The next morning Fluttershy woke up feeling like she had not slept at all. As she attempted to get up her hooves felt like they were filled with lead, she, embarrassingly, fell over onto her side as she lost her balance. Standing at the bedroom door she was extremely confused as to waht happened. She remembered practicing for five hours last night and then sat down for a moment. Fluttershy grasped with what must have happened. Rainbow Dash must have picked her up and brought her to the bed.
Her eyes shot to the door as she saw something out of the corner of her eyes. Standing there was Rainbow Dash who laughed at the sight of Fluttershy actually falling of the bed.
"What were you doing out there last night I found you on the ground sleeping in the weirdest position," Rainbow dash said as Fluttershy's mind raced. She couldn't tell Dash the truth yet, she wasn't ready.
"I was, watching the stars," She made up as she put on her most innocent face, but couldn't hide a light blush. Rainbow Dash quickly took the excuse at face value and walked out of the room.
After Rainbow Dash had left the room Fluttershy counted herself lucky that Rainbow Dash trusted her almost completely. 'You need your sleep still,' the now relatively familiar voice told her in her head.
'I know, I was just to busy to sleep last night, I had to get that trick down...' the pink maned Pegasus pony answered sharply to the voice in her head. After she answered herself she worried what she was becoming. She never would have snapped at anyone like that before.
'You're becoming more confident,' Fluttershy's unconscious answered her.
=======
After eating a quick breakfast, Rainbow Dash said to Fluttershy, "I'm going to be going into Ponyville; you however will be staying here. You are way too tired to fly right now. I think you would be dangerous to yourself, and me."
Hearing this made Fluttershy's face blush again as she realized that even if it was just as a friend, Rainbow Dash did care about her. It was a start hearing her concern, "Fine, if you want me to I, will stay here," Fluttershy's whispery voice said.
Rainbow Dash just gave a quick smile without reading into Fluttershy's last statement at all.
=======
As soon as Dash was gone Fluttershy went outside to the training ground. She slowly stretched out her wings from her delicate yellow frame before touching the tips to each other above her head in a classic stretching technique. After a few more stretches she reared up on her back legs and kicked of the cool surface cloud surface, as she was sent high into the air. Her wings keeping her momentum she immediately did a barrel roll and followed that up with a quick flip to turn her momentum from upwards to downward.
For the next three hours she practiced everything from quick turns, to barrel rolls. Her loops soon resembled perfect O's and her turns could happen on a dime. However it came at a price. Fluttershy's entire body felt as if it was being licked by hot tongues of flames searing through her muscles. After she stopped her last flip turn she landed heavily and walked back to the house. Her normal hoofsteps replaced with heavier ones, stronger one's. At the moment, she was to tired to muffle the steps, plus the clouds did it for her.
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In the evening, Rainbow Dash finally came back and looked at the dinner Fluttershy had whipped up waiting on the table. Fluttershy quickly said, "Since you seem to be to busy to cook, I did it for you."
"Thank you Fluttershy. I really am sorry I couldn't spend more time here. Unfortunately, recently the clouds have really been a nuisance and I might be gone like this more often. I know for sure the next week will be hectic to say the least." Dash explained to the Fluttershy who listened attentively.
'Well that makes things easier to hide,' she thought to herself as Dash told her she would be gone more often then not. 'Now I can continue getting ready to help Dash.' A sharp pain shot through her back, but it only strengthened her resolve, she continued talking to her own mind, 'no matter how much it hurts I will help her.' She said as the flames of fatigue and pain continued to lap at her wings and chest, but all that she showed was a wince every so often which Dash didn't see as she dug into the stew Fluttershy had made.
