“How do you think I should do it?” Rainbow asked Sunset in the car. They were nearly to her dad’s training facility. Since they’d left the dorm, she’d felt like she had a fist in her throat.

Sunset glanced at her. “Don’t beat around the bush. Give it to him straight.” She shrugged a little. “Not in a rude way or anything, but it’s better not to lead him on.”

Rainbow nodded and tried to swallow. The fist in her throat clenched tighter. “Right.”

“You can do this. I’ll be right here, okay?”

Rainbow’s brow furrowed. “I’m not scared of my dad, all right?” She chanced a look at Sun as they passed through an intersection. Just a few more blocks now. “I’m just tense. I’d be like this before a big game, too.”

Sunset gave her an encouraging smile, then looked out the passenger window. “Of course.”

Rainbow felt the fist in her throat ease a little.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence. When they arrived at Prism Performance Center, Rainbow found a parking spot as close to the entrance as she could, then shut off the engine. She didn’t undo her seatbelt.

Sunset’s gentle voice eased into the quiet of the car. “There’s nothing wrong with being nervous, y’know.”

“I’m not nervous,” Rainbow said automatically. She winced and slouched in her seat. “Whatever. You know what I mean…”

“I do.”

Another stretch of silence. Rainbow growled a little and undid her seatbelt. “I’ll be back. I’ll leave the keys so you can listen to the radio or something.”

She left the car and entered the training facility. She stalked through the dimly lit front lobby, rounding the corner and passing by the weight lifting area on the left. How many times had she walked this exact path with bad news for her father?

Not bad news, she corrected herself with a scowl. But it isn’t what he wants to hear.

She came to the stairs that led to her father’s office, but she slowed when she heard shouting.

Rainbow’s stomach clenched. That’s just great! What idiot went and got him mad already?

Cautiously, she ventured the rest of the way up the stairs. When she got to the door, she pressed her ear to it.

“My kid’s gonna win that game this weekend!” Blaze’s voice hollered. “We’ll get more subs. We’ll pull through, like fucking always.”

“That’s just your problem, Blaze. You always tried to count your chickens before they hatched,” a stranger’s voice answered with cold smoothness. It was male, and the words had a country swing to it, but not like Applejack’s. Some deep southern accent Rainbow couldn’t place.

“I think we’re done here,” the southern man drawled further. “You’re a big boy. You know what’s expected of you. Just remember that it will be expected on time, as always, no matter what silly circumstances you’re going through.”

There was a bang and a scrape. Footsteps. “Have a good evening, friend,” the stranger said. They sounded close.

Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened and she hurried down the steps. Within seconds, the office door opened and two men emerged, both in dark casual suits. One a dark skinned man with buzzed down hair, a black fedora, and a bored expression, the other a light skinned man with golden hair and dark gray eyes shadowed by a heavy brow. The latter looked to be the older of the two.

They went down the steps quickly, but the older man slowed to a stop as he passed Rainbow on the steps. “Well, well, well… Look who we have here, Capper.” The man mimed tipping a hat. “The ‘golden goose’ herself.”

Rainbow felt the fist in her throat clench again.

“Do I know you?” she asked the southern man with a glare.

The younger man—Capper—had traveled further down the stairs, but paused at the mention of his name. He sighed and turned back, stopping near them with his hands shoved in his pockets. He leaned on the wall and gazed around with apparent disinterest. Rainbow didn’t fail to notice how he blocked her escape, however.

Meanwhile, his older partner stepped closer to her, his eyebrows lifting.

“Depends. Been downtown lately?” He asked in an oily murmur.

Rainbow felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

At the animal hospital, a new high school intern by the name of Lovely Petals had started. She’d apparently taken Honey Grace’s spot for the night. Whether this change was permanent or temporary remained unclear.

Fluttershy thought the new girl seemed nice, but she was still disappointed Honey wasn’t there. It would have been nice to have one sympathetic person to work with while she worried herself sick. All she could think about was Rainbow Dash.

Her program depended heavily on her attendance, and it was a requirement of her studies to have a hands-on introduction to the world of veterinary medicine. She needed these credits. She needed to be here.

But didn’t Rainbow need her more?

Fluttershy stared at a computer monitor, a data entry for a kitten half-completed before her. Her hands lay still on the keyboard.

When Rainbow had told of her intention to speak with Blaze, Fluttershy had immediately regretted saying that it wouldn’t be fair to the clinic to call in. She couldn’t have known of her girlfriend’s plans when she’d said it, but by placing so much importance on her being at work, she knew any chance of Rainbow accepting her support was lost. The tomboy would resent feeling like a burden. She would see it no other way.

Fluttershy could certainly respect the desire not to trouble others, but she so very wished that Dashie would feel differently.

Or maybe I’m just lying to myself? What if I just didn’t insist because I was afraid to?

Her fingers curled over the keys.

She knew fear so very well, and was rather familiar with the winding routes it would take to undermine her. The thought of seeing Blaze getting angry really had terrified her. With a rise of shame, she’d had the briefest inclination to encourage Rainbow Dash to continue keeping their relationship a secret from him.

Fluttershy slouched with a little sigh.

I really am a coward.

“Are you spacing out again?” Sugar Spin said behind her.

Fluttershy flinched and turned to look at the vet tech, who was standing in the doorway. Her co-worker’s green eyes were narrowed.

“Fluttershy, that file should’ve been filled out ages ago,” Sugar Spin continued. “Hurry it up. We need your help.” Sugar’s lips thinned. “It’s a euthanasia. It’s my first injection, so you better not screw it up. Got it?”

Fluttershy stared, her heart chilling. “A euthanasia? Who?”

Sugar crossed her arms and frowned down at her sneakers. “The great dane we saw last week. He’s wobbly and he’s not eating. Owner says they’re ready. They just want to end his pain.”

