Chapter One: First Meeting
First Draft
Darkwing slid the blade against his left foreleg, hoping this time the emotional pain would lose to the physical pain. Alas, it did not, nor did it ever. He watched the blood drop to the floor, along with the knife he had held in his mouth. He held his tears, feeling that they'd never stop once they started, like last time.
The black pegasis put his red boots back on, hiding his newborn scar so as not to stand out. He always wore the boots, along with a black raincoat, because both seemed like the thing any rain pegasi would wear. As he slipped the coat on, he noted his raindrop cutie mark. Cutie mark, he thought, What a stupid thing to call a tear drop.
Darkwing felt invisible in the darkness of the alley he "lived" in. He wasn't all that poor, though. His job payed for his food and the makeshift home that was more a shed than a building. He had no heating, running water, electricity or plumbing, but he figured it's better than living in a box, like that poor earth pony who died of dysentery last month. Most of the town arrived at the funeral, but no pony really remembered him the next day. He figured it only proves how cruel the world is.
Not to many ponies know the story of Darkwing. All they know is he works on making the rain. What they'll never know is Darkwing has a sad past. When he was just a colt, his parents went out with him on a little vacation to Manehatten. No one has ever fully told Darkwing what happened to his parents; all that his semi-abusive aunt would tell him was that "it was just an accident," and to, "never speak of it". She then would insult out of anger until he cried and ran to his room. He suspected they were killed by a mugger, lIke Batstallion.
Darkwing left the alley to get something to eat. Starving yourself is a horribly painful way to die, he mused. He walked around his hometown of Ponyville, searching for someplace with decent food. He eventually stopped for a grass burger at some random restaurant he stumbled upon. As he sat eating, he eyed with envy the happy ponies that passed him by. Families, friends, siblings, couples and the like. He often wondered what his life would be like if his parents were alive. He'd kill for the warm feeling of a mother's love, or a father's lesson. Hell, a sibling rivalry would be the lottery to him.
After his costly lunch (6 bits for a freaking burger?!), Darkwing had nothing better to do than to convince himself life's worth living. He was about to cheer up when he came across Bunny Bridge, the tallest bridge in Equestria, located just outside of Ponyville. Now, Darkwing has from time to time jumped from tall buildings, and ended up chickening out and flying each time (to everypony else he looked like a crazy daredevil). But the dark, sinister voice in his head told him there's no way to chicken out of jumping into the Ponyville river, right? Darkwing closed his eyes as he neared what he silently hoped was his eternal salvation.
Darkwing quietly said to himself, "Do it. Do it, coward!" He opened his eyes, and a faint, sad smile appeared as he bent his knees and prepared for the hundred foot drop.
"Sir! Are you alright?" Darkwing quickly looked to his right for the soft voice to see a yellow pegasis with a pink mane coming his way. Yellow, a cheerful color he thought to himself. This'll be fun.
"Go away!" he yelled at the unknown mare. "This doesn't concern you! I want to be by myself in my final seconds."
The mare stopped about twenty yards away and said,"Final seconds? Oh my! You're not going to jump, are you?"
"No, I'm here to enjoy the view of the river," he stated sarcastically. When he saw the mare put on a confused look, he added seriously, "Of course I'm jumping. Why wouldn't I? I don't know love, I'm on my own living in a piece of sh*t with little money, and no one cares! Every pony remembers who raises the moon and sun, who makes the rainbows, but none ever stop to wonder who makes the rain, or even how!"
"You can't jump!" the pegasis, surprisingly to both, shouted. "I can help you," she added quietly.
"Help!" Darkwing laughed. "You can help by getting the hell outta here! You couldn't do anything to change how I see the world."
The mare approached the stallion until she was only about two yards away. Darkwing was about to protest the unwanted closeness when the yellow pegasis interrupted, "My name's Fluttershy. What's yours? If you don't mind me asking."
Darkwing was quiet for a few moments. Then, almost out of nowhere, he stepped away from the ledge and closer to Fluttershy. He'd never been this close to the opposite non-related gender. It was... nice, like he was supposed to be there at that very moment. "D-Darkwing." he responded softly. "My name's Darkwing."
And at that moment, Darkwing knew that he'd someday repay that pink-maned pegasis for saving his life.
I plan on continuing this story provided that people enjoy my writing. Like I've said in the author's note, this will NOT end with any form of a clopfic. In fact, I absolutely hate clopfics and most shipping, so don't plan on any. I'm mostly writing this to take up more space so I can quickly publish this for all to see so I can decide if this is right for me. Please comment your opinion, whether it be positive or not. And if you could, please feel free to give tips. Thank you for your time reading my story and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Yours truly, Kyky.
Darkwing stared at Fluttershy, expecting her to talk next. Instead, she just alternated between looking at the ground and looking at him; not out of child-like guilt, but out of uncomfortability. Darkwing then sighed as he realized he had to talk.
"So? What do you want, Fluttershy? Or are you here to bug me like the rest?" he asked. He then lowered his head a bit when he realized how rude that was, even to him. Hey, he was emotional, but he didn't have to be an ass. "Sorry. For everything, I mean. I know it's not everyday you get scared half to death watching someone about to jump. I shouldn't have been a jerk about it."
