Fluttershy was walking through Ponyville. She went about her business; she had to stock up on food for the animals that would be hibernating this winter. She walked leisurely, making sure not to bump into another pony. It's a beautiful day, she thought; the sun was still warm, even if it was autumn, and the sky was clear for the first time in weeks.

As she turned a corner, she heard familiar voices. She quickly hid behind a building. Wait I can't eavesdrop on them, it was a bad thing to do. But still her fear locked her in place

“...Help her. It’s eating her inside. She doesn’t have enough courage to talk to her. She’s scared.” Wait is this Rarity’s voice? Who is she talking with? Who is she talking about?

“I know. I have known since she was a filly...” the other voice was definitly male. But who did it belong to? She knew she knew it, but couldn’t recall who it belonged to.

Wait a minute, they aren’t talking anymore. She managed to gather the courage to look around the corner... to find herself staring in bright green eyes.

EEP!

She quickly dove down, covering her head with her hooves. She heard a laugh, but not a mocking laugh; it was a happy, good natured laugh she knew well. A smile crept back on Fluttershy’s lips and her head shot up. She took a quick glance at the pony before her; it was a tall light blue stallion, he had messy dark blue mane that stopped just before hiding his green eyes. He had a smug grin she would recognize everywhere.

“Storm!” she jumped and gave him a hug. Rarity was behind him with a dumbfounded look on her face seeing her timid friend so affectionate. “Hum... sorry.” Fluttershy quickly let the stallion go and gave a sheepish smile to Rarity. Fluttershy was blushing, partially because of the attention, more because of her outbreak of joy.

“So I take it you know Storm Dash. Well I should’ve known since you knew Rainbow since you were a foal, it’s only normal you know her brother.” She smiled at Fluttershy, who simply blushed harder and tried to hide behind her mane.

“Now now, what did I say about hiding those beautiful eyes.” Storm Dash gently pushed back her mane revealing an even redder pony under it. Rarity thought that she couldn’t possibly get any redder. A devilish grin appeared on her face.

“I don’t believe it’s you she wants to hear it from.” She walked toward Fluttershy with her normal grace. Fluttershy did get more flustered and red. Rarity wondered if she would glow if she got any more red.

“I don’t believe it either.” He had his trademark grin plastered on his face. “I think I will leave you girls alone, I already have a date with the stupidest mare in town.” He looked at Fluttershy, who had her mouth opened as if to say something, and gave her a wink. He took off in a blue blur leaving a dark blue trail behind.

“Now, Fluttershy we have things to discuss.” The shy pegasus turned slowly toward her white unicorn friend and seeing her eyes and her grin, she made a very courageous squeak.

--------------------------

Storm flew at breakneck speed toward the edge of Ponyville. After only a few seconds of flight, he saw his destination, a small cloud villa with a rainbow fall. He aimed directly for the door and stopped dangerously fast mere inches before barrelling through it. He quickly regained his balance and raised his hoof to knock. But before he could the door opened on a familiar looking rainbow-maned Pegasus.

“You.” she sounded mad, but was betrayed by her playful grin.

“Long time no see, sis. Oh, I’m fine, thank you for asking.” Rainbow simply rolled her eyes. “What about you? How’s life treating you?” Storm’s gaze was gentle. Rainbow sighed and went to the edge of the cloud, sitting comfortably.

“Not bad.” She started as her brother joined her. “I’ve been doing ok.” Storm could tell from the way she was staring at the horizon that something was on her mind. Exactly why he was there.  

But first he had to get her to open a bit more.

“You know I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to the young flyer competition.” He said, trying to get the flow going. “But I heard you pulled another Sonic Rainboom. And felt too.” Storm chuckled at his own joke.

“I already told you, Storm. It’s fine.” Rainbow answered. She bit her lips hesitating a bit. “How are things back home?” she looked at her brother, expecting good news she knew wouldn’t come. It was always bad news.

“Well...” Storm searched for words. For a way to tell his sister things she didn’t want –needed- to hear. “Worse.” Was the only thing coming to his mind.

Rainbow chuckled sadly. “Not surprising.”

They stood there for a few minutes, an awkward silence having fallen between them.

“So I heard you were fast, little one.” Storm said in a ridiculous voice, breaking the silence and awkwardness in one go. “Care to show me? Can you beat me?” he continued, still in a silly voice, making Rainbow crack up in laughter.