Fluttershy’s eyes teared up. The great dane’s name was Goliath, and he was the sweetest thing. Unfortunately, he suffered from late stage cancer. It had been a shock to the owner. They had been certain the dog was just having stomach problems. Fluttershy could still remember their ashen face when Doctor Heartclaw broke the news.

“I’ll be there,” Fluttershy said, trying to keep her emotions out of her voice. “I’m almost done.”

Usually Sugar Spin would have made another quip here, but the vet tech only gave one terse nod. She lingered in the doorway, her eyes peering down the hall. Sugar glanced back at Fluttershy before sighing roughly and walking away.

Fluttershy turned back to the monitor and began typing quickly, a somber expression on her face.

At Canterlot Animal Hospital, problems of life and death could spring up at any moment for her furry friends. She needed to be here.

She just sorely hoped Rainbow would be okay till she could see her again.

Been downtown lately? The non-question ricocheted in Rainbow Dash’s head, stunning her for one critical second before she managed to regain her wits.

“Why?” she returned. She rolled her shoulders back and dared to step closer to the blonde man. They were now mere inches apart. “You got a problem?”

The man smiled a long curling smile, and Rainbow was startled to see he had golden fangs on his canine teeth. She hadn’t noticed before because she’d been focused on his intense eyes.

“Oh, heavens no.” The man touched a hand to his chest and looked her up and down. At this distance, the action felt obnoxiously sexual. “Mmm… No. Gold Fang ain’t got no problem with a cute thing like you.” He winked.

For one wild second, Rainbow considered pushing him over the railing to the training floor below.

Gold Fang tilted his head to the side. “Course, that’s as like to change as the weather...and today looks to be a stormy one.” His eyes narrowed, making their dark gray hue almost black. “So mind where you go from now on, hmm?” He swirled a lazy finger in the air. “Rain has a tendency of washing up unspeakable things.”

Rainbow’s lip curled.

“Rainbow Dash, get in here. Now.” Blaze. His command sounded sharp… but also tight. When she whipped her head around to look at him, it was to see her father gazing down at her from the open doorway with wide eyes and a sheen of sweat on his brow.

She shot Gold Fang another glare, then hurried up the stairs to her father.

As she went, she heard the man drawl behind her, “See ya around, daddy’s girl…”

Rainbow’s jaw tightened as she passed her father. She heard him shut the door behind her. She went to his desk and leaned on it, breathing hard. She came so close to turning right around and caving in Gold Fang’s face.

“You all right? You okay?” Blaze asked in an agitated rush. His next question sounded more vexed. Whether it was toward Gold Fang or her, she honestly couldn’t tell. “He didn’t touch you, right?”

Her lips twisted in revulsion. “No way!”

“You sure?”

Her eyes squeezed shut. “Yes! Of course I’m sure! Geez!” She felt sullen at his spiky concern. It was as if she wasn’t some kick butt magical girl capable of busting a new gap in Gold Fang’s shiny mouth.

“Good,” he rumbled with relief. “That’s good…” He sighed. The floor creaked as Blaze moved around. Then he asked suddenly, the vexed tone quick to return, “What was he saying to you? I couldn’t hear.”

She took a moment to rub the back of her neck. Her shoulders hunched. “He was just being a sleazeball, dad.”

“But what did that sleazeball say? What did you say back?” he pressed.

Rainbow looked over her shoulder to see her father pacing. She returned her gaze to his desk. Her mouth thinned. “I could ask the same question. What were those two guys even doing here?”

“I asked first!” his voice roughened dangerously.

She raised her gaze to the back wall, over her father’s office chair. This wasn’t what she wanted to talk about. How would she even explain to him what had happened downtown?

Feeling desperate, she mumbled, “I didn’t do anything wrong.” Her fingers pressed hard into the wood. If she could just keep calm…

“Didn’t do anythi—?! Hell!” Blaze huffed with barely restrained outrage. “Do you have any idea who those bastards are?”

Her eyes flickered to the ceiling. “Clowns in suits, maybe?” she muttered, still smoldering from Gold Fang’s disrespect.

She heard Blaze storm up just before he grabbed her by the arm, wrenching her to face him. It hurt. A lot. She almost lost her footing.

“This isn’t a fucking game, Rainbow Dash!” he growled. His yellow eyes burned under the shadow of his tight brow. She reacted swiftly.

Rainbow shoved him. Hard. Blaze stumbled back into the shelves behind him, his face stunned.

Thunder boomed over the building, vibrating everything down to the bone with its sonic power.

And yet, she trembled from a power all her own.

The room was quiet. It always was. Sugar Spin was gathering the materials. Fluttershy was behind the dog, near his shoulders. Prism, the other vet tech for the night, was on the other side of the table near his legs.

Doctor Heartclaw usually made it a point to do this when he could, despite this being a job for lower staff members, but he was with another nurse performing emergency surgery. They were on their own. Not so unusual, and yet...

This wasn’t Fluttershy’s first euthanasia. She’d assisted with two others before. An elderly cat whose rear legs had ceased working, and a young pitbull who had been badly hurt from dog fighting. Both were very painful to witness, but she knew they were a relief to those pets, and also to the owners who couldn’t bear to see them suffer. Fluttershy hated to talk about euthanasia, but she knew it had its place in veterinary medicine. At least, as a very last resort.

Goliath had reached that place, his body clearly taxed from the cancer that had taken over his body. He was a big black great dane with a muzzle turned gray from age. His massive body took up the entirety of the treatment table.

Fluttershy swallowed down tears as she stroked the dog’s side. Goliath looked thinner since the last she’d seen him. They’d had to work together just to get him onto the table since his legs were barely functioning. His every breath was a low whine. He turned his warm brown eyes on her, and his tail wagged feebly.

