A morning with Fluttershy

As the first beams of brilliant golden light began to seep through the light, airy curtains of Fluttershy’s bedroom everything caught in its glow took on a soft buttery hue. The room was small, a typical cottage residence; the room was tiny and cluttered with the necessities of everyday life: a bed, side tables, an aged wooden trunk (filled to the brim with toys for her animal friends), wardrobes and draws- along with other brick a brack and nick nacks which lined the surface of every shelf.

Above the ground spanned three great rafters, each beam sporting a myriad of different animal homes, everything from bat racks to bird boxes. Within each one a soft murmur could be heard, a gentle breathing sporadically interrupted by a snort or a chirp, the mirror image of the creamy Pegasus who dwelled below. Under her orange and yellow butterfly patchwork sheets rested a demure Pegasus, her soft breathing and periodic, gentle, mewling the only indication that she was there at all.

As time drifted lazily onwards and the sun claimed its position high in the sky more and more light began to filter into the room, the soft butter hues turning into bright yellow sections of light, the thin white curtains were doing nothing to stop the light anymore. Of the few bird’s nests and creature hovels that had been caught by the light a few of their inhabitants began to wander out onto the wooden floors and rafters.

Small chirps and squeaks could be heard from the array of animals that had been woken up, their tiny voices just overcoming the quiet rhythmic ticking of the clock on mantelpiece. The chirping bred more chirping and the squeaking inspired more and more squeaking as the rest of Fluttershy’s friends began to wake up.

Stirring below the covers the demure mare reluctantly opened up her eyes, the world a blur as everything came into focus, she pushed up in the bed bringing her fore hooves to rest atop of the quilt as she leaned her back against the headboard. She smiled to herself, she always loved this time of day, seeing her charges flutter gracefully above her head and scamper below her hooves.

After a while of admiring the view she pushed up from the bed, slipping out from under the covers gently. As her hooves touched the floor she wobbled slightly, leaning against the side of the bed as until her ‘jelly legs’ had worn off. She released a small breath, turning to the side and drawing the bed sheets- folding them neatly over themselves, allowing the fabric to air.

As she released a yawn she began to walk over to the dressing table, stumbling at first as she finds her feet before fluttering the rest of the way. She pulled out the old chair, the back legs scraping along the floor. She walked around to the chair, taking up a seat ‘Lyra’ style.

She looked at herself in the mirror, her mane slightly dishevelled and her eyelids still heavy, struggling to stay open. She leaned forward, grabbing a small wooden brush with one of her hooves and bringing it to her hair, dragging the soft bristles through the soft pink locks, reigning in the wispy tails of hair that strayed off from the main body with but a few strokes – nothing quite like natural beauty and low maintenance. After a few more moments of careful brushing she hopped gently off of the chair and headed through the door.

As she walked along the small corridor the butter mare was careful of where to put her hooves, always mindful not to step on any, toys, homes or, even worse, any animals themselves- she walked softly, but, sadly, not many mice can handle the weight of a mare on their backs. As she walked carefully down the corridor turned assault course she fluffed her wings lightly, trying not to stretch them in such a confined space.

She turned left, placing her right hoof first as she looked down the stairwell, the old oak steps creaking unhappily even as she tiphoofed down them, she stifled a small giggle.

“Well good morning to you too” She said in her characteristically soft voice.

Continuing onwards she reached the bottom of the steps. Taking another turn she walked through the living room, smiling as she observed life at work. Small mammals scuttled along the floor, playing with balls and chew toys jovially as small birds preened each other in the array of potted plants scattered across the room.

As she walked into the kitchen she headed over to a cupboard, kneeling down and pulling out the traditional kettle, grasping it with her teeth she lifted it over to the sink, raising a hoof she turned the gleaming silver knob of the tap slowly, the cold water flowing out and into the kettle-when full, the mare hoisted the cast iron receptacle onto the stove and turned the gas on.

Whilst awaiting the kettle to boil and whistle the cream Pegasus walked over to another cupboard, this one standing out from the rest, the dark mahogany wood contrasting the usual lighter beech, as she leaned down and grasped the small bronze handle her muscles tweaked; having not stretched this morning, her muscles suddenly melted, the soothing cool sensation of pleasure rolling through her appendages and backs rapidly as her wings stretched out, her back arched and her legs straightened as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment of bliss.

Biting her bottom lip she tried to restrain herself from letting out a low moan, her form slowly returning to normal as she sighed and smiled, returning to the cupboard and the task at hand; just behind her she could hear the water in the kettle to boil slowly, an odd bubble here and there. Opening up the pantry she pulled out a small bag of oats with her teeth. Turning around and tapping the door shoot with a swift hind kick.

Bringing the oats over to the stove she tipped a small pile into the base of a black pot, she pushed the bag to the side lazily as she grabbed some powdered milk, the same type that she used to wean the baby animals with, but still viable for equine consumption. Taking the small sachet in her hoof she tore off the top, tipped the contents into the pan and then discarded with the packaging.

