Balance within Harmony

Who's the number one, greatest, perfectest pet

In the world for me

May the games Begin

And may the best pet win!

As the music that seemed to come from nowhere reached it's crescendo, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stood next to each other, with front hooves over each others shoulders, sweating slightly from the spontaneous energetic song and dance routine.

Fluttershy looked over to her friend she was half hugging, and suddenly froze up. She went dashing off towards her house at her top sped. Not this again! Rainbow thought as quickly as his surname suggests.

Fluttershy ran into her cottage, and shut the door quickly. However, Rainbow had already flown through the door before she had got there and was standing in the middle of the living room, legs spread aggressively, head down, fuming angry.

"What on Equestria was that about?" Rainbow dash demanded "I thought we got over all of this...this...this silliness!"

Fluttershy hid behind her mane, then seeing her friend angry with her she had no choice run to hide under a nearby table, cowering underneath the tablecloth. Great Dash, you've just gone and scared her again! Rainbow listened softly and all he could hear was Fluttershy gently weeping.

"Look Fluttershy, I'm sorry I shouted at you"

There was no response, at least one that registered on Dash's hearing, and Fluttershy continued to cry. Angel bunny ran past, giving Dash an evil glare, and a couple of squirrels quickly followed him under the table. Fluttershy crying slowed a little, no doubt because of her animal friends comforting her.

Dash rubbed the back of his head, trying to decide whether to leave Fluttershy alone to recover with her pets or to try to apologise. He knelt down on the floor, and slowly edged towards the table.

"Look Fluttershy, I'm sorry. It's just when you act this way towards me I get a little...frustrated...that my best friend runs away from me"

"Go away, that is, please go away, if you don't mind"

"Oh Fluttershy, we used to be so close"

"I can't look at you right now"

"Oh Fluttershy, you know how much you mean to me!"

"Please, just go...it's so difficult talking to you"

"Fluttershy, please come out here and talk to me"

A yellow head covered hiding as much as possible behind a pink mane slowly appeared from under the table, looking down shyly at the ground. She slowly lifted her head, looked slowly up at the colt, and then gently leaned forwards and planted the most delicate of kisses on the tip of Dash's nose. Dash knelt there speechless as the filly blushed and retreated back underneath the tablecloth.

Dash slowly stood up, moving the slowest he ever had. What? Just? Happened? Despite being the quickest flyer in Equestria, his mind simply couldn't process his feelings fast enough Fluttershy...likes me? Or was it just a way of trying to apologise? She's afraid of colts, and I am one, so it must have been some form of friendship kiss? But then she blushed?

Meanwhile, underneath the table the squirrels where tidying Fluttershy's hair whilst Angel rubbed her hoof. She was clearly upset, but there was some other feeling they were getting from their filly friend they couldn't quiet place Oh my! Did I just do that? Oh silly Fluttershy, you've only just gone and had you're first kiss! And with Rainbow Dash no less!  You can't stay under the table, you need to speak to him

Rainbow watched as Fluttershy slowly crept out from under the table, gently ushering her animal friends away. She stood up, slightly looking down at the ground, and blushed again. "I'm...I'm sorry for kissing you Rainbow"

"Thats...okay. I mean...I shouldn't have shouted at you" Rainbow Dash started blushing, not quiet sure what to make of the filly infront of him.

"Oh Dashie...it's all my fault. I shouldn't have run away from you again" Fluttershy pawed the ground gently "It's just...I like you"

"Fluttershy, I like you too, I have liked you since we were in Cloudsdale together" Rainbow smiled back.

"No, I like like you" Fluttershy looked coyly at the colt in front of her

Rainbow sighed deeply "I...I like like you too" and he slowly leant forwards and gentle kissed the end of Fluttershy's nose. The two ponies looked at each other a laughed nervously What now? they both felt.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Rainbow decided he would have to go and break the ice "Well, why don't you prepare your pets...friends...for the contest, and I'll meet you at noon in the park with the others. We can have a think...about all of this...and talk later"

Reminding Fluttershy of her friends helped her to focus "Oh yes, I can't wait to find you the bestest pet in the world. But Dashie, do you mind not telling the others...yet"

"Of course, Flutters" Fluttershy giggled at the nickname "Afterall, your little Dashie won't want to embarrass you. Besides Twilight and Rarity kept their little secret for a while"

Rainbow flew out of the cottage trying to work out exactly what had happened So Fluttershy likes me - Is that why she was always so nervous round me? And we kissed! But then, we haven't really said anything. I guess this whole pet thing is going to mean we spend some time together

Meanwhile, back at the cottage Fluttershy was briefing all her animals on the contests she had planned. But the animals were a little distracted because they could sense that their pony caretaker friend was the happiest she had been since the moment she had decided to stay with them on the ground.

***

At the finish line after the race, after Rainbow had been carried across eventually by Tank, nurse Fluttershy looked carefully at the damaged wing.

"Oh Rainbow Dash, you won't be able to fly on that for a few days at least, possibly a week!"

