughly tousling her mane with the other hoof. "And I don't want to lose her."

"Well, that's all well and good... but how do you recommend Fluttershy talk to Dash? We've only heard one speculation that Dash is even a fillyfooler so she's understandably nervous about that." motioning towards Fluttershy with a hoof.

"Oh, Dashie's a fillyfooler alright!" Pinkie said, her head still caught by Twilight.

Fluttershy's head snapped up, Rarity's jaw dropped and Twilight looked at Pinkie as she released her neck.

A unified chorus of "She IS?!" echoed through the small room.

"Yup! Do you all remember that big meanie-head griffin Gilda?"

"Oh... yes." Fluttershy shrunk at the memory "She wasn't very nice."

"Quite simply, she was a bitch dear." Rarity piped up, conveying her own distaste for the unsavory griffin whom Rainbow Dash used to associate with.

"I'd have to agree with Rarity." Twilight said "She was rude to all of us for no reason and overly possessive of Dash."

"Well, Dashie talked to me about her after Gilda took off. She told me some pretty sad things." Pinkie said, her expression turning depressed.

All eyes where on Pinkie as she continued.

"Well, like a lot of fillyfoolers, she started out straight. Came to realize that she liked mares shortly after a stallion tried to get between her flanks and dumped her when she wouldn't put out. She had seen the care that a lot of her friends who were fillyfoolers had for their mates... and for her for that matter. Anyways, she and Gilda had been friends back in Cloudsdale and she KNEW that Gilda was into mares so she hooked up with Gilda. She wasn't perfect but she wasn't just using her. She did show that she cared for Dash, even though she was possessive back when they first started messin' around too. Dash said she broke a pegasus stallion's wing one time for making a smart remark about Dash's flanks!!"

Everybody wore a shocked expression.

"Yea, she never turned on Dash though. She was physical yea, but she never hit Dash or anything like that. Dash was scared to leave her though because of how mean she could be. So she played it off as getting transferred to Ponyville's weather team when Gilda had to move back to the Griffin Kingdom for a while on a job.The distance kinda separated them for her."

"Hmm, that's actually pretty clever of Dash." Twilight quipped. "I can see why she did that though... Griffin's have been known to get physically aggressive with their mates. And with Dash being a pony instead of a griffin... that wouldn't have ended up well."

"Yea. Anyways, Dash was actually pretty excited to see her when she first got here. Then when she found out how Gilda had been treating us, she'd had enough and snapped... thus the display of telling her to leave. Thing is, she came back after the party to ask Dash to forgive her. In so many words, Dash told Gilda to buck off... and she did. I wound up hearing about it later that day from Dash. We had a just-the-two-of-us slumber party that night."

"Oh? Did anything... happen between you two?" Rarity asked suggestively.

Pinkie blushed lightly

"Something did happen between you two?" She asked again, this time seriously.

Pinkie giggled "Yea, how do you think I came to be a fillyfooler myself? I'll admit I've been in good relationships with stallions before but..." Pinkie shrugged "everything just felt more right with her." She looked over to Twilight with a loving smile, putting her hoof on top of her lovers. "Just like it feels right... right now."

Twilight blushed as Rarity and Fluttershy both said "Aww" at the tender moment.

"So, you're wanting advice on how to talk to Dash right?" Twilight asked, looking at Fluttershy.

"I... um... yes I do... want advice."

"The best thing I can tell you is just to talk to her. Now that you know she's a fillyfooler, there shouldn't be anything to stop you."

"But... how will I do that?"

"You know how Rainbow is, better than any of us for that matter! Just be honest with her. Things will work out." Twilight said with a smile.

Suddenly Rarity stifled a yawn. They had barely noticed that Celestia's sun was dipping below the horizon.

"Oh heavens, look at the time! I am sorry Fluttershy but I have to go and make sure that Sweetie Bell gets to bed on time. If you want we can talk over this more tomorrow during our spa date?"

"That sounds good. See you tomorrow Rarity." Fluttershy said as her friend bid adieu.

"Oh, before I go Twilight, I have a question... weren't you worried that Rainbow Dash would crash through the windows while you and Pinkie where... busy?" She said, gesturing towards the windows above Twilight's bed.

"Nope, earlier today I put a sleeping spell on Dash, 15 hours of sleep. She said she's been having trouble sleeping.

"Yea, something's on her mind." Pinkie said, leaning forward to nibble on Twilight's ear. Sending shudders down the purple unicorn's spine.

"A-also, Spike is in Canterlot getting a few of my things. So I didn't have to worry about him either"

"Ah, well that certainly works." Rarity said "Ta-ta girls!" and with that, she walked out the door of Twilight's room. Shutting the door behind her.

Fluttershy turned to leave but was stopped when Pinkie said "You know, Dash may be a lot of confidence and strength on the outside... but she needs love. All you have to do is show her that Fluttershy." She looked back to see both of her friends smiling warmly at her. Silently showing that they would always be there for her.

She smiled back at them.

"Thank you both... for listening."

"No problem Flutters, now go out there and get her tomorrow." Pinkie said, still smiling at her.

"I- I will."

And with that, she walked out the door.

After hearing the main door of the library close, Twilight looked to Pinkie and said "Was that the big thing you're Pinkie Senses were telling you about earlier?"

"I don't think so... there's a lot left to go in their story." Her voice portraying a serious... almost sage tone to her words.

"How do you know?" Twilight asked, slightly mystified at her lovers ability to "just know" things.

"I don't know." Pinkie said, returning to her usual hyper demeanor.

"Noooow... where were we?" Pinkie asked her

Without waiting for her to answer, she said "Oh yea! You where nibbling my- Aaaah!!"

Twilight had remembered exactly where they were at...

Dreams of her own accord

Rainbow Dash awoke to a dark house. Glancing over to her alarm clock, she couldn't help but notice it had actually been 16 hours since Twilight cast the sleeping spell on her. Oh well, probably some sort of carry over from how tired she was. Shaking her head drowsily, she sat up and realized that she was starving and thirsty.

"Whoa... talk about a case of cotton-mouth." She mumbled to herself, rolling out of bed and walking towards the kitchen. It wasn't until she wound up accidentally half-falling onto the soft cloud of a doorway arch that she realized that she was still tired. Something was niggling at the back of her mind but she opted to ignore it and fix the problem at hoof.

She was about to look in the cabinets, knowing full-well what was there when she spied a small basket on the counter with some treats from Sugarcube Corner and a note attached.

Hey Dash, Pinkie figured you'd be a bit hungry after you woke up so she had me bring these up. Wouldn't recommend flying until morning. I forgot that the spell can leave your coordination inhibited as a residual effect. Consider it like a hangover minus the headache. Should only last an hour though. Anyways, enjoy!

-Twilight Sparkle

"My friends are awesome!!!" She all but shouted as she threw herself at the basket. Grabbing a donut from the basket, she took a bite and remembered duh... cottonmouth and proceeded to get a glass of water. Downing the glass before turning her attention back to the food, she wolfed down most of the baskets contents in only a few minutes. The treats sat heavily in her stomach and left her feeling drowsy... AGAIN.

Oh well, not like I can go much anywhere right now anyways.

She polished off one more glass of water and crawled back in bed. Sleep coming surprisingly easy this time...

Sunlight was streaming through Dash's windows as she awoke with a jolt, a gasp still half-caught in her throat. Her eyes snapped open as a shiver ran through her whole body. Her heavy, ragged breathing giving indication to just how the dream she had just had, still fresh on her mind, had affected her body.

She thought back to the dream. She was still unable to fully comprehend what had just transpired in her mind, but she did know one thing. It had ended up in her... making love... to Fluttershy?

*POMF*

Somewhat startled, she looked back behind her to see her wings standing at attention. She couldn't help but gawk at them. She hadn't gotten like this since that one time...

Her wings twitched. Clearly, she needed to get THAT subject out of her head.

Jumping out of bed and going back into the kitchen to get the rest of the food from the basket Twilight had left, Dash was still trying to wrap her head around what her dream had meant. She remembered that everything had started at the Best Young Flier Competition. She remembered that look... that happy, almost teary-eyed look that Fluttershy had given her. It had made her heart swell up in her chest like it was about to explode. She remembered the hug that Fluttershy had given her after she got back from hanging with the Wonderbolt's. She remembered so much of that dream as if...

Rainbow froze, a sudden realization hitting her. As if all of that had actually happened... BECAUSE IT HAD.

She swallowed the bite of food in her mouth. Her mind racing as she tried to figure out what it all meant. It wasn't long however before another thought came to her mind.

What if Twilight put that dream in my head? She said there where spells that could do stuff like this.

Rainbow growled out loud. If Twilight did that she was going to make it rain on her every time she stepped outside!

Sprinting across the kitchen and jumping out of her window, Dash headed towards Twilight's tree at high speed.

Twilight was on the balcony of her house, she had been trying to grow some herbs for her kitchen. Actually, more like for Spike to use... She couldn't cook to save either of their lives! They weren't doing to well though. She was looking at the withering stems when suddenly a solid THUMP from behind her got her attention. She turned to see a visibly angry Rainbow Dash behind her. If looks could kill...

"Hey Dash, sleep... well?" Twilight inquired. She didn't understand the look her friend was giving her and couldn't help but shrink back a bit from it.

"Oh I slept 'well' alright, but you and me need to talk." Dash said flatly before opening the balcony door and walking inside.

Twilight followed, about to ask Dash if something was wrong as she closed the door but Dash started the second the door closed.

"Alright, what gives?! You PINKIE. PIE. PROMISED. to NOT put any sort of weird dreams into that spell-sleep you put me under but you did it anyways?!! WHAT THE BUCK TWILIGHT?!!"

Dash was livid.

Twilight got defensive really quickly. "What in the hay are you talking about?! I didn't put any weird dreams into that spell! I just put you to sleep! As a matter of fact! I made SURE to use the spell that WOULDN'T mess with your dream patterns! Anything you dreamed of was on your own Rainbow!"

Dash balked a bit

"B-but... then, how? I-I don't... get it!" Dash stammered "If you didn't put a spell that messes with my dreams, then why did I dream about Fl-" She cut herself off.

Twilight arched an eyebrow at Rainbow. "What?"

Dash started to blush

"Nothing." She said, turning her head to look away from the lavender unicorn.

"Dash, what's wrong? What made you snap like tha-" Twilight stopped as realization dawned on her.

"Uuuh... are you saying... what I think you're saying?"

Dash let out a resigned sigh. She knew Twilight would just pester her until she got the answer.

"I dreamed about Fluttershy last night. I thought you'd pulled a fast one on me with Pinkie or something."

Twilight wore a look of extreme surprise as she asked "Wait, you dreamed about Fluttershy?"

"Yea... What's weird about it is that everything that happened in the dream, happened in real life. The dream started at the Best Young Flier's competition and kept going through events that have happened, then started on stuff that hasn't happened until... well..." Rainbow blushed even deeper. "Yea, the dream got... steamy."

Twilight's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. She was about to tell Dash about how Fluttershy had told her and Pinkie that she loved Rainbow until said pink pony tackled them both.

"Hey Rainbow! Twilight! What's up?"

Neither party addressed could really talk after the violent tackle. They'd been knocked flat onto the ground with the pink earth pony landing on top of them. Suffice to say, both of them had been knocked breathless.

Dash recovered first and, upon noting that Pinkie was effectively straddling her after rolling off of Twilight said "Heh, Pinkie I thought we talked about this..." a hint of hesitation and nervousness in her voice.

"Silly Dashie." Pinkie said, waving her hoof dismissively.

"I'm not going to do anything naughty to you! You've got a big day ahead of you!"

Dash blinked, her friend's prophetic words confusing her thoroughly. As Pinkie hopped off of her and onto Twilight, Dash rolled over and shook herself off.

"Pinkie, of all the ponies I know... you are bar-none. THE CRAZIEST pony I've ever me-" she said as she turned around, stopping as her eyes laid upon the scene before her.

Pinkie was kissing Twilight full on the mouth.

And Twilight was kissing back?!

Dash flopped down on her haunches. She knew Pinkie was a fillyfooler but had no idea that, of all ponies, TWILIGHT
was her marefriend!

"Wha-I-uh?!" Rainbow stammered "Twilight?! You're a fillyfooler too?!" Her genuine shock portraying in her voice and on her face.

Twilight broke the kiss and looked at Dash, a sheepish grin on her face.

"Uh, yea..."

"When the hay did that happen?!"

"Right after my "Lets have an uber-mega-ultra-awesome Friday" Party in August!" Pinkie quipped before nuzzling Twilight's neck.

"Uuuuhh" Twilight moaned slightly "Yea. Things got a bit... heated... after the party." Twilight blushed.

"Wow, I didn't think you had it in ya Twi!" Rainbow said approvingly.

"Neither did I honestly. Had a bit too much of that punch I guess." Twilight said, visibly shuddering at the memory.

"Pfft! You only had two glasses and where staggering around like somepony who'd had five!"

"I'll admit, I'm a lightweight when it comes to drinking." Twilight said calmly "Besides, some unicorns have been known to start randomly casting spells when they're drunk... I'd rather not find out if I'm one of those unicorns if you get my drift."

Considering the incident with the Ursa where Twilight had shown just how strong she could be... Rainbow agreed with a nod. Any drunker and with the amount of magical talent Twilight possessed. Twilight could EASILY have leveled ponyville!

"Yea, anyways we got back here and things got sexy pretty quick." Pinkie said, waggling her eyebrows at Dash.

"Pinkie!!" Twilight said with a giggle, pushing Pinkie back lightly.

"Well right on! Like I said, I never thought you of all ponies would be a fillyfooler!"

"Yea. What got me is just how... comfortable I was. The whole time that night and the morning after, I felt like the luckiest, most beautiful mare in Equestria! I know I may not be the most beautiful..." she said, casting her gaze back to Pinkie "but I know I'm one of the luckiest." Twilight laid a hoof on Pinkie's and nopony said anything for a while.

Turning back to Dash, Twilight said "Anyways, back on our previous subject. I didn't plant any dreams into your head. I Pinkie Pie Promised and if I broke it, Pinkie would likely break ME!" She laughed

"Yea, she probably would." Dash said and nodded. "Anyways, I'm gonna get out of your manes. Later." and just like that ran out the door and dove off the balcony. Gliding off over the streets of Ponyville.

"Uuuhh... Bye to you too?" Twilight said, looking at the door Rainbow had all-but sprinted out of.

"Soooo, did I interrupt something?" Pinkie asked Twilight obliviously.

Sitting up a bit, Twilight said "Not really. She was mad because she thought I'd put a... sexual-fantasy-dream spell on her."

"Ooooh. Did you?" Pinkie asked, cocking her head and arching an eyebrow.

"No... but she did tell me who she dreamed about."

She paused before continuing.

"Pinkie, she dreamed about Fluttershy. When I did research on the meanings of dreams, the type I think she had about Fluttershy... would indicate that Rainbow has feelings for her. She may not fully realize it though."

