Crashing Angels Ch5: First Rays of Sunshine Pt2

A whirlwind of rainbow furry leads Fluttershy towards the racetrack. Rainbow Dash knocks her hooves against the starting line eagerly, her mane creating a mighty spectrum around her as it flows in the breeze. Fluttershy smiles at her friend, drinking in the amazing sight of joy incarnate as the athlete continues to prepare for an imaginary race.

"Come on Fluttershy. I'll race you." Fluttershy freezes at the challenge.

"M-me?"

"Of course. Come on, it'll be fun."

"Okay Rainbow Dash. For you I'll do it."

Putting her negative thoughts of failing behind her, the shy pony steps up beside her friend in acceptance of the challenge laid out before her.

"That's it Fluttershy. Are you ready? First to that cloud over there wins."

The meek nod is all the bold champion requires, "alright. Three, two, one, lets go!" Rainbow Dash immediately takes off, sprinting full tilt, wings flaring in excitement.

Fluttershy stands still, shock from the amazing turn of speed her friend has just put on radiating outwards, holding her in place. It takes her mind a few moments to figure out that she should be out there racing instead of gawping at the rapidly receding flank of her best friend.

The shy caregiver charges after her friend, giving it all she has. Despite her best efforts, Dash effortlessly beats her to the finish line. The two fillies stand grinning at each other, huffing and puffing slightly. Despite Fluttershy's uncertainties, she finds herself beginning to enjoy the feeling of being active with somepony who won't judge her for being too slow.

"Follow me Dashie." The shy pegasus unsteadily glides down from their target cloud, falling ungracefully to the cloud below. She rights her gangly legs, tiny wings flapping for balance as she watches the graceful decent of her friend. The spiky rainbow mane glinting in the sunlight, cyan coat blending in with the sky. The yellow filly puts aside her troubles as her heart soars at the beautiful sight.

Rainbow Dash lands a few feet ahead of her staring friend, wings proudly erect.

"Hey Fluttershy. Now you get to follow me again." A massive grin lights up the day as Dash smiles back at her best friend.

Small legs pump as the cerulean filly charges off, wings fluttering. The shy one gallops full tilt after her comrade, intent upon matching the mighty rainbow this time.

Up ahead pink eyes glance back. Sighting the charging filly, a smile invades and Dash allows herself to slow. She throws herself into the air, her mighty leap carrying her across packed up equipment lying along the side of the track. Dreams of flight only add the intensity of the tiny wing beats as the filly clears the stacks. Rainbow Dash dreamt of flight nightly, however, with Fluttershy by her side and the wonder of the racetrack, she now seeks to make her dreams a reality. She sprints onwards, leaping from cloud to cloud, small wings beating like crazy in an effort to gain lift.

"Couldn't you just imagine? The feeling of diving through the sky? Wind tickling your feathers? That would be so awesome." Dash dives towards her friend with her wings buzzing.

Fluttershy allows herself to get caught up in her companion's excitement and leaps into place alongside her, flapping her yellow feathery appendages doing her best to mirror her friend.

They bound from cloud to cloud, laughing and shouting to each other. Fluttershy can feel herself opening up, allowing massive smile lights up her yellow face, mirroring her friend.

"Hey Fluttershy. Watch this!" Rainbow Dash takes off from a cloud up ahead, gliding along with a triumphant grin on her face. She circles around then glides all the way back to her stunned friend.

"Rainbow… That was… Amazing." Fluttershy feels in awe of her amazing friend, even short glides are an impressive feat for a five year old filly.

Dash interrupts her train of thought, "come on Fluttershy. You can do it too. Let me show you." Fluttershy feels herself dragged along by her energetic friend.

"But Dash… I can't…" Fluttershy mumbles miserably.

"Come on. You can do it." A cyan head turns and Dash looks into her friends aquamarine eyes, doing her best to look supportive. "Just follow me. We can try over there. There's a cloud floor in case you fall."

Butterflies fill the pink maned filly's tummy and she timidly chooses the only option her friend is offering. "O-okay Rainbow Dash. I'll try."

A massive grin covers Dash's face, fighting away Fluttershy's fears. She allows herself to be led along to the first pad, trying her best not to shake too much from the quiet fears that reside inside.

Dash takes off leaving Fluttershy behind. Eyes wide, the timid pegasus takes a deep breath and barrels off the edge after her friend. Two small fillies fly slowly along, flapping madly to stay aloft. A breeze kicks up, wafting a wall of pink mane into Fluttershy's eyes. She 'eep's'  in surprise at the unexpected invasion into her line of vision. Terror grips the gangly filly as she feels feels herself falling, legs flailing uselessly as her wings lock to her sides.