She smiled at him. “Such a good boy,” she cooed. She nodded at the owner, a middle-aged woman, who was stroking his head. Tears rolled down the owner’s face. “Your mom’s right there, Goliath. Everything’s going to be okay.”

The owner, too choked to speak, simply flashed a weak smile at Fluttershy’s kindness before dipping down to lay a kiss on her dog’s forehead. He looked at her and licked her nose.

Sugar Spin approached the table. In her hands she held the needle with the euthanasia solution. She looked at the woman. “Are we ready?”

The owner sobbed once, but nodded.

Sugar inhaled deeply. She took the cap off the needle and moved to the end of the table. Prism had already prepped the back of Goliath’s leg by shaving a small patch of fur away and inserting a tube called an intravenous cannula. This was secured by skin tape, and would ensure a good injection.

All Sugar had to do was stick the needle into the tube and push down the plunger, injecting the pink overdose of barbiturates into Goliath’s body. He’d be dead in less than a minute.

But Sugar hesitated. Fluttershy’s eyes flashed to her in concern, and she could see the sweat gleaming on Sugar’s brow. Prism, who was next to Sugar and petting Goliath’s thigh, shot her fellow tech a severe look.

The moment stretched so long, even the owner was blinking at them in confusion.

“I… uh… Ahem.” Sugar sounded hoarse. Her hands started to shake.

Fluttershy looked at Prism, but when the other vet tech failed to speak up, her mouth set in a grim line.

“Sugar Spin, thank you very much for getting me the needle,” Fluttershy said quietly. She held her hand out. “But Doctor Heartclaw needs you in the surgery room. I can handle it from here.”

Sugar Spin blinked at her dumbly. She looked at the needle in her hand, then back at Fluttershy.

Prism cleared her throat loudly. She turned her head so the owner couldn’t see, but raised one critical eyebrow.

Sugar swallowed audibly. “Right.” She placed the needle in Fluttershy’s hand. “Here.”

The needle felt heavy. Fluttershy closed her fingers around it.

Sugar Spin cast one last look at the dog and the owner before leaving the room quickly. Silence followed.

Fluttershy moved to the end of the table, consciously observing her breaths. In, one, two. Out, one, two, three, four… The familiar calming exercise did little to quell the sudden surge in terror that made her palms sweaty and her heart palpitate.

What had she been thinking, taking the needle from Sugar Spin? She’d never received direct training for this! If only Prism had said something first…

But all the prep work was finished. She really just needed to perform the injection.

Fluttershy repeated her breathing exercise, then brought the needle to the tube in Goliath’s leg. She looked at the owner, and at her questioning gaze, the woman nodded her permission. Fluttershy exhaled shakily before she carefully inserted the needle. With eyes clouding from tears, she pushed the plunger down till the pink solution was gone.

Goodbye, Goliath...

The voices outside seemed clearer all of a sudden. Crisper.

The owner wept and kissed her dog’s face. Fluttershy felt faint as she watched Goliath’s tail gradually stop wagging. A strange pounding noise grew louder and louder in her ears. Her heart maybe? Except it sounded busy and chaotic, like lots of little bass drums were kicking somewhere nearby.

Fluttershy heard the dog wheeze and gasp, his chest shuddering. Muscle contractions. They’d explained to the owner this may happen, that it didn’t mean the animal was suffering. The last time Fluttershy saw it happen was with the elderly cat. That explanation hadn’t helped in that situation either, especially when the cat’s bowels evacuated. Goliath’s owner stifled down cries of distress at the sight of her furry friend struggling with his final breaths.

The pounding in Fluttershy’s ears got a little less busy when the gasping stopped.

Gone in less than a minute.

The poor owner gazed into Goliath’s glassy eyes as he finally stilled. No more struggling, no more tail wagging, no more anything. Goliath was dead.

Fluttershy quietly pulled the needle from the tube and disposed of it in the proper bin. She followed Prism out the door to allow the owner time alone.

On the other side of the door, Fluttershy wiped at her eyes. They likely had a few moments before the owner was ready to let go. She planned on stepping outside. Last she checked, the forecasted storm had yet to hit, and she desperately needed some fresh air.

She rubbed at her ears. The weird pounding had become even less chaotic upon leaving the room. Now it just sounded like Fluttershy was hearing two heartbeats out of sync, but joining it was the dull roar of the hospital…only the dull roar she remembered had become a disorienting din.

She could hear the animals in their cages. The sound of a sink running somewhere. Machines beeping. And so, so many voices...

“That was fast thinking, Fluttershy,” Prism said to her, cutting through the noise. Her arms were crossed. “I would have stepped in, but I just wanted Sugar Spin to pull it together!”

A scowl flashed across Fluttershy’s face as her ire flared.

Prism snorted and her voice dropped to a low murmur. “I can’t believe Sugar froze up! This is a traumatic event for the owner. It’s our job to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible!”

Fluttershy opened her mouth to defend Sugar—even if only gently. She hated to butt heads, but the unfairness of it was too much, especially considering Prism had purposefully sidestepped her responsibility to take over the situation as the next senior employee.

Instead Fluttershy jerked in surprise when her ears picked out Blue Note’s voice in the clamor of noise she was hearing.

“Sir, I’ll need you to fill these forms out,” the receptionist said to someone.

Fluttershy whipped her head around, but Blue Note wasn’t next to her. In fact, she was nowhere in sight.

Prism spoke again. “Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy looked back to see the vet tech looking at her funny. “You okay?” Prism asked.

“Did you hear Blue Note just now?” Fluttershy asked back. Her voice was wispy.

Prism shook her head. She pointed to where the front desk and waiting area was, which was nearly the full stretch of the hallway, several doors down. “Blue Note’s at the front, like always.”

Fluttershy’s ears tickled as, somehow, she heard Blue Note pick up the phone. “Canterlot Animal Hospital, this is Blue Note speaking.”