"I KNEW IT!!! I KNEW SOMETHING WAS ON DASHIE'S MIND! IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW!!" Pinkie shouted, leaving Twilight fairly shocked.

"Indeed, and if Fluttershy is what's been on Rainbow's mind... And since we KNOW that Fluttershy loves Rainbow... they-"

"May get together and bake cookies!"

Twilight rolled her eyes. Love her though she might, Pinkie could be incredibly random at times..

"OMIGOSH!! OR MAYBE RAINBOW DASH AND FLUTTERSHY WILL GET TOGETHER AND BE ALL HAPPY AND STUFF!!"

Again, Twilight blinked in confusion. Just what went on in her mares mind... nopony would ever know. However, thoughts kept entering Twilight's mind.

Was it true? Did Rainbow Dash love Fluttershy? If she did, would she make the first move or would Fluttershy? Would either of confess their love? For that matter... Was all this speculation completely wrong to begin with?

Twilight didn't get the opportunity to think about it much though. She felt a nibble at the base of her neck that broke her out of her reverie.

Oh dear Celestia, I may have to be "out of town" again!

How to proceed from here

Fluttershy had rose with the sun.

Like normal.

She fed her animals.

Like normal.

She ate her breakfast.

Like normal.

And she thought of Rainbow Dash.

... Like normal...

After finishing her morning routine, Fluttershy took a seat at the counter in her house... Promptly face-desking and wondering what kind of mess she had gotten herself into. Everything about the previous day, the reason she told her friends... it was all a buildup.

A buildup to her...

*gulp*

Confession.

She tried to let her friends encouraging words play through her mind, but all she heard was her own self-doubting.

She'd never get with you.

Your friends are only trying to comfort you.

She's going to reject you.

Why even bother?

The thing that shocked her the most was how she responded to her own self-doubting.

Because I love her.

That was just the truth of it. Fluttershy loved Rainbow Dash. What frightened her more than all of the demons in Tartarus though... Was if Rainbow Dash didn't love her back. She would get over it, mind you... but she wouldn't likely ever truly love anypony after that. Not in the same way.

She felt a comforting paw on the back of her head. Angel was there much as he had been yesterday. He had seen the worry in his friends eyes.

Talk to me Fluttershy...

"Oh Angel... what have I gotten myself into?" she whispered

She paused. Her friends accepted her and for that, she was grateful. What ate at her though, was that she couldn't bring herself to tell the Pegasus of her dreams that she loved her.

"I just... I don't know how to do this! I don't know if I CAN do this!!"

Rainbow Dash was kicked back on a cloud over Sweet Apple Acres. Eyes closed, she went over what she had just seen in her head. Pinkie Pie and Twilight huh? Who'd have thought!! She thought back to how the whole thing started, with her dream about Fluttershy. She'd dreamed of Fluttershy. Big deal! She'd dreamed about Pinkie Pie a few times after their little tryst. But...

That was AFTER you two got frisky with each other... care to explain that one?

Dash opened her eyes, half-annoyed at her own brain for taking shots at her.

"What are you tryin' to say?" She argued with herself.

Simply put... that you're hot for Fluttershy.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!! Where did that come from?"

Pfft, please! I bet ya even Twilight could see that you were chompin' at the bit for Fluttershy.

"And what makes you think that?"

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you're dream about things getting hot with Fluttershy shocked Twilight.

"... What?"

Dash's mind was in overdrive, the arguing back and forth between herself was gonna make her go nuts if she didn't get to the point.

Did you see the look on her face when you told her you dreamed about Fluttershy? That mare's jaw hit the floor!

"And? Twilight's-"

Getting laid by Pinkie Pie... You can't claim the "well, she doesn't know anything about this kind of thing" card this time Dashie.

"Uuugh!!!" Dash groaned as she flipped over on her cloud, laying on her belly. What was bugging her about all of this?

Well... Pinkie DID say that you might have something on your mind. Maybe its been Fluttershy this whole time?

"Yea? What makes you... er... me... whatever. What makes you think that?"

She's sweet, loving, gentle, cares for her friends more than they could ever know... which includes you. Is it so hard to imagine that she might care about you more?

"Like I'd be her type. She'd probably want to get with Big Macintosh or somepony else."

You really think so huh?

"Why wouldn't I? She deserves somepony who'll be good to her."

Are you saying you won't be good to her?

"That's not what I'm saying."

Then what ARE you saying?

"I DON'T KNOW!!" Dash yelled.

At this, Dash leapt from the cloud. She knew she couldn't escape the thoughts within her own head, but she could keep her mind preoccupied with a hard workout. And with that, she started climbing to her preferred altitudes.

Fluttershy had collected her emotions and walked into town. She needed to get some more birdseed and carrots. After picking them up and heading back out of Ponyville with full saddlebags, she was surprised when she literally bumped into Pinkie Pie.

"Hey Fluttershy! Guess what?! I'm having a super-awesome, mega-ultra, beyond-belief, "you better be ready, something HUGE is going to happen today" party, today!! See ya there?" Pinkie said, handing her an invitation.

"Oh... um... Sounds like fun." Fluttershy said half-heartedly.

"Hey, are you ok Flutters?" Pinkie said with a quizzical look.

With a resigned sigh, Fluttershy voiced her frustrations to Pinkie.

"I don't know... I feel better since all of you know about how I feel but... how do I tell Rainbow?" Her head hanging as she spoke.

She suddenly felt a hoof lift her chin, looking up, she found herself eye-to-eye with Pinkie Pie.

"Don't worry about it Flutters. Everything will fall into place, I'm sure of it!"

Fluttershy smiled half-heartedly. Pinkie Pie is the one pony you couldn't keep down.

"Thanks Pinkie" Fluttershy said before hugging the pink earth pony.

"No problem. See ya at the party!" Pinkie said before dashing away and handing another invitation out.

"Well, guess I better go get ready then." Fluttershy said to herself and trotted back to her cottage.

Rainbow Dash was sitting in a field pouring sweat. She had worked out for a solid three hours doing some of her most intense routines. She could already feel that she was going to be sore tomorrow. Suddenly a voice was right in her ear.

"Hey Rainbow Dash!!" Pinkie said, suddenly appearing right next to the tired pegasus.

"AAaahh!!" Dash automatically took off, flying thirty feet straight up before looking down to see what had spooked her.

"PINKIE PIE?!! What gives?!" Dash said as she glided back to the ground.

"Hehehe, sorry Dashie. Just wanted to invite you to my super-awesome, mega-ultra, beyond-belief, "you better be ready, something HUGE is going to happen today" party! Its going to be tonight and I invited all of Ponyville!"

"Yea, I'm down for a party!" Dash said, accepting the invitation. She really needed to keep her mind off-

Fluttershy? Heh, nice try Dashie

Pinkie was barely out of hearing range as Dash shouted "BUCKING HELL!!!"

"So, did you get the invitations out to everypony?" Twilight asked as Pinkie entered the library and set her basket down by the door. The grin on her face gave the answer away.

"Yep, everypony." she said with a bit of an eyebrow waggle.

"Do you really think that this will work Pinkie?"

"I know it will Twi. I know it will." She said as she nuzzled Twilight's neck, gently nipping her occasionally.

Between gasps Twilight asked "Don't you -aah- have to set up?"

"Pfft, two party-canons and the whole thing will be fine." She said licking a spot she had just bitten ever so lightly before continuing. "Besides, we have hours before the party starts out there."

Twilight couldn't help herself, with a mischievous grin she asked "What about the party in here?"

Pinkie motioned to the locked door and looked into Twilight's eyes with a devious smile as she took her by the hoof and led her towards her room. "Oh, that one starts now."

"What about Spike?"

"He's at Sweet Apple Acres with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Something about gem hunting."

"Perfect." Twilight said, jumping forward and nipping Pinkie's neck before bolting for her bedroom door.

"Oh you're gonna get it now!" Pinkie said following her and closing the door behind them.

When the walls come crashing in

Daytime faded to night in Equestria as the citizens of Ponyville gathered in the town square for one of Pinkie Pie's infamous parties. Everypony knew it was time to head to town square when they heard and felt two large booms from the pink earth pony's party canons. They signaled the start of a wild night.

Rainbow Dash had come early to help with the setup. Oddly though, she didn't find Pinkie pie at sugarcube corner. Dropping by the library, she found the door locked with a sign on it "Closed until tomorrow. -Twilight Sparkle and decided to look elsewhere. In walking past Twilight's window though, she had heard the panting and moaning of a mare on the brink of ecstasy. She opted to go back to sugarcube corner after that and wait. No need to spoil Pinkie's "private party."

Whenever she did appear, she was bouncier than usual. Dash made nothing of it and offered to help set up. Pinkie had been ecstatic.

"Oooh!! I have two new party canons and it would be super-amazing if we set them both off AT THE SAME TIME!!" Pinkie had said, her smile threatening to break her cheeks.

five minutes later in town square

"3...2...1... GO!!!"

Fluttershy had made her way into Ponyville shortly after the percussive party canons had gone off, Applejack right behind her as she walked into town.

"Whooee!! I tell y'all what, Pinkie Pie really outdone herself this time 'round" Applejack had said upon seeing the scene. Ponies already starting to gather.

Twilight and Rarity joined the group from Rarity's boutique and all of the friends met on stage. Pinkie had slipped them a note inside each of their invitations telling them where to meet and what the plan was.

"Hey Pinkie, what's the plan?" Rainbow Dash asked through the microphone on stage.

"Plan? Don't you know?" Pinkie said through her own microphone as all of her friends gathered around her for the magic words to start everything.

"WE'RE GONNA PARTY!!!

With that, Vinyl Scratch, also known as "DJ-Pon3", Canterlot's best DJ (and personal friend of the elements of harmony) walked up to her turntables and, after pumping everypony up, dropped the bass so hard on her first jam that the whole stage shook.

Unbeknownst to anypony though, it also cracked several of the supports, many of which had been weakened with age and a recent storm, on the porch of town hall. The porch was serving as the main stage of the party.

Fluttershy left the main stage and went to a quieter part of the party, sitting under a tree at the edge of the square and talking with Rarity and Applejack.

Dash was up on stage with Pinkie and Vinyl raving.

The night started perfectly.

About half an hour in, Pinkie leaned over to Dash and elbowed her in the ribs. A devious smile painted on her features as she had Dash lean in so she could explain to her what her plans were. After hearing Pinkie's plans, Dash hoof-bumped her and they both took off from the stage. When they returned, both were giggling hysterically and carrying glasses of the newly "partyfied" punch. Things only got wilder from there.

By the time Vinyl packed everything up, most everypony was at the very least tipsy. Mayor Mare actually wound up losing her professional demeanor and kissed Cherilee! Nopony would hold it against her though, there had been rumors floating around about the two of them for months!

Even Fluttershy could feel the effects of the party punch. While not as potent as Pinkie's last attempt at a spiked party punch, it still had Berry Punch passed out within the first hour. That mare seriously needed to learn when to quit.

Rainbow Dash was nursing her fifth glass of the night. She hadn't gotten smashed like she normally would have at one of these parties. Somehow, even slightly intoxicated, her own mind had been making her check out Fluttershy.

... Fluttershy looks beautiful tonight.

"She always looks that way."

So you're agreeing that she's beautiful? I knew it!

"No! Well, yes... but..."

Face it Dash, you love Fluttershy.

"... Yea...I know..."

So you admit it?

She took a big drink of her punch.

"It's not something I can deny."

Fluttershy looked up from her seat under the tree to the stage. Rainbow Dash was sitting there, a troubled look on her face.

Even if I can't out and say it, I'll at least be there for her if she's sad because she's my friend.

Standing up, albeit a bit wobbly, she started walking towards the stage. Passing a few stragglers who were still out and about despite the late hour. She was fairly sure half of Ponyville was going to have a hangover tomorrow. They would all argue it was worth it though. She chuckled to herself as she walked past a VERY inebriated Berry Punch. Her friends were trying to get her back to her house. That would be fun.

Looking back up at Dash to see her take a big drink of her punch, Fluttershy caught a blur out of the corner of her eye. Looking over to see what it was, she saw Derpy Hooves, even more walleyed than usual, crash into town hall. Then, to her horror, she saw all of the cracks in the supports start to give and Rainbow Dash was...

"RAINBOW!!!" Fluttershy shouted at the top of her lungs as her wings launched her towards the buzzed pegasus. Even Dash wouldn't have had the time to get out of the way.

Dash had just taken another big swig of punch to try and make her mind shut up when she heard and felt a large crash behind her. She didn't even have to look. No question in her mind, that was Derpy. If ever a pegasus needed to be permanently grounded, it was Derpy. Just as she was going to take another drink she heard somepony shout out her name.

"RAINBOW!!"

Looking towards where the voice had come from, she saw a yellow blur and out of the corner of her eye, saw one of the snapped supports just as it splintered and let the porch start to crash down.

There was no way she could get airborne in time.

Fluttershy's wings were pumping furiously, time seemed to slow to a crawl. She had to reach Dash. She just HAD to!

Pushing herself even harder to fly faster, she managed to get to her. She couldn't pull her back. She couldn't throw her. Her only option was to let her momentum bust them through the wall.

It would have to work.

Fluttershy closed her eyes as they made contact with the wall, the wood splintering and giving way with a deafening CRACK as the porch collapsed. She blacked out on contact.

When she awoke, Rainbow Dash was underneath her. She wasn't moving! Putting her ear to Rainbow's chest, she heard Dash's heartbeat and felt the slow rising and falling of her chest. The knowledge that her friend was ok pushed her over the edge. She hugged Dash and broke down, sobbing quietly at the near miss.

Rainbow Dash awoke with a start. She remembered that the porch had been coming towards her and that a yellow blur had knocked her through the wall. Bucking hell that had hurt! Opening her eyes, she was greeted by a surprising sight. Fluttershy was hugging her... and... crying?

"Hey Fluttershy, you ok?" Dash said softly.

Upon hearing Dash's voice, Fluttershy breathed a relieved sigh and gave Dash a squeeze before standing up and looking straight into Dash's eyes.

"No. No I'm not ok. I nearly lost you tonight Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy pinned her shoulders to the floor and closed her eyes, trying to blink away the tears.

"Wha-?"

"Dammit Rainbow!!"

Dash was shocked. Nopony had EVER heard Fluttershy curse. What had gotten into her?

Maybe the same thing that's gotten into you.

"Don't ever do that to me again!!!" Fluttershy continued. There were still tears coming out of her eyes, but she wouldn't look up.

For some reason she couldn't quite fathom, she reached up and caressed Fluttershy's cheek with her hoof. She was rather surprised when Fluttershy leaned into the caress and put her own hoof on Dash's.

"Dash..." Fluttershy said quietly through her sobs.

"Y-yea?" Dash replied shakily. Dash felt a knot build in her chest. Did she know what was coming?

