I Will Lift You

by ThaStrangr

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle, Sad
Length: 10384

Fluttershy's cottage, and probably her best friend Angel, is gone. Fluttershy has been knocked down, and it's up to Twilight to help her back up.

A fire of unknown origin begins in the Everfree forest. Quickly, it spreads to the home of the timid pegasus, Fluttershy. She manages to rescue all of her animals, but one. She reaches for a small white rabbit as the supports on the cottage go, and she is rescued by Twilight Sparkle. Her home is gone, and has probably taken her best friend with it. The world has brought poor Fluttershy down. Can Twilight help her get back up?
>Written for the TwiShy August Dual Contest. Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Published 2013-08-27 13:40:02 UTC
Last updated 2013-08-27 13:40:02 UTC

Light in the Darkness

It was a normal day in Ponyville. Just outside of the Everfree forest, a timid yellow mare went about feeding her many animal friends.

"Here you go, Berenger," Fluttershy stated to a large grizzly, as she passed him a plump watermelon. He happily accepted.

"Just one more to go." This was the day-to-day for Fluttershy. Constantly caring for practically an entire zoo. And she enjoyed every minute of it.

"Angel," she called, "where are you?" No one showed. Fluttershy was getting worried.

"Angel is never late for a meal. What's taking him so long?" After several minutes, a small white rabbit frantically hopped toward her.

"Oh, there you are. You almost missed-" Her words were cut-off as Angel desperately pulled on her hoof. Fluttershy was concerned. Angel only did this when there was a serious crisis.

"Angel, what's wrong?" The rabbit began pointing outside. She hesitated. She wasn't sure she wanted to see what had the rabbit so frazzled. Unfortunately, she smelled it.

"No." She quickly ran outside and turned to the forest to see a giant inferno lighting the sky, and coming ever closer to her. She acted fast. She darted toward the chicken coop and released all of the inhabitants, directing them away from the fire. She then ran back to her pens, where she held the larger animals, just as the flames began to engulf her small cottage. She ran back to the house and threw the front door open. Many of the animals dashed out the instant she did so. The heat was so intense, though, that several of them had passed out. She guided Angel to the smaller animals, while she focused her attention on Berenger. Fluttershy could usually carry him with little effort, but the heat was wearing on her. She eventually got the bear to safety, but there were still a few animals left. She left Angel to help the last few on the ground floor while she checked upstairs. She found Aya, her falcon, trapped in her cage by an overturned bookshelf. Fluttershy threw the shelf aside, and pointed Aya downstairs. Angel hopped up the stairs to meet her.

"Is everyone out?" The rabbit nodded. Fluttershy started leading him out, and had gotten down the stairs when a shelf was turned over by the force of the fire, and landed on her wing. She let out a wail of agony. Angel began running toward her as a support beam fell from the roof, trapping him on the stairway. Fluttershy struggled against the weight on her wing, desperate to save her friend. She screamed for help, oblivious to the pressure on her wing decreasing. The shelf was enveloped in a lavender glow, and slowly lifted itself. But Fluttershy didn't notice that. All that she could see was that her dear friend was trapped in that fireball, helpless to escape. It wasn't until she had passed the frame of her front door that she realized she was being carried. She jumped off of the unicorn's back and made a dash for the cottage. She was stopped by a purple aura encompassing her.

"Let go, Twilight!" She screamed at the friend that had just saved her life, "He needs me. I have to save him!" It was too late. Before her eyes, her home crumbled to a pile of ash, taking a small white bunny with it.

"Nooo!" She fought against her invisible shackle, but it was in vain. The house was gone. And so, too, was Angel. Fluttershy collapsed into a blithering mess. Tears fell uncontrollably. Despite Twilight's efforts, Fluttershy was trapped in that house. This was something Twilight could not save her from, as she watched the weather ponies snuffing out the last of the flame's embers, and the friend that she knew.

________________________________________________________________________

"What happened, Twi?" Rainbow asked.

"A fire swept in from the Everfree. I don't know what started it, but it couldn't have been natural. It was far too ferocious."

"Do you think whatever did it intended to hit her?"

"I can't say for sure. Maybe she just got in the way. Whatever it was, it's gone now."

"Yeah, thanks for saving Fluttershy, Twilight. What were you doing out here, anyway?"