She paled when she thought she heard a squeaky voice reply, like it was coming through a small speaker. “Yes, hello. I was wondering if—?”

Fluttershy could feel her whole body break out in a sweat. Why was she hearing things from across the facility as if she were right there? In fact, if she focused, she could pick out other distinct voices from the waiting area. Customers trying to console their pets, while some struck up conversations with other people waiting.

Fluttershy’s eyes were even starting to ache. The lights! Were they always so bright? And come to think of it, what was that smell? It was rancid! Not animal, no. More like... rotting food? The way it mixed with the usual stench of hospital cleaning solutions was stomach churning—

“Hey, are you okay? You look like you’re about to faint.” Prism was gazing at her skeptically now.

“I’ll be fine,” she answered Prism distractedly. “Please, excuse me…” Fluttershy brushed past Prism, suddenly single-minded in her pursuit of fresh air.

When she pushed out the rear entrance, she inhaled deeply and tried not to panic as she realized the second heartbeat sound she’d been hearing had been an actual heartbeat—Prism’s. The first had been her own.

The wind whipped around her, howling. Fluttershy could smell the grass, the leaves on the trees, the stink of tires and fuel from the cars parked in the parking lot. She hugged herself and trembled.

“What is happening to me?” Fluttershy wondered with a low whine.

Then she heard another heartbeat coming...

Rainbow Dash rubbed her arm where Blaze had grabbed, her face contorted in a grimace. Her nostrils flared as she yelled, “Don’t you ever touch me like that again!”

The man sputtered. This had never happened before. Ever. Blaze obviously struggled to compute what had just happened. He stared at Rainbow, the seconds stretching long.

Then Blaze straightened quickly, explosively, and jabbed a finger in his chest. “Have you lost your mind?! I am your father!” He kicked his desk, sending his computer monitor crashing to the ground. “You show me some damn respect!” he screamed. His face contorted into a mask of wrath as his skin turned an angry red.

She quailed for one brief moment. Then Rainbow Dash felt her own skin grow hot, and she screamed back, “I respect you plenty!” She slashed an arm through the air in front of her. Practically a line in the sand. “But I am through putting up with you getting rough with me like that! Understand?!” Not again. Never again.

Not by anyone.

The wind wailed, and it pushed with such force against the building that the walls creaked.

When Blaze bared his teeth, she bared hers right back and snarled next, “I don’t care that you’re my dad. I love you, but I won’t let you do that!” Quietly, she hissed again, “Understand?” She needed him to.

Please back off...

Her father took a large step one way, then the other, like he was pacing in a small box. A tiger trapped in a tiny cage, more like. His eyes kept flicking down. Perhaps considering crossing the imaginary boundary she’d thrown up in his face.

She felt sorry. Sorry for hurting him. Sorry that she’d caused him problems. It always seemed like she was troubling the people she loved. The regret took what remained of the flame out of her eyes.

Much gentler, she asked, “Dad, those thugs were from the Trog-El Syndicate...weren’t they?” At his tense silence, she took a single step toward him. “Please, just tell me what’s going on—”

“Why?” he snapped. His fists still clenched and unclenched, but the red was leaving his face. “So you and your freak friends can come and blast things with friendship and rainbows?” Blaze shook his head. With a disgusted noise he stomped to his desk. He ripped open a drawer and pulled from it a bottle of whiskey.

Rainbow crossed her arms, the one he’d grabbed still throbbing. Damn it, that’ll bruise... “Really? Now?”

“Yes, now,” Blaze sneered. He opened the bottle and took a quick, grimacing swig. He looked at her sideways and let out one humorless chuckle. “Hell. You’re here. Of course I’m going to have a drink.”

Rainbow flinched. “You don’t mean that,” she murmured. Her eyes were wide. Burning. The fist in her throat ached painfully now.

Blaze took another swig before collapsing into his office chair. He looked up at her with a raised eyebrow. “Don’t I? Rainbow, in less than a month, you’ve put your scholarship at risk, put my business at risk, and apparently, you’ve gone and pissed off the Trogs!” He flashed a sarcastic smile as he lifted the bottle. “So cheers, kid.”

Rainbow tried to swallow but found her throat wasn’t working. With effort, she said, “Those guys… Look, I didn’t do anything to ‘em, all right? The other day I was just trying to help a friend, and they got the wrong idea!”

Blaze slammed a palm on the desk, making the surface contents rattle. Rainbow jumped a little. “Always with your fucking friends!” Spit flew from his mouth. “As if they’re the only things that matter! Where’s your loyalty to family, huh?!” He pointed out his office’s windows. “Everything. You. Do. Gets. Back. To. Me! You think your stupid heroics wouldn’t bite me in the ass again?”

“I didn’t know you had anything to do with those guys,” Rainbow replied. Her voice was low. Scratchier. She felt like her insides were heavy with acid, and it was eating through her.

“Well, now you know,” Blaze jeered. He took another swig, and slouched down into his seat. His gaze fixed ahead, seeing nothing.

Rainbow stared at him, uncertain of what to say next.

Loathe as she was to admit it, this wasn’t an unfamiliar experience. Granted, the stakes had never been as high as they were now, but Rainbow was well used to this sort of situation. It had just been a while. A few years, even, since the last time her father freaked out this hard.

He would get a bit handsy. He never hit her or anything. Just… grabbed real hard. Jerked her around. Maybe shoved her here and there when she got to be around his height. If she kept her distance from him, he’d throw things instead. Not at her. Usually.

The last epic Blaze meltdown had been during the Friendship Games her junior year of highschool. He’d been upset about the magic that was disrupting the event. Angry at her, as if she was the one causing the rifts.

“You’ll cost us the tournament!” he’d screamed. “And then the government spooks will come and take you away. Do you want that?!”

She’d always given him a pass. He’s stressed out. He’s worried. He just wants what’s best for me.