Rainbow Dash lands triumphantly. Wearing a supreme look upon her small face she turns, grinning only to drop all pretense of awesomeness at the mangled sight of her pink maned friend.

"Fluttershy… Are you okay?" Cyan bounds up to canary yellow and a tender hoof shifts the mass of pink revealing a disheartened filly.

"Hey, it's okay. It took me forever to be this cool at flying. I guess you just need a little more practise." The bold filly does her best to come down to her not so able friend's level whilst maintaining her sense of awesomeness.

With a helping hoof to guide her ascent, Fluttershy makes it up.

"Do you want to try that again?" Hope lights up those cerise eyes, banishing Fluttershy's fear of failure.

The failed filly nods, unable to say no.

"Right, follow me then." Dash struts off without a backwards glance.

A soft sigh escapes the gangly filly. At this rate she was going to make herself look like a real fool in front of her best friend again and again... and again...

The eager pegasus leads her student to the edge of a new cloud, one with a closer target point.

"Don't worry Fluttershy. I can fly right behind you... give you a boost if you need it." She grins cheekily. "You never know... it might just work."

The weak flyer inwardly groans. Her friend clearly thinks just like the rest, that she is too useless to make it on her own. 'But she's right. You are weak. No pony likes a worthless filly.' A tear slides down the poor pegasus's face.

Turning to spot her distress, the multi-coloured plush ball sighs. "Look... If you don't want to do this all you have to do is say so... We can try other things too you know. Maybe even something...well... a little more you."

Fluttershy's mind flies into a panic. As much as is it means to her, if she accepts the athlete's offer then it will only make her look even more like a failure than she already is.

"N-no... I...w-want to do this." She attempts a smile.

An unsure gaze comes her way from those sparkling cerise eyes. "You sure? It would be like... totally cool to have a flying partner, you know."

"But... I can't fly." A second tear leaks out, tugging on the bold filly's heartstrings.

"Sure you can. You just need somepony who is super cool, who believes in you." A bright grin lights up the day as the rainbow maned pegasus walks carefully up to her best friend and gives her a hug.

Warm fuzzies make everything all better for the cowering filly who melts into the strong, warm hold. They settle for a few moments, calming the fearful pony's pulse, restoring her faith that her far superior friend really does care for her. She nuzzles into her strong defender, relishing the new feelings that pour from the contact.

The cheeky filly pulls away a little, a cocky grin upon her face. She licks the shy pony on the muzzle, unhastily, content to let this moment at least, hold.

As the warm tongue brushes against her muzzle, it washes away her residue fears and the yellow youngster feels as if she can take on Equestria. She gathers herself up, standing tall and confident beside her friend.

"Thank you Rainbow." She offers a nuzzle, sweeting the close moment.

"Yea yea. You're welcome Fluttershy. I just hope you feel better." A nonplussed cyan filly gently shoves her overly affectionate companion off. "Ready?"

"Yes." The grinning filly replies.

"Right... together."

Fluttershy follows her hearty friend to near the edge of the cloud. She keeps her gaze of determination fixed up ahead on her goal. The elusive target that is the mark cloud.

"Three...two...one...go!" At her bidding, they both rush to the edge, throwing themselves off into the abyss.

Tiny wings work like a Wonderbolts in an epic glide as they fight against the breeze.

Fluttershy feels herself begin to sink and panic sets in. She beserkley flaps her wings, working beyond all her own limits. The scaredy filly plows into her confident companion. The force of the surprise ram sends the leading filly out of control and they both tumble out of the air, landing in a filly pile upon the soft clouds below.

"Fluttershyyyy...you're s'pposed to fly! Not fall!"

"Sorry, Dashie...." Fluttershy pouts a bit, then she smiles and gives her friend's muzzle a little kiss.

Small cyan wings stand up on end at the unexpected contact. "Flutter...wa-what was that for...?"

"I'm sorry..." She cuddles in closer.

Rainbow blushes from the contact and is about to tell her to get up and off her, but she can't bring herself to do it. If anything, she likes it, and wants to bask in it a bit longer. As well as that, to indulge her friend. So she just lets her, even trying to cuddle back.

"Okay… how about we give lessons a break for now?" Softly suggests the bold pegasus.

Fluttershy nods, more than happy to quit. "Sure! What do we do now?" She leans down and gives her small friend little kisses along her muzzle to thank her.

"Hey... Stopit! That tickles!" The stronger pegasus wriggles out from her companions grasp.

A little whimper escapes Fluttershy as she looks at her with a sad pout.

