Setting Her Heart Aflutter

Chapters

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Epilogue
Who's up for a sequel?

Part 1

“There, that should do it.”

You smile warmly as you finish wrapping gauze around the swollen leg of your furry, bushy-tailed squirrel patient. You back away to allow the squirrel to move around freely. He looked down at his medicated foot, then wiggled it around for a few seconds before smiling and hugging your leg in thankfulness. You smile back and kindly hug the squirrel with your free hoof and give him a light nudge towards his awaiting mate. He and his wife waved goodbye and then scurried out through a tiny opening in your front door.

It has only been a month or two since you have moved, and already the local fauna have welcomed you as a caregiver, as your natural talent forgoes. You helped the animals when they were injured, sick, or simply too tired. No matter how big or how small, you helped them all.

“Another day, another healthy animal.” you smile while saying this to yourself. You clean up any loose bits of gauze and throw away a few bandage wrappers from your previous patients that had visited you earlier that day. After making sure that your floors are clean and free of debris, you decide to head outside to see if you have any newcomers to your sanctuary home.

The air outside is warm and fresh as always. The vibrant heat of the sun spread out over your neck and chest as you stepped away from the shadow of a large pine tree that loomed over your house. Birds chirped from the branches on high, rabbits and other furry creatures played in your yard, and a small family of beavers that you had tended to before were busily constructing a small dam in a nearby creek. All was well, and so were you.

“Umm...excuse me?”

You jump slightly at the sudden voice coming from behind you. You turn to acknowledge the pony who has spoken to you, only to find yourself staring into the light-blue eyes of your kind, timid friend, Fluttershy.

“Oh...umm...h-hi Fluttershy. Is there anything I can uh...do for you?” you ask softly, trying your best to put on a little smile. Just like you have seen Fluttershy do sometimes, you hid most of your face from view by moving your head off to the side and rarely making eye contact. Tiny beads of sweat start to accumulate on your brow, and your cheeks start to a blush a mildish red when you realised that you hid your face from a friend. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see her face change from one of happiness, to one of concern and guilt.

“Oh, I’m sorry! Did I say anything to hurt you?” she asked.

“Nonono!” You quickly bring your face out of hiding, “You did nothing wrong. I was just...a bit startled is all. It’s alright.”

“Oh...ok. Well, I just came by to...see how some of the animals were doing. Sorry that I had to send some of them over to you, but with the all the new storms that the weather team has been planning lately, I just can’t keep up with all of them...”

You playfully chuckled while she explained her predicament. Fluttershy looked hurt at first, but she is soon joining you in good and full-hearted laughter. When you and Fluttershy calm down, one of the beavers nearby slowly waddles up to you, carrying a large pile of sticks in his paws, which he then sets down at the front of your hooves. You flinch when you feel the roughness of the beaver’s palms suddenly tug at your front leg. You look down to see the beaver’s sweaty, furry face staring back at you with exhausted eyes. You lean downward to meet him at eye-level.

“What’s wrong Timothy? You look exhausted.” you ask the beaver. The tired creature tugs at your leg again and points in the direction of the creek. You look up to see the beaver’s small family struggling with the construction of their water-side home. Whenever they finished one section of the house, the sticks that made up it’s foundation would loosen and fall away, forcing them to stroll over and repair that section, only to turn around and watch as the section that they had finished repairing previously fall apart again.

With your likeness for animals, you couldn’t just stand by and watch the beaver family toil with the rigors of the somehow flawed construction. Even Fluttershy looked as if someone should assist them.

You look down at the pile of sticks at the base of your legs, then back at the crumbling house. Then, out of nowhere, you get an idea.

“I know just the way to help!” you said with eyes wide, your loud voice startling Fluttershy.

You ran towards your house, threw the front door open, and ran inside. You ran upstairs to your bedroom and opened the top drawer of your bedside nightstand. After going through piles upon piles of small trinkets and letters, you pull out a large spool of thick brown thread. You run downstairs and out through the open door. You calmly stroll over to where to left the beaver, only to be greeted by a pleasant surprise. Fluttershy was playing with him on the grass and alternating between activities such as tug-of-war and tag. The tender display of playful affection warmed your heart. You calmly stroll over to the giggling pegasus. She turns to you and smiles once she sees your face.

“Oh, your back! I was just playing with Jonsey for a little while...” she moves her eyes to the ground before continuing, “Umm...why do you have that spool of thread, and those scissors?”

“It’s to help repair the beaver’s home. And I was wondering if you...wanted to help me out?” you politely ask Fluttershy. At those words, she immediately looks up at you with a big smile.

“Oh yes, of course!” she says loudly while hovering above the ground a few inches. When her brain catches up to her, she clamps both hooves over her mouth and immediately lands to the ground. “I mean uhh...sure.” You giggle at the insane levels of cuteness in her voice. You lead Fluttershy over to the beaver home, each of you taking a position at opposite ends of the stick and mud hut.

“Now, watch me, and memorize what I do.” You pull away a small bunch of sticks from the home and lay them out in a tight row, side-by-side. Using your teeth and one of your free hooves, you slowly roll out a one foot long segment of string. You carefully set the string down and reach over to grip the handling end of the scissors with your teeth. Fluttershy gets the idea of what your doing and picks up the spool with her teeth, being careful as to not let more string unravel from the spool. Very carefully, you lean forward and manipulate your tongue and teeth in such a way that enables you to open and close the sharp jaws of the scissors. For unicorns, doing this was easy, but for other ponies, such as yourself, this required a bit of practice to get right. You lean forward an inch or so more and silently snip the brown thread away from the spool. Setting the scissors down, you clump the alignment of sticks into a small bunch, then wrap the string tightly around it. You pick up the bundle with your teeth, and slowly placed it on an exposed part of the house of sticks. You then dip the front of your hoof into the creek and pull out a small clump of mud and silt, which you then slather over the sticks to hold them in place. You step back and proudly admire your simple, yet somewhat difficult hoofwork.

“Oh, that’s very nice. So, do we do that for all the parts of the house?” Fluttershy asks while curiously inspecting the tiny home.

“No, just the exposed or caved in parts. This thread is made tough, so it will help keep the sticks together so the house won’t fall apart. Are you ready for the next one?”

“Yes.”

And so, you and your yellow, kind-hearted friend get to work, looking for any broken sections of the house and mending them accordingly. After ten minutes of playing carpenter, the house looked good as new. The family of beavers gave their thanks by hugging the front legs of both you and Fluttershy. The beaver family then scurried back to their newly-repaired home.

Fluttershy sighed with content at the sight of the happy family. She closed her eyes and relished in the moment. After taking it all in, she turned to you, smiling.

“I think it’s really nice that you help all of these animals. Thank you.”

“Why are you thanking me? It’s what I’ve been doing for years. It’s easy and I enjoy doing it, alot!”

“That’s good to hear...” She closes her eyes again. For reasons unknown, you decide to follow her in the mysterious trance. You close your eyes and allow the many sounds of nature to fill your ears. After you open your eyes, you find Fluttershy sitting much closer to you than you previously remember. She was smiling as usual. You could tell that this was an awkward moment, but you didn’t care. So long as she was at your side, you had nothing to worry about...except...

“Oh no!” Your outburst causes Fluttershy to jolt upward from her trance. “I just remembered, I have to go pick up a special package in town! The store is gonna be closed soon if I don’t get there in time!” You quickly run inside your house, leaving a confused and sad Fluttershy behind. You run out with saddle bags over your back. You were about to run onto the road that led into town, but you forgot to say goodbye to your friend. “Terribly sorry Fluttershy, but I have to head into town for a few minutes. Would you mind...watching the animals until I come back? It’s only for a little while. I promise that I will be back soon.”

“Of course!” she says a little to loudly, well above her normal speech volume of silence. She quietly apologises for her outburst, but you reassure her that no harm was done. After waving farewell, you set off for the town.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For those who are currently reading Sins of New Eden, do not fret. This is just a side project to keep me busy. (Thanks to Jonsey for the suggestion. You sly feline bastard you...)

Part 2

The streets of Ponyville were as lively and colorful as ever. Storeowners were busily cleaning their display windows of dirt and dust or sweeping the ground around their stores, friends were getting together and laughing at each other’s jokes, fillies and colts playfully ran around market stalls, and your long-time friend Antillo was waving you over from his store porch. You happily stroll up to him and say hello, where upon he invites you inside.

Antillo was a jeweler by trade, buying and selling rare and valuable gems from all over Equestria. The display cases of his store were lined with glimmering minerals and jewels, the light from within the store shining down upon them to bring around the elegant feeling of mustered eyes. The only thing separating the customer from the jewels was a thin panel of glass. It looked as if anypony could just reach behind the counter and easily make off with some of the valuable gemstones within, but Antillo had it covered. He hired the guardian protection of two very large, very muscular bouncers who would stand guard by the door to watch for any suspicious-looking ponies. They wore sunglasses to cover their eyes as to prevent mischievous ponies from anticipating their movements.

“Come in! Come in! I have the package all set and ready for you.” Antillo beckoned you to the display cases up front. “Just wait there while I go get it.” He disappeared through a dimly lit doorway behind the counter. He returned a few moments later with a small, paper-wrapped box on his back and a red bow between his teeth. He placed the box on the counter and carefully wrapped the bow around it. “There we are! All set. Do you have the payment?”

“Of course.” you reply. You reach into your saddlebag and pull out a small bag filled with a large mass of bits. You place the bag on the counter and Antillo stores them in a safety deposit box built into the floor. He looks up to you and smiles.

“Thank you friend! So, who’s the gift for? A special somepony maybe?” he slyly asks with one eyebrow cocked upwards.

“Perhaps...” you smugly reply. Antillo chuckled at your words.

“Ok, ok, I won’t bother you with it.”

You thank Antillo and walk out of the store. You decide to take a moment to look at your package to see if Antillo got your order right. You sneak behind an empty cart near the wall of a nearby building and quietly tear off the brown covering paper, revealing a small, dark blue colored box. After making sure that nopony is watching, you slowly lift the lid off of the box and set it off to the side. You look inside, and find yourself to be relieved when you look upon the well-spent object of your toils. The bright sunlight from above gleamed off of the object’s surface and reflected colored light from within onto the cart and the wall behind you, creating a collage of intermixed colors. It was a beautiful sight for such a beautifully made gift.

