The Inner Beauty

“Oh, look at that,” Bon-Bon whispered excitedly, “Lyra look.  Fluttershy’s found herself a stallion.”  The slow dance was still in session, but the two mares’ dates had to leave early which forced the two to retreat back to the bar for some cold drinks.  They had thought Fluttershy had already left as a result of them so rudely abandoning her, but deep down they knew she was a strong filly.

    Lyra craned her head up to see over the crowd, “What?  Where?  Who?” she asked excitedly.  She finally spotted the two slow dancing pegasi, but Bon-Bon pulled her down before she could get a really good look.

    “Stay down,” Bon-Bon instructed, “she might see us.  She looks content, like it’s only the two of them.  We don’t want to remind her where she is.”

Lyra nodded in agreement, “Yeah, yeah,” she said, watching the two through the crowd, “you’re right.  Keep an eye on them though.”  They watched them in silence for a moment or two, “They’re so cute together!” Lyra complimented after some time.

Fluttershy and her new friend were hugged close to each other and were staring gently into each others eyes.  He made her feel so comfortable with herself.  Unbeknownst to two ponies spying on them from the bar, this new stallion had been doing wonders for her self-esteem.  The whole time they slowly, romantically danced around with each other, he would whisper sweet and kind things into her ear.  It seemed as though his timing was on purpose too, for it seemed he wouldn’t make another compliment until Fluttershy’s blush had gone away.

The couple danced around and around slowly until they were forced to stop by the transition of music tracks.  DJ-Pon3 piped up once more and complimented on all the mares and stallions in the crowd that had “found each other”, but announced that it was time to speed the party up a little more.  “Can’t have all you ponies falling asleep now,” she said and swapped over to a new track.  It was the same kind of music that shook Fluttershy and hurt her head and ears.

    “Thank you,” Fluttershy said and backed away from him only to do a miniature half curtsy.  She blushed when she realized how out of a place a curtsy was at a party like this.  Though she didn't know just yet, her new friend thought it was rather cute and did a semi-bow back which caused her to blush.  She liked this stallion, and as such, did not want him to leave her just yet.  “What do I do?  What do I say?  Oh, I've never been good with this kind of thing!” these thoughts of confusion and fear all raced through her mind.  After some minutes of panicking, she came to the sudden realization that the whole time they had been dancing and quietly conversing with each other, she hadn't bothered to ask his name.  “So...” she began slowly, “What's you're name?”

    “Hey, I was just about to ask you the same thing,” he replied, “Basswubs the name,” he held out his hoof, “Nice to make your acquaintance.”

    Fluttershy politely shook his hoof and giggled.  He was so charming!  “Um...” she hesitated and blushed, “my name's Fluttershy.  Nice to meet you,” she blushed just a little harder.

    “Can I take you for a drink?” he asked with an undeniable smile.

    “That sounds lovely,” she said quietly, and allowed him to lead her towards the bar.

    “Oh, shoot!” Lyra cursed, “They're coming this way.  Let's move a little but stay where we can see them.  They've hit it off, I just know it,” she said and moved a little deeper into the crowd.  Once they discovered a spot, Lyra and Bon-Bon mingled in with the crowd and kept an eye on Fluttershy and her date.  Who would have ever thought it, innocent, quiet little Fluttershy going on a date?  All that in mind, Lyra's demeanor suddenly changed.  Once they inevitably met up once more, she would have to scale the stallion up and pry into him a little more.  Fluttershy would be easy bait for any stallion looking to hook up, and Lyra wasn't about to let that happen to gullible little Fluttershy.  As she watched them through the crowd she kept her eyes on the stallion and scanned her thoughts.  She hadn't seen him before, so he was either in town for the party or was one of the many ponies that had moved there to escape the overcrowding of the cities.

    “Thank you,” Fluttershy said quietly and politely as she took the drink.  Though she began to feel somewhat at home at the party, she was still nervous with this male in her presence; she had never gotten this close to a “date” before!  She blushed at the very thought of being on her first ever date and took a sip of her drink.

    Her innocent thoughts were disrupted though as Bass tapped her on the shoulder.  “You OK,” he asked, “you're shaking,” he tipped his head towards her shaking hoof.

Fluttershy glanced at it and tried desperately to stop her shaking.  “Oh, I... er...” she hesitated and her eyes darted all over the place, “I'm just a little nervous,” she confessed eventually.

     The big stallion sipped his drink and replied, “What's there to be nervous about?  I don't scare you do I?” he asked with a playful, somewhat semi-taunting smile.

    Fluttershy gulped.  It wasn't that he scared her, she just wasn't used to being with a male.  She just couldn't tell him the truth that he frightened her; that would be so rude and would definitely deter him from her.  What should she do?  What should she say?  Was he being serious, or was he just toying with her?  “Think Fluttershy, think!” she ordered her mind to recall some of the pointers Rarity had given her on dating and conversing with the male.

    “No!  Not at all,” she said, “It's just, well... see, I've never been approached by a stallion before.”

    The stallion chuckled, “In the grand scheme of things Fluttershy, I think it was you who did all of the approaching.”

