When Kindness Faltersby Quillfeather882ChaptersWhen Kindness FaltersAn Honest TryLaughter is the Best Medicine?A Generous SpiritWhen Kindness FaltersFluttershy puttered around her little cottage, a bowl of carrots balanced upon her head for Angel Bunny. It was Saturday, so her kindness classes at the school of friendship wouldn't be in session today. This would give her plenty of time to care for not only Angel, but her other animals as well. Being a teacher in Twilight's school of friendship was very nice, and she loved the students, but having a day off was just the thing. The strange thing was, one of the other teachers had been absent as of late...and Fluttershy was beginning to worry. Rainbow Dash, the school's teacher of Loyalty, was usually always in attendance, minus the false mission Discord had send them on, and riding the wild blue yonder in Las Pegasus with the Golden Horseshoe gals. Other than that, she'd never missed one of her classes. Until now that is... Placing the bowl of carrots before her rabbit friend, Fluttershy came to a decision. She'd waited long enough. Rainbow's excuses of extra Wonderbolts practices were becoming ridiculous, and she knew that something else had to be going on. “You stay here and enjoy your carrots, Angel. I need to go check on Rainbow...I haven't seen her in so long, and I'm worried something might have happened to her.” Angel nodded sagely, then turned to his bowl of carrots, devouring them ravenously. Fluttershy took wing and flew out her front door in the direction of Rainbow Dash's cloud home. *** Fluttershy landed on Rainbow's front porch, skidding to a stop when she spotted the large number of storm clouds surrounding the structure. Being a pegasus herself, Fluttershy's worry increased tenfold. One bad day for a pegasus could lead to a single raincloud, while a great many saddened pegasi could cause an entire storm. It was very rare for one to cause this many all at once...unless... Fluttershy gasped, and rapidly knocked on the door. Something was very wrong. “Rainbow Dash? It's Fluttershy! Are you home?” Silence greeted her, and her ears drooped. She knocked again, a bit more forcefully this time. “Rainbow, if you aren't coming out, I'm coming in!” Raising her right hoof, she pushed the door open. She'd been in Rainbow Dash's home plently of times, and she'd seen it in various states of uncleanliness just as many times. But this...this was a vision straight out of tartarus. The dishes in the sink had flies buzzing around them, and there was moldy food left out on the counter. “Oh...my...Celestia...” Fluttershy whispered, raising a hoof to her mouth in shock. Without another word, she zipped upstairs to Rainbow's room, not bothering to knock this time. What she saw brought heartbroken tears to her eyes. It was clear she hadn't left her room in almost a week. Empty cider bottles were scattered everywhere, and the shades were closed. But that was nothing compared to how Rainbow herself looked. Her rainbow mane and tail were messy and completely filthy, and she wore her robe and Tank slippers. The robe was stained by so many unidentifiable stains that Fluttershy couldn't tell what color it was supposed to be. Rainbow's eyes were open, but she was only staring at the wall. For a pony who usually never seemed to stop moving, the pegasus was almost too still. “R-rainbow? Are you alright?” Fluttershy whispered, carefully stepping around the crushed soda cans and flattened pizza boxes that covered the floor of the room. Rainbow continued to look at the wall, blinking slowly, as if she hadn't heard her friend speak. Sighing, Fluttershy walked over to the curtains and, with a swift movement, parted them to let in the daylight. That got a reaction out of her. “Ugh, Fluttershy, I had those closed for a reason,” Rainbow groaned, grabbing her pillow and putting it over her face. Fluttershy shook her head, smiling gently. “I get the feeling you've been in here for over a week, and that you haven't been truthful about where you've been all this time. You told Twilight that Spitfire needed you for extra Wonderbolt practices, but I'm seeing so much garbage in here, and downstairs, that I don't think you've left this house at all.” “Doesn't matter...” Rainbow muttered through the pillow, “It's all horseapples..” Rainbow's body seemed to tense up and curl in on itself, and she moved the pillow to place it under her head. It was hard to miss the wonderbolt emblem stitched onto the pillowcase. “You try and do your best, but it doesn't matter. None of it bucking matters!” As she finished speaking, Fluttershy heard the first real flash of emotion in her friend's voice; it was an emotional break that many other ponies would miss. But not Fluttershy. She knew Rainbow Dash better than anypony else did. Rainbow played the part of a brave and fearless mare, but in reality, she was a big softy. Something had rocked her friend to her core, and fluttershy intended to find out what it was. Sitting herself on the floor by Rainbow's bed, fluttershy smiled sympathetically. “I haven't seen you this upset since you were kicked out of flight camp...what happened? I won't tell anypony else if you don't want me to.” Rainbow didn't even flinch. Her eyes were dead and lifeless. Fluttershy knew,in that moment, that her initial assessment had been incorrect: it was worse than flight camp. Back then, Rainbow had at least cried. There was nothing now. Rainbow muttered something under her breath that she couldn't here. “What's that, Rainbow? I didn't here you.” Another whisper. “Oh, I'm sorry Rainbow, I still didn't here that.” “She kicked me out ok!” Rainbow snapped, with such force that Fluttershy toppled over. “Spitfire kicked me out of the Wonderbolts!” Fluttershy froze. “What! But why?” Rainbow Dash sighed, looking at the stitching on the carpet of her bedroom floor, and then at one of the cloud walls. “There was an...incident. And...it was my fault.” She shuddered. “I didn't realize...I couldn't have known...the sky seemed clear...” “What are you talking about Rainbow? Why exactly did you get kicked out?” Fluttershy was so confused. What had happened that could've cost her so much? She worked so hard to get a place in the Wonderbolts. How bad really was it? Finally, Rainbow did cry. It was only a sniff, and some obvious moisture in her eyes, but it was there. “I...I hurt somepony.” Fluttershy moved to her side. “Knowing you, I'm sure it was an accident.” She whispered. “Who did you hurt?” Rainbow's tears fell more urgently. “It...it was Soarin...we were trying out a new formation, you know, for our next performance.” Wiping a hoof over her eyes, she continued. “We were just starting...and he was right next to me...I...I slammed into him...and he fell.” She crumpled to the floor, sobbing. “He'll never fly again Fluttershy! His wings are shattered from when he hit the ground.” Placing her hooves over her eyes, she muttered, “So yeah, none of it matters. Spitfire said she couldn't have anypony so reckless on the Bolts and I can't ever go back.” Fluttershy's eyes filled with tears too. She knew how important being a wonderbolt was to Rainbow. For most of their foalhood, she'd spoken of nothing else. How cool they were, how she dreamed of being one of them. Now, all of her friend's dreams were shattered, and there was nothing she could do to make this better. There was no “try again” senario that she could present her with to encourage her. As far as Rainbow knew, this was the worst her life could become. Still, she had to try. “Oh Rainbow Dash, I'm so sorry!” She said, drying her eyes. “I know how much this meant to you. Believe me when I say I understand how hard this is for you.” Rainbow only shook her head, and then looked at Fluttershy dead in the eyes. “No Fluttershy...I don't think you do. And I don't think the others would either.” Fluttershy gasped, her ears drooping again. “How could you say that?” Why would Rainbow say something so irrational? Now she really didn't know what to say...or what to do. In fact, she was so hurt that she was starting to wonder why she bothered trying to help at all, which was a new feeling for her. “Fine, Rainbow.” She said, sweetly but stiffly. “I won't bother you if you don't think I'll understand. But, I'll be at my cottage if you need me.” And with that, she lifted herself from the floor, and turned to go. She thought she heard Rainbow say something else under her breath: “I'm sorry for being so useless, and such a horrible pony...” Author's Note After some feedback, I've decided to add additional chapters on this story. So, stay tuned! There's more to come. An Honest TryAuthor's Note And here it is! Enjoy everyone! An Honest Try Fluttershy rose from her bed, yawning loudly. That had been the worst night's sleep ever. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about Rainbow...how broken she had she had been...and the last thing that she had said to her as she had left. I'm sorry I'm so useless. The guilt she felt was overwhelming, and thus falling asleep had been nearly impossible. Fluttershy's ears drooped as she remembered her own words, Fine, Rainbow. I won't bother you if you if you don't think I'll understand. But, I'll be at my cottage if you need me. “Oh, why did I say that?” She said out loud, remembering the pained look on Rainbow's face. She was hurting, and though she now knew why, what she didn't know was how to help her. With a grunt, she tossed the covers to the floor, and stood up, a look of pure determination on her face. “I might not know how to help her on my own, but if the girls and I work together, I'm sure that we can think of something.” **** “I'm glad you came and got us, Fluttershy.” Twilight told her, using her magic to levitate several books off of the shelves. Fluttershy watched her do so, seeing titles like, “Psychology 101” and “How to Help your Depressed Friends and Loved Ones.” She, Twilight, Pinkie Pie and Applejack, were all gathered in the library of Twilight's castle, going over what Fluttershy had told them. “Poor Dashie,” Pinkie said softly, tears in her eyes, “She must be so sad right now.” “Yes, the poor dear,” Rarity said with a sniffle, “why couldn't she just tell us, and why in the name of Celestia does she think we wouldn't understand?” “I think I might know, y'all...” A.J. said, sighing. “Rainbow and I are a lot alike. And that means we both get a might stubborn...” She trailed off for a moment, as if unsure of what to say next. “When we hurt, we sometimes either take it out on the ponies around us, hide it by pretending it doesn't hurt, or we just...hide.” Turning away from her friends for a moment, she continued. “When Ma and Pa passed, I stayed in my room for over two weeks until Granny dragged my flank down the stairs.” “Your point, darling?” Rarity asked, raising an eyebrow. “I'm sayin' that sometimes having somepony kick your flank in gear can help you get out of a funk like this. Rainbow might just need the same thing.” The four ponies all looked at one another, uncertainty on their faces, all except for Applejack. “I mean it, y'all. She needs some tough love. Bein' left alone for a time is fine, but not for this long. Hay, I'll do it!” The others let out a sigh of relief. The idea of being the ones to force Rainbow out of this funk had made them nervous. If anypony had the highest chance of getting Rainbow out of her room, it was Applejack. “Um, Applejack,” Fluttershy said, “Do you really think she wants our help? Based on what I said I mean.” Her ears were down, the look in her eyes filled with hurt. Despite being more assertive, it was clear to her friends how much the events with Rainbow had affected her. “I know that what she said sounded...unfair, sugarcube,” Applejack told her, smiling in understanding, “But chances are, she only said those things because she's hurtin.' Nothin' to take personally.” Tapping her chin with a hoof, A.J. continued, “She probably only thinks we wouldn't understand. What a lot of ponies don't realize is that the one that's hardest to be honest with is yourself.” “How do you lie to yourself?” Pinkie asked, cocking her head to one side in confusion. Then, with a gasp, she shouted, “Am I lying to me right now?” Twilight chucked, shaking her head. “No, Pinkie, that's not it at all.” She used her magic to lift one of the books from the table where she had placed them a moment ago and flipped it open. “According to this chapter of Psychology 101, when a pony is depressed, they tend to get locked in a chain of negative thought processes and self doubt.” She turned a page, squinted at it, and then continued. “Sometimes it's a chemical imbalance in the brain. Other times, it can be because of a traumatic event. Like, a pony passing away, or being bullied.” “She's right,” Applejack stated, “Like I said, I know that feeling...like the world's gonna crash down around you, and somehow you're to blame.” With a sigh, her gaze turned to the floor, “Seein' as how Sorin' got hurt because of something Rainbow did, whatever it was, she's probably feelin' the same way.” “Well that makes sense,” Pinkie said, “But why not talk to us about it? We could probably turn that frown upside down, and help her work through it.” “Sometimes, Pinkie, darling,” Rarity interjected, startling the rest of them after being silent for so long, “the problem you're facing seems to be much bigger than it actually is. When that happens, you don't want to do much more than sob into your favorite pillow, neglect your mane and eat a carton of Vanilla Oat Swirl.” Her friends all looked at her with their eyebrows raised. “What?” She said, smiling sheepishly, “That's what I always do.” Her smile broaded. “But I do agree with Applejack. If it weren't for all of you ponies, including Rainbow, I never would have gotten out of my room and redone my fashion show for Hoity Toity.” Placing a hoof on Applejack's shoulder, she smiled, warmth raidating from her eyes “Go do what you do best dear: be honest with Rainbow.” * * * * Applejack bucked the door to Rainbow Dash's room open, causing the walls to shake. Rainbow, who had obviously been napping, yelped in surprise, falling of of her bed as she did so. Rounding on Applejack, she glared at her, a growl building in her throat. “What the hay, Applejack?! Is there some reason you thought bucking my house apart was ok?!” Steam came out of her nostrils as she snorted in rage. Normally when Rainbow talked to her like this, she'd come up with a snappy retort, but not today. Today, she wasn't going to take the bait. She spoke to Rainbow as evenly as she could, calm but serious. “I'm sorry about the door, sugarcube. If it's busted, I'll fix it myself, but I wasn't so sure you were going to let me in.” She sighed, exasperated, “Look Dash, I know what happened...Fluttershy told us. And I ain't sayin' you need to get over it,” Here she paused, as to emphasize the importance of her next words. “But...you can't stay in here forever. And shirkin' your other responsibilities ain't right either.” Rainbow narrowed her eyes, her face now a mask of unbridled fury. “You know what? I don't need this.” With both of her front hooves, she shoved the orange earth pony out the door of her room, down the stairs, and finally out the front door. A.J. turned around to face Dash, who had remained in the doorway, the same furious look still in place. The