"I... I love you." Fluttershy looked up, her eyes meeting with Rainbow's. Dash had seen that look in Fluttershy's eyes before... In her last dream! Suddenly everything made sense to Dash. The way Fluttershy had acted at the Best Young Flier competition and afterwards. The way everything she had dreamed about up until the other day was all true. Dash was at a loss for words, all she could do was look back into Fluttershy's eyes.

The pained expression her friend wore was still loving. She could feel a warmth spread in her chest that was definitely NOT from the alcohol. Fluttershy ..loved her?

Do you love her back?

"Yea, and what if I do?"

THEN KISS HER YOU SCATTER-BRAINED FLY-GIRL!! DON'T WAIT FOR THE BUCKIN' MOVIE TO COME OUT ABOUT IT!!

Dash leaned in as some unknown part of her mind compelling her towards the lips of the shell-shocked mare before her.

Fluttershy saw Dash move. She froze, not knowing what was going on until Rainbow's lips made contact with hers. Rainbow Dash was kissing her! The realization broke her from her reverie and she started kissing Dash back with gusto. First their lips, then their tongues wrestling for dominance. It wasn't until a worried Twilight Sparkle poked her head through the hole that the two pegasi had created in the wall to ask "Is everypony ok?" that they broke their kiss. Awkwardly jumping up and away from each other, the two pegasi answered Twilight, each wearing a blush redder than Big Macintosh's coat.

"Y-yea... we're cool Twi." Rainbow said, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Um... yes. We're ok." Fluttershy had replied, hiding behind her mane.

The lavender mare looked back and forth between them questioningly before just smiling at them knowingly as Pinkie bounced up to her and looked in at Fluttershy and Dash.

"Caught 'em smoochin' didn't ya?" Pinkie said, stopping her bouncing to nuzzle Twilight and look suggestively at Dash and Fluttershy.

"Eeyup." Twilight said, imitating Big Macintosh.

"Wha- hey now Twi..."

Twilight held up a hoof and silenced Rainbow.

"It's ok Dash." Twilight leaned in and kissed Pinkie before looking back at Dash and Fluttershy. "But you two might want to talk about this somewhere a bit more... private." Twilight said, gesturing with her head to the sound the ponies who were still sober enough to realized what had just happened were making. They were coming to see what happened.

"Hehe, yea... you're probably right." Dash said before looking to Fluttershy.

"Sooo..." Dash started.

"We'll talk at my cottage." Fluttershy said, walking up to Dash and kissing her before she flew out of the hole Twilight and Pinkie were standing in front of.

"Yea. We'll do that." Dash said, taking wing and following her.

Well, that was easy.

"Oh shut it."

Just what was going to happen at Fluttershy's cottage? Dash didn't know... but she was going to find out.

Twilight and Pinkie watch as Fluttershy and Dash flew off towards Fluttershy's house, grins plastered on each of their faces.

"How did you know that they would wind up confessing?"

"The Pinkie Senses never lie Twilight." Pinkie said with a smirk.

"Soo, wanna head back to the library?" Twilight asked sheepishly.

"Ohoho, somepony wants to go another few rounds huh?"

"Uh, YEA!!" Twilight said, about to lean in and kiss Pinkie when a voice startled them both.

"HAY YOU GUYS, WHAT HAPPENED?!"

They both looked to see Derpy's head sticking out of another hole in the wall and burst out laughing.

This would be fun to fix... tomorrow.

What is love?

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash flew towards Fluttershy's cottage. Neither saying a word as they took furtive glances at each other and looked away the instant they caught the other looking at them. Within a few minutes, Fluttershy's cottage was in sight.

Landing at the door first, Dash waited as Fluttershy landed beside her and opened the door. "Go ahead... um... if you want that is."

Entering the cottage, Dash was greeted with the general warm, welcoming feeling of the lovely home. However, the sight of an orange blur sailing through the air towards Fluttershy caused her to reflexively extend her wing to block the incoming projectile. Dash winced as the offending vegetable made contact right at the wrist of her wing. It had hit a lot harder than she thought it would. She raised her gaze to glare at the white bunny who had thrown the carrot. This wasn't the first time she'd been here. Also wasn't the first time she'd been hit with a carrot by the annoying little creature.

Narrowing her eyes at him, Dash held eye-contact with the bunny for a while as Fluttershy came through the door.

"Oh, Hello Angel!" Fluttershy said kindly before seeing the flat expression he was directing at Dash.

Looking back and forth between Rainbow and Angel while neither of them broke their glares, Fluttershy cautiously asked.

"Is something wrong?"

"Nope... everything's fine." Dash said, a wry smile on her face as she extended her wing a few times to work it out. "Just fine."

Angel smirked at her cheekily, then shrugged his shoulders and hopped off to his hutch, the smirk still painting his face. His shenanigans were done for the night.

Spying the carrot on the floor, Fluttershy's eyes got wide as she started worrying and apologizing to Dash.

"Oh, did he throw a carrot at you again? I'm so sorry Dash, he gets that way sometimes and I-"

Dash placed a hoof over her mouth and smiled at her.

"Its ok Fluttershy. I know how he is." Rainbow said in a comforting tone as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh... I, uh... yes... he can be a bit... rambunctious at times." Fluttershy said as she backed away slightly from Dash's hoof.

If earlier was an effect of the alcohol, its worn off now... you can tell by that cute hesitation in how she talks.

"Shut it."

Ok... no reason to be testy.

This voice in her head wasn't helping...

"Sooo..." Rainbow said, awkwardly scratching the back of her head with a hoof. "About what you said earlier?"

"Oh... right..." Fluttershy said, a slight blush spreading to her cheeks.

She absent-mindedly scuffed at the floor with a hoof, hiding her eyes behind her mane as she said "I... I... that is to say... I meant what I said... back there..."

Dash gave her a curious look.

"Back at the party... I meant it when I said I... That I love you." Fluttershy peeked from behind her mane to gauge Dash's reaction.

Dash's breath caught in her chest a bit. She was still trying to wrap her head around all of this. She knew that Fluttershy loved her, she was questioning herself though... She hadn't really loved anybody since...

Are you really going to bring HIM up to compare to this?

"What else do I have to compare it to?"

How about Pinkie? Didn't you care about her?

"Yea, but I'm not sure that I LOVED her..."

So you're saying that Gilda and Pinkie both were just about the sex?

"NO!! I cared about both of them... I'm just... not sure if I TRULY love them. Not like that..."

Sounds like you need to figure out what true love is Dash... and the weird thing is, I can't tell you what it is... you have to discover that for yourself.

"Some help YOU are."

It happens... now you better respond before Fluttershy loses her nerve. She's looking pretty worried right now...

Jolted back into reality, Dash saw that the voice in her head was right... Fluttershy did look worried.

"Are you ok Fluttershy? You look kinda... worried."

"I just... do you love me back?"

"I... I don't know..." She admitted, hanging her head at her own words. She just didn't know.

Fluttershy had to choke back a sob. She had asked, knowing full well what the answer could be. Did Dash love her? She needed to know.

"I... I don't know..."

She clenched her eyes shut, trying to keep the tears held back.

The voices in her own head started tearing at her again... almost like they used to back when... back before she met Dash.

Yea, you know she's just trying to let you down easy.

She doesn't love you back.

She-

"STOP!!"

Fluttershy steeled her nerves to the pain she was feeling and looked up at Dash, forcing herself to not cry. What she saw almost broke her heart as well as her resolve. Dash was crying... tears streaming down her cyan cheeks and falling silently onto the floor.

"Dash?"

Dash shook her head and looked up at Fluttershy.

Dash's feelings had gone into overdrive, she was asking herself so many questions and finding no answers. Did she even know what TRUE love was? Could she feel true love any more? Was she even worthy of it? Did she even deserve Fluttershy?

Her head still hung as she closed her eyes and tears started to stream out of them. She just didn't know any more.

"Dash?"

Shaking her head, Dash looked up as tears continued to stream down her face.

"I... I don't know! Fluttershy, I WANT to love you! I DO! I'm just not sure I... I'm not sure I know how to love anymore..." Dash poured out, hanging her head as she finally blurted out how she really felt.

"Dash... what happened?"

Rainbow was shocked as she felt a pair of warm hooves wrap around her neck and hug her tightly.

"Fluttershy... I..." Dash turned her head away, she didn't want to go into her own past.

Fluttershy put a hoof on her cheek and brought her head around so they were face to face. Looking Dash right in the eyes, Fluttershy spoke again, a soft, caring lilt in her voice. "What made you say that Dash? What happened? You know you can talk to me about ANYTHING."

Trust her Dash.

"Alright..." Dash said, wiping her tears from her eyes. "This will probably take a while though."

Fluttershy smiled.

"We have as long as you need."

Dash let out a resigned sigh before looking back at Fluttershy.

"...I'm gonna warn you... this isn't a pretty story."

Fluttershy hugged Dash a bit tighter as she thought to herself

For the love of all that is GOOD in Equestria... please don't let her have gone through what I did!

A few drunken confessions

Dash walked over to Fluttershy's couch, wiping her tears away as she sat down, she looked up as Fluttershy sat next to her. The proximity was comforting in a way.

"Well..." Dash said with a sigh "I guess here goes nothing."

Fluttershy smiled, comfortingly placing a hoof on Dash's own hoof.

Dash closed her eyes and started letting the memories come back. This was going to hurt and she knew it.

"Well, you remember back in Flight school how I was Captain of the mares wingball team?"

"Yes?"

"Well, being the Captain, I was in pretty good shape for back then. Got a lot of attention from the colts and all. There was only one colt that had my eye though. Do you remember Firestar Blackwing?"

Everypony who was within three grades of Firestar had known who he was. He was bar-none THE HOTTEST colt in Cloudsdale Flight School at the time!

"Yea, I remember him. You two were together for a long time right? Even after flight school?"

Dash tensed up. Fluttershy may have been even shyer then than she was now... but she had obviously been very observant.

"Uh... yea... we were...." Dash said, turning her gaze away.

"Dash... what happened between you two?"

Slowly turning her head back to face Fluttershy, Dash couldn't help herself. Tears welled up in her eyes as she replied.

"Everything."

She then started to unleash years worth of hurt.

"We started out just hanging out. He was a great friend, got a little cocky sometimes because he knew how good he looked, but I liked that about him. He was confident, cool, and just a great guy to be around. We officially "hooked up" the second part of our junior year. Everything was great, ya know?"

Fluttershy only nodded, she hadn't been in any relationships during flight school.

"Well, we were just taking things easy up to senior year when we started kissing. We promised that we wouldn't take it past that until after we got married if we ever did."

This somewhat shocked Fluttershy. She had heard all sorts of rumors about Dash throughout their school years. Anything from Dash being an outright whore to her using Firestar as a cover because she was a fillyfooler. She hadn't exactly helped that image with the amount of flirting she did before getting with Firestar. She'd heard and seen that Dash was a real wing-tease for stallion and mare alike.

Dash caught on to her surprise.

"Yea, figured that one would come as a bit of a shock to ya. There were a lot of rumors floating around while we were in school. Even heard one saying I was skipping school because I got pregnant. That was when I had that strained ligament in my wing first part of junior year and went to a specialist. I was out that week for rehab. The coaches wouldn't let me back until the doc cleared me." Dash rolled her eyes.

Fluttershy had heard the rumor. "So you planned to stay... pure, until your wedding night? That's pretty admirable Dash. I know a lot of the other mares on the wingball team were sleeping around."

"Yea, they were... I remember when Flitter had a pregnancy scare because she went into heat the day after her and some stallion from Trottingham shacked up at a party."

"Flitter had a pregnancy scare?" This was news to Fluttershy. She head heard a lot of gossip having sat in the shadows for most all of her years in school, but she'd never heard that one.

"Yea, we kept it on the down-low though. Turned out she wasn't pregnant but it made me want to keep my flanks shut! Too much at stake ya know?"

"Yea."

"Anyways, after a while of just kissing, hugging, cuddling... all that romantic stuff. Firestar started pushing a bit. I told him that I was going to wait until marriage and he said he could respect that and left it alone for a while..."

"But he didn't stop pressing for long... did he?" Fluttershy asked.

Dash shook her head.

"Nope. He didn't. After we graduated, he started pushing again. I still wasn't going to go for it. That's when he started... questioning us. Our relationship... how much I loved him."

"How much you loved him?" Fluttershy asked cautiously.

"Yea" Dash said, nodding slowly. "He started asking me "Don't you love me Rainbow?" and started saying that every mare he knew had given it up. That what I was doing was old-fashioned, that nobody was doing it anymore. I found out later that he even went as far as getting mares who he knew to start asking me if I'd given it up yet."

Fluttershy couldn't say a word, she could only listen as her friend poured out her story.

"Anyways, one day... we went out for a few drinks. He just kept pushing and pushing, got me plastered. Anyways, we got back to my place and he... he-" She started crying

"He STOLE me!"

Dash had just dropped a bomb. She had been raped. Raped by the stallion nopony, not even Fluttershy, would have ever suspected.

Scooting over to Dash, Fluttershy pulled her into a comforting hug. Wrapping her wings around the weeping pegasus before her as her protective instincts started to kick in.

It was some time before Dash stopped crying.

"I've never told this to anypony before... even lied to Applejack about it. Guess I got so good at lying about it that even... Even she couldn't see through it." Dash said as she sat up, sliding out of Fluttershy's grasp.

Fluttershy's eyes widened a bit at that. Almost nopony could lie to Applejack.

"Anyways..." Dash continued with a deep breath. "When I woke up, I knew what had happened. I broke up with him and kicked his sorry ass out."

Dash looked away. She didn't want to say it, to have to say the words that had hurt her the most. Steeling herself as best she could, she said them anyways.

"I had loved him. I thought he loved me back. But in the end... All he wanted was to get between my flanks. And I let him get what he wanted. I should have seen what he was doing."

Dash looked back to Fluttershy.

"And ever since that day, I've questioned other ponies... and myself."

"Yourself? Why do you question yourself?" Fluttershy asked

"Because... we may have been out of flight school but I guess i was still thinking like a love-struck filly. Something Rarity might have been proud of... I always thought I'd find this great guy and we'd wait, get married... maybe have some foals eventually. Now... now I don't know. I guess I'm worried that it was just an infatuation with him. Me trying to keep him was desperation... There's no easy way of putting that. I was desperate to keep him. I wanted to live that dream."

Dash sighed after her last sentence.

"That's when I started really training for The Wonderbolts. Helped to get my mind off things... for a while"

Fluttershy nodded sagely.

"Didn't work for long though... just kept on eating at me." Dash said shaking her head. "It really hit after I found out that he'd had another marefriend while he was with me..."

"What?!"

"Yup." Dash said. "I know because she came and told me. She had always been jealous that she was his "dirty little secret" and she wanted me to hurt. She told me that maybe a month after we had "broken up". Apparently... he'd left her not long after I kicked him out."

"And how did that go over?"

Dash looked up, staring flatly at the wall as she said "I bucked her so hard she lost three teeth when her jaw cracked."