"Fluttershy asked to borrow a book. I was just bringing it over when I saw the flames."

"I guess you showed up just in time, didn't you?"

"No. I was too late." Rainbow gave her a quizzical expression. Twilight regarded her with sorrow in her eyes.

"Angel never made it out. Fluttershy is devastated. I should have payed more attention." Rainbow laid a hoof on her shoulder.

"Twilight, you did everything you could. If you hadn't come along..." Rainbow tossed that thought out of her head and hugged her friend. "Thank you, Twilight. I don't know what I would have done if I lost her. She's like a sister to me."

"I'm not sure she's as pleased as you." Twilight looked back to Fluttershy, who was simply sitting, staring back to where her house had been just minutes before, completely oblivious to the world, fresh tears forming for the companion she had lost.

"You know this stuff, Twi. She's just in shock. She's grateful. She just... can't express anything right now. She can't really take care of herself at the moment. We need to find a place for her to live. Somewhere she'll have help keeping herself together while she recovers from this."

"I can take her in." Twilight responded, staring at the hollow shell that was once her friend.

"You've already done so much, Twilight. I couldn't ask you to do that."

"You didn't ask. I offered. I can't stand seeing her this way. Anything I can do."

"Twilight Sparkle, you are the single most amazing pony I've ever met." Rainbow pulled her into another hug. Twilight looked past her to the subject of their conversation. Fluttershy had begun to comprehend the full reality of her situation. She fell to the ground, finally unleashing everything. Her wails were ear-shattering, and held the pain of a heart almost literally being ripped in two. Twilight couldn't look anymore. Such a sweet and loving pony, Fluttershy didn't deserve this. She always tried to do well by everypony, and Twilight vowed to return the favor, whatever it took.

__________________________________________________________________________________

The three ponies stopped at the front door of Ponyville's Golden Oaks Library. Rainbow turned to Fluttershy.

"Okay, Shy," she began, "we figured it would be best for you to stay with Twilight until we can find you something more permanent. Is that okay with you?" Fluttershy continued to gaze off into nothingness, unaware of the pony speaking to her. Rainbow's eyes began to glisten, seeing her fillyhood friend in such a state. But no good came from crying. She wiped her eyes quickly and escorted Fluttershy in. Twilight followed them and closed the door. Rainbow sat down the saddlebags she was carrying.

"This was all that we could salvage. I'll leave Twi to decide what to do with them. Anyway, a few stray embers were shot out from the fire. I have to help clean the mess up. See ya later, Shy." Rainbow gave her friend a comforting hug, and turned toward the door. Before leaving, she hugged Twilight once more.

"I know I've said it a lot already," she said, "but thank you, Twilight. So much."

"You don't have to thank me. Any of you would have done the same for me."

"I know. But I still feel like I have to. Take care of her."

"Don't worry. She's in good hooves." Rainbow pulled away, and Twilight gave her a reassuring smile. Rainbow returned it gratefully, before stepping through the front door. Twilight turned to her house guest, who appeared to have turned to stone. She had not moved since she had been lead into the house. To see such a usually cheerful pony reduced to a lifeless husk made Twilight's heart ache.

"So, why don't I show you where you'll be sleeping?" She tried to sound as calm as possible, though she was certain that she had let slip some of the inner torment she was holding from seeing her friend in such a state. She levitated the saddle bags onto her back and took Fluttershy's hoof in her own, leading her up to the top floor. Halfway up, a small purple dragon began descending the stairs. He saw Fluttershy's face and, naturally, felt it was the perfect time for a joke.

"What's up, Fluttershy? You look like you just lost your best fri-." By this time, Twilight had managed to get a firm magical grip around the drake's mouth. She shook her head at him and motioned over to Fluttershy, who had somehow managed to sag her head even lower than it had been before. After a moment, Spike understood. He nodded to Twilight to let him go.

"Uhh, what I meant to say was, I just borrowed a cookbook from the Canterlot Archives. Top of the line, pretty fancy stuff. I could make you something, if you want." Fluttershy regarded him with empty eyes, and continued to walk up the stairs.

"Twilight, what's going on?"

"Fluttershy's house burnt down. I managed to pull her out, but I was too late to help Angel. He was trapped inside when it came down."

