The Fluttershy Word

by Yuuki F

Everyone made fun of Rainbow Dash for saying that Fluttershy was a tree. But...what if Rainbow Dash really did think that Fluttershy was a tree? What if her entire life, her critical mistake of vocabulary was never corrected...

Twilight Sparkle laughed, "It's just like how when Rainbow Dash thought that Fluttershy was a tree!"

Applejack and Fluttershy laughed while Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.

Twilight shook a reassuring hoof at Rainbow Dash, "Oh, don't worry, we know you were just being sarcastic, we were just being facetious in turn."

Rainbow Dash blinked, and leaned over to Applejack whispering, "What does fasheeshus mean?"

Applejack whispered back, "Whenever Twilight starts speakin' fancy, it's best just to nod and smile."

Rainbow Dash turned back to Twilight, "Oh, I know that Twilight."

Twilight smiled, "But wouldn't it be funny if you did? I mean, a tree and Fluttershy aren't even the same species, so-"

"Wait, what?"

The three paused as they stared at Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash explained, "But, like, 'tree' is just Fluttershy in a different state, right?"

The three now gave Rainbow Dash very confused looks.

She rolled her eyes, "O.k.. Like, there's Fluttershy, and then there's 'tree', but since 'tree' is only one specific instance of Fluttershy, that's why they aren't the same, right?"

Applejack blinked before bluntly blurting out, "Dash. It takes a special kind of intelligence to try to be that dumb."

Fluttershy came to Rainbow Dash's defense, "Well, I guess there are some times where I'm especially tree-li-"

Twilight put a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder, "Don't Fluttershy. Just. Don't. This really is pretty bad."

"See! You're going to make fun of me again! But, I know I'm right! My whole life Fluttershy has been one in the same with 'tree'! Whenever ANYONE has mentioned trees, it has had to do with Fluttershy!"

Twilight and Applejack gave despondent looks at each other. How could Rainbow Dash possibly have gone her entire life thinking that the word 'tree' meant Fluttershy?

Obviously, some questioning was in order.

Twilight looked over at Rainbow Dash, "But, Rainbow, what about Winter Wrap Up? You're supposed to clear the snow off of all the trees."

Fluttershy gaped, "Oh, that explains a lot."

Applejack shook her head, "Then what about when you were helping me harvest, and I told you to buck the trees?"

Fluttershy looked down with a slightly traumatic look in her face.

Twilight was in disbelief, "What did you think the Running of the Leaves was for?!"

Fluttershy pontificated, "So that's why you always make such a mess around my place on that day..." (author's note: where was Fluttershy during the Running of the Leaves?)

Applejack sat back on her haunches, "What about when that storm came and we were cleaning up all the loose junk off of the trees?"

Fluttershy pointed a hoof in the air, about to reply before Applejack noted, "Nah, that's alright Fluttershy, I dunnae need to know."

Twilight decided to take a different tack, "Look, Rainbow, what makes you think that Fluttershy and 'tree' are synonyms?"

Rainbow Dash blinked, looked over at Applejack, then back at Twilight before she smiled and nodded.

Twilight sighed, rephrasing what she said in a flat, monotone voice, "What makes you think that Fluttershy and 'tree' are the same words?"

Rainbow Dash started to look exasperated, "Whenever I was in flight school, everyone always used to say how Fluttershy was 'wooden'!"

Applejack and Twilight face-palmed.

"Look, Dash, that there is just an expression."

Rainbow Dash blinked, looked over at Twilight Sparkle, then back at Applejack before she smiled and nodded.

Applejack sighed, rephrasing what she said in a flat, monotone voice, "It's word speak that's supposed to mean something totally different."

Rainbow Dash threw up her hooves, "What?! That's ridiculous! How's anyone supposed to figure that out?!"

"Dash, it's not that ha-"

Fluttershy came to Dash's defense again, "When we were young, we always lived in the clouds..."

Applejack harrumphed, "Well, I guess that is a point."

Rainbow Dash looked over at Fluttershy, "You mean, these two aren't pranking me?"

Fluttershy shook her head, "Nope."

Applejack raised a hoof, "Element of Honesty swear that I'm telling the truth."

Twilight nodded.

"That," Applejack said, pointing to a tree outside, "Is a tree."

Rainbow Dash looked floored, as if her entire perspective of life had flipped upside-down.

"But...if that's supposed to be what the word 'tree' means, then...that doesn't make sense!"

Twilight and Applejack blinked.

Applejack replied, "Well, why not?!"

Rainbow Dash looked at Applejack, "Because then what's the word 'bathroom' supposed to mean?!"

THE END