The cyan filly can't handle the hurt expression coming her way. "Look... I didn't mean it in that way..." She nuzzles back up against the sad filly. "What would you like to do, kissy?"

Fluttershy then smiles, cheered up and giggling. She brings her forelegs around her smaller friend and cuddles her, nuzzling her and kissing her cheek. "Hee... You're so cute, Rainbow! Um....I don't know...what should we do?"

"Me... No way..." She looks at the cuddly pegasus like she's crazy.

"Of course you are!" Fluttershy giggles, snuggling her more.

The bold cyan plush ball giggles softly, shaking her head. "As nice as this is pal, I would like to do something that is...you know... cooler... something that other foals won't kill me for."

A little pout forms at Fluttershy's lips. She doesn't want to let her go, given how wonderful and so right it feels to just sit there and snuggle her best friend. It was so cozy! Fluttershy shakes her head and holds her tighter, just simply relishing in their little snugglefest. "....No."

"Fine... I'll play cuddle the silly filly then..." A cheeky grin crosses her face.

"Yay! ...Um...and then after...we can...do something else, of course..."

"That's cool." A sneaky look arrives upon the cyan muzzle. "I can think of a few fun things... I am so getting you back for this, Fluttershy." She licks the adorable yellow nose that hangs in front of her.

As much as Fluttershy knows that she should be afraid of that, she finds that she isn't. After all, she knows better than to think Rainbow would ever hurt her. She giggles from the little lick, and then does the same in licking her friend's light blue nose. "Hee!"

"Oh you want some of that, huh. Lets try the coolest lick in all of Cloudsdale!" Declares the bold filly, puffing out her tiny chest.

"The coolest lick...?" Fluttershy tilts her head.

In answer, Rainbow Dash leans forward, licking her chops. "Yup. And you are the only filly who is cool enough for it..."

She gently comes into contact with the soft yellow coat her friend, tongue trailing all the way up the giggling filly's chin. With a expanding smile, she reaches the heating yellow cheek, ending the wet contact with a daring kiss to the muzzle.

Fluttershy giggles with glee, despite her immense blushing, and smiles. "Hee! Oooh, Dashie, that was pretty cool! Um....can I try?"

"Sure... If you think you can live up to my awesomeness."

"Well...I can't...I never could live up to your awesomeness...but I hope I can make it nice for you...as it was for me..."

The champion presents herself for contact. "Shoot."

"Okay..."

Fluttershy comes closer, trembling and hoping she would be doing it right. She leans in, her tongue hanging out. Eventually she makes it, gently licking along Dash's chin and mowing along upward.

Loud giggles escape the prankster as she wriggles around from the bizzare contact.

Smiling, seeing that she was at least doing a good job, Fluttershy continues her little licking trail. Eventually she comes up to her muzzle, aiming for her cheek, but her tongue very gently streaks across the corner of her mouth. Blushing, she tries to cover her error and goes for the cheek, giving it a kiss and then drawing back.

With an unreadable expression upon her small cyan face, Dash licks around her mouth, cleaning the embarrassing mistake. "Well..."

"...I'm sorry...."

A cheeky grin finds itself on the multi-coloured pegasus's face. "What for?" She dives into the larger filly, reaching out with small hooves, tickling the regretful filly.

"Wha-noooooooo!" Fluttershy squeals and laughs, wiggling from beneath her and squirming to try to get away. "Noooooooo!"

"Oh yes..." Her tormenter softly coos triumphantly, continuing her merciless attack.

"Nooooo! Stooooop!" Fluttershy squeals, still trying to squirm away.

The tiny terror burrows under her larger friend, gripping her strongly, still working furiously with one hoof as she softly nibbles and licks the exposed yellow underside of her friend's chin.

The larger filly rolls onto her back under the intense attention from her friend. More giggles escape the tormented filly as she continues to wiggle and squirm beneath her, her legs thrashing and kicking a bit. "Hee hee hee! Nooooooooooo!!"

The grinning trickster halts her work. "What? I'm sorry Fluttershy, I can't hear you over how cool I am..." Two sets of glimmering eyes meet as she runs a hoof along the spasming side of her victim underneath.

"Stoooop...." Fluttershy squeals, trembling a bit. "I surrender!"

"Okay. I'm cool." The prankster jumps off, still wearing a naughty look upon her face.

Fluttershy pants a bit, trying to get her breathing under control, looking toward her best friend. "...Um...now what?"

"Well... I think I'll let hot stuff here cool herself down." She pokes out a tongue, teasingly. "Then... I'll think of something cool." She settles confidently down upon the cloud.

