On The Wings of Love

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?!”