“I hope she likes it...” you silently whisper to yourself. You replace the lid and carefully wrap the bow around the box. After gathering up the fragments of brown paper and disposing of them properly, you drop the box into your saddlebag. When everything was secure, you could hear your stomach growling with a feel of emptiness. You haven’t been gone for too long, and you haven’t had the chance to eat anything for breakfast due to the overflow of animal patients that Fluttershy keeps sending over to you, so you decide to take a trip to Sugarcube Corner for a snack.

After narrowly avoiding what could have been a horrific collision between you and a small purple dragon running around with a box full of flowers, you finally arrive at the sweet smelling and oddly-built confectionery. You open the door, smiling at the sound of a tingling bell hanging from above, and stroll up to the counter. You eye the many colorful cakes and pastries on display with hungry eyes and an empty stomach. Your gaze moved to one of the yellow-frosted cookies on display, Fluttershy’s color. You remind yourself to bring back a treat for her. After standing and waiting at the counter for a few minutes longer, you realize that none of the employees, wherever they may be, have yet to come and take your order. You slowly lean over the edge of the counter to see if anypony was hiding back there, but to no avail. You do however catch eye of a pair of...eyes staring back at you from behind a corner in the doorway that leads into the kitchen. The eyes were pink and full of anticipation as they were a pair of territorial insects waiting for you to make a move. You rub your eyes and try to convince yourself that you were just seeing things, but when you see the eyes blink at you, twice, you gasp and jump back at least ten feet, almost crashing into a small arrangement of chairs near an empty table. When you recover from your recent moment of shock. a pink mare jumps up from behind the counter yelling “Hey there!” You breath a collective sigh of relief when you recognize the gee-happy pony as one of Fluttershy’s many friends, Pinkie Pie, whom you had met at one of the many “Welcome to Ponyville” parties that Pinkie throws for every new pony who moves to town.

“‘Hey there, again!” she giggles before continuing, “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you around! What can I do for you?” she asks.

“Oh, hey Pinkie. I just came by for a snack. Mind if I get two of those yellow-frosted cookies?” you ask her.

“Sure thing! Four bits please!”

