"Oh my god, guys, what the hell is wrong with you!" Rainbow Dash yelled at an non-responsive window. She stood on a neat, well-taken care of drive. It was decorated to emphasize the natural beauty of the place, but also look like someone regularly tended to it.

"Can you at least come down and talk to me?" She turned and kicked at passing squirrel that was investigating why there was so much noise in a usually quiet and peaceful place.

Fluttershy sat in a chair far away from any windows that an onlooker could see her through. In this case, though, she was just making sure Rainbow Dash wouldn't see her.

Standing behind the kitchen counter, looking at Fluttershy in a slightly aggravated way was Twilight Sparkle.

"Are we not going to talk to her?" The Unicorn asked.

Fluttershy slowly turned to face Twilight. "I don't really want to see her, actually. Why do you think we're hiding here?" She looked back at the open window, through which Rainbow Dash's angered voice came.

"Seriously, I know you're in there," she yelled. "I saw Twilight go through the door on my way here!"

The purple pony looked down and said to Fluttershy's back, "You see? She knows I'm here, at least."

"But not me," Fluttershy responded, again facing Twilight. "For all she knows, you stopped in to get your cookbook back and left through the back door."

"God damn it, Fluttershy," Twilight began, heatedly, "What's wrong wi-"

"Keep your voice down!"

Twilight sighed. "Fine. But I think you're wrong about this, and you're going to hurt her feelings."

"I know!" Fluttershy stated. "I don't want to do that, but think about it," she began.

"No!" Twilight said, in a hushed voice. "You've said already and I think you're being really stupid, you know."

"Think about it," She continued. "Rainbow Dash has already fucked up everyone else's life. I'm next!"

"You're being ridiculous, Fluttershy. She's done nothing to hurt any of us." Twilight said. She looked away for a moment and listened to Rainbow Dash again.

"I just want to talk to someone, alright!" Rainbow Dash continued. "Listen, I'm just feeling lonely, why are you avoiding me?"

Twilight looked at Fluttershy again. "And she's our friend," she added.

"I know, I know," Fluttershy said, impatiently, "I agree. But just hear me out, again."

Twilight rolled her eyes, but listened to her friend's explanation again.

"It all started a few weeks ago. First she kicked Scootaloo into Pinkie Pie's oven. After that they had to replace all of their cooking equipment because it was contaminated. Then when the story got out all those ponies filed suits against her, claiming they had been sold cupcakes with pony parts in them. None won their cases, but she had to pay for the funeral expenses and the grievances of Scootaloo's family."

"Yes, but that wasn't Dash's fault," Twilight said. "We all know she has Tourettes. Plus, Pinkie's forgiven her. Why haven't you!"

"I have!" Fluttershy said. "But I-" she looked towards the open window on the other side of the room. Looking back at Twilight she continued her argument, but in a lower voice. "But I just think we should be cautious around her."

"I understand, but that's no reason we should be hiding from her," Twilight said.

"I don't want her near my animals!" Fluttershy said, frustrated. "If I answered the door... Who knows what might have happened."

Fluttershy stared at the floor for several seconds before she returned to the conversation.

"After the whole fiasco with Pinkie Pie, we visited her in the hospital."

"And do you remember why she was in the hospital," Twilight reminded her. "Because we, her friends, didn't stand by her. Not to point fingers, but Pinkie Pie especially is to blame for that..." She paused for a moment. "But that's what we should be doing right now: helping her! We shouldn't be hiding in a corner."

"I understand," Fluttershy interrupted. "But later that day, in the hospital, she broke your nose."

"Again, she has Tourettes, Fluttershy," Twilight began.

"Exactly!" she said fiercely. "Her condition used to be mild, but lately she's just been out of control. Remember that day with... with Applejack?"

Twilight faced Fluttershy sharply. "Don't you dare tell me you think she had something to do with that."

"We weren't there," Fluttershy insisted. "She pushed us away, told us to leave, and we did! We thought she was just going to talk to her but... There's every possibility that-"

"I don't want to hear anymore," Twilight said, cutting her off. "And I really don't want to hear anymore of this," she said, moving towards the door to let Rainbow Dash in.

