Can a Flower Bloom in the Desert?by DashieSoupChaptersChapter 1 - The ChallengeChapter 2 - Rude AwakeningChapter 3 - FramesChapter 4 - An Unwelcome GuestChapter 5 - New BeginningsChapter 1 - The ChallengeIn the warm, sunlit sanctuary of Fluttershy's cottage, the scent of a lovingly prepared breakfast wafted through the air. She hummed a sweet tune, her heart brimming with happiness. This was the first morning Rainbow Dash would be waking up in her bed, their newfound romance still blossoming with each passing day. With a gentle rap on the bedroom door, Fluttershy timidly called out to her slumbering partner. "Rainbow, breakfast is ready!" She didn’t like to wake anypony, but even this early into their relationship she had come to realize that Rainbow required a little prodding to stay on the right track. And on the right timezone. Rainbow Dash, not one to relish early mornings, stumbled into the dining room with a yawn, her vibrant mane tousled from sleep. She offered a sleepy, yet appreciative, smile and murmured her thanks as she eagerly sipped the steaming coffee. Fluttershy smiled as she watched her partner sit and eat. Even in this frazzled morning state, she couldn’t help but appreciate how pretty Rainbow was. The scattered mane, faint bags under her eyes, and gravelly morning voice just emphasized what Fluttershy loved about her. She was a rebel off the beaten path, an unkempt rogue of a mare. “I um, really liked having you over last night,” said Fluttershy, idly circling the rim of her coffee mug with her hoof. Rainbow looked up with half a piece of toast still in her mouth. “Mmph, mmeef toop” Fluttershy giggled at her uncouthness. Rainbow swallowed and said “You know, I don’t think we can keep it a secret from the others much longer. It’s getting a little obvious between the sleepovers and you holding your wings down every time I do something awesome.” Fluttershy blushed and said “You’re so bad! I don’t do that, do I?” “Well, to my trained eye yeah, but I’ll admit I probably spend more time looking at your sexy bod than the others do.” Looking mortified, but still smiling, Fluttershy picked up the empty plates and said “Oh my goodness, what am I going to do with you.” “You looove it,” came the reply. She leaned back in her chair, balancing it precariously on its back legs. “Your sexy bod aside though, what do you think about finally telling them? You know I’ve been for it since day one.” Fluttershy turned on the faucet to wash the dishes and thought for a moment. “I’m just still worried about it changing things between the six of us. I mean, we’ve all been friends for so long without there being any romance. What if...I mean, I can’t stand the thought of us not all being friends anymore.” “Eh, you worry too much. Don’t worry, I’ll keep the secret though. You know, I’d alllmost think you were ashamed of me if I wasn’t, well, awesome.” Fluttershy trotted back over looking concerned and gave Rainbow a hug from behind. “Oh of course I’d never be ashamed of you!” “Whoah, hey, watch where you’re pulling! I’m gonna fall off the chair!” Fluttershy let go, and Rainbow hopped out of her chair, landing on all fours. Her head was low, and she looked at Fluttershy with mischief in her eyes. Clearly, the coffee had kicked in. “Ha! Tricked you! Now prepare for revenge!” Fluttershy squeaked with delighted fear and tried to gallop away. Rainbow chased her down with startling speed, and jumped over the couch between them, tackling her to the ground. Fluttershy’s heart raced as Rainbow looked down at her like a predator at its prey. “R-Rainbow! What if, I mean, the windows are still open and…” Rainbow dash just smirked and said “Nobody’s gonna see us here behind the couch, although them hearing us is up to you,” before pressing her muzzle against Fluttershy’s soft neck. Lost in the fervor of their embrace, they failed to notice the small "pop" that sounded in the room. “Well actually it’s quite easy to see you from here, but don’t mind me,” came the snarky voice that caused them both to turn. “Discord,” Rainbow said in a near growl. “The one and only,” he replied, looking at them from a lifeguard’s tower he had made appear above the couch. “Really, I’m here for your own safety.” Rainbow Dash's eyes blazed as she glared at the intruder. "You saw that we’re busy, now get out!” she barked at him. "Now, now, that's no way to treat a visitor," Discord chided, feigning hurt. “Rainbow, don’t yell…” said Fluttershy nervously, standing up from her position on the floor. She looked at Discord “But she’s right, you can’t show up here uninvited.” "Why not?" Discord asked, his voice tinged with betrayal. "I thought we were friends." Fluttershy looked at the ground, avoiding his gaze. “Well, I know you used to pop in and it was okay, but now, I mean, Rainbow and I…” "It's because we're dating now," Rainbow Dash finished. “Rainbow!” came Fluttershy’s nervous response. Rainbow didn’t look away from Discord, but said “I think it’s a little late for secrecy Fluttershy, he saw us.” Discord smiled malevolently. "Oh, so your little relationship is a secret is it? Well, it sounds like I’m the least of your problems. You ponies have it so easy these days, and yet you still feel the need to hide? Your relationship wouldn’t last one minute back in my time.” Rainbow stamped her hoof on the floor. "Our relationship could survive any time, anywhere.” "Is that so?" Discord mused, a cunning grin spreading across his face. "I'll make you a bet then. If your relationship can start, much less thrive, back in my day, I'll leave Fluttershy alone whenever you're over. But if you lose, well, no more RainbowShy. Or FlutterDash. I always forget which it is.” Fluttershy's eyes widened in alarm. "No!" she cried, looking between the two. “Rainbow it’s not worth it!” Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Easy bet," she declared, her voice resolute. "We can survive anything." Discord grinned and held out his paw. “Well then, we have a deal.” Ignoring Fluttershy's pleading gestures, Rainbow reached out and firmly shook. As their pact was sealed, the world around them faded into darkness, leaving Fluttershy's desperate cries echoing through the void. Author's Note Can't believe it's been five years since I published something. Well, sparing you all from my old-man diatribes about the flow of time and not wasting your youth, I will simply say: More chapters coming very soon. Chapter 2 - Rude AwakeningFluttershy stood under the grand archway of her father's opulent manor, looking resplendent in an elegant dress, the light catching its intricate embroidery. Her father, wearing a dapper nobleman's attire, was preparing to depart out the front door. She wasn’t sure why she was suddenly curious about his destination, or why she hadn’t been curious about it much earlier in life. Perhaps it was simply the phenomenon of children not questioning their environment, perfectly content to remain ignorant of the outside world until adulthood. "Daddy, may I come with you this time?" Fluttershy pleaded, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. He scoffed lightly at her request, "My dear, I fail to see why you would want to visit such a place. It's a dirty, dreary old iron mine." "But, it's where you work, isn't it?" she asked innocently. Her father let out a hearty laugh. "Oh mercy no, they work for me princess." “Does that mean I can’t go?” Her voice sounded soft and defeated. Mr. Shy looked skeptical, yet apologetic. “Darling I just don’t think you understand what that part of town is like. I’ve always done my best to keep you away from the rabble and filth of the lower city. It simply isn’t the place a lady of noble blood like yourself should visit.” Her lip trembled, and she put her front hooves on his foreleg, a time honored strategy for getting what she wanted. “But, daddy, I’m an adult now, I can handle it! And you’ll be there to keep me safe.” He let out the long dejected sigh of a nobleman and replied "Well, I suppose I can’t keep you cooped up forever. But just know, you probably won’t like what you see.” Fluttershy thanked him excitedly, her heart fluttering with anticipation. She gave her father a kiss on the cheek before departing with him down the long winding stone road to the black wrought gate surrounding their home. She noticed as they headed out that they did not make a left as they had always done. They instead headed right, and again she couldn’t understand why she had never wondered what was in this direction before. Surely she had asked her father, or even further back her mother about it, but no memory arose. The further they walked, the sadder her surroundings seemed. The landscape shifted from the paved cobbled roads and accompanying trees of their home to lumpy dirt roads, with scraggly little bushes along the sides. The houses were small and dirty, with thatched hay roofs instead of tile. Foals with unkempt coats played outside the houses in rowdy, rough and tumble games, blissfully uncaring of their lack of clothes. They could hear a stallion shouting from inside one of the houses, and Fluttershy unconsciously moved closer to her father, their sides brushing against each other as they walked. A few minutes later, her father said “Almost there dear, we’re just coming up on the mining town now.” And indeed, there seemed to be a planned town up ahead, although she couldn’t understand why anyone would purposefully design something so dreadful. The houses were even worse than the ones they had just passed, and there seemed to be more than one family relegated to each tiny home. Still, she was determined not to react