farm pony wasn't fooled though. There was a saddness in her eyes that her anger couldn't cover up. Applejack knew, beyond a doubt, that Rainbow would need to be honest with herself if she was going to get better. “Rainbow Dash,” She said, becoming so frustrated with the situation that she couldn't help but let it out, “You need to come out sooner or later. I'd say sooner, since y'all have been in there for over a week already!” The only reply she received was the door slamming in her face, hitting her mussle as it did. “Dang nambit, Rainbow Dash, you gottat stop this! I learned a long time ago that not askin' for help only leads to trouble! Let me help you!” “I don't want your help!” Rainbow shouted, the sound muffled by the door. “Either you come out here on your own, or I drag you out here by the tail! Your choice, sugarcube!” Applejack said. Again, there was no answer. This time though, Applejack heard the sound of every lock being thrown, including the windows. Applejack's ears drooped. Now she knew how serious this situation was. Normally, Rainbow would have demanded that she come in, challenging Applejack to make her come out. But, this time she just...quit? This was so unlike her. She wasn't interested in trying to do anything. It was as if all the fight had gone out of her. Though Applejack had guessed it was bad, she didn't think it would be this bad. “Well, I can say that I at least tried, but...now what?” Laughter is the Best Medicine?"I don't know what to do, Gummy!" Pinkie cried, flopping on her bed. Applejack had returned from Rainbow Dash's home yesterday, defeated. They were all becoming frustrated, especially Pinkie. Gummy was bouncing around her bedroom, his toothless jaws latched onto a bright yellow balloon. Rolling over onto her back, Pinkie groaned, putting her hooves over her eyes. "How did I not notice? I know my friends' smiles better than anypony!" Pausing, she placed a hoof on her chin thoughtfully. "Not that I've seen her lately, so I couldn't see her smile, or not smile...hmm." It was at that moment that Gummy stopped bouncing, falling to the floor and licking his eyes with his reptilian tongue. Pinkie bolted up, gasping. "That's it! I need to help her get her smile back! If I remind her how to have fun again, how to laugh again, then not only will she smile, but she'll leave her house!" Sweeping Gummy into her hooves, she grinned at him, planting a kiss on his scaly head. "Gummy, you're a genius!" **** A few moments later, Pinkie made her way over to Rainbow's cloud dwelling. But, she wasn't planning to go through the front door, oh no. No, she was hovering outside Dash's bedroom window, pedaling her old flying contraption, which hadn't been used in a while. With a bit of oil, and no shortage of dusting, it was back in working order. Her hope was that the contraption would remind Dash of happier days...and the favorite pastime that they shared. "Oh Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie called out brightly. There was no response, so she tried again. "Rainbow Dash! It's me, Pinkie Pie! Wanna go have some fun?" There was a movement by the window, and the sound of a latch being undone. Then, the window was raised and Rainbow's face appeared at the windows, her eyes bloodshot from sleep deprivation and crying. Her main was still filthy and disheveled. "Did Applejack send you?" Rainbow growled, "Because you can tell her I'm still not coming out." Pinkie shook her head, still smiling. "Nope nope nope! I'm here all on my own! So, what do you say?" Rainbow didn't seem convinced. But then, to Pinkie's delight, her eyes drifted to her flying contraption. "You still have that thing?" She asked, an eyebrow raised. Pinkie's smile only grew wider. "Oh yes! I love this thing! You remember the first time I used it?" Rainbow nodded, still not smiling. "Yep." She squinted at Pinkie. "Hey, if Applejack didn't send you, then why aren't you asking me about what happened? Aren't you here to pester me to?" Pinkie maintained her smiled, but her eyes softened. "Not if you don't want me to. Besides," She grinned, "I'd rather have fun with you." Cocking her head, she inquired, "Should I ask?" Rainbow sighed, "I'd rather you didn't," Turning away from the window, she bowed her head to the floor. "And, I don't think I'll ever be able to have fun again." When she looked up again, she yelped in surprise, finding the party pony had entered the room while her back was turned. "Then it's a good thing you're friends with the Queen of Funafunfun!" Bouncing into the air, Pinkie shot off her party cannon and placed a crown upon her head. When she landed, she pulled two chairs out from behind her and sat down in one. "Why don't we sit down and decide what funafunfun thing to do first!" Rainbow let out another long sigh. "I won't be much help, since I don't know how to have fun, but...ok." Pffffftttt! A long, squeeking sound came from the chair Rainbow had just sat down on. She blushed mightily, and Pinkie Pie, unable to stifle her impending giggles any longer, fell off her chair. "Ahahhaaa! Oh, that's such a classic! Right Rainbow?" Getting off the chair, Rainbow found there was a whoopee cushion right where she'd been sitting. Pinkie watched excitedly as Rainbow stared at it, as if frozen. Oh no.. Pinkie thought with growing horror, Did I go too far? After a long silence, Rainbow snorted...then snickered, and finally, burst into uncontrollable laughter. "P-pinkie pie..." She exulted, struggling to speak as she guffawed, "You really are so random!" Grinning wildly, Pinkie sprang over to the pegasus, tears in her eyes. "There's that smile, Dashie!" Without hesitation, she wrapped Rainbow in a hug, squeezing her. Rainbow squeezed back, her tears becoming a mixture of happiness and relief. It had been so long since she had laughed that hard, let alone smiled. "S-so?" Rainbow said, brushing a hoof over her eyes. "Who are we pranking first?" Releasing Rainbow from her embrace, Pinkie picked up the Whoopie cushion from the chair. "I have a few in mind." Rainbow grinned, and then sniffed the air, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Ugh, what is that smell?" Pinkie giggled nervously. "Um...when was the last time you took a bath, Dashie?" Glancing around the room she added, "Or took out the trash?" Rainbow lifted a wing and sniffed, and then chuckled. "Oh...right. I should probably clean up first." As she said it though, Rainbow had a sudden urge to just crawl back into bed. The idea of exerting the necessary energy for a shower seemed...nearly impossible. Mentally, she froze. Since when had cleaning herself up become such a chore? She'd always washed up after Wonderbolts practice because, well, it was hard work and she did sweat. "Rainbow?" Pinkie asked, concern in her eyes, "Are you alright?" Rainbow should her head to clear it. "I'm not sure honestly." She admitted. "I'll go hop in the tub." Once she was in the bathroom, though, it became quite clear that the tub was going to be unusable. Dried feathers and mildew clung to the entire thing. If anything, taking a bath in this tub would be a colossal was going to be a total waste of time. Pinkie, not hearing the water running poked her head in. "What's going on Dash...eeewwww." Pinkie gaped at the tub. "Wow. That is most definitely not clean." "Ya think?" Rainbow said with a groan. "How the hay am I supposed to go out pranking with you if I can't get cleaned up?" Pinkie grabbed a Daring Do hoodie from the floor and tossed it to Rainbow. "Here, put this on. I'll run a bath for you at my place! We'll have you squeaky clean in no time!" Pulling the hoodie on over her head, and poking her wings through the designated