"It's fine," Fluttershy reassured. "I understand. I thought suicide was just a myth. I mean, who'd want to die living in a happy place such as Equestria? And also, how did you plan on dying when you would probably fly away near the end?" The pegasus's eyes grew a bit. "I mean, not that you're a coward! I think you could do it." Her eyes grew a little more. "I mean, not that you'd want t-"
"I know what you mean," Darkwing interupted. "I wouldn't think a kind pony such as yourself would insult the very pony she just saved from suicide." Darkwing mused at the thought of some pony actually comforting someone, only to stab their heart right afterward. Some pony somewhere, he thought.
"Oh, never!" Fluttershy sighed with relief. "Why on Earth would some pony do that?"
"Surprises everywhere, my dear." Darkwing then realised he never thanked Fluttershy for what she'd done. "Thanks. For the... talk, I guess."
"Oh, it was nothing," Fluttershy said in her ever-soft voice. Darkwing hated to admit it, but he loved the sound of her voice. It reminded him of a distand memory, one he couldn't quite put his hoof on...
There was a brief, but eternal-feeling silence. Then, Darkwing broke the silence, "So, do you... wanna go some place and talk? That is, if you're not busy."
"Oh, we can go to my house. I just finished gathering the animals," she nodded towards a few ducklings impatiently waiting to leave and go home, "for dinner. If... it's okay with you, that is." Darkwing was surprised that the bashful mare accepted his gesture, and so calmly too. He almost smiled at it.
"Of course it is. Please lead the way, Ms. Shy."
Fluttershy giggled at the formal use of her name. "Please, call me Fluttershy."
"Okay, then. Please lead the way, Fluttershy."
A few moments of walking later, the pegasi appeared in front of a nice looking... house. It looked more like a treehouse that grew out from the side of a cliff. Darkwing has never seen such a beautifully creative home. And the animals; oh the animals! Darkwing has from time to time seen a dog or cat or two pass his alley, but never has he seen so many animals gathered around one place! An animal lover. Cute.
"So, you love nature a lot, I see. Not too often when you see a pegasus so in love with something the earth ponies usually take care of," Darkwing commented.
"Oh yes. Ever since I fell from the sky and was saved by the butterflies, I guess I've felt the need to repay them and all of the world's creatures for their kindness."
I know that feeling. Darkwing thought as he snuck a sideward glance to the yellow mare.
"So, shall we go inside?" Darkwing suggested.
"Oh, yes, of course," Fluttershy remembered. Leading the way, the mare trotted to the door and opened it for Darkwing. "After you."
"How odd," Darkwing commented, "a mare holding the door open for a stallion. Thanks, I guess."
"Oh it's no problem," Fluttershy said humbly.
Darkwing sat down on the couch at the back of the room. Fluttershy joined him at the opposite end. It's been a while since he'd been someone's guess. He hoped this would end before he screwed something up, like he always did. He dared not remember what happened at Fruit Loop's house. It's been three months and he still hasn't fully payed her back.
"So," Darkwing started, "what brought you by the bridge earlier today?"
"Oh, just gathering the last of the ducklings," Fluttershy answered. "My job is to make sure every animal is taken care of. I watch over the bunnies, the birds, the otters, the bears, the ducks-"
"Okay, okay I get it," Darkwing sorta chuckled. "Mine is the rain, as you probably tell from my..." He paused, thinking of absurdness of it's name. "...Cutie Mark."
"Oh, so that's why you wear those boots and coat. I was wondering why you were wearing them, considering no pony usually wears clothes. It's so you don't get wet, right?"
"Yeah, that," Darkwing lied. She got the coat part right, but he was afraid to admit why he really wore the boots. In fact, he probably would never tell her, no matter how far this "friendship" went, if it even existed.
"Oops, I almost forgot. Would you like some tea, or maybe a biscuit?" Fluttershy offered.
"No thanks. I just ate." Darkwing answered. He then, out of nowhere, looked his hostess in the eyes. Oh, what beautiful, blue eyes! They reminded him of a blue long forgotten. He knew he'd seen eyes that blue somewhere, a long time ago. He was just a colt, around a month. He looked up to his mother, asking to be picked up. She then turned to him with kind eyes, picked him up and kissed him with the warmth of a thousand suns and the kindness of a million hearts.
Darkwing then shook his head. Had he just compared the pony he just met to his mother? No pony has ever done that to him. Was he in... love? He never believed in love at first sight, but now, he thought, here he was in the middle of it! He had to leave, and quick, before this got out of hoof.
"I'm sorry, I best be going. Sorry for the short talk, but I'm REALLY busy today. Maybe some other time?" Darkwing quickly got up to leave.
"Oh, okay. I'm free tomorrow, if that's okay with you," Fluttershy invited.
"Okay then, tomorrow." And with that, Darkwing left, closing the door behind him. He flew off, hoping to clear his head.
What am I getting into?
