Fluttershy was so excited she could scream.
“Yay”, said the timid yellow pegasus pony, half whispering and half speaking. No other pony heard her. Her friends were all so busy helping Rainbow Dash prepare for her big race that no pony was paying any attention to shy old Fluttershy. Fluttershy had wanted to help too, but her friends had already taken care of everything before she even had a chance to speak up.
Rainbow’s big race was the reason that Fluttershy was so excited. Rainbow Dash would be racing 41 other ponies from all over Equestria in the Canterlot 500, an annual race of consisting of the fastest Pegasi in all of Equestria. Fluttershy was really hoping that her friend would win.
“Fluttershy, could grab my manebrush from over there?” Rainbow Dash was gesturing over to a little table on the far side of the hotel room. The ponies were staying at one of the most elegant hotels in Canterlot.
“Sure thing, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy squeaked. She was excited that she could finally help, and she was especially overjoyed at the prospect of helping Rainbow Dash. Lately, Fluttershy had been having these strange feelings whenever she thought of Rainbow Dash. There would be this weird feeling in the pit of her stomach, like butterflies were fluttering around inside of her. Fluttershy was scared that this might actually be the case, but she didn’t think so.
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12 years ago to the day, a timid little yellow filly named Fluttershy stared across her flight school classroom at a cute cyan filly named Rainbow Dash. As she stared, the rest of the room lost focus. She could no longer see the tables or the chairs. All she saw was Rainbow Dash. At that precise moment, Rainbow Dash stood up and began to walk towards her. As the room came back into focus, Fluttershy panicked.
“What do I do? What do I do?” she whispered to herself. She admired Rainbow Dash’s confidence, so she decided to try and be as bold as Rainbow herself was. Just then, she passed in front of her. Fluttershy managed to squeak out a “Hi, Rainbow Dash,” and then looked away as quick as she could.
“Oh, hi Fluttershy, good to see you again,” Rainbow Dash responded, and then walked away. Fluttershy’s heart soared. She began to have this strange feeling in the pit of her stomach, like something was fluttering around inside of her. She was scared that this might actually be the case, but she didn’t think so.
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“Fluttershy, are you okay? You’re just standing there, staring off into space.” Fluttershy looked up and saw Rainbow Dash staring at her with a concerned look on her face.
“Y-Yes, I’m fine,” Fluttershy said. I can’t believe I forgot, Fluttershy thought to herself, as she gave the manebrush to Rainbow Dash. I used to have a crush on her when I was a little filly. And I had that same feeling in my stomach back then too. Does that mean- Fluttershy shook her head. No, it can’t mean that. I grew out of that shortly after Rainbow defended my honor in that race. That race! I forgot about the race. I still can’t believe she did that for me. That was so....... nice.
“FLUTTERSHY!” Rainbow Dash yelled. “You’re staring off into space again.”
“Oh, sorry,” Fluttershy quietly replied. “I guess I’m just not focused today.”
“Well you better be focused if you’re going to cheer me on during the race,” Rainbow Dash retorted. “Come on; give me your best cheer.”
Fluttershy was happy to oblige. She reared back, gasped in some air, and let out her loudest cheer. “Yay.” Even the dust hovering in front of Fluttershy’s mouth failed to move.
“LOUDER!!!!” Rainbow screamed.
Fluttershy reared back to give another cheer, but this time she was interrupted.
“It’s okay sugarcube,” said a voice with a distinct southern accent. “Your cheering is just fine for me.”
“Yeah Fluttershy, I think my cheering is loud enough for Dashie anyway,” said a hyperactive pink pony, concurring with Applejack. She looked at Rainbow Dash. “I wrote a song just for this occasion! You wanna hear it?”
“Do we have any choice?” Rainbow Dash mumbled.
“Oh Rainbow Dash!
You fly by in a flash!
You’ll win just for me!
For your best friend, Pinkie!
Oh Rainbow Dash!
All the ponies will see!
You. Are. Rain. Bow. Dash!”
“Did you like it? Well did you?” Pinkie Pie stuck her nose right up to Rainbow’s.
Fluttershy thought the song was really good. I wish I could make up a song for Rainbow Dash. The tingly feeling in her stomach started coming back.
Just before Rainbow Dash could reply, a lavender unicorn interrupted. “Look at the time. We should be heading towards the racetrack now.”
“Twilight, we have over 3 hours,” retorted Rainbow Dash.
“Well I for one like to be fashionably early,” butted in an elegant white unicorn.
“Fine.” Rainbow Dash sighed, defeated, and walked towards the racetrack with the other five ponies.
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Fluttershy surveyed her surroundings. She and her friends were in the front row of the stands, in the VIP section, as they were guests of one of the racers. She looked at the sea of ponies behind her to try and find anypony else she knew. She spotted her friends Lyra and Bon-Bon all the way near the back. Looking in front of her now, she admired the Canterlot Speedway main racecourse. It was a two-mile long circuit with plenty of twists and turns to challenge the racers. Next to her, her friend Rarity was chatting up a handsome stallion.
“Why yes, I do find my own jewels,” the white unicorn was saying. “This beautiful fire ruby, however, was given to me by my dear friend Spikey-wikey.”
“Spikey-wikey? What an odd name for a pony.”
“Oh no, he’s not a pony. He’s a baby dragon!”
“A baby dragon? How divine!”
Fluttershy turned away from Rarity and let her mind wonder. Her thoughts drifted to Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy couldn’t get her out of her head. Maybe I do have a crush on her. No, it can’t be. Can it?