But when Blaze grabbed her arm just then, something had immediately clicked into place for her. Maybe it was the earlier talk with Star Weld that paved the way, she didn’t know. Whatever the case, a mental connection came alive, and Rainbow Dash responded to it with vigorous instinct. It was a parallel that both burned and chilled her, but she couldn’t ignore it anymore...

Lightning Dust? She would get ‘handsy’ when she was really upset too.

It’s not freaking okay. It never was!

Blaze spoke again, bringing Rainbow out of her reverie. The man sounded tired. “Your old man did what he had to do...” Another swig. He shook his head and closed his eyes. “It’s like I kept trying to tell ya, kid. Back when you first got those weird powers.”

He looked at her wearily. “Don’t pretend to be some kinda hero.” He snorted and ran a hand over his short-cropped colorful hair. “Sooner or later, you’re gonna have to make a hard choice.” He wagged a slow finger. “Like with Fluttershy and that project of yours.”

Rainbow couldn’t stand anymore. She dropped heavily into one of the two chairs across from Blaze’s desk, sinking into the cheap upholstery. “Dad…” She had to say it. It’s what she came here for.

But how could she say it after all of that?

“Look,” Blaze sighed roughly, his hand covering his eyes. He balanced the whiskey bottle on his knee. “I might be able to smooth over whatever knucklehead thing you did with the Trogs.” His words were getting slower. Less crisp.

“Don’t.” Her mouth felt dry. “Dad, just don’t, okay? Helping me just puts you in deeper with them. I can figure this out on my own.”

“Weren’t you listening?” Some of the venom returned to his voice as he shot her a look. “Everything gets back to me! We’re a family, and that means we go through everything together.”

He waved a hand through the air. “You think your friend’s goofy spells were the only things keeping your secret safe?” He pointed at himself slowly. “Me. I was the one keeping your bizarro exploits outta the papers and evening news half the time! I burned through so many favors, greased so many fucking hands!”

Blaze took a long pull from the whiskey bottle. She grimaced as she watched, but felt a small relief when he finally returned the cap and tossed the bottle onto the desk. “I paid good money to have certain stories tweaked or kept out of the public eye entirely. But hey, what do I know? I’m just the hard ass busting your chops, right?”

He wagged a finger. “And I sure as hell made sure no story even hinted at my kid being involved!” He turned his eyes up. “The curse of our fucking hair… You look great, but then everyone always remembers you!” He chuckled once. It sounded like a bark.

Rainbow smiled briefly. Very briefly.

A tense silence followed. The moment stretched on.

Blaze inhaled deeply, then he looked at Rainbow with something resembling remorse. “M’sorry I got rough with ya, kiddo,” he mumbled.

She stared at him, stunned. Blaze apologizing, even under the influence, was a first. And he even called her ‘kiddo’...

Her father nodded his head. “Good on you. Standin’ up for yourself. It’s… It’s how I raised ya.” He sighed. “But this ain’t like all those cutesy adventures you had with your pals. These people can make us disappear.”

“I know, dad.” Rainbow felt relief flood through her at her father’s apology and praise. Maybe this wouldn’t be so impossible, after all? “I really don’t want to make things harder for you.”

He shrugged, almost child-like. “So don’t.”

She tried to swallow again. “That’s the thing, I can’t promise that.”

His eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

Rainbow sat up straighter. She could feel the sweat bead on her skin. “Because everything I do gets back to you, right?” She held up her hands. “I want to be honest. I want you to know that I…”

Blaze leaned heavily on his desk. “Come on, out with it!”

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes. She had to say it. Nevermind that he was getting drunk—if anything that might even help. She couldn’t lie about it a moment longer. Failure to come clean would just give room for one of Blaze’s gossipy clients to reveal the truth to him.

He had plenty of customers that were fellow classmates of hers, like Bulk Biceps. It had already been a few days since people saw her and Fluttershy together. News of her new relationship would only continue to spread. If Blaze heard about it this way…

She wished she could wait, but she didn’t dare take that risk.

“Dad, I want you to understand something first.” Her voice was hoarse. She leaned forward on her knees, her eyes wide and pleading. “I love you.”

Blaze’s eyes narrowed further. “What did you do…?”

“I love you, and I’m going to take care of things. My project. This weekend’s game. Even the issues with the Trog-El Syndicate—”

“What did you do, Rainbow Dash?” His voice was steelier now. Pink was coming back into his cheeks.

She sighed. Stood up. She would need to leave quickly.

Looking straight into Blaze’s eyes, Rainbow Dash said with a willful tilt of her chin, “Fluttershy’s my girlfriend now. I’m not going to use her to cheat.”

Blaze stared up at her. His expression smoothed like a river stone. “What?” His voice was ominously flat.

Rainbow crossed her arms. Her heart beat hard and fast. “I know you don’t think I can do the project, but I can. Fluttershy’s still helping me. Even after I told her everything, she’s still with me.” Her eyes tensed and she cocked her head to the side. “Please, dad. Tell me you see how major that is. She actually cares about me! It’s the kind of relationship I’ve always wanted!”

He said nothing. His skin was slowly turning red again.

Rainbow Dash gazed at him for a moment longer, hoping that he’d take a deep breath and see her point.

Instead, he rumbled dangerously, “You chose… that hippie whore… over your own flesh and blood?”

So much for hope.

Wild eyed, Fluttershy turned to see Sugar Spin coming around the corner, a cigarette in her hands. The smell of nicotine and smoke almost made Fluttershy retch. As she approached, Sugar’s heartbeat grew louder and louder in Shy’s ears.

Sugar stopped nearby before throwing her cigarette down and stepping on it. “Hey,” she said with a little grimace.

Fluttershy swallowed with difficulty. “Hullo.” She rubbed her arms, trying to comfort herself over the fact that she could apparently hear her co-worker’s bodily functions.

