Make It Stop
“Bang bang go the coffin nails,
Like a breath exhaled,
Then gone forever.
It seems like just yesterday,
How did I miss the red flags raise?
Think back, to the days we laughed.
We braved these bitter storms together.
Brought to his knees he cried,
But on his feet he died.”
“Haha, look at Rainbow Crash!” one of the stallions laughed teasingly. “She’s such a loser!”
“Yeah Rainbow Crash, why don’t you go kiss some mares?” another brown stallion teased.
Rainbow cowered away, the three brown stallions in flight school had been bullying her for some time now. ‘I knew I shouldn’t have told anypony that I liked mares, it was a horrible idea from the start!’ she thought.
The three bullies formed a circle around her, she brought her hoofs up to her face and stood up tall, throwing jabs at the air, as if she was already fighting them.
“Look at this loser!” one of them called out. They closed in on her, her hoofs now were now in front of her face and her tall, self-confident figure was now slouched over weakly. One of them grabbed her and pushed her in to his friend, who then pushed her to their other friend, who passed it to the first of them, and so the cycle continued. Dash screamed for help, but nopony responded. She was alone.
* * *
Dash limped to her living quarters at the school after hours of being pushed back and forth, beat up, and insulted. Her house wasn’t very far away but with her now slowed speed made it a lengthy journey.
“Rainbow Dash! Where have you been?” a yellow pegasus questioned loudly. She gasped when she noticed the cuts, bruises and scratches on the cyan pony’s face. “What happened? Who did this to you?”
“D-don’t worry Fluttershy, it’s not a big deal, seriously.” Rainbow Dash answered weakly.
Without uttering another word Fluttershy ran to another room and came back moments later, dragging an older pony, one of the counsellors.
“What happened to you?” she asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Dash mumbled.
The counsellor quickly trotted to a nearby room and returned seconds later with a first aid kit. She proceeded to patch the cyan filly up without uttering a word.
“Now then, head to bed, it’s late and you have to be up early again tomorrow.” The counsellor explained calmly. “You too, Fluttershy.”
The two pegasi slowly made their way to their room, Dash was leaning on Fluttershy, using her for support. Dash lay down in her bed and was soon joined by another body.
“Fluttershy? What are you doing?” she questioned.
“Well you’ve obviously been through a lot, I want to be here for you.” Fluttershy explained.
Oddly enough, through all that just happened, Dash felt happy. Somepony cared for her, that was all she wanted.
* * *
Dash woke up the next morning to Fluttershy still next to her. She got out of bed, careful not to disturb her sleeping friend. She rushed to class without even bothering to eat.
She spent almost the entire class eyeing the three stallions who had beat the living pulp out of her just the day before. When the bell rang she rushed out as quickly as possible, but she was stopped by them once again.
“Going somewhere?” one of them asked, pushing her to the ground.
“Help!” Dash yelled as loud as she could. “Please...” she whispered.
“Shut up!” the biggest of the three boomed, kicking her in the chest as hard as he could.
Dash hunched over, holding the point of impact, she tried to scurry away but was thrown back.
The three bullies proceeded to beat her up once again, calling her a ‘fillyfooler,’ a ‘mare kisser’ and various other insulting terms.
“Hey! What are you doing to her? You back off and leave her alone right now you no-good brats!” a voice called out.
The tormenters looked up at the pony who was lecturing them, glanced at each other, then flew away as quickly as their wings could carry them.
Dash looked up and the Pegasus who just saved her hours of being beaten up, she was wearing a blue suit with a fiery mane and tail. Spitfire.
Rainbow Dash’s idol, Spitfire of the Wonderbolts was here, she stood up for her, she cared about her.
“Are you alright kid?” the flame coloured pony asked.
Dash just stared up and nodded, she was in pain, her wings hurt, her face was bruised and scratched, yet, she had never been this... Happy.
“Come on, let’s bring you back to your place and get you stitched up.’ Spitfire said, helping Rainbow Dash stand up and balance on her own hoofs.
“What are you doing here?” Rainbow Dash spat out, staring up at her long time idol.
“I was just walking towards a show when I heard some yelling, so I decided to check it out.” the fiery pony explained. “Why were they beating you up exactly?”
“I’d really rather not talk about.” Dash mumbled under her breath. “It’s kind of personal, sorry.”
The two of them walked back to where Rainbow Dash had been staying at the school. Once again, Fluttershy stood in the doorway, waiting for her friend.
