One year, nine months after meteor...

It was usually sunny in Ponyville, as the clouds and weather were controlled by the pegasi there. It was the preferred weather of everypony in Ponyville, and it was Fluttershy’s favorite by far.

The only time it wasn’t sunny during the day was when rain was scheduled, giving all the ponies fair warning to stay indoors. Clouds were moved by the wind, naturally, but that’s not how it worked in Equestria. With pegasi that can move clouds easily, all of it was organized and planned. Almost all of Equestria had appointed certain pegasi to move the clouds and be Weather Control for areas and towns.

Even though Fluttershy was a pegasus, she wasn’t much for flying. She wasn’t in charge of any of the weather in Ponyville, and never had to move or adjust a cloud in her life. That was okay though, she knew there were plenty of other ponies that took care of the clouds, and she trusted them with their jobs.

Rainbow Dash was one of these ponies, in charge of Ponyville’s clouds and weather. And she was very good at it, able to clear the entire sky within seconds, keeping Ponyville sunny and warm for all the other ponies. However, she was also quite a slacker; often waiting as long as possible before starting any work she was given.

But Fluttershy didn’t think of that particular trait very often, she always remembered it being sunny in Ponyville. She would never want to imagine Rainbow Dash being lazy…

However, the dark clouds built up above her village heavily today. Everything was just a little darker than it should be. So unwelcoming, so unhappy. It made it quite difficult to excuse or overlook.

The yellow pegasus walked into the market, browsing various vegetable and fruit stalls as she passed. She smiled to the vendors, who would always smile back to her. However, she did come here for a reason, and couldn’t stay and talk with any of them.

Shortly after her entrance to the market, the pegasus found Rainbow Dash lying on a small cloud, hooves behind her head, relaxing. Fluttershy planned her every word before moving forward to confront the napping pegasus. She never liked bringing up issues like this, but it had been dark and dreary around Ponyville for far too long.

Fluttershy stopped when she found herself at the edge of a small crowd. Not wanting to intrude, she carefully stepped between the ponies until she realized they were there for the same reason she was: to speak with Rainbow Dash. They were all positioned perfectly for the confrontation.

Rarity stood in front, leading the small mob. Her head, and the heads of all the other ponies, were facing upward to the cloud Rainbow Dash rested on.

“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity shouted as Fluttershy stood next to her, “There are simply far too many clouds today, it is most unpleasant. How am I supposed to keep my hair in good shape with all this humidity? Isn’t it your job to keep the sky clear for us grounded ponies?”

Fluttershy flew next to the blue pegasus in the clouds.

She placed a hoof under Raindow Dash’s jawbone, as she did whenever other ponies talked. However, this time she paused; she didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know what Rainbow Dash would say in this situation.

Fluttershy looked down to the small mob, all watching and waiting in silence. This shouldn’t happen, this didn’t make sense…

The living pegasus looked to her friend, now waiting on her. She didn’t understand; why wouldn’t she say anything? Why would she remain silent, with all those ponies waiting for her to speak?

“Say something…” She whimpered, looking to her friend, worried and confused. She moved her hoof away from under the jaw, shaking in uncertainty.

The ponies below waited and glared, staring at Fluttershy. Rarity, and five ponies she was with, forming their mob against Rainbow Dash.

A familiar shadow stepped into the crowd, now also staring in judgment.

The yellow pegasus turned back to Rainbow Dash, putting both hooves onto the skeleton’s shoulders.

“Say something! Say anything!” Fluttershy shouted in panic, shaking the pegasus’ bones. They rattled as they moved, but otherwise the skeleton was silent.

Othershy stood closer now, on a cloud in front of the frightened pegasus. Its judgmental red eyes stared into Fluttershy’s panicking ones, and she tried very hard not to stare back.

“…This…isn’t fair! Don’t look at me like that! It’s not my fault!” Fluttershy pleaded. She let go of the light blue skeleton, and it fell onto its side on the small cloud. She was panicking; she didn’t know what to do or say to make it better, to make the shadow go away.