holes, Rainbow pulled the hood up over her head. The hoodie was, she was relieved to see that the hoodie was long enough that it covered her cutie mark. She wasn't quite ready to face too many other ponies in public yet. From the look on Pinkie's face, Rainbow could see that her friend had realized this. "Thanks Pinkie." Rainbow said, her smile returning. "Let's go." **** "Bah ha ha ha, did you see the look on her face? I don't think she'll ever look at pie the same way again!" After successfully getting a bath at Pinkie's place, they had chosen to prank Lyra with a simple "pie in the face" gag. The end result had been outstanding. And Rainbow Dash was enjoying every minute of reliving it with Pinkie Pie. "Hee hee hee, that was amazing!" Pinkie agreed. As they continued to laugh, they began walking in the direction of Twilight's castle. The closer they got, the more nervous Dash's laughter became. After a moment, her ears drooped and she frowned. Pinkie looked at her, again concerned. "What's wrong now Dashie?" Rainbow let out a heavy sigh, lowering her head. "I feel really bad about the way I treated Fluttershy...and A.J. What if...they're still mad at me? Or...don't want to forgive me?" "They miss you Rainbow." Pinkie said reassuringly, placing a hoof on her shoulder. "We all did..or do, I guess. Only I don't miss you anymore, because I got to hang out with you!" Rainbow sighed again, but this time, she lifted her head, a familiar, confident look on her face. "You're right. They're my friends, like you, and they'll forgive me." At least...I hope they do... Author's Note Depression is hard. But, with the support of people you love, you can get through it. Thanks for reading guys! I hope you're enjoying the story so far! A Generous SpiritChapter 4 A Generous spirit Rainbow Dash finally emerging from her home was nothing short of a miracle, especially for her friends. However, it was obvious that she still wasn't herself. As they all sat together in the throne room, nervously fiddling with their front hooves, it was clear that nopony knew what to say. When the silence became too awkward to be maintained, A.J. was the first to speak up. “Uh...” She stuttered, taking her hat into her hooves, “it's good to see you Dash. Look, about before...” Rainbow grinned, and for just a moment, Rainbow was almost herself again. “No, no, Applejack...” She said, “It was my fault. Can...you ever forgive me?” She looked around at her friends, waiting for them to tell her that they never wanted to see her again, that she was an awful pony who didn't deserve their forgiveness. Thankfully, they all smiled back at her. “Aw, of course I do, sugarcube.” AJ's smile was especially warm. “I could never stay mad at you, even you're bein' stubborn.” Rainbow glanced around at her other friends, who had yet to speak up. Her ears drooped. “And...I'm sorry I ignored you all. I'll never do it again.” Their smiles were the only answer she needed. Rainbow was awoken the next morning by a loud, but polite, knock on her front door. A gray pegasus in a mailmare's uniform grinned at her, presenting a letter to her. Once Rainbow accepted it, the mare saluted and flew away. Rainbow shut the door and took the time to examine it more closely. The letter was in very nice stationary, probably from some expensive print shop in Canterlot. Come to think of it, she thought she'd seen this very stationary somewhere in Ponyville before. On it was a note: Rainbow Dash, I'd love to see you today, Darling! Why don't you come down to the shop and we'll catch up! Your Friend, Rarity Rainbow was confused. Sure, the fashionista had invited her over before, but never with a hand written note first. “What in the hay would she do that for?” Rainbow muttered. Rainbow turned away from the front door and faced her living room, wincing at the state of it. Pinkie's trip out of the house had been just the thing she needed, but now she was left with...this. Seeing the mess reminded her of how much of a spiral she'd been in...and that only reminded her of why she had spiraled in the first place... She gasped, squeezing her eyes shut against the unwelcome wave of memories...Soarin falling...Soarin screaming...Spitfire's final words to her. She wasn't going to be able to handle the mess right now. It was too much. Usually, she could wash a dish so she could eat off of it, or fill a trash bag with empty cider bottles and pizza boxes, but that was as far as she could get. After that, she'd take out the trash bag to the garbage can or throw the sponge back into the sink. She might be talking to her friends again, but...she still wasn't ok. Maybe seeing Rarity would be a good idea. * * * * Rarity looked up as the bell over the door of Carousel Boutique chimed, and smiled. “Oh, Rainbow! I'm so glad you're here. I suppose you got my message, then?” Rainbow Dash nodded, and then raised an eyebrow. “What was up with that, Rarity? I mean, it's cool that you sent a note, but I don't get why?” Rarity chuckled nervously, and her smile slipped. “Oh dear, I had hoped that I could be a bit more subtle. I suppose I should be frank with you.” Rarity locked eyes with Rainbow Dash, a concerned and saddened look on her face. “Why don't we go have some tea and sit down?” Rarity entered her kitchen and put a kettle on, Rainbow following closely behind. During the few moments of awkward silence, Rarity levitated two cups and saucers, a sugar bowl and a pitcher of milk onto the table. Rainbow was too nervous to sit down. Rarity was probably going to scold her for leaving them hanging. It had to be the reason she had wanted to talk privately. By this time, the kettle whistled and Rarity smiled, gesturing for Rainbow to sit down. “I'll get right to the point, darling,” Rarity stated, pouring the hot water into each of their cups, and adding a teabag to hers, and then Rainbow's, “Like the others, I was quite concerned about you. I still am, in fact.” Sipping delicately from her cup, she continued, “So, I invited you here to ask if I can provide you with any assistance?” Rainbow was about to say that she didn't need any help, that she was fine. But then, she thought of the state of her home. That same deep feeling of overwhelming dread filled her. Sighing heavily, she stared into her teacup, and nodded. “There's one thing...though, I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to. It's...pretty bad.” “Oh, no no no, my dear,” Rarity said quickly, waving a hoof dismissively, “I said I wanted to assist you, so whatever you need help with, I shall do it!” For what felt like the umpteenth time that day, Rainbow sighed again. She needed help with cleaning, and Rarity loved making things need and tidy, so she was the perfect choice. Still... “Please, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said, smiling sweetly, her eyes gentle. “I would be remiss if I couldn't do something for you.” “Ok, ok...,” Rainbow groaned, “But, promise you won't laugh. Or freak out?” Rarity nodded, sipping from her tea cup again. My house is...trashed! I mean, I'm not much of a neat pony normally, but ever since...” She froze. No, no...she couldn't go there yet. Wait, yet? Where did that come from. “Well, it's gotten to be...too much...and it makes everything worse.” Rising from the table, Rarity levitated a basket of cleaning supplies over from a nearby closet, a look of confidence on her face. “Say no more, my dear! We'll make short work of this! Onward!” Rainbow couldn't believe it. Rarity actually wanted to help her! She wouldn't have to tackle this mess all alone now. The fact that she had some help made her feel as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. For the first time, she was feeling a glimmer of happiness building within her.