“Dash!” she shrieked, a look of horror on her face, “Again? W-who did this?” she demanded. “Was it you?” the yellow pegasus questioned, pointing towards Spitfire.
“Wha- Fluttershy, no, have some manners! Spitfire saved me from those bullies!” Dash yelled.
“Oh... Sorry.” Fluttershy mumbled apologetically.
“It’s quite alright, are you two fine here? Because I have to get going.” Spitfire announced.
The two young fillies nodded, Spitfire walked out the door, Dash was watching her every move until she was out of sight, whereas Fluttershy was busy inspecting her friend again. Prodding her wings, analyzing every cut, scratch, scrape, and bruise. She pulled out some bandages and started wrapping up the spots that were bleeding.
“I can’t believe it, Spitfire, it was actually her, the Wonderbolt, here in Cloudsdale, what are the chances?” Dash sputtered, her jaw still open wide.
“Dash!” Fluttershy shrieked. “You were just in a fight! Stop thinking about the Wonderbolts for one second! Please!”
Dash stared at Fluttershy, the usually shy and quiet pegasus’ voice sounded distressed. She nodded and started cooperating with Fluttershy.
* * *
After about half an hour of bandaging Dash up once again, Fluttershy was finished. She had questioned Dash about the incident throughout the entire process, but Dash didn’t answer any of them.
“Dash, please, tell me.” Fluttershy begged.
“I’m sorry, I can’t, I just can’t.”
Fluttershy stormed off to her bed in frustration, tears filling her eyes. She slammed the door to their shared room behind her.
“I’m sorry.” Rainbow Dash repeated quietly. “I’m really, truly, sorry.”
* * *
‘Maybe I could do it’ Dash thought to herself. ‘Jump off of the edge of Cloudsdale, fall down to the world below, nopony would miss me, nopony loves me, or even wants me around for that matter.’ she peered over the edge of the cloud. ‘All I have to do is take one step forward, come on Rainbow Dash, you can do it, just one measly step, just take a step and let yourself fall, that’s all it will take for my terrible life to be over once and for all.’
* * *
Dash hadn’t talked to Fluttershy in days, they saw each other, they slept in the same room after all, but they never uttered a word to each other. Dash didn’t mind, they both needed their time to cool off, although Dash’s daily beating continued, and they were getting worse and worse, she didn’t want any help, she was far too proud of a filly to let anypony help.
“So Rainbow Crash, why isn’t anypony helping you then?” one of her tormentors asked teasingly. “Oh yeah, that’s right, nopony cares about you.”
“Shut up.” Dash muttered,
“Nopony would miss you if you left, or even killed yourself for that matter.”
“Shut up.”
“Not even that yellow one, what’s her name again?”
“Leave her out of this.”
“Oh yeah, Fluttershy. It’d be a shame if she got injured, if she could never fly again.”
“You don’t touch her!” Dash yelled. “You will NOT hurt her!”
“Just watch me, fillyfooler.”
That was it, Rainbow Dash pounced at him, tackling him to the ground, she proceeded to punch him in the face a few times until she was pulled off violently by the other two.
The one who was intimidating her coughed and spat out blood. “You’ve really done it now.” he said.
* * *
Dash crawled to the doorstep this time, her injuries were much worse. She could tell one of her wings was broken, and possibly one of her legs. She glanced up at the doorknob and groaned, she couldn’t stand up enough to open it, she weakly banged her head against the door, trying to catch somepony’s attention.
The shy yellow pegasus opened the door. ‘not Fluttershy, not now.’ Dash thought to herself.
“Oh my goodness! Dash, this is the worst yet!” Fluttershy shrieked. She picked Dash up and brought her to her bed. Dash’s leg hit the foot of the bed and she yelped in pain.
“Fluttershy, I’m sorry, I had too, they were going to get you.” Rainbow said weakly.
Fluttershy’s eyes widened from the shock of her words. Why her? What had she done to deserve anything? But then again, what had Dash even done to deserve all of this? “Dash.” she whispered. “Please, tell me, who’s doing this to you? Why are they doing this to you?” Tears were running down Fluttershy’s cheeks, landing on Rainbow Dash’s sheets and blankets.
“It’s... It’s the same ones who beat me in that race.” Rainbow Dash explained. “The one where I wiped out and earned the nickname ‘Rainbow Crash’” she shuddered at her nickname, she had never said it herself.
“But why?” Fluttershy asked, panic in her voice.
“I told them that I... Liked mares.”
“You what?”
