CHAPTER 1 - Fluttershy? Is that you?
It was a hot afternoon in the forest I was in. Though the sun was only peeking through the leaves of the tall trees, it's warmth was very much felt from where I was now.
I was wearing my same old white shirt with a rainbow lightning mark on it, together with my blue jacket, and blue pants with rainbow lightning patterns on the sides. At the same time, my messy rainbow colored hair not tied in a pony tail. This gives myself the conclusion that there were more factors for the heat I was feeling than the sun itself.
Right now my body feels really tired not only because of the extreme heat I was experiencing, but also from the exhaustion of running for hours.
I stopped for a brief moment in order to catch my breath. But I started running again immediately without hesitation. My messy hair bouncing, my sweat dripping from my forehead, my legs weakening, my continous panting, and my fast heartbeat didn't stop me from doing so.
I couldn't stop now that I'm so close to being with Fluttershy again!
When Crimson Shade attacked Canterlot High a 3 weeks ago, she took Fluttershy as a captive. As a threat, Crimson Shade promised that Fluttershy will be sent to a far place called Shadow Gardens where she will be cursed, if we didn't do what she wanted.
We had a perfect plan in order to save Fluttershy and defeat Crimson Shade. I was supposed to carefully go to Fluttershy and help her escape while Twilight and the others fight Crimson Shade. But I failed...
I was so close to setting her free, yet I couldn't do it because I didn't have the key to open the cage she was in. I tried to find the key by searching in the same room but as fast as I was, it was not enough. Crimson Shade caught me, threw me towards my friends, and casted a spell on us to be frozen in place so we couldn't stop her on what she was about to do.
She took Fluttershy out of the cage and casted the curse on her.
Right before the curse was casted, I saw how Fluttershy was trembling. She looked at me and held the necklace with a golden butterfly pendant I gave her. She stared into my eyes as if pleading me to save her and that she was so afraid. I wanted to act and do something, but I couldn't do anything...
My heart ached at that thought.
"All of this happened because I didn't save her! It's all my fault!" I shouted at my self as I clenched my fists.
Tears started to escape my eyes as a result of the thoughts I was having at the moment. But I immediately wiped them away.
"There is no time to lose! Fluttershy needs me... I didn't save her before, I need to save her now!" I closed both my fists and started to run even faster, hoping that I'm not too late to save her.
It's been weeks since I left Canterlot in order to find Fluttershy. My friends did not come with me because they still had a lot to take care of after the big battle. I left immediately after Twilight showed me the map to Shadow Gardens because every second that is passing by, the greater the risk of Fluttershy being in more danger. And it is even more risky that we did not know what happened to Fluttershy, or what Shadow Gardens is doing to her.
As I finally saw simple wooden cottages from the distance, I stopped running and started to walk, still rapidly. I decided to stop having so much bad thoughts as I started to get closer to an area underneath the shadows of the trees.
Though the area was beneath the shadows, it wasn't exactly dark. In fact, the sun still gives it brightness that shows the beauty of the plant life surrounding the area.
From what I can see, not much people were wandering around and it's obvious that there were a few people living here.
"Woah... this must be Shadow Gardens. It's awesome!" I said, admiring what I was seeing.
Although I'm not really a fan of nature and peacefulness, I can certainly agree that this place was extremely beautiful.
But I stopped further thoughts of admiring the place and focused on why I was here.
"Ugh! I shouldn't waste my time! I have to find Fluttershy!" I said to myself. I took a deep breath before I started walking towards the village.
I walked pass the first few houses and no one seem to mind that I was in the place. The people around were just living their own lives away from the noise and the mess of the city. But at the same time, they won't seem to mind a visitor from exploring the place.
"Hi young girl, what brings you to a place like this?" Someone with a soft but matured feminine voice asked me. I looked towards the person's direction and saw a woman a little bit taller than I was. I also noticed that the woman was also much older than I was.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to just start a conversation like that. My name is Prim Rose, I am the main caretaker of Shadow Gardens." She said calmly, then she smiled.
"I'm Rainbow Dash and I'm here to... I'm looking for someone." I said, going directly to the point.
"Oh you are? Well who is this person you are looking for? Maybe I can help you. I know almost everyone in this village." The woman said, shocked but at the same time sincere.
"Well... her name is-"
I was about to finish my sentence when I saw a familiar face passing by. What I saw made me stop speaking at all. I just looked at her direction.
I saw a girl with wavy light pink hair, pale yellow skin, teal blue eyes, and a sweet beautiful smile. Finally, I saw a necklace with a golden butterfly pendant on her neck, the same necklace I gave Fluttershy.
And just like that, my heart was filled with hope and joy as if all the sadness did not exist at all.
"Fluttershy? is that you?" I said, almost a whisper, but Prim Rose heard me.
"Fluttershy?" Prim Rose said, she was confused, but I didn't mind.
I did not want to answer anymore, now that my eyes are glued to the person I was looking for. I just couldn't believe that I finally found her! Awesome!
I could feel my heart beating faster as I walked closer to her. I was so happy with the fact that I can finally save her. I dont care how sappy I was getting, all I care about is how I can finally be with Fluttershy again!
"Fluttershy?" I called her, my voice sounding like I was about to cry.
Fluttershy didn't seem to respond. So I went even closer, right in front of her.
"Fluttershy!" I shouted, then she finally looked at me.
I immediately pulled the girl in front of me into a hug as I let my tears freely escape my eyes as I'm finally with my best friend after a long time of searching.
To my surprise, she did not hug me back. Instead, she pushed me with all her strength.
My eyes open wide in shock, tears still sliding down my face.
She then stepped a little farther away from me, looking away from me. Then she started hiding her face using her hair.
There were no words said between us. I was in complete shock with Fluttershy's reaction and I did not know what was happening until Fluttershy finally broke the silence.
