Rainbow Dash lives an exciting life and is swiftly becoming the most daring, awesome pegasus in all of Equestria. She would gladly give it all up, though, just to confess her love to Applejack.
"And that's when Rarity basically just told me to my face that I'm an introvert!" Rainbow sputtered, pacing across the foyer to Fluttershy's cottage. "I mean, I dig the mare and all... but can you believe that? An introvert?"
"Uhhhhhhhmmm..." Fluttershy squirmed where she sat.
Rainbow spun to face her, blinking. "Are you for reals? You agree with that?"
"You've... always have been very... very selective when it came to choosing friends, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said.
"I had you as a friend throughout most of my foalhood, didn't I?"
"Well—"
"And we hung out tons! Tons, Fluttershy!"
"Mmmm... indeed." Fluttershy nodded. "And who else did we hang out with?"
Rainbow Dash opened her muzzle... but had nothing to say.
"Did you even show up when I was with my other friends at the time?"
Rainbow Dash winced. "You... you had other friends...?"
"Why, yes, Rainbow," Fluttershy said. "From my neighboring cloud, remember? Wing Singer? Comet Glide? Aerial?"
"But... but..." Rainbow gulped. "You were so... so shy at the time."
"Well, yes." Fluttershy nodded. "But I didn't have to talk much to hang out with them. They knew I was very nervous... fearful, even, and yet they allowed me to follow them around as they played games among the clouds. Of course, whenever they flapped their wings, I stayed behind at home. But still..." A dreamy sigh. "It was like... nice practice for when the day would come that I'd really be social. I knew that I wanted to have friends, but I just didn't know how to go about doing it... or talking to them for that matter." She giggled. "And as nice as my neighbors were, none of them ever defended me from a bunch of bullies."
"Fluttershy..."
"Or hugged me close and promised to protect me forever..." Fluttershy's eyes twinkled. "With loyalty and love—"
"Have I really... really been a loner all this time?" She gulped. "I mean... in Ponyville—heck—even back in Cloudsdale I was showing off all the time! Shouting and grabbing ponies' attention like I was using a megaphone to show off my awesomeness!"
"Rainbow Dash, you can enjoy drawing a crowd and still feel uncomfortable around company."
Rainbow Dash blinked at that.
"You had lots of ponies who admired you... who wanted to be you, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said. "But you only ever hung out with one pony." She blushed slightly. "Even at the time, I thought it was precious. You reserved your sincerest feelings and loyalties for one soul and one soul alone. It felt like being a friend to me took work, and I cherished you for it. That's why... that's why I hated myself so terribly for... for rejecting you." She gulped. "But I also knew th-that leading you on would only break your fragile... fragile heart..."
Rainbow shuddered. "You didn't need any help in doing that..."
"Well, looking back at that, I now realize what you mean," Fluttershy said. "Once you stopped hanging out with me, you immediately started hanging out with Listing. And after you cut yourself off from Listing, you spent almost all of your time with Gilda."
"Just moving from one 'happy' place to another," Rainbow muttered.
"But you did change, Rainobw," Fluttershy said. "You found company in... you know... your other friends. The ones from the music club you frequented?" She smiled. "Lyra Heartstrings... Bon Bon... Vinyl Scratch and Caramel—"
"Drinking buddies."
"Huh?"
"Drinking buddies, Fluttershy," Rainbow grunted. "Let's face it. That's all they are." A sigh. She stared forlornly at the floor. "That's all they've ever been."
"But they still filled a special niche in your heart."
"Only through means of convenience." Rainbow Dash rubbed her forehead. "Nnngh... even today... I only show up to hound them over... one stupid issue or another."
"And if they weren't happy to oblige with your troubles, then I'm certain they would say something."
"Rarity was right, I do like being alone a lot."
"Oh Rainbow Dash..." Fluttershy shook her head with a tender gaze. "That's not what she meant at all. I'm sure of it."
"But it's the truth, isn't it?" Rainbow frowned. "All I ever do in life is fly circles on my lonesome, trying to do stuff the hard way... my way." She gulped. "As if I'm challenging myself to endure longer and longer bouts of emptiness."
"You're here right now, aren't you?" Fluttershy said. "In my cottage? Talking to me? Asking for advice?" A wink. "If you ask me, I'd say you're trying to challenge yourself in another direction altogether."