“I like mares! Ok? Is that what you wanted to know? You can go join the others and tease me all you want now, I don’t blame you.” Dash screamed, tears filling her eyes.
Fluttershy remained right next to her. She started softly stroking her friend’s colourful hair.
“Aren’t you going to run off and tell everypony? That’s what everyone else did.” Dash murmured.
“Why would I? You’re my friend, I’m not going to treat you any differently just because you’re a little different.” Fluttershy responded.
Rainbow Dash buried her face in to Fluttershy’s soft mane. “Thank you Fluttershy, thank you so much.” she took in the warm, pleasing scent.
“Hey Dash?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yes?” Rainbow Dash responded, still enjoying her friend’s pink mane.
“Do you like anypony in particular?”
Dash brought her head back to her pillow. “Uhm... Why... Why do you ask?” Dash answered nervously. This wasn’t like Fluttershy, she was usually so quiet and kept to herself.
“Because, I think... I think I might like mares too.” Fluttershy confessed.
Dash stared at her, mouth agape. It took her a couple seconds to take everything in. “Well, now that you mention it. I think I like... You.”
Fluttershy grinned wider than she ever had before. “Oh Dash! That’s wonderful! I’m so happy you feel the same way!” Fluttershy squealed, jumping on her friend, hugging her.
“Ow ow ow ow!” Dash shrieked, a sharp pain running through her wing.
“Ohmygosh!” Fluttershy screamed, jumping back, “Let me go get the nurse!” she said as she ran out of the room.
Dash and Fluttershy had completely forgotten about her injuries, they were enjoying each other’s company, they were in love.
Although Rainbow Dash was finally happy and in a relationship with Fluttershy she still got beat up on a regular basis, nopony ever tried to help. Fluttershy offered but Dash wouldn’t let her, in fear that her shy and frail marefriend would be turned to dust.
* * *
“Please, just leave me alone.” Dash whimpered weakly, her face was bruised and beaten once again.
“No.” the three bullies boomed in chorus, laying a few more punched on Rainbow Dash.
“Leave her alone.” came a soft voice
“Who’s there?” one of the stallions questioned as the other two continued to beat up the rainbow haired filly.
“Leave her alone.” the same voice said a little louder.
“C’mon kid, have some backbone.” the stallion laughed.
“LEAVE HER ALONE!” the yellow pegasus screeched.
“F-Fluttershy?” Dash mumbled weakly.
“So then, this is your little marefriend?” the bullies teased. “She’s kinda cute, in a pathetic way.”
Fluttershy jumped at one of the bullies, punching him across the face as hard as she could. He fell to the ground with a loud thump. His two friends gave Fluttershy a stone cold stare, they walked away from dash and approached her.
“W-what are you doing?” she panicked, “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, it was just a-”
A hoof collided with her face, she blacked out and fell to the ground.
* * *
“Dash? What happened?” Fluttershy asked weakly.
“Shh.” Dash whispered, stroking her light pink mane. “You stood up for me. Thank you, thank you so much.”
Fluttershy noticed Dash’s black eye, along with various other injuries, she felt her own head and found a bandage wrapped around the top.
“Those meanies aren’t going to bug you any more, are they?” Fluttershy questioned worriedly.
“Don’t worry, seeing you hurt them was more than enough to give me enough of a push to give them a taste of their own medicine, they got what they deserved.” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “You know what I realized?”
“What’s that?” Fluttershy answered.
“Spitfire never cared for me at all, she saved me from them, sure, but she never checked up on me, she never checked up on me when I was recovering. She just saw an opportunity to increase her fame and she jumped at it.” she explained with a sigh.
“I know somepony who cares for you more than anything in the world.” Fluttershy giggled.
“Who would that be?” Dash asked sarcastically.
‘Me.” Fluttershy announced proudly, she leaned over to Rainbow Dash and planted a kiss on her lip. “I care about you.”
Rainbow Dash lay down next to Fluttershy, “Come on, it’s getting late, we should get some sleep” she suggested lazily.
As she lay in bed Dash thought back to a few weeks ago when she stood at the edge of Cloudsdale, thinking about ending it all, never looking back on her life, never thinking about those who may have missed her. Rainbow Dash should have stood up to her tormentors sooner, she could have avoided most of this mess. She felt selfish, she thought about what Fluttershy would do if she just suddenly disappeared. She promised to never put Fluttershy, her best friend, her marefriend, through anything like that, ever.
“Make it stop.
Let this end,
All these years pushed to the ledge.
But proud I stand
Of who I am
I plan to go on living”