You pay the pink store clerk and thank her for the scones, who then scurries away and disappears behind the doorway once more. You wanted to ask her why she was hiding from the customers like that, but you had to get back home to your animals. As you were walking toward the door, you could hear faint, conversational whispering coming from the kitchen between Pinkie and some other pony who’s voice you could not recognize. Ignoring it due to the time, you leave the store and set out onto the road that lead to your animal-beloved home.

~~~~~

“Shhh! Pinkie, not yet!” Twilight aggressively whispered to Pinkie Pie while cupping a hoof over her friend’s excitable mouth. She slowly peeked her head out from behind the corner to see if the coast was clear, then she signaled Pinkie Pie, telling her that it was safe to move out of cover.

“So, that is who Fluttershy was talking about? Wow, Fluttershy sure is a lucky mare!” Pinkie commented.

“I wonder what was in those saddlebags? I could make out the shape of a box and some other thing, but that was about it. But then again, it’s not nice to just snoop through somepony’s privacy.”

“Maybe...Oooh! I know! Hearts and Hooves Day is coming up right? It might be a gift for Fluttershy!”

“Pinkie, Hearts and Hooves Day ended over a week ago. If it is a gift for Fluttershy, there must be some other reason..."

“If what Fluttershy told us was true, then maybe...” Pinkie gasped with sudden realization, “Do you think they're in looooove?”

“I...don’t really know. I say that we keep watching from a distance, just to make sure that Fluttershy's words hold true and that she doesn’t end up walking right into what may become a bad romance...”

“Bad romance? What’s that? One of those really weird songs by Sapphire Shores?” Pinkie questioned Twilight with a wondering stare. Twilight just facehoof’d herself and grunted with a tone of disbelief.

“Got any treats left Pinkie?”

But Pinkie was quick and her hooves were already filled to the brim with several sugary confections. “You betcha’!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry Jonsey, but begging won’t get you a spot in every chapter I write...

Please don't hurt me... ._.

Part 3

“Oh no! Oooh no! Have I really been gone for that long?!” you desperately question yourself as you rocket down the dirt pathway that lead back to your house. The sun had already begun to dip downward into the horizon, signaling the coming of nighttime. “I promised her that I would only be gone for a few minutes, not a few hours!” You hate to imagine as to what she will think of you when she knows that you have broken your promise and had left her alone for so long. Your levels of worry build up as you approach your home. Fluttershy was not in the yard, and all of the animals had gone away to prepare for the coming night, making you fear the worst had already happened.

“Ooooooh! I shouldn’t have left her here by herself with no company. It must have been awfully lonely to wait for a friend, especially a friend that may have hurt her feelings...” You sadly say to yourself as you move up the front door, your head sulking downward all the way. You open the door and enter your surprisingly warm home. You place the box on an end table near the door and hang your saddlebags on a hook nearby. Your head is still hanging low as your emotions continue to drag your soul down to a deep pit of worry and despair, the thought of losing a good, if not the greatest friend you’ve ever had occupying your mind.

“Oh, you’re back!”

Your head jolts upward at the sound of the one voice that made your both your heart and mind soar. You immediately turn towards the fireplace, where the angelic voice called out to you from. Fluttershy was looking at you with kind, awaiting eyes and a smile beset on her beautiful face as she sat on the floor next to a lit fire. You look into her eyes and smile back. Your full gaze was locked with her own, both sets of eyes boring deep into each other’s soul like a toothpick through soft butter. This went on for quite a while. Neither of you spoke as the two of you continued staring into each other’s eyes with nothing but the warm air from the fire to accompany the moment.

With a noticable hint from your eyes, you catch a small glimpse of a white ball of fur stirring next to Fluttershy’s right wing. Fluttershy must have felt the movement, for her own eyes were now turned away from you and towards the moving mass. You decide to step forward to get a closer look. When you arrive at Fluttershy’s left side. you smile and lightly giggle when you discover what the rather familiar looking ball of fur really was.

“I, uhh...I’m sorry that I came into your home uninvited, but it was starting to get dark outside, and I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye, so I came inside to get out of the cold, and that’s when I saw this little guy...” Fluttershy gently nuzzled the ball of fur with the tip of her snout, causing the furball to toss and turn for a few seconds before rolling over onto Fluttershy's wing. The sight was beyond adorable. “I never knew you had a ferret for a pet, and he was really playful and just so cute, so I...well...played with him for a little while, but then he got tired and fell asleep next to me. Again, sorry for barging in here without your permission..."

Your smile grows even wider when you hear her say her adorable apology for the second time. “It’s alright Fluttershy, You're welcome into my home anytime!” you happily reassure her while bending down next to her and lightly nudging your sleeping pet onto your neck. You stroll over to a tiny wooden house in a corner of the room and open the tiny front door. You reach around and delicately grip the ferret’s neck with your teeth, being careful as not to awaken it, and slowly slide it’s sleeping form inside, closing the door once you finish placing a small blanket onto his back. Somehow, you could feel Fluttershy’s smile radiate all the way across the room. The sensational presence made your spine tingle with happiness and splendor. You walk over to the end table by the door and grab the two paper-wrapped cookies next to the small box. You turn and walk back to the fireplace and took a seat on the carpet next to Fluttershy. You offer her one of cookies, which she gladly accepts.

“What’s his name?” Fluttershy politely asked as she took a small bite out of her frosted treat and chewed it slowly.

“Remi, but I usually call him Jonsey, after a cat I used to have as a pet when I was little. He’s very playful and he gets along with other animals quickly, but he expends much of his energy in just a few hours, so he tends to fall asleep quite a bit. I can’t even count the number of times I had to climb up a tree or crawl into a hollow log just to get him out and put him to bed.” When you finish telling her some of the many memories you've had with your ferret companion, you notice that Fluttershy has moved a bit closer to you. Her wings were only a hair's breadth away from your coat, and you could even feel her light, evenly-spaced nose-breaths spread out over the side of your neck with each rising and falling action of her chest. It was a bit awkward at first, but you didn’t mind.

“Angel bunny is pretty much the opposite of all of that.” She giggles at the ironical opposites between her own pet and Remi. “But Angel is still a sweet bunny. He may be a bit grouchy at times, but he gets along with others after a little while.” Fluttershy finished off the last of her cookie and wiped away any frosting that was still on her lips. She starts to close her eyes and breath in short intervals, only to jolt upward and gasp in sudden alarm. She quickly glances at the clock above your fireplace and instantly makes for the door.

“I’m soooo sorry, but I never realized how late it was! I have to get back home before one of the late-night storms comes in. I’ll come back to check on you and the other animals tomorrow alright?” You smile and nod back in acknowledgment. “Ok, see you tomorrow!” She quickly opens the door and closes it once she steps out into the moonlit night. You start to hear the pitter-patter of tiny raindrops falling onto your windows, sending a clear signal saying that the bulk of the storm was on it’s way. You also take a look at the clock and note how late it was getting, so you decided to head to bed. After checking to make sure that Remi was still asleep, you douse the fire with a small bucketful of dry ash and head up to your room, the essence of Fluttershy’s heavenly breathing still warmly residing on the sides of your neck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok Jonsey, you win. I quit. After many mind-bending toils and the “friendly” company of your obcesent badgering, I finally put you in the story.

Congratulations, you’re a dead cat.

A/N: I would like to thank everyone who has tracked and/or favorited this story so far. I have plenty of free time on my hands everyday, so these chapters can fly out pretty quickly.

Expect more soon!

Part 4

Cool.

Cool as a relaxing swim in a lake on a hot summer’s day. That is all you felt as your mind wandered off deeper into itself within your dream-like state. As you relax, you allow the coolness to wrap around your body and let it’s smooth and delicate motions do all the work. It slowly massages your body and mind with tender care, each new wave of coolness bringing about another spark of bliss. With a feeling this relaxing, you never wanted to wake up.

But suddenly, you felt the coolness intensify. The temperature plunged to an ice-cold freeze. You started to panic as the cold chill covers your form in seconds, the imaginary feel of hypothermia setting in fast. Your heart begins to pound like a set of parade drums as the nonexistent space around you chills to even colder temperatures. You could hear a low rumble off in the distance of your mind that echoed at certain intervals. Just like the feelings of before, the sounds of the rumbles intensified. They grew louder and louder with each new boom until they reached to almost ear-splitting levels.

*GASP*

You jolt upward in your bed as you awaken in a cold sweat. You could hear the thunderstorm outside the walls of your home rage with full force, all of it’s might being poured out onto the land. It sounded more like a hurricane than any old thunderstorm. The howling of the winds tore through the air outside and the rain fell down in massive sheets of liquid danger on the roof above you. The window panels were banging and rattling against the sides of your house as the wind toyed with them as if they were little wooden shutters on a young filly’s dollhouse. It sounded fairly dangerous, but you were to tired to care. You close your eyes and slowly start to drift off back to sleep.

Suddenly, just as you were about to fall asleep, a blinding flash of light and a ear-splitting boom ripped through the cold air with unmatched force. You could hear the sound of wood splitting apart above you along with the faint scent of smoke. Fearing the worst, you immediately throw the bed sheets off of your body and make for the door, only to stop and turn around in fear when you hear the low sound of a weakening wood. You look up to find that the roof above your head was cracked and splintered, threatening to collapse. Fearing for your life, you grab the handle, fling the door open, and bolt out into the hallway. The house began to moan and creak with agony. Now the whole house was starting to shake. Grey smoke was creeping into the hallway through tiny cracks in the windows and floorboards. You run down the stairs as fast as you could, not even caring as to whether or not you fell.

“Remi?” You desperately call out to your beloved pet. “Remi?!” you call out to him once more. You turn your head towards Remi’s tiny private home, hoping that he is there, only to find that the tiny door was wide open and that he was nowhere to be found. The moans of the house grew louder with each passing minute, almost as if it was warning you that the whole place was going to come down around your ears. You still fear for your own life and life of your pet. You look towards the door and see that the small door built into the large door by which animals came and left in was open. You breath a collective sigh of relief knowing that Remi has gotten himself to safety. But the moment of relief had to wait. Another flash of light and an even bigger boom that before shook you to your core. You heard more wood being split apart, but for an unknown reason, this wood sounded...bigger. A dark shadow started to lean over your home, darkening the room. As the shadow got closer, the creaking and cracking noises started to spread thin and crack in even greater redundancy. These sounds, the looming shadow, and the faint smell of burning timber, could only combine to mean one thing...

“Oh no...” you whispered to yourself.

You were absolutely terrified as to what was about to happen. You rocketed towards the door and bolted out into the cold rain, but you had forgotten something inside, something close and dear to your heart. Not even a second later, you run back inside and grab the small box you had left on the end table. Taking a final glimpse at the inside of your doomed home, you ran back outside and don’t stop. Once you were about fifty yards away from your home, you took shelter under the cover of a large boulder. You were panting heavily and your lungs started to burn. You couldn’t tell if it was sweat or rain that was running down from your forehead. Suddenly, you hear a loud thud followed by, lo and behold, more splintering wood. A second later, the boom of a loud crash erupted through the nighttime air. You already knew what had happened. As you sadly turn you head behind your back, you find yourself staring at the jagged and burning remains of your home. You could faintly see a black burn mark where a rogue bolt of lightning had struck the tall and beautiful tree that stood over your house, causing the dry bark under the leafy branches to instantly catch fire. The once beautiful and beloved tree that used to be a both a sanctuary and a home to so many animals, was now engulfed by fire and smoke while it’s massive gerth crushed the ruins of your home. A truly sad sight to behold.

“Well...” you sulkily start to say to yourself, “At least I’m safe, and so is Remi, wherever he may be...” you say in between breaths. You lay down on the wet ground, still carrying the treasured box on your back. You let it slid and fall off. As you look down at the box that you had just risked your own life to save, you start to chuckle a bit. The chuckle then turns into full-blown, ironically joyful laughter. You laugh to your heart’s content at the surprising success of your daring and dangerous escape, recounting every moment as if it were all part of a game.

You still wonder as to how you had escaped from a near-deathly demise such as this. You got away quickly, and without a single scr-

-atch!

You jerk your left hoof over to your right side, only to have your body be fiercly whipped by a second surge of sharp pains. You bring your hoof up to your face to look at it. It was smeared in your own blood. The mere sight of it almost made you faint, but that wasn’t the worst of it. You move your gaze to try and find the central sight of your suffering. You look on with horror at the grim sight on your body’s right side. A very long and deep cut stretched longways across the right side of your torso. Blood was oozing through the exposed flesh with each new beat of your panicking heart.

Your started to feel dizzy and your vision began to blur. Before you knew it, you were flat on your back, your eyes still locked on to the sight of your grizzly wound. You heart was beating rapidly and your breaths became ragged as your eyelids started to close. Before your vision faded completely, you caught a glimpse of two colored blobs running towards you, one small and one large, one white and one yellow, but before they got close enough, your whole body gave out, and your view of the world went black, the thunderous roar of the storm still ringing in your ears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*rubs forehead*

I would like to...actually Jonsey, no thanks for you tonight! You get NOTHING!

Part 5

Ow...ow...ow...ow...

Not even in your dreams could you escape the pains that overtook the right side of your body. With each new heartbeat, you felt the your own veins push up against your body. It was agonizing to say the least.

Wonder what it takes to get some painkillers around here...

But wait a minute...

Did the pain just...vanish?

And what is this warm feeling on your chest? A towel? A blanket perhaps?

Yep, definitely a blanket. But wait...

Crying. You could hear somepony crying. You? Nonono it couldn’t have been you. You felt their tears fall onto your neck.

No but seriously, who was crying? Because it was starting to get slightly annoying...

“I’m sorry...I’m just so sorry...”

Wait a minute! You knew that voice.

It was the voice of...her!