Managing to get her breathing back to normal, Fluttershy settles her aching sides. The yellow filly manages to slowly stand up. She makes her way over to her companion, checking her over for a moment. She giggles pouncing on her, rolling them along the cloud until she successfully pins her.

"Hee! Come here, Dashie!" Fluttershy giggles, giving her little kisses again.

"Nooooo! Not this again!" Trying to fight her off, the bold filly accidentally rams her muzzle into her assailant.

Both fillies freeze, liplock was not what either was expecting.

Dash jumps away, blushing heftily. "L-lets not d-do that again..." She slowly backs away, unable to believe what had just happened. "That's like... eeewwww...."

Fluttershy looks away with a heated blush, wondering why she strangely disagrees with her companion about that. Why she just... liked it. She turns away, trembling a bit, both with shame and disappointment. 'I don't get it...why would I want it? She's my best friend! She didn't like it! I...I can't say that! No! Oh, Dashie...I'm sorry...'

A moment of total awkwardness passes, neither youngster willing to move a for fear that something else might happen.

The oddly shy filly turns to her blushing yellow companion. "Well... what would you like to do now Fluttershy? Anything. Just... not...that."

A small pout forms at Fluttershy's lips as she feels yet another dose of shame. "....You can pick what we do, Dash. I don't mind...it's up to you."

"Fine..." Taking control, the cyan filly strides forwards.

As if trying to sneak, she suddenly crouches down, slowly approaching her friend. Reaching out a strong hoof she bumps it against the yellow filly's shoulder. "You're it!" With a wisp of a spectral tail, she dashes off.

"Wha?" Fluttershy blinks, not quite registering what was going on. But once she did, she stood up. "H-Hey! That's not fair!" She chases after her, but not as fast, despite her advantage of having longer legs.

The young bundle of trouble leads her less athletic friend around the older foals playground. Loud encouraging shouts trail her as she easily evades the other filly.

"Come back here!" Fluttershy continues to give chase.

"No chance, kissy!" She loudly taunts as she runs along.

'Kissy? But why is she calling me that again? I thought she didn't like when I kissed her...' Fluttershy thinks, blinking as she trails after her faster friend.

The smaller filly stops, skidding her tracks as she turns to face her friend. "Gotcha!" Timing her leap, she propels herself right into the shy pegasus, knocking them both into their second filly pile for the day as she giggles raucously.

They come to a halt, Rainbow Dash on top. She gazes down into the softly giggling filly's eyes below. "See... Gotcha." She leans in and licks the protruding nose, smiling happily.

"You...you got me, yes..." Fluttershy giggles, beaming at her.

"Right... Now that everypony who's important around here knows just how awesome I am..." She quickly scans the area, noting the one pegasus in the vicinity. "Let's get back to the little fillies playground before the bell rings. I don't need to get you into trouble again." A naughty smile arrives once more as she gets off the giggler. "I'll save that for later..." She swaggers off, confident in her success.

"Um....but why can't we stay here?"

"Do you want to get into trouble?" She cocks her head, questionly, unable to believe her quiet friend might actually want to skip classes and be a naughty filly.

"...Well...you did say there are no bullies around this playground..."

"Yep. So I'll take you back here each lunch. Or do you want to skip class? It's boring anyway..." Sudden hope fills her cyan face.

Fluttershy wants to protest, but realizes that all they are doing in class are little reviews of the material, to which she herself was pretty much doing well in. But she also doesn't want to go to class all alone without her companion there with her. "...Um....well...I....I guess....?"

"You guess what? I'm only going if you are. Teach can just kick me out later. If he can get over my coolness." Her ego starts taking over, full force.

"....Most of the class doesn't show for reviewing, anyway..." Fluttershy reasons in a way she knew Dash would.

"Great! So we're staying here then?" She waltzes closer, grinning widely.

"Well, sure..." Fluttershy smiles a little, not entirely sure what she wants to do.

The tough youngster jumps on top, a sudden look of joy on her face. Once more she was ruling the town. She strokes a hoof along Fluttershy's side, coaxing a soft laugh out of her.

The bell rings but the speedster ignores it, leaning in closer. "So Fluttershy... Ever missed class before?"

"....No...." Fluttershy mumbles, burying her face in her neck.

"Well then... Now's a good time for us to start your lessons."

The bold filly leaps off her friend, finding a section of cloud on the smooth cloudturf. She digs into it, tearing small chunks off it.

"Oooh!" Fluttershy sees what she's doing, and immediately follows suit.

Despite the fact that she was vandalizing the padding on the practise course, Dash continues, piling up a heap of cloudstuff. "Right... now what would my Flutters like to build?"

Her friend looks indecisive for a moment. "Um....a bunny!" She grins, proceeding to do just that.