As she waited for the kettle to boil she absentmindedly circled a hoof tip on the speckled marble countertop, a few minutes drifted by as she watched her friends at play, chuckling to herself every now and again when one of them did something particularly cute or funny. After no time at all the entire ear piercingly high pitch whistle of the kettle rang out, causing her ears to flatten against her skull.

She reached over, cupping the handle of the instrument in a hoof and lifting it away from the hob and pouring a large section of the water into the pan, the mixture beginning to bubble and foam a little as the thin white liquid soon began to thicken. Grabbing a wooden spoon she began to fold the mixture over itself, exposing all of the oats and milk to the searing heat of the water.

She turned off the hob, the dim azure flames subsiding into nothingness, reaching under the table the cream mare grabbed a mug and her jar of instant coffee, after lifting the two onto the counter top she promptly grabbed a small tea spoon and scooped out two heaped piles of the dark brown powder and plonked them into the “World silence champion” mug. Another healthy sprinkle of powdered milk and a few teaspoons of sugar later and the coffee was ready for the water-  she tipped the kettle and poured in the water soon after.

As her porridge thickened to acceptable levels Fluttershy took the spoon and lifted a small pile of her breakfast to her lips, blowing on it softly as small, wispy trails of steam rose from the moist surface before placing the spoon in her mouth and scraping the porridge off of it with her lips. A tiny smile played across her lips as she relished in the creamy taste of the oats and the boost of energy that came with it.

Bit by bit the small, alabaster bowl became emptier and emptier as she shovelled more and more of her breakfast into her mouth, eventually leaving nothing but sticky dregs of porridge that clung stubbornly to the edges and sides of the bowl, a small puddle of powdered milk sitting at the base.

Now that her porridge had gone she could turn to her drink. Every morning she would obey her own little ritual of: She would eat her breakfast first, cleanse her pallet, then enjoy the refreshing effects of her morning cup of coffee unabated by any other lingering flavours.

As she pushed the bowl to the side, the base of the crockery emitting a dull scraping noise as it moved away from her, as she put both hooves on the mug, lifting it slowly to her lips. The light brown liquid slipped into her mouth, the sharp buzz of the caffeine rocketing through her system as she felt the plumage on her wings fluff up ruffle slightly. The sweet saccharine taste of the large amount of sugar intermingling with the inherent bitterness of the coffee itself playing across all of her senses as a maestro would a piano.

Her taste buds were awake, after an uncomfortable sticky and near sleepless summer night the invigorating experience of a fresh cup of coffee was utter and complete bliss. Her eyes were no longer heavy, they felt refreshingly light and could, at least, stay open without her having to force them to, her leg twitching slightly from the sudden boost of energy and the feeling of the liquid steadily warming her from within. What more could a Pegasus ask for on a morning like this.

As her little pleasure slowly came to an end she lifted the cup a little higher, the last, sugary residue of her drink slowly making it’s way down the cup. She placed her cup down, licking her lips as she pushed it to the side. Sliding off of the kitchen stool and making her way back into the living room. Not paying much attention to any of the animals inside, knowing they were all fine and would much rather just go about their day than be pestered by her, instead, she simply walked to the door and promptly left the house, closing it gently behind her.

It was a glorious morning, the weather was lovely, a soft wind rolled by gently, guiding a few fallen leaves to wherever it took them, the sun shone brightly between the patches of clouds that floated by effortlessly overhead. All over the grounds a myriad of different animals could be heard, everything from birds to dogs and even a single seal. She smiled, raising her head, inhaling deeply, revelling on the sweet, floral, smell of nectar and pollen afloat on the wind.

Looking out over the rolling hills of Equestria always made her feel at ease, despite being so close to Everfree Forest the sight of the endless green meadows and of life going on regardless of the dark forest did her heart good, it made her feel safe and strong.

She turned her vision away from the forest, walking around the back of her cottage, picking up a small straw hat that Applejack had made for her, sitting it gently atop of her head as she nosed a green overall off of a fence, settling into the fabric as she grabbed the nearby yellow watering can- the nozzle looking like a perforated flower with pink petals.

She carried the watering can around d the back of her house looking over the various flowerbeds that breathed life into her back garden, looking at the texture of the soil and judging whether any watering was needed, on the odd flower bed she’d lean over, cocking the angle of the watering can and causing some water to sprinkle out from it, the liquid causing the surface of the flowers to sparkle and glisten beautifully in the morning light.

She sat down slowly, looking out over her flowerbeds, it was nice to have a hobby; there was something nice about having a sense of order and being able to control what goes and grows when and where, she chuckled, it certainly wasn’t something she had all of the time when the animals needed taking care of.

The moment didn’t last long, after all, she did need to give ‘some’ attention to her animal friends. A cute, shocked yelp escaped the cream mare’s lips as she felt a small prodding on her flank, quickly turning her head to see what it was she noticed a small snow white bunny.

“Angel!” Her voice was raised a little, just a tad above normal. She cleared her throat “Yes Angel?” She asked with a smile “What is it?” The small rabbit opened its tiny mouth and pointed inside, taking out the small pocket watch and tapping it gently. Fluttershy giggled softly “Alright, Angel” She cooed, standing up and removing the hat and overall while she shook her head and barrel, her mane falling back into place and her wings clamping firmly to either side of her.

