True Friendship

“I don't know why you even hang out with her”

Gilda rolled her eyes, nodding towards the fumbling filly a few clouds over.

“Who, Fluttershy?”

Rainbow Dash mumbled, swallowing the last bit of her sandwich.

“Uh, duh.  She's such a klutz, no match for two hot shots like us!”

Laughed the griffon, nudging her friend.

Dash sighed, looking to Fluttershy.  The filly had managed to regain her balance long enough to make her way to a table and begin her lunch.  She caught Dash's glance, smiling back to her and waving slightly.  Dash laughed nervously, returning her awkward wave.

“She's just... I mean, she's been one of my best friends ever since we were foals.  And after my mother...”

Dash looked down at her hooves, squinting to hold back tears.

“Dash.  It's okay.”

Gilda patted her friend on the back,

“Hey, I have to get to class.  You alright?”

Dash stood, looking to Fluttershy once again

“Uh, yeah.  Yeah I'm fine Gilda.”

She gave her friend a playful nudge before walking over to join Fluttershy, continuing to choke back tears brought on by her accidental recollection of that day.  She joined the yellow pegasus, who happily greeted her with a grin.  Dash couldn't help but smile in return as she tried to wipe the memory from her head.

“You ready, Shy?”

“Uhm, yes! Yes, let's go!”

“Okay!  On your mark, get set, go!”

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy took off... well, began.  The two foals, no more than a couple months old, began their foot race from the garden to the porch.  The two remained neck and neck, Dash flapping her wings frantically in an attempt to gain distance from the ground.  Fluttershy grinned form ear to ear, wings neatly tucked to her sides as she cantered clumsily along.  They reach the house, panting heavily, Dash the clear victor.

“Wow! -huff- That was great -huff- Dashie!  You're so fast!”

“Nah, you had me -huff- beat by a mile!  Now if only my -huff- wings would work...”

The two entered the house as they continued to discuss their race, giggling and prancing as they neared Fluttershy's mother, Posey.  She wore a worried expression, one which the fillies would have noticed had they not been so enthralled in their own conversation.

“Mom!  Me and Dashie had a race, and she was so fast, and so was I, and-”

“Fluttershy.”

She stopped the foal, placing her hoof gently over her mouth,

“I need to talk to your friend.  Is that alright?”

“Oh.  Well, sure mom, but I-”

Posey wrapped a hoof around Dash, leading her into the next room.  Fluttershy stood awkwardly alone, debating weather or not to follow the two.  Deciding against it, she walked slowly to her room, attempting to easedrop on the two as she passed.

“You see Rainbow Dash, you're parents were on their vacation..”

“Yeah, to Fillydelphia, I know!  That's why I'm staying here for a few days, that's what they told me.”

“Yes, that's correct dear.  But, you see, they were on a tour of the city...”

Fluttershy flicked her ear back and forth between the two, only able to pick up bits of the conversation.

“...A storm, unpredicted by the pegasi...”

“...There was nothing they could do...”

Fluttershy stood silently, waiting for the two to finish conversing.  Soon Posey walked forward, looking down to her daughter nervously, wiping tears from her face.

“Fluttershy.  Your friend... she's going to be staying with us for a while.”