or vocalize any of these feelings. She had said she could handle seeing the harsh reality, and she was determined to do so, strengthened by the knowledge that her father would likely never trust her with this sort of thing again if she couldn’t. They finally arrived at a large craggy mountain, with a handful of ponies and old looking tools surrounding it. There was a square, wooden framed entrance to the mine from which clanks and coughs echoed back up to them. Mr. Shy said “Now darling, I have to go speak to the forepony. Don’t go into the mine, stay out of trouble, and I’ll be back very soon.” She gave him an obedient nod, and looked around, wanting to take in all the sights at once. It certainly was dreary, and a little scary, but that wasn’t enough to quell her curiosity. Her eyes caught sight of a figure emerging from the mine, a young blue mare covered in grime and dust. She watched as the athletic looking pony stored her goggles and helmet in a locker and pulled out a modest sandwich of bread and butter. Timidly, Fluttershy approached the hardened miner with a weak smile. "Um, hi, I'm Fluttershy, my father owns the mine." she introduced herself. Rainbow gave her a brief, tired nod, her energy drained from the day's work. “Yeah, great, I’m Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy recoiled slightly, like a dog from the hoof of an unfamiliar pony. She had never spoken with this type of mare before, and was determined to make a good impression. “So, um,” she began timidly, “Do you like working here in the mine?” Rainbow stopped chewing, and her brow scrunched up as if unsure the question had really been asked. Fluttershy’s smile faded, uncomfortably aware that she had said the wrong thing. "Do I like working in your father's mine? Do I like it?" Rainbow's voice echoed through the area, bitter and raw. “Do I like working over a mile underground in dim light, breathing in rock dust? Do I like knowing that the tunnel could collapse at any minute because it would cost your dad a few more bits to use metal rafters instead of wooden ones? Do I like working 12 hour days and still only being able to afford bread and butter while my boss and his spoiled little daughter eat crystal soup and cake imported from Manehattan?” Her words were cracking with emotion now, flowing with barely concealed tears. “Yeah kid, it’s a real dream out here. Now go home and let us work in peace.” Fluttershy’s father had come back just in time to hear the end of her diatribe, and turned to see his daughter with tears welling up in her eyes from the harsh words. "How DARE you speak to my daughter that way you ungrateful whelp! You're fired! Get out of my sight!" he roared at Rainbow. Fluttershy looked terrified now, and cried “Daddy please no! It’s-it’s not her fault! I said the wrong thing, I-” she continued on, but her words became unintelligible between fresh bursts of sobbing. Rainbow Dash spat on the ground and looked at Fluttershy with malice. “I don’t need your pity, I’m out of here.” And with a strong jump and the swift beating of her wings, she was off, leaving Fluttershy’s father to console the sobbing mare as grizzled workers walked by, too exhausted to care. Author's Note I've quite enjoyed writing this story so far, although I always get the feeling I advance the plot too quickly. Better than too slowly I suppose, and I've seen far too much of that. Chapter 3 - FramesDays had passed since the incident at the mine, and Fluttershy had not left her room. She wasn’t sure who she was more upset at, herself for being so naive, or her father for being so cold-hearted with Rainbow Dash. Or, if what Rainbow had said was true, with all of his workers. She had always seen her father as a kind, caring pony. Was it true that their life of ease was skinned off the backs of the less fortunate? She heard her door opening, and pulled the covers over her head. If she had been quick enough she might be able to pass off being asleep. The sound of hoofsteps, and then a sagging of the side of her bed where her father had surely just sat. “I, er, sent someone out to offer Rainbow her job back,” he began. Fluttershy peeked up from under her covers, not daring to hope, but he continued, “she had already moved out of the company housing. We aren’t sure where she went.” Hearing this, a fresh wave of tears welled up in Fluttershy's eyes, and she let them freely fall. “It's all my fault,” she sobbed. Mr. Shy shook his head. “No, it isn’t. The world outside, darling, you just aren’t...That is to say, this is why I didn’t... Well in any case, Rainbow Dash is a strong mare, she probably found another job somewhere else by now.” “You- you don’t know that though! We should go looking for her, to make sure she’s okay.” Her father looked taken aback. “Absolutely not! I risked taking you out there before, and that proved to be a terrible mistake. I won’t have you out there falling for every sob story and wanting to look after every orphan. You have a good heart my dear, but you just don’t understand how the world works.” She pulled the covers over her head again in defiance, and her father let out a labored sigh. “If she comes back looking for a job, we’ll give it to her. She knows where to find us. And in the mean time, I miss you, your art instructor misses you, and the hired help around the house misses you. When you feel ready, we’ll all be waiting for you.” He closed the door, and she sat motionless under her covers in thought. If her father wasn’t going to do anything more for Rainbow Dash, she would. She pulled the covers off of her head with renewed determination, and looked through the wardrobe for her plainest attire. There was a green button-up yarn sweater, and she slipped it on before opening her window and stepping out. The weather was perfect, thank goodness. She knew the journey would be scary enough without rain or darkness. She took the same right turn they had made to reach the mine, her heart pounding with terror at the thought of traversing this path alone. It was a long trek back to the mining village, and she was thankful that she had paid so much attention to her surroundings last time, as she was at least able to make the trip without fear of getting lost. When she eventually made it to the small dilapidated mining town, she knocked on a door at random, hooves trembling with nerves. The door was opened by a mare with faded purple fur, a raggedy shawl, and slightly cracked glasses. She looked tired, despite the hour, and somewhat hollow. “Hello my dear, can I help you?” “I’m sorry to bother you, um, do you by any chance know a Rainbow Dash who used to work in the mine?” Fluttershy felt stupid at hearing the words out loud. It was a large mining town, how many knocks on how many doors would she have to risk before finding somepony who actually knew her? And even if they did, what were the chances they knew where she was? She now understood what Rainbow Dash and her father had said about her. She was naive, her plan was comically simple, and- “I can’t say I knew her well, but we all heard about what happened to her a few days ago. Stupid filly, yelling at the owner’s daughter like that, what did she think was going to happen?” A ray of hope beamed in her weepy heart. “Do you know where she went after leaving?” she asked, looking imploringly at the mauve mare. “Well,” said the mare slowly, looking pensive. “Most of the homeless end up under the bridge to the north. Protects them from the rain, you see. But a sweet filly like you really shouldn’t be going to that kind of-” Fluttershy had no ears for her anymore. She burst out “Thank you, thank you so much ma’am!” and with a little curtsy, left the doorstep and headed north. There seemed to be very little in this direction. She could see the bridge from a good distance, and only the dying grassy plains separated her from it. It appeared to connect the posh town to the west where she came from, and the more industrial zone to the east, which were separated by a river around 10 meters wide. She finally reached the encampment under the bridge, and realized it was far more intimidating than anticipated. Old rags and other bits of assorted junk were strewn about, having been stripped of whatever usefulness they once possessed. She felt her courage waver as she approached a grizzled mule leaning against a support column, warming his hooves by a fire pit. He had tattered hoof warmers on, and a faded red bandanna perched just above his eyes. “Um, excuse me,” she started, her voice trembling. The mule’s gaze landed on her with a predatory gleam. “Hey Marsh, look what we got here! A real pretty one.” A red furred stallion came over from behind the stone pillar and said “She sure is!” The two of them advanced slowly on her, and Fluttershy found herself frozen in fear. “Please I just, I’m looking for, I…” The stallion said “Hey, we ain’t gonna hurt you,” and reached out a hoof towards her. She closed her eyes in terror, before hearing “Knock it off, and let her go.” The voice sounded familiar, but for the life of her she couldn’t force her eyes back open. A laugh. “Oh yeah? And yer gonna stop us if we don’t?” She heard a grunt of pain as someone was slammed to the floor. A sickening crunch, and then a scream of pain. “Now get lost, and don’t bother anyone again.” Fluttershy looked up and saw Rainbow Dash standing in front of her, panting softly with blood on her hoof. The mare was looking at her with a mixture of pity and annoyance. “Jeez, kid, you're really dedicated to being a pain in my flank, aren't you?” Tears pooled in Fluttershy’s eyes, and she rushed towards Rainbow, throwing