When Kindness FaltersFluttershy puttered around her little cottage, a bowl of carrots balanced upon her head for Angel Bunny. It was Saturday, so her kindness classes at the school of friendship wouldn't be in session today. This would give her plenty of time to care for not only Angel, but her other animals as well. Being a teacher in Twilight's school of friendship was very nice, and she loved the students, but having a day off was just the thing. The strange thing was, one of the other teachers had been absent as of late...and Fluttershy was beginning to worry. Rainbow Dash, the school's teacher of Loyalty, was usually always in attendance, minus the false mission Discord had send them on, and riding the wild blue yonder in Las Pegasus with the Golden Horseshoe gals. Other than that, she'd never missed one of her classes. Until now that is... Placing the bowl of carrots before her rabbit friend, Fluttershy came to a decision. She'd waited long enough. Rainbow's excuses of extra Wonderbolts practices were becoming ridiculous, and she knew that something else had to be going on. “You stay here and enjoy your carrots, Angel. I need to go check on Rainbow...I haven't seen her in so long, and I'm worried something might have happened to her.” Angel nodded sagely, then turned to his bowl of carrots, devouring them ravenously. Fluttershy took wing and flew out her front door in the direction of Rainbow Dash's cloud home. *** Fluttershy landed on Rainbow's front porch, skidding to a stop when she spotted the large number of storm clouds surrounding the structure. Being a pegasus herself, Fluttershy's worry increased tenfold. One bad day for a pegasus could lead to a single raincloud, while a great many saddened pegasi could cause an entire storm. It was very rare for one to cause this many all at once...unless... Fluttershy gasped, and rapidly knocked on the door. Something was very wrong. “Rainbow Dash? It's Fluttershy! Are you home?” Silence greeted her, and her ears drooped. She knocked again, a bit more forcefully this time. “Rainbow, if you aren't coming out, I'm coming in!” Raising her right hoof, she pushed the door open. She'd been in Rainbow Dash's home plently of times, and she'd seen it in various states of uncleanliness just as many times. But this...this was a vision straight out of tartarus. The dishes in the sink had flies buzzing around them, and there was moldy food left out on the counter. “Oh...my...Celestia...” Fluttershy whispered, raising a hoof to her mouth in shock. Without another word, she zipped upstairs to Rainbow's room, not bothering to knock this time. What she saw brought heartbroken tears to her eyes. It was clear she hadn't left her room in almost a week. Empty cider bottles were scattered everywhere, and the shades were closed. But that was nothing compared to how Rainbow herself looked. Her rainbow mane and tail were messy and completely filthy, and she wore her robe and Tank slippers. The robe was stained by so many unidentifiable stains that Fluttershy couldn't tell what color it was supposed to be. Rainbow's eyes were open, but she was only staring at the wall. For a pony who usually never seemed to stop moving, the pegasus was almost too still. “R-rainbow? Are you alright?” Fluttershy whispered, carefully stepping around the crushed soda cans and flattened pizza boxes that covered the floor of the room. Rainbow continued to look at the wall, blinking slowly, as if she hadn't heard her friend speak. Sighing, Fluttershy walked over to the curtains and, with a swift movement, parted them to let in the daylight. That got a reaction out of her. “Ugh, Fluttershy, I had those closed for a reason,” Rainbow groaned, grabbing her pillow and putting it over her face. Fluttershy shook her head, smiling gently. “I get the feeling you've been in here for over a week, and that you haven't been truthful about where you've been all this time. You told Twilight that Spitfire needed you for extra Wonderbolt practices, but I'm seeing so much garbage in here, and downstairs, that I don't think you've left this house at all.” “Doesn't matter...” Rainbow muttered through the pillow, “It's all horseapples..” Rainbow's body seemed to tense up and curl in on itself, and she moved the pillow to place it under her head. It was hard to miss the wonderbolt emblem stitched onto the pillowcase. “You try and do your best, but it doesn't matter. None of it bucking matters!” As she finished speaking, Fluttershy heard the first real flash of emotion in her friend's voice; it was an emotional break that many other ponies would miss. But not Fluttershy. She knew Rainbow Dash better than anypony else did. Rainbow played the part of a brave and fearless mare, but in reality, she was a big softy. Something had rocked her friend to her core, and fluttershy intended to find out what it was. Sitting herself on the floor by Rainbow's bed, fluttershy smiled sympathetically. “I haven't seen you this upset since you were kicked out of flight camp...what happened? I won't tell anypony else if you don't want me to.” Rainbow didn't even flinch. Her eyes were dead and lifeless. Fluttershy knew,in that moment, that her initial assessment had been incorrect: it was worse than flight camp. Back then, Rainbow had at least cried. There was nothing now. Rainbow muttered something under her breath that she couldn't here. “What's that, Rainbow? I didn't here you.” Another whisper. “Oh, I'm sorry Rainbow, I still didn't here that.” “She kicked me out ok!” Rainbow snapped, with such force that Fluttershy toppled over. “Spitfire kicked me out of the Wonderbolts!” Fluttershy froze. “What! But why?” Rainbow Dash sighed, looking at the stitching on the carpet of her bedroom floor, and then at one of the cloud walls. “There was an...incident. And...it was my fault.” She shuddered. “I didn't realize...I couldn't have known...the sky seemed clear...” “What are you talking about Rainbow? Why exactly did you get kicked out?” Fluttershy was so confused. What had happened that could've cost her so much? She worked so hard to get a place in the Wonderbolts. How bad really was it? Finally, Rainbow did cry. It was only a sniff, and some obvious moisture in her eyes, but it was there. “I...I hurt somepony.” Fluttershy moved to her side. “Knowing you, I'm sure it was an accident.” She whispered. “Who did you hurt?” Rainbow's tears fell more urgently. “It...it was Soarin...we were trying out a new formation, you know, for our next performance.” Wiping a hoof over her eyes, she continued. “We were just starting...and he was right next to me...I...I slammed into him...and he fell.” She crumpled to the floor, sobbing. “He'll never fly again Fluttershy! His wings are shattered from when he hit the ground.” Placing her hooves over her eyes, she muttered, “So yeah, none of it matters. Spitfire said she couldn't have anypony so reckless on the Bolts and I can't ever go back.” Fluttershy's eyes filled with tears too. She knew how important being a wonderbolt was to Rainbow. For most of their foalhood, she'd spoken of nothing else. How cool they were, how she dreamed of being one of them. Now, all of her friend's dreams were shattered, and there was nothing she could do to make this better. There was no “try again” senario that she could present her with to encourage her. As far as Rainbow knew, this was the worst her life could become. Still, she had to try. “Oh Rainbow Dash, I'm so sorry!” She said, drying her eyes. “I know how much this meant to you. Believe me when I say I understand how hard this is for you.” Rainbow only shook her head, and then looked at Fluttershy dead in the eyes. “No Fluttershy...I don't think you do. And I don't think the others would either.” Fluttershy gasped, her ears drooping again. “How could you say that?” Why would Rainbow say something so irrational? Now she really didn't know what to say...or what to do. In fact, she was so hurt that she was starting to wonder why she bothered trying to help at all, which was a new feeling for her. “Fine, Rainbow.” She said, sweetly but stiffly. “I won't bother you if you don't think I'll understand. But, I'll be at my cottage if you need me.” And with that, she lifted herself from the floor, and turned to go. She thought she heard Rainbow say something else under her breath: “I'm sorry for being so useless, and such a horrible pony...” Author's Note After some feedback, I've decided to add additional chapters on this story. So, stay tuned! There's more to come.