You slowly open your eyes and find yourself staring up at the ceiling of somepony’s home. You lay in a soft, comfortable bed with a blanket pulled over your body. You turn your head left and right until your eyes fell upon Fluttershy, who was crying at your side, her tears falling onto the bed which then slide down until they touched the side of your neck. As soon as Fluttershy caught eye of you looking at her, she gasped in amazement and lept towards you. She grabbed your neck and held you in a tight vice as her tears continued to fall.

“You’re awake! Oh thank Celestia you’re awake!” she gripped your neck even tighter. “I thought I would lose you! I was so scared!” she said in between sobs. Her tears continue to fall onto your neck. You had to give her some relief of your own. Slowly but surely, you move both of your tired front legs behind her neck, hugging her gently. Eventually, someone had to break the hug. Fluttershy slowly moved back and looked into your eyes, a look of panic and grief still beset on her tear-laden face. Her eyes were red and swollen from hours of crying and you could see grey, wrinkled bags underneath them. Clearly, she hasn’t gotten any sleep.

Suddenly, you felt a soft length of fur brush against the opposite side your face. You turn your head away from Fluttershy to find that Remi was laying on a small pillow next to you. He was rubbing against the side of your head while at the same time trying to curl around your neck. You manage to put on a little smile at your pet’s sight of affection. You kindly nuzzle your ferret to let him know that you are fine and well.

You turn back to Fluttershy and saw that she was smiling as well, even though she still had a few stray tears on her cheeks and her eyes still glistened with the light from the room.

“R-Remi came to my house last night and warned me about how intense the storm was getting over at your house. I-I w-was worried, so I f-followed him through the rain to check to see if you were alright. But when I got there, I saw you on the ground and...your house was on fire...and y-you were b-bleeding and...” Her lips began to quiver and she started to sniffle. You reached over and laid a hoof on her shoulder. She slowly looked up to you as the first tears started to fall.

“Please Fluttershy, please don’t cry. You and Remi saved me. Without you, I probably wouldn’t even be alive right now. Your kindness and caring for others is the only reason as to why I’m still here, at your side. Please don’t cry anymore Fluttershy. I can’t bare to see you this sad...” As she continues to sniffle, you reach down and take up one of her hooves , keeping it in place with both of your own. You delicately start to rub it in an attempt to calm her down. Your technique started to work, for her look of sadness started to dumb down into one of relief. Her frown turned into a soft smile and her eyes showed a look of understanding.

“Ok...” she whispers silently. You smile and bring your hooves back underneath the blanket.

“Is there...anything I can do for you? Are you still in pain?” she asks.

“Not right now, thanks to you of course...” Actually, you were still in great pain, but you didn’t want to make her worry again. “But would you mind if I had something to drink? Being unconscious for a while has kinda taken it’s toll on my throat...” Fluttershy slowly backed away and started walking towards the door. As soon as she left the room, you turn your head to face Remi. Your pet was curled up against the side of your head, sleeping soundly. It put good feelings to your soul knowing that your own pet was looking out for you, always standing by your side through thick and thin. Remi’s ears twitched once, then they twitched again. His eyes shot open and his head moved towards the open door. He stood up and arched his back. He bared his teeth and furrowed his brow. You wonder as to what could be making him angry all of a sudden, until you felt something jump onto the bed. You look at the far end of the bed to find that there was a small white bunny holding a roll of bandages it’s tiny arms, of whom you immediately recognized as Angel, Fluttershy’s bunny companion. Angel was also staring Remi down. Whenever Angel moved, Remi moved, a strong sense of territorial feelings hanging about him. You glared at your pet with an annoyed look. Remi glanced back at you and saw your look of disapproval. He backed off and hid behind your mane. You feel slightly guilty for having silently scolded your pet. You try to coax him out.

“I’m sorry Remi. I didn’t mean to scold you like that. Come on out. It’s ok.” Remi did as he was told. He crawled out from hiding and sat beside you, still silently staring at the rabbit from across the bed. “That’s Angel, Fluttershy’s bunny friend.” Angel smiled and waved to Remi, but he didn’t budge. Slightly annoyed at his resistance to be friendly, you decide to up the anty. You lightly push him in front of Angel. His attempts to resist confrontation have failed when he finds himself staring Angel directly in the eyes. He turns back to you for assistance, but you shake your head and smile. You gesture and roll your hoof towards Angel, who already has his arm stretched out and his palm open in a handshake. Remi hesitates for a moment before outstretching his own arm and shaking hands with the white rabbit. Angel smiles and releases Remi’s paw. He hops over to you and sets the bandage roll down beside your head. He then hops off of the bed and then hops towards the door, before stopping and waving over to Remi. He keeps waving while at the same time pointing his other arm out through the doorway, beckoning the ferret to follow him. Remi turns his head to you for approval. You smile and nod your head. Remi’s face perks up with happiness. He then jumps off the bed and scurries out through the door with a newly found friend at his side. It warmed your heart to see Remi make yet another friend like he did almost everyday.

“Awww...” you heard a soft voice, angelic voice cry out.

Fluttershy was standing in the hallway and looking in the direction where Angel and Remi ran off to. She happily trotted into the room, somehow managing to balance a glass of water and a small bowl of soup on her back, and sets both food and drink down on the nightstand next to the bed. She lightly grips the water glass between her hooves and offers it to you. You accept the glass and drink heavily from it, savoring every last drop, then you pass the empty glass back to her. She places the glass back on the table, then grips the bowl of soup and sets it down in front of you. Words could not describe how heavenly the watery concoction smelled. You slowly take the first sip, then another, and another. Three small gulps in and already your taste buds felt like they were in heaven.

“This tastes amazing Fluttershy!” You healthily take another sip, “Thank you for making it.”

Fluttershy put a hoof over her mouth and giggled. “You’re welcome.” You finish off the last of the soup and pass the bowl back to Fluttershy.

“Did Angel come by and drop off a roll of bandages?” Fluttershy asks.

“Yup. I think he set them down right...there.” You point to the bandage roll next to your pillow. “What are they for anywa-...oh...” You remember your grim injury from last night, recounting every detail from start to finish, right up to you passing out in pain on the ground.

“Oh...yes. I uh...when Remi led me to you, I saw that awful gash across your chest. It was awful, just awful. I carried you back here and disinfected the wound. After that, I rubbed a special solvent on the wound to nullify whatever kind of pain you must have been in. I didn’t have any bandages at the time, so I had to use an old sweater to cover it up.” Fluttershy took the bandage roll in her teeth and walked over to the opposite side of the bed. She gently lifted the blanket off of your body, revealing a dark patch of dried up blood coating the bedsheets. The sweater wrapped around your body was even more soaked in the red liquid. You winced in disgust at the sight. You wonder as to what Fluttershy must have felt when she had to mend your wound. Fluttershy also looked disturbed when she saw all of the blood that soaked into the bed.

“Oh...my...” She pulled the entire blanket off of the bed and laid it down on the floor. Very gently, she unwrapped and removed the sweater that covered your wound and laid it in a wooden basket next to her. She turned away when she got a second look at your wound. It was neatly stitched up and there was no sign of infection, but blood still oozed out through a few small crevices.

“Sorry about this, but I have to cover up this wound. Without the proper wrappings, even with what I have done already, it may still become infected and the wound won’t heal. Not to mention that you have lost a lot of blood as it is.”

She gives you a quick once over, then she unravels a small length of the bandage gauze and puts the tip of it to your wound, earning you a strong sting of pain. Fluttershy also winces at the sight of your suffering. A single tear starts to form underneath her right eye.

“It’s alright Fluttershy. I’m fine. So long as you’re here to care for me, I have nothing to worry about.” You gently reassure her. She smiles at your words and begins the process of wrapping the gauze around your torso, stopping at some points so she could signal you to roll over to wrap up the other side. It was painful, but you couldn’t care less. You had nothing to fear when she was at your side. After a long and painful medical session, you roll onto your back and look up at the yellow pegasus above you, who was sighing deeply with relief. Your entire torso was patched up and the pain was mostly nullified. You wiggle around to get back some of the feeling that was lost from laying in bed all day. Not even a wince. You lean back into the pillow, all worries gone from the world, a feeling like none other, and it was all thanks to one of the most kind and caring ponies to ever exist.

“Thank you Fluttershy, for everything...”

“You’re welcome. It always feels great to help a friend.” Fluttershy gently hugs your neck, and you hug back. When the moment of affection ended, Fluttershy grabbed the blood-soaked blanket and placed it in a basket next to the bed. She then walks over to a nearby closet and pulls out another blanket, which she then drapes over your body and tucks the sides of the blanket underneath you, wrapping you in a sheet of soft, clean warmth. She then moves to the nightstand and places both the empty glass and bowl onto her back before turning back to you.

“Is there...anything else you need?” she politely asks.

“No thank you Fluttershy. I feel amazing after everything you’ve done.” You look at the clock hanging on the wall behind her, then you look towards a nearby window and take note of how dark it was getting. “I think I’m just going to get some rest. You should probably do the same. You must be exhausted after everything that has happened today.”

Fluttershy looked like she was about to protest, but instead, she just smiled and started walking towards the door, but before she left the room, she stopped and turned around and started walking back to your side. When she stopped next to you, she gently planted a soft, warm kiss on your cheek. Your cheeks flare up with a deep hue of red as your mind slowly takes in what had just happened. Fluttershy cupped a hoof over her mouth and giggled for a moment before leaving the room, blushing and smiling all the way. You lean further back into your pillow, your eyes still wide in disbelief and a few drops of bashful sweat accumulating on your brow. No other feeling in the world could ever compare to what you had just felt moments ago. Feeling more content than you have ever felt before, you pull your blanket closer to your neck, close your eyes, and fall into peaceful, tranquil slumber.

Part 6

*knock knock knock*

“Yes?”

“May I umm...may I come in?”

“Oh, umm...of course!”

The door to the bedroom slowly creaked open and Fluttershy entered. She had a small wrapped basket of goodies on her back. Both Angel and Remi walked alongside her. It was a mystery to you as to how the two managed to get along so quickly in little under a day. She placed the basket on the nightstand. Then she walked over to you and gently nuzzled your neck. Blushing fiercely, you nuzzle her back.

“Pinkie came over this morning and dropped off this get well basket. Most of the animals that you used to take care of came by as well, including that beaver family. “ Fluttershy summarized the current day’s events. When you hear about your animals coming to Fluttershy’s home, you start to worry. You had taken care of many, many, animals and their families, much more than you could count.

“Oh...should I help? With the animals I mean. There must be an awful lot of them out there...” you ask her.

“Oh goodness no! You’re much too injured for any sort of work. If you tried to help me, your wound would just reopen and you would...be in even more pain. I have it all under control, don’t worry.”

“Ok...” you calmly agreed, “...but can I at least go and see them?”

“Oh...a-are you sure? Are in any pain?” Fluttershy asks with a tone of worry.

“Not really. Nearly all of the pain I had felt before is gone now, and I think I’ve gotten the feel in my legs back to.” you wiggle your forward and back legs and shake your body around to demonstrate, “I’ll be fine.”

Fluttershy pondered for a moment about your condition before replying. “Ok, but at least let me help you up.”

“Ok.”

You lean upward and straighten your back. Fluttershy grabs both of your front legs and slowly pulls you off the bed. You then straighten your back legs and gently place your back hooves on the floor, followed by your front hooves. You wiggle your body more to get rid of any excess numbness. Remi leapt off the bed and onto your back, where he then curls around your neck like a miniature python. Angel does the same, leaping off of the bed and onto Fluttershy’s back. Fluttershy leans over and lightly nuzzles your neck. You return the nuzzle with that of your own.

“Ready?” she asks while she flutters her eyes up at you.

“Ready.” you reply back. The two of you walk out of the room and down the stairs into the living room, where a plethora of animals were waiting to greet you. Birds, mice, guinea pigs, squirrels, and many other small animals all withdrew themselves from their tiny homes and strolled over to you and Fluttershy. They looked on with wonder at the sight of a new animal in the house, Remi, who had slithered off of your neck and dropped onto the ground to introduce himself. A few hummingbirds flocked over your head and landed on your head, chirping their own hellos. Fluttershy giggled. You lightly shook the birds off of your scalp and walked to the door with her, with every animal in the house trailing behind you. You walk ahead of Fluttershy and open the front door in a “Ladies First” form of manners. She blushes and accepts your kindly approach. You smile when you felt her soft mane brush past your own. You allow the other animals to walk ahead in front of you, then you walk out and close the door behind you.

Fluttershy’s garden was packed out with every kind of animal you could imagine. You recognized most of them, including the ones that you took care of before. The badger and squirrel families immediately caught eye of you, where they soon ran up to you and tightly hugged your front legs. You hugged back and playfully tussle the hair on one of the beaver’s head. Fluttershy smiled at the caring display.

“Are you sure you can handle all of these animals Fluttershy? It wouldn’t bother me at all to lend you a helping hoof.” you pro-offer the smiling pegasus.

“It’s alright,” she gently nuzzles your neck before continuing, “I have Angel to help me out. I’ve dealt with this type of situation before.”

You turn to face Remi, who was standing up on your back and waving to his old friends from your home. ‘Hey Remi,” you call to him. He turns to meet your gaze. “Wanna help Angel take care of the animals?” Remi beamed at the offer. He brought an arm up to his forehead and saluted you. He then hopped off of your back and slithered towards Angel, who was also introducing himself to the newcomers.

“Do you want to head into town? I’m sure that my friends would be thrilled to see that you’re alright...” She moved closer to you and leaned on your body. “Besides, you simply must get some fresh air after being cooped in the house for a while...” You smile warmly and nuzzle her forehead. She sighs with satisfaction and nuzzles you back.

“That sounds wonderful Fluttershy.” you replied.

Fluttershy broke away from the nuzzle and trotted over to Angel and Remi, where they were still busily shaking paws with other animals and introducing themselves. She lowered her head in between them. She lightly prodded the two of them with her nose, causing them to turn around and smile when they saw her face.

“Angel, do you mind taking care of the animals while I head into town?” Angel nodded in acknowledgment. Remi moved next to Angel and nodded as well. “Alright you two, I’ll be back soon.” Fluttershy called out while she trotted back to your side. You set off on the road for the town, with nature’s most beautiful creation leaning on your shoulder.