"Man, poor Fluttershy. Angel did really like to push my buttons, but I never wanted anything bad to happen to him."

"I know, Spike. But sometimes, bad things happen."

"So, how is she?" Twilight sighed.

"She's just completely shut down. She doesn't speak, she barely moves. Sometimes, she doesn't even acknowledge that others are speaking to her. I want to help, I just don't know what to do. Well, I guess I have plenty of time to figure it out." Spike looked at her, confused.

"She's going to be living with us for a little while. At least until she's capable of living on her own again." Spike nodded.

"Okay, just let me know if I can do anything."

"Actually, there is something you can help me with." With that, she lead him upstairs. Upon entering, they spotted Fluttershy, staring out the window at nothing in particular. There, but not. Twilight pulled a spare blanket and pillow out of her closet, and signaled Spike to grab his basket. She levitated the saddle bags off of her.

"So, Fluttershy, you'll be staying in this room. Spike, we'll be in the living room for a while." Spike opened his mouth as though to protest, but Twilight shot him the most cold-hearted glare he'd ever had the misfortune to see. He gulped, and nodded in agreement. Fluttershy was still gazing through the window as they walked back downstairs.

______________________________Two Weeks Later_____________________________

Twilight awoke with a loud yawn, nearly rolling off of the couch as she stretched. She and Spike alternated breakfast days, and today was hers, which meant she had less time to sleep. On the other hoof, whoever didn't make breakfast had to clean the breakfast dishes, which she cared for even less. She got up and hazily walked into the kitchen to begin making breakfast. After ten minutes, the baby dragon finally managed to wrestle himself out of his enticing dream (probably about Rarity) to receive his breakfast. Twilight sat his plate down in front of him, and he took a large whiff.

"Mmmm, blueberry pancakes with studded sapphires. My favorite." He then proceeded to slam his face into the meal. Twilight chuckled at this endearing display.

"I'll be right back. I'm gonna take Fluttershy's plate to her." She began to walk out of the kitchen, but stopped dead as she heard hooves tapping in the other room. She was hesitant to look through the doorway, fearing a burglar. After a moment, she dared to take a look. What she saw surprised her more than any thief could hope to. Fluttershy was descending the stairs. For two weeks, she had remained locked in that bed, almost comatose. Still, she looked as though she hadn't slept in months. Her mane was a jumbled mess, and she had bags under her eyes. Twilight jumped back into the kitchen and laid Fluttershy's plate down on the table. Twilight wiped Spike's face with a nearby napkin, and told him to, "Just relax, and don't say anything," as though Fluttershy were a forest critter, and the slightest sound would scare her off. After a short awkward silence, Fluttershy wobbled into the kitchen and sat down at the table. When she had begun eating, Twilight hoofed over a glass of juice to everyone. Fluttershy looked up and mouthed a "Thank You". Though no noise actually came from her, Twilight could hear a sound when Fluttershy "talked" to her. The sound of progress. The sound of hope.

_____________________________Three Days Later__________________________

Spike had already finished his breakfast and decided to rest a little before starting his daily chores. Fluttershy was eating a little slower today, so Twilight took her time with the dishes.

"I never thanked you for saving me." The sound startled Twilight, and she nearly broke a plate. *Was that...?* she thought. She turned around and saw Fluttershy staring sadly at her plate.

"Fluttershy?" Fluttershy looked up.

"The day that you pulled me from the fire. I was as good as dead, until you came along. I screamed at you because you were trying to help me. But even after that, you opened your house to me, your room. I've been living here for two and a half weeks, eating your food, sleeping in your bed, and in my selfishness, I couldn't even bother to open my mouth to say those two simple words. Thank you."

"You aren't selfish, Fluttershy. I could understand if you were upset with me." At this point, Twilight's eyes began to feel wet. "I didn't listen to you when I was pulling you out. I didn't know he was still in there. If I had payed more attention to what you were saying, maybe... I'm so sorry Fluttershy, I..." She was cut-off as her friend's forelegs wrapped tightly around her.

"Don't you apologize, Twilight. You did everything in your power. I'm here right now because of you. I'm sorry that I made you feel like what happened to him was your fault. It wasn't." Twilight hugged back.

"I missed you, Fluttershy. It's good to have you back."