“You know I can beat you anytime. I. Want.” She rose to her hooves and took a starting stance, putting emphasis on the three last words.

Storm chuckled. “Show me.” and took position next to his sister on the edge of the cloud. “Ready...”

“Set...”

“GO!” both said in unison as they sped forward.

--------------------------

Rarity and Fluttershy walked in direction of the spa, their usual place for girl talk. Well more like “Rarity” talk since she did most of the talking. Fluttershy was getting more nervous by the minute. She glanced at the white unicorn next to her. She had a content smile drawn on her features. She tried to ask what they were going to discuss but all she manage to do was a little squeak. Rarity giggled.

“Don't worry, Fluttershy, I’m only here to help.”

Help me? The yellow pegasus thought. She couldn’t possibly know, could she? She stopped dead in her track, Rarity getting a little ahead of her. The gorgeous unicorn turned in her normal poise and winked at the pegasus behind her, who was now blushing madly.

She knows. Was the only thought going through the timid yellow pony’s mind at that moment, her legs locking in fear. Rarity backtracked and began pushing the pegasus toward their destination.

The two friends reached the spa and upon entering Rarity simply exclaimed.

“The usual.”

--------------------------

Storm and Rainbow raced for what seemed like hours. They didn’t have a definite route for their race, it was more a challenge to see who could stay in front of the other the longest. It quickly became a competition on tricks and stunts. Rainbow was sitting on a cloud, just having finished a double loop followed by a triple barrel roll, she was heaving and sweating. Paying no attention to the stunts of her older brother, Rainbow laid back on the cloud.

She thought about technical problems she had when doing stunts, she relived in her head everything she had done. Then he mind wandered toward her day, toward her family and her past. Then toward more recent events, here in Ponyville, about the cutest yellow pegasus she had ever seen... she shook the thoughts out of her head. It wasn’t the time for that. It would never be. She made a choice long ago and she was going to stick to it.

“What are thinking about, Sis?” Rainbow jumped back on her hooves at the voice, letting out a scream. Her brother, who had landed next to her, exploded in laughter, rolling on the cloud. “Oh Celestia. You should've seen your face.” He managed to place in between two fits of laughter, wiping the tears from his eyes. He sighed. “It’s been too long, sis. We should see each other more; you’re the only real challenge I have around here...”

“Yeah.” She went back in her thoughts and didn’t really listen. She responded in automaticly. Her brother grinned at the oppurtunity.

“... And a dead slug could beat you in a race.”

“Yea... wait, what?” she grunted and punched her brother on the shoulder, but he only laughed. Rainbow sighed.

“So, sis, want to tell me what’s on your mind.” He had a hint of worry in his voice. Rainbow couldn’t bring herself to make him worry.

“It’s not...”

“I swear to Celestia, if you say ‘It’s nothing’ I will punch you. You make me worry more when you say that.” Rainbow didn’t know how to react to her brother outbreak. She laughed sadly.

“Yeah, I suppose so.” She looked down from the cloud, toward Ponyville. Pain and sadness filled her eyes. She was on the brink of crying but she held it in. When her brother saw the state of his darling sister, he was nearly brought to tears too. It was painful to see her like that.

“If you don’t want to talk it, it’s alright. I’ll wait until you’re ready.” He gave her a comforting smile, which she tried to give back. It held for a big three second. Well she’s getting a little bit better, Storm thought. He looked at the horizon. The sun was setting; he hadn’t realized it was this late. He didn’t come here only to help his sister, he had important news. “Sis?”

“Yeah, big bro?”

“Mom and Dad are going to divorce.”

“About time. They hate themselves since my birth. It’s my fault and I’m happy it’s over." Rainbow's voice was shaky, but didn't break. "I thought they would get better along if I wasn’t there.” Tears began to flow from her eyes. It was too much.

"It's not your fault they're divorcing." Storm quickly hug his sister, but she pushed him away.

"They sure made it look like it!" there was a awkward silence. After a couple minutes, Storm broke it.

“So that’s why you ran away and live here in Ponyville?”

“Yeah, and no..." A small smile crept on her face as her mind filled with images of a gentle mare. "It’s not the only reason.” Her brother just chuckled.

“I see... I hope she makes you happy.” He looked at his sister and waited for her reaction. It took a good ten seconds.

“What? How...? I mean, what makes you think it’s a ‘she’?” she turned around, taking a fighting stance on habits, all her muscle tensing, glaring at the stallion that was supposed to be her brother.

