Because I love you, darling.

And anyway, I hope I'm not too OOC here. It's my first time writing MLP, and since I love the show, I'd hope to be known for more than just Pokemon and Layton fanfiction, so what better way than to start with one of my best friend's OTP?

Haha, enjoy Lydia~ Oh, and everyone else!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters used... Sadly.

Fluttershy's soft and gentle teal eyes have always been focused on the butterflies at the zoo. Not the impressive lions or elephants, not even the tallest giraffe. She preferred the butterfly garden to it all. But the other animals she loved just as much.

Though it was difficult to see her dancing around a pride of lions or a herd of elephants, despite what Rarity had said about her looking like a delicate flower even if she was in the most disgusting and gruesome of places (like Sweet Apple Acres, dear lord!). But yet, even if she did want to go to such places, Rarity would never allow her model - or rather, her personal doll - get... what was it that she said? Oh, whatever. Fluttershy really could never remember.

Perhaps that was the problem with Fluttershy. She could never remember much of most anything, and yet, here she was, twirling around, wings fluttering, in a garden of butterflies - of all colors and sizes, might she add - without a care in the world... Well, without a prominent care in the world. As of right now.

Because God knows how many worries she carried with her baggage.

And Heaven knows that Fluttershy came with lots and lots of baggage.

Her most heavy piece though, was that she had a tendency to hide away from everyone in this little butterfly garden. And that was because she hated trying to have conversations with people. And that was because she was shy. Being shy is something that she had always been, and something she couldn't control. It was rather sad though. Sad that she had to hide away in a butterfly garden, and let the butterflies sit gently all over her.

The one in her hand seemed sad and lonely. She gave it a sad smile, realizing she already knew why it was sad and lonely. It couldn't fly... Well, of course it could, but it just wasn't good at it.

And yet, Fluttershy had that feeling. Her friends were beings that couldn't fly. As of late, she realized she placed herself in the middle of her two closest and seemed to be only friends because they couldn't fly. Because that way she wouldn't have to feel insecure about it. And she certainly didn't want to stay in Cloudsdale, for obvious reasons.

She didn't want to be there.

And so, the peaceful noise of no wings flapping calmed her down -

That is until... right about now.

CRASH!

Fluttershy heard it instantly, the butterflies flew away from her, and the bright pink butterfly flopped out of her hand, floating gently to the ground like a piece of paper.

Still startled from the crash, and unsure of what it was, Fluttershy picked up the butterfly quickly and ran behind a bench, peering out slightly.

Fluttershy stayed behind the bench even when she realized it was a girl.

A girl with incredibly bright colored hair and... wings. Strange to find a flying one on the ground.

The girl didn't get up, instead she layed on the ground awkwardly.

...It might not have been good that this was a rose garden... But she did land on the grass, where no roses were.

Sighing, Fluttershy got up and awkwardly shifted over to the girl on the ground. If she was hurt, she couldn't just leave her there... Despite the fact she hated human contact.

"A-are y-you o-okay?"

Fluttershy silently cursed herself for stuttering on every word.

The girl looked up, with the look that everyone gave her, the look everyone still gives her.

It's the look of 'I'm sorry, but did you say something? Because you're either incredibly quiet or a figment of my imagination.'

Yep, that's the one.

Fluttershy cleared her throat, pretending she had the confidence that was really nonexistant and stared at the girl, who was trying to get up, yet failed.

She tried once more, "Are you okay?" she asked, in a pitch that was slightly lower than normal, but loud for Fluttershy.

"Huh? Me?" the girl asked.

Fluttershy stared at the ground, thinking something sarcastic like 'Oh, no I mean the crowd of people over in the center of the field.'

It seemed that somehow, the girl got the message and realized the question she asked had been... well, really very stupid.

The brightly clad girl chuckled, getting up lethargically and looked at the ground in the same awkward way Fluttershy had done before.

Fluttershy had forgotten about the butterfly in her hand, and the other girl smiled at her.

"Name's Rainbow Dash, because I'm really fast. So fast that even the Wonderbolts know who I am."

Lies, Rainbow Dash thought. But let's just hope that she doesn't see right through me.

"O-oh."

It then dawned on Rainbow Dash that the other girl did not care about her lifelong dream.

Fluttershy shuffled, before stating her own name, "M-my name i-is Fluttershy..."

She said it so quietly that she had cursed herself for being so quiet and unconfident again.

Just then, they heard boisterous laughs that really should've been called cackles, and some kind of snorting. Fluttershy's interest had piqued. She wanted to know who it was, but based on the look on Rainbow Dash's face, she knew they were not friendly people.

"Hey, do you think this is where Rainbow Crash landed?"

"Dunno, but she probably fell in those thorns."

Apparently, the obnoxious boys thought that was funny and laughed even harder than before. They began to walk closer, and just as Fluttershy almost got a good look at them, she was tackled to the ground with a hand clasped over her mouth and burning cheeks from the way they were sitting.

She noticed the butterfly in her hand was fine, but she totally wasn't.

Rainbow Dash stared at her, "Shh! It's Hoops and Billy. We don't want them to find us!"

When the boys had left the garden, Rainbow Dash got up and helped Fluttershy up.

Rainbow Dash dusted herself off and stared at Fluttershy once more, finally realizing that she, too, could fly.