    Fluttershy blushed as she remembered how she had bumped into him.  It was certainly one unique way to meet a pony.  “I guess you're right,” she giggled softly.

    They fell into silence for a moment, but Bass was able to save them from it.  “So...” he circled his drink around, “What are your plans for tonight?”

    Fluttershy thought a moment.  When she got home it would be the same usual thing, find something to eat, maybe read a book, and then go to bed.  “I guess nothing,” she sighed, “I'm a very boring mare.”

    “Come on, don't think like that.  Believe me baby, you're far from a boring mare,” he complimented her and drained his drink in one more gulp.

    “Did...did you just call me 'baby',” she blushed deeply.

    “Hm,” he replied, “yeah, I suppose I did.”  He smiled at her.  His smiles were very attractive, just like the rest of his body she thought.

“Oh,” she said and looked away, “thank you.  That's very sweet,” she brought her hoof up and began to fiddle with her mane.  He was very smooth and very kind.  Eager to keep the conversation going, she asked with her best flirty tone, “Could I ask what your plans are?”

    “I guess you could,” he winked at her and chuckled, “I guess I'll pretty much be doing the same thing as you.  Go home, dig through a bag of chips, put on some tunes and go to bed.  Why do you ask?”

    Fluttershy blinked a few times, silent.  She wanted to tell him what she felt even though she had just met him, but she just couldn't, not yet, so she answered his question with a question, “Well... why did you ask?”

    The stallion cocked an eye smoothly, “Because I was hoping you'd let me walk you home,” he replied just as smoothly.

    An embarrassed smile crossed Fluttershy's face and she began to fan herself in a flirtatious kind of way.  She was worried she might be coming into the whole thing a little fast, but she kept physically displaying her gratitude to him regardless.  She knew most mares (probably smarter than her) wouldn't normally let a stallion walk them home after just meeting, but there was something about this one that really appealed to her.  “I think that would be OK,” she answered and stopped fanning herself.

    “Sounds like a plan,” he replied, “any chance I could... kiss you on the cheek?”

    Her deep blush returned and Fluttershy was forced to look away once more.  “Why do you want to kiss me of all mares?” she asked quietly.

    “Because I like you and I think you're pretty,” he replied and supported himself on the bar with one elbow.

    “Oh,” Fluttershy hid her eyes behind her mane but kept them laid on him, “if that's the case, well... I guess it wouldn't hurt.”

“You guess?” he asked, “Tell me what you think of it after I've done it,” he leaned forward and kissed her gently on the cheek.  To Fluttershy it was the perfect cheek kiss, not too short, not too long, not too wet, and not too dry.  She was blushing deeper than ever and was gently shaking with excitement. Her first kiss, her first kiss from a stallion!  He broke his lips away from her cheek and asked with a confident smile, “So, what'd you think?”

    Fluttershy placed her hoof over the kiss mark, her blush still there, and replied in a near-whisper, “It was amazing.”

    “Glad you think so babe,” he replied and dropped off the counter.  He began to flex his wings.

     Fluttershy's blush grew stronger, and she uttered a quiet “Oh,” when she noticed he was showing off for her.  He had a very large, graceful wingspan and now that she got a better look at his torso under his wings, he was just her size; Fluttershy loved what she saw.

    Bass conjured up a fake yawn and said, “Wow, excuse me.  Totally didn't expect that.”

    “You're very handsome,” she complimented him.

    “Thanks,” he replied never faltering, “maybe I'm almost as handsome as you are beautiful, but I doubt it.”

    Fluttershy giggled and looked down once more.  Fluttershy thought she was falling for this stallion.  Was she just some stupid, innocent mare letting hope and stupidity take hold, or could it be that she had finally found love?  Maybe it was true what Lyra had said, maybe opposites did attract?  It certainly felt like it, and a mare never knew until she tried.  In that moment, Fluttershy tossed all of her concerns and worries aside and decided she would accept when and if he asked her to be his marefriend.  She cringed with excitement at the possibility she could have her very own special somepony soon.

    “That's very sweet,” she commented as she glanced into his majestic green eyes.

    “Kinda like you?” he asked.  Fluttershy could only blush in reply.  He hesitated a moment and said, “Well what do you say we blow this popsicle stand?”

    Fluttershy thought for a moment, but was unable to cypher what she had just been told.  “I... I don't...” she began.

    Bass understood though, so he cut her off.  He chuckled softly and explained to her, “It's an expression babe.  It means let's go, let's leave.  That sound good to you?”

    “Oh,” Fluttershy blushed and looked down at the ground; she felt so embarrassed, “yes, I think it's probably best if we left.  Oh, if that's OK with you that is.”

    “Hey, I asked you didn't I?” he asked pointedly and smiled.  He took Fluttershy's hoof and led her towards the exit gate.  Once outside the party, the music still shaking the ground, Bass looked Fluttershy in her eyes and asked softly, “Ready?”

    Fluttershy smiled gently up at him and replied, “Ready.  I'm ready for you to take me home now.”

    “Mhm,” he replied, “and take you home I will.”