An Honest TryAuthor's Note And here it is! Enjoy everyone! An Honest Try Fluttershy rose from her bed, yawning loudly. That had been the worst night's sleep ever. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about Rainbow...how broken she had she had been...and the last thing that she had said to her as she had left. I'm sorry I'm so useless. The guilt she felt was overwhelming, and thus falling asleep had been nearly impossible. Fluttershy's ears drooped as she remembered her own words, Fine, Rainbow. I won't bother you if you if you don't think I'll understand. But, I'll be at my cottage if you need me. “Oh, why did I say that?” She said out loud, remembering the pained look on Rainbow's face. She was hurting, and though she now knew why, what she didn't know was how to help her. With a grunt, she tossed the covers to the floor, and stood up, a look of pure determination on her face. “I might not know how to help her on my own, but if the girls and I work together, I'm sure that we can think of something.” **** “I'm glad you came and got us, Fluttershy.” Twilight told her, using her magic to levitate several books off of the shelves. Fluttershy watched her do so, seeing titles like, “Psychology 101” and “How to Help your Depressed Friends and Loved Ones.” She, Twilight, Pinkie Pie and Applejack, were all gathered in the library of Twilight's castle, going over what Fluttershy had told them. “Poor Dashie,” Pinkie said softly, tears in her eyes, “She must be so sad right now.” “Yes, the poor dear,” Rarity said with a sniffle, “why couldn't she just tell us, and why in the name of Celestia does she think we wouldn't understand?” “I think I might know, y'all...” A.J. said, sighing. “Rainbow and I are a lot alike. And that means we both get a might stubborn...” She trailed off for a moment, as if unsure of what to say next. “When we hurt, we sometimes either take it out on the ponies around us, hide it by pretending it doesn't hurt, or we just...hide.” Turning away from her friends for a moment, she continued. “When Ma and Pa passed, I stayed in my room for over two weeks until Granny dragged my flank down the stairs.” “Your point, darling?” Rarity asked, raising an eyebrow. “I'm sayin' that sometimes having somepony kick your flank in gear can help you get out of a funk like this. Rainbow might just need the same thing.” The four ponies all looked at one another, uncertainty on their faces, all except for Applejack. “I mean it, y'all. She needs some tough love. Bein' left alone for a time is fine, but not for this long. Hay, I'll do it!” The others let out a sigh of relief. The idea of being the ones to force Rainbow out of this funk had made them nervous. If anypony had the highest chance of getting Rainbow out of her room, it was Applejack. “Um, Applejack,” Fluttershy said, “Do you really think she wants our help? Based on what I said I mean.” Her ears were down, the look in her eyes filled with hurt. Despite being more assertive, it was clear to her friends how much the events with Rainbow had affected her. “I know that what she said sounded...unfair, sugarcube,” Applejack told her, smiling in understanding, “But chances are, she only said those things because she's hurtin.' Nothin' to take personally.” Tapping her chin with a hoof, A.J. continued, “She probably only thinks we wouldn't understand. What a lot of ponies don't realize is that the one that's hardest to be honest with is yourself.” “How do you lie to yourself?” Pinkie asked, cocking her head to one side in confusion. Then, with a gasp, she shouted, “Am I lying to me right now?” Twilight chucked, shaking her head. “No, Pinkie, that's not it at all.” She used her magic to lift one of the books from the table where she had placed them a moment ago and flipped it open. “According to this chapter of Psychology 101, when a pony is depressed, they tend to get locked in a chain of negative thought processes and self doubt.” She turned a page, squinted at it, and then continued. “Sometimes it's a chemical imbalance in the brain. Other times, it can be because of a traumatic event. Like, a pony passing away, or being bullied.” “She's right,” Applejack stated, “Like I said, I know that feeling...like the world's gonna crash down around you, and somehow you're to blame.” With a sigh, her gaze turned to the floor, “Seein' as how Sorin' got hurt because of something Rainbow did, whatever it was, she's probably feelin' the same way.” “Well that makes sense,” Pinkie said, “But why not talk to us about it? We could probably turn that frown upside down, and help her work through it.” “Sometimes, Pinkie, darling,” Rarity interjected, startling the rest of them after being silent for so long, “the problem you're facing seems to be much bigger than it actually is. When that happens, you don't want to do much more than sob into your favorite pillow, neglect your mane and eat a carton of Vanilla Oat Swirl.” Her friends all looked at her with their eyebrows raised. “What?” She said, smiling sheepishly, “That's what I always do.” Her smile broaded. “But I do agree with Applejack. If it weren't for all of you ponies, including Rainbow, I never would have gotten out of my room and redone my fashion show for Hoity Toity.” Placing a hoof on Applejack's shoulder, she smiled, warmth raidating from her eyes “Go do what you do best dear: be honest with Rainbow.” * * * * Applejack bucked the door to Rainbow Dash's room open, causing the walls to shake. Rainbow, who had obviously been napping, yelped in surprise, falling of of her bed as she did so. Rounding on Applejack, she glared at her, a growl building in her throat. “What the hay, Applejack?! Is there some reason you thought bucking my house apart was ok?!” Steam came out of her nostrils as she snorted in rage. Normally when Rainbow talked to her like this, she'd come up with a snappy retort, but not today. Today, she wasn't going to take the bait. She spoke to Rainbow as evenly as she could, calm but serious. “I'm sorry about the door, sugarcube. If it's busted, I'll fix it myself, but I wasn't so sure you were going to let me in.” She sighed, exasperated, “Look Dash, I know what happened...Fluttershy told us. And I ain't sayin' you need to get over it,” Here she paused, as to emphasize the importance of her next words. “But...you can't stay in here forever. And shirkin' your other responsibilities ain't right either.” Rainbow narrowed her eyes, her face now a mask of unbridled fury. “You know what? I don't need this.” With both of her front hooves, she shoved the orange earth pony out the door of her room, down the stairs, and finally out the front door. A.J. turned around to face Dash, who had remained in the doorway, the same furious look still in place. The farm pony wasn't fooled though. There was a saddness in her