Fluttershy's eyes snapped wide. She was horrified, yet, in a way... she was proud.

"After that," she continued "I wasn't big on getting with anypony. Every stallion I met seemed like he was after the same thing Firestar was. That just turned me off to all of 'em."

"So... when did you... cross the street... as it were?" Fluttershy asked hesitantly.

Dash looked at her briefly before having a contemplative expression cross her features.

"If we're gonna get into that story... I'm gonna need a drink." Dash said as she rubbed her temples.

Fluttershy nodded and headed towards the kitchen.

"Applejack Daniels ok?"

Try "its my most favorite drink EVER!!"

"Yea, that'll be great." Dash said.

Fluttershy returned moments later with two glasses of the strong drink along with the bottle. She wasn't kidding about not going anywhere. Handing one off to Dash, Fluttershy sat back down on the couch and sipped at her own glass.

"Bottoms up." Dash said, gesturing before she downed the whole glass. That didn't surprise Fluttershy in the least. One of the rumors about Dash when they were in flight school that turned out to be true was how she could handle her alcohol.

"So... about how you-"

Dash held up her hoof, pouring herself another glass then downing that one as well. Having done that, and pouring herself another glass, she leaned back on the couch and looked up at the ceiling.

"Well, I take it you know about my thing with Gilda then?" Dash said

Fluttershy downed her own glass and filled it back up before replying.

"Yes... I know about Pinkie Pie too."

Dash's head snapped to look at Fluttershy, a look of surprise on her face.

"How?!"

"Well... Rarity and I kinda walked in on her and Twilight... well..."

"Uh... yea... same here Flutters. Talk about awkward right?!" Dash said, absent-mindedly scratching the back of her head with a hoof.

Fluttershy nodded and downed another glass. "A little bit... but they just seemed so..."

"Horny?" Dash asked jokingly.

"Happy." Fluttershy said, giving Dash a sidelong smirk. "They seemed really happy together.

"Yea... Anyways, I was good friends with a few mares from flight school that were fillyfoolers. While we were in school it never really appealed to me but after Firestar, I started to just not like stallions. But at the same time, I wasn't exactly attracted to mares ya know?" Dash was sipping on her glass, the burn of each drink giving way to a slight apple after-taste.

"Yea, I can understand that." Fluttershy said, circling her hoof around the rim of the glass.

"Anyways, there was this one mare... her name was Dusk. Dusk Nightshade. She was probably my best friend after that all happened. She was there, listened to me, we actually wound up sharing an apartment in Cloudsdale before I built my house. She helped me heal a lot."

Fluttershy remembered Dusk. She was a pure black pegasus mare who was came in as the rest of the students left the school. Something about a night class for the pegasi who were on the night shift for the local storm watch bordering the everfree forest.

"Was she your first... well... your first mare anyways?"

Dash visibly blanched before busting out laughing, leaving Fluttershy confused.

"Ooohaha!! No, she wasn't." Dash said, still chortling.

"She was the one who did show me a lot though. Ya see, her marefriend was living with us. I saw how they cared for each other, how they loved each other, and I couldn't help but HEAR how they pleasured each other. That apartment had thin walls. We got more than a few noise complaints from the neighbors!" Dash said as she laughed again, the alcohol was obviously helping to lift her mood.

"So Gilda was your first... "mare" then?" Fluttershy asked. This was all starting to confuse her a bit.

"Yea." Dash said sheepishly. "She and I met while I was basically the third wing on one of Dusk's dates with her marefriend."

"What happened?"

We got so blitzed that we wound up going home together and-

"SHUT UP!!!"

"Well, things got a bit wild. We wound up going home that night and... well... yea." Dash downed what was left of her glass and promptly filled it back up.

"Oh, I understand." Fluttershy said, blushing a deep shade of pink.

"Yea... Anyways, after that she and I actually got together. She was nice, cared about me a lot. Heh, kinda kinky too." Dash said, her blush growing to match Fluttershy's.

"Oh..." Fluttershy said as her blush deepened.

"Yea... She started getting really protective of me after a while though. One time I'll never forget is when she broke Firestar's wing."

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "Firestar?! That's who's wing she broke?!" She covered her mouth with her hooves as the words left her mouth.

"Yea. You heard about that?" Dash asked lightly.

"Um... yea... I did." Fluttershy said lowering her hooves, trying to sound and act natural. She didn't want to give away that Pinkie had told her a bit about Dash's past.

"Yea, it was the craziest thing. I hadn't told Gilda anything about my past. One day we ran into him at the market, I got mad the instant I saw him but tried to be civil. Looking back I don't know why. Anyways he was trying to be a wise-ass and say my flanks had gotten too big. She walked right over to him, grabbed his wing, and just snapped it! I don't think I'll EVER forget that sound." Dash said, visibly cringing.

"Did she get in trouble over it?"

"Actually, she didn't. Turns out when he went to the hospital, he was arrested. He had three filed cases of rape against him. Just so happens one of the security ponies recognized him from a wanted poster. He's got life in Stalliongrad High Security Prison now." Dash said as she downed another glass.

That makes four. Fluttershy thought to herself. She had no idea why she was keeping track of how much Dash was drinking.

"Serves him right." Fluttershy said, momentarily surprised at her own callousness.

"Yea, yea it does." Dash said as she refilled her glass.

"Cheers." She said, lifting her glass.

Fluttershy clinked her glass against Dash's before they both downed their glasses. Both mares slamming them against the table in front of the couch as the alcohol burned its way down.

"So what happened between you and Gilda... To separate you I mean?" Fluttershy asked. She was feeling bolder and bolder as the warmth of the alcohol spread through her. An all-too-familiar feeling...

"Well, after she snapped Firestar's wing, she started getting really protective of me. Really physical too. She never hit me or anything but her kinks started getting a bit too... extreme for my tastes." Dash said, a light pink blush returning to her cheeks.

"Hmm..." Fluttershy nodded as she refilled both of their glasses.

"She and I wound up separated by my own hoof. I took a job on the Ponyville weather team just as she got one deep in the Griffin Kingdom. It didn't take long for us to mutually agree to split."

"How was that of your own hoof?" Fluttershy asked naturally, despite her knowing the answer already.

"Well, I knew she was getting that job in the Griffin Kingdom. I was wanting to split from her but I was... I was kinda scared to. When she can up and snap a pegasus stallion's wing like that... it tends to scare ya a bit. Anyways, I made it look like it was something already in the works when I told her. She accepted it easily enough though and it wound up working out ok until..."

"Until she showed up in Ponyville?" Fluttershy asked knowingly.

"Yea... I had no idea she was coming. I thought she had changed. That day we spent together... it was almost perfect." Dash recalled before her expression turned sour.

"Then I found out how she had been acting towards all of you. That tore it for me. You know I told her off in front of everypony at the party. What ya probably don't know is that she came back later and tried to make amends."

"I think Pinkie mentioned something like that when we were talking after we walked in on her and Twilight." Fluttershy said.

"Yea... Anyways, I was done and told her to buck off. I guess it hit her harder than I thought cuz she broke down and flew off. I haven't heard from her since. Probably for the best though." Another glass of the hard liquor was drained by Dash. She would probably be hung over tomorrow but didn't really care.

"So you got with Pinkie after that?" Fluttershy asked. She had drank this glass fairly quickly and had to refill her glass after Dash did. She could feel the effects of the alcohol now, if barely just.

"Yea... she and I talked a lot after that. I told her ALMOST everything. The only bit I haven't told her is that Firestar basically raped me. Or that I've been with a stallion for that matter." Dash said as she set her glass down, still full, on the table.

"Were you two together for long?" Fluttershy inquired.

"Not really. We were together for... three, maybe four months before we called it off?" Dash said, trying to consult now-fuzzy memories.

"What separated you two?" Fluttershy asked. She was genuinely curious about why they had decided to split up.

"Well, we didn't know how you guys would take it and well... I think we both started to get on each others nerves. So, before anypony got hurt, we decided to call it off. No reason to break each others hearts right?" Dash said.

"I suppose not." Fluttershy said, she downed her glass and set it lightly on the table.

"Anyways, since then I've been pretty happy. I think after the break-up with Gilda and the relationship with Pinkie, I got a lot of my old spark back."

"Yea..." Fluttershy said. She was stalling and she knew it. Dash had reached the end of her story, she just didn't know how to keep her here. She didn't want her to leave.

"Well, I guess I'll get out of your hair Fluttershy." Dash said before she pounded back another glass of Applejack Daniels. She got up and was about to walk to the door when a sudden tug on her tail stopped her cold, sending shivers up her spine.

"You're not going anywhere in your condition. You're staying here for the night Dash." Fluttershy said firmly. There was no way she was going to let her friend fly like this.

"Ok then, I'll sleep on the couch." Dash offered.

Fluttershy shook her head.

"Nope, follow me." Fluttershy said, still emboldened by the light effect the alcohol had on her.

Dash nodded dumbly and did as she was told, following Fluttershy to her room.

Upon reaching her room, Fluttershy nodded towards her bed.

"Go on, get in." She said without suggestion.

"Are you sure Fluttershy?" Dash asked.

Fluttershy rolled her eyes. Apparently, Dash had forgotten that Fluttershy had kissed her earlier.

"I'm sure Dash, now get in bed." She instructed.

"Ok Fluttershy." Dash said. She had to admit, she was feeling a bit drowsy.

Hopping up onto the bed, Dash slipped under the covers and was greeted by a comfortable cool sensation. Almost like slipping into a nice cloud. Feeling a slight movement of the mattress and a sudden warmth against her back, Dash looked to find Fluttershy snuggled up against her.

"Fl- Fluttershy?" Dash asked hesitantly.

"Go to sleep Rainbow." Fluttershy said as she snuggled against Dash.

"O- Okay." Dash said as she laid her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes.

A few minute passed before she heard a quiet whisper that made her chest tighten and her breath catch in her throat.

"No matter what happened in the past... I still love you Rainbow Dash."

Shortly after hearing the whisper, she felt the pleasant warmth of a light kiss on her cheek.

As Fluttershy settled back to go to sleep, Dash opened her eyes. Did she deserve love?

She seems to think you do... and just what's wrong with that?

"The fact that I'm not sure I loved Gilda or Pinkie. I'm..."

You're what? Not pure? I think you'll be surprised if you'll just accept that she loves you.

"I'm not sure I love her back."

You don't have to know right now Dash... just give this a chance.

"... Okay. I swear though, if this breaks my heart again, I'm going to a shrink. They'll shut you up permanently!"

Fine by me... just give this a chance. I think she'll surprise you.

"Yea, yea... I'm going to sleep so shut up."

Fine.

And with that, Dash fell into a deep sleep. It had been one hell of a day.

The ghosts of her past Pt. 1

Pinkie gazed out of the windows of Twilight's room to the night sky above. A lot was going to happen tonight. She could feel it. Her pinkie-senses had told her something big was going to happen. She had a hunch that it involved Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, but she wouldn't know until it happened. Hanging her head as her mane deflated slightly, the pink earth pony whispered quietly to the stars above.

"Please... let them heal each other's wounds. They've had enough pain."

"Pinkie, are you ok?"

Pinkie lifted her head up to look at Twilight with sad eyes before looking back out to the night sky.

"I'm ok Twilight... I just hope everypony else is too."

She felt a comforting hoof on her shoulder.

"Lets go to bed. You'll feel better in the morning." Twilight said with a concerned smile.

"I hope you're right Twilight." Pinkie said as she walked towards the bed, stealing another glance out the windows. "I hope you're right."

NOOOOO!!!!

Fluttershy's scream rocked the house and caused Dash to wake up with a start. She heard Fluttershy take another deep breath as though to scream.

Not even thinking, Dash threw her hooves around Fluttershy, cradling her in her embrace.

"It's okay Fluttershy. I'm here. I'm here..." Dash said as she slowly stroked Fluttershy's mane.

She seemed to calm down a bit but burst into tears as Angel hopped through a small door at the bottom of Fluttershy's door, a worried look on his face. His eyes searched over Fluttershy, seeing Dash holding her shaking form as she cried. The shock on Dash's face told Angel that she'd just been woken up as well.

Unfortunately, this wasn't a new thing for Angel. After certain, random events, Fluttershy would wake up screaming. All Angel could do was comfort her. Whatever was causing it, she wouldn't open up about it. She had never told Angel.

Angel pointed to Dash, looking between her and Fluttershy.

"Yea, I've got her. Go ahead and go back to sleep Angel. I'll take care of this." Dash said with a worried smile, still comforting the weeping pegasus in her arms.

Angel nodded reluctantly and hopped back out the door.

"Its ok Fluttershy. I'm here, Dash is here. I'm not going anywhere." Dash said comfortingly.

Fluttershy looked up into Dash's eyes.

"Dash?"

"Yea, I'm here Fluttershy. Are you alright?"

Fluttershy shuddered and hung her head.

"No. I'm not alright... Dash?"

"Yea?"

"I... I can't do this... not to you."

Dash was confused.

"Do what to me?"

"I... I can't be with you..." she turned her head away from Dash. "I don't deserve you."

Dash reached over with a hoof and turn Fluttershy's head back to face her own. Fluttershy wouldn't look her in the eyes though. She just looked away as tears fell silently down her cheeks.

"Fluttershy, look at me... please." Dash pleaded. Her heart was breaking at the sight before her.

Hesitantly, Fluttershy's eyes rose to meet Rainbow's.

"What makes you think you don't deserve me Fluttershy? If anything, I don't deserve YOU!"

Fluttershy tried to push away as she said.

"I just don't deserve you, not with what I've done."

Dash held her and wouldn't let her go. She didn't ever want to let go.

"What do you mean? You haven't done anything Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy stopped struggling as a shiver ran through her whole body. She slowly turned back towards Dash with a level look and tone as she said

"Yes I have. I've done, horrible, horrible things Rainbow. Things I can never forgive myself for. Mistakes I WON'T make you pay for."

"F-Fluttershy... what happened?"

Fluttershy squeezed her eyes shut tightly and turned away. She couldn't. She thought she had finally escaped her past but it still haunted her. There was no way she was going to tell Rainbow! She-

"Fluttershy... tell me."

Her eyes snapped open and she slowly looked back to Dash.

"Dash... I can't. You would never look at me the same way again." She again hung her head. "I don't deserve anypony's love... especially not yours."

"Tell me."

There was pain in Dash's voice. Fluttershy looked to see tears streaming down Rainbow's face as well.

"You were here for me... Now I'm here for you. I won't leave you Fluttershy. Tell me."

Fluttershy's resolve finally broke. The hurt in Dash's voice, the tears she was crying. She couldn't stand it.

"Ok, but I just want to say... if you leave after this. I'll understand." And with that, hopped out of the bed to look up at the night sky. She let the memories come flooding back.

"I was born on the east side of Cloudsdale. My parents were good ponies, we lived in a bad neighborhood though. It was one of those places that wound up in the news a lot because of violence. I was ten when everything happened."