her forelegs around her in a tight embrace. Rainbow stood there, dumbfounded, awkwardly patting Fluttershy’s back. “You *sniff* saved me! *sniff* after what I did!” Rainbow shrugged. “Well, yeah, I’m not going to let you get attacked just because you got on my nerves.” More sobs. “But I got you fired! I came here looking for you trying to *sniff* get you your old job back.” Rainbow subtly escaped the extended hug and said "Oh well that's cool of you to uh, obsess over, but that job sucked anyway. I mean, yeah, you kind of set me off but it was the straw that broke the camel's back, you know?" Fluttershy wiped her tears with the corner of her sweater. “D-don’t you need the money though? You said you barely had enough to live on.” “I’m surviving. Can’t say it’s the best life, scavenging for food in dumpsters and sleeping next to these jerkwads, but at least I’m free now.” Fluttershy thought for a moment and then looked excited. “You could work at the house as a maid, or, or something like that! You wouldn’t have to be down in the mines or scavenging for food in the trash, I know I could convince daddy to hire you!” Rainbow let out a laugh, no longer offended by the naivety of the yellow mare. "You're really something else, kid. I'd rather eat my wings than be a maid for the stallion who just fired me, prancing around in some frilly little uniform." Fluttershy winced, deflated by the flat out refusal of her idea. "But... what will you do then?" she asked, concern creeping into her voice. Rainbow shrugged, her vibrant purple eyes gleaming in the dancing flames. "I'll figure something out. Always do." She glanced at Fluttershy, her expression softening. "I'll walk you home, though. You shouldn’t head back alone. I mean no offense, but you stick out pretty badly.” Fluttershy gave her a soft smile and a nod. As they journeyed through the hushed streets, Rainbow turned to Fluttershy, "I gotta ask though, why do you care so much anyway?" Fluttershy looked down as she walked, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I... I don't know," she admitted. "You're just... different from anypony I've known before." “Heh, I am pretty one-of-a-kind, I’ll give you that.” When they finally reached the house Rainbow looked ready to bid her farewell, but Fluttershy asked "Are you hungry?" "No, I'm good. I—" Her stomach growled loudly at the thought of food, betraying her. She grimaced, then conceded with a sheepish smile, "Okay, fine. I guess I am a little hungry." Fluttershy giggled and said “Come up to my window with me. Nobody knows I left.” “Yeah I don’t really want to go through the front door and see your dad anyway.” They climbed in through the window, and Fluttershy walked over to the door. “I’ll be right back with food.” She closed the door behind her and paused for a moment before heading over to the kitchen. Her body tingled with excitement. Sure, she had failed on the job offer front, but she had never done anything like this before. Sneaking out, bringing a rebel back with her without her father knowing. The more time she spent with Rainbow, the more thrilling she found it just to be in her company. Returning with a tray of crackers, cream cheese, peppers, hard cheese, and olives, Fluttershy found Rainbow admiring one of her dresses. "Do you like it?" she asked, placing the tray down on her nightstand. Rainbow shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "It's not really my thing, but it'd probably look good on you." Fluttershy blushed at the compliment, and awkwardly said “Well, um, the food is ready. Have as much as you want, there’s more in the kitchen. Oh, and let me lock the door so they don’t catch you in here.” Rainbow thanked her, and began to eat with gusto. Fluttershy giggled at the complete lack of manners with which Rainbow ate, crumbs sticking to her face and falling down next to the nightstand. When she had finished eating, Rainbow looked around and said “Pretty swanky room you got here, I like the paintings.” “Thank you! I um, actually painted them myself!” “No way, really? This one of your dad with the sword is awesome, I’ve always wanted to be painted in a heroic pose like that.” Fluttershy wondered if she was being naive again, but finally mustered up the courage to say “I could do a painting of you posing right now if you wanted.” “What? Oh, I didn’t mean… You don’t have to, well. I mean, if you wanted to yeah?” Fluttershy practically jumped in place with excitement, and blurted out “Let me get my paints from the closet.” Before long, Rainbow was striking a magnificent pose as Fluttershy began to paint, her brush strokes trying to capture not only the physical sight of the mare in front of her, but how that mare made her feel. They talked about their childhoods as she painted, Rainbow occasionally pulling funny faces that made Fluttershy giggle and scold her for moving too much. An hour or so passed, and Rainbow said “Hey uh, modeling is fun but is there any chance I can do it while sitting down, or *yawn* lying down maybe?” “Oh, sorry! I forgot to say I got the pose already so I’m just doing the details now.” “Perrrrfect,” said Rainbow, hopping up on the bed and stretching her muscles before nestling up into a ball. Fluttershy continued painting, trying to blend the colors just right for the mare’s uniquely purple eyes. “So when did you first start working at the mine?” Silence. “Rainbow?” She looked around the easel and saw Rainbow breathing softly, fast asleep at the foot of her bed. Fluttershy smiled, happy that she had been able to provide this small pocket of comfort for the mare. The room was bathed in moonlight by the time Fluttershy had finished painting. She turned off the flickering oil lamp on the wall, and quietly climbed into bed next to the slumbering Rainbow Dash. There was something comforting about having Rainbow sleeping here, although she couldn’t quite explain it to herself. She lay there for a while trying to piece her feelings together, when before she even realized she had fallen asleep, a voice boomed out “Fluttershy, why is the door locked? You come out here young lady!” Author's Note Woof, this one took a while, being twice the length of the previous chapters. Chapter 4 - An Unwelcome GuestThe booming voice belonged to their housekeeper, Rose. Fluttershy's heart pounded in her chest as she quickly formulated a response. "I'm not dressed yet!" she blurted out. “And why, young miss, would that matter?” asked Rose. “Um, well, I’ll be out in a moment!” Fluttershy said as she urgently nudged Rainbow Dash awake and motioned for her to be quiet. Rose harrumphed. “You’re five minutes late for breakfast and your father is quite insistent, now what is keeping you?” Fluttershy opened her window as quickly as she dared lest it make noise, and ushered the sleepy, disheveled Rainbow Dash through it. “Nothing’s keeping me!” Fluttershy called back, “Just... tangled in my covers! I’ll be right there!” Rainbow Dash stretched on the lawn outside and sleepily said “Thanks for the food kid.” Fluttershy gave her one last smile and wave before shutting the curtains in front of the window. As she turned around her gaze landed on the painting which she had forgotten to give to her. Fluttershy hastily opened the curtains again, but Rainbow Dash was already flying away, just a dot in the sky. With a pang of regret, she galloped over to her door and swung it open. She had forced a smile onto her face, with the side effect of looking somewhat manic, and Rose looked at her skeptically. The housekeeper was an older mare with light brown fur and a slightly graying purple mane. “Well at least you don’t look so mopey today,” said Rose. “Now hurry off to breakfast before your father tans my hide.” Fluttershy gave her a nod and trotted obediently toward the dining room. Rose lingered, stepping into the room and looking around. Her gaze lingered on the fluttering curtains and she frowned at them before walking back out and closing the door. Before Fluttershy knew it, a Dashless week had passed. The painting of Rainbow, now hanging on her wall, served as a constant reminder of the boisterous pegasus. Her catatonic guilt about getting her fired had now been replaced by a persistent malaise which caused her to coast through her daily activities without too much thought. On one of these nights, Rose brought a cup of herbal tea to Fluttershy’s room with a gentle smile on her face. "I know why you've been feeling down, lass," she said. “Your father thinks it’s because he fired that mare, but I know heartbreak when I see it.” Fluttershy blushed and stammered out “N-no, it really is because of Rainbow Dash!” “Ah, well yer entitled to your secrets little miss, but I was a pretty filly once too. Why I’d bet you only got so upset over that mare because you’d just broken things off with a handsome colt. And as for that morning you were late for breakfast, well, as I said, you’re entitled to your secrets. But you want my advice? Get back in the game! You’re young, you’ll find another one just as good.” Fluttershy gave her an awkward smile, and started sipping tea as to avoid any further conversation. Rose stepped back into the doorway with a mischievous grin and said “All right all right, you don’t want to talk romance. Well, sweet dreams lassie.” As if on cue, her father made an announcement the next day. “I invited over the son of one of my business associates for dinner tonight. His name is Golden Glint and his father owns a mining equipment company. I expect you to dress your best.” Fluttershy wanted to protest, knowing this was a coordinated attack between Rose and her father, but