A cyan hoof places a block on the bottom, skillfully shaping it into a hind leg. Sticking her tongue out in effort, Dash continues, shaping the clouds quickly into what she imagines a bunny might look like.

"Is... that what it looks like?" Dash asks, shaping a set of fangs onto the misshapen creatures face.

The creamy yellow filly stares at her friend's creation while working on her own. She giggles, shaking her hread. "Silly Dashie! That's not a bunny! Bunnies look like this!" She indicates to her own cloud formation.

"Oh... where did you see that?"

"Books..." Fluttershy quietly replies, nervous.

"Oh... That's... cool I guess." Her expression tells the shy filly otherwise.

Taking on a sad look, Fluttershy looks away and smooths out her cloud formation back into the turf. She sits on her haunches and turns away, gaze downcast. 'What was I thinking....she doesn't like books or reading and I do...now she's never going to want to play with me anymore...' She becomes so absorbed in her own world, she fails to notice the odd look coming her way.

"What did I do?" Dash's defensive tone rings out across the silent practise course.

"Eep!" Fluttershy cowers and hides with her hooves over her head, shaking.

"Come on." She licks the quacking filly on the bridge of her nose, prompting her gently.

Fluttershy blushes, looking up at her. "Sorry..."

"What do you have to be sorry about?" Rainbow hair flicks to the side as the inquiring filly tilts her head to gaze at her companion in confusion.

"...Nothing..." The shy filly shakes her head, deciding not to delve any further into this. The last thing she wants to be considered an egghead to her best friend.

"Sure. Whatever... I'll go now then." She starts walking off, swishing her tail in aggravation.

"No!!!" Fluttershy wails, chasing after her and grabbing her tail with her mouth. "No! Please don't leave me here alone..." She whimpers. "I'm sorry!"

"Well? What does my coolest friend have to be sorry about?" She asks, wondering what is bothering the filly who is wrapping herself around the strong cyan forehooves.

"I made you upset....and want to walk away..." Fluttershy whimpers.

"Yea... Because you won't be cool and tell me what's wrong, silly filly." Cyan slowly approaches the unhappy bundle of yellow and pink.

"But...But... I....didn't want you to feel bad...for not knowing what a bunny looks like..." Fluttershy mumbles, only telling the half-truth. "I'm sorry, Dashie..."

"Me feel bad? Na... I had fun. Wanna make another cool thing? I can try something totally awesome this time."

Fluttershy smiles and hugs her filly. "Of course. I'm sorry I upset you..."

The cyan filly hugs back, rubbing her companion's back with a speedy hoof. "I'm fine Flutters. It's you who was upset." She pulls away, "wanna try and beat me this time?"

"Hee....You know I'm not going to beat you, Dashie." Says the taller filly.

"You can try." The bold one grins back, knowing that there is no way she can lose to her timid friend.

"Maybe, but I know better... I can't win.. so why don't we just make whatever we want and then we'll show each other what we did?"

"Sure. But I'm still going to make the cooler cloud thingie!" Cyan hooves wave in the air as Dash declares her clear as day objective, flapping her small strong wings to help carry her off to her own patch for cloud building.

"Of course you are," Fluttershy smiles, going to work on her own cloud-making formation.

Fast furious hooves work at skillfully forming a rough looking monster. The speedster grins down at her creation. After a moments careful contemplation she grabs another hooffull of cloud and shapes wings for her creation.

Fluttershy meanwhile makes a butterfly out of her clouds, humming sweetly to herself as she does so.

Cutting the silence into a million pieces, Dash calls out. "Done. Ready or not, here I come."

She bounds over to see what her friend has made. Her bold hoofsteps falter as she spots her friend's creation.

"What do you think? It's a butterfly!" Fluttershy explains cheerfully, showing it off.

"Oh... At least it has wings. It's cool. Kinda suits you." She smiles sincerely.

Fluttershy's happy smile falters. "...You don't like it, do you?"

"Stop being such a downer Fluttershy, of course your pal likes it." She wraps a comforting cyan hoof around the quiet mare's shoulders.

The smile returns. "Thank you, Rainbow! Yay! I....well, guess you're right, it does suit me."

"Now come... You gotta see what awesome thing I've made." Dash leads her friend off to view her creation.

"Oooh, what did you make?" Fluttershy asks, eagerly bounding into view of the small cloud sculpture. "...Eep!" Her eyes go wide. "A monster!!" She hides her face.

"Isn't it awesome!?!" Dash almost explodes with glee. "Check out it's wings!" She rushes across to show them off.

Gulping, Fluttershy looks at the cloud monster, trembling. "Well...it is certainly...creative and interesting...it suits you, Rainbow."