"Well, I'm not sure I'm back entirely. I may need to stay here a while longer." She smiled at Twilight, and Twilight smiled back.

___________________________________________________________________________________

"Spike," Twilight called, "Have you seen my blanket?" She looked on the floor. "Or your basket?" Spike jumped to her side.

"My basket's gone?! Oh no, who would've taken it?! Twilight, you round up a search party, I'll send a letter to the princess, and-" His words were interrupted by hoof being placed on his lips. Twilight rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm sure one of us put them away and forgot. Let's check the bedroom closet." The two walked upstairs and opened the door to the bedroom. On the ground next to the bed was Spike's basket, safe and sound, which he proceeded to dive into. Fluttershy was fluffing one of the pillows on the bed. Twilight raised an eyebrow.

"Fluttershy," she started, "What are you doing?" The yellow mare looked at her and smiled.

"I think I've stolen your bed long enough, Twilight. I'll be sleeping on the couch."

"Fluttershy, the couch is uncomfortable."

"Exactly. I can't let my host sleep on an uncomfortable couch, now can I?"

"Well, I can't let my guest sleep on an uncomfortable couch." Spike sat up from his basket.

"Well, where's the guest bed?" He asked. Twilight cast an irritated glare at nothing in particular.

"That tree AJ wrangled in at the slumber party completely totaled it, and I haven't gotten a new one yet."

"Then why don't you two sleep together?" He rolled over in his bed, not noticing the intensifying shades of pink in each pony's face. Twilight cleared her throat. Spike was already out like a lamp with a broken bulb.

"He's still a baby dragon. He doesn't know what he's talking about."

"R-right." Fluttershy could barely put together a word after that awkward comment. Twilight looked at the bed. She didn't want Fluttershy to sleep on the couch, and she knew Fluttershy wouldn't give up without a fight either. She sighed.

"He's right. We don't have any other options." Fluttershy's face went full crimson.

"I know."

"Well, hey, AJ and Rarity slept in a bed together at the slumber party." Fluttershy nodded, and elected not to bring up the fact that those two had dated several times by that point. Twilight climbed into the bed, and Fluttershy followed suit. They turned so their backs were to each other.

"Good night, Fluttershy."

"Good night, Twilight."

___________________________________________________________________________________

Twilight slowly opened her eyes, adjusting to the sun's rays slowly drifting into the room. When she had gotten accustomed to the light, her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as she saw Fluttershy's muzzle, just inches away from her own. She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep. As much as she hated herself for it, she was tempted to close the gap between them. Twilight was, admittedly, mad for the little pegasus. Not just crushing, but desperately, unbearably crazy about her. She had never worked up the courage to tell even her friends, but she's glad now that she didn't. If Rainbow knew Twilight had feelings for Fluttershy, she would never have agreed to let Fluttershy live with her, and she would never be this close to her. Perhaps if she slept just a bit longer, those last few inches would be "accidentally" cleared. *No* she thought to herself. *She is in a vulnerable state right now. Don't take advantage of that.* As much as she wanted to close that distance, and had wanted to since the day she had met Fluttershy, she knew it was wrong. So she just attempted to force herself back to sleep. When suddenly, she heard someone whispering.

"She knows I'm in a fragile state. She'll do anything to make me happy. I can't take advantage of that." It was Fluttershy. She was talking to herself. *Wait, is she saying what I think she's saying?* Twilight's heart began to beat a bit faster at the thought that Fluttershy was having the exact same debate with herself that she was having just moments ago.

"Maybe, just a quick one. I'm so close." *Do it already!* Twilight screamed internally as she felt the other pony moving ever closer to her.

"I... I can't." *Ponyfeathers!* Twilight thought. After a few moments of silence, Twilight realized it just wasn't going to happen. Just as she was about to "wake up", Fluttershy spoke.

"Oh, buck it!" And she leaned in, filling the empty space between them, and kissed her. Twilight felt like she was going to explode. Fluttershy began pushing farther into the kiss, but quickly broke it, as she didn't expect Twilight to push back. When Fluttershy spoke next, her voice was filled with excitement, coated with fear.

"T-Twilight?" She managed to stutter. Twilight didn't stir from her position. Fluttershy immediately became overwhelmed with guilt upon realizing what she had just done.