she couldn’t stop him from simply inviting someone to dinner. Nor could she avoid the dinner, a proper lady did not snub guests. And so she sat later that night at the dinner table, dreading the awkwardness of his arrival. Golden Glint arrived precisely on time. His golden coat glistened in the light of the chandelier, and his silver mane gave him a distinctly royal appearance. He had a young looking face, but was undeniably handsome in his formal attire. Rose took his jacket, and said “Please sit, Master Glint, I’ll be bringing the food in from the kitchen momentarily.” Golden thanked her, and gave a slight bow to Fluttershy and her father as they stood up to greet him. Mr. Shy gave the stallion a firm hoofshake and said “Golden, this is my daughter Fluttershy. Fluttershy, Golden Glint.” She held out her hoof politely, which he kissed to show respect. They sat down as Rose walked back in with the first of the dishes, and Mr. Shy said “So, Golden, should I be looking out for any new innovations in the mining equipment industry?” Golden gave Mr. Shy a playful waggle of his hoof and said “My father warned me you’d try to get trade secrets out of me you know.” Mr. Shy laughed heartily and said “Ha! I’m terrible, I know.” Golden lowered his head and squinted conspiratorially before saying “Between you and me though, the issue of pick heads coming off the handles? A thing of the past in just a few more months.” Mr. Shy looked gobsmacked. “Now don’t play with a nobleman’s heart my boy, really?” Golden Glint nodded solemnly. The dinner continued on in a similar vein, with Fluttershy occasionally interjecting an “Oh yes, very interesting!” when turned to for comment. She had almost gotten away without a thing going wrong when her father said “You know my Fluttershy is quite a painter, you should see some of the portraits she’s done.” “That’s quite a skill! I haven’t had my portrait painted since I was a small colt, but I’ve always been impressed by how detailed the artist was.” The fatherly wheels whirred almost audibly in Mr. Shy’s head, and he said “Reaaaally? Perhaps Fluttershy could do a portrait of you some time then?” Golden Glint looked taken aback, but said “Well, I, if she didn’t mind of course!” With a sinking heart but polite smile, she said “I wouldn’t mind at all.” As the evening came to a close Fluttershy retreated to her room and slumped onto her bed, weighed down by the forced socialization. She could only hope that her offer of a portrait would be taken by Golden for the polite formality that it was. As she curled up for sleep, not even bothering to take off her formal wear, scenes of her being forced to paint Golden filled her mind. A dreadful evening of awkward silence and stilted formalities. The images in her head slowly shifted however, until she was painting a certain blue mare. They were laughing together, and a smile graced Fluttershy’s face as she drifted off to sleep. She was jolted back awake just minutes later however by a knocking on her window. “Hey, you in there?” Author's Note Not sure why this chapter was so hard, but here we are. Chapter 5 - New BeginningsFluttershy's heart leapt as she rushed to the window and recognized the figure of Rainbow Dash. Excitement bubbled within her as she eagerly opened the window and beckoned Rainbow inside. As Rainbow clambered in, Fluttershy couldn't help but notice that she looked a bit worse for the wear. Her usually vibrant coat appeared dull and her eyes seemed to carry the weight of some unspoken burden. “Thanks for letting me in. I was gonna come back earlier to get the painting, but I didn’t want you getting all upset that I hadn’t found a new job yet.” Despite her appearance, Rainbow’s voice was as calm and aloof as ever. Fluttershy tried desperately to town down her own energy to not seem overexcited. “Oh? So um, what job did you end up getting?” “Well,” Rainbow said, avoiding eye contact. “That’s...kind of why I’m back. You mentioned maybe getting me a job here? Turns out my pride isn’t as important as my stomach being full.” Fluttershy beamed and said “Of course! I’ll ask my father right now, I just know he’ll say yes if I beg him. Stay right here please!” Rainbow shrugged sheepishly and said “You don’t have to beg him, I mean-” But Fluttershy was off in a flash, closing the door behind her and rushing off to find her father. She found him sitting comfortably in the lounge, engrossed in a book. Fluttershy sidled up next to the chair and put her chin on his forelimb. This needed to be tactical, precise. “What are you reading daddy?” He looked down at her with a smile and said “Biography of a stallion named Foalbisher, one of the first ponies to make peaceful contact with dragons. Quite interesting, but I think it might be too dry for you.” “Oh, that sounds exciting!” Mr. Shy raised an eyebrow and said “Are you trying to butter me up for something my dear? I can’t recall you ever showing an interest in history.” Fluttershy blushed and pawed at the ground nervously. “Um, well, there is something I wanted to ask you. If I found Rainbow and she hadn’t been able to get a job anywhere else, could she work here?” Her father let out a sigh and said “Fluttershy...not this again. We have no idea where she is, I don’t want you getting your hopes up.” She smiled nervously and said “She um… well she’s here, I let her in my window.” Mr. Shy slammed his book down and said “She WHAT? How dare she sneak into the manor uninvited! I could have her arrested for this!” Fluttershy could feel panic washing over her, it was the situation at the iron mine all over again. “No daddy!” she exclaimed. “You owe her a favor. She saved me.” His eyes widened at her assertiveness and he stammered out “Saved you? Pish tosh, she didn’t save you.” Fluttershy looked down at the ground, building up her courage before saying “Yes, she did. I snuck out to find her, and a stallion and a mule tried to attack me. And she saved me.” “You what!? I…” He looked at her, close to tears and face contorted with anger. She cowered back and winced, waiting for him to assign the punishment of a lifetime. But before she knew it, he had her in a tight hug and was saying “I’m...so glad you’re okay.” Mr. Shy sniffed, blinked back a few tears, and stepped away from her, regaining his former composure. “You’re…you’re right, I do owe this mare a favor. Tell her she can start in the morning, she can sleep in the guest room tonight and we’ll get it fixed up for her tomorrow.” “Thank you daddy! Thank you!” She gave him a hug, and then galloped off to tell Rainbow. She practically tackled the mare into a hug and looked up into her purple eyes before saying “He said yes! You can sleep here and start work in the morning.” Rainbow blushed a bit at the energetic hug, but said “Awesome, it uh, means a lot kid. Really.” They stayed up late that night talking. Fluttershy wanted to know everything about Rainbow, her family, the jobs she had worked, everything. Rainbow, never one to miss an opportunity to talk about herself, obliged. Fluttershy sat on her bed, eagerly listening to the slightly dramatized events of Rainbow’s life. Each story led to a dozen more questions, and off Rainbow would go again, trying to find the coolest way to describe her answer. Eventually, Rainbow looked over in the middle of her umpteenth story and saw that Fluttershy’s eyes were closed. She gave her a gentle nudge to make sure she was asleep before turning off the lamp, pulling the covers up over both of them, and closing her eyes for sleep. Morning came before they would have liked it to, and they were awoken by a knocking at the door. Rose stepped in, holding Rainbow’s uniform, and gave the two a stern glance. “Your uniform,” she said, placing it down on a desk. “And don’t you be late for breakfast either Miss Fluttershy.” When Rose had left, Rainbow yawned loudly and slumped out of bed to start the day. Fluttershy helped her get the outfit on properly, making sure the bow was properly positioned before stepping back with a smile and saying “You look nice!” Rainbow looked at herself in the mirror and frowned. “I look stupid. I should probably go talk to your dad though and learn my duties, don’t want to be late on the first day, especially when I slept here.” Fluttershy perked up and said “I can come with you if you want!” “Nah, thanks but I always try to be as professional as possible on the job. Bad look if I need you to protect me from your dad.” Mr. Shy was in the lounge when Rainbow found him. He stood up from his plush seat and said “Well, at least you’re on time. Now, let’s not lie to each other. You don’t like me, and I don’t like you. I owe you a shot at this for saving Fluttershy, but one step out of line, one serious mistake and you’re out. Understand?” Rainbow struggled to keep the look of contempt off her face and said “Yeah, I got you. Sir.” He gave her a searching look for a while before continuing. “Our current housekeeper Rose is getting on in years. Your job is to assist her in any way she requires, primarily with physically demanding tasks. She will cook, and then you will clean. You will fetch the laundry, she will make the bed. And so on. Your other duty will be to accompany Fluttershy whenever she leaves the house. It would seem you are a suitable bodyguard, so keep her safe.” Rainbow nodded determinedly at this last command. “I will, sir.” Author's Note No excuse for why this took me so long. I have a lot of trouble getting projects past the half-way point. I also constantly feel like a fraud and that my writing is terrible which doesn't help. Huge thanks to Foxxi and Fluffy_Orbiter for your kind words. They are what gave me the motivation to finally continue with this story.