Fluttershy turned back to Rarity. “Um, excuse me Rarity, if you don’t mind me interrupting…”
“Of course not, darling. What do you want?”
“Well, I was wondering, how do you know if you have a crush on someone?”
For a split second, Rarity was taken aback by the question. She regained her composure and answered, “Well, usually, when you think about the pony in question, you get a strange feeling in the pit of your stomach, like butterflies are fluttering around in there.”
“But, there aren’t really butterflies in there, are there?
“Why, of course not dear,” Rarity chuckled. She thought for a moment. “Is there a particular stallion you have your heart set on, Fluttershy?”
“Um, no, of course not. Never mind. Forget I even asked.” Fluttershy turned away quickly.
“If you say so dear,” Rarity replied, skeptically. She proceeded to return to her conversation with the handsome stallion.
Rarity had seemed so excited at the prospect of her friend being interested in a stallion. If only she knew it was a mare, thought Fluttershy.
“Fillies and gentlecolts!” A loud voice blared over the loudspeaker. “Today’s main event is about to begin! 42 of the fastest Pegasi will battle it out to become known as the fastest pony in all of Equestria! And as you all know, a month ago contestant number 13 had to drop out of the competition, so we held an Equestria-wide sweepstakes to decide who to replace her! And the winner of that sweepstakes was none other than Ditzy Doo of Ponyville, also known as Derpy Hooves! Congratulations Ditzy!”
Now Derpy’s voice could be heard over the loudspeaker. “Please, call me Derpy,” she said.
“Sure thing, Derpy,” replied the announcer. “And now, let’s get this race started!”
As the 42 contestants entered the racecourse, the five friends in the stands began to talk amongst themselves.
“I can’t believe Derpy is in the race!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Go Derpy! Go Derpy!”
“Uh, sugarcube, you do remember that Rainbow Dash is in this race as well, don’t you?”
“Oh, right. Go Dashie! Go Dashie!” Pinkie jumped up and down and continued her ‘Go Dashie’ chant.
The announcer announced the name of each contestant as they came out. There was Mega Flash, and Lightning Bolt. Finally, the announcer called out Rainbow Dash’s name. Her friends all cheered. “Yay,” Fluttershy squealed quietly. Rainbow Dash lined up next to the other racers, looking as confident as ever. I wish I could be that confident, Fluttershy thought.
A few minutes later, all 42 racers were out on the track ready to start the race. They lined up at the starting line.
The announcers voice came on the loudspeaker again, barely audible over the deafening noise of the crowd. “The race begins in ten… nine… eight… seven… six… five… four… three… two… one…”
The green flag waved, and the ponies were off! Rainbow Dash took an early lead, and Fluttershy found herself admiring her speed. She felt that tingly feeling in her stomach again. This all seemed very familiar to Fluttershy, like déjà vu.
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9 years ago to the day. Fluttershy was being bullied by two mean stallions. She didn’t like this. She didn’t know what to do. She was about to panic. Then Rainbow Dash came in.
“Leave her alone!”
“Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it, Rainbow Crash?”
Fluttershy had been amazed when Rainbow Dash had challenged the two bullies to a race to defend her honor. It was the nicest thing anypony had ever done for her. What made it even better was that it was Rainbow Dash, the pony she loved, who did it.
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Back in the present, Fluttershy shook her head. She didn’t love Rainbow Dash. She couldn’t. And yet….
“WOO HOO!” Her friends all screamed. Rainbow Dash had just passed by two ponies to reclaim first place. Fluttershy silently chided herself for not paying attention. After all, this was Rainbow Dash, the pony she lov- had a crush on. She looked out at the race and saw that Rainbow Dash was slowly extending her lead. She was about two pony-lengths ahead of the rest of the racers, and stayed this way for half of the race. Then, on lap 150, during a sharp turn, another racer passed by Rainbow Dash. Not giving up, Rainbow Dash caught up with her, and passed on the same turn one lap later. Fluttershy’s heart swelled with pride. Her lov- her crush (She had to keep reminding herself that), was doing great in this race. She glanced at rest of the contestants and noticed that Derpy was hanging on, albeit at the back of the pack.
“Pancakes!” a brown unicorn vendor pony shouted.
Twilight glanced around the group. “Does anypony want some?” asked the lavender pony.
“Sure!”
“Of course!”
“Ah always love me some pancakes!”
“Um, sure, if you’re okay with buying me some, Twilight.” Fluttershy was the last to reply.
“Of course I’m okay with it!” Twilight reassured her friend. “Five pancakes please!” she shouted to the vendor pony.
“Five pancakes coming right up!” The vendor pony magically handed each of the friends a pancake.
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Fluttershy’s pancake had been delicious, but her real focus had been on Rainbow Dash. She had continued to do very well, and now she had entered the final lap, still in the lead. Fluttershy chanced a glance at the rest of the pack, and noticed that she couldn’t find Derpy anywhere. That’s strange, she thought to herself, before her attention went back to Rainbow Dash.
“Go Dashie! Go Dashie!” Pinkie Pie cheered, jumping up and down like a crazy pony. The ponies around them would have stared if it weren’t for the fact that the race was on its final lap.
Fluttershy could see Dashie making the final turn on the course, heading towards the finish line. Then, out of no where, Derpy came flying out of the sky. It was obvious she couldn’t control what direction she was flying in, or how fast she was going. Before Rainbow Dash knew what hit her, Derpy plowed into her from above, knocking her off the course. Rainbow Dash plummeted twenty feet before hitting the ground at top speed.
“RAINBOW DASH!” Fluttershy screamed.