"Yeah well, what's too little too late, huh?" Rainbow blinked. "You said it yourself. I like hopping from one friend to another. And that's using the word 'friend' lightly." She winced. "What if... what if all this time..." She clenched her eyes shut, sighing. "...Applejack has only been the next Gilda or Listing?"
"That's not even close to being true, Rainbow..."
"Yeah, and I can tell you why, Fluttershy." Her eyes reopened, soft and moist. "It's because I haven't bothered to break the mold and be open to her." A sniffle. "With all of my feelings exposed."
"Well, you've been burned before. Especially by Listing—"
"A lot of time has passed since then, Fluttershy."
"Well, we've broached this situation before, Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy narrowed. "And I thought you had taken the big step that you needed to."
Rainbow hung her head, shuffling slightly.
"Unless... unless now you're here to... resolve yourself to being Applejack's friend."
Rainbow Dash gulped. "Shouldn't I?"
"Is that what your heart desires, Rainbow?"
"Of course my heart desires more, Fluttershy." Rainbow looked up. "But that's not the point. I need to be better than that to Applejack... to all of my friends." She leaned forward. "I gotta start treating Applejack like she treats me."
"With love and respect?"
"With a different kind of love and respect. Then I can have the groundwork to... to..." Rainbow Dash bit her lip. "...to not go friggin' crazy if or when I gotta make the jump again." She shook her head. "I almost lost you once, Fluttershy. I... I-I don't want to lose you again." A sigh. "Or Applejack... or the others."
Fluttershy nodded. "I think I understand now, Rainbow Dash." A smile. "And I think I have an idea that can help us get on the right track."
"Huh...? What's that?"
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Appledashery.
"ITS ApPlEs RAINBOW, APPPPPLEEEES.
We keep hearing about Listing Breeze and how awful she was. I really want to know what it is that she did. Thus far, we've just been getting little pieces of the story.
Flutters: I'm going to tell Aj how you feel Rainbow.
Hahahahahha Flutters we all know you wouldn't do that.
Flutters: ...
F-Fluttershy?........ Shiz.
Oooh... Drama.
And as a full-blown introvert who feels absolutely terrified when so much as going to the toilet in public, I can fully relate to this chapter. I have close friends, and I have this confident act that is always on full display, but... I have always and will always much prefer to wallow in solitude.
6674193
If only...
Oh.. this should be good.
I find it so funny how seeing the name Comet Glide makes me so excited since one of my characters shares the same name, although its just coincidence
I would laugh so hard if Fluttershy effectively pulled a Tanks For The Memories moment, went up with RD to meet AJ and just spilled it all out right there and then. Just like...BOOM
and then cuddles n stuff
I still can't quite swallow the concept of Rainbow as an introvert, but still, I'm curious to see what comes of all this, and what Fluttershy has in mind.
6675147
I can't either, but considering this AU, it somewhat makes sense.
An introvert is defined as someone who's motivations and actions are directed inward rather than outward. Solitary actions are what is normally preferred, and someone who is introverted will also typically be someone who is easily preoccupied with their thoughts and feelings.
Sound familiar?
Also, introverts have an uncanny ability to act like extroverts at times. Or at least they have an easier time with trying to be than vice versa.
Canon RD from the show is most definitely not an introvert. Appledashery RD? Well...that can be debated.
6674324 Probably that's going to be the next arc.
Buck. Ive caught up...time to engross myself in work for another month so I have another thirty thousand chapters to read.
AND WILL SOMEPONY FOR THE LOVE OF LUNA FIX THE DISLIKE NUMBER!
Buck. Ive caught up...time to engross myself in work for another month so I have another thirty thousand chapters to read.
AND WILL SOMEPONY FOR THE LOVE OF LUNA FIX THE DISLIKE NUMBER!
6673483 Hahahaha, perhaps were just so deprived of Appledashery at this point our subconscious's are creating shipping where there is none.
Yeah I've noticed recently I'm a similar way, I think it's fairly common actually. Most people who don't know me well would think I'm almost entirely extrovert. A few very close friends however know that I'm actually much more introvert than extrovert. I can't tell if you're a master observationist of people, or you write about yourself, probably both, either way it's pretty much spot on.
Aw, I miss the drinking buddies. Been a while since we've had any substantial time with that gang.
I have always headcanoned rainbow das as an introvert. because i am an introvert and this chapter describes my personality exactly.
Rainbow, you...
You do know what "introvert" means, right?
Hang on, I thought she dated Listing after Gilda. It's why Gilda was so hurt.