“Thanks for stepping in like that,” Sugar said quietly. She looked away, out into the parking lot. “I thought I was ready, but I guess not.”

“You’re a great vet technician, Sugar Spin,” Fluttershy said with a shaky smile. “I was barely able to do it myself.”

“But you did do it,” Sugar almost snarled. Her heart rate picked up.

Fluttershy closed her eyes and willed her hearing to return to normal.

Well, okay. Begged, more like.

“I’ve been at this longer than you have!” Sugar said heatedly. “I’ve seen so many awful things, and I kept my head through all of it.” Sugar snorted. “But put the killing needle in my hand, and suddenly I can’t get the job done. This is the second time I’ve choked.”

Fluttershy’s eyes flew open, her passion suddenly ignited. “That wasn’t just a job,” she said firmly.

Sugar looked at her with a gentle frown. Fluttershy had never spoken so forthcoming with the vet tech. Instead of getting upset and defensive, she waited for Fluttershy to continue with an air of reserved curiosity.

Fluttershy pressed both her hands to her chest. “I understand the need to focus on the next task, oh truly I do! There’s always another poor little critter who needs us, and we have to do our very best to tend to them all.”

Her eyes tensed, and she felt herself choke up as she recalled Goliath going still on the treatment table. When she spoke again, her voice was taut with emotion. “B-But euthanizing a living creature is…is never so simple.” She swallowed, fighting to keep her composure. Oddly enough, hearing Sugar’s heartbeat helped her. It was slowing again.

With a calmer voice, she said, “The fact that your heart sees that tells me that you’re a truly caring person.” She shrugged. “But if you’ll please pardon my saying so—it honestly sounds like your mind is in a different place.”

“Oh yeah?” Sugar said—almost sneered. “How do you figure that?”

Fluttershy pouted a little and held her hands out, her brow wrinkling at Sugar’s defensiveness. “How can you deal with your feelings if you’re trying to distance yourself from them?”

The last thing Fluttershy wished to do was make Sugar feel like a failure. How could she phrase this without having her co-worker shut down? What they’d gone through was very difficult, and Sugar was a very stern and prideful person. She needed to proceed carefully. Anxious, Fluttershy hugged herself again as she struggled to find the words.

She spoke slowly as they came to her. “Doctor Heartclaw explained to me that euthanizing a pet needs clarity as much as self-control.” She peered at Sugar Spin, uncertain of how this was being received. “I agree. I really feel that being honest with yourself is a necessary step toward the composure you want so very much. That means confronting the pain and aversion you feel toward ending a life. It’s perfectly natural!”

Fluttershy let out a little huff. “I mean, why do you think Prism made excuses to avoid the responsibility? She isn’t any more prepared than we are!”

Sugar smirked a little at this.

Fluttershy shook her head. “And maybe, after you confront those things, you still won’t feel ready.” Her chin tucked. “I certainly didn’t... I don’t think I ever will.” She looked at Sugar Spin earnestly. “So please don’t feel bad!”

Sugar was staring at her, her eyes massive and her eyebrows raised.

Fluttershy wilted. She talked too much. Why did she talk too much? Sugar already saw her as a nuisance—but now she was a nuisance who had the gall to give her advice? To Sugar, a woman who had been working in the field since she could volunteer in high school? What was she thinking!

“I’m very sorry. I’ve said far too much!” Fluttershy waved her hands frantically and turned to escape back inside. The fresh air wasn’t really helping her, anyway. “Please, forget I said anything. I don’t know why I thought I’d know better than—”

“You’re a lot gutsier than you look, y’know that?” Sugar Spin said loudly behind her.

Fluttershy halted at the door and looked back at her co-worker. “P-Pardon?”

Sugar went up to her, hands shoved into the pockets of her scrub top. “To do what you did for Goliath...” She nodded. “That was brave. Sorry again that you had to pick up my slack.” She scowled. “Prism should have done that. Instead, you did. That says alot.”

Sugar Spin’s mouth screwed up. “I’ll think about the stuff you said. I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, though.” She opened the door and gestured inside, a wry look overtaking her features. “Just stop spacing out. Please? You’re getting almost as bad as Honey Grace!”

Fluttershy blushed. “Y-Yes! Of course.” She hurried inside, and Sugar Spin followed.

Down the hall, Blue Note was speaking to Prism, who was standing in the partially open doorway of Goliath’s room.

“Will the owner be okay?” Prism asked.

“She came with a friend, so I think she’ll be all right,” Blue Note answered. She put a hand on her cheek and shook her head. “Poor thing. This is why I tell our customers to schedule regular screenings!”

“It could have been prevented,” Prism agreed with a little nod.

Fluttershy gazed at them, wide-eyed. From this distance, she absolutely should not have been able to hear them. Especially because they were murmuring to each other.

“The owner must have left by now,” Sugar said next to her. “Prism will need help getting him wrapped and into the freezer.” In a few days, the dog would be taken to the crematorium the hospital was partnered with.

Fluttershy tried not to think of the loveable great dane laying frozen and alone in a dark freezer drawer that long.

Sugar glanced at her, then did a double take. She touched Fluttershy’s shoulder awkwardly. “Um… look, I’m sure Prism and I can handle that part. You, on the other hand, should go sit down. You look pale.” She thumbed down the hallway. “I’ll cover for you.”

Fluttershy looked at her with surprise. “Really?”

Sugar shrugged and started down the hall. “Let’s just try not to make it a habit, all right?” She winked with a little smirk, “Always gotta be ready to help the next critter.”

Fluttershy drew herself up and did a pert nod. “Thank you!”

She watched Sugar Spin join Prism just as Blue Note walked away.

“Ready?” Prism sighed.

“Yep,” Sugar answered. Then the two vet techs vanished into the room.