"Not really... I'm not big, mean and scary am I?" The disappointment rings clear in the sculptors voice as her expression droops.

"No! Never!" Fluttershy shakes her head, and embraces her companion. "I mean...well...just that this is the kind of thing you would find fun and awesome and so you created something out of that imagination and vision... You're not big, mean or scary..." She smiles, nuzzling her, planting butterfly kisses along her muzzle and nose. "You're small, funny and adorable."

"Getoff!" Dash giggles loudly, small cyan hooves flailing in the air.

"No!" Fluttershy giggles, cuddling and nuzzling her companion.

The sneaky rainbow-maned filly slips a hoof in, under the cuddling filly's defenses tickling her.

"Noooo!!" Fluttershy squirms away. "No!"

A laughing cerises eyed filly stops, rolling on top of her companion, gazing down into the equally glowing eyes of her companion. "Got you again Fluttershy."

"Hee...yes you did..." Giggles the happy yellow filly.

"How about you take me on a tour of the rest of the school. No pony else is around. I'm sure a filly like you will have found a few cool hiding spots from the mean bullies." She winks at her glowing friend.

"...Well...now that you mention it...yes..." Fluttershy says, shrugging a little and smiles, "I can show you my favourite one... I never told anypony else about it. But then again, who would I tell..."

"Me... because I'm awesome." Dash puffs herself up, ego overflowing. "Lead on Flutters my friend."

"Yes, you're awesome...." Fluttershy nuzzles her, "But it's because you're my best friend and I trust you. I want to share it with you, Rainbow..."

XXXXXXX

Rainbow and her friend walk around a corner to find two colts they really didn't need to meet.

"What are you punks doing out of class?" Dash asks aggressively, instantly beginning to slowly advance upon the duo in front of her.

"We could ask you two losers the same thing, Rainbow Crash."

"Do I need to smash you two again?"

"You didn't smash us you stupid filly," Hoops spits.

The colts continue to close in and Dash feels that Fluttershy has started shaking.

Light brown comes within pouncing range. With a breathtaking rainbow trail, the bold filly lashes out, smashing Hoops in the muzzle. Billy jumps in, assisting his friend.

In a flurry of angry filly, Dash lays into the pair as her friend hides. Fluttershy continues to cower until she feels a comforting hoof contacting her coat. She jolts in surprise, relief flooding her system at the sight of her defender.

"See… Told you I would protect you."

Little yellow forehooves envelop the bold guardian who is wearing fresh injuries. "R-Rainbow..."

"Ssssshhh..." She rubs the tearful filly's back strongly. "You're safe. I kicked their flanks. come on lets get out of here..." She prompts, eager to leave.

"Okay..."

Fluttershy allows her defender to lead her off. The two sneak around the passages, avoiding the still filled classrooms.

The shy pegasus gulps, summoning the courage to do what she has to do. "D-Dash..."

"Yes 'Shy?" The bold filly turns, facing her friend with an inquisitive look upon her face.

A yellow hoof points out the war wounds. "Y-you should go to the nurse... I-if you don't mind that is."

"I guess I should." The injured filly does her best not to show the pain as she examines herself. "But I don't feel that bad Fluttershy..."

A teary eyed filly embraces her defender. "Y-yes you are... It's all my fault too..." She cries softly into the rainbow mane.

"No it's not." She strongly established. "Look... how about I let you take me to the fixit pony and then we find something cool that an injured filly can do?"

"Okay." Fluttershy although still sad, starts to perk up at the mention of something helpful that she can do.

The two head off, ignorant of the fact that they still should be in class.


XXXXX



"So... What does big Miss awesome want to do?" The bold filly asks as the pair walk down the school corridors, heading away from the nurses.

"M-Me? But...Rainbow...you're the awesome one..." Fluttershy says, wide-eyed.

"Says you. I'm the stupid filly who just got my flank torn up by a bunch of flank holes..." Dash boldly turns to her companion.

The shy filly cringes as the rude words spill from her friend's mouth but is too shy to mention anything. "O-okay..."

"Look, I dragged you along to the big ponies course at lunch so its your turn to decide what we are going to do."

"Um…"

"What do you normally do, Fluttershy?" rainbow mane flicks to the side as its owner cockes her head in a cute inquisitive fashion.

"I… um… read…"

Rainbow gives her a brief look of unbelief. "You're an egghead?"

At that, Fluttershy's teal eyes pool with tears. This is what she's afraid of, admitting to her best friend that she likes reading. 'Now I'm never going to be cool to her! She won't want to play with me anymore, she's going to call me names and think I'm a nerd!'