~~~~~

“Looklooklook! There they are!” Pinkie Pie pointed to Fluttershy and the pony beside her.

“Really? Let me see.” Pinkie handed the binoculars to Twilight. She carefully scrutinized Fluttershy from a distance, checking for any important signs and details of her alleged “bad romance” theory. After finding nothing, she was about to give up, until she caught eye of the other pony’s bandaged torso.

“Hold on a second, there! Look there!” Twilight passed the binoculars back to Pinkie, where she took them and put her wide, focused eyes to the eyepiece.

“Whoa, that doesn’t look to good...” Pinkie commented.

“Look like the start of a ‘bad romance’ Pinkie? The wound underneath those bandages must have come from somewhere...” Twilight suspiciously replied while rubbing her chin with one of her hooves.

“Are you crazy Twilight? Fluttershy would never hurt anypony! How could you even say that?” Pinkie scowled at Twilight’s horrendously backwards notion.

“It’s just a thought Pinkie, and besides, I never said that Fluttershy caused it!” Twilight snapped back.

It took a moment or two, but Pinkie’s mistake finally clicked in her head. “Oh, whoops. My bad!” Pinkie and Twilight continued to watch the two ponies through the cover of the bushes. The couple stopped at Rose’s flower stand for a minute, then continued on through the town. “Well, now what? They seem pretty happy together, and I don’t find anything suspicious about that.” said Pinkie as she lowered the binoculars and looked to Twilight for an answer.

“That’s just it! It might seem like a good relationship, but you never really know. Let’s observe them for just a little while longer, then we can come up with a conclusion.”

“Okie dokie lokie!” Pinkie put the lens of the telescope to her eyes. “Hey, why is everything so small now?” Twilight unamusingly took the binoculars from Pinkie and flipped them over, then gave them back to her. “Oh, oopsie! Hehe...”

~~~~~

Fluttershy slowly took in another whiff of the sweet smelling flower, breathing in, then exhaling with a sigh of content. “Thank you for the rose...” She took another whiff, then exhaled with content once more. She closed her eyes and leaned on your shoulder. You return the feel of affection with a gentle nuzzle to the side of her head.

“You’re welcome. Anything for you Fluttershy...” you say while continuing the nuzzle. She gave you a light peck on the muzzle, causing both of you to blush fiercely.

*growl*

Both of you jolt upward at the sound of a low growl. You look all around, expecting to find a dog or something nearby, but to no avail. The growl comes up again, but this time, it was closer to you. Fluttershy starts to giggle. You turn to find that she had one hoof covering her mouth to suppress her laughter while her other hoof covered her belly.

“Sorry, I guess I’m just a little hungry.” she says in between giggles. You could only stop and giggle along with her.

“Do you want to get something to eat? I know this great cafe in town that we could go to...well, only if you want to...” Fluttershy only responded by giving you another light peck on the muzzle. You stick close to Fluttershy and start off towards the cafe, only to stop when you notice that a pile of bushes nearby began to shake and rustle. You turn your head to look, only to find that the bushes have stopped rustling. And was that a...pair of eyes staring back at you?

“Is something wrong?” Fluttershy asked you with a hint of concern.

“No, I’m fine.” You warmly kiss Fluttershy on the nose. “Come on, you must be getting pretty hungry...”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Equestrian Deadpool, I took your advice about not working so hard...

It failed miserably...

Part 7

Fluttershy pressed herself even further against your neck, making sure that not even a single inch of space was left open between the two of you. Neither of you said anything to each other as you both sat there on the park bench. In those long moments, it felt as if the entire world consisted of just you and Fluttershy, eyes closed while nuzzling each other’s faces and enjoying the moment within a deep sense of silence and serenity.

“That was a wonderful lunch. Thank you.” said Fluttershy as she continued to nuzzle your neck, ending it off short with a small kiss below your chin. You loved it as to how she became so affectionate so quickly. You figured that most mares would have waited a least a week before they started to become this close. It seemed to be that Fluttershy wanted to start off early, possibly due to the several similarities of kindness and caring that both of you shared.

“You’re welcome.” you reply back as you gently nudge her head as a signal to continue her nuzzling. You were completely lost in a sense of amazement and bliss. Her skin and coat were as soft as a newborn foal’s, and the feel of looking into those wide, blue eyes of hers was enough to drive somepony mad.

“Well...” you start, “What should we do now? There’s only an hour or so left in the day. Is there any place in particular that you want to go to?” you politely ask your darling pegasus

“Couldn’t we just keep doing...this?” Fluttershy suggests while she flutters her eyes up at your smiling face. “I’m really enjoying it...” she brings her head back down to your neck and closes her eyes while she resumes her heavenly nuzzling. You close your eyes with her and sigh peacefully.

“Ok...” you reply back, returning Fluttershy’s nuzzle with a small kiss to the bridge of her nose.

~~~~~

“Seeeeee Twilight? Do you see any ‘bad romance’? Cause I sure don’t!”

“This can’t be one of those ‘storybook’ types of relationships...” Pinkie grinned widely at Twilight’s sudden acceptance to defeat.

“Told ya’! Not a single thing wrong with the-!”

“...but then again, I may be a teensy bit wrong on that notion...” Twilight interrupted Pinkie’s shining moment. Pinkie groaned and rolled her eyes.

“Really Twilight? Can’t we just leave them alone? I mean, just look at em’!” Pinkie pointed a hoof at the happy couple on the bench as they happily nuzzled one another.

“I know, I know. How about this, just one more day of field research, after this one of course, then this will stop. If we don’t find anything out of the ordinary, then we call their relationship legitimate and without fault. I promise.” Twilight declared by triumphantly raising a hoof into the air.

“Pinkieee promise?” said Pinkie Pie while she pushed a hoof against Twilight’s nose, squishing it into her face and making her look silly. Pinkie retracted her hoof and gave Twilight a serious stare. Twilight sighed and begrudgedly opened her mouth to speak.

“Fine, ok. I Pinkie Promise.” said Twilight while she raised a hoof into the air like she was swearing upon her very soul, which was probably a bad idea.

Pinkie instantly retracted her grim scowl of seriousness and reformed it into a giddy smile. “Ok!” Pinkie turned and started to bounce away from Twilight. “Anyway, I gotta go help the Cakes get the babies ready for their naptime. Catch ya’ later Twilight!” Pinkie’s bouncing form slowly disappeared over the hill and into the bustling town.

Twilight picked up her binoculars and brought them back up to her eyes. She dropped them in shock when she saw that the bench where the couple used to be was empty. She immediately moved out from behind her tree cover and frantically scanned the park area, but all that she could see were a family of ducks tussling their wings in the waters of a nearby pond.

“Oh, hello Twilight!”

Twilight jolted upward and quietly yelped when the heard the quiet voice of the pony behind her. She slowly turned to find herself staring face to face with Fluttershy, but her...partner was nowhere to be seen. She didn’t want to question Fluttershy about her relationship just yet, so she just decided to act natural.

“Hey there Fluttershy! Nice to see you again, seeing as to how you weren’t in town for the past few days.” said Twilight.

“Oh, right...that. Well...do you remember that one pony who moved to town a month or two ago. The one who likes to take care of animals, just like me?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yeah, I think so...”

“And do you remember those extra thunder storms that the weather team scheduled this week?”

“I think Rainbow Dash told me about that a few days ago. Is this leading up to something?”

Fluttershy eyed the ground and lightly kicked up a small patch of dust. After oggling the ground for a short while, she moved her eyes to meet with Twilight’s. She said nothing, where she soon returned her gaze to the ground. Twilight pondered for a moment, connecting each individual data point and analyzing them in her head one by one, until it finally clicked.

“Your home was destroyed by the storms?!” Twilight said with a large tone of shock and awe.

Fluttershy immediately looked up at Twilight’s false reckoning. “What? Nonono, not my house! That would have been just awful, all of those poor animals without a home and someone to care for them...”

Twilight’s face went blank. She was starting to get confused.

“But...somepony’s home was destroyed, and it wasn’t mine...” Fluttershy quietly stated.

“Wait, if not your home, then who’s home was it?” Twilight asked.

“Mine...”

Twilight stopped her ranting and turned to look at you. You held a sad look on your face as you were being forced to listen to the words that made you recount that horrible night. Your head was hanging low to the ground as the dread feeling of sadness took over. Fluttershy gasped and immediately ran over to you, wrapping herself around you in a tight hug. She began her usual routine of nuzzling in an effort to lighten your emotions.

“Oh...I’m...I’m sorry Fluttershy, and to you as well. I should never brought up something that tragic...” Twilight hung her own head low to the ground, “I should...probably get going now...sorry about this.” Twilight turned and started to walk away. Fluttershy looked worried. She looked up to you with worry as well. Feeling incredibly guilty, you raise a hoof into the air and call out to the sad unicorn.

“Twilight, stop!” Twilight raised her head and turned around to face you. You gently nudge Fluttershy away and walk over to Twilight. “It’s alright Twilight. It wasn’t your fault. You had nothing to do with me losing my home. You don’t need to feel bad about yourself...”

Twilight looked back up at you with quivering eyes. “I-I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?”

You could only smile when you hear the kind-hearted apology. “Of course I will Twilight! We’re friends aren’t we? That’s what friends do! They forgive each other, no matter what the other one has done.” Twilight warmed up and smiled at your heartfelt acceptance to her apology. Fluttershy walked up to your side and smiled up to you as well..

“Besides...” you smile back at Fluttershy, where she then proceeded to wrap one of her legs around your neck, holding you in a tight grip. “I think I got my housing situation under control...” You and Fluttershy both share a quick nuzzle to each other’s nose. Both of you giggle.

“You know...” you cock an eyebrow in a sly start, “I wonder how forgiveness would sound on a friendship report...oh how I wonder...” You roll your eyes upward and smirk in a smarmy manner. Twilight’s smile expanded into a huge grin.

“You’re right! Why didn’t I think of that before?” She took off running over the hill that led into town, calling out to both of you as her figure slowly disappeared from view. “Bye Fluttershy! Bye...!” Her voice fades away before she could clearly say your name. You smile as the feeling of helping a good friend takes over your soul for a minor second.

Suddenly, Fluttershy grabs your neck and hugs it with as much love as she could deliver. She deeply kisses your cheek as she increased her grip on your windpipe. She pulls away, still holding onto your neck with joyful gusto. “I can’t believe as to how well you handled that!” She kissed your cheek again. “Usually it takes a day or two for Twilight to get over accidentally upsetting another pony, even it was from a long-time friend, but you...” She said nothing, but instead decided to resume her usual ritual of nuzzling your neck, this time with much more passion than she has ever set into it before.

“I just did I thought was right. I can’t just leave a friend all sad and unhappy. It’s just, well...wrong!” you exclaim.

The coos of a nearby owl and the rising bleeting of cicadas made you turn your head up towards the sky. The sun was beginning to dip low in the sky as the first fireflies started to light up the slowly darkening gardens of the park. Fluttershy’s eyelids were beginning to droop over her eyes and she let out a quiet yawn.