Chapter 1 - The ChallengeIn the warm, sunlit sanctuary of Fluttershy's cottage, the scent of a lovingly prepared breakfast wafted through the air. She hummed a sweet tune, her heart brimming with happiness. This was the first morning Rainbow Dash would be waking up in her bed, their newfound romance still blossoming with each passing day. With a gentle rap on the bedroom door, Fluttershy timidly called out to her slumbering partner. "Rainbow, breakfast is ready!" She didn’t like to wake anypony, but even this early into their relationship she had come to realize that Rainbow required a little prodding to stay on the right track. And on the right timezone. Rainbow Dash, not one to relish early mornings, stumbled into the dining room with a yawn, her vibrant mane tousled from sleep. She offered a sleepy, yet appreciative, smile and murmured her thanks as she eagerly sipped the steaming coffee. Fluttershy smiled as she watched her partner sit and eat. Even in this frazzled morning state, she couldn’t help but appreciate how pretty Rainbow was. The scattered mane, faint bags under her eyes, and gravelly morning voice just emphasized what Fluttershy loved about her. She was a rebel off the beaten path, an unkempt rogue of a mare. “I um, really liked having you over last night,” said Fluttershy, idly circling the rim of her coffee mug with her hoof. Rainbow looked up with half a piece of toast still in her mouth. “Mmph, mmeef toop” Fluttershy giggled at her uncouthness. Rainbow swallowed and said “You know, I don’t think we can keep it a secret from the others much longer. It’s getting a little obvious between the sleepovers and you holding your wings down every time I do something awesome.” Fluttershy blushed and said “You’re so bad! I don’t do that, do I?” “Well, to my trained eye yeah, but I’ll admit I probably spend more time looking at your sexy bod than the others do.” Looking mortified, but still smiling, Fluttershy picked up the empty plates and said “Oh my goodness, what am I going to do with you.” “You looove it,” came the reply. She leaned back in her chair, balancing it precariously on its back legs. “Your sexy bod aside though, what do you think about finally telling them? You know I’ve been for it since day one.” Fluttershy turned on the faucet to wash the dishes and thought for a moment. “I’m just still worried about it changing things between the six of us. I mean, we’ve all been friends for so long without there being any romance. What if...I mean, I can’t stand the thought of us not all being friends anymore.” “Eh, you worry too much. Don’t worry, I’ll keep the secret though. You know, I’d alllmost think you were ashamed of me if I wasn’t, well, awesome.” Fluttershy trotted back over looking concerned and gave Rainbow a hug from behind. “Oh of course I’d never be ashamed of you!” “Whoah, hey, watch where you’re pulling! I’m gonna fall off the chair!” Fluttershy let go, and Rainbow hopped out of her chair, landing on all fours. Her head was low, and she looked at Fluttershy with mischief in her eyes. Clearly, the coffee had kicked in. “Ha! Tricked you! Now prepare for revenge!” Fluttershy squeaked with delighted fear and tried to gallop away. Rainbow chased her down with startling speed, and jumped over the couch between them, tackling her to the ground. Fluttershy’s heart raced as Rainbow looked down at her like a predator at its prey. “R-Rainbow! What if, I mean, the windows are still open and…” Rainbow dash just smirked and said “Nobody’s gonna see us here behind the couch, although them hearing us is up to you,” before pressing her muzzle against Fluttershy’s soft neck. Lost in the fervor of their embrace, they failed to notice the small "pop" that sounded in the room. “Well actually it’s quite easy to see you from here, but don’t mind me,” came the snarky voice that caused them both to turn. “Discord,” Rainbow said in a near growl. “The one and only,” he replied, looking at them from a lifeguard’s tower he had made appear above the couch. “Really, I’m here for your own safety.” Rainbow Dash's eyes blazed as she glared at the intruder. "You saw that we’re busy, now get out!” she barked at him. "Now, now, that's no way to treat a visitor," Discord chided, feigning hurt. “Rainbow, don’t yell…” said Fluttershy nervously, standing up from her position on the floor. She looked at Discord “But she’s right, you can’t show up here uninvited.” "Why not?" Discord asked, his voice tinged with betrayal. "I thought we were friends." Fluttershy looked at the ground, avoiding his gaze. “Well, I know you used to pop in and it was okay, but now, I mean, Rainbow and I…” "It's because we're dating now," Rainbow Dash finished. “Rainbow!” came Fluttershy’s nervous response. Rainbow didn’t look away from Discord, but said “I think it’s a little late for secrecy Fluttershy, he saw us.” Discord smiled malevolently. "Oh, so your little relationship is a secret is it? Well, it sounds like I’m the least of your problems. You ponies have it so easy these days, and yet you still feel the need to hide? Your relationship wouldn’t last one minute back in my time.” Rainbow stamped her hoof on the floor. "Our relationship could survive any time, anywhere.” "Is that so?" Discord mused, a cunning grin spreading across his face. "I'll make you a bet then. If your relationship can start, much less thrive, back in my day, I'll leave Fluttershy alone whenever you're over. But if you lose, well, no more RainbowShy. Or FlutterDash. I always forget which it is.” Fluttershy's eyes widened in alarm. "No!" she cried, looking between the two. “Rainbow it’s not worth it!” Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Easy bet," she declared, her voice resolute. "We can survive anything." Discord grinned and held out his paw. “Well then, we have a deal.” Ignoring Fluttershy's pleading gestures, Rainbow reached out and firmly shook. As their pact was sealed, the world around them faded into darkness, leaving Fluttershy's desperate cries echoing through the void. Author's Note Can't believe it's been five years since I published something. Well, sparing you all from my old-man diatribes about the flow of time and not wasting your youth, I will simply say: More chapters coming very soon.
Chapter 2 - Rude AwakeningFluttershy stood under the grand archway of her father's opulent manor, looking resplendent in an elegant dress, the light catching its intricate embroidery. Her father, wearing a dapper nobleman's attire, was preparing to depart out the front door. She wasn’t sure why she was suddenly curious about his destination, or why she hadn’t been curious about it much earlier in life. Perhaps it was simply the phenomenon of children not questioning their environment, perfectly content to remain ignorant of the outside world until adulthood. "Daddy, may I come with you this time?" Fluttershy pleaded, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. He scoffed lightly at her request, "My dear, I fail to see why you would want to visit such a place. It's a dirty, dreary old iron mine." "But, it's where you work, isn't it?" she asked innocently. Her father let out a hearty laugh. "Oh mercy no, they work for me princess." “Does that mean I can’t go?” Her voice sounded soft and defeated. Mr. Shy looked skeptical, yet apologetic. “Darling I just don’t think you understand what that part of town is like. I’ve always done my best to keep you away from the rabble and filth of the lower city. It simply isn’t the place a lady of noble blood like yourself should visit.” Her lip trembled, and she put her front hooves on his foreleg, a time honored strategy for getting what she wanted. “But, daddy, I’m an adult now, I can handle it! And you’ll be there to keep me safe.” He let out the long dejected sigh of a nobleman and replied "Well, I suppose I can’t keep you cooped up forever. But just know, you probably won’t like what you see.” Fluttershy thanked him excitedly, her heart fluttering with anticipation. She gave her father a kiss on the cheek before departing with him down the long winding stone road to the black wrought gate surrounding their home. She noticed as they headed out that they did not make a left as they had always done. They instead headed right, and again she couldn’t understand why she had never wondered what was in this direction before. Surely she had asked her father, or even further back her mother about it, but no memory arose. The further they walked, the sadder her surroundings seemed. The landscape shifted from the paved cobbled roads and accompanying trees of their home to lumpy dirt roads, with scraggly little bushes along the sides. The houses were small and dirty, with thatched hay roofs instead of tile. Foals with unkempt coats played outside the houses in rowdy, rough and tumble games, blissfully uncaring of their lack of clothes. They could hear a stallion shouting from inside one of the houses, and Fluttershy unconsciously moved closer to her father, their sides brushing against each other as they walked. A few minutes later, her father said “Almost there dear, we’re just coming up on the mining town now.” And indeed, there seemed to be a planned town up ahead, although she couldn’t understand why anyone would purposefully design something so dreadful. The houses were even worse than the ones they had just passed, and there seemed to be more than one family relegated to each tiny home. Still, she was determined not to react or vocalize any of these feelings. She had said she could handle seeing the harsh reality, and