"Twilight," she repeated, just above a whisper. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm not." The timid mare gave a surprised yelp as her unicorn friend opened her eyes, and cast her a content and loving glance. Fluttershy seemed worried, so Twilight decided to explain.

"Shy, I've been awake for a good ten minutes now. Before you woke up, I was having the very same argument with myself that you were having just now. For so long, I have been absolutely head-over-hooves for you. You're the most amazing pony I know, and you always put others before yourself. And you're so much stronger than me. When I woke up to your face, all my brain could think was "Kiss her, you fool!". But I was too afraid. But you did it. You made the move I was too scared to make. And because of that, I can finally say those words I've kept inside for so long. Fluttershy, I love you." Fluttershy couldn't even form a coherent though. Everything she attempted to say came out as incomprehensible murmurs. She felt tears in her eyes, but not the same she had been shedding for the past two weeks. These tears came from joy. She smiled wider and brighter than Twilight had ever seen her smile. She decided to let her actions say what her words could not, and pulled Twilight into another kiss. This one was different, however. This time neither had to hold back out of fear. Fluttershy rolled on top of the unicorn, forcing herself even closer to her love. It was the single most passionate moment either of them had ever shared with anypony.

"What the buck?" The two froze when they heard the small voice, just a few feet from them. They had forgotten entirely about the other inhabitant of the room. They slowly turned their heads to see the baby dragon staring blankly at them. Twilight leaned up to her lover's ear.

"Let me handle this," she whispered, as Fluttershy moved off of her. She got up and slowly stepped near Spike.

"You're in a dream, Spike. This is all in your head." Spike yawned.

"Oh, okay. Wait, why am I dreaming about you two?" Fortunately, Twilight was prepared.

"Well, you see, your dream is probably just reflecting things that you see and blah, blah-blah blah blah. Blah?" Fluttershy stifled a giggle at her friend's odd behavior. Spike nodded in fake understanding.

"Right. Now, what should I do first?"

"Rarity is downstairs waiting for you, Spike." Spike nearly jumped ten feet.

"She is? How are my spines?" He began to get up to go downstairs, when Twilight stopped him.

"Spike, you're starting to wake up. You can't see her if you wake up. You need to lie back down and close your eyes." She lifted her hoof and eased it toward him to push him back down. As she did so, she subtly began to use her telekinesis spell on him, so that she could seemingly move him without him actually feeling anything. She laid him back down, and quietly walked back over to the bed. Fluttershy looked at her, smiling.

"What was with that 'blah blah' stuff?" she asked.

"It's what I think he hears when I lecture him." Fluttershy chuckled, then looked Twilight in the eye.

"You know, we'll have to tell him sooner or later, Twilight."

"I know. We'll tell him when he wakes up. He's always in a good mood after a Rarity dream."

"Don't you find his infatuation with her a bit... odd? I mean, now he's having dreams about her."

"It's not that odd. I dream about you all the time." She didn't realize what she had said until a moment later, and her cheeks flushed the deepest shade of red.

"Let's forget I said that," she said as Fluttershy gave her a comforting peck on the cheek.

"Don't feel so awkward. I've dreamed about you, too." Fluttershy rested her head on Twilight's shoulder.

"Well, we're adults I guess it is different for us. Maybe I should give Spike a little direction. Help him find somepony closer to his age." Fluttershy nodded in agreement as Twilight rested her head on her marefriend's. After a moment, Fluttershy looked up to Twilight.

"So," Fluttershy began," what did you dream about me?" This time, it seemed Twilight's entire coat had been replaced with Big Macintosh's.

"Uhh... I have... chores, I have to do." Twilight stood up and nonchalantly trotted out the door, ignoring the fillyish giggling from her new marefriend.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"So, you two are dating now?" the young dragon asked curiously. Both mares across from him nodded.

"Well, it's about time Twilight found someone. To be perfectly honest Fluttershy, she's been really tense lately. She needs someone to help her 'relax'." Fluttershy made a low "eep" sound. Twilight went red out of anger and embarrassment.

"Okay, you aren't allowed to organize the adult section anymore," Twilight scorned. Spike laughed.

