“One for Cloudsdale, please,” Fluttershy told the balloon ticket salespony, flashing him a smile.

“You do know this is a mistake, right?” Rainbow Dash asked, leaning up against the sales booth.

“It’s okay, Rainbow,” Fluttershy turned her smile towards Rainbow as she took her ticket from the salespony.” Mother isn’t [i]that[/i] bad.”

“Not that bad?” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry, Fluttershy, but your mom’s a total bi—” she stopped, realizing who she was talking to. “Uhh, I mean there’s just no reason to do this. Your mom already knows you live in Ponyville now. Dad totally told her like a month ago.”

“Oh, I know. And that was very nice of him. I just think it’d be best if I told Mother myself.”

Rainbow folded her hooves across her chest, unimpressed. “Why?”

“Because she’s family, Rainbow. Don’t you think she has a right to hear it from me in person?”

“Yeah, but—” Rainbow sighed, realizing there was no way to talk her friend out of this. Of all the times for Fluttershy to actually grow a backbone! “At least let me come with you. Your mom will tear you a— well, you know how she is.”

Fluttershy smiled again, though this time Rainbow thought she could see just a hint of worry in her eyes. “Thank you, Rainbow. But you don’t need to bother. I can do this myself.” She trotted past her friend towards the balloon headed for Cloudsdale.

“I really doubt that,” Rainbow muttered to herself.

Fluttershy winced, but kept on walking.

[hr]

A million nightmare scenarios flooded Rainbow’s mind as she flew back and forth waiting for the evening balloon to show up. There was no way Fluttershy would actually be on it. That bitch who called herself Fluttershy’s mother would never let that happen. And yet here Rainbow was, waiting around like an idiot just in case the impossible actually happened.

After six or seven eternities of waiting, Rainbow finally caught sight of the balloon in the distance, slowly making its way back to Ponyville. She dashed towards it, hoping to see if Fluttershy was actually on it, but stopped herself before she got too far. Interfering with a hot air balloon without a good reason was dangerous, and the last thing Rainbow needed was to be responsible for a bunch of ponies hurtling towards the ground. Even if she totally was fast enough to catch everypony before anything bad happened. It took every ounce of restraint Rainbow had to sit still and wait for the balloon to land on its own, but she managed. And somehow she even had the patience to wait for the rest of the passengers disembark too.

Finally, long after everyone else had already gotten off, a pink maned pegasus slowly walked out of the balloon. Rainbow jumped for joy! She had no idea how, but somehow Fluttershy managed to actually make it back in one piece. She rushed over to her friend, shouting “Fluttershy! How’d you talk that old goat into actually—”

The air left Rainbow’s lungs as her friend gave her the tightest embrace she’d ever experienced. An instant later, she could feel warm water on her back. “Fluttershy?” She managed to ask. “What’s wrong?”

The response was barely a whisper. So quiet that if Rainbow hadn’t known Fluttershy for as long as she did, she almost certainly would have missed it. “I told her.”

Uncertain what else to say or do, Rainbow returned the hug, letting her friend cry for as long as she needed.