"What? How bad can it be"

Twilight let go of Rarity's hoof, and his horn gently flared casting a purple aura over Rainbow's wing "Fluttershy's right, there is a lot of bruising that needs to heal before you can put any load through it"

"So...I can't go home... there's no way to get up to my house? Where will I stay?"

"You can come and stay with me" Applejack offered quickly "Afterall, you've spent the occasional storm at the farm and I'm sure Applebloom would love to hear more of your wild stories"

"That's okay, AJ. I know you are busy with the farm chores, I wouldn't want to slow you down"

"Perhaps you could stay with me and spike..." Twilight started "Afterall, there is loads of room and it's nice and quiet..."

Fluttershy interrupted "He should stay with me"

Everypony, dragon, bird and turtle/tortoise turned and looked at Fluttershy, who none of them would have imagined interrupting anyone else, let alone being so bold.

"I mean, he needs to be shown how to look after his pet, and as a pegasus I do know how to look after a wing" she finished with a flutter of her wings, although her voice had got slowly softer as she noticed all the ponies and animals looking at her

'Well, yeah sugarcube, that does sort of make sense" Applejack broke the silence "But is there any room at the cottage with all your ..erm.. other friends"

Fluttershy nodded softly, starting to regret being so forceful for once "Oh yes, some of the birds can also assist with healing wings"

"So its agreed, but if you guys need any help me, Sweetie Belle or Twilight would be happy to help out" Rarity added

"Thank you" Fluttershy softly added "I might need some supplies and I might have to miss our next spa date, but let's see how it goes"

"And when Dash is all better we can have a brand-new-pet-and-your-wing-is-all-better party" Pinkie bounced "Except we need to have like three other parties before then..oh my"

All the ponies left, with Rarity and Twilight walking back towards town with Pinkie, whilst Applejack went off towards Sweet Apple Acres. None of them had suspected Fluttershy's real passion for helping dash, and each of them presumed she was simply excited over the pets. But back at the castle the two elements of Loyalty and Kindness started glowing slighter stronger then before.

***

Rainbow and Fluttershy had enjoyed the slow walk back in silence to the cottage, Tank travelling on Fluttershy's back whilst most of the animals had flown off ahead. Walking for so long was unusual for Dash, but walking next to Fluttershy seemed to be a nice way of spending time. And Fluttershy found it nice to spend time slowly with Dash for a change, rather then having to chase after him, usually in the process of saving the day somehow.

Reaching her cottage, Dash made himself comfortable on the couch while Fluttershy went off to prepare dinner for her guest, and all the animals. As soon as she had gone into the kitchen, Angel came over and sat on the table infront of Dash, giving the pegasus his most unamused face.

"Look bunny" Dash gave the rabbit a smile "I know I made Fluttershy cry earlier, but everything's good now."

But of course Angel wasn't upset because of that, but because he could sense that Fluttershy was having feelings for this new pony which seemed to be stronger then for her animals. He continued to give Rainbow a stare, before eventually turning away slowly, and then hoping off to have his dinner.

The filly returned with her first meal for her colt-friend, a simple salad for her but much more elaborate than the hard training colt usually ate. Rainbow and Fluttershy sat across a table munching in silence, when Rainbow realised that except for a few a few sentences when reaching the cottage, they hadn't spoken to each other much for hours.

"So...crazy weather we've been having" Rainbow blurted to fill the silence.

The yellow pegasus looked over to the head of the local weather team, then started giggling "Really, you talk about the weather?"

"Sorry, it was a bit lame wasn't it? I was just trying to fill the silence...what should we talk about?"

"Oh, but why fill the silence. Sometimes in the silence you can hear things that otherwise you can't"

Rainbow and Fluttershy returned to eating in silence. What am I supposed to be hearing? Rainbow thought to himself before noticing Fluttershy opposite She is a beautiful filly isn't she and his mind started wandering thinking about all the times they had spent together, and some of the more intimate thoughts he had regarding her since turning into a colt.

It then suddenly became clear to him in a way it never had before So this is what she meant by filling the silence! I'm always so busy doing things I never stop to think...

***

Fluttershy was putting out the last meal of the day before her bedtime, breakfast for the nocturnal animals. Rainbow watched his new special somepony caring for all the animals And I thought I worked hard at my Wonderbolt training! I mean if everypony knew how much Fluttershy did for her animals everyday, they wouldn't treat her as so meek and feeble. And all that moving around carrying stuff does sure keep he fit and slim...and sexy

As Rainbow settled down on the sofa to sleep, Fluttershy came over and gave him a deep nuzzle

"Goodnight Dashie...I can't wait to spend the next few days with you"

"Flutters...Are you sure this is what you want?"

"You're my best friend, why wouldn't this be what I want? Wait, is it not what you want?" she finished with her trademark panic.

Rainbow took Fluttershys hoof in his "More then anything else in Equestria"

"Even more than being a Wonderbolt?"

"Okay, the second thing" Rainbow teased, giving Fluttershy a gentle bump on the shoulder, knocking the filly over. Fluttershy got up with a big blush, and quickly floated herself upstairs...