eyes that her anger couldn't cover up. Applejack knew, beyond a doubt, that Rainbow would need to be honest with herself if she was going to get better. “Rainbow Dash,” She said, becoming so frustrated with the situation that she couldn't help but let it out, “You need to come out sooner or later. I'd say sooner, since y'all have been in there for over a week already!” The only reply she received was the door slamming in her face, hitting her mussle as it did. “Dang nambit, Rainbow Dash, you gottat stop this! I learned a long time ago that not askin' for help only leads to trouble! Let me help you!” “I don't want your help!” Rainbow shouted, the sound muffled by the door. “Either you come out here on your own, or I drag you out here by the tail! Your choice, sugarcube!” Applejack said. Again, there was no answer. This time though, Applejack heard the sound of every lock being thrown, including the windows. Applejack's ears drooped. Now she knew how serious this situation was. Normally, Rainbow would have demanded that she come in, challenging Applejack to make her come out. But, this time she just...quit? This was so unlike her. She wasn't interested in trying to do anything. It was as if all the fight had gone out of her. Though Applejack had guessed it was bad, she didn't think it would be this bad. “Well, I can say that I at least tried, but...now what?”
Laughter is the Best Medicine?"I don't know what to do, Gummy!" Pinkie cried, flopping on her bed. Applejack had returned from Rainbow Dash's home yesterday, defeated. They were all becoming frustrated, especially Pinkie. Gummy was bouncing around her bedroom, his toothless jaws latched onto a bright yellow balloon. Rolling over onto her back, Pinkie groaned, putting her hooves over her eyes. "How did I not notice? I know my friends' smiles better than anypony!" Pausing, she placed a hoof on her chin thoughtfully. "Not that I've seen her lately, so I couldn't see her smile, or not smile...hmm." It was at that moment that Gummy stopped bouncing, falling to the floor and licking his eyes with his reptilian tongue. Pinkie bolted up, gasping. "That's it! I need to help her get her smile back! If I remind her how to have fun again, how to laugh again, then not only will she smile, but she'll leave her house!" Sweeping Gummy into her hooves, she grinned at him, planting a kiss on his scaly head. "Gummy, you're a genius!" **** A few moments later, Pinkie made her way over to Rainbow's cloud dwelling. But, she wasn't planning to go through the front door, oh no. No, she was hovering outside Dash's bedroom window, pedaling her old flying contraption, which hadn't been used in a while. With a bit of oil, and no shortage of dusting, it was back in working order. Her hope was that the contraption would remind Dash of happier days...and the favorite pastime that they shared. "Oh Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie called out brightly. There was no response, so she tried again. "Rainbow Dash! It's me, Pinkie Pie! Wanna go have some fun?" There was a movement by the window, and the sound of a latch being undone. Then, the window was raised and Rainbow's face appeared at the windows, her eyes bloodshot from sleep deprivation and crying. Her main was still filthy and disheveled. "Did Applejack send you?" Rainbow growled, "Because you can tell her I'm still not coming out." Pinkie shook her head, still smiling. "Nope nope nope! I'm here all on my own! So, what do you say?" Rainbow didn't seem convinced. But then, to Pinkie's delight, her eyes drifted to her flying contraption. "You still have that thing?" She asked, an eyebrow raised. Pinkie's smile only grew wider. "Oh yes! I love this thing! You remember the first time I used it?" Rainbow nodded, still not smiling. "Yep." She squinted at Pinkie. "Hey, if Applejack didn't send you, then why aren't you asking me about what happened? Aren't you here to pester me to?" Pinkie maintained her smiled, but her eyes softened. "Not if you don't want me to. Besides," She grinned, "I'd rather have fun with you." Cocking her head, she inquired, "Should I ask?" Rainbow sighed, "I'd rather you didn't," Turning away from the window, she bowed her head to the floor. "And, I don't think I'll ever be able to have fun again." When she looked up again, she yelped in surprise, finding the party pony had entered the room while her back was turned. "Then it's a good thing you're friends with the Queen of Funafunfun!" Bouncing into the air, Pinkie shot off her party cannon and placed a crown upon her head. When she landed, she pulled two chairs out from behind her and sat down in one. "Why don't we sit down and decide what funafunfun thing to do first!" Rainbow let out another long sigh. "I won't be much help, since I don't know how to have fun, but...ok." Pffffftttt! A long, squeeking sound came from the chair Rainbow had just sat down on. She blushed mightily, and Pinkie Pie, unable to stifle her impending giggles any longer, fell off her chair. "Ahahhaaa! Oh, that's such a classic! Right Rainbow?" Getting off the chair, Rainbow found there was a whoopee cushion right where she'd been sitting. Pinkie watched excitedly as Rainbow stared at it, as if frozen. Oh no.. Pinkie thought with growing horror, Did I go too far? After a long silence, Rainbow snorted...then snickered, and finally, burst into uncontrollable laughter. "P-pinkie pie..." She exulted, struggling to speak as she guffawed, "You really are so random!" Grinning wildly, Pinkie sprang over to the pegasus, tears in her eyes. "There's that smile, Dashie!" Without hesitation, she wrapped Rainbow in a hug, squeezing her. Rainbow squeezed back, her tears becoming a mixture of happiness and relief. It had been so long since she had laughed that hard, let alone smiled. "S-so?" Rainbow said, brushing a hoof over her eyes. "Who are we pranking first?" Releasing Rainbow from her embrace, Pinkie picked up the Whoopie cushion from the chair. "I have a few in mind." Rainbow grinned, and then sniffed the air, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Ugh, what is that smell?" Pinkie giggled nervously. "Um...when was the last time you took a bath, Dashie?" Glancing around the room she added, "Or took out the trash?" Rainbow lifted a wing and sniffed, and then chuckled. "Oh...right. I should probably clean up first." As she said it though, Rainbow had a sudden urge to just crawl back into bed. The idea of exerting the necessary energy for a shower seemed...nearly impossible. Mentally, she froze. Since when had cleaning herself up become such a chore? She'd always washed up after Wonderbolts practice because, well, it was hard work and she did sweat. "Rainbow?" Pinkie asked, concern in her eyes, "Are you alright?" Rainbow should her head to clear it. "I'm not sure honestly." She admitted. "I'll go hop in the tub." Once she was in the bathroom, though, it became quite clear that the tub was going to be unusable. Dried feathers and mildew clung to the entire thing. If anything, taking a bath in this tub would be a colossal was going to be a total waste of time. Pinkie, not hearing the water running poked her head in. "What's going on Dash...eeewwww." Pinkie gaped at the tub. "Wow. That is most definitely not clean." "Ya think?" Rainbow said with a groan. "How the hay am I supposed to go out pranking with you if I can't get cleaned up?" Pinkie grabbed a Daring Do hoodie from the floor and tossed it to Rainbow. "Here, put this on. I'll run a bath for you at my place! We'll have you squeaky clean in no time!" Pulling the hoodie on over her head, and poking her wings through the designated holes, Rainbow pulled the hood up over her head. The hoodie