“I think I know you, Rain-chan.” It had been years since he called her that. She relaxed at the nickname her brother gave her.

When Rainbow was young she was smaller than the other fillies in her class. She argued it was to make her lighter and faster, but her brother loved teasing her about it, so he gave her a cute nickname to mess with her. She lost herself in the memory. She was brought back by her brother draping a wing around her, reminding her why and when he did it when she was younger. She understood. She started to cry.

“I’m s-sorry, brot-ther. I-I’m so sorry-y. I sh-should’ve told y-you.” she wailed in the empty sky using her brother’s shoulder to cry.

--------------------------

The two ponies rested in the sauna. Fluttershy thanked the steam that hid her blush, even thought she had it since before she entered in the spa.

“Now darling, I believe it is time we talk about your problem.” Fluttershy was startled by the quick break of the silence

.

“I don’t have any problem.” Her gaze laid on Rarity, who was sitting in front of her. Rarity gave her a deadpan look, which made Fluttershy hide behind her mane again. Rarity sighed.

“Yes, dear, you have. And it’s a problem of the heart, so who better to help you than ME.” She practically sang the last word while making a large gesture toward herself, Fluttershy simply squeak. “Oops. Sorry, dear I didn’t mean to startle you.” she scooted closer to the shy pegasus and started to whisper. “Now, I want you to tell me who is it that gets you so flustered.”

The yellow pony was taken aback. “Well, I thought you knew.” She averted her gaze, making it go around the sauna, anywhere it wouldn’t meet Rarity’s and started fidling on the hard wood floor with her hoof.

“Yes, I know.” Fluttershy opened her mouth to speak but was silenced by a hoof. “But I want you to affirm it yourself. I want you to have faith in yourself. Now, tell me my dear, who has stolen your fragile heart.”

“It’s... It’s Rainbow dash.” She casted her gaze downward, contemplating her hooves.

“Excuse me dear, I didn’t hear.”

“It's Rainbow Dash”

“I must be deaf; I didn’t quite get the last part.”

“It's RAINBOW DASH.” She screamed, but quickly brought a hoof to her mouth. She became red from ears to tail, and quickly ran away from the spa and toward the safety of her cottage.

“Ha ha." Rarity exclainmed. "Now big sister got you, my dear Fluttershy.” She exited the spa, dropping the bits as she passed, and slowly made her way toward her friend’s cottage.

--------------------------

Rainbow was still in her brother’s arm, sniffing. She had finished crying. She looked at him.

“If you tell anyone I cried, I'll kill you.” Storm just chuckled.

“It’s good to see you’re getting better.” He looked in her eyes filled with sorrow, his filled with understanding and love. “Do you want to tell me everything.” She simply nodded.

“It’s Fluttershy.” She expected astonishment, or even disgust, maybe even jealousy, but not this.

“I knew it.”

“What? You knew?” He laughed, again. Did he ever took anything seriously?

“Of course, I saw the way you look at her, like you want her in your bed right now.” his sister changed from light blue to red and he chuckled. “You know you’re cute when you blush.” Her answer was one of high intelligence which would close this discussion. She hit him on the shoulder.

“Shut up.” Of course, he fell down laughing. It was getting annoying.

“Calm down, I’m just messing with you.” he stood back up. He had a serious expression, even angry. Rainbow Dash never saw her brother serious, not even talking about angry. She got scared. “I want to know why you never told me.” his voice was even and serious, not his normal cheerful voice, but not angry either. She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“I was scared.”

“Because of what happened when you were in school?”

“Yeah.” She buried her head back in his shoulder, reliving the memory like it was yesterday.

--------------------------

Every day she would go to school thinking it would stop. Every day they would insult her, denigrate her. Every day she would come back home to parents who didn’t care for her. The only reason she didn’t think of killing herself is because of her brother. Every time she came home crying, he would comfort her, tell her everything will be alright. She believed him, but the next day it would start again.

One day, at flight camp, she saw a pegasus filly having trouble with her flying. She was taller than her, but much more frail. She decided to help her. She made her way toward her; she arrived so fast the other pegasus jumped at least a foot in the air, and fell down on the ground.

“Hi. Sorry to have scared you. I’m Rainbow Dash.” She extended her hoof. Please don’t insult me. Please, please, please. I don’t know what I’ll do if you insult me, she thought, while still putting a smile on her face.