"Umm... I'm sorry... But um... W-why are you calling me... Fluttershy? W-w-why did you hug m-me! I... Um... I.... Don't even... know who you are..." she nervously said, the last part almost a whisper, but I heard it.
I heard those words...
And just like that, all the joy that I just felt faded, like they never existed at all.
Rainbow Dash? Who are you?
CHAPTER 2 - Rainbow Dash? Who are you?
It was a calm and beautiful afternoon as I was walking on my way home.
I simple smile forming on my face as I finally arrived in my home where I can finally rest, after a long day of taking care of animals. And it's not that I don't like my work, in fact I love it!
Being with my animal friends make me feel like I'm not alone...
As this thought came in to my mind, I held the butterfly necklace I wore on my neck. Although I couldn't remember who gave it to me, something in my heart tells me that it was someone really special.
I stood in front of my cottage in order to drop my things. But then I heard a stranger calling out someone's name.
"Fluttershy?" She said, but I did not look since I did not even know who that person was.
But then, I felt the person walk closer to me. I stopped what I was doing and stood silently.
Why did this stranger walk closer to me?
"Fluttershy!" The stranger shouted right in front of me. That's when I realized she was talking to me.
W-why is she calling me fluttershy?
I finally looked at the stranger speaking. She had a rainbow colored hair and beautiful magenta eyes.
I was not done observing her face when she quickly pulled me towards her and hugged me.
The hug felt familiar to me, like I have felt it before. My heart wanted to hug back. I wanted this familiar feeling to last. But I corrected my self.
A stranger is h-hugging me!
With that realization, I pushed the lady away from me with all my strength.
I immediately looked down and hid my face with my hair. Then I stepped back and started fidgeting.
There was a moment of silence between us. I didn't know what to say, I was so shocked. Not with the fact that a stranger hugged me, but with the fact that I felt so comfortable in her embrace.
"Umm... I'm sorry... But um... W-why are you calling me... Fluttershy? W-w-why did you hug m-me! I... Um... I.... Don't even... know who you are..." I said stuttering, with the last words almost a whisper.
I finally looked at the lady, she was crying. For some reason, my heart broke when I saw tears on her face.
Did I hurt her? What did I do? W-why is she crying?
"F-fluttershy? D-don't you k-know who I... am?" She said, while her tears continued to fall down her face.
"I... um... I'm sorry... B-but, you must be mistaken... I- um... I'm not Fluttershy... And... y-yes I don't know... you..." I said, a little bit louder than usual.
I saw her clench her fists, and that made me tremble a little bit. But she quickly stopped doing it and wiped her tears away.
"Well, if you don't know me, then why do you have the necklace I gave you?!" I was shocked to hear her confidently say those words. I gasped at her claim.
"Y-you d-did?" I said, trembling.
"Well, if I didn't. Tell me who gave that to you." She still said confidently, like she did not just finished crying.
I paused with her question. I couldn't answer it. I didn't know who gave this necklace to me. No matter how hard I try to remember, no memory appears in my head.
"I.. um.. I-I don't know..." I whispered, but for some reason she heard me.
She gave a quck grin and said. "And if your name is not Fluttershy, then explain this." She took my necklace, opened it, and showed me a name written inside the pendant.
Fluttershy
My eyes opened wide.
I didn't know that the pendant can be opened!
I covered my mouth with my left hand and stepped backwards, causing the the rainbow haired girl to let go of my necklace.
"W-what? H-how? I-I-I.... I-I'm not Fluttershy! My name i-is.. Butterfly Bush!" Because of the shock I was feeling, I shouted my name.
I started to panic, it was getting harder to breathe. But I succesfull calmed my self down, with a few inhales and exhales.
"Butterfly Bush huh? Well, since you don't know my name, I'm Rainbow Dash! Your most awesome best friend! And when you finally remember me, you'll know it!" she winked, for some reason no trace of sad emotions was seen in the girl's face anymore. She was only acting like her normal self, I think?
Well I don't really know this person so I don't know how she really acts normally.
And Rainbow Dash? Well the name does suit her definitely, but the name still does not ring a bell in my memories.
Wait, did she say that she was my b-best f-friend? How can she claim things like that?
"R-rainbow D-dash? Y-youre m-my b-best f-friend?" I was so confused.
"Yes! And I Rainbow Dash, promise that I will make you remember who you really are!" She said while going closer to me and pointed at the opened butterfly pendant with the name 'fluttershy' written inside.
I looked at her with a confused face, but instead she smiled widely.
Should I believe her? What if this was just a prank and this person was just fooling me? Or what if this person is trying to get my trust so she can... k-kidnap me?! But... why would she kidnap me? What if-
My thoughts where interrupted when Rainbow Dash spoke again.
"Look..." She said while moving closer to me, our faces aligned. And her face made a soft and calming expression. "I know what I'm saying is hard to believe, but please give me a chance to prove you that I'm telling the truth." She paused and stared deep into my eyes. I could see the sincerity in hers. "I need you Fluttershy, or Butterfly Bush, or whatever your name is... Will you please trust me?" She said with sincerity.
She stopped speaking and was just looking in my eyes. I didn't want to look away. My heart started to beat quickly because of how close she was to me. I suddenly started to feel something different. Like she was a missing part of me...
"Um... okay..." I whispered as I finally looked away.
"Really?!" Rainbow Dash said with joy.
I didn't look at her again but I nodded, "Mmhm..." i silently answered.
"Ohmygosh! Awesome!" Rainbow dash said, I quickly looked at her direction and saw that she was smiling widely.
And when I saw that smile, I found my self smiling back.
Rainbow Dash? Who are you?
Are you really telling the truth? And why do I feel like... I can really trust you?
