Rainbow Dash streaked through the skies on the outskirts of Ponyville. Though the powder blue pegasus loved to be the center of attention, there were no ponies in the quiet little meadow underneath her to captivate with her speed and athleticism. However, the wide open space made it a more ideal to fly at top speed than a village filled with houses and other obstacles to crash into. Beneath her, Rainbow Dash spotted Fluttershy's tree cottage, and the Everfree Forest to her right. Brave as she was, even Rainbow Dash rarely dared to go into the forest alone. It was too... unnatural, creepy.
Rainbow Dash stopped at what she could only describe as a sense of ill-omen. She wasn't sure how she knew, but something definitely felt wrong. Sensing that Fluttershy might be in trouble, Dash descended from the sky, landing all four hooves on her fellow pegasus' front porch and tapped on the door with a forehoof. It would ease her conscience if she at least checked on Fluttershy.
No answer.
Dash knocked harder; then pressed her ear against the door to listen for any signs of movement from within the cottage. It was still silent.
"Fluttershy!" Dash shouted. A few seconds of silence ticked by. "Fluttershy, it's me, Rainbow Dash! If you're in there, open the door!"
Tapping her forehoof impatiently, Dash sighed as she waited for the yellow pegasus to answer, but she never did. Against her better judgment, Dash twisted the doorknob. It gave immediately, so the door was not locked. In that instant, Dash KNEW something was wrong. Fluttershy HAD to be home, she never left without locking her door.
"Fluttershy?" Dash stepped into the cottage,
Her eyes widened and she felt herself unable to stifle a gasp at what she saw. One of Fluttershy's nightstands had been tipped over. The vase that once sat on it was now spread around the floor in a hundred pieces. The blanket that always sat so neatly on her couch had been strewn across the floor. Dash growled. If there were robbers in here, they were about to get a swift hoof to the jaw.
Dash tuned her senses, listening, watching for any signs of intruders. The cottage was still silent, except for a barely audible whimper coming from the top of the stairs Dash didn't waste time climbing; instead she used her wings to soar to the second floor.
The whimpering grew louder
Dash turned in the direction of Fluttershy's bedroom. The pink haired pegasus was laying belly first on her bed, face buried into her pillow.
"Fluttershy?" Dash asked in the most generous tone she could muster.
"Go away," Fluttershy cried.
Not one to be threatened and knowing Fluttershy literally wouldn't even harm a spider, Dash walked into the bedroom.
"Fluttershy, what's wrong?"
"I said go. I don't want you to see me like this."
After biting her lip in sympathy, Dash took to the air and landed on the bed next to Fluttershy. She sat on her haunches and scratched the back of her neck. Consoling wasn't exactly her forte, but Fluttershy was clearly in distress, and being the element of loyalty, she had to say SOMETHING to help.
Slowly, Dash reached out with a forehoof to rub Fluttershy's shoulder in sympathy. That WAS how you consoled somepony, or so she'd heard.
"Um...Fluttershy... will you tell me what's wrong?"
Fluttershy pulled her head away from the pillow and looked at Dash. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face drenched with tears. A mane of pink hair was matted and tangled, pressed against her face. Fluttershy wiped a stream of tears from her face and sniffed. "Oh, Rainbow Dash, it was awful, just terrible!"
"What was?"
"Well, do you remember that stallion I met a couple weeks ago? How we'd been hanging out since?"
"Yeah, what about him?"
"I... I saw him this morning... with another pony. He... kissed her."
Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth in sympathy. "Oh, wow. Bummer, huh?"
"It was terrible! We met up yesterday and he didn't say anything to me about her!"
The thought of it only made Fluttershy cry harder. Tears streamed faster down her face. "I had so much faith and hope... I really liked him."
Rubbing her hoof across the top of her head, Dash racked her brain for something to say in response. Of course, no stallion in Ponyville was stupid enough to double-cross HER, but Fluttershy didn't have near the reputation Dash did.
"Um... well, you know what? Forget him! You still have your friends, right?"
"Well, yes, but... I'd like to know what love is. I can't believe I actually thought I stood a chance." Fluttershy buried her face into her fore-arms, shivering and sobbing.
"Hey, don't talk like that. I'm sure you'll make some stallion really happy someday."
"I... I don't know."
This wasn't really Dash's specialty, but she sucked in a deep breath and braced herself for Fluttershy to accept the offer she'd set her mind on making.
"Would you... like a shoulder to cry on?"
Fluttershy lifted her head, staring at Dash with wide, damp, puffy eyes. Rainbow was the last pony she'd expect to make that offer. Nonetheless, she found herself unable to fight the urge to wrap her hooves around Dash and bury her head into her shoulder.
Dash responded by embracing Fluttershy in a hug. "It'll be ok, Fluttershy. He's just a stupid, blind, thoughtless little colt. You can do better than that. You DESERVE better than that, and don't let anypony tell you otherwise."
Fluttershy trembled for a few seconds; then sniffed again. Would she EVER find love?
At least, for the moment, she knew no matter what made that stallion not choose her; one of her best friends was sitting beside her, hugging her. Dash'd gone way out of her way for her comfort.
"Thanks, Dash," Fluttershy whispered. "I'll be ok, knowing that I have a friend like you."
Dash smiled at the thought. As much as she hated to admit it, doing a good deed sure felt good. "Anytime."