Fluttershy turned her head to Dash.

"I don't think I'll ever forget that day."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Fluttershy was sitting at home, relaxing on the couch while she dozed against her mother's side. Her mother's light tan coat and blue mane creating the warm comfort that she could always rely on to put her to sleep. The neighborhood was unusually quiet tonight. No shouting or fighting tonight it seemed.

"And how are my two best girls?" Fluttershy's Dad asked as he walked in the door. The red pegasus crouched down as his daughter leapt from her mothers side, running to hug him. His wife followed slowly behind her daughter, smiling from ear to ear.

"We're doing great honey." She said as she leaned forward and kissed him lightly before wrapping her hooves around him in a hug.

"Then you better be ready to start doing even better! I'm getting transferred to a job on the other side of town. We're going to be moving out of here!" He said exuberantly.

Fluttershy's Mom cheered and hugged her husband tightly. She had dreamed of the day they could finally leave this place. Of the day she wouldn't have to live in fear just walking out of the house! It was a dream come true.

They all sat around the dining room table as he explained that they would be out of the neighborhood in a week.

"All of the bits I've saved up over the years, plus the bonus I got today..." He said, lifting a bag of bits from his saddlebags and onto the table. "Should have us set for at LEAST a month!"

Everypony at the table was beaming and happy. So much so, that they didn't notice the shadow outside their window as they talked. As it left, Fluttershy thought she heard something and looked at the window.

"Something wrong my little Flutters?" Her father asked her, bringing her back to the conversation.

"Oh... no. Probably just the wind."

"Hmm, I do believe its time for this little pegasus to go to bed." Fluttershy's mother said as she watched her daughter suppress a yawn.

"I am a little tired. Guess I'm just excited. I get to go back to school next month!"

Her father chuckled at his daughters enthusiasm

"Yes you do. Which means that THIS little filly needs to get some sleep.

"I'll tuck her in tonight dear, dinner's on the counter. You must be starving." His wife said as she guided Fluttershy down the hall to her room.

"Yea, I could eat. I'll be there in a few minutes to say goodnight my little filly." He said with a smile.

"Ok Daddy." Fluttershy said with a smile.

The red stallion turned towards the counter as his wife rounded the corner of the hall way and froze. There was somepony at the window!

"AZURE!!" He yelled as the glass broke. He ran to his room and grabbed a baseball bat before poking his head in and saying "Stay quiet, I'll deal with this. Keep our daughter safe!" and shut the door behind him. She pulled Fluttershy into a tight hug, rocking her back and forth softly as Fluttershy sobbed.

"What's going on mommy?! I'm scared!"

"Shh, its ok Fluttershy. It'll all be okay." Her mother smiled at her, trying to keep her calm.

They heard voices outside the door.

"Alright old guy, where's the bits?"

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!" her father yelled defiantly. Several thuds and yells could be heard as a fight commenced outside of the room. A short while later, everything was silent. A set of hoofsteps made its way towards the door. It opened to reveal a brown pegasus with a black mane who was smirking at Fluttershy's mother as she put herself between the strange pony and her daughter.

Another strange and sinister looking pony walked up behind the one already in the doorway as he started talking.

"Well, well, well... looky what we got here boys. Got us one fine lookin' mare, oooh, and her daughter too. Bring 'em out here."

With that, the brown pony walked away as yet another pony walked up. The two strange ponies walked into the room and grabbed Fluttershy's mother, ripping her away from her daughter. Fluttershy was in the corner of the room, trying everything she could to stay away from the hoof reaching towards her. She squeaked in pain as the strange pony grabbed her by the mane and started dragging her out of the room.

She was pulled into a terrible, bloody scene. Her father lay in a pool of his own blood, the side of his head caved in by his own bat. One pony in particular was nursing a bruise just below his neck. Her mother was screaming at the scene, crying out to her husband in vain.

"Oh trust me, he's not waking up." The one with the bruise said as he brought the bat down on the already-dead stallion's head. Hard. The sound alone made both Fluttershy and her mother sick.

"Now, I'm only going to ask this once. If you don't cooperate..." the stallion paused before looking at Fluttershy, an evil smile forming on his lips. "Then I'll kill your daughter. But not until after we've had a bit of... fun with her."

Fluttershy's mother was terrified. "In the box under our bed, second door on the right. The combination is 5,23,12." She sobbed out, covering her eyes with her hooves.

"Go check it out." The brown pegasus told the pony holding Fluttershy. As soon as he released her, she ran to her mother, holding her tightly."

"Aww, now ain't that sweet boys. Little filly loves her momma. Lets see what we can do to change that."

Suddenly Fluttershy was wrenched from her mother by one of the stallions surrounding them. One of the stallions was holding her mother down as the brown pegasus walked over to her.

"I'd hate to waste a beautiful mare like you." he said as he caressed her cheek with a hoof. She tried to bite him, but he pulled his hoof out of the way.

"Hows that for gratitude. Here I am, you're still alive and you try to bite me? I think I'm going to teach you a lesson." the stallion said before back-hoofing her in the face and walking around behind her. She knew what he was about to do.

"Fluttershy, look away. No matter what you do, look away!" her mother screamed.

She tried to turn her head and close her eyes, but the stallion holding her had another idea.

"Either you watch, or I'm going to slit your mother's throat." he said, pulling out a knife and pointing it at Fluttershy's mother.

Reluctantly, Fluttershy opened her eyes and watched. She watched as tears streamed down her mothers face, the smell of blood filling her nose. She watched as the stallions around her laughed and cracked jokes to the stallion violating her mother. She watched as one of the stallions came out and jingled the large bag of bits that Fluttershy's parents had been saving. She watched as her whole life fell apart before her.

The stallion finally finished and walked up to look Fluttershy's mother in the eyes.

"Thanks for the sweet buck, you dirty whore."

The smile he gave her would haunt her for the rest of her life.

"You bastard." Fluttershy's mother whispered before spitting in the stallion's face.

Pulling back as rage crossed his features, the stallion hit Azure's face and motioned to the two stallions that weren't holding Fluttershy.

"Hold her, belly-up!" He yelled as he walked over to the drawers and started pulling them out, slamming them on the ground until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a long kitchen knife and walked towards Azure, now lying on her back, pinned by two stallions.

He played around with the blade as he walked over to her, taunting her, knowing full well that her filly was mere feet from them.

"Bastard huh? Lets see what tune you sing after this!" And with that, plunged the knife into Azures belly. The sound of her scream rocked the house as blood started to flow from around the knife.

"Now, what am I again?"

Azure said nothing, she was about to black out when the knife was ripped out of her belly, her blood spilling out and onto the floor. She grimaced and tried to curl up, only to feel a massive bolt of pain radiate from her belly.

"Yea, that's what I thought." he said before kicking her hard in the stomach, causing blood to fly and Azure to scream with such intensity that no sound came forth.

"Lets get out of here man, the neighbors have probably called the local guard by now." one of the stallions said nervously.

"Alright, lets go boys." The brown stallion said, turning to leave but then stopped short of the door.

"Actually... Wait a second." he said, smiling as he turned back and walked towards Fluttershy.

"You two, hold her wings out."

Struggling proved pointless as powerful hooves pinned Fluttershy and pulled her wings out to her sides. Giving the frightened filly an evil smirk, the brown stallion reared up and crushed Fluttershy's wings with his hooves, snapping the bones as he landed. Her scream echoed through the neighborhood, its intensity causing the ears of the pegasi still in her house to ring.

"GUARDS!!" The stallion at the door screamed, causing the entire group to flee.

Fluttershy crawled over to her mother, the pain in her wings being too much to allow her to stand up. As she crawled through the blood, she looked to her mothers face to see a pained expression and tears rolling down her face.

"Mommy!" Fluttershy sobbed as she reached her mother.

"It's ok Fluttershy. It's ok." Azure said as she weakly stroked her daughters cheek. The Cloudsdale Guard ponies came in and started to try and stop the bleeding from Azure's belly and to get a description of the ponies who had done all of this from Fluttershy and her mother. Fluttershy watched as one of the armored ponies covered her father with a sheet. She passed out after that, the pain from her injuries being too much.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

"They tried to save my mother but... in the end, she died from shock and blood loss. They were able to fix my wings but I'd lost all of my flying ability and had to start from scratch. Even today I'm not as strong of a flyer as I was back then. I wound up being adopted by a nice family from a nice neighborhood, but I'll never forget what happened that day."

Dash had a horrified look on her face and tears streaming from her eyes.

"Fluttershy... I-"

Fluttershy raised a hoof, cutting Dash off.

"Dash... that's only PART of my story. The true reason I don't deserve you... Well... I'm getting to that." Fluttershy said, a single tear streaming down her left cheek as she looked Dash in the eyes.

Pinkie Pie bolted up in bed, tears already streaming from her eyes as she looked out the window in the direction of Fluttershy's cottage. The sudden movement waking Twilight up. She looked to see Pinkie staring out the window.

"Pinkie? Are you okay?" she asked, pulling the pink pony to her in a hug.

"Twilight... something... awful has happened. I don't know what... I just feel, in my bones that something is wrong."

Suddenly, she bristled and her eyes went wide as her head snapped towards the windows once again.

"Oh no..." she whispered before she started to cry.

She felt pain. No, she felt AGONY... One of her friends was hurting. The truth was coming out.

The ghosts of her past Pt. 2

Twilight stirred in her bed yet again... Pinkie was twitching in her sleep.

Again.

The purple unicorn couldn't help but wonder what made her lover tick sometimes. As the pink mare before her quieted down though, she herself couldn't help but wonder what was going on in a small cottage at the edge of the everfree forest.

Dash's face wore a look of complete shock and horror. She had just been given a peek into a past that nopony here knew Fluttershy had. She had heard about the murders on the east side of Cloudsdale, even heard about their little filly who was Dash's age having her wings broken. She never would have guessed that the sweet pegasus before her was the filly who'd been hurt so badly.

"How did you not go after those guys?!" Dash asked, almost enraged. "I would have gotten revenge!"

Fluttershy winced as Dash hit another memory.

"I- I did Rainbow." She looked up to meet her friend's shocked gaze. "I did go after them."

"What?" Dash asked dumbfounded.

"I did get even... with one of them anyways." Fluttershy said as she averted her eyes. "It happened about a year before I met you."

Fluttershy hung her head.

"I took a father away from his family. I ruined innocent lives."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Fluttershy was settling into her new life fairly well. It had been a little over a year since that fateful night and she had been living with her new family for about the same amount of time. The family that had adopted her were good ponies. They lived in the northern part of Cloudsdale, A part of town that was synonymous with being fairly well-to-do. It was a peaceful neighborhood, smiles on everypony's face.

Except Fluttershy's.

While she had settled in well, the local colts and fillies didn't take kindly to her. Whenever they found out she was adopted, they had started to pick on her because she was "different" and didn't have the 'lineage' that so many of them claimed..

Her adoptive parents were mortified and enraged when they had found out. They truly treated her as their own and after many "discussions" with the worst offenders parents, she was left alone after school. During school was another thing entirely. There was only so much they could do though, and she knew that. When a week-long vacation was announced one day, Fluttershy was quietly thanking Celestia. She needed some peace and quiet.

"Fluttershy, I heard the school is going to be out all next week. How would you like to go to Manehattan for a few days?" her adoptive mother, Cloud-dancer, asked that Thursday.

"Manehattan?! You mean it?!" Fluttershy was excited. She had never been out of Cloudsdale before!

"Absolutely! Mark and I were talking it over and we wanted to take you out for a bit. We know its been hard deary..." Her expression was earnest. It had become a face that Fluttershy had grown to trust.

She ran up and hugged her. "Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Cloud-dancer felt her chest grow tight as she hugged Fluttershy back. She was happy she could make Fluttershy happy. She still held on to the hope that Fluttershy would one day call her "Mom" but at this stage... she knew it was too early to hope for anything like that.

As soon as her husband came home, she told him the news and they started packing for the trip.

School on Friday FLEW by for Fluttershy. She was so excited she almost wanted to jump through the halls and cheer!

As soon as the bell rang and school let out, she and her new family made the trip to Manehattan via a taxi-carriage. She was excited the whole time. When Cloud-Dancer pointed Manehattan out in the distance, Fluttershy could barely contain her excitement! If only her Mom and Dad were here...

The thought hit her like a ton of bricks. She would enjoy this trip... but it wouldn't be the same. The ponies across from her, smiling as they watched her, they weren't her parents. She looked back towards the city skyline as it grew.

They would want you to enjoy yourself. She thought to herself. She looked back to her new family and smiled. She wanted to heal.

The sights and attractions of Manehattan seemed to be everywhere. Cloud-Dancer and Mark had chosen to rent a small cottage in the shadow of the town. The busy skyline could still be seen, but they were well away from all of the bustle and noise that was infamous for the city that never slept. Beautiful maple trees lined the streets in the place they had decided to stay. It was as picturesque as one could get.

"Need any help unpacking my little filly?" Mark Time, her adoptive father asked her as she pulled her suitcase into her room.

"No thanks, I've got it Dad." Fluttershy said, the slip automatically caused Mark's and Fluttershy's breaths to catch in their throats. Mark's eyes held a glimmer of hope, while Fluttershy's grew sad as tears started to stream from them.

"I- I didn't... that is... I... I-" Fluttershy stammered before Mark held up a hoof and looked at her sympathetically.

"I understand Fluttershy. I'll be around if you need me." Mark said with a soft smile.

She walked over to him and hugged him, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered as she squeezed him in her tightest hug.

Mark simply stroked her mane and hugged her back comfortingly.

"It's alright. I understand its got to be hard for you. To be honest, I know a little of what you're going through. I was adopted into a family when I wasn't much younger than you are now." He said, recalling his own past.

"R-Really?" Fluttershy stammered.

"Mhmm." Mark nodded. "Long story short my father was never really in the picture to begin with and my mother... well, lets just say that she wasn't exactly a 'model citizen." He said, hanging his head a little at the memories.

"I got pretty lucky in the end. Got taken in by a good family and they raised me right. It took a while, but I eventually started calling them "Mom" and "Dad" because they were as much family as I had ever had. I won't push you to do that, and neither will Cloud-Dancer. Whether you consider us your Mom and Dad is up to you Fluttershy. Just know that we'll always be here for you." He said, smiling at Fluttershy at tears streamed down his own face.

"I-... Thank you." She said, giving him another squeeze in the hug.

"Think nothing of it Fluttershy. Now, go ahead and get unpacked. We're planning on going to dinner on the strip tonight and we're letting yooouu choose." He said with an exaggerated movement of his hoof and a smile.

"Really?!" Fluttershy asked, excited again.'

"Haha, Yes. Now go on." He said gesturing for her to go as he started walking down the hall. Calling out behind him as he went "Remember, your choice!"

**In Mark and Cloud-Dancer's room

"Hello Sweetie, Hows Fluttershy doing?" Cloud-Dancer asked as she saw her husband walk through the door while she was unpacking.