She put her hooves over her eyes, and lay down on the cloud. She sobbed quietly, tears filling her eyes.

Why…why wouldn’t Rainbow Dash say anything…?

Othershy stood above her on a closer cloud, right next to Fluttershy. She smiled mockingly at the quivering pony, showing a mouthful of jagged teeth. The shadow stepped onto her cloud and moved over Rainbow Dash. The yellow pegasus cried, lacking the courage to object.

With a condescending smirk, Othershy kicked the skeleton; kicked Fluttershy’s friend. Half of the skeletal corpse hung over the edge of the cloud. Fluttershy uncovered her eyes, knowing what was going to happen next.

Othershy kicked Rainbow Dash again, making her fall off of the cloud. She fell to earth, unable to move her wings and save herself.

Fluttershy leaped off the cloud to her friend as fast as her wings would allow, and caught Rainbow Dash’s hoof just before she hit the ground.

The yellow pegasus reached her front leg around her friend, and flew her upward, to a cloud lower than the one which held Othershy. The shadow was no longer smiling.

She moved her other hoof under the skeleton’s jawbone, and looked to the crowd below her.

“I’m not being lazy, -I’m just…I was just letting the clouds gather. For a trick.” The blue pegasus claimed. Fluttershy didn’t know what she was getting to, or what trick could possibly include so many clouds, but she knew Rainbow Dash needed to say something.

The crowd didn’t reply, so Fluttershy did. She knew she had to keep the conversation going. There couldn’t be silence; ponies don’t just stop talking…

“Oh, what trick is it, Rainbow Dash? I don’t think I remember you telling me about one before.” She smiled. Othershy stayed where she was,waiting for the pegasus to make a mistake.

“It’s very hard to do…this trick, and it will clear all the clouds in Ponyville! I’ve been very busy practicing it lately,” Rainbow Dash explained.

“What trick is it, Rainbow? I’d be very interested to see it.” Fluttershy replied.

She reached another dead end. She didn’t know what Rainbow Dash would say, she had never been in this situation before…Fluttershy went over what the blue pegasus said, trying to think of a trick. The yellow pony was never as interested in doing tricks as Rainbow Dash and she didn’t know where to begin when coming up with a new one…

Othershy smiled again, seeing her failure to uphold a conversation. And Fluttershy tried to think faster, but couldn’t focus. She had to reply, Rainbow Dash needed to say something.

“…A Sonic Rainboom, of course!” Rainbow Dash boasted. Othershy’s smile faded, but rest of the ponies smiled happily for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. This worked. Everything was going to work perfectly.

The day passed by and, for Fluttershy, it was full of preparations and setting up for the event. Today, Rainbow Dash will fly high into the air above the clouds and out of sight, and then plummet down again, all to perform a Sonic Rainboom.

Half the ponies in Ponyville were gathered around the brave pegasus, who stood in the town square. It made sense; it’s only been done twice in history. Everypony wanted to see something so amazing, especially right here in their own town.

Fluttershy stood next to Rainbow Dash to encourage her and cheer her on, just like back in Cloudsdale. This time, however, she was going to fly up with her, as high as she could, and cheer her on until she attempted the Sonic Rainboom. It would explode in a ring of vibrant colors, amazing everypony for miles, and clear every cloud above Ponyville. It was perfect.

“Are you ready, Rainbow Dash? I’ll fly with you whenever you say,” Fluttershy just finished a fastening for them; strong rope attached to a harness Fluttershy wore, and then tied around the blue-tinted skeleton. For the trick, Rainbow Dash’s wings were extended, and extra wires were used almost everywhere on her as reinforcement to keep anything from falling off while she was flying. Fluttershy never had to fly a pony very high before, never above the clouds, so she was being quite careful, wanting to make sure everything would go well.

“Of course, I’ve been ready for ages. I’ve done this twice before; it’ll be easy to do it again. Are you ready, though?” The pegasus smiled to Fluttershy.

“Yes, I’ve been flying around a lot today to practice. Should we take off together?”

“Alright.” Rainbow Dash positioned herself for take-off. “Five…four…three…two…one!”