The yellow filly looked up. “Hum... I’m Fluttershy.” She hid behind her bangs. She’s cute, she thought but quickly pushed it away in a dumb fear other could hear her thoughts. She wasn’t going to justify their actions.

“I’m sorry can you repeat.”

“I’m Fluttershy.” She raised and met her eyes. It was the most beautiful eyes Rainbow ever saw. Light blue orbs so beautiful she could lose herself in them. Rainbow’s gaze made its way down to her lips. They looked so soft, she wanted to kiss them. “Hum... are you alright? It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me.”

Rainbow was brought back to reality and stammered excuses. “Hum... I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare.” She realized Fluttershy was blushing and she felt awful for making her feel uncomfortable. “I saw you fly and I wondered if you wanted me to help you.”

Fluttershy looked disappointed to Dash, but it must’ve had been her imagination.

“Yes, I’d like that... I mean if that’s okay with you?”

“Sure, it’s my pleasure.” She giggled like a schoolfilly in front of a handsome stallion. but quickly caught herself, checking around to see if someone had heard her. it seemed that nopony heard her. she turned back to Fluttershy and motioned toward an emptier part of the cloud they were standing on. "C'mon."

But as both of them made their way, Rainbow was hit by a ball of hard cloud. The ball felt much less painful than the laughs she heard.

“Hey! The fillyfooler is at it again. What are you going to do to her? take advantage of her? you're nothing but a slut, fillyfooler”

Rainbow didn’t turn back; she didn’t need to see who said it. She looked Fluttershy in the eyes and mouthed the word “sorry” before taking off full speed, leaving tears in her trail.

She flew as fast as she could toward her home. When she reached it she barely slowed down and went directly to her bedroom, slamming the door.

She didn’t know how long she cried. Her brother came to check on her but even he couldn’t comfort her. She just cried in his arm until she fell asleep.

When she woke up the sun was setting and her pillow was soaked from her tears. She sighed and went back to crying, but silently this time. She wondered why did it hurt so much? I'm used to their jokes and insults. is it because of this filly, Fluttershy? Is it because they said I was going to hurt her? It must be that. But I can’t be a fillyfooler; I am not going to do them this pleasure. I will never date a mare even if it means I will never date.

Her inner monologue was interrupted by a knock on her door.

“Go away! I don’t want to see anypony right now.” she heard whisper behind the door. One of them was her brother but she couldn’t identify the other one. Her brother seemed pushy, but with who? The door opened with her brother in the frame. He simply smiled and pushed a yellow pegasus in before shutting the door before the other filly could run away. Rainbow looked away from her door, from the other filly. She turned her back on her. She brooded.

“Hum... I know we don’t know each other much, but, if that’s okay with you, do you still want to help me?”

Rainbow quickly turned around. In the middle of her room was the most beautiful filly she ever saw. She smiled without realizing it. She could be friend with her. To hell what the others said. She would never hurt Fluttershy.

“Yeah.” She wiped the rest of her tears from her eyes and ran to the door. “Come on I’ll show you some tricks.” The two fillies ran outside giggling and smiling.

--------------------------

“So you knew?” the blue mare looked in the eyes of the equally blue stallion in front of her.

“I knew since the first day, Rain-chan.” He chuckled again. “You were so cute together.”

“Yeah, but I’ll never be with her. She’s not a fillyfooler.” She looked crushed; the pain of knowing the one you love doesn’t love you back was overwhelming

“Maybe, maybe not.” She gave her brother a quizzical look.

“What are you talking about?” he just winked and took off.

--------------------------

“Come on Fluttershy. It’s wonderful that you’re in love.” Rarity tried to coax the shy pony from under her bed where she seemed to have found refuge. “Please, Fluttershy. Why don’t you want to tell her?” No answer. She sighed.

“Because she was always teased in school.” It took Rarity a couple of seconds to understand the voice was Fluttershy’s. It was full of conviction, full of confidence, but also full of pain. “Everypony would make fun of her. I don’t want to be the reason she suffers more. I couldn’t live with it. I can’t be with her.”

Rarity was at a loss of word. She understood Fluttershy point of view and she could see why such a gentle mare couldn’t think of putting others in harm even for the most wonderful thing in life. At that moment, Rarity believed Fluttershy deserved the element of generosity. Leaving such joy as to live with the one you love, simply because it would hurt her. It must’ve been horrible, all those years of suppressed feeling.