"She's doing good honey. She..." He hesitated for a second. "She called me Dad a few minutes ago."

Cloud-Dancer's head snapped over to look at her husband, her expression hopeful.

He shook his head lightly. "Not yet love. She broke down into tears after she said it. She still has a lot of healing to do I expect."

Cloud-Dance's expression fell a bit but she understood. Perhaps not as well as her husband did, but she did know what Fluttershy had been through. She knew it would take a while for her to open up.

"Give her some time honey. She'll come around." Mark said as he hugged his wife.

"I hope so Mark... I truly do."

"She will." He said before playfully slapping his wife's flank.

"Now lets get unpacked, we're heading to the strip tonight and Fluttershy is picking where we're eating." He said with a smile.

"Ow!" She said, feigning a hurt expression before giving her husband a grin. "Okay hun."

For the first three days of the trip, things had gone better than anypony could have possibly expected. The fourth day in Manehattan, Mark and Cloud-Dancer took Fluttershy for a walk along the lake near their cottage. It was a perfect day. She was enjoying herself. As they walked to leave, something caught Fluttershy's eye. A cutie mark she had seen before. She froze as her adoptive parents rounded the corner of a shop. One of the pegasi who had broken into her house was right across the street from her. She recognized him... he was one of the pegasi who held her wings when the brown stallion had-. She cringed at her memory. But there he was, walking down the sidewalk without a care in the world.

She couldn't help herself, she froze. She was looking at one of the ponies who had ripped her life away from her.

"Fluttershy, are you okay deary?" Cloud-Dancer asked when she notice that the young pegasus had stopped. The question snapped Fluttershy out of her daze.

"I..." Words weren't coming to her. She could only give a small nod. Every memory, every pain, everything had just flooded her mind.

Mark looked up to where Fluttershy's gaze went, taking a good look at the ponies before he suggested that they all go to a great place to eat that he knew about a few blocks from where they were.

"How do you know this area so well hun?" Cloud-Dancer asked him as they walked.

"Well, my parents used to take trips out here when I wasn't much older than Fluttershy and I remember walking these very streets as a colt. They actually owned that little cottage right up there." he said, pointing a hoof at a structure that looked as pristine as could be, a light blue cottage with a small rose garden in the front.

"Hmm, used to be green though." He chuckled as they passed the small cottage.

Fluttershy couldn't help but smile. Such kindness from ponies who had no familiar ties to her. No blood relation. Just kind hearts and love.

A love that she was beginning to return.

Yet... she still felt like she would be betraying her mother and father's memories. Could she ever call anypony else "Mom" or "Dad" ever again and mean it? Not feel the pain of the memories she now carried? Could-

"We're here! Now, you two have GOT to try the apple pie here!" Mark nearly shouted, bringing Fluttershy back to the present. "They only get apples from a small town in the shadow of Canterlot. Can't for the life of me remember what they said the name of the town is though. Either way, best apple pie you'll EVER eat!" Mark said enthusiastically.

"My flanks would never forgive me." Cloud-Dancer said, stifling a giggle as he lightly smacked her flank.

"Your flanks are just fine and you know it." He said, kissing her on the cheek before getting them a table.

The restaurant had been nice. The apple pie was every bit as good as Mark said it would be. Maybe even more so. They had all walked back to the cottage, cracking jokes about how stuffed they were as they walked. Once they arrived at the lakeside retreat, they all retired for the night.

Fluttershy had awoken to a quiet house, the full moons light shining in through the windows of her room. Even having just woken up, she felt like her brain was buzzing. Sliding from her bed, she quietly made her way out the door and walked to the lake shore.

Her wakefulness did not go unnoticed though.

Mark had gotten up to get a drink of water when he had heard small hoofsteps go down the hall and quietly open the door. He looked out the window to see Fluttershy walking towards the lake.

"What is she doing?" Mark wondered to himself as he made to follow her.

Reaching the edge of the lake, Fluttershy looked up at the moon as she sat back on her haunches. The water lapped up quietly at her hooves as she quietly started crying. The sobs quietly wracked her body for a few minutes before she felt somepony wrap their forehooves around her in a hug.

"There, there Fluttershy. It's alright." Mark said, cradling the weeping pegasus close to him.

"No Mark... it's not." Fluttershy said. She couldn't hold it in anymore.

"You know how I... lost my parents right?" Fluttershy asked, hoping she wouldn't have to tell the story.

"Yea." He said, making his hug just a bit tighter.

"I... I... Isawoneoftheponieswhodidthattoday!" Fluttershy burst out before she started crying again.

Mark was absolutely shocked. She had seen one of the ponies who had killed her parents, and in a place he thought to be safe.

"What?" he asked incredulously.

Fluttershy nodded. "Do you remember when I froze earlier today before we went to that place for pie?"

"Yes, I remember." he said, hanging on her every word.

"The blue stallion with the red mane... He was one of the ponies who-" A sob wracked her body before she continued. "He held my wings out... so another stallion could break them."

Mark tensed. He recalled to when he looked over the crowd of ponies. He remembered the only red mane in front of them that day. It had belonged to a blue pegasus.

"Are you SURE it was him?"

Fluttershy looked up at him, her eyes showing pain, but also an anger... almost hatred as she said "His cutie mark was an billiards eight-ball. I'd remember that anywhere. He laughed after they broke my wings. Said it sounded like when you break in pool." She shuddered.

Mark's chest was tight an his heart was racing. She had even caught his cutie mark and made the connection. Suddenly, an idea came to him. He wouldn't let that miserable excuse of a pony get away with what he had done.

"Fluttershy, I promise you, before we leave... He'll be behind bars for the rest of his life."

He meant every word.

After sitting and listening to the sounds of the waves from the lake for a while, letting it soothe both ponies, they went back inside. Mark tucked Fluttershy in and kissed her on the forehead.

"Goodnight, my little angel." Mark said as he closed the door.

"... Goodnight... Dad..." Fluttershy whispered as she let the warmth of sleep overtake her.

Mark had told Cloud-Dancer what had happened that night and shortly thereafter, gotten in touch with the local guard. They had sent a few ponies to investigate the claims and even had one of the guards from Cloudsdale who had been involved in Fluttershy's case, fly in to see if everything matched up.

In the end, Mark and Cloud-Dancer wound up in a stalemate with the guards-ponies. The guard reasoned that there wasn't enough proof, just the word of a traumatized filly. They reasoned that it should at least be investigated. Things were starting to escalate when Fluttershy walked in, silencing everypony. She then said something that shocked everypony in that room.

"What if I could give you proof that it was him? Undeniable proof." Her voice was steady despite what she had in mind.

"If you could give us solid evidence, we'd apprehend him, take him in for questioning and might even convict him. Now, how would you give us solid evidence?" The guard from Cloudsdale asked a bit tersely.

"I'll have the words come out of his own mouth. You'll have to trust me on this though..." she looked over to Mark and Cloud-Dancer. "Because its going to be dangerous."

Fluttershy went over her plan, leaving both the guards-ponies and her adoptive parents in a state of shock.

"Have you been watching too much "Guards" kid? This isn't one of those 'plant a spy in the works' deal you're talking about here. You'd be in danger, we can't allow that!"

"Absolutely not!" Mark and Cloud-Dancer agreed.

"Then you'll be letting one of the ponies who killed my parents just get away with it! I'm willing to risk it! If you won't help then I'll do it myself!" Fluttershy said, her anger starting to build. Why wouldn't they just help her?!

The ponies before her were stunned speechless again.

"Do you really believe that this is the guy little filly?" The local guards-pony asked her.

"I know its him. I can prove it."

"How? Go through with your plan and wind up dead before we could intervene?"

"No, because if you're watching... he could never expect it."

"I can't let you do this Fluttershy." Cloud-Dancer said, starting to sob. "I don't want to lose you. You're the daughter I never had."

That hit Fluttershy and Mark both right in the gut.

The guards-pony across from her closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. Then, his eyes snapped open and he looked at the ponies around him.

"I just remembered something. We have a new unicorn in the local guard, that guy can turn invisible and I mean COMPLETELY invisible. Doesn't even cast a shadow, make a sound or leave a hoof-print behind. If he was beside Fluttershy the entire time... We could nab him if he tried to make a move. We'd have to clear it, but I think with this thrown in the mix... it would work."

"And how do we know that it would work?!" Cloud-Dancer yelled, she was still stressed at the mere idea of putting Fluttershy in harms way.

"Ma'am, this unicorn I'm talking about is the best pony on our force. Nopony within 100 miles, especially no pegasus, could take this guy." The pony flexed his wings slightly. "I know, because I tried and failed... miserably."

"Do you really think we'll let you put your daughter in jeopardy?" A voice from nowhere asked.

Everypony jumped at the voice and watched in awe as a solid black unicorn seemed to materialize from nowhere.

"You know, when I heard about this..." he said, walking over towards Fluttershy. "I'll admit that I didn't really think much of it. However... I can't help but look at it like this. If she's wrong, we've merely had a little filly annoy the wrong pegasus. If she's right though, we could put that pegasus behind bars where he belongs. I'm game for it." he said, seeing the worried glances on Mark's and Cloud-Dancer's faces.

"Oh, and don't worry about her safety. He won't even be able to touch one hair on her pretty little head." He said, ruffling Fluttershy's mane playfully.

"I-... we-..." Cloud-Dancer stammered, looking at Fluttershy.

"Please... let me do this." Fluttershy said, pleading.

Mark put a hoof on his wifes, before looking at Fluttershy. "Ok, lets do this."

Fluttershy was sitting on the lake shore, watching the ponies go by. She had seen him walk into one of the houses along the street but couldn't remember for the life of her which one.

"He's coming from your left." Fluttershy suddenly heard beside her, causing her to flinch a little. She had forgotten that the unicorn was even there. Turning to look, she saw that he was right. The pegasus she had seen the other day was there, walking towards the line of houses. That's when she stood up and started walking towards him.

"She's on the move." A guards-pony hidden on a nearby rooftop said into an enchanted jewel that allowed him to communicate with the ponies involved. "Eyes up everypony. Keep her in your sight."

Fluttershy heard everything too. She had passed the small jewels off as ear-rings. Not unusual for a pony her age to have.

She took a deep breath, she was nervous.

"You okay?" the invisible unicorn behind her whispered.

She nodded in response. She was right where she needed to be.

The red-maned pegasus was walking along the path, about to turn to go into his house as Fluttershy reached out as he passed and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hmm, who are you little filly?" He asked, a caring tone in his voice that surprised her. "Where are your parents?"

Looking up at him, she said "You killed them... One year and two months ago on the east side of Cloudsdale. Don't you remember? You held out my wings for that brown stallion to break." Her eyes were cold and flat.

The look on the stallions face went from confused for a brief moment to a look of sheer terror. His eyes went wide and he paled as he whispered. "You! You're that little filly!" as he backed up slowly.

"NAIL HIM!!" the voice from the jewels came through as the unicorn beside Fluttershy appeared then levitated the pegasus into a field and held him there as he just blankly stared at Fluttershy. Several more guards-ponies came out and surrounded him, one pulling out a set of shackles while another secured his wings. He was well and truly caught. What surprised Fluttershy is that he offered no resistance. He just stared at her. His family walked out of the house, they had literally arrested him in his own front yard.

"What's going on?! Why are you arresting my husband?!" The white earth pony mare screamed, her young foal cradled against her.

A few guards-ponies held her back as the charges and rights were read to the pony.

"Trick Shot, you are under arrest, charged with aiding in the murder of Azure and Redwing Calmwind and the assult of Fluttershy Calmwind. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and WILL be used against you in a court of Equestrian law..."

As the guards-pony recited the charges, Trick Shot's wife looked at her husband, completely shellshocked.

"I- is it true? IS IT TRUE?!" The white mare yelled at her husband as they took him away.

Fluttershy had turned away and was walking back to her cottage, the black unicorn escorting her. It was then that a loud wail rose above the general din of the scene behind her.

"DADDY!!! DADDY!!!" The small foal was calling to his father. The cries made Fluttershy's breath catch in her throat and made her stop.

"Are you okay kid?" the black unicorn asked.

"DADDY!!!"

Fluttershy broke into a gallop towards her house, the confused unicorn following her until she made it home.

What had she done?

Bursting through the door, she looked at her adoptive parents and broke down crying in the floor. Both of whom rushed over to comfort Fluttershy.

"Mom... Dad..." she choked out. "I've done something horrible!" She cried, telling them about what had happened only minutes before.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Fluttershy was crying again, the tears streaming down her face as she looked at Rainbow.

"I ripped that foals father away from him. He pleaded guilty and wound up getting life in Stalliongrad. I... I..."

"You did nothing wrong." Dash said, surprising Fluttershy.

"But I did! Now that foal won't have his father in its life! All because of me!"

Dash pulled Fluttershy into a hug, her sense of right and wrong completely sure of itself.

"And your whole life got ripped from you, because of him and his friends."

"But that little foal! I-"

Dash cut her off.

"The wrongs he did came back to haunt him. Honestly, he's lucky he didn't get banished if you ask me!. He probably thought he had gotten away with it so he settled down. Nopony was the wiser. You brought him to justice Fluttershy... that took a lot of guts. You have nothing to be ashamed of." Dash said, nuzzling Fluttershy comfortingly.

"b-but I- I..." Fluttershy tried to protest.

"No buts." Dash said firmly as Fluttershy stifled a yawn. Her recalling of memories had wreaked havoc on her mentally. She was exhausted.

Sensing her friend's state, Dash laid Fluttershy down gently and cuddled up against her.

"Now get some sleep." Dash instructed, leaning up and kissing Fluttershy on the cheek.

"O-*hic*-kay." Fluttershy said, complying with no resistance. In no-time at all, the butter-yellow pegasus was asleep. Her breathing and heartbeat finally slowing down.

Dash was almost asleep as she heard something take in a breath behind her, turning her head, she saw it was a rooster about to crow!

Moving to cover Fluttershy's ears, Dash was surprised to hear a thud followed by a quiet squawking noise that kept getting quieter until it vanished. Turning her head back around, Dash saw the windowsill vacant but noticed a carrot just below it. Looking over to the door, Dash saw Angel, his usual expression gone from his face. Instead, he wore a sympathetic, worried look.

He nodded solemnly to Dash before turning around to leave.

"Hey Angel..." Dash said quietly.

The bunny stopped and glanced over his shoulder, not fully turning around to face her.

"... thanks."

Angel paused before just looking away and hopping out the small door.

After all, Fluttershy was his friend too.

Pinkie woke up tired. She could tell that she had been twitching all night.

Somehow though, she felt happy. She felt as though... yes. Something big had happened in the night.

Smiling, she looked over at the sleeping form of Twilight and cuddled against her.

Despite the pain that had been felt this last night, today was going to be a good day. She could tell.

A moment's sweet peace

Celestia's sun rose over the horizon in Equestria to start another day. As the ponies of Ponyville started their day, one in particular seemed a bit out of sorts.

