A Friend in Need

[Silverwisp the Bard 2,353]

My first fanfic, hope you enjoy. Eager for criticism/questions/commentsA Friend in NeedThe house was easy to find. Unlike the other dozen or so cloud homes glistening in the golden rays of the setting sun, this one had been build in the pre-sororial style, with an angled roof, pillars and half reliefs showing birds of prey and the cloud and lightning emblem of the pegasus tribes of old.The visitor touched down with the most subtle of sounds. This was important: Most pegasi tended to touch down hard on clouds, relying on the soft surface to soften the impact, while others took pride in their ability to land absolutely soundlessly. The visitor’s way was actually a lot harder to achieve and the result of years of practice. It was calculated to announce one’s arrival in a nonthreatening way that reassured and soothed the hurt and the frightened. The visitor listened for a response, and when none came, entered.The living room was a mess, even though there wasn’t much to be made a mess of: Flying trophies and badges were strewn across the floor, an isolated flying suit with goggles and an ancient pegasi warhelmet lay on the cumulus that constituted a couch, half the floor was covered with dog-eared adventure novels. The only things that seemed to have escaped the devastation were the multicoloured gala dress and a series of framed photographs on a shelf. Tank the tortoise was trying to climb out of his coop, utterly unimpressed by the impossibility of the task.The visitor put down her saddlebag and listened again: There was a sobbing coming from behind the door leading to the bedroom. She walked over to the door in measured steps, like the touchdown, calculated to announce her presence without being intrusive. The sobbing stopped and was replaced by the silence of somepony listening.The visitor knocked softly on the door. ´Rainbow Dash, are you there?´No answer.‘I can come back later, if you want.´Again there was only silence from the other site of the door, but it was a silence she was used to: The silence of a proud, independent mind that had to be tricked into accepting help.‘I’ll get started on cleaning up then. I also brought tea, if you want some.’She was halfway through stacking the novels, when the bedroom door opened and Rainbow Dash entered. Her violet eyes were reddened and swollen from crying and her mane even messier than usual. Without saying a word, she picked up the flying suit and started folding it.They worked in silence, until they had returned the room the closest it had ever come to being tidy.Rainbow Dash went into the small kitchen and came back with two mugs she set down on the table in front of the couch.

‘Fluttershy, did Twilight send you?’Fluttershy took isolated bottle from her bag and filled the mugs with Pinkie’s Sugar Bomb Surprise. The stuff was so sweet, it technically wasn’t even tea anymore, but sometimes there simply wasn’t anything better. She decided that the truth was the way to go. ‘Well yes, she asked me to check on you, because you seemed upset about something.’Rainbow Dash snorted. ‘That’s so Twilight.‘

But Fluttershy could see tears glistening in her friend’s eyes. She fished a handkerchief out of her bag and handed it to Rainbow. ‘Do you want to talk about it?’Rainbow Dash blew her nose noisily, took a small sip of tea and stared into her mug for a while. Then, like a dam bursting, the words started pouring out of her. ‘ I- I was taking Tank to her to renew his cloudwalking spell. And I wanted to ask her, if she wanted to go to Cloudsdale with me for the weekend, because the museum there is having an exhibition on ancient Pegasus history and I got some free tickets, ‘cause they found out, that my family goes right back to Commander Tempest.’Fluttershy nodded, she knew that Rainbow was proud of being descended from such a famous hero.‘What happened then?’‘I- I was going to ask her, but she had some friends over from her old school in Canterlot and they were talking about one of their classmates, who invented a new spell or something. And I tried to change the subject but Twilight just kept going on about how smart the guy is and how cute he is and how she always had crush on him. And then she asked, if I wanted to come to Canterlot with her to visit him-’ Rainbow’s voice stopped. Then she burst into tears and buried her head in the cloudFluttershy reached out with her front leg and pulled her friend’s head to her shoulder. ‘Don’t’, Rainbow protested meekly. ‘I’ll get you all icky.’Fluttershy smiled. ‘I run an animal shelter Dash, I’ve had far worse.’For quite some time they just lay on the couch, Fluttershy gently stroking the sobbing Rainbow Dash’s mane, while the shadows wandered over the walls and ceiling.When the tea had long gone cold, Rainbow lifted her head, blew her nose again and looked at Fluttershy. ‘Why can’t she see? I mean, she’s a genius, right?’ She pointed to Tank’s flying harness that lay in a corner. ‘She drew the plans for that thing up in one afternoon and there was more math on there than I’ve ever seen in my life. How can she be so smart and so damn stupid at the same time? How come she doesn’t notice? You noticed.’Fluttershy felt the beginnings of a blush. ‘Well, I guess I’m just a bit more experienced at noticing these things than twilight is.’Rainbow cracked a little smile, then she rolled over on her back and starred at the ceiling. ‘You know, I’ve thought about just telling her, but she’d probably just look for a book called “Being lovelorn for Beginners” or something.’Despite herself, Fluttershy chuckled. This did sound like something, Twilight would do.“Fluttershy, I don’t want things between Twilight and me to change. She’d just try to fix it and that would only make it worse. I don’t want her to be upset.’Fluttershy looked at her friend. ‘You know Rainbow? You’re probably the bravest pony I know. ’Now it was Rainbow’s turn to blush. ‘Well you know me: Always being awesome. ‘Fluttershy started repacking her bag while Rainbow trotted into the bathroom and, by the sound of it, stuck her head directly in the raincloud that hovered there.When she returned she was flying and using her front legs to dry her mane with a towel.‘Thanks for stopping by Fluttershy, want me to come along and help you tuck in the chicken or something? ‘‘Oh, that’s quite alright. I’ve had them go to bed early, before I came over here. But I have some baby bats, who need flying lessons, if you’re interested. ‘Rainbow’s eyes lit up. ‘Am I? Race you to your cottage! ‘And with that she was out of the door racing towards the distant forest.Fluttershy smiled to herself, put on the saddlebag, stopped for a moment to pet Tank on the head and swooped out of the door into the darkening sky, following her friend. 

Disclaimer/Clarification: I do not think, that my story's interpretation of Rainbow Dash's sexuality is valid and I doubt it will ever be addressed in the show (I don't think theres actually any need to). I just thought it would make for a good story.

Edited December 30, 2012 by Silverwisp the Bard

[SweetJeans88 408]

The visitor touched down with the most subtle of sounds. This was important: Most pegasi tended to touch down hard on clouds, relying on the soft surface to soften the impact, while others took pride in their ability to land absolutely soundlessly. The visitor’s way was actually a lot harder to achieve and the result of years of practice. It was calculated to announce one’s arrival in a nonthreatening way that reassured and soothed the hurt and the frightened. The visitor listened for a response, and when none came, entered.

 

 

 

im helping! dont be offended

 

first off, dont tell me its tricky to land that.. whats he thinking whilst shes doing it? (sorry i like 3rd person omniscient)  maybe he measures her wings beats.. 1, 2 3... her hoofs graced the soft clouds, barely a sigh....escaped? as she landed, perfect as always.  

 

the bold line feels line youre talking directly to me as a reader, which yanks me out of the story you so carefully tried to pull me into.

 

but i enjoyed the story, im always a sucker for a softie rainbow dash.  its short but sweet x3

 

ill continue to other paragraphs if you want?

Edited January 18, 2013 by SweetJeans88