=======
That night the dreams returned stronger then ever, but this time in a different way. Fluttershy was in the flying stadium in a matching outfit as Rainbow Dash, they both kicked of and did a quick loop around each other. Flying straight up Fluttershy looked to her partner as the blue Pegasus looked back into those gorgeous eyes. They smiled in their moment of bliss before they came together and hung there motionless as they buried their wings against their side. Soon they pulled into a tight embrace as they started the dive down to Equestria. They got closer and closer as they picked up speed. They finally separated and unfurled their wings flapping them so furiously a high pitched whistling could be heard then a loud bang filled the air as Rainbow Dash went into her sonic Rain-boom. "Come on almost there!" Fluttershy yelled at herself, as the dull cone of air started to form around her, still gaining speed it sharpened until eventually a second bang was heard. She had did it, Fluttershy had done a sonic rain-boom however as she looked to her wings to check everything was ok. She was shocked to see her own feathers being ripped of, her skin slowly started to peel back and her wings steadily tore themselves to pieces. She woke up right before she hit the ground.
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Panting Fluttershy jolted straight up on the cloud beneath her. She knew that it was just a bad dream but she couldn't calm herself down. Fluttershy sat there for a minute before she thought about if that's what had happened to her, what happened to Rainbow Dash. She jumped up and flew down the stairs to find a white note hanging on the wooden door that read, 'Dear Fluttershy. I'm in town again, cya later. Sincerely, your friend, Rainbow Dash.' She relaxed slightly before remembering that she had to practice still.
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The rest of her days started to pass with more or less of a constant pattern. Her dreams now always involved Rainbow Dash. She found the same note on the door 99% of the time. After a quick breakfast she would go out to the training fields and fly until she couldn't any longer. It was hard work keeping awake for long enough, and even harder still, to keep improving. Finally Fluttershy thought she was ready and walked downstairs one morning earlier then usual.
=======
"Oh hey Fluttershy, your up early this morning, is something on your mind," Rainbow Dash asked curiously as she stretched her wings getting ready to go. Her hoof reached to the door and took of the note since Fluttershy saw she was leaving.
"Actually Dash, I really need to show you something, outside, if you wouldn't mind," Fluttershy said in her quiet voice, yet inside of it was a strange new tone, a tone of confidence. She knew she could do this.
Rainbow Dash smiled and followed her friend saying, "You know, I guess I could take a break, since the trouble was said to have ended yesterday."
=======
Fluttershy opened her mouth and with her slightly new voice she told the rainbow maned Pegasus in front of her, "While you were gone I really missed you so I picked up a hobby." Without saying another word she kicked of like she had practiced so many times by now. She rose and did five quick barrel rolls before leveling out. Her wings snapped to her side as she dropped straight towards the solid cloud and right before impact Dash gasped afraid for her friend realizing what she was trying to do. Fluttershy's wings opened perfectly and she glided at such a speed that directly below her the cloud surface was nothing but a smooth white blur. Her wings tilted slightly as she sailed into a perfect loop and turned around with a sharp corkscrew. She finished of with another loop and landed in front of Rainbow Dash softly and gracefully.
Rainbow Dash didn't say anything she just stared, her mouth wide open at her friend. Fluttershy's face got redder and redder as the seconds dragged into minutes before finally Dash raised her front left hoof and pointed towards the sky, "how did you do that? When did you? wh, h, eh?" Her questions became noncoherent as she continued to stare agape before finally snapping out of it. "That was amazing Fluttershy, I never knew, who taught you?" She asked curious.
"Um, I taught myself," Fluttershy said timidly her cheeks still resembling red roses.
Rainbow Dash just stared and slowly took in what her friend had just told her, "you taught yourself how to do all of that," Dash was obviously extremely impressed.
Regaining her normal demeanor Rainbow Dash just said, "impressive." Dash's mind was somewhere else; after a awkward few seconds she said, "hey I still need a partner for the upcoming contest in about two weeks, will you help me, I got the perfect routine, but the thing I need most, is simply a good trustable partner next to me."
Fluttershy opened her mouth and squealed softly in her excited voice, "Oh Dash, I would love to help you." Her cheeks had only gotten more crimson from the exchange beneath her voice was something deep, hope.