Dash realizes her mistake, looking immensely guilty. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy! Please forget I said that. If...well, you like reading, that's, that's okay! I mean, I don't read and I think it's lame, but I guess if you like it...eh, I don't care. But I'm sorry. Forget I said that."

Dash holds out her forehooves, "come here." she offers a reluctant hug to her friend. Fluttershy lights up and wholeheartedly embraces her friend, enjoying the warm fuzzies that enter her small body.

"So, no more tears?" The cyan head pulls away to allow for unobstructed view upon the cute yellow filly in her grasp.

A soft nodding in the quiet is the bold filly's answer. Fluttershy finds herself content to simply cuddle with her injured protector, unwilling to leave the safety of her forehooves.

"Thank you, Rainbow..." The pink-maned filly whispers sweetly.

"Hay... it's no problem. So..." She is almost bouncing up and down with eager anticipation despite the hold upon her. "What do you want to do?"

Fluttershy bites her lip. She wants to say exactly what she wants to do, which is just to go to their room and snuggle up together on one of their beds. All warm and cozy, cuddling each other and occasionally saying cute and fun things, telling stories, all wrapped up in a blanket, and then maybe later falling asleep together to ward off the nightmares if they stayed that way for too long. But she knows that it's probably the last thing on Dash's mind. Especially with her bouncing. She sighs, deciding to think of some kind of a workable middle ground.

"Let's...um...do you like picture books? Colouring books? Drawing?" She says.

Outright confusion covers the bold filly's face. This was not what she is expecting to hear. Maybe something cute and cuddly. That could be awesome, if a little strange for the tomcolt filly. At the same time she had been hoping for something that could involve running around, being active. Maybe even getting to teach her friend some new moves.

But this... She simply stares at her friend, blankly. "Uh... okay." 'Why brain? I don't want to do that... it's boring...'

Fluttershy catches on, and sighs. "Never mind. I'll think of something else, then." 'Oh dear...do we really not like doing the same things?'

"Well what about flying? Or playfighting... or something more you... like..." She glances around, checking the coast is clear. "Snuggling. I thought would be your first choice..." She withdraws. "But if you want to look at picture books then I guess I can."

"But...that's the problem! That's I want to do..." Fluttershy sniffles. "You don't want to. You'd only do it for my sake...and I don't want you to do that... I want us both to agree on something."

"Who said I didn't enjoy cuddling up with the coolest pony in all of Equestria?" The spectrum rushes past Fluttershy's vision as the cool pegasus checks her surrounds once more. "Just don't let anypony else find out or I'm a dead filly."

As much as Fluttershy feels a little put down at having this be something of an embarrassing secret to Rainbow Dash, she can't help but feel at least little bit more happy to know that she does like to cuddle. "Rainbow, you know I won't tell anypony. Who am I going to tell?"

"Good. Yea... anypony would just think you were a crazy cute filly." She rubs up against her friend, "then after I've had a cuddle and let my pain go away, I can get back out there and practise to be the best flyer again."

"...And I'll be right there to watch you, Rainbow..." Fluttershy promises with a sweet smile.

"Watch? I'm still going to get my number one flyer out there too. I need somepony I can rely on."

"But...! Rainbow! I can't fly!" Fluttershy protests, looking sad again. "I'm only going to slow you down. I can't do that to you... I know how much you love to fly and the last thing I want is to ruin it for you... I appreciate your kind encouragement, but I can't fly. You know it."

"Yes you can. You just need to believe in yourself."

The genuine smile sends a rush to Fluttershys head. 'Maybe I can...?' She wonders, buzzing from the honest encouragement from her best friend. "...All right...I'll try." A shy smile covers her yellow muzzle.

"Great! Then I need some help from my best friend... you can help me heal by giving me the best cuddle ever." She gallops awkwardly off, poking her tongue out, back at her friend as she dashes up ahead to reach their room first.

A big, beaming, smile overcomes Fluttershy's face as she follows after her companion. "Of course, Rainbow... Now that, is something I can do for you."

"Come on slowpoke!" The energetic call from the cyan filly as she reaches the bedroom lends new speed to Fluttershy and she takes off after her.

Reaching the bedroom as well, Fluttershy closes the door behind them. She sees Dash already relaxed on her bed, looking ready for some nurturing. Which she herself is all too happy to provide.

"Righty fillyfriend, step right up. Come help the totally awesome Rainbow Dash!" She declares, stretching out.

"Of course, Rainbow...my wonderful fillyfriend ever...." Fluttershy giggles. She trots over, climbing onto the bed to get up next to her.