she was determined to do so, strengthened by the knowledge that her father would likely never trust her with this sort of thing again if she couldn’t. They finally arrived at a large craggy mountain, with a handful of ponies and old looking tools surrounding it. There was a square, wooden framed entrance to the mine from which clanks and coughs echoed back up to them. Mr. Shy said “Now darling, I have to go speak to the forepony. Don’t go into the mine, stay out of trouble, and I’ll be back very soon.” She gave him an obedient nod, and looked around, wanting to take in all the sights at once. It certainly was dreary, and a little scary, but that wasn’t enough to quell her curiosity. Her eyes caught sight of a figure emerging from the mine, a young blue mare covered in grime and dust. She watched as the athletic looking pony stored her goggles and helmet in a locker and pulled out a modest sandwich of bread and butter. Timidly, Fluttershy approached the hardened miner with a weak smile. "Um, hi, I'm Fluttershy, my father owns the mine." she introduced herself. Rainbow gave her a brief, tired nod, her energy drained from the day's work. “Yeah, great, I’m Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy recoiled slightly, like a dog from the hoof of an unfamiliar pony. She had never spoken with this type of mare before, and was determined to make a good impression. “So, um,” she began timidly, “Do you like working here in the mine?” Rainbow stopped chewing, and her brow scrunched up as if unsure the question had really been asked. Fluttershy’s smile faded, uncomfortably aware that she had said the wrong thing. "Do I like working in your father's mine? Do I like it?" Rainbow's voice echoed through the area, bitter and raw. “Do I like working over a mile underground in dim light, breathing in rock dust? Do I like knowing that the tunnel could collapse at any minute because it would cost your dad a few more bits to use metal rafters instead of wooden ones? Do I like working 12 hour days and still only being able to afford bread and butter while my boss and his spoiled little daughter eat crystal soup and cake imported from Manehattan?” Her words were cracking with emotion now, flowing with barely concealed tears. “Yeah kid, it’s a real dream out here. Now go home and let us work in peace.” Fluttershy’s father had come back just in time to hear the end of her diatribe, and turned to see his daughter with tears welling up in her eyes from the harsh words. "How DARE you speak to my daughter that way you ungrateful whelp! You're fired! Get out of my sight!" he roared at Rainbow. Fluttershy looked terrified now, and cried “Daddy please no! It’s-it’s not her fault! I said the wrong thing, I-” she continued on, but her words became unintelligible between fresh bursts of sobbing. Rainbow Dash spat on the ground and looked at Fluttershy with malice. “I don’t need your pity, I’m out of here.” And with a strong jump and the swift beating of her wings, she was off, leaving Fluttershy’s father to console the sobbing mare as grizzled workers walked by, too exhausted to care. Author's Note I've quite enjoyed writing this story so far, although I always get the feeling I advance the plot too quickly. Better than too slowly I suppose, and I've seen far too much of that.
Chapter 3 - FramesDays had passed since the incident at the mine, and Fluttershy had not left her room. She wasn’t sure who she was more upset at, herself for being so naive, or her father for being so cold-hearted with Rainbow Dash. Or, if what Rainbow had said was true, with all of his workers. She had always seen her father as a kind, caring pony. Was it true that their life of ease was skinned off the backs of the less fortunate? She heard her door opening, and pulled the covers over her head. If she had been quick enough she might be able to pass off being asleep. The sound of hoofsteps, and then a sagging of the side of her bed where her father had surely just sat. “I, er, sent someone out to offer Rainbow her job back,” he began. Fluttershy peeked up from under her covers, not daring to hope, but he continued, “she had already moved out of the company housing. We aren’t sure where she went.” Hearing this, a fresh wave of tears welled up in Fluttershy's eyes, and she let them freely fall. “It's all my fault,” she sobbed. Mr. Shy shook his head. “No, it isn’t. The world outside, darling, you just aren’t...That is to say, this is why I didn’t... Well in any case, Rainbow Dash is a strong mare, she probably found another job somewhere else by now.” “You- you don’t know that though! We should go looking for her, to make sure she’s okay.” Her father looked taken aback. “Absolutely not! I risked taking you out there before, and that proved to be a terrible mistake. I won’t have you out there falling for every sob story and wanting to look after every orphan. You have a good heart my dear, but you just don’t understand how the world works.” She pulled the covers over her head again in defiance, and her father let out a labored sigh. “If she comes back looking for a job, we’ll give it to her. She knows where to find us. And in the mean time, I miss you, your art instructor misses you, and the hired help around the house misses you. When you feel ready, we’ll all be waiting for you.” He closed the door, and she sat motionless under her covers in thought. If her father wasn’t going to do anything more for Rainbow Dash, she would. She pulled the covers off of her head with renewed determination, and looked through the wardrobe for her plainest attire. There was a green button-up yarn sweater, and she slipped it on before opening her window and stepping out. The weather was perfect, thank goodness. She knew the journey would be scary enough without rain or darkness. She took the same right turn they had made to reach the mine, her heart pounding with terror at the thought of traversing this path alone. It was a long trek back to the mining village, and she was thankful that she had paid so much attention to her surroundings last time, as she was at least able to make the trip without fear of getting lost. When she eventually made it to the small dilapidated mining town, she knocked on a door at random, hooves trembling with nerves. The door was opened by a mare with faded purple fur, a raggedy shawl, and slightly cracked glasses. She looked tired, despite the hour, and somewhat hollow. “Hello my dear, can I help you?” “I’m sorry to bother you, um, do you by any chance know a Rainbow Dash who used to work in the mine?” Fluttershy felt stupid at hearing the words out loud. It was a large mining town, how many knocks on how many doors would she have to risk before finding somepony who actually knew her? And even if they did, what were the chances they knew where she was? She now understood what Rainbow Dash and her father had said about her. She was naive, her plan was comically simple, and- “I can’t say I knew her well, but we all heard about what happened to her a few days ago. Stupid filly, yelling at the owner’s daughter like that, what did she think was going to happen?” A ray of hope beamed in her weepy heart. “Do you know where she went after leaving?” she asked, looking imploringly at the mauve mare. “Well,” said the mare slowly, looking pensive. “Most of the homeless end up under the bridge to the north. Protects them from the rain, you see. But a sweet filly like you really shouldn’t be going to that kind of-” Fluttershy had no ears for her anymore. She burst out “Thank you, thank you so much ma’am!” and with a little curtsy, left the doorstep and headed north. There seemed to be very little in this direction. She could see the bridge from a good distance, and only the dying grassy plains separated her from it. It appeared to connect the posh town to the west where she came from, and the more industrial zone to the east, which were separated by a river around 10 meters wide. She finally reached the encampment under the bridge, and realized it was far more intimidating than anticipated. Old rags and other bits of assorted junk were strewn about, having been stripped of whatever usefulness they once possessed. She felt her courage waver as she approached a grizzled mule leaning against a support column, warming his hooves by a fire pit. He had tattered hoof warmers on, and a faded red bandanna perched just above his eyes. “Um, excuse me,” she started, her voice trembling. The mule’s gaze landed on her with a predatory gleam. “Hey Marsh, look what we got here! A real pretty one.” A red furred stallion came over from behind the stone pillar and said “She sure is!” The two of them advanced slowly on her, and Fluttershy found herself frozen in fear. “Please I just, I’m looking for, I…” The stallion said “Hey, we ain’t gonna hurt you,” and reached out a hoof towards her. She closed her eyes in terror, before hearing “Knock it off, and let her go.” The voice sounded familiar, but for the life of her she couldn’t force her eyes back open. A laugh. “Oh yeah? And yer gonna stop us if we don’t?” She heard a grunt of pain as someone was slammed to the floor. A sickening crunch, and then a scream of pain. “Now get lost, and don’t bother anyone again.” Fluttershy looked up and saw Rainbow Dash standing in front of her, panting softly with blood on her hoof. The mare was looking at her with a mixture of pity and annoyance. “Jeez, kid, you're really dedicated to being a pain in my flank, aren't you?” Tears pooled in Fluttershy’s eyes, and she rushed towards Rainbow, throwing her forelegs around her in a tight embrace. Rainbow stood there, dumbfounded, awkwardly