"Great, how about we start practice today?" Dash asked, her excitement burning bright in her eyes.
"Ok Dash, i'll do whatever you want me to," Fluttershy muttered under her breath.
Rainbow dash explained, "OK, the first thing we will do is a synchronized take of, then we do a loop around each other before heading straight up and spinning around each other. Afterwards the plan is to fly away from each other, do a quick flip turn before flying towards each other. When we fly past each other we will both pull up as fast as we can and rise into the sky. After that, I will teach you how to do a Sonic Rain-Boom.
Fluttershy, I really can't think of a better Pegasus then you to learn it, I mean you worked so hard, I can't imagine what could drive you to practice that much."
Fluttershy said kindly, "love" before she realized that she had voiced her thoughts out-loud. She bit her upper lip so hard that she squealed in surprise at the force.
"What do you mean, 'love'?" the blue Pegasus asked confused as ever as she hovered in the air, her wings flapping at a constant steady pace.
"Oh, um, the love of flying, and you of course," she replied, even more embarrassed then ever.
"Ok then, how about we get started?" Dash said eagerly, as she landed and got into position. Fluttershy's head bobbed up and down slightly. "On the count of three. One, two, three!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she kicked of fiercely. Together they rose into the air, and as they did so. Fluttershy's heart skipped a beat as she realized how far she had gotten.
'Perhaps it's not impossible,' she thought to herself before she came back to reality and focused on flying.
=======
That entire week was filled with hardships, as they slowly perfected everything in their routine. It seemed like every other day Rainbow Dash would add something new and flashier to the routine. But the main event was still going to be the double sonic rain-boom.
The enxt week Dash stopped Fluttershy right as she was about to kick of. Rainbow Dash put her hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder and told her, "I don't think you get how far you've gotten do you? It's time to learn the sonic rain-boom."
"Um, if you think I'm ready," Fluttershy's whispered voice replied as a fierce blush erupted in her cheeks.
=======
The next solid hour was spent. Slowly Rainbow Dash taught Fluttershy every single thing about the sonic rain-boom that was related to how to pull it off safely. But more importantly, how to properly pull out of it; "the one thing you should never do," Dash lectured to the pink Pegasus, "is open your wings straight out, you will slow so quickly that your wings could get permanently damaged, even torn of some say. Now shall we?" Fluttershy again nodded her head ever so slightly.
Dash's mane and tail swayed in the air as she casually climbed to a higher altitude with Fluttershy beside her. Getting ready Rainbow Dash put her wings near her back, exactly as she had instructed Fluttershy to do. Dash flew towards the ground as her wings beat faster then most Pegasi would have even thought possible. As Rainbow Dash got closer and closer to the ground a whistling started and steadily got louder and was soon high pitched enough and loud to make Fluttershy uncomfortable.
Fluttershy continued watched her flying partner pick up even more speed. All of a sudden a bang came from Rainbow Dash as she broke the sound barrier. The gorgeous shock-wave and rainbow that the trick left behind stunned Fluttershy as she watched the pegasus quickly pull up by adjusting her wings ever so lightly, causing her to sail into a magnificent loop. Rainbow Dash soon, started to slow down by going straight up. The Rainbow Pegasus shot up past Fluttershy and slowly flew back down to her. Dash smiled at the rainbow she had left behind before turning to Fluttershy and saying, "don't worry you'll do fine."
After a long pause and a single deep breath Fluttershy brought her wings close to her back as she took a nose dive faster then she ever had before. Her yellow wings beating the air to propel her even faster. She smiled as the heavy wind tried to push her back, but her desire pushed her onward and she went ever faster. The tell tale whistling came but it didn't get much louder. Fluttershy beat her wings as hard as she could but she soon realized exactly how close she had gotten to the ground, and pulled up right before she impacted.
