Fluttershy woke to birds singing at the first light of dawn. She flapped her wings a couple times to help herself out of bed and stood at her open window. "Good morning, little friends." She held her hand out and a bird perched on it, chirping to her. "It is a lovely day!" she agreed.
The bird continued to whistle.
Fluttershy giggled. "Yes, of course I'll refill the feeder." She immediately went to work, taking her time greeting and feeding all of her animal friends.
Right as Fluttershy finished dressing herself and brushing her hair, there was a rap on her front door. She walked briskly to answer it, surprised by the urgent sound. "Hello?" she greeted, opening the door.
"Fluttershy, hurry! We're gonna be late to the party!" Rainbow Dash was raring to go, hovering several inches above the ground.
She gasped as she saw the time. "Oh, my goodness! You're right! But…" She looked over her shoulder at her animal friends.
They all chattered and chittered and chirped excitedly, assuring Fluttershy that they'd be fine and urging her to go with Rainbow Dash.
"Well, if you're sure you'll be alright…." She picked up her pet white bunny and held him aloft, announcing, "Angel's in charge."
A badger protested, and Angel stuck his tongue out at him.
Fluttershy giggled. "Everything will be fine." She turned to Rainbow Dash. "Right, Rainbow?"
"Yeah! Your animals will be fine." She smiled reassuringly.
"Animal friends," Fluttershy gently corrected. Did that sound rude? she wondered.
"Animal friends," Rainbow echoed, almost rolling her eyes with a sigh. "C'mon, Fluttershy, we gotta go!"
Fluttershy kissed Angel's head and set him down. "Alright," she said to Rainbow, then to the animals, "Have fun, everyone!"
Rainbow Dash was already grabbing her hand. Fluttershy hurried and shut the door before being pulled into the air. She beat her wings hard to keep up with her friend. The wind rushed loudly past her ears and made her eyes sting and water. Her heart pounded and she struggled to breathe, getting lightheaded.
"C'mon, Fluttershy, we're only halfway there! You can't slow down now!" Rainbow called back to her. Then her voice was alarmed. "Fluttershy?"
Fluttershy found herself lying faceup on a rooftop, her dear friend next to her. "Did I black out?"
"Your heart rate's too fast." Rainbow had her fingers pressed uncomfortably in Fluttershy's neck. "Just rest here for a minute."
Once a couple minutes had passed, Rainbow Dash helped Fluttershy sit up. "How do you feel?"
Her head spun. "A little dizzy." Not wanting Rainbow to worry, she quickly added, "But I'll be okay. I'm feeling much better." She stood with a confident smile but staggered and fell to her knees.
Rainbow shook her head and scooped Fluttershy into her arms. "I'm not gonna let you fly yourself there!"
"Oh! Are you sure?"
She smiled. "Don't worry—I'm strong as a stallion and twice as fast! I'll getcha to that party on time!" And with that she took off.
Fluttershy felt a little strange having someone else carry her, but she couldn't help smiling at Rainbow. No one cared for her more deeply than she did. Feeling safe, Fluttershy rested her head on her shoulder and closed her eyes.
-ooo-
Fluttershy shut the front door behind herself and locked it, trying to hold back tears. Her animal friends all chattered at her, but she cried, "Not right now!" feeling her voice swell with emotion. She flew upstairs and into her bedroom, locking that door, as well.
"I'm so stupid! Why did I think I could impress Rarity with the dress I made?" She yanked the dress off over her head, hearing a seam tear, and threw it onto the floor.
The voices of the foals at the Cloudsdale orphanage filled her mind, taunting her:
You're so stupid, Fluttershy!
So weak!
Why do you even try?
You can't get anything right!
She pressed her palms against her ears, but the voices only grew louder.
You made this? No wonder no one wants to adopt you!
"Stop!" Fluttershy cried. She jerked open her nightstand drawer and shoved the items inside to the left and the right, frantically searching for something.
Where was it? She had to find it.
Fluttershy lifted her mattress and plunged her hand underneath it, pulling it back out a second later. She looked down at the little knife in her hand. Her heart was pounding.
"No one likes you, Fluttershy."
"Yeah, we can't wait 'til you get out of here."
"If that's even possible."
"But who'd want a filly who can't even fly?"
"I can fly!" Fluttershy's young voice asserted. She beat her wings a couple times, lifting herself off the ground several inches, but her wings failed her and she faceplanted into the cloud.
A filly scoffed. "Wow! You really are dumber than you look! And that's saying a lot."
They all laughed at her again.
Young Fluttershy stayed on the cloud, her face mashed into it, too embarrassed to look at anyone.
The warden came up to the crowd and spoke. "Is there a problem over here, children? Do I need to whip someone?"
A colt quickly accused, "Fluttershy was flying indoors!"
The warden's voice was on-edge, "Oh, was she? Well, she knows the punishment for that kind of behavior." He grabbed Fluttershy by the wrist and yanked her up, hurting her. "Five lashes with the whip."
All the other foals got off with a warning for that kind of thing, but Fluttershy acutely remembered how intensely the warden had hated her. She shut her eyes tightly. She could hear the whish of the whip in her mind. She could feel its sting. She still had scars.
Fluttershy's eyes sprang open again. Her hands were trembling. She gripped the knife more tightly and pressed it into the skin on her forearm. A wave of relief and numbness washed over her.
The voices were finally silent.