“I think it’s time that we head back Fluttershy.” You suggest.

Fluttershy sighed and let out another small yawn. “Yeah, it’s getting pretty late. Angel and Remi are probably wondering as to where we are...”

“C’mon. I’ll take care of everything, including you, when we get back.”

You lead Fluttershy out onto the road that lead back to her cottage. You allow her to rest her head on your neck, letting your body act as a soft, warm pillow as the two of you continued on down the dirt road, the relaxing chirps of the crickets resounding all around you.

~~~~~

Twilight arrived at the front door to her library with a confident smile on her face. The words that she had said to Pinkie earlier still bounced around her skull.

'Ok.ok, Fine. How about this. Just one more day of field research, after this one of course, then this will stop'

Those words still resounded in her head. After what Fluttershy's partner did for her a few minutes ago, with so much kindness and caring for others, there was not a single doubt in her mind about their relationship. Twilight sighed and magically gripped the door handle, but before she opened the door, she turned her head back in the direction of the park.

"Just one more thing...just one more thing..." Twilight silently whispered to herself as she entered her librarian home, silently closing the door behind her.

Part 8

The songbirds of the morning were among the first sounds of the day to awaken you from what may have been the most peaceful and pleasant slumber in your life. You slowly open your eyes. You find yourself staring at Remi, who was stretching his legs and straightening his back. He caught you staring at him, in which he then scurried over to your face and started to push up against your chin, trying at his best to lift your head.

“I’m awake Remi, I’m awake.” You whisper to your lovable pet as you slowly stroke his back to let him know. He coos with satisfaction. You turn over, being careful as not to put pressure on your bandaged wound.

“Good morning Flutter-, Fluttershy?” The head of your beloved pegasus was not next to your own. You slowly lift the blanket off of the spot where she used to be, just to make sure that she was not snoozing underneath. Sadly, she was nowhere to be found. You start to worry a little, only to have those worries cut off when you hear the sound of clanking pots and pans along with the jittering pangs of dishware. Getting the idea, if there ever was one, immediately, you slowly climb out of bed and gently touch down on to the wooden floor. Remi jumps onto your back and scurries down your tail, where he then scurries out through the open doorway of the bedroom. You walk to the bathroom to brush out any loose and tattered sections of your mane, then you hit your face with a splash of cold water to awaken yourself fully. After making sure that you were neat and presentable, you move out of the bedroom and silently creep down the staircase to the living room, where two platters of vegetable soup along with a plate filled with bread slices sat on a metal tray on a coffee table in front of the couch. Fluttershy however, was nowhere to be seen.

“Fluttershy?” you call out. You slowly walk into the kitchen, where everything was shiny and clean. Where you would usually find Angel raiding the icebox for carrots, you found nothing. Something wasn’t right. You turn and walk back into the living room. Remi was cautiously lifting up a few overturned baskets and curiously poking his head underneath a piece of paper on the floor.

“Flutter-”

Before you could finish your thrice call, a pair of soft lips deeply pressed against your cheek, almost touching your lips. From the softness of the lips alone, you could already guess who it was. Before you could return the kiss with one of your own, Fluttershy walks up to your side and leans her head against your neck.

“Good morning sleepyhead!” Her cheerful voice sounded like that of the happiest bird call. She lightly pecks your cheek again before turning and walking over to couch. “I made breakfast if you’re hungry. I remember when you told me about how delicious the soup was before, so I thought that I would make it again.”

You smiled and kissed her gently on the nose. “Breakfast sounds wonderful Fluttershy.”

You finish off your breakfast and lean against a throw pillow on the sofa. Fluttershy sets her bowl aside and leans against your body, eyes closed while breathing deeply.

“Do you need any help with the animals today, Fluttershy?” you ask. She reopens and turns her eyes up to meet your awaiting expression.

“No thank you.” She turned away and climbed off of the couch. “Speaking of animals, I should probably get started. Some of the animals outside have already woken up, and with twice as many as there was before, I’m going to be a bit busy...”

You wanted to insist your services to your darling pegasus once more, but starting an argument with her would only put you in a guilty mood should you accidentally upset her.

Fluttershy notices your disappointment and walks up to your side, smiling. “But there is something that I need help with!” You perk up at the hint of good news. Fluttershy grabs a pair of saddlebags and places them on your back as you climb down from the couch. “I need somepony to run a few errands for me, seeing as to how I will be busy all day. It’s just a few simple things, a small load of apples from Sweet Apple Acres, a package from Rarity’s boutique, a book from Twilight’s, and few other things that you can get from the market.” She jots down a list of the items she needs, then passes it over to you. You reach over and take the list from her teeth. Your lips lightly brush past hers, causing Fluttershy’s upper lip to brush with a bright pink hue.

You give the list a quick once over before placing it into a side pocket of the saddlebags. Fluttershy motions you to follow her to the door, which she then opens, allowing the warm outside air to whisp against your face. Before you walked out, you turn to Fluttershy and gently plant a small kiss on her forehead. “I’ll be back soon Fluttershy. Are you sure that you can handle taking care of the animals while I’m gone?” you ask her.

Fluttershy cups a hoof over her mouth to suppress a touch of laughter. “I’ll be fine.You don’t have to worry about a thing. Besides...” From out of nowhere, Remi and Angel leaped onto Fluttershy’s back, where they shared a high-five before turning to face you. “I’m sure that Angel and Remi wouldn’t mind helping me out...if that’s ok with them I mean...” The friendly pet duo saluted in unison to show their willingness to assist their caretaker.

“Well alright, but can you do me a favor?” Fluttershy’s ears perked up.

“Of course. What is it?” As soon as she said this, you lean forward and press your muzzle against her nose, causing her smile to widen almost instantly and allowing her cheeks to brush more brightly then before.

“Can you keep that smile on that beautiful face of yours while I’m gone?” Fluttershy giggled and pulled her head back.

“Yes.”

~~~~~

Fluttershy slowly closes the door as she watched the one she loved head along the road towards the town. True to her word, she kept her smile spread wide across her face. Deep within her fluttering heart, she felt like a giddy schoolgirl having just been asked to go to the prom with their high school crush. She felt like jumping for joy, for she knew that today was a special day for her. Today, she was finally going to openly tell her friends about her new relationship. There was so much to do before they arrived. That was why she had given her new love a long list of things to do so she could get ready in the meantime. Remembering her plan that she had thought of earlier that morning, she bent down towards Angel and Remi, who were both standing straight up and looking back at her from the floor.

“Now, do you both remember the plan?” The two animals nodded furiously. Fluttershy squeaked with joy. “Great!”

Three sudden knocks on the front door withdrew her from her thoughts of happiness. She gleefully cantered to the door and opened it. Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and even Rainbow Dash had shown up as a single group for her friendly get-together.

“Oh, hello girls!” She said as she stepped back from the doorway, “Come in. There are some soft cushions near the fireplace for us to sit on. I’ll get some tea started in a minute.” She beckoned her friends inside and directed them towards a circle of cushions next to the fireplace. After making sure that everypony was comfy, she went into the kitchen and placed a teakettle full of warm water onto the lit stove.

As the kettle started to warm up, Fluttershy closed her eyes and relished in the thought of what was going to happen tonight, with both her friends, and the one she loved. It seemed like only a week ago, she was tending to a good friend’s rather nasty flesh wound, but now, with the kindness, caring, and compassion that her animal-caring friend delivered, she was in a love life that she never wanted to break away from. This wasn’t just some silly, typical two-month romance skid. This was pure heaven, and she finally had somepony to share it with.

~~~~~

“Ok, note to self. Never let the Cutie Mark Crusaders handle your packages...” you say to yourself as you brush off the last remaining bits of mushed apple and opal dust off of your coat.

“Strange as to how neither Rarity nor Applejack were home today. Applejack is usually the workaholic of her family and Rarity usually spends the entire day designing some new dress or filling out orders. Oh well, what’s next...” You stop and scan through the list to determine your next stop, which just so happened to be the final stop on the list. “Ok, book from Twilight’s library...oh great.” You suddenly realise that you have never been to the Ponyville library before. Come to think of it, you have never even seen the library. You pack away the list and start to walk forward, completely unaware of where you are going.

“Now, where it could it be?” You turn your head left and right in hopes of catching a glimpse of any sort of building that even remotely resembled a library.

“Please don’t tell me that I have to search the entire town just to find-oof!” Suddenly, your forehead smacks straight into the top face of a large wooden door. You stumble backward a few feet while vigorously rubbing your forehead to get rid of the sudden jolt of pain and ache. You lift your head to find yourself staring at a sign above the door, which clearly identified the location as the Ponyville library.

“Well, that’s convenient, if somewhat painful...”

The bottom half of the library door creaked open and out walked a tiny, purple dragon, of whom you remembered from your welcoming party as Spike, Twilight’s assistant.

Spike rubbed the back of his head in confusion. “Can I uhh...help you?” he asked.

“Oh, uhh...sure.” You slowly rise from the ground and brush off a patch of dirt that had fallen onto your shoulder. “Fluttershy sent me here to pick up a book from Twilight.”

“Twilight isn’t here right now...” Spike explains.

“Oh...” you sigh in disappointment.

“Twilight may not be here, but I can still the book for you. What’s the name?”

Your face lit up at the pang of good news. “Thanks Spike! I think I have the name right...” you dig into one of the saddlebag pockets and pull out the list, “Here!” Spike takes the list from your mouth and skims it over. He then smiles and gives the list back to you.

“Yup, we got that one. Stay here for a moment while I go get it.” Spike runs back into the library. After about a minute or two of waiting passed by, he emerges carrying a ring-bound book that appeared to be a journal of some sort. He walked to your side and stuffed the journal into the saddlebags.

“Thanks Spike. Kinda strange as to how Twilight isn’t home today. Fluttershy told me about how she can stay cooped up indoors with a book for days without coming outside.”

“Well, today is just one of those ‘special occasions’ for her. She and other gals left for Fluttershy’s about half-an-hour ago for a get together or something.”

“Really?” You asked with a confused eyebrow raised above average. You start to question yourself as to the real reason why Fluttershy asked you to run errands for her. “Thanks for telling me Spike. I should probably get going.”

“Ok, see ya!” Spike waved as you trotted away.

‘That’s a tad bit...odd. Why would Fluttershy not want me to stay?’ You pondered to yourself as you made your way back to the return road back to Fluttershy’s home. As you start off down the road, thoughts of worry, even a very dangerous thought of a breakup, start to enter your mind. Out of impulse, you pick up the pace, your senses heightening and your mind full of questionable worry.