“Alright dear, I’ll leave you alone.” She turned to exit the bedroom, but stopped in front of the window when she caught sight of a dark blue streak followed by a rainbow one. “But somepony else would like to see you.”

The only answer was an “eep” from under the bed.

--------------------------

“Why are we at Fluttershy’s cottage?” asked Rainbow as they landed a little way from the cottage, but of course her brother just chuckled.

“For the fastest mare in Equestria, you sure are slow.” He began walking toward the house. But Rainbow didn’t follow.

“You didn’t answer my question.” She was getting angry. Why was her brother bringing her here? She was happy with Fluttershy being a friend. Did he want to destroy it all? Not impossible. But she had to be sure.

“Celestia, you’re thick. Isn’t obvious? Tell her. Tell her how you feel.”

“But what if she doesn’t love me?” her brother was losing his smile. Twice the same day. It wasn’t good. He sighed.

“Rain-chan, there is one thing in this world that can make me mad. And that is stupidity. And right now, sis, you are being very stupid. If you looked at her more than you looked at yourself you would see that she loves you.” he raised his voice. Rainbow took a step back. She could fight a dragon head on, but not her brother. Her head dropped.

“What if everypony make fun of us for being fillyfoo...”

*SLAP!*

He sentence was cut off by a slap behind the head by her brother. Her eyes watered.

“Then you will have somepony to share the pain with. You will sleep every night next to the mare of your dreams and everything will seem so far way that you won’t even care. You have such a chance, Rain-chan. Don’t be afraid, it’s not like you. Go inside and get that mare. Show her you’re love. Show her or I swear you will regret it for the rest of your live.” Rainbow was getting pump up by Storm’s speech. Yeah, she thought, I love her and I will show her. She pumped her chest defiantly and ran toward her prized mare. Storm just watched her go. “That’s my girl.” He chuckled.

Rainbow Dash passed Rarity on her way in, but paid her no heed. Rarity joined Storm away from the house. She giggled at first, but then they both staring laughing out loud.

“I never thought it would work. I owe you one, miss Rarity. I have never seen my sister happier.”

“Oh please. Rarity is fine. And I think I know how you can repay me.”

“Oh really. How?”

“Well, there is this restaurant I would like to try. Care to join me?”

“Well of course, milady.” He offered his front leg and locked it with Rarity’s. They walked back to Ponyville laughing at the wonderful day it turned out to be.

--------------------------

Rainbow entered the cottage. It was dark and silent.

“Fluttershy.” She called gently. She heard a squeak coming from upstairs and rushed upstairs. She called again.

“Fluttershy, I want to talk to you.” another squeak came from her bedroom. She slowly walked toward the door trying not to scare the pegasus inside. She looked inside. Empty.

Crap, she thought. Wait is that bed shaking? She stepped closer and lifted the covers. Nothing. She slowly looked under the bed. Her gaze met a scared pegasus, trying not to shake from fear or nervousness.

“Fluttershy, I want to tell you something. Can you come out of under the bed, Please.”

The yellow pegasus hesitated, but then nodded and carefully made her way out from under the bed. She was still shaking.

“I want to tell you something for a long time, Fluttershy. I lo...”

“Stop. Please don’t say it.” Her voice was so low Rainbow barely heard it, but all the pain it carried forced her to stop

“Why? Why can’t I say it?”

“Because it will only bring you pain. I can’t live with that, Rainbow. I love you too much for that.” Tears were staring to fall down her cheeks. Rainbow realized she was on the brink of tears too.

“So you love me too.” The crying pegasus nodded.

“I don’t want you to relive what you already suffered through. I can’t bring myself to do it. I can’t.” She started to cry for good. Wailing and sobbing to her heart’s content, releasing all her emotions cooped up inside her for so many years. She felt warmth around her, the gentleness of feathers and a hot breath on her ears. She looked at Rainbow who was now draping her wings around her. She began stroking Fluttershy’s mane, gently singing a lullaby her brother would sing when she was crying.

“You know what Fluttershy...” The crying mare stopped sobbing and raised her head to look at the pegasus who was comforting her. They locked eyes, each trying to read the intentions of the other.

Then, as if on cue, Rainbow Dash brought her lips to Fluttershy’s. They felt soft and warm. She smelled of fresh flower and warm breeze. She broke the kiss, Fluttershy craning her neck trying to follow her lips.

“I don’t care what they think. I care what you think. I love you Fluttershy.”

“I love you too, Rainbow Dash.”

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