"Hah! You think the books brought this on? I know about your 'extended showers'. You're not as quiet as you think." Instead of scolding him again, Twilight decided to get him back for this. She grinned maliciously.

"Spike, you should respect others' privacy. You blah, blah, blah-blah-blah. Blah? Blah. Blah, blah-blah, blah, blah-blah-blah-blah. Blah?" Fluttershy tried so hard not to bust into uncontrollable laughter. Twilight looked at Spike expectantly. He awoke from his daze.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, whatever." Twilight grinned even wider.

"Thanks, Spike. Your gem collection was taking up so much room." At this point, she proceeded to levitate a large chest of gems out from a cabinet. "This place will be so much less cluttered with them out of the way." Spike's eyes widened.

"WHAT?!"

____________________________________________________________________________________

A knock sounded on the door. Twilight walked over to answer it. She was pleasantly surprised to see a rainbow-maned pegasus on her doorstep.

"Rainbow. It's good to see you. I wasn't expecting you."

"Yeah, just thought I'd stop by and see how you guys were."

"Fluttershy's doing fine. I know that's who you were really curious about. In fact, she's made a lot of progress. She's talking and singing and..." Twilight debated whether to tell Rainbow Dash about her relationship with the shy mare. She didn't want her friends to think she was taking advantage of her.

"Well, why don't you see for yourself?" Twilight lead her friend upstairs. Fluttershy was at work straightening their bed. She giggled when she heard the door open.

"Twilight, you really need to stop spell-casting in your sleep. You're starting to singe the pillow, and you really frazzled my mane last night." She turned around to greet her love, but froze when she saw Rainbow there with her. Rainbow gave Twilight a bemused look. Fluttershy quickly cleared her throat.

"Umm, you know, when I was... umm... getting that book on your nightstand." Rainbow turned her gaze to Fluttershy. Twilight looked at Fluttershy with determination.

"You know what? BUCK IT!" She then proceeded to walk over to Fluttershy and kiss her, in plain view of their friend. Rainbow's jaw dropped nearly to the floor at that.

"Rainbow Dash," Twilight began, "I am in love with Fluttershy. And she loves me. We're together now and if you have a problem with that you can shove it in your fla-"

"Well, it's about time!" Rainbow, staying true to her name, "dashed" to them and gave them a warm, loving hug. When she broke it, both ponies looked at her, confused. Rainbow playfully rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Fluttershy. I've known you pretty much my whole life. I can tell when a pony catches your eye. It takes a lot to sneak something past Rainbow Dash. And it doesn't help that you talk about her 24/7. Anyway, now that it's out in the open, I've been wondering when this whole thing actually started." She paused, giving the couple a moment to recompose themselves. Fluttershy shook her head to clear her mind.

"Uhhh... okay. I think it all started when we went to relocate that dragon. Everypony in the group was doubting me, though the others didn't exactly voice it as much as you. And yes, I know you're sorry. Anyway, while everypony else was debating whether I should go, Twilight kept absolute faith in me. When I doubted myself, she still believed. When I saw that dragon attack you girls, of course I worried about all of you, but something felt different when I was looking at Twilight. I felt... angry. Seeing her that way made me want to buck that dragon in the face just as much as you did. I had never thought that way about any creature before, and that's when I knew it was different." Twilight smiled at the mare wrapped in her forehooves and pressed her lips lightly against her cheek. Rainbow smiled contently, and looked to the other mare.

"So, what about you?" Twilight put a hoof to her chin.

"Well, I know I was physically attracted to Fluttershy when I first met her. But I didn't really feel anything for her until roughly the same time as she did for me. When I saw her, looking down at that dragon like a teacher to a filly, facing her greatest fear to protect us, something just clicked in my brain. I couldn't look away from her. At that moment, she was more beautiful than anypony could ever hope to be. After that, she just continued to impress me. Did I ever tell you that she saved my life once, from a cockatrice? I was turned to stone. By all rights, I was dead. Until she showed up. She faced it head-on when she could have simply run. She pushes herself to the limit and beyond for the ones she loves. Buck, when Discord corrupted us, she out-flew you, one of the fastest fliers in Equestrian history. She is the most amazing pony I have ever had the fortune to meet." Fluttershy blushed a deep scarlet. Never before had she been praised so highly. She pulled the unicorn into a tight embrace, and kissed her passionately. Rainbow began to feel a bit awkward at this. She rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof.