patting Fluttershy’s back. “You *sniff* saved me! *sniff* after what I did!” Rainbow shrugged. “Well, yeah, I’m not going to let you get attacked just because you got on my nerves.” More sobs. “But I got you fired! I came here looking for you trying to *sniff* get you your old job back.” Rainbow subtly escaped the extended hug and said "Oh well that's cool of you to uh, obsess over, but that job sucked anyway. I mean, yeah, you kind of set me off but it was the straw that broke the camel's back, you know?" Fluttershy wiped her tears with the corner of her sweater. “D-don’t you need the money though? You said you barely had enough to live on.” “I’m surviving. Can’t say it’s the best life, scavenging for food in dumpsters and sleeping next to these jerkwads, but at least I’m free now.” Fluttershy thought for a moment and then looked excited. “You could work at the house as a maid, or, or something like that! You wouldn’t have to be down in the mines or scavenging for food in the trash, I know I could convince daddy to hire you!” Rainbow let out a laugh, no longer offended by the naivety of the yellow mare. "You're really something else, kid. I'd rather eat my wings than be a maid for the stallion who just fired me, prancing around in some frilly little uniform." Fluttershy winced, deflated by the flat out refusal of her idea. "But... what will you do then?" she asked, concern creeping into her voice. Rainbow shrugged, her vibrant purple eyes gleaming in the dancing flames. "I'll figure something out. Always do." She glanced at Fluttershy, her expression softening. "I'll walk you home, though. You shouldn’t head back alone. I mean no offense, but you stick out pretty badly.” Fluttershy gave her a soft smile and a nod. As they journeyed through the hushed streets, Rainbow turned to Fluttershy, "I gotta ask though, why do you care so much anyway?" Fluttershy looked down as she walked, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I... I don't know," she admitted. "You're just... different from anypony I've known before." “Heh, I am pretty one-of-a-kind, I’ll give you that.” When they finally reached the house Rainbow looked ready to bid her farewell, but Fluttershy asked "Are you hungry?" "No, I'm good. I—" Her stomach growled loudly at the thought of food, betraying her. She grimaced, then conceded with a sheepish smile, "Okay, fine. I guess I am a little hungry." Fluttershy giggled and said “Come up to my window with me. Nobody knows I left.” “Yeah I don’t really want to go through the front door and see your dad anyway.” They climbed in through the window, and Fluttershy walked over to the door. “I’ll be right back with food.” She closed the door behind her and paused for a moment before heading over to the kitchen. Her body tingled with excitement. Sure, she had failed on the job offer front, but she had never done anything like this before. Sneaking out, bringing a rebel back with her without her father knowing. The more time she spent with Rainbow, the more thrilling she found it just to be in her company. Returning with a tray of crackers, cream cheese, peppers, hard cheese, and olives, Fluttershy found Rainbow admiring one of her dresses. "Do you like it?" she asked, placing the tray down on her nightstand. Rainbow shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "It's not really my thing, but it'd probably look good on you." Fluttershy blushed at the compliment, and awkwardly said “Well, um, the food is ready. Have as much as you want, there’s more in the kitchen. Oh, and let me lock the door so they don’t catch you in here.” Rainbow thanked her, and began to eat with gusto. Fluttershy giggled at the complete lack of manners with which Rainbow ate, crumbs sticking to her face and falling down next to the nightstand. When she had finished eating, Rainbow looked around and said “Pretty swanky room you got here, I like the paintings.” “Thank you! I um, actually painted them myself!” “No way, really? This one of your dad with the sword is awesome, I’ve always wanted to be painted in a heroic pose like that.” Fluttershy wondered if she was being naive again, but finally mustered up the courage to say “I could do a painting of you posing right now if you wanted.” “What? Oh, I didn’t mean… You don’t have to, well. I mean, if you wanted to yeah?” Fluttershy practically jumped in place with excitement, and blurted out “Let me get my paints from the closet.” Before long, Rainbow was striking a magnificent pose as Fluttershy began to paint, her brush strokes trying to capture not only the physical sight of the mare in front of her, but how that mare made her feel. They talked about their childhoods as she painted, Rainbow occasionally pulling funny faces that made Fluttershy giggle and scold her for moving too much. An hour or so passed, and Rainbow said “Hey uh, modeling is fun but is there any chance I can do it while sitting down, or *yawn* lying down maybe?” “Oh, sorry! I forgot to say I got the pose already so I’m just doing the details now.” “Perrrrfect,” said Rainbow, hopping up on the bed and stretching her muscles before nestling up into a ball. Fluttershy continued painting, trying to blend the colors just right for the mare’s uniquely purple eyes. “So when did you first start working at the mine?” Silence. “Rainbow?” She looked around the easel and saw Rainbow breathing softly, fast asleep at the foot of her bed. Fluttershy smiled, happy that she had been able to provide this small pocket of comfort for the mare. The room was bathed in moonlight by the time Fluttershy had finished painting. She turned off the flickering oil lamp on the wall, and quietly climbed into bed next to the slumbering Rainbow Dash. There was something comforting about having Rainbow sleeping here, although she couldn’t quite explain it to herself. She lay there for a while trying to piece her feelings together, when before she even realized she had fallen asleep, a voice boomed out “Fluttershy, why is the door locked? You come out here young lady!” Author's Note Woof, this one took a while, being twice the length of the previous chapters.
Chapter 4 - An Unwelcome GuestThe booming voice belonged to their housekeeper, Rose. Fluttershy's heart pounded in her chest as she quickly formulated a response. "I'm not dressed yet!" she blurted out. “And why, young miss, would that matter?” asked Rose. “Um, well, I’ll be out in a moment!” Fluttershy said as she urgently nudged Rainbow Dash awake and motioned for her to be quiet. Rose harrumphed. “You’re five minutes late for breakfast and your father is quite insistent, now what is keeping you?” Fluttershy opened her window as quickly as she dared lest it make noise, and ushered the sleepy, disheveled Rainbow Dash through it. “Nothing’s keeping me!” Fluttershy called back, “Just... tangled in my covers! I’ll be right there!” Rainbow Dash stretched on the lawn outside and sleepily said “Thanks for the food kid.” Fluttershy gave her one last smile and wave before shutting the curtains in front of the window. As she turned around her gaze landed on the painting which she had forgotten to give to her. Fluttershy hastily opened the curtains again, but Rainbow Dash was already flying away, just a dot in the sky. With a pang of regret, she galloped over to her door and swung it open. She had forced a smile onto her face, with the side effect of looking somewhat manic, and Rose looked at her skeptically. The housekeeper was an older mare with light brown fur and a slightly graying purple mane. “Well at least you don’t look so mopey today,” said Rose. “Now hurry off to breakfast before your father tans my hide.” Fluttershy gave her a nod and trotted obediently toward the dining room. Rose lingered, stepping into the room and looking around. Her gaze lingered on the fluttering curtains and she frowned at them before walking back out and closing the door. Before Fluttershy knew it, a Dashless week had passed. The painting of Rainbow, now hanging on her wall, served as a constant reminder of the boisterous pegasus. Her catatonic guilt about getting her fired had now been replaced by a persistent malaise which caused her to coast through her daily activities without too much thought. On one of these nights, Rose brought a cup of herbal tea to Fluttershy’s room with a gentle smile on her face. "I know why you've been feeling down, lass," she said. “Your father thinks it’s because he fired that mare, but I know heartbreak when I see it.” Fluttershy blushed and stammered out “N-no, it really is because of Rainbow Dash!” “Ah, well yer entitled to your secrets little miss, but I was a pretty filly once too. Why I’d bet you only got so upset over that mare because you’d just broken things off with a handsome colt. And as for that morning you were late for breakfast, well, as I said, you’re entitled to your secrets. But you want my advice? Get back in the game! You’re young, you’ll find another one just as good.” Fluttershy gave her an awkward smile, and started sipping tea as to avoid any further conversation. Rose stepped back into the doorway with a mischievous grin and said “All right all right, you don’t want to talk romance. Well, sweet dreams lassie.” As if on cue, her father made an announcement the next day. “I invited over the son of one of my business associates for dinner tonight. His name is Golden Glint and his father owns a mining equipment company. I expect you to dress your best.” Fluttershy wanted to protest, knowing this was a coordinated attack between Rose and her father, but she couldn’t stop him from simply inviting someone to dinner. Nor could she avoid the