Fluttershy jumped up to stop her. Crouching low, so as not to be seen, she barred the way out of the kitchen.

"Go back and let me finish," she said, looking up at Twilight.

The Unicorn resigned to the counter again. Fluttershy, sitting down, resumed their discussion.

"What about Rarity?" she asked. "After that incident, do you really still trust her?"

"You think... You think she pushed her on purpose?" Twilight asked, in disbelief.

"No, no, no," she said, quickly, "I mean, do you trust her to be responsible? If you had a priceless vase to be picked up from the store, would you trust her to go get it?"

"Anything can happen to anyone," Twilight said, in a matter-of-fact way. "Listen, you're going to go let her in and stop this. Now."

Fluttershy opened her mouth to respond, but hesitated. "Fine," she agreed. "But if she messes up again, does anything that hurts any of us, will you at least listen to me about this? Will you at least consider doing something about it?"

Twilight considered this. She looked at the window again, listening to the cries of Rainbow Dash. They started off as angered yells, but they were now more of sadness. She was sure her friends were in there, and couldn't figure out why they would just ignore her. She had politely knocked at the door upon arrival, waiting happily to see Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle. After several minutes she had knocked louder and louder, adding her voice to the din. "You guys, come on, open-up!" she had yelled. Meanwhile Fluttershy had pulled Twilight into the corner they were now in, explaining for the first time why she didn't want to see Rainbow Dash.

Twilight looked back at Fluttershy. "Yes. If she does something completely out of order we'll talk about it. We'll try to find her some help or something. Let's just go let her in.

Moments later Rainbow Dash found herself being let inside by Twilight Sparkle.

"Sorry about that, Dash," she said. "I came in a while ago to see Fluttershy, but she was in the shower. I fell asleep on the couch. How long were you out there waiting for us?"

Fluttershy came out of her bedroom, with damp hair. "Oh, hello Rainbow Dash!" she said, happily. She continued into the kitchen and prepared a bowl of fruit for a snack.

"So Rainbow Dash," Twilight began, "Fluttershy and I were actually going to Canterlot on official business for Princess Celestia, today. That's why I came here."

Fluttershy looked up from her cutting board and strawberries, eyeing Twilight.

"Anyways," she continued, "it would be awesome if you could watch her animals while we're away. We'll be gone for just a couple hours. You think you could handle that?'

Fluttershy dropped her knife on the ground. After glancing at Twilight, with a confused look in her eyes, she bent down quickly to pick up her knife.

"Oh yeah!" Rainbow Dash said. "I'd be happy to."

"Well, Fluttershy? It's time to go! See you in a bit Rainbow Dash!"

"Yeah... time to go..." Fluttershy said, following Twilight out the door. "See you Rainbow Dash..."

Rainbow Dash stood in the doorway waving goodbye, as Fluttershy yelled instructions back towards her.

"Make sure Angel gets enough food, she has to have 2/8 cups of pellets every day, and she hasn't been fed yet. She also has to have an unlimited supply of hay for her digestive system to work properly. She needs the long fiber to help move food through her intestines, so make sure you get hay from the shed to replace her supply every hour. Oh, and make sure Hummingway gets enough fly-time! He needs plenty of exercise."

Fluttershy continued yelling her instructions as Twilight marched her down the path that led into Ponyville.

"Elizabeak needs her perch cleaned every half-hour. Make sure you replace the hay in it, too!" The sound of her instructions ceased as the two went around a corner.

Rainbow Dash sighed, as she walked through the door, back into the house. She looked around, seeing all the animals she needed to take care of, and got right to work.

...

"Ah! we're almost there," Rainbow Dash sighed, as she inhaled the aroma of the carrot stew she was making. "Oh! I need to let Hummingway out for his exercise."

She walked over to the cage he was in and opened the door. "Have fun little guy," she said as the bird zoomed around the room, happily.

"Time to take Mr. Mousey for a walk!"

She got the collar and leash from a closet and got the mouse hooked up to it.

"Now hold on a second, buddy, I gotta go do something." She walked up the stairs, on her way to the chicken coop. At the top, she tied the leash to a post on the railing.