They walked around the flowerbeds slowly, Angel opting to run through the beds and through every nook and cranny he could squeeze through while Fluttershy simply marvelled at his energy and agility. All she could see where tiny white flashes amidst a sea of floral and pastel colours, briefly flashing up at one point before reappearing somewhere else.

As she turned the corner to the back of her house she noticed that the cute little rabbit was waiting by a small vegetable garden labelled “Carrots” a cheeky little grin on his face as he pointed at the produce. Fluttershy simply chuckled and walked over to the small plantation, leaning over and dextrously lifting two carrots out of the ground with her teeth, the leafy green tops of the vegetables being sliced off by her teeth and swallowed as the orange roots fell to the floor.

Angel didn’t wait around, flashing a small smile to the mare before grabbing the carrots, putting one under each paw and running off, not to be seen again until he next wanted food. She sighed, not that she was hoping for a conversation with a rabbit but, a little more appreciation that a smile would have been nice, he did live with her after all.

Turning tail she walked back to the front of the house, the sun having gone in a little, providing a little shade as she took up a seat on one of the cushions next to the patio table; looking out over the small hill that lead up to her house. The path was dirt, made by the regular trampling of hooves rather than the actual removal of turf, a vets, well...  vet anyway, skills were in high demand in a small town and ponies would often bring their animals to her or ask her to come and take a look at them, see if they were ok. True she was never lacking company, but it did mean that she never really got a chance to just sit down and relax.

How she’d long for a long summers day where she could laze about in the sun with her animal friends and just enjoy the tranquillity of it all, however with summer being the time of year where ponies are out playing with their animals she never got chance- a sad, but true, fact. Still, no one could take her mornings away from her and for that she was thankful.

She carried the watering can around d the back of her house looking over the various flowerbeds that breathed life into her back garden, looking at the texture of the soil and judging whether any watering was needed, on the odd flowerbed she’d lean over, cocking the angle of the watering can and causing some water to sprinkle out from it, the liquid causing the surface of the flowers to sparkle and glisten beautifully in the morning light.

She sat down slowly, looking out over her flowerbeds, it was nice to have a hobby; there was something pleasant about having a sense of order and being able to control what goes and grows when and where, she chuckled, it certainly wasn’t something she had all of the time when the animals needed taking care of.

The moment didn’t last long, after all, she did need to give ‘some’ attention to her animal friends. A cute shocked yelp escaped the cream mare’s lips as she felt a small prodding on her flank, quickly turning her head to see what it was she noticed a small snow white bunny.

Turning tail she walked back to the front of the house, the sun having gone in a little, providing a little shade as she took up a seat on one of the cushions next to the patio table; looking out over the small hill that lead up to her house. The path was dirt, made by the regular trampling of hooves rather than the actual removal of turf, a vets, well... makeshift vet anyway, skills were in high demand in a small town and ponies would often bring their animals to her or ask her to come and take a look at them, see if they were ok. True she was never lacking company, but it did mean that she never really got a chance to just sit down and relax.

How she’d long for a long summer’s day where she could laze about in the sun with her animal friends and just enjoy the tranquillity of it all, however with summer being the time of year where people are out playing with their animals she never got chance- a sad, but true, fact. Still, no one could take her mornings away from her and for that she was thankful.

It couldn’t last.

She pushed off from the cushion, walking back towards her house as she walked around the side again, picking up the watering can between her teeth and not bothering with the hat or overalls this time. Carrying the can around to the front of the house she approached the windows, watering the planters that sat outside of the windows carefully, filling them with just enough water so that only a little drained out from the bottom- she didn’t want to upset the pH balance of the soil too much.

After everything around the house was watered she placed the can down next to the door, the small metal structure looking quirky against the aging cottage. Backing up she looked at the house, the first thing she noticed was that the thatching was in need of a refurbishment, it had been a few years since a new layer of thatch had been laid and with a combination of birds and insects it had slowly descended into a state of disrepair.

Making a mental note of it she turned around and sat on the grass around the front of the house, curling her tail around her side, all of her chores were completed. Everything was in its place, the flowers were watered, the bed was made, the animals were fed, breakfast had been made and the chores around the house had been made note of.

Perhaps this was going to be her lucky day, perhaps this would be one of those rare occasions where nothing went wrong, where nopony needed her to look at an animal and where nopony would need her help with anything in particular. Perhaps, against all odds, nothing in the entire town of Ponyville and all of its inhabitants would go wrong today that needed her attention.

However, this thought didn’t last for too long after she looked up, her view clearly encompassing the mountains and, quite peculiarly a large black cloud seemingly emanating from the peak. She cocked her head and struggled to make any sense out of it.

As her view travelled downwards she tried to ignore it, however, one thing that she couldn’t ignore was the five mares that were making their way up to her house, armed to the teeth with all kinds of saddlebags and gear.

“Hey!” Rang out a rambunctious rainbow mare’s voice “Fluttershy, we’re gonna go fight a dragon!” Fluttershy gulped.

It looked like her day was only just beginning.