dinner, a proper lady did not snub guests. And so she sat later that night at the dinner table, dreading the awkwardness of his arrival. Golden Glint arrived precisely on time. His golden coat glistened in the light of the chandelier, and his silver mane gave him a distinctly royal appearance. He had a young looking face, but was undeniably handsome in his formal attire. Rose took his jacket, and said “Please sit, Master Glint, I’ll be bringing the food in from the kitchen momentarily.” Golden thanked her, and gave a slight bow to Fluttershy and her father as they stood up to greet him. Mr. Shy gave the stallion a firm hoofshake and said “Golden, this is my daughter Fluttershy. Fluttershy, Golden Glint.” She held out her hoof politely, which he kissed to show respect. They sat down as Rose walked back in with the first of the dishes, and Mr. Shy said “So, Golden, should I be looking out for any new innovations in the mining equipment industry?” Golden gave Mr. Shy a playful waggle of his hoof and said “My father warned me you’d try to get trade secrets out of me you know.” Mr. Shy laughed heartily and said “Ha! I’m terrible, I know.” Golden lowered his head and squinted conspiratorially before saying “Between you and me though, the issue of pick heads coming off the handles? A thing of the past in just a few more months.” Mr. Shy looked gobsmacked. “Now don’t play with a nobleman’s heart my boy, really?” Golden Glint nodded solemnly. The dinner continued on in a similar vein, with Fluttershy occasionally interjecting an “Oh yes, very interesting!” when turned to for comment. She had almost gotten away without a thing going wrong when her father said “You know my Fluttershy is quite a painter, you should see some of the portraits she’s done.” “That’s quite a skill! I haven’t had my portrait painted since I was a small colt, but I’ve always been impressed by how detailed the artist was.” The fatherly wheels whirred almost audibly in Mr. Shy’s head, and he said “Reaaaally? Perhaps Fluttershy could do a portrait of you some time then?” Golden Glint looked taken aback, but said “Well, I, if she didn’t mind of course!” With a sinking heart but polite smile, she said “I wouldn’t mind at all.” As the evening came to a close Fluttershy retreated to her room and slumped onto her bed, weighed down by the forced socialization. She could only hope that her offer of a portrait would be taken by Golden for the polite formality that it was. As she curled up for sleep, not even bothering to take off her formal wear, scenes of her being forced to paint Golden filled her mind. A dreadful evening of awkward silence and stilted formalities. The images in her head slowly shifted however, until she was painting a certain blue mare. They were laughing together, and a smile graced Fluttershy’s face as she drifted off to sleep. She was jolted back awake just minutes later however by a knocking on her window. “Hey, you in there?” Author's Note Not sure why this chapter was so hard, but here we are.
Chapter 5 - New BeginningsFluttershy's heart leapt as she rushed to the window and recognized the figure of Rainbow Dash. Excitement bubbled within her as she eagerly opened the window and beckoned Rainbow inside. As Rainbow clambered in, Fluttershy couldn't help but notice that she looked a bit worse for the wear. Her usually vibrant coat appeared dull and her eyes seemed to carry the weight of some unspoken burden. “Thanks for letting me in. I was gonna come back earlier to get the painting, but I didn’t want you getting all upset that I hadn’t found a new job yet.” Despite her appearance, Rainbow’s voice was as calm and aloof as ever. Fluttershy tried desperately to town down her own energy to not seem overexcited. “Oh? So um, what job did you end up getting?” “Well,” Rainbow said, avoiding eye contact. “That’s...kind of why I’m back. You mentioned maybe getting me a job here? Turns out my pride isn’t as important as my stomach being full.” Fluttershy beamed and said “Of course! I’ll ask my father right now, I just know he’ll say yes if I beg him. Stay right here please!” Rainbow shrugged sheepishly and said “You don’t have to beg him, I mean-” But Fluttershy was off in a flash, closing the door behind her and rushing off to find her father. She found him sitting comfortably in the lounge, engrossed in a book. Fluttershy sidled up next to the chair and put her chin on his forelimb. This needed to be tactical, precise. “What are you reading daddy?” He looked down at her with a smile and said “Biography of a stallion named Foalbisher, one of the first ponies to make peaceful contact with dragons. Quite interesting, but I think it might be too dry for you.” “Oh, that sounds exciting!” Mr. Shy raised an eyebrow and said “Are you trying to butter me up for something my dear? I can’t recall you ever showing an interest in history.” Fluttershy blushed and pawed at the ground nervously. “Um, well, there is something I wanted to ask you. If I found Rainbow and she hadn’t been able to get a job anywhere else, could she work here?” Her father let out a sigh and said “Fluttershy...not this again. We have no idea where she is, I don’t want you getting your hopes up.” She smiled nervously and said “She um… well she’s here, I let her in my window.” Mr. Shy slammed his book down and said “She WHAT? How dare she sneak into the manor uninvited! I could have her arrested for this!” Fluttershy could feel panic washing over her, it was the situation at the iron mine all over again. “No daddy!” she exclaimed. “You owe her a favor. She saved me.” His eyes widened at her assertiveness and he stammered out “Saved you? Pish tosh, she didn’t save you.” Fluttershy looked down at the ground, building up her courage before saying “Yes, she did. I snuck out to find her, and a stallion and a mule tried to attack me. And she saved me.” “You what!? I…” He looked at her, close to tears and face contorted with anger. She cowered back and winced, waiting for him to assign the punishment of a lifetime. But before she knew it, he had her in a tight hug and was saying “I’m...so glad you’re okay.” Mr. Shy sniffed, blinked back a few tears, and stepped away from her, regaining his former composure. “You’re…you’re right, I do owe this mare a favor. Tell her she can start in the morning, she can sleep in the guest room tonight and we’ll get it fixed up for her tomorrow.” “Thank you daddy! Thank you!” She gave him a hug, and then galloped off to tell Rainbow. She practically tackled the mare into a hug and looked up into her purple eyes before saying “He said yes! You can sleep here and start work in the morning.” Rainbow blushed a bit at the energetic hug, but said “Awesome, it uh, means a lot kid. Really.” They stayed up late that night talking. Fluttershy wanted to know everything about Rainbow, her family, the jobs she had worked, everything. Rainbow, never one to miss an opportunity to talk about herself, obliged. Fluttershy sat on her bed, eagerly listening to the slightly dramatized events of Rainbow’s life. Each story led to a dozen more questions, and off Rainbow would go again, trying to find the coolest way to describe her answer. Eventually, Rainbow looked over in the middle of her umpteenth story and saw that Fluttershy’s eyes were closed. She gave her a gentle nudge to make sure she was asleep before turning off the lamp, pulling the covers up over both of them, and closing her eyes for sleep. Morning came before they would have liked it to, and they were awoken by a knocking at the door. Rose stepped in, holding Rainbow’s uniform, and gave the two a stern glance. “Your uniform,” she said, placing it down on a desk. “And don’t you be late for breakfast either Miss Fluttershy.” When Rose had left, Rainbow yawned loudly and slumped out of bed to start the day. Fluttershy helped her get the outfit on properly, making sure the bow was properly positioned before stepping back with a smile and saying “You look nice!” Rainbow looked at herself in the mirror and frowned. “I look stupid. I should probably go talk to your dad though and learn my duties, don’t want to be late on the first day, especially when I slept here.” Fluttershy perked up and said “I can come with you if you want!” “Nah, thanks but I always try to be as professional as possible on the job. Bad look if I need you to protect me from your dad.” Mr. Shy was in the lounge when Rainbow found him. He stood up from his plush seat and said “Well, at least you’re on time. Now, let’s not lie to each other. You don’t like me, and I don’t like you. I owe you a shot at this for saving Fluttershy, but one step out of line, one serious mistake and you’re out. Understand?” Rainbow struggled to keep the look of contempt off her face and said “Yeah, I got you. Sir.” He gave her a searching look for a while before continuing. “Our current housekeeper Rose is getting on in years. Your job is to assist her in any way she requires, primarily with physically demanding tasks. She will cook, and then you will clean. You will fetch the laundry, she will make the bed. And so on. Your other duty will be to accompany Fluttershy whenever she leaves the house. It would seem you are a suitable bodyguard, so keep her safe.” Rainbow nodded determinedly at this last command. “I will, sir.” Author's Note No excuse for why this took me so long. I have a lot of trouble getting projects past the half-way point. I also constantly feel like a fraud and that my writing is terrible which doesn't help. Huge thanks to Foxxi and Fluffy_Orbiter for your kind words. They are what gave me the motivation to finally continue with this story.
