Fluttershy’s legs were like butter and her whole body couldn’t stop quivering; her breath was short and fast, and her heart was about ready to explode out of her chest.

She took a deep breath and tried to be calm. This was it.

Fluttershy stood at the train station, about to walk up to the platform, hidden behind a column so she could look to see if Rainbow was there. She was indeed, standing on the platform and waiting for the train, a thick-bodied curly-haired pink pony standing next to her; the only two ponies on the platform.

This was it, the moment of truth.

Fluttershy walked up onto the platform and slowly approached Rainbow Dash, who turned her head to look at Fluttershy approaching. If Fluttershy didn’t know any better, she would have almost thought that Rainbow’s eyes lit up when she saw her.

Fluttershy tried to play it cool as she approached the two ponies, but she couldn’t hold back a big smile.

“Was starting to wonder if you were gonna make it,” Rainbow said coolly with a sly grin.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Fluttershy remarked confidently and she just felt so cool after hearing herself say it.

This was it, she was joining a fighting team! Fluttershy, of all ponies, was going to be a cool fighting mare of danger and intrigue!

She half expected to trip or for something else to ruin her cool entrance, but she made it all the way to Rainbow Dash’s side without any issue. She reached out her hoof and said, “I would really like to join your team, Rainbow Dash. If you’ll still have me.”

Fluttershy blushed and brushed some hair out of her face, worrying for the briefest of moments that somepony else took her place already and Rainbow didn’t need her anymore and this whole entrance was for nothing and she was going to look like a big joke, but Rainbow crushed that fear rather soundly.

“Of course!” Rainbow firmly bashed her hoof against Fluttershy’s in a show of painful comradery and smiled confidently, a passionate flame burning in her violet eyes.

“Yay! This is exciting!” the pink pony pushed herself between the two pegasi and put her forelegs around them both, dragging them in for less of a hug and more of a headlock.

“Pinkie Pie, could you not?” Rainbow said drolly, Pinkie giggling and letting the two go.

“Sorry,” Pinkie said, her pink cheeks turning red as she ruffled her hair.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Fluttershy said with my hoof outstretched toward her. “I’m Fluttershy.”

“And I—”

Pinkie took a big gasp of air and bolted away for a moment, coming back in less than a second with a cannon aimed at the sky. Fluttershy’s eyes widened in concern but Rainbow Dash just stifled a laugh and shook her head.

“I’m Pinkie Pie!” she yelled as she hit a button on the back of the cannon, which had a fuse for some reason, and a burst of confetti exploded out of the barrel and showered down upon the three ponies.

“And yes,” Rainbow said with a chuckle, putting Pinkie in a headlock this time, “she is always like this.” Pinkie just beamed ear to ear and that made Fluttershy laugh, thinking that Pinkie seemed like a real joy.

As Rainbow and Pinkie Pie joined Fluttershy’s laughter and the whistle of the train cut through the cold station, all the fear and worry that had been building up inside Fluttershy melted away.

Or more like… it was shot out of a cannon.

Author's Note

Please feel free to alert me to any typos or errors.
Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!