She flew up with her speed back to Rainbow Dash. Her face hidden by her mane she frowned slightly thinking to herself, 'of course you can't do it...'
"That was good, really," Rainbow Dash said. Despite her words, her voice had an obvious dissapointed tone. Dash looked at Fluttershy's disappointed face and asked, "how about we try again later?" Dash's face soon changed, her lips turned upwards and she told Fluttershy, "You remember how I needed your cheering to help me, maybe I should cheer you on?"
Laughing lightly Fluttershy readied herself again as Rainbow Dash inhaled a large amount of air. She was of again her wings beating as quickly as she could but it still wasn't fast enough. She knew Rainbow Dash was cheering but she couldn't hear it over the wind and the whistling. As she neared the ground again she knew she couldn't do it. She pulled up at a more reasonable distance this time. Her head hung deeply as she flew back up to Rainbow Dash. "I'm sorry, I can't do it," Fluttershy said a twinge of depression in her voice.
"It's ok we can try again tomorrow," Rainbow Dash said smiling. After the hard day of practice they finally landed softly and walked back to the house. "There's still another week until the competition begins," Dash reminded her in a cheerful tone, "I'm sure you won't let me down."
=======
The next morning as Fluttershy walked down the stairs she saw Rainbow Dash waiting downstairs. As Rainbow Dash saw Fluttershy, the Rainbow Pegasus covered her face and asked kidnly, "are you ready?"
Fluttershy nodded as they departed the house. Their practice went on from dawn to dusk. Each and every single attempt failed, it seemed Fluttershy, despite her progress, would never be able to do it.
=======
After they had finally gotten back to Dash's house Fluttershy commented how she didn't feel tired that day and told Dash she wanted to keep going. But Rainbow Dash told her she still had to go to bed after eating and washing herself. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash laughed as Dash's little speech reminded them of their mothers.
=======
That night as Fluttershy sat in the large warm bath of water. She closed her eyes until she heard the wooden door creak slightly. Her eyes popped open and she saw Rainbow Dash come in. "Oh, hey Fluttershy, the other bath is not working so, can I share this one with you?" she asked nonchalantly as her mane blew over her face.
Fluttershy acknowledged Dash with a quick nod of her head. Dash slowly stepped in the warm water, sighing in pleasure as the warmth took away the aches of that days practice. Rainbow Dash looked up and saw Fluttershy doing the same. They looked each other in the eyes and they smiled. They didn't talk they just looked at each other. Dash blushed slightly as something seemed to flicker in her eyes. Quickly the rainbow Pegasus announced that she was going to bed. She climbed out and didn't even dry herself of as she went up the stairs noiselessly and closed her door.
=======
After about ten more minutes Fluttershy got out, looking at herself she smiled and decided the cloud would dry her and went straight to bed. That night the dream was completely realistic. She could see everything and feel everything, even the texture of Rainbow Dash's tongue. She could taste it and yet at the same time she enjoyed the pure bliss of the moment. The tongue tasted like the most sweet and delicious treat she ever had. But what truly made it heaven was when Rainbow Dash whispered in her ear, "I love you." Fluttershy woke up with tears welling up in her eyes. They overflowed and she started to cry silently, her entire body shaking. For she knew it was only a dream, and nothing more.
=======
After three more days Fluttershy still claimed she did not feel tired. To a certain extent this was true as her love continued to make her try harder constantly. Yet no matter how close she came, no matter how high she started from, she could never seem to do it. Then two days before the competition Fluttershy was getting ready for yet another go.
Rainbow Dash put her hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder lightly and turned her around. She looked Fluttershy in the eyes. She leaned in and hugged Fluttershy tightly as Fluttershy's entire face went completely red. Time seemed to slow down to Fluttershy.
"That is for trying so hard, but you don't have to try anymore. We both have seen you can't do it, I'm sorry. We'll just cut the sonic rain-boom out, OK?" Dash said still smiling and holding Fluttershy at arms distance as they landed on the cloud.