Then she also realized that Fluttershy could ruin her reputation.

"Would... you mind not telling anyone about this?"

Fluttershy nodded at the rainbow girl, and then Rainbow Dash noticed the butterfly in her hands, to which she took it.

Fluttershy almost protested, but at the grin of the other high paced girl, she instead stopped herself.

Rainbow Dash flew up slightly, then let the butterfly fall, and Fluttershy ran to catch it, but to no avail.

It was flying by itself. Rainbow Dash winked at her, and then flew off.

Fluttershy was left blushing, staring up into the clouds until she could no longer see the bright shades of the rainbow.

Years Later...

Fluttershy's strange sprouts of meetings with Rainbow Dash didn't stop anytime sooner than she would've liked. Rainbow Dash boasted, blabbered and was all around confident...

And Fluttershy liked it.

But she couldn't lie that she was jealous about it. She couldn't brag, boast, talk or be confident. She couldn't even talk back, and when she did, it made her seem uninterested in everything Rainbow Dash had said, when honestly it was the direct opposite.

The rainbow clad girl had ambition and confidence - the latter being something Fluttershy knew she lacked.

So, Fluttershy did what she knew best.

She took the problem to Rarity and Applejack.

Of course, she always did so when Rarity was dressing her up, because Fluttershy knew that was when Rarity listened best, but Applejack always listened, no matter the time of day.

Well... except when she, herself, was working.

And, they had opposing views on everything, which Fluttershy found funny. (And kind of cute.)

But they really did give good advice. Perhaps Applejack more so than Rarity, but Fluttershy usually mixed them together, and put them to action.

Usually.

Rarity suggested meeting up even more, which Fluttershy didn't seem to think was a good idea, but Applejack told her the same thing. It would be a chance to make a new friend, and perhaps she could introduce Rainbow Dash to Rarity.

When she asked why not Applejack too, Applejack responded with a grunt, and crossed her arms, and Rarity let out a chuckle.

"Applejack knows Rainbow Dash, darling. Let's just say... they don't get along the way we do, dear,"

Fluttershy nodded, too caught up in the fact that Rarity and Applejack actually agreed on something, let alone what Fluttershy should do about something. It was quite eye-opening to her, and as oblivious and naive as she was, she finally realized something about the two of them she hadn't seen before.

Rarity pushed her red-rimmed glasses up, and smiled.

"It's finished!" she cried with enthusiasm.

Fluttershy looked at the dress in the mirror and smiled. Rarity always did a good job - a great job, rather - but she liked this dress more than the others, because it was simpler than previous designs. Rarity usually didn't like this type of dress, but sometimes classic and simple fit a girl best.

Rarity nodded, liking the way the dress came out herself, which again, was a shock to Fluttershy.

"I must say, you look mighty pretty in that dress, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy smiled slightly, flushed and thanked Applejack.

Rarity just looked over her shoulder with a glare, as if Applejack had done something wrong. Applejack tilted her head in confusion.

"What? What did I do?"

Rarity just turned back to Fluttershy, arms crossed, with a nicer look. It didn't matter if she had gotten into a spat with Applejack, she always tried to pull off this nicer atmosphere for Fluttershy. She seemed hell-bent on treating Fluttershy with absolute kindness.

"Now, darling, you'll have to wear this the next time you meet up with Rainbow Dash,"

Applejack rolled her eyes at the mention of the rainbow girl's name. She was leaning on the wall with her arms crossed.

"Rarity's up to something, Fluttershy," Applejack told her, her accent seeming fairly stronger for a few seconds.

Fluttershy gave Rarity an unidentified look, to which Rarity did all but deny that she was, indeed, up to something.

"Well, go and have fun now. I have work to get to,"

And by work, she meant ignoring Applejack for whatever reason Fluttershy couldn't seem to decode.

Fluttershy decided she better not question it and began to walk outside, looking for Rainbow Dash.

Well, it would be a while. She'll meet up with her when she least expects it.

Their meeting was full of stings from Fluttershy's mind. She pointed the blame at the advice Rarity and Applejack had given her. It was the first time she wanted to go against it.

But Rainbow Dash was her usual self, talking about ambition. Fluttershy brushed most of it off, not paying attention as she fought fire with fire.

Rainbow Dash actually noticed the change in the atmosphere around Fluttershy. She stared at her.

"Are you okay? You seem on edge or something,"

Fluttershy nodded, voice quiet and soft, "I'm fine," she answered.

Rainbow Dash nodded, getting up, and Fluttershy stayed where she was, wondering if she should get up and follow. She made a list of 'Things I will never do' in her mind, and placed that on her list.

Fluttershy looked down to the side, and Rainbow Dash propped up Fluttershy's face with her finger.

She was smirking slightly, her magenta eyes meeting teal ones for what seemed like the first time. Fluttershy swore she felt her face sizzle, and the red blush was all over it. It was impossible to miss.

Rainbow Dash pressed their lips together for what seemed like hours, but in reality was only mere seconds.

"Stop looking so out of place and sad," Rainbow Dash said, in a tone only Fluttershy could understand, but then she piped back up to her normal, loud tone.

"Meet you here in a few hours, okay?" Rainbow Dash said with a wink, and flew off.

It was then that Fluttershy decided that it wouldn't have mattered if she took her friends' advice or not, because it was coming into effect either way.