Seeing somepony in a new light (Patreon)

Rainbow Dash stepped out of Fluttershy’s cottage in my Equestria dreamscape. The Foalsmane was starting to take effect and the combination of water, coffee, and toast meant that Dash felt almost alive again. Link Still Celestia’s sun seemed to take great pleasure in making the prismatic mane mare squint and flinch in its presence.

     Fortunately Dash didn’t have any weather work today. Which was good because she’d make a mess out of any cloud wrangling she did in her current condition. She considered checking on the progress of the repairs to the septic tank at our cottage, but the thought of the potential stench there made her stomach flop around. So she abandoned that thought.

     Looking around the property Dash spotted her friend emerging from the hen house with a basket of eggs. The chiffon-yellow mare looked very pleased with morning efforts as she carried the basket in her mouth. Spotting RD she trotted over to her and set the basket on the ground beside her.

     “Well um, how are you feeling? Did uh, the breakfast and Foalsmane help? Do you need to lay down some more?”

     Fluttershy cocked her head to one side causing her long flowing pink mane to flop over one of her emerald green eyes. This was something Fluttershy did all the time but for Rainbow Dash it was the first time she’d really paid attention to it, and for some reason Dash found it kind of cute. Not that Dash would ever say that aloud.

     RD suddenly realized that her friend was waiting for her to respond. “Oh! Uh, no I’m doing much better! Uh, um I was wondering if you uh, needed help around here. With your chores!” Dash sighed. “I guess what I am saying is that I wanted to thank you for helping me last night, and I want to return the favor, soooooo do you need any help?”

     Fluttershy smiled and perked up. “That’s very nice of you! Yes I would enjoy having you help me with my chores. Could you please grab that bucket and come with me.”

     Fluttershy picked her basket and headed back to the cottage with RD in tow. As Dash carried the bucket in her mouth she realized that it was amazing that her friend could do so much gardening and manual labor and yet she still kept her mane, tail and coat in such good condition. I mean Rarity would've blanched at the thought of mucking out a henhouse, but Fluttershy did it all the time. However Dash couldn’t see any dirt or debris in her friend’s long flowing pink tail as it swayed from side to side in front of her.

     Dash tore her gaze away. It wasn’t polite to obviously stare somepony’s backend. RD might not be as refined as Rarity or as prissy as Twilight, but even she knew that. Besides why should she be staring at her friend’s haunches anyways?

     Fluttershy deposited the basket of eggs on the dining room table and directed Rainbow Dash to fill the bucket from the pump in the sink. RD had the bucket about half full when a deep, rumbling growl filled the cottage. Spinning around she saw this massive brown bear filling the open doorway to the cottage. Fluttershy marched right up to the bear with a rather stern look on her face. Dash didn’t recognize this bear; maybe it was friends of Harry the Bear, but it didn’t look to friendly. However Fluttershy seemed unperturbed.

     “Oh no you don’t!” Said the mare, as she marched straight up to the bear. “Yes I know you’re one of Harry’s friends, but you do not! I repeat do not track mud into my cottage! Wipe your feet first then you can come in!”

     Dash watched this drama unfold before her. The bear was at least eight times larger than Fluttershy, and looked strong enough to squash her with one swipe of its paw. Still her friend didn’t waver as she stood there before the mountain of a bear and prodded it in the nose with her front hoof.

     “You heard me! Wash your feet and then ‘if’ you ask nicely you may come in. Understand?”

     The bear stared at her for a couple seconds, then it grumbled and slowly it backed out of the doorway. It then proceeded wash its paws in the washbasin by the front door. Then it turned and looked back at Fluttershy and grumbled something.

     “Let me see them.” Said the mare. Slowly the bear extended its front paws. Fluttershy examined both sides of them and then she inspected bear’s back paws.  Finally her Dash’s friend marched back up to the front of the bear.

     “Okay you may come in, and next time remember to wash paws first . Now would you like tea and honey cake?”

     The bear made approving growling noises. Then it slowly lumbered in and plopped down by the dining room table. It was so big that it’s head almost banged on the beams in the ceiling. Dash stared in wonderment as her friend went over and began to fill the teakettle.

     “Um Fluttershy, uh I just realized something. You didn’t know how to speak bear, or squirrel, or even woodpecker until you came down here to Ponyville. Who taught you?”

     Fluttershy put the teakettle on the stovetop and looked at her friend. “Well, uh no one did, I just learned it myself. It was a bit of trial and error at first.”

     RD stared dumbfounded at her friend. “But how did you know that the first time you met a bear it wasn’t going to have you for lunch?”

     Fluttershy shrugged. “I didn’t. I just had to give it my best shot, and listen to what it said to me. “

     “Just had to give it my best shot, and listen to what they said to me. “ Repeated Dash incredulously. “You could’ve died! Did you ever consider that?”

     Dash’s friend filled the tea ball and set it on the counter. Then she looked at Dash and smiled. “True but how many flying maneuvers did you know how to do right the first time you did them? I’ve watched you do dozens of stunts where I was certain it was going to be the last thing you’d ever do. How is that any different from what I do?”

     “It’s different because....” Dash suddenly stopped and thought. It really wasn’t that different from some of the crazy stunts she’d pull. The only difference was that Dash would flaunt her victories and successes, while her friend didn’t make any triumphant declarations at her success of learning a new animal’s language and manners. Fluttershy could do all these amazing things that no other pony in the area could do and yet she made no effort to show it off to other ponies.

     Dash realized she was now looking at her friend in a new light.

To be continued.