Fluttershy went completely silent as she realized what had happened. She had failed Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy felt the same force that drove her to stand up to the dragon, along with the cockatrice; flowing through her. Fluttershy said to her, "I won't ever let you down Dash." She slowly pushed herself away from Rainbow Dash and her wings flexed strongly, causing her to ascend.
=======
As she approached the proper height she locked her wings near to her back as she had done a hundred times before, her form was perfect and she finally had found what she needed. Her wings worked so quickly that it was only a blur even to Dash as she watched with amazement. The wind buffeted her face and body like tiny little razor sharp knives cutting into her. Fluttershy's eyes furrowed deeply. She knew even with this speed she still wouldn't make it. Somehow she managed to make her wings go even faster. The whistling soon grew so loud she was deafened by it. A single loud pop and then immediately afterwards a thunderous bang shocked the area as Fluttershy's speed increased immensely, behind her the most beautiful rainbow was left and she quickly flew into a dozen barrel rolls and a extremely tight loop. With the remaining speed she launched herself up onto the cloud again. A minute later she flew down slowly and stood next to Rainbow Dash triumphantly. Her head was held high as she smiled at Rainbow Dash's shocked face.
"Fluttershy, you did it..." Dash managed to say quietly still in shock.
Fluttershy blushed and responded simply with, "I guess I did." Directly afterwards, Fluttershy's knees buckled under her own weight. Her eyes shut as a pain like none other rocketed through her entire body. As she hit the soft clouds she lost consciousness, simply as a way for her mind to protect her from the pain. The last thing she saw was Rainbow Dash's face leaning over her.
=======
"Where, where am I?" Fluttershy asked out loud, as she felt a soft and warm bed beneath her. She opened her eyes, but all she saw was black. Scared out of her mind, her hooves shot up to feel her eyes and found out there was just a blindfold on. She took it of cautiously, not wanting to be blinded by any bright lights. As she did so she saw the hospital she was in only a short four weeks earlier with the exact same doctor. Standing next to her bed with the clipboard again. She took a deep breath as she calmed her neverse. The doctor waited a minute before he cleared his throat.
"Well Ms. Fluttershy, welcome back. Let's cut to the chase, shall we? You practiced so hard, and so fast that your legs collapsed, your spine caved inwards on itself slightly due to the acceleration you put it through, but worst of all is your wings. Your wings bones have become brittle from so many powerful forces acting on them. Again, you truly are one lucky mare to still be alive. Your friend Ms. Rainbow Dash brought you here, yet again. So you need to thank her, again.
You will not be able to fly for today, and you have to get a large amount of bed rest, after a few days, you should be good to go. However please promise me that after today you will more careful, and that trick of yours, the sonic rain-boom; You cannot do that for another month, or we might have to amputate your wings next time..." Doctor Card said frowning, his face wrinkled with worry. "I suggest you stay here for the night, is that ok with you?" He suggested in his old kindly voice.
"If you think I should, then I'll listen," Fluttershy's timid voice said as she smiled at the doctor looking like a perfect little patient. Her smile seemed angelic as she laid back and closed her eyes. Satisfied Doctor Card called in a nurse unicorn. She was pretty, her blue mane and tail swayed lightly as the doctor whispered something in her ear. Directly afterwards the nurse and doctor began to leave the room.
As Doctor Card turned of the lights Fluttershy found herself unable to move. she had planned to sneak out of the room, and then fly to Rainbow Dash's place. Walking back in the room smiling, Doctor Card turned on the light as he said, "oh, yes, by the way; I had one of my assistants cast a spell on you. We don't want you injuring yourself now do we?" He walked out turning of the lighst again leaving Fluttershy alone in the dark room. Fluttershy struggled for a little while and as she did so, somehow the spell seemed to drain her own energy. Her body soon became motionless as she became to tired to fight.