~~~~~

“Sooo, Fluttershy darling, I simply must thank you for inviting us here.” said Rarity as she watched Remi pour her another cup of tea and personally hand it up to her, which then she then took from him with her magic, “And I must say that this new pet of yours is simply adorable!” Rarity used the tip of her hoof to scratch the underside of Remi’s chin. The ferret squirmed with fuzzy pleasure and he rolled onto his side with his tongue peeking out from between his lips. The other girls giggled.

“Thank you Rarity. Angel seems to gotten along pretty well with him.” Fluttershy commented as she watched Angel approach Rarity with possible hopes for the same underside treatment. “But he’s not my pet...”

“Oh really? Then who’s-?” Rarity’s stopped when she remembered who was staying with Fluttershy. “Oooh, it’s...”

Fluttershy nodded and hummed out a ‘yes’ before Rarity could finish. Applejack, obviously interested, decided to speak up.

“Yer’ pretty darn’ lucky Fluttershy. So where is this special somepony of yours?” said Applejack with a smug and curious grin.

“Still out in the town, I think, on a little errand run.”

“How’s the relationship going?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, it’s wonderful!” Fluttershy happily exclaimed, “It’s even more wonderful...when you have somepony to share it with. Every since we met, it’s been nothing but good feelings and calm, peaceful days...” She calmly said while drawing an invisible line back and forth with one her hooves on the floor.

“And I could never be happier.”

~~~~~

You arrive at the front gate and quickly swing it open before running up to the front door. You were about to open it until you heard faint sounds of talking coming from the other side. Curious, you put an ear to the door and listen carefully.

“...like?” That single word sounded like Twilight’s voice.

“Kind...caring...thoughtful...what other words could their be?”

‘Fluttershy?’ you thought.

“That sounds amazing! A pony like that deserves to have you for a marefriend...something like a party!” Pinkie Pie’s voice came up that time.

“Oh, most certainly! Last week, when I was picking a few vegetables from a small garden I had behind the house, I accidentally stepped into a rosebush. My back leg was covered in thorns from the bottom to the top and I was in a lot of pain. I sorta screamed out when it happened...”

You remembered that day completely. It was a great shock to you when you heard Fluttershy scream in pain while you were indoors and cleaning up the kitchen. It put a cold chill in your spine just to think about it.

“...carried me inside, gently set me down on the couch, and very carefully took out each one.”

You recalled that part of the day as well. It took you around a full hour to remove the thorns without hurting Fluttershy. At least Angel and Remi were kind enough to take up the last of your chores. It was a bit tedious, but it was definitely worth it just to see your love smile and kiss you on the forehead as thanks. Some other selfish pony would have asked for more, but you did it out of the pure kindness of your heart.

“...be back?” You were not listening to the next part of conversation, but this time, it was Rainbow Dash’s voice that came up.

“I...don’t know. The list wasn’t that long and the stops were not too far apart...”

It sounded like Fluttershy was worried about where you were. Not wanting to delay your entrance any longer, you knock on the door three times to announce your return. A small compliment of whispers rose up from inside and you could hear the sounds of hooves stepping around on the floor towards the door. After a few more unintelligible whispers, the door opens, revealing Rarity standing in the doorway. After she takes a quick once over of you, she turns her head and acknowledges your presence.

“Oooh Fluttershy! Your special somepony has returned.” Rarity steps off to the side, allowing you to walk in. Fluttershy, along with all of her friends, lay in a semicircle near the unlit fireplace. All of them smiled at you, and you smiled back. Fluttershy rose up and quickly moved up to you, where you both kiss the tip of each other’s nose in the usual way that you greet each other.

“Aaaaw!” Pinkie Pie must have thought out loud, for she immediately covered her mouth in embarrassment. Everypony in the room giggles. You’d think that Pinkie would have taken this a bit to seriously, but she soon found herself laughing hysterically at her own folly.

After everypony calmed down, Twilight stood up and started walking to the door. “Well everypony, I’m gonna head home to get some more study time in.” Everypony else rises from the semicircle and makes their to the door as well.

“I gotta git’ home too ah’ suppose. Sompony’s gotta start supper for the Apple family.” Applejack tips her Stetson hat to you as she walks by.

“And I gotta get up early tomorrow for weather detail.” said Rainbow Dash.

“I must be off as well. Clothing orders and whatnot.” said Rarity.

“And I got lots of super-yummy cupcakes to bake!” Pinkie shouted out.

You and Fluttershy thank the girls for coming as they walk out. You let the saddlebags droop off of your back and onto the floor, but suddenly, Fluttershy grabs your neck and pulls you into a tight hug, kissing your neck several times over. You hug back and give her the same treatment to her cheek. She pulls back and looks deep into your eyes.

“How much did you hear? If...it’s ok for me to ask that is...”

“Every word.” You reply as you kiss her again. “But why send me out on those errands?” you ask.

Fluttershy dipped her gaze down to the floor, but continued to hold you tight. “I...I guess it was just out of embarrassment...” she calmly replies.

“Embarrassment? Over me?” you let out a small giggle before continuing, “That sounds a bit silly, but then again, I don’t mind.” You kiss her on the nose again before pulling her back towards you in a hug. Both of you remain there for a few minutes before Fluttershy shifts her head around to get closer to your ear.

“Should we...go to bed...early tonight, as in...right now?” she asks. “I know it isn’t that late, but I’m getting a little sleepy.”

Cunningly, without Fluttershy noticing, you bend your legs and quickly toss her onto your back. She yelped and covered her face with her hooves in fear, but a gentle kiss to the forehead made her peep out and smile. She wrapped her hooves around your neck and leaned her head against the back of your own. You make your way over to the stairs and very carefully start move up, being careful as not to damage the precious cargo on your back.

You open the door to the bedroom and start to walk towards the bed, only to be stopped when Fluttershy pokes you. “I think I can make to the bed from here.” she tiredly said. She climbs down from your back and slowly moves to the bedside, but before she could climb up, you bolt in front of her and pull the sheets back. You quickly fluff her pillow and step back, earning you a smile and nuzzle of thankfulness. She climbed up into the bed and pulled the sheets and the blanket over her body. Once she is settled in, you tuck her in and straighten the sides, making sure that she will sleep well tonight in both comfort and warmth.

After looking over your handiwork, you turn and start to walk out of the room, only to be stopped by Fluttershy’s voice.

“Wait!” You turn around to meet Fluttershy’s worried eyes. “W-would...would you mind...sleeping with me tonight? It’s kind of cold, and having somepony...close to me would really help...” Fluttershy asks.

Your inner foal leaps to the top of your heart with happiness. You walk to the opposite side of the bed and pull back the sheets, allowing you to slip comfortably inside. You recover yourself and get settled in. After checking to make sure that you were comfortable, you turn and move closer to Fluttershy, who in turn moves closer to you and slips the top of her head underneath your chin. You lightly kiss her forehead and stroke her mane, earning a few moans of pleasure from the sleepy pegasus.

“Fluttershy, I’d thought you’d never ask...” you said as a late reply.

Fluttershy wraps her arms around you in a hug, and you do the same. You both remain there, stroking each other’s mane, hugging and kissing well into the night. Eventually, you could hear her breathing turn into a steady pattern, indicating that she had fallen asleep. After kissing her once more on the forehead, you close your eyes and fall asleep in her loving embrace.

Part 9

Three Weeks Later...

“Alright! Today’s the day!” Fluttershy happily proclaimed as she clapped both of her front hooves together as you started to position yourself on the couch, preparing yourself for the big moment.

Today was the day that Fluttershy was supposed to remove the bandages that covered the medicated wound on your torso. It was a mystery to you as to how so much time had gone by since the day she found you bleeding on the ground far away from the broken and burning ruins of your old home. The haunting memories of blood, smoke and fire still poked around your mind every now and then, but they were all zapped away when a certain pegasus pony stood by your side in comfort, giving to you all the love and affection that anypony could have ever given.

“Try not to move so much, ok? We don’t want to risk reopening the gash. Are you ready?” Fluttershy asked. You nod in approval. “Alright then...” Fluttershy kissed you on the cheek before continuing, “here we go...”

Fluttershy gripped a loose and exposed piece of the gauze with her teeth and slowly started to lift her head. She then manipulated her hooves to position them around the small bandage length in a roll as she gently pulled on the gauze some more, unraveling a slightly longer section of the wrappings each time. She continued to do this until a full ring of gauze that used to cover the bottom-most part of your neck had vanished. She breathed a sigh of relief and readied herself for the next ring.

“Ok...one down, more to go.”

The unwrapping process went on for about a full half-hour, the only delay being when Fluttershy stopped to take a short break when the first few sights of your wound started to peek out. You kiss her on the forehead and nuzzle her for a moment in an attempt to calm her down, which obviously worked when she passionately kissed you back.

Finally, after much time was spent, the final length of gauze was unwrapped from your torso. Cautiously, and with only one eye peeked open, you turn and gasp when you finally caught sight of the results.

“Fluttershy it worked! Your treatment worked!” You run and pounce onto your beloved, where you then pick her up and twirl her around in the air like a filly with a cherished toy doll. Fluttershy laughed loudly as you continued to spin her about before lowering her back to the ground and embracing her in a deep hug while kissing her multiple times over. She smiled and kissed you back with as much passion as you gave her in that moment of relief.

What used to be a long, deep gash on your torso was now a thin white line that stretched from end to end. It was still visible, but the fur of your coat concealed most of the scar.

“You're welcome. I would do anything for a friend...but you are more than my friend right?” she said as she leaned onto your neck.

“Of course Fluttershy.” you kiss her once more. “But Fluttershy...can I ask you for a favor?”

Fluttershy turns and looks up at you with her wide, beautiful eyes. She nodded.

You pull away from the hug and take up one of her front legs with both of your hooves, rubbing it to emphasis your love for her before speaking. “Please, please let me repay you for all of your kindness.” you beg to your love. Her face suddenly turns from one of calmness to one of surprise.

“Oh no! I can’t let you do that! It was the least I could have done. It’s no trouble at all...” said Fluttershy.

“No Fluttershy, I must. I...I actually have a gift for you. A gift that I have been saving for you for a long time. I wanted to give it to you, but I just wanted to wait for the right moment.” You release yourself from the hug and slowly back away towards the stairs. Before going up, you turn to face your beloved Fluttershy with assurable eyes. “I’ll be right back. Just wait right there.”

You bolt up the stairs and run into main bedroom. Your eyes scan the entirety of the four walls until they fell upon a small brown chest in the corner. You move to over to the chest and open it, and your eyes light up with glee when you find the object that you were looking for.

You reach inside and take out a small blue box, the very same blue box that you had been meaning to give to Fluttershy the day after your house was destroyed in that horrific thunderstorm.

“It’s still here! Thank Celestia...” you silently utter to yourself.

You did not waste another second. You gripped the box in between your teeth and bolted back out into the hallway and down the stairs, where you found Fluttershy smiling while she rubbed Angel’s belly. She stops when she notices your return. Taking a deep breath and releasing it, you walk up to her and set the box down on the floor in front of her.

“Ok, close your eyes.” you said. Fluttershy did as you commanded, still keeping her smile.

“Fluttershy...” you start by saying, “Ever since I met you, my life have been changed forever.” you pause for a moment before continuing, “But on that night, when you shared with me your kindness, selflessness, and generosity to me, I was taken aback, in a good way that is. You took me in during my greatest time of need, and instead of asking for something in return, you gave me something. Something more valuable than anything I could have ever asked from you...love...you gave me love...” Fluttershy’s smiling lips started to quiver as she did her best to hold back a few tears. “And now...I want to give you my love...” You reach down and lift the lid from the box and position it just right. “Ok...open your eyes...”

Fluttershy slowly lifted her eyelids and gasped when she saw what was presented before her. Tears started to form in her eyes and she dawned a smile bigger than any other.

Inside of the box, was a necklace of the finest craftsponyship. A long, solid gold length of metal with silver trim along the edges made up the part of the necklace that wrapped around the neck, but that was not all. On the front of the necklace, were three butterflies crafted from the purest emerald crystal, each of them in a separate position from each other on the necklace and encased in their own gold-plated circular holds. Two of the butterflies were of the exact same size, but the third butterfly was twice their size and it sat on the front face of the necklace in between the two smaller ones. Each of the butterflies had a pair of tiny ruby eyes and a long, silver tail, which truly showed the beauty of the fine neck piece.

Fluttershy could barely contain her tears. She started to cry, hard, but not with tears of sorrow, but with tears of joy and happiness. She slowly lifted the necklace from the box with both hooves and gasped once more once she read a short poem specially inscribed on the back of each the front-most golden hold.

You in my life
Will live eternally
I knew the first night we met
You were meant for me.

“I love you Flutter-whoa!”

Suddenly, Fluttershy pounces on top of you, pinning you to the floor. She grabs your neck and wraps her hooves around it before closing the remaining distance between your lips and hers. She kisses you directly on the lips with passion like she has never shown before. You happily return the embrace with your own dose of filling passion by pressing back against her lips. A single tear falls onto your cheek, then another. Eventually, Fluttershy pulls back to get some air in her lungs after such a long moment of bliss and wonderment. Her face streamed with tears of joy. You leaned up and planted a kiss on each tear that fell, making them go away. When she saw that her face was clear, she grabs you again and pulls you into another deep, passionate kiss.

She pulls away again and you both stand there, staring deep into each other’s eyes. Eventually, you break away from her gaze and look down at the necklace on the floor. You reach down and grip the necklace in between your teeth and bring it up to Fluttershy’s face. She smiles and dips her neck downward, allowing you to slide the shining symbol of your love for her over her beautiful head, then down to the base of her neck. She steps back and stares at your gift once more. She then leans in and lightly kisses your lips before resting her head underneath your chin.

“I love you too...”

Epilogue

Eight Months Later...

“Almost done deary...aaand perfect!”

Rarity steps back from the dressing room podium and smiles proudly at her hard work.

“Wow Fluttershy! You look...”

“Amazing!”

“Awesome!”

“Pretty darn’ good lookin’ if ya’ ask me.”

Fluttershy’s friends awed at the beautifully-made dress that Rarity had designed for her. The bright, vivid colors of green and blue, along with some pink in the veil, showed off everything beautiful about Fluttershy. All of her favorite colors came together in a single dress that would mark this day as the happiest day of her life.

Her wedding day.

“I designed the side lace myself.” Rarity boasted, even if she knew that it was un-ladylike to do so. “My friends deserve the best, if not the utmost perfect of what I have to offer.” Rarity turned her head towards a nearby wall clock. “And just enough time to spare for me slip into my gown. Be right back!” Rarity grabbed a hairbrush along with a small case of face powder and sped off towards the private dressing rooms.

“Well Fluttershy, it’s your big day. How are you feeling?” Twilight asked.

“Happier than I have ever been before...” Fluttershy calmly uttered.

“Thanks again for making all uh’ us your bridesmaids Fluttershy.” Applejack added in.

“Ya! I’ve never been to a wedding before. I wonder what everypony will think about when they taste the special cake at the reception? The Cakes and I worked super-duper hard to make it perfect! Pinkie Pie said proudly.

“Hey, I think your parents arrived Fluttershy!” said Rainbow Dash as she peeked out through an opening in the dressing tent.

“I knew they would come!” said Fluttershy.

“Of course they came. Somepony’s gotta walk you down that aisle to your forever more love-to-be.” Twilight explained.

“Mmm...forever more love-to-be...” Fluttershy said to herself while she smiled and closed her eyes, relishing in the moment.

“E-excuse me? Miss Fluttershy? The ceremony starts in five minutes...” said a tiny colt pony who came in unexpectedly through the tent entrance.

“Oh! Thank you Pip.” said Fluttershy.

“That’s our cue everypony! Let’s take our places on the altar, c’mon.” Twilight directed her friends to the tent entrance and led them outside.

“Wait! Wait! Wait for me!” Rarity ran out of the dressing room garbed in her most formal ceremonial gown, but before she could bolt out of the tent, she turned to Fluttershy and placed a hoof on her shoulder.

“Fluttershy, good luck.” said Rarity.

“And we come to wish you good luck as well.”

Rarity and Fluttershy turned left and right to see who it was that spoke, until both of their jaws dropped straight to the floor when they saw that the two most unlikely characters to visit a small town wedding appeared at the tent entrance.

“P-princess Celestia? Princess Luna?” said a very surprised Fluttershy.

“Yes dearest Fluttershy, it is us.” Celestia started, “When Twilight sent word about your day of marriage, we decided upon ourselves to attend this momentous occasion.”

“Never before has an element holder took up upon the choice to get married. I suppose that you will be the first.” Princess Luna stated.

“W-wow. Thank you. Both of you” said Fluttershy.

“You’re very much welcome Fluttershy. Me and Luna will be off to the side to observe the wedding from a distance, security reasons and whatnot.” Celestia barredly explained while rolling her eyes.

“So with that, I say, good luck.” said Luna.

“And may the force be with you...”