Fluttershy jumped up and began moving her wings to take flight. She flew quickly into the sky, not nearly as fast as Rainbow Dash could, but fast enough to break through the lower clouds as she hit them.

Fluttershy felt a tug on her harness as the blue skeleton no longer stood on the ground, and became a weight for Fluttershy. She ignored this, and started flying upward farther, assuming Rainbow would pass her.

The pegasus looked around for her friend, but didn’t see her. She looked down, and saw that she had just starting flying behind her. She was spinning around, out of control. But Fluttershy allowed herself to overlook that. Rainbow Dash was an excellent flier. She would never fly so erratically.

“Come on Rainbow Dash, you don’t need to slow down for me. You can do it, Rainbow!” She looked down and smiled to her friend. She smiled back, but didn’t reply. She must be very focused.

They both continued to fly upward without speaking a word. There wasn’t much to say, but Fluttershy was getting tired as she flew, and wanted to talk to somepony while she worked. It was getting colder as they flew higher, and when Fluttershy looked down, it became harder and harder to see the ponies on the ground as they got further away.

They passed more and more clouds every minute, until it was impossible to see the ground through them. But they kept flying higher; Rainbow Dash needed to get higher for a Sonic Rainboom to work. Fluttershy didn’t even think about her being ahead of Rainbow Dash anymore. After this much work, all she could think about was flying higher.

Her wings were sore, but she knew they weren’t high enough. Even when she couldn’t see below them, she needed to get higher, Rainbow Dash needed to get higher. She said she would, and she’s a pony of her word.

“Come on, Rainbow…you can do it, you’re going to do it perfectly...” She encouraged, barely able to say that between her frequent deep breaths.

“Just a little higher…then you can make a Sonic…Rainboom!” She gasped. Fluttershy never flew this high before, even when she was in Cloudsdale; she stayed on the clouds as much as possible. She was stronger now, but the air was growing thin, and she had to drag another pony with her.

After a few more minutes of non-stop flying, Fluttershy finally had enough, almost completely unable to continue. She looked down to the hanging pegasus. The smile on Rainbow Dash’s face told the yellow pony she was ready to fly down.

“Okay Rainbow…you’ve been practicing long enough, you can…you can do this!” She bit at the clasp on her harness, and let the rope slide out. The weight dropped, and Fluttershy flew easier without it.

Rainbow dash spread her wings and dove straight downward to perform her beautiful, signature trick. Fluttershy knew she could do it. She knew it was going to be fine, so she didn’t rush down to her. Instead she kept at whatever pace she felt comfortable and safe with, which consisted of her using her wings to slow her fall.

There was a loud noise, echoing even to Fluttershy. She smiled, although it didn’t sound as she remembered.

She did it. The pegasus thought. She made another Sonic Rainboom. And I don’t mind not seeing it. I’m just happy she succeeded.

The happy pegasus dropped faster, using her wings every few seconds to slow her fall, and broke through the clouds beneath her. She was so happy that she was able to fly all the way up with her, to cheer her on.

She went through the last layer of clouds, and looked at all of Ponyville. Except, there were still more clouds…no, they were gone when Rainbow Dash did a Sonic Rainboom…there just couldn’t be clouds here.

She flew closer to the ground, ignoring every cloud she saw. She couldn’t wait to see all the happy ponies, and to see her pegasus friend again. She couldn’t be lazy, no other pony ever did a Sonic Rainboom; it took a lot of work and practice. No one would ever call Rainbow Dash lazy again. And it made Fluttershy so happy.

The pegasus reached the earth, and looked around for her friend. There were many ponies outside, all smiling and happy, but she didn’t see Rainbow Dash anywhere.

She walked around Ponyville, looking into houses, looking through crowds, looking to the sky, if she was still flying. But Rainbow Dash couldn’t be found. Fluttershy didn’t want to ask anypony, even though they would have seen her, she didn’t want to intrude…

Fluttershy kept walking around Ponyville, trotting faster and looking all around her for the missing pegasus. She cheered her on to do it, the least she wanted to do now was say congratulations to her…

Othershy stood ahead of her, in an area clear of the crowds of ponies, and was staring right at Fluttershy, unmoving.