Fluttershy knew she could not get out that night. Her eyes drooped slowly at first and then more quickly until they were completely covered by her eye lids. She quickly started to fall asleep until she heard a creaking as if a window was being opened. Scared she didn't dare open her eyes. She felt somepony's hooves lean on her bed. Fluttershy's ears twitched ever so slightly as she heard Rainbow Dash whispering in her ear, "sweet dreams." Rainbow Dash leaned in quickly, putting her delicate lips on Fluttershy's cheek before climbing back out the window and closing it silently.
A tiny smile formed on Fluttershy's face, but as she went to feel her now tingling cheek she remembered it was hopeless, she was bound there. Her last thought as her mind drifted of to unconsciousness was, 'I love you Rainbow Dash, and no matter what I will always try for you,' and she knew it was true. It was odd to accept that fact, that only a month ago her mind tried to buck off that fact.
=======
The warmth of Celestia's bright sun shone through. A single shaft of light reaching Fluttershy. Her eyes opened lazily. As soon as her eyes focused she saw the doctor already standing over her, at a very uncomfortably close distance.
Her eyes jolted wide open as her thoughts turned to what had happened the last night and a deep blush followed immediately afterwards.
Doctor Card looked in the direction of Fluttershy. "So your awake already, huh?" he said seemingly entertained by something he wasn't sharing. "How was your night Ms. Fluttershy?" he asked grinning sheepishly.
"Oh, it was nice," Fluttershy responded, not saying anything more.
"I bet it was," he said smiling at Fluttershy before asking, "you love her don't you?"
"What do you mean, who?" Fluttershy stuttered, trying to act dumb. Her face turning a bright shade of red that resembled the skin of a cherry.
"Ms. Rainbow Dash of course," he said more quietly, all the while stifling a small laugh, "she is quite a mare isn't she."
"Yes, she is," Fluttershy said absentmindedly; her hooves quickly covered her own mouth, and her entire face soon looked as if it was going to explode from blushing so much..
Not chasing the subject any further, the doctor handed Fluttershy the clipboard and a pen before asking, "your not going to listen to me about not doing that trick are you?"
"I am going to listen, unless Dash tells me to do it," Fluttershy said, whispering the last part as she signed the clipboard with her elegant script.
"That's what I thought. Well I can't stop you but I just hope that you reconsider. Or you may be in here for a much longer time. I also suspect that stay may not be as pleasant a visit as this time," his voice turned from a friendly one to one of deadly seriousness as he issued his warning.
After a few seconds of letting the words sink in the doctor went back to his normal demeanor and stood aside showing the door, "well you are free to go Ms. Fluttershy, and as always, I hold my patients confidentiality close to my heart. Please be careful, and as always, have a nice day."
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Walking into the warm morning air made Fluttershy feel alive again, she stretched her wings and felt they were still slightly sore. She made a few slow experimental flaps of her wings before she saw Rainbow Dash sitting under a tree nearby. She was absentmindedly looking up at the sky. However as she heard Flutterhy's hoofsteps in the silent morning she smiled. "Hey Fluttershy over here!" Dash called loudly as she lifted her right front hoof beckoning Fluttershy towards her. Walking towards her, Fluttershy remembered the previous night, and yet again, her face's color soon resembled a strawberry. "So how are you Flutter?" Dash asked her curious, she completely ignored Fluttershy's bright blush as a blush developed on Rainbow Dash's cheeks.
"Um, I think I'm good enough to fly, can we go home please?" Fluttershy asked, a small smile appearing on her face as she flapped her wings in a form of challenge.
Grinning back at the pegasus beside her Rainbow Dash lowered her body close to the ground. Her mouth opened slightly as she said, "ready, set, go!" On go her body lurched forward as her legs flexed strongly sending her flying over Ponyville, Fluttershy emulated the movement exactly. For about two seconds they were neck and neck before Rainbow Dash grinned and put on an extra boost of speed sending her far ahead of Fluttershy.