Fluttershy rubbed at her ears. “I need this to stop…” she whispered. “I can’t work like this!” Then her expression lit up as an idea came to her. “Of course, this must be some form of magic!”

And who knew better about magic than Sunset Shimmer?

Fluttershy hurried to her employee locker. She stopped, one hand on the handle. The rotting food smell she’d been detecting earlier was overwhelming here. Her eyes watered and her stomach flopped as she delicately sniffed the air. Where was it coming from?

She sniffed and sniffed till she was down on her hands and knees, fighting against her gag reflex outside of a bottom locker at the end of the row. It didn’t have a name tag, so apparently whoever had been using it no longer worked there.

Fluttershy fumbled the offending locker open and recoiled at what she found inside.

A moldy sandwich left in a brown paper bag.

Fluttershy grabbed it, ran out the back door, and made a beeline for the large garbage bin behind the hospital. She managed to keep her retching in control up until she opened the container itself. She barely dropped the brown paper bag when she vomited her meager stomach contents into the bin.

Reeling, she shut it and stumbled her way back inside.

Returning to her locker, she grabbed her phone and opened her message thread with Sunset. She was surprised to see her friend had already sent her a message.

SSh: Hey Flutters. Just wanted 2 let u kno i’m with Dashie. Figured u were worried

Fluttershy let out a massive sigh of relief. She tapped out a reply.

F: Omg, thank u so much!!

A short moment later, Sunset replied.

SSh: Yea she just went into her dad’s work. I wanted 2 go with, but she insisted I wait 4 her

F: It’s still good u r there

SSh: glad I’m here too. wish I brought a raincoat, tho! storm looks like it will be bad.

Fluttershy bit her lip.

F: Sunset, do u mind if we talk over the phone? hate to bother, but i could use ur advice.

Sunset called almost immediately. Fluttershy answered with a wince, trying to silence her ringtone of singing cats. She wasn’t allowed to be on her phone when she was on the clock, unless she was on break. If Sandy Scarab caught her…

“Hello,” Fluttershy whispered into the receiver.

“Hey, Shy. What’s up?” Sunset asked.

Fluttershy licked her lips and craned her head to see if anyone was coming. No one was. “Well…” How to say it? “Remember how I asked you a long time ago if my senses might have been affected by my…” her voice dropped lower, “...powers?”

“Yeah?”

Fluttershy closed her eyes as she heard the dogs in their kennels stir up with raucous barking. The noise was deafening, and she could feel a headache coming on.

“Fluttershy? You there?”

“Sunset, I’m hearing things I shouldn’t be able to,” Fluttershy said with taut desperation. “I can smell things I shouldn’t be able to… Even my eyes feel sensitive!”

She pressed her forehead to her locker and whined, “I sniffed out a moldy sandwich that has apparently been sitting in an unused locker forever, and when I took it outside to the garbage bin, the stench of it was so bad, I threw up!”

“Oh man…”

“Is this magic? How do I stop it??”

“When did it start?” Sunset asked. Her voice had solidified into something decisive. Containing magic run amok was her mission, and she never took it lightly.

Fluttershy’s lips turned down and tears pricked her eyes. “It started after I had to euthanize a poor dog.” Her voice cracked a little. “I wasn’t expecting to be the one to do it, b-but it needed to be done.” A little sob came up her throat. “I think I heard his heartbeat stop.”

“Geez, Fluttershy. I’m really sorry. That must have been very upsetting...”

Fluttershy wiped at her eyes. “It was! It really was.”

“Look, it’s hard to say without a little more digging, but if this is your powers acting up and not some magical anomaly nearby, then the first thing I’d suggest is trying to center yourself. Your emotions could be what’s causing this.”

She heard a customer getting into an argument with Blue Note. Fluttershy put a hand over her other ear when she found that even at this distance she was still able to pick out what they were saying. “I’m worried I won’t have time to! I’ve already excused myself for far longer than I should have!”

“Can you leave work?”

“I’d really hate to leave the others struggling.”

“No offense, but if you can’t get a grip on whatever’s happening, I doubt you’ll be of much use tonight.”

Fluttershy slouched. Sunset had a point. She just hated the idea of leaving the hospital short-staffed. Nevermind the burden this placed on her co-workers, the ones who truly suffered were the animals in their care.

It was silly to think Sunset could just solve her problems immediately. “All right… Thank you, Sunset. I’ll do my best, and if I can’t return to normal, I’ll just ask to go home.”

“Seems like all you can do, Flutters. Try not to feel too guilty if you do have to leave. Even if no one else understands, you have a legitimate reason, okay? We’ll investigate what’s happening for sure. Just hang in there.”

Fluttershy stifled a sigh. “Okay.”

“And hey,” Sunset continued, her voice softening. “Don’t worry about Rainbow Dash. I’ll keep a close eye on her.”

“Thank you, Sunset.” That did make Fluttershy feel a bit better. A lot better, actually. Even if her night was proving to be another trying one, she very much wanted Rainbow Dash to be okay.

When Fluttershy ended the call, she looked at the clock. Ten minutes had passed. She tried to quell the spike of anxiety that shot through her. If no one had come looking for her in that time, then surely she wasn’t immediately needed for anything, right?

Still, she needed to return to work. She didn’t want to betray Sugar’s trust in her by lollygagging. There was always prep and cleaning she could do.

Fluttershy did her breathing exercise again. In, one, two. Out, one, two, three, four…

At least the stench of rotting food was gone.

Rainbow isn’t alone. The other animals still need to be cared for. I owe it to them to at least try! I can do this!

When she went back into the hallway, she didn’t feel ready. But that wasn’t what mattered. She was needed, and she didn’t want to fail those who depended on her.

...that hippie whore...

Rainbow’s body tightened. “Don’t call her that!”