What did she want? Why would she still be here? Everything went perfectly fine..

The shadow looked down, and put a hoof to the dirt, drawing a circle. It looked up, and pointed to it, looking at Fluttershy. Then took a step back, walking away from the mark.

When she was far enough away, Fluttershy walked to the mark, curious and not quite thinking about what the result would be.

Within the circle, a blue tinted bone rested on the dirt. Half an equine skull stared up to Fluttershy, who was forced to register the evidence.

“Oh, no, I’m so sorry Rainbow Dash, but don’t worry; I’ll fix you, I’ll put you all back together again...” She couldn't just wait, this was urgent Her friend needed her help, and she wouldn’t rest until Rainbow Dash was all better.

Fluttershy ran back to her cottage, picking up a set of saddle bags. The smile on Angel’s face helped, as it always did. She told him it would be okay, and left again to return to Ponyville.

She picked up the piece of skull from earlier, and put it into the bag. She walked around Ponyville more, on the lookout for more bone fragments. Sure enough, now that she was looking, they were everywhere, all across Ponyville.

It took her three days to fill her saddlebags, and she hardly slept each night. This was urgent, she made sure to keep all her closest friends in the best possible condition; brushing their manes, cleaning their teeth, making sure they stayed in one piece. Her friends were the most important thing in Ponyville. She couldn’t leave Rainbow Dash like this.

The very tired Fluttershy walked into her home. Angel welcomed her with a smile, she smiled back, but she knew she had to work right now. She took out every bone from her bags, placing them onto the rug. She was very familiar with the equine skeleton now, she put so many ponies back together; she knew this would work.

It had to work. She couldn’t go on without all her friends with her…

It had been weeks since Rainbow Dash fell from the sky. Her skeleton now stood in the middle of Fluttershy’s living room, coming closer to full repair. Fluttershy worked all day and night since the accident to fix her friend, and she was still sorry for it.

There were still missing bones after her first search. She found some shards as far as the Everfree forest, and some in the river. She needed to find them all, Rainbow Dash needed to come back. It wouldn’t be the same without her. She even tried replacing some bones or parts of bones with cut wood or carved sticks, fitting in place perfectly with the skeleton, but it was never the same. It would never be the same.

Fluttershy opened her door, trotting in and humming a beautiful tune. She took off the saddle bags and opened them, searching for her newest treasures.

“Oh Rainbow Dash, you will never guess what I found by Rarity’s house today!” She took the bone from her bag, excited to show it to her friend.

“The rest of your jaw! Isn’t that just wonderful, Rainbow? Now you can smile again, just like you used to.”

She put the jaw on the rug, and smiled at the other pegasus. She knew this day would come, so she didn’t fully attach the first part of the jaw she found to the rest of the skull; it was easily removed for repair and correction.

Wires were used to attach two bones to each other, and to reinforce them to keep them in place. When it came to broken and fractured bones, there was special glue used for crafts that worked wonderfully with bones. Fluttershy was very good at making broken bones look seamless with the help of this glue.

The full jaw was on the floor, in two pieces. Holding the glue in her mouth and holding the bones in her hooves, Fluttershy carefully glued them together. She had to hold them tightly for a few minutes before letting go, so the glue could dry.

After she cleaned it up with a wet wash cloth, the jaw was in one piece again. This was really wonderful for Fluttershy, as now she almost had the entire head complete, save a few shards of the skull. But it was still a milestone for her.

Fluttershy lifted the jaw, balancing it on the bottom of her hoof, and took it to her friend. Standing on her back legs, she used her front hooves to carefully place the bone with the rest of the skull.

She strung a wire through the bones with her teeth, and let go. The jaw was lopsided, being only attached on one side, and was hanging down without any added support. Fluttershy took another wire from her bag, picking it up with her teeth and looking back to the pegasus.