Continuing on her way towards the coop, she went out the door to the back and retrieved hay from the barn. Minutes later the coop was clean, the eggs were gathered, and there was fresh water. She paused for a few seconds to throw a pitchfork into a haybale.

Upon entering the house, she passed Fluttershy's bedroom.

"Ooh, Fluttershy's bed!" she said, eyeing it. "I wonder how it feels."

..

"Rainbow Dash, we're back!" Twilight Sparkle yelled, as she turned the key in the door. "See? You had nothing to worry about," she said, turning to Fluttershy. "Do you hear any agonizing screams or shouts of horror? No. Rainbow Dash looked after your animals just like you would."

The two ponies walked through the door, but stopped abruptly, eyes wide at the scene before them.

Blood splattered the ceiling above, around, and below the fan. A few of Hummingway's feathers still floated around the room.

"Oh god," Twilight said. Fluttershy stood, transfixed. "At least it was only one, right? Everyone else is okay. It's not Rainbow Dash's fault he flew into the ceiling fan.

"Shut up." Fluttershy walked further into the room, turning off the fan with the switch on the wall. She walked into the kitchen to find the source of the burning smell, only to find the stove was on. The large pot on the stovetop was empty of water, for it had all boiled away. The bottom was black and burned, but not so much as the small skeleton of a rabbit that lay there. The remains of the carrots and potatoes and other vegetables in the stew were charred and black, but one carrot still lay, half-eaten, in Angel's mouth.

Fluttershy reached up and turned the stove off.

"Damn it, that was my favorite pot," she said, emotionless, as she set it in the sink.

"Fluttershy," Twilight began, "just sit down, this is a lot to take in-"

The Pegasus walked past her, into the living room. Twilight stopped for a moment and glanced at the pot in the sink. She expected only to see that the bottom was burned. Fluttershy turned around, only to see Twilight retch and cover her mouth. She staggered and grabbed onto the counter to hold herself up.

"Are you coming?" Fluttershy asked, impatiently and and irritated. Twilight turned and followed, with a horrified look.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Fluttershy started the ascent. She didn't pause as she walked past the limp body of Mr. Mousey, swinging from the leash. He was tied to a post fairly close to the top of the stairs, so the fall didn't break his neck, he suffocated.

Twilight shrugged close to the opposite wall as she passed the swinging mouse. She shut her eyes tight until they were well past it, and shuddered violently as they reached the top. On their way out the back door, they passed Fluttershy's empty bedroom without a glance.

The two ponies reached the chicken coop and found Elizabeak dead on the ground. She had had cancer.

...

Back inside the house, Fluttershy closed and locked the back door.

"Fluttershy, I... I don't even," Twilight began, "I don't know what to say."

"It's alright, Twilight," Fluttershy said. "It's not your fault."

"Oh god, I'm so sorry," she started, "If I hadn't-"

"Get out of my house."

The two ponies looked at each other in silence. Twilight, with a hurt, sad expression, and Fluttershy with an emotionless, determined look.

"Okay," Twilight said, dejectedly. She walked with her head down, back towards the stairs. Passing the bedroom, she saw a note on the bedside table. After glancing at Fluttershy, she entered the room to read it. Fluttershy followed.

They both leaned together and read the note in their heads.

"Sorry, Fluttershy, I had to go," it said. "P.S., you've got yourself a real comfortable bed here!"

Fluttershy beckoned Twilight out of the room.

"Do you need to talk, Fluttershy?"

"No," she said, "you need to get going now."

Finally, Twilight turned and headed out of the room and down the stairs. With one last glance up at Fluttershy, she exited the house. She was glad to be out of the death-filled place.

Fluttershy stood at the top of the stairs, without a single tear-filled eye. She sighed.

"At least I can have chicken dinner tonight," she said, turning away.

Author's Note

You will not believe how much knowledge I have about rabbit diets and feeding patterns now. I think I spent about half an hour google-ing this stuff, just to be accurate.

On an ironic note, around the part where it's talking about how Rainbow Dash was feeling lonely and stuff, I was listening to Green Day's: Homecoming. As soon as I finished the paragraph the song ends with "Nobody likes you, everyone left you, they're all out without you, having fun!" Ha.