“I’ll call that bitch what I want seeing as how you’re stabbing me in the back over her!” Blaze stood up explosively, knocking his chair back. His hands balled to fists at his sides. “I should’ve known you were too soft for this!” His lips rippled into an ugly grimace. “Shoulda known you were too much like your mother.”

Rainbow Dash bit her tongue, really hard. She turned on her heel and started for the door. “Y’know what? Forget this. I’ll see you later.”

“If you walk out that door, don’t you bother crawling back, Dash!” he roared.

Her hand froze on the doorknob. She felt a sweat drop roll down her pulsing temple.

She had heard that threat so many times… Did he really mean it, this time? These exchanges always had a script to them. He’d get mad. She’d bend and scrape to make him happy again. Only this time…she wasn’t doing that. She was going off script.

Now that she was on a fresh blank page, she had no idea how to proceed.

“Come on,” Blaze said, his voice a weird mixture of rage and… was that fear? “Turn around. You told Fluttershy about the plan? Fine! Fine. You can still make use of her help. If she really loves you—”

Rainbow’s eyes flashed as she whirled around. “Is that what love means to you dad?” she spat. “Using people?”

Blaze was gazing at her with a desperate intensity. “Our family is the only thing that matters—”

“Did mom matter when you made her work all-nighters for you? When she already had a full time job?” She gestured at herself. “Did I matter when you turned me into your business mascot without even freaking asking me?”

Her father’s lips trembled once, then puckered together. He tilted his head back. “Your old man did what he had to do,” he said stiffly.

Rainbow Dash’s mouth turned down hard. She snorted. “Yeah.” She turned and opened the door. “You stepped on people.”

She didn’t hear him follow as she hurried down the stairs. Her vision started to blur. The fist in her throat practically choked her now. Some of the regulars tried to call her over, but she turned her face from them, wiping roughly at her eyes.

By the time she made it outside, the sobs were becoming too strong to stuff down. She stopped outside of the entrance, both hands on her head, and tried to breathe like normal. Cool rain struck her hot head and tight shoulders. It brought no relief.

“Damn it!” she gasped.

Rainbow dropped into a crouch and hugged her head as her tears overwhelmed her. She wept into her knees.

The rain picked up, coming down in thick sheets. It soaked through her clothes and chilled her heated skin.

“Oh my gosh, Rainbow Dash!” Sunset Shimmer’s voice, shouting through the downpour.

Rainbow felt Sunset hug her around the shoulders. She coiled tighter, feeling sick with shame for her tears.

“Come on, Dashie,” Sunset coaxed. “It’s raining cats and dogs out here! Let’s go back to the car. I’ll drive.”

Slowly, Rainbow lifted her head. She looked at Sunset desolately. “I think I just cut ties with my dad.” Her chin crumpled and another sob broke free. “Sun, I didn’t want to!”

Sunset squeezed her, her brow creasing. “I know, Dashie. I know. I’m so sorry.” Slowly, she started to rise, pulling on Rainbow’s shoulders with soft suggestion. Rainbow finally started to stand. “Let’s go, before—”

Sunset’s grip on Rainbow tightened as her gaze snapped to the side, toward the facility entrance. Confused, Rainbow turned to look.

Blaze was holding open one of the glass doors, one arm extended with a tightly clenched envelope. His lips were thin, and his body trembled with barely checked anger.

“Take it,” he growled.

Rainbow resisted the urge to wipe at her eyes. The rain would hide her tears. Something her father had taught her...

Never show weakness to a foe.

She tried to keep her voice steady and her chin stiff. “What is it?”

“The last things I’ll ever give you.”

Try as she did to hide it, the sting of that cold statement made her chin quiver once.

Tightening her jaw, she stepped toward him, under the small entrance overhang, and snatched the envelope out of his hand.

Blaze let his arm fall to his side. His face looked blotchy. Had he been crying too?

His lip wrenched into a sneer. “You... deserve each other.”

Then he turned and walked back, letting the glass door swing closed. Rainbow stared after him, watching until he rounded out of sight, no doubt going to the stairs that led to his office.

He never looked back once.

Rainbow felt a heavy, desolate hole in her chest. The acid of their meeting had eaten away at her insides, leaving her hollowed.

She didn’t want this to be her reality. With child-like denial, she screamed in her head for this to go away. For time to reset itself so she could try again. Or maybe not at all? Perhaps she should have waited. But would that have really mattered?

Maybe being with Fluttershy really was a choice to lose her father...

As the tears clouded her vision again, Rainbow Dash turned to look at the envelope in her hand.

“What did he give you?” Sunset asked. She squeezed in with Rainbow under the overhang, her shoulders hunched and her arms crossed over her chest. Like the tomboy, she was drenched.

Rainbow’s only answer was to open the envelope.

Inside she found five-hundred dollars.

Sunset’s eyebrows rose at the sight of it. “Wow.”

Rainbow pinched her mouth closed as she tried to keep any more bursts of emotion from escaping her. This envelope was a declaration. Blaze was washing his hands of her.

But he’d said things. Plural. What else was there?

Shoving the money aside, she found a small neon sticky note at the back of the envelope. Frowning, she pulled this out and read what was written there.

The envelope fell from her trembling fingers. Lightning flashed overhead, igniting her stark shocked features. The delayed thunder moved through them like a terrible wave.

“Rainbow?” Sunset placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hey… What is it? What does the note say?”

Rainbow turned to her friend almost robotically. Her voice was husky and rough. “Sun… She never left. She… She’s been here this whole time...” She held the note out slowly.

Sunset blinked but took it. When she read the note, her eyes popped wide. “This is an address for—!”

“Windy Whistles,” Rainbow growled. “My mom.”

"I've heard that people stand in bad situations because a relationship like that gets turned up by degrees. It is said that a frog will jump out of a pot of boiling water. Place him in a pot and turn it up a little at a time, and he will stay until he is boiled to death. Us frogs understand this." - Deb Caletti