"Oh Twilight, I know something big happened and I'm pretty sure its a good thing, I mean, I'm not all saddy-waddy any more and I think they're okay but... gah! I'm so worried because I may be wrong and something may have gone badly and, and-"

Pinkie was silenced as Twilight put her hoof over the pink earth pony's lips.

"Pinkie, I know you're worried about them... I am too. Thing is, we'll just have to find out when they're ready to tell us. Now lets get you going, you've got to be at work in-"

"OMIGOSH!! WORK!!" Pinkie shouted, having jumped at Twilight's words. "YOU'RERIGHTINEEDTOBEATWORKBYETWILIGHTLOVEYOU!!" she yelled as she bolted out the door in a pink blur, leaving a frazzled and confused Twilight in her wake.

Shaking her head, Twilight set about to going downstairs. "I love you too Pinkie." She said to nopony in particular.

Still running towards Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie's smile grew just a little bit bigger than usual.

On the edge of the everfree forest however, the morning didn't start out nearly so sweetly.

*THUNK-THUNK*

Two carrots flew through the air and connected with the heads of two sleeping pegasi. Both of whom awoke with a start.

"EEP!"

"WHAT-WHAT?!"

Both shaking their heads to clear the remnants of sleeps fog from themselves. They first looked at each other slightly bewildered.

"Did you wake me up? Huh? No." They both asked each other in unison before a carrot flew between the two of them.

Looking in the direction the carrot had come from, they both saw a rather cross looking Angel tossing a carrot up and down in his paw, a cross look on his face.

"What's wrong Angel-EEP!" Fluttershy started to ask, just in time to see Angel throw the carrot at her. She closed her eyes and waited for the impact.

It never came.

Opening her eyes, she saw a cyan hoof in front of her face, moving away and letting her see the carrot down on the bed.

"Alright Angel, we get it. You're hungry right?"

Angel pointed at Dash, almost accusingly, before nodding and hopping back out the door.

"How did you know he was hungry?" Fluttershy asked, slightly incredulous. Normally, nopony else could tell what Angel was trying to tell them.

Dash pointed towards the window. "Well, you feed normally feed your animals at sunrise right?"

Fluttershy panicked at that question. "OH DEAR!! WHAT TIME IS IT?! I CAN'T BELIEVE I SLEPT IN SO LATE!!!"

Jumping out of bed, she ran quickly into the kitchen.

Dash couldn't help but look at the door Fluttershy had just run through and shake her head. Even after the night of confessions they had both had, Fluttershy still beat herself up if she didn't take care of everything around her.

The night before came back to Dash in a fuzzy, alcohol-riddled haze. The confessions, the tears, the pain. Everything came rushing back to her. She had learned that Fluttershy had gone through something nopony should EVER have to go through.

Deciding to follow suit, Dash rolled out of bed. A throbbing headache from last nights drinking striking her at the sudden movement, making her wince slightly as she walked to the doorway. It wasn't the worst hangover she'd had, but it still sucked. Luckily, she didn't have to be at work today, she actually had five days left in her "mandatory vacation."

Upon reaching the door, Dash stopped and watched Fluttershy as she rushed about feeding her animals. The trails of last nights tears still showed on her face though her eyes had cleared. Even with all that, despite the slightly disheveled state she was in... Fluttershy was beautiful. Dash couldn't help but smile.

Fluttershy saw Dash out of the corner of her eye and paused, looking at her friend as she smiled at her and smiled back.

"You okay Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked, a hint of concern in her voice though the smile still playing on her lips.

"Huh? Oh, yea... I'm fine." Dash said, looking away and blushing slightly.

"Do you have any asprin? My head's killing me." Dash asked as she looked back to Fluttershy.

"No, uhm... but I do know something that'll make the hangover go away. I actually have a bit of a headache myself. I'll get it after I get done feeding my guests... if that's, um... alright with you."

"Yea, that'll be fine. Want any help?"

"Oh, thank you but I've got it Dash. Go ahead into the kitchen, I'll be there in no time." Fluttershy said.

"Okay 'Shy." Dash said, turning to head into the kitchen.

You know... she really is something else.

Dash looked back over her shoulder at Fluttershy after that thought. Her smile slowly growing as she watched her feeding the mice who lived in one of the walls.

Yea... she is.

Turning back around and walking into the kitchen, Rainbow took a seat at the counter and just laid her head down. The cool granite counter providing a sort of relief for her throbbing head.

Dash felt like she had barely set her head down on the counter before she heard: "Okay, two hangover-cures. I'll have those ready in no time." Fluttershy said cheerily as she walked into the kitchen and started pulling something from the cabinets. Dash knew better than to look up... the ingredients of every "hangover cure" she had ever tried made for the most unappetizing things she'd ever had to stomach. Some had worked... kinda. Most hadn't. Most had actually made her throw up.

This was probably gonna suck but she was going to give it a chance. After all, it WAS Fluttershy who was making them. Maybe she knew something other ponies didn't?

Dash heard and felt two solid thunks as Fluttershy set two glasses on the table. Looking up, she saw a strangely opaque blue fluid in front of her.

"Two hangover cures." Fluttershy said, almost TOO cheerily as she set a straw into her drink and offered one to Dash.

"Bottoms up." Dash said halfheartedly before she closed her eyes and started to pound down the drink. She stopped two gulps in as her eyes snapped open and she took the drink away from her lips. She only stared at the liquid in the glass before her.

"Is it not good?" Fluttershy asked, a worried tone in her voice.

Dash didn't respond, she brought the glass back to her lips and chugged the liquid down.

"What WAS that?!" Dash asked after finishing, her eyes still wide.

"I-it was-" Fluttershy started, but was cut off as Dash exclaimed "IT! WAS! AWESOME!!!"

The volume she used caused both ponies to wince as Dash realized it wasn't an "instant cure."

"Seriously! That was THE BEST tasting hangover cure I've ever had to drink!" Dash said in a lower volume, wanting nothing more than to give this drink praise.

"I... I'm glad you liked it. Its the mixed juices of three plants that grow in the everfree. I found out that it cured hangovers from Zecora. Oh, how was it that she put it? 'If too much alcohol, you have to drink. Of these three things, you must think. Dragonberry, to make you feel merry. The leaves of the thorny red thistle bush, to help give you a little push. And last but not least, the petals of the lily of the east. Combine these things into a brew, and you will find that you feel good as new! Not only that, but this brew. As many will find, is rather tasty too!'

Dash was stifling a giggle at Fluttershy's recital of the rhymes.

"Or something like that." Fluttershy said, blushing before she too downed the concoction before her.

"Heh, You're cute when you rhyme Fluttershy."

Fluttershy looked up and their eyes met, Dash's blush growing to match Fluttershy's.

"I... Thank you Dash. Y-You're cute when you blush." Fluttershy's blush deepened, showing clearly through her coat as she leaned closer to the Pegasus across from her.

Dash leaned in closer as she whispered "I... You're beautiful Fluttershy."

Fluttershy smiled as silent tears streamed down her muzzle. "Oh Rainbow, I Love You... So much."

And with that, their lips met. Each slowly kissing the other. This was not a kiss fueled by passionate lust. This kiss was far deeper than that. This was love. They reluctantly separated, looking into each others eyes.

Dash smiled, tears starting to stream from her eyes as she said the words she finally knew to be true.

"I Love You too Fluttershy."

They leaned in to kiss again when a sudden noise snapped them out of their reverie.

*BOOM*

The percussion alone caused them to jump and look towards Fluttershy's den, where they then heard a familiar voice.

"Oops! My bad"

A small metallic creak followed by the receding flapping of wings provided every confirmation they needed. Derpy had just crash-landed outside of Fluttershy's house...

Again...

The two pegasi looked at each other blankly, mouths agape, before they burst out laughing.

Sitting at the front of his hutch, Angel listened to the two chortling Pegasi, a questioning expression on his face as he munched on a carrot.

Such strange ponies.

Author note:

Sorry I've been so long in getting this chapter up everyone! Between job interviews and such, I lost my focus for a while. Anyways, Hope you enjoy the chapter! Also, warning for those who aren't into clop of any sort. There will be clop... likely within the next chapter or two. I'll give you a warning before I start the clop and after I finish it as, well, ye be warned! Hope you've enjoyed thus far! As always, you guys rock!

DJ-Pon3FTW

Into the open air

Upon checking the mail that Derpy had left, Fluttershy and Dash saw an invitation to a sleepover at Sweet Apple Acres that night. It was no surprise though, they tried to schedule sleepover's about once a month and liked to switch up where they stayed. Since the weather team had nice weather planned through the rest of the week, the acres would be a good place for a camping trip.

"AWW YEA!!" Dash exclaimed. Despite having to sometimes deal with Rarity's overly girly sleepovers at the boutique, a sleepover at Sweet Apple Acres always turned into a good time for everypony.

Even Fluttershy seemed genuinely excited about the event. If the last few days had told her anything, it was that her friends are what truly made her life great. Despite that fact, a worried train of thought crossed Fluttershy's mind and she brought those thoughts to light.

"Um... Dash?"

"Yea 'shy?" Dash said, looking up at Fluttershy with a big smile.

"What do you think they'll think of... us?"

At this, Dash couldn't help but chuckle a little. Fluttershy had told her last night that she had asked all of their friends for advice.

"Well..." Dash, a hint of sarcasm playing on her voice. "I think YOU would know better than I would seeing as you asked all of them for advice."

Fluttershy blushed a bit as she hid behind her mane.

"Oh... right."

Rolling her eyes and walking over to the embarassed pony across from her, Dash lifted Fluttershy's chin and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

"They'll be okay with it Fluttershy. Remember that Pinkie and Twi are fillyfoolers too. AJ and Rarity may not swing like that but they'll be cool with it."

Fluttershy looked up and smiled a small but genuine smile.

"You really think so Dash?"

A gentle smile reassured her.

"I know so. Now lets get going, I bet everypony else is probably heading that way right about now.

Applejack put the last of her supplies into her saddlebags and took them out to the wagon sitting inside the barn. She always looked forward to the fall, the weather was often perfect for camping trips like the one she would be going on tonight.

"Big MacIntosh, did you put the basket with the apple-fritters in the wagon?" Applejack shouted back towards the house.

"Eeyup." Her brother drawled in his usual easy-going tone as he walked around the corner with a bundle of tents on his back.

For a while, neither sibling spoke. They just loaded the wagon with what few things the girls were going to need for the night.

"So... y'all gonna be alright down there?" Big Mac asked as he loaded the last of the tents into the wagon.

"Yup, we'll be-..." Applejack stopped mid-sentence and cast a suspicious glance over to her brother. There had been something in his tone that caught her attention, something she just couldn't put her hoof on.

"We'll be fine... why do ya ask?"

"No reason." He said as he walked over to the lanterns and started to fill them.

"Nuh-uh, Big MacIntosh. What is it?" Applejack said adamantly as she walked over to her brother.

Casting a sidelong glance at her and letting out a sigh as he finished filling the lanterns, Big Mac voiced what he thought.

"AJ, there's gonna be a lot of stuff come t' light tonight."

"Like Fluttershy and RD? Mac, pretty sure everypony knows THAT one's comin'." Applejack said, poking Big MacIntosh lightly on the chest with a hoof.

Big Mac simply nodded his head and walked to the wagon and gingerly placed the lanterns into their box.

"Eeyup... but I got a feelin' somethin' else is gonna come out that may just surprise ya sis."

Applejack looked at her brother questioningly.

"Like what?"

At this, Big Mac simply shrugged and started walking back to the farm house.

"Dunno... just don't be too surprised when something aside from Miss Fluttershy and Miss Dash sayin' they're together comes up."

Applejack started mumbling to herself, annoyed that Big MacIntosh had skirted the issue, when another voice from the barn's back door quickly caught her attention.

"He's right ya know... Ah kin feel it in mah bones."

Applejack looked over her shoulder to see Granny Smith standing behind her with a sage grin on her face. Closing her eyes into a grimace, Applejack vocalized her frustrations.

"Oh land-sakes, not you too granny! What in the hay are you two talkin' about? Next thing ya know yer gonna tell me Twilight's a fillyfooler too!"

"Heh, ya never know darlin'... ya never know." Granny said with a wry smile as she turned to walk back into the house.

Inside Carousel Boutique, Rarity was packing a few modest things for the camping trip. Though she did normally do her best to avoid going at odds with the elements, she did enjoy the odd excursion out to Sweet Apple Acres around this time of year. After all, the colours of autumn were simply marvelous!

As she packed a second scarf into her already bulging saddlebags, she heard a snicker behind her. Turning, she saw Sweetie Bell giggling at the sight of her sister attempting to stuff what could only be considered enough clothes for a week-long excursion into a saddlebag that was only designed for an overnight trip.

"Have enough clothes there sis?" Sweetie teased her older sister.

"Ha-ha..." Rarity said, deadpanning at her younger sister. "I'll have you know, I'm only packing what is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for this trip."

"Riiiiight..." Sweetie said as she walked over and pulled a dress out of one of the saddlebags. "Planning on meeting up with Blueblood again?"

Rarity grimaced at the mere mention of Prince Blueblood... Just like Sweetie Bell knew she would. Ever since the Grand Galloping Gala, Rarity had shown more than a ladylike disdain for him. Not that anypony could blame her of course. However, her reaction was just what Sweetie Bell was looking for.

"Unless you plan on going after one of your friends." She said, her young voice thick with implications Rarity thought a filly of her age should be blissfully ignorant of.

"SWEETIE BELL!! I'm absolutely aghast that you would even imply such a thing! Oh, I have no ill will against fillyfoolers and colt cuddlers but I am waiting for my prince."

At this, Sweetie couldn't resist. "Or princess?"

A glare from her older sister sent her scampering from the room, but not before she could get in one last jab at her older sister.

"Ya know... even I have to admit... Applejack has some nice flanks."

"SWEETIE!" Rarity exclaimed once more before turning back to her saddlebags and unpacking much of what she had spent the last few hours packing.

However... now she couldn't get the mental image of Applejacks toned, muscular flanks out of her head.

"Oh... darn that Sweetie Bell!"

"PINKIE!!" Twilight shouted at the party pony to no avail as she tried to grab her list away from the party pony's hoof.

"Nope. No lists Twilight. Everything is already going to be out at the acres! Plus, we don't need to do a checklist for EVERYTHING.." Pinkie said with an exuberant grin.

"Give me my list!" Twilight shouted, lighting up her horn with magic to grab the list from Pinkie when a sudden jolt ran from the tip of her horn all the way down her spine and caused her to collapse panting on the floor.

Taking a moment to regain her breath, Twilight looked up at Pinkie, who was wearing a small smirk whilst looking at the shocked unicorn.

"W-What... What did you just do?!' Twilight asked shakily.

"Well, seeing as you were going to cheat and use magic... I cheated and licked your horn. It tickled!"

Twilight gave Pinkie a disbelieving look before shaking her head.