The cheeky young pegasus laughs. "Yes... Now..." She lifts her wings up, lying on her tummy to show off her small bandages on her back. "What can doctor 'Shy do for this?"

"Well..." Fluttershy laughs softly, snuggling up against her and gently rubbing her friend's back. "You're going to need a lot of cuddling...oooh...I'll even rub your back for you."

"Oh really? Well... I guess I can't argue with that then can I?"

"Don't you worry, my Dashie. I'll take good care of you and your hurts as best as I can," coos Fluttershy as she nuzzles her companion.

"Yea. And with your help I'll be in shape to teach those meanies a lesson or two." The defender triumphantly declares.

"Nooooo... Well, yes, but only if you must defend yourself. Until then, you just try to get better so you can fly and do tricks again, Rainbow."

"I'll show you a trick." Cheeky cyan hooves run along Fluttershy's underside, tickling her vigorously.

"Eee! Noooooo!!" Fluttershy squirms and wiggles, laughing.

"But you're so much fun!" Dash laughs. Her laughter is cut short as pain lances through her small frame. "Ouch!"

The room falls into a harsh quiet, with only the breathing from the hurt filly puncturing the stillness. "Stupid...bullies... Why couldn't they just go to class..." She grits her teeth, wishing the pain away.

"Awwww..." Fluttershy offers her some nuzzles, placing a hoof on her back to comfort her. "You know Rainbow... this might not have happened if you were in class today..." The worry in her voice does nothing to still her companion who simply shoots her a look of annoyance.

"Wouldn't have happened if I had to go to school... I could still be practising for the Wonderbolts with my brother Soarin'." She sulks, quietly facing the cloud wall.

The idea of that being a reality saddens Fluttershy as she looks down, beginning to tremble. If they hadn't come to school together, they might never have met. And wouldn't be here right now, each other's best friends, the only ponies they can count on. Social outcasts sticking together.

"....Rainbow...?" She manages in a shaky voice.

"Yes..." Ceries eyes spot the damage and her look of annoyance fades to mush. "Awwww... Fluttershy... I didn't mean it like that..."

Tears pool in Fluttershy's eyes as she snuggles more into her best friend, as if she would disappear, forever, if she let go. "I know... I just... As much as I sometimes wish I was never here... I remember that it's because I came here that I met you...and I'm so happy for that... I wouldn't change a thing... I can't imagine never knowing you, Rainbow... You're my best friend ever..."

"You're my best friend too Fluttershy. I'm..." Her voice falls into a soft, sacred whisper. "Well... I don't know what I'd do without you... Probably be still getting smashed at home... How about we run away someday. That would fix it."

"R-Run...Run away?" Fluttershy's eyes go wide at the prospect.

"Yes big filly. You know... Leave. It's not as if my family would care..." She crosses her forehooves, a sulk incoming fast.

"Yes they would...wouldn't they?"

The rainbow snorts. "Yea... about as likely as nightmare moon making peace with everypony. Not going to happen. They're all old farts. Only my bro is cool. But now, he just hangs with his cool marefriend."

It's all too much. Fluttershy begins to cry and holds on to her best friend tightly. She can't possibly imagine how much this must pain Rainbow Dash. But it hurts her so much to see her cherished friend stuck in such a situation. Sniffling, the creamy yellow filly holds her gently, careful of her wounds, and nuzzles her, even kissing her muzzle lightly and licking her face. "Oh, Rainbow...I'm so sorry..."

The smaller filly carefuly licks clean her caretaker's face. "No... don't be. It's only like they're my family. It's not like I need them..."

"But...you...." Fluttershy's lips quivered as she snuggled her more, trembling. "...Rainbow... You can be my family now... You and me...we can be a family... I'd always love you and would never leave you...ever..."

"You know... that does kinda sound... cool. No... super cool. Like... you dear  filly, have just made my life about 20% cooler." She grins her trademark grin at her friend.

"...Really?" Fluttershy smiled through her tears.

"Well yea. It would be nice to have somepony who actually cares I'm alive!" She motions wildly with her forehooves, showing off her point as best she can. "Do you have a cool family?"

"...Well...my parents do love me...and I'm sure they'd care... Yes... But...well...you're different, you're special...and my best friend..." Fluttershy nuzzles the small filly again. "You're my family now, too."

"Awesome. At least one of us has family like that."

"...If you want...you can come with me and my parents...they'd love you!"

"You took the words right out of my mouth Flutters." She grins contentedly at her glowing friend.

"Yay!" Fluttershy squeals with joy, peppering her friend's face with butterfly kisses and giving more snuggles.

This time, the strong filly simply accepts the offering of love, unused to it, but discovering it actually feels quite good.