“Why…”

The cyan pegasus stared into Fluttershy as she adjusted her jaw, which she now let drop again. She stood still, looking at the skeleton, caught off-guard by what it said. It shouldn’t talk yet. It was too early; Rainbow Dash wasn’t put back together yet…

Fluttershy quickly turned and took a wire from her bag, then moved close to the skeleton to fix the jaw.

“Fluttershy… Why did you drop me? Why did you let me go? Why would you-“

The bone was hinged properly, and shut, using an extra wire. One last wire was used to temporarily keep the mouth closed.

“Don’t talk Rainbow, you know you’re still not feeling well. Just sit still and quiet in here until I can put you all back together…”

There was a beautiful, cloudless sky above Ponyville, with the sun shining and casting beams of light across it and all of Equestria. Fluttershy worked all morning to clear the clouds, as she did most mornings now. Over the past few weeks, she practiced and became much better at manipulating the weather, even without having anypony teach her. Of course, she would never credit herself to it. She believed other pegasi were fixing the weather for her, while she was taking care of Rainbow Dash

Not feeling well at all… Fluttershy tried her best over the months she was taking care of her; but too many small bones were broken and too many bones couldn’t be found. No matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t find them all. There was no way Rainbow Dash would be able to fly in her condition.

Fluttershy tightened saddle bags on her, and gave Angel a pat on the head as she left her cottage again. She needed to find the rest of Rainbow Dash’s wings. Her friends were more important to her than anything; she stopped working on any other projects since the accident, dedicating all her time to fixing her friend. Buildings left unrepaired, manes left unbrushed.

Today that would change, she would make progress. Everything needed to be fine, needed to be perfect. Nopony should get sick anymore, or injured anymore, not when she could help them.

Derpy Hooves stood in the center of Ponyville, the same spot Rainbow Dash took off from all those weeks ago. As everypony knows, this gray pegasus was the Mailmare in Ponyville.

However, it’s been a long time since anypony had sent a letter, or received a letter. Fluttershy would never say so out loud, and would never admit to thinking it, but she knew, deep down, that the gray pony that stood in front of her had become useless.

No, no…nopony was useless. Everypony could be made useful.

Fluttershy felt inclined to greet the gray pony. She had been so busy with helping Rainbow Dash recently she didn’t talk to anypony else in a long time.

“Hello. Uh, lovely weather today, isn’t it…?” The yellow pony said, approaching the Mailmare.

“Oh, hello Fluttershy! I didn’t see you there… Yes, it is wonderful today.” She giggled

“That’s alright, Derpy. I was just passing through. What are you up to then?”

“Actually…I was just about to leave. I got another job! I’m moving to Canterlot, to deliver mail for the ponies there. Probably won’t be seeing me again...” The gray pegasus looked up to the beautiful city in the distance with a smile.

“Oh, that’s wonderful! I didn’t know you were leaving, sorry if you said so before…I hope everything works out for you.”

Fluttershy walked next to the gray pony, and started biting at the base of her wings, undoing wires and being careful not to break any of the fragile bones.

“Yes of course, don’t worry. Actually it was kind of sudden, I haven’t told anypony yet. But I am already packed and leaving shortly. Everything will work out.” Derpy smiled straight ahead, as the yellow pony placed the skeletal wings in her saddle bag.

“I’m so happy for you. Can’t you at least stay for a goodbye party? Pinkie always throws the best parties.” Fluttershy started undoing wires on Derpy’s front leg, then tugged on it, taking a large bone away. The gray pony still stood, but was much less balanced without all four legs’ support.

“Oh no, I couldn’t. I should be leaving right now, actually... Tell everypony I said goodbye,” Derpy smiled, and Fluttershy smiled back. It was sad, but in the end, this works out for the better.

Fluttershy put a hoof on Derpy’s shoulder, and another on her head. Fluttershy had to stand on her hind legs, but remained stable. She moved her head forward and bit onto the jawbone of the gray pegasus. She pulled her head back, ripping it the jaw from its hinges.

Piece by piece, bone by bone, Derpy Hooves was placed into Fluttershy’s saddle bags. This was exactly what she needed; with these she could fix Rainbow Dash. She wondered why she hadn’t thought of it sooner.