"Do you know what that does to a unicorn? Touching their horn when they're running magic through it, much rather less LICKING it?!"

"Well duh! Depending on the force and nature of the touch, it sends a magical feedback through your body. In this case..." Pinkie gave Twilight a devious grin.

"I bet it was almost equivalent to an -."

Twilight shook her head and stared at Pinkie, who's mouth was now filled with Twilight's hoof. She hadn't expected an earth pony to know so much about the intricacies of unicorn magic.

"How did you-" Twilight started only to be cut off by Pinkie as she jumped back.

"I just do. Anyways, Come on Twi! We're burning daylight! Everypony else is probably already headed that way!

Twilight just shook her head slightly as she followed Pinkie out the door. A slight smile on her face as she chuckled to herself.

"Oh, Celestia help me."

Everypony arrived at the edge of the pond in the middle of Sweet Apple Acres around the same time. First was Applejack, followed shortly by Pinkie Pie and Twilight. Then by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, and lastly, Rarity arrived shortly thereafter, her luggage left at the boutique due to Sweetie Belle's constant jabs about trying to seduce one of her friends. Rarity would have to have a serious talk with her later.

The six mares wasted no time in setting up the tents and starting a fire for the night. That left only the eating and talking that each and every one of them looked forward to so much.

"Applejack, Darling, how on earth do you make these pastries so delicious?" Rarity asked, clearly enamored with the taste of the apple pie she was eating, despite what she would complain about what it would do to her flanks later.

"Family Secret." Applejack said with a wink towards the alabaster unicorn.

That, as anypony in Ponyville, or in all of Equestria who had tasted a fresh-baked Apple Family pastry would tell you, was no lie. No matter what anypony tried, NOPONY could duplicate the simple, yet complex deliciousness that was an Apple-family-made apple pastry.

All of the mares around the campfires nodded in unanimous agreement at the statement. It was an undisputed fact that the Apples had a way with the fruit of their namesake.

"So..." Twilight said, breaking the silence with a touch of apprehension in her voice.

"Dash... Fluttershy... Have you, uhm..." Twilight trailed off as she blushed lightly.

Reaching over and putting her hoof over Dash's, Fluttershy spoke up in a confident voice that belied her usually timid nature.

"Yes. We talked about it and... well..."

Fluttershy looked over to Rainbow Dash, who in turn, looked into the eyes of the butter-yellow pegasus across from her.

"We've found that, despite our flaws, that we care about each other greatly and want to give love a chance." Fluttershy said with an infectious smile that permeated it's way to everypony around them.

"Oh, how incredibly romantic Fluttershy." Rarity said, faux-swooning dramatically/

A big smile grew on Applejack's face as she congratulated the couple across from her.

"Well congrats you two! Ah hope ya have nothin' but smooth sailin' ahead of ya!"

"Here, here!" Rarity chimed in from her randomly summoned fainting couch. The appearance of which drew more than one odd look from her friends.

"What?" The fashionista questioned obliviously, giving her friends a questioning look as they stared at her.

It took Pinkie Pie piping up and congratulating the two pegasi to break the slightly awkward silence that followed.

"Yea, Congrats you two! You'll be totally great together, I just KNOW it!!"

At this, Rarity's eyes darted between Pinkie and Twilight briefly before she spoke.

"I concur. You two will be lovely together!"

The look Rarity gave Pinkie and Twilight had not been missed by Applejack.

"What was that all about?"

"Why, whatever do you mean dar-"

"You know exactly what I mean Rarity. I saw the look in your eyes when you looked at Twi and Pinkie. Now what's up?"

"I-I... I'm not sure wha-"

"Rarity... Spill." Applejack said tersely. If it was one thing she HATED, it was being lied to.

"W-Well, I..." Rarity trailed off before Twilight cleared her throat and caught everypony's attention.

"What Rarity is trying to say is that..."

Twilight reached over and put her hoof over Pinkie's.

"Pinkie Pie and I are also together... We have been for a while. We would have come out with it sooner but, we weren't sure how you girls would react."

At this, Applejack looked at the lavender unicorn and the pink earth pony with an expression that was part shock, part hurt, part anger, and part happiness all rolled into one.

"Wait, so you two... You're..."

"Fillyfoolers? Yea..." Pinkie said, rubbing the back of her head with a forehoof.

"We're sorry for not telling you sooner but..." Twilight looked to Pinkie, who nodded and smiled reasurringly.

"I was afraid. Afraid of how you all would react. The only pony who knows aside from all of you now is Princess Celestia."

"The princess knows?" Rarity asked, purely surprised.

"Well, yea... You don't think I would hide something like this from Celestia, do you? She's like a second mother to me!" Twilight asked.

Each of her friends, Pinkie Pie included, shrugged and shook their heads at Twilight's question.

"I suppose not darling but... telling Celestia about your love life seems a bit..." Rarity hesitated before she finished her sentence.

"TOO infomative... Don't you think?"

"I don't think so... She actually seemed quite glad that I had found somepony I could love. She did say that I should be in a relationship for the right reasons though."

"Oh? Is that so? What did she mean by that?"

"Well, I thi-" Twilight started before Pinkie Pie cut her off.

"She meant that Twi shouldn't base a relationship off a good buck."

Everypony blushed a bit, but at the same time chuckled at the bluntness of the pink party pony.

"Ah can understand that. Been there, done that... not somethin' I'm proud of though." Applejack said with a snort that surprised all of her friends.

"Really?" Dash asked, genuinely surprised that her friend would admit to something like that.

"Who?" Fluttershy asked with a curiosity that equaled her marefriend's surprise.

At this Applejack blushed and looked away.

"Ah'd rather not say right now. Ah'll tell you girls eventually but... not now."

All of the mares around her respected Applejack's wishes and nodded understandingly.

"Okay, you can tell us when you're ready Applejack." Fluttershy said, walking over to the orange earth pony and embracing her. The rest of their friends soon followed and wrapped the orange earth pony in a warm hug.

"Aw shucks, you gal's are great, ya know that?" Applejack said with a smile.

"Yea, we do." Rainbow said, her chuckling voice full of confidence, yet the care she felt shone through.

Every one of the six mares was smiling as the hug broke.

"Well, I guess Ah better get to bed." Applejack said slowly. "Cuz Ah know y'all get to sleep in, but Ah have to get up and work early tomorrow mornin'.

A unanimous agreement had everypony heading to their tents. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash went over to one, Pinkie Pie and Twilight went into another which quickly took on a lavender aura as Twilight cast some sort of spell around it. Rarity and Applejack looked at the tent perplexed for an instant before Rarity leaned over and whispered into Applejack's ear; "Soundproofing spell... in case you were wondering."

Applejack visibly grimaced before turning to Rarity.

"Bit too much info there sugarcube. Let's just go to sleep. Oh, and Ah hope ya don't plan on tryin' to seduce me. Ah'm as straight as an arrow." Applejack said as she held the tent flap open with a hoof and let Rarity in.

"Oh... of course not Applejack. Whatever would make you think I would?" Rarity said with a half-hearted chuckle as she settled down on the makeshift bed for two.

"Alrighty then... Night Rarity." Applejack said as she laid down and closed her eyes.

"Goodnight Applejack." Rarity said as she closed her eyes. Despite what Applejack said, Thoughts of a midnight tryst danced through Rarity's mind as sleep overtook her.

Applejack was still awake as her friend moaned quietly in her sleep and cuddled up to her, if she didn't know better... she could have sworn the soft unicorn had moaned her name. A stray, slightly disconcerting thought lingered in her head until she finally fell asleep.

Does Rarity swing that way?

Over in the tent next to theirs, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash slept silently, wrapped in each others hooves as sweet dreams danced through both of their minds. All it took was a look inside the tent to see the small smiles that, even when asleep, never left them.

Calm before the storm

Fluttershy sighed contentedly as Celestia's sun peeked over the horizon and made it's presence known to the sleeping pegasus. Cracking one eye open, she saw that she was nose to nose with a lightly snoring Rainbow Dash. The mere sight of the cyan pegasus caused Fluttershy to feel butterflies in her stomach all over again. She remembered what had transpired over the past few days and nights and smiled. Leaning closer, she gently kissed Dash on the nose.

The action caused Rainbow to stir slightly and grumble as her eyes slowly cracked open. Once she saw Fluttershy's smile though, her she stopped grumbling and she smiled back.

"Hey 'Shy... How'd you sleep?" Dash whispered groggily.

"Like a foal... you?"

Dash leaned forward and kissed Fluttershy on the lips before she responded.

"I haven't slept that good in months 'Shy."

A big smile grew on Fluttershy's face as she wrapped her hooves around Dash and pulled her close.

"I'm glad."

Dash wrapped her hooves around Fluttershy and started stroking her mane. She could have stayed there forever... Until a sound reached both of their ears that quickly got their attention.

"Aah! P-Pinkie! No, n-not ther-Uuuh."

Before Dash could crack the first rather crass joke that immediately came to mind, she heard the incredibly terse voice of Rarity shouting from the other tent.

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA!! EITHER BE QUIET OR SOUND-PROOF THE TENT!! I AM TRYING TO GET MY BEAUTY SLEEP!!!"

"... Oh buck meEEEE!!" Twilight said, her voice raising in pitch and volume as only Faust knows what Pinkie did got her... attention. An instant later, a dull thud was heard followed by "Ouch, Twilight that smarts!"

"Oh don't even start!" Twilight said irritably before the unmistakable sound of a spell being cast reached their ears, followed by silence before Rarity could be heard muttering.

"I swear, those two are incorrigible!"

Dash and Fluttershy looked from the direction of the voices back into each other's eyes and broke down into a fit of quiet giggles.

"OH, HONESTLY?! ET TU?!" Rarity said, her voice clearly exasperated.

"Heh, no worries Rares. We just woke up to that, same as you did." Dash said with a chuckle.

Looking back to Fluttershy, Dash smiled. Fluttershy smiled back until her stomach gave a growl that caused both of their eyes to open wide.

"Need to feed the manticore there 'Shy?" Dash asked with a chuckle, only to have her stomach groan louder than Fluttershy's had.

"I could ask you the same thing Dashie." Fluttershy teased, poking Dash with a hoof.

Rolling her eyes, Dash sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. As she moved to stand up, Fluttershy's hoof stopped her.

"Oh no you don't. You're not going anywhere with your wings like that." Fluttershy said, nodding towards Rainbow's wings. Looking back at them, even Dash was shocked. There were feathers pointing every which way, some were rotated wrong and even some of her primaries were out of alignment.

I have sex wings... Not cool.

"We'll have to do something about that." Fluttershy said, drawing Dash's attention back to her. Looking at Fluttershy's wings, Dash saw that her new marefriend's wings hadn't fared much better. It wasn't until a slight tug at her wing made her breath catch in her throat that she figured out what Fluttershy had in mind.

Preening.

"Oh Fluttershy, I-" Rarity stopped as she caught the two preening pegasi by surprise as she poked her head into the tent flap only to see them in the fairly intimate position. Both of their heads snapped to look at the shocked unicorn.

"Oh... hehe. Hey Rares." Dash said, blushing profusely.

"We... That is... Oh my." Fluttershy said, starting to hide behind Dash. Her blush was deeper than Dash's.

A sly smile crossed the unicorns face as she looked from each of the mares wings to their faces and put the pieces together.

"Preening is a bit, oh how should one say... intimate, for a "first date". Isn't it?" She asked, her voice clearly showing the risque nature of her thoughts on the activity she had stumbled in on.

"However, looking at your wings, I'd say that it would be for the best... wouldn't want anypony getting any wrong ideas now, would we?" Giving the two pegasi a look that only caused them to blush further.

"Hey, that-" Dash started only to be interrupted by Rarity.

"Well, who am I to say what is proper amongst lovers. Don't mind me dears, I just came to tell you that breakfast will be ready in a moment. Now... Carry on." Rarity said with a wink as she pulled her head out of their tent.

For a moment, neither mare moved. It was Fluttershy who shook out of it first and continued preening Dash's wing, startling the cyan mare as she did so. Giving Fluttershy a quizzical look, Dash silently asked what Fluttershy was doing.

Slowly pulling away from the last feather she had aligned, Fluttershy nuzzled Dash's neck and said.

"Just finishing what I started."

After eating a breakfast, which had been a more-than-slightly awkward affair, packing up and thanking Applejack and the Apple family, Rarity, Pinkie and Twilight headed their own respective ways.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash lingered in the orchard though. Walking through the many trees that had already been bucked of their apples and who's leaves were showing that autumn was in full swing. Though the beauty of the scenery around them was not entirely lost on the two mares, the majority of their focus was on each other.

"Dash... thank you..." Fluttershy said as they neared one of the ponds that dotted the apple orchards.

Giving Fluttershy a confused look, Dash asked her "For what?"

"For everything." Fluttershy said with a smile.

Smiling back at her, Dash brought herself closer to Fluttershy, that their sides touched as they walked.

As they walked towards the orchards main gate, they caught sight of Big MacIntosh leaving the barn with the wagon having just unloaded it. When he saw the two pegasi, he gave them a big smile and nodded to them.

"Later Big Mac!" Dash called out as she and Fluttershy walked past.

"Eeyup." MacIntosh said with his trademark drawl and smile.

As they crossed through the main gates though, an uneasy feeling began to well up in Big MacIntosh's gut. He had felt that same thing on many occasions, it never bode well.

Big MacIntosh looked up into the clear sky with a hint of worry in his eyes as he spoke to nopony in particular.

"Storm's coming."

As Dash and Fluttershy walked back towards Ponyville, Dash felt a sudden sense of unease washing over her. Almost as though she was being watched. Glancing over her shoulder, Dash looked around for anything out of the ordinary, but didn't see anything that should have made her feel off.

"Is something the matter Dash?" Fluttershy asked her as they walked.

"Hm? No... I guess not." She said, turning to Fluttershy and smiling as they hit the outskirts of Ponyville.

As she looked forward again, Dash missed the shadow of a pony that passed from one cloud to another before landing in the field behind them as they rounded the corner.

With a smile, the pony who had landed behind them started walking into Ponyville. After all, today was going to be a good day.

Author's Note

Well, It's been quite a while since I put a chapter up for this one! Sorry about that. Honestly, writing hasn't been at the forefront of my attention due to a number of things. That said, For those of you who worry about me finishing this fic, I do intend to finish it and I have at least a couple more chapters lined out. In the meantime, enjoy!

Update and apologies

Sorry everypony, but I'm going to have to bump the rating on this story up to mature. The way that the storyline is progressing has deviated from my original idea's (that's writing for ya) and in such, I have to change the rating. I will say though, that the reason for the rating change is NOT due to clop. Quite the opposite, the reason behind my changing the rating is going to be due to a rather graphic telling of a certain pony's past. **Yes, this is gonna get bloody.** I apologize in advance to any readers to whom this will not appeal, but hey, at least I warned all of you!

DJ-Pon3FTW