~~~~~

“Aaand in three...two...one...”

Right on Twilight’s cue, the traditional wedding music of Ponyville started playing. Everypony rose from their seats in honor of the bride coming down the aisle with her father at her side. She looked off to the side for a moment to try and catch eye of the princesses. Some time later, she saw them sitting about fifty feet off to the left side of the altar, surrounded by her usual party of armored guards. Twilight was glad that she invited both of them so they could witness the first ever eternal bonding between one of the elements of harmony and their lover.

The music slowed to a stop as Fluttershy reached her destination at the top of the altar. She looked deep into her lover’s eyes as the Ponyville ring bearers, also known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders (who were chosen after several days-worth of lectures about behavior and manners from Rarity), walked through the aisle and up to the base of the altar podium, where all of three of them presented the two diamond rings that would tie the knot on the eternal bond of love and serenity. Once the ring bearers backed away off to the side, the wedding envower stepped up to the top of the podium at the altar and began to speak.

“Friends, family, and ponies alike. We are all gathered here today, to celebrate the sacred bonding of these two ponies in love.” The envower turned to Fluttershy to continue the ceremony. “Fluttershy, do you accept this pony, the one you love, into your life, to share and belong, in eternal matrimony?”

Fluttershy turned away and looked deep into your eyes once more before speaking, “I do.” The envower bowed to her and then turned over to you.

“And do you, accept Fluttershy, into your life as a lover, to share and belong, in eternal matrimony?”

“I do.” you reply. The envower bowed to you, then turned back towards the crowd of eager ponies.

“Then, by the power invested to me, and by the power of the elements of harmony, and by the sacred traditions of an envower’s proclaiming words, I now pronounce both of you, married, in eternal bonding and happiness.”

This was it. This was the moment you had been waiting for your whole life. The one moment you had longed for, ever since you first locked eyes with the beautiful pegasus before you, this one moment was finally about to make your life whole.

Then, it came.

“You may now, kiss the bride.”

Not a even a millisecond later, you and your new wife closed the distance between each other’s lips, locking them together, sealing the deal.

From everywhere, ponies cheered, friends chanted your name and congratulatory words, and the love of your life, the kindest, most caring pony to ever exist, cried tears of joy as the kiss deepened.

Unfortunately, the kiss had to come to an end at some time. You both retracted lips and embraced each other in a deep, loving hug. Your mane soaked up most of Fluttershy’s still-flowing tears. Being sneaky, you backed up a foot or two and slipped the diamond ring, which was attached to a long, golden necklace, over her neck. Fluttershy did the same to you soon afterward.

After a minute or so had gone by, you both pulled away from the hug and started down the altar steps towards Twilight and the other girls, who immediately ran up to congratulate their newly-wed friend.

Once all the congratulatory cheers were over and done, Fluttershy returned to your side and leaned her head against your neck in the usual fashion. You moved your head down and locked lips with her once more, but only for a brief moment.

“Soooo...” Pinkie Pie started.

“Who’s up for wedding cake?”

Who's up for a sequel?

For those who are just now reading this. The sequel is up. You can find it on my profile page. Just like this story, it is multi-part. Expect some long waits between each chapter as life tends to get in the way of my writing time.

-Hivemind