was, she was relieved to see that the hoodie was long enough that it covered her cutie mark. She wasn't quite ready to face too many other ponies in public yet. From the look on Pinkie's face, Rainbow could see that her friend had realized this. "Thanks Pinkie." Rainbow said, her smile returning. "Let's go." **** "Bah ha ha ha, did you see the look on her face? I don't think she'll ever look at pie the same way again!" After successfully getting a bath at Pinkie's place, they had chosen to prank Lyra with a simple "pie in the face" gag. The end result had been outstanding. And Rainbow Dash was enjoying every minute of reliving it with Pinkie Pie. "Hee hee hee, that was amazing!" Pinkie agreed. As they continued to laugh, they began walking in the direction of Twilight's castle. The closer they got, the more nervous Dash's laughter became. After a moment, her ears drooped and she frowned. Pinkie looked at her, again concerned. "What's wrong now Dashie?" Rainbow let out a heavy sigh, lowering her head. "I feel really bad about the way I treated Fluttershy...and A.J. What if...they're still mad at me? Or...don't want to forgive me?" "They miss you Rainbow." Pinkie said reassuringly, placing a hoof on her shoulder. "We all did..or do, I guess. Only I don't miss you anymore, because I got to hang out with you!" Rainbow sighed again, but this time, she lifted her head, a familiar, confident look on her face. "You're right. They're my friends, like you, and they'll forgive me." At least...I hope they do... Author's Note Depression is hard. But, with the support of people you love, you can get through it. Thanks for reading guys! I hope you're enjoying the story so far!
A Generous SpiritChapter 4 A Generous spirit Rainbow Dash finally emerging from her home was nothing short of a miracle, especially for her friends. However, it was obvious that she still wasn't herself. As they all sat together in the throne room, nervously fiddling with their front hooves, it was clear that nopony knew what to say. When the silence became too awkward to be maintained, A.J. was the first to speak up. “Uh...” She stuttered, taking her hat into her hooves, “it's good to see you Dash. Look, about before...” Rainbow grinned, and for just a moment, Rainbow was almost herself again. “No, no, Applejack...” She said, “It was my fault. Can...you ever forgive me?” She looked around at her friends, waiting for them to tell her that they never wanted to see her again, that she was an awful pony who didn't deserve their forgiveness. Thankfully, they all smiled back at her. “Aw, of course I do, sugarcube.” AJ's smile was especially warm. “I could never stay mad at you, even you're bein' stubborn.” Rainbow glanced around at her other friends, who had yet to speak up. Her ears drooped. “And...I'm sorry I ignored you all. I'll never do it again.” Their smiles were the only answer she needed. Rainbow was awoken the next morning by a loud, but polite, knock on her front door. A gray pegasus in a mailmare's uniform grinned at her, presenting a letter to her. Once Rainbow accepted it, the mare saluted and flew away. Rainbow shut the door and took the time to examine it more closely. The letter was in very nice stationary, probably from some expensive print shop in Canterlot. Come to think of it, she thought she'd seen this very stationary somewhere in Ponyville before. On it was a note: Rainbow Dash, I'd love to see you today, Darling! Why don't you come down to the shop and we'll catch up! Your Friend, Rarity Rainbow was confused. Sure, the fashionista had invited her over before, but never with a hand written note first. “What in the hay would she do that for?” Rainbow muttered. Rainbow turned away from the front door and faced her living room, wincing at the state of it. Pinkie's trip out of the house had been just the thing she needed, but now she was left with...this. Seeing the mess reminded her of how much of a spiral she'd been in...and that only reminded her of why she had spiraled in the first place... She gasped, squeezing her eyes shut against the unwelcome wave of memories...Soarin falling...Soarin screaming...Spitfire's final words to her. She wasn't going to be able to handle the mess right now. It was too much. Usually, she could wash a dish so she could eat off of it, or fill a trash bag with empty cider bottles and pizza boxes, but that was as far as she could get. After that, she'd take out the trash bag to the garbage can or throw the sponge back into the sink. She might be talking to her friends again, but...she still wasn't ok. Maybe seeing Rarity would be a good idea. * * * * Rarity looked up as the bell over the door of Carousel Boutique chimed, and smiled. “Oh, Rainbow! I'm so glad you're here. I suppose you got my message, then?” Rainbow Dash nodded, and then raised an eyebrow. “What was up with that, Rarity? I mean, it's cool that you sent a note, but I don't get why?” Rarity chuckled nervously, and her smile slipped. “Oh dear, I had hoped that I could be a bit more subtle. I suppose I should be frank with you.” Rarity locked eyes with Rainbow Dash, a concerned and saddened look on her face. “Why don't we go have some tea and sit down?” Rarity entered her kitchen and put a kettle on, Rainbow following closely behind. During the few moments of awkward silence, Rarity levitated two cups and saucers, a sugar bowl and a pitcher of milk onto the table. Rainbow was too nervous to sit down. Rarity was probably going to scold her for leaving them hanging. It had to be the reason she had wanted to talk privately. By this time, the kettle whistled and Rarity smiled, gesturing for Rainbow to sit down. “I'll get right to the point, darling,” Rarity stated, pouring the hot water into each of their cups, and adding a teabag to hers, and then Rainbow's, “Like the others, I was quite concerned about you. I still am, in fact.” Sipping delicately from her cup, she continued, “So, I invited you here to ask if I can provide you with any assistance?” Rainbow was about to say that she didn't need any help, that she was fine. But then, she thought of the state of her home. That same deep feeling of overwhelming dread filled her. Sighing heavily, she stared into her teacup, and nodded. “There's one thing...though, I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to. It's...pretty bad.” “Oh, no no no, my dear,” Rarity said quickly, waving a hoof dismissively, “I said I wanted to assist you, so whatever you need help with, I shall do it!” For what felt like the umpteenth time that day, Rainbow sighed again. She needed help with cleaning, and Rarity loved making things need and tidy, so she was the perfect choice. Still... “Please, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said, smiling sweetly, her eyes gentle. “I would be remiss if I couldn't do something for you.” “Ok, ok...,” Rainbow groaned, “But, promise you won't laugh. Or freak out?” Rarity nodded, sipping from her tea cup again. My house is...trashed! I mean, I'm not much of a neat pony normally, but ever since...” She froze. No, no...she couldn't go there yet. Wait, yet? Where did that come from. “Well, it's gotten to be...too much...and it makes everything worse.” Rising from the table, Rarity levitated a basket of cleaning supplies over from a nearby closet, a look of confidence on her face. “Say no more, my dear! We'll make short work of this! Onward!” Rainbow couldn't believe it. Rarity actually wanted to help her! She wouldn't have to tackle this mess all alone now. The fact that she had some help made her feel as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. For the first time, she was feeling a glimmer of happiness building within her.