"Anyway, Pinkie's having a party later tonight. I came by to see if Fluttershy was okay, and whether you two would want to go. I know the girls have all really missed you."

"Well, it has been a while since we've seen them." Twilight replied, turning to Fluttershy, "What do you think?"

"It sounds wonderful. And it would be a perfect opportunity to tell them about us." Fluttershy directed her attention back to their guest. "We'll be there."

"Great! It starts at eight at Sugarcube Corner. See ya then." And she charged through the door. Twilight sighed in relief.

"To be honest, I was a little worried Rainbow was gonna buck me in the face when she found out I was dating you." Fluttershy raised an eyebrow at this comment.

"She told me the day...," Twilight was considering what words she could use to not specifically bring up the fire. "The day you moved in with me, that she saw you as a sister. And she is always trying to look after you, protect you. I know what I'd do if I saw some raunchy young mare putting her hooves all over Spike. So, naturally, I was worried."

"Oh, Twilight. I don't think that's anything to freak out about." Twilight chuckled.

"Have you not met me?" This warranted a laugh from the pegasus as well.

"Well, we have a few hours. What should we do?" Fluttershy thought for a moment, then smiled deviously. She turned to the unicorn next to her and fluttered her eyes seductively.

"Well, how about we take an... extended shower?" All of the blood in Twilight's entire body seemed to contract to her face at that moment. She tried to speak, but her brain couldn't form coherent thoughts.

"Uh... Erm... Eh?" Fluttershy released a roar of laughter that not even she knew she was capable of.

"Ha! I've never tried dirty jokes before. They're quite fun."

"He he. Yeah." Twilight was beginning to feel a little less awkward now; though she was admittedly a little disappointed that it was a joke.

"Don't worry. I won't mention it again." She paused, the same look from before creeping onto her face. "That is, unless you want me to." Twilight's mouth completely dropped at this. Fluttershy giggled and stood up to go to the kitchen. As she passed Twilight, she intentionally brushed the broken unicorn's face with her tail. Twilight's face subconsciously tried to follow the tail, and pulled her crashing to the floor.
Twilight groaned. She decided two could play at that game.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Two mares stood outside the door of Ponyville's premiere sweets supplier, Sugarcube Corner.

"Are you ready," the lavender one asked. The yellow pony beside her nodded nervously. Twilight took one of Fluttershy's hooves in her own and slowly pushed open the door. All around, ponies were laughing and dancing, making it difficult to point out their friends. Fluttershy nudged Twilight, pointing toward one spot in the room, where they could see a fluffy pink mane bouncing along. They walked over to it, and were blasted with confetti.

"Congratulations! I'm so super excited for you two!" shouted the pink party pony as they approached. Their eyes widened as they looked to Rainbow Dash, who simply shook her head, then back to Pinkie.

"Oh, silly fillies. Dashie didn't tell me. I had a twitchy tail, and itchy foreleg, and a rumbly tummy. That always means two ponies close to me are-" Twilight silenced her with a hoof to her mouth.

"We wanted it to be a surprise," she spoke through gritted teeth.
. "Well, duh. Why do you think I threw this party? So you could announce it to everypony at once." Twilight looked around, noticing the heart-shaped balloons and yellow- and lavender-colored streamers.

"You threw this party for us?" The couple felt a bit flattered by this.

"Yep! Go on, tell them." Pinkie looked expectantly.

"Umm, okay. Rarity and Applejack are the only two who don't know."

"Know what, sugarcube?" Asked the aforementioned farmpony.

"Well, girls, Fluttershy and I... we..." Twilight felt inexplicably uncomfortable right now, Fluttershy could tell. She decided to finish for the dumbstruck unicorn.

"We're in a relationship." The two waited for a response. Rarity finally pulled out of her shock and spoke.

"Well, that's spectacular, darling! Congratulations!" She hugged the happy new couple.

"That's great, girls. When did it happen?" Applejack queried.

"Just this morning, actually," Twilight replied, "When we woke up we were kind-of... wrapped-up in each other."

"WHAT?!" Rainbow screamed."You two slept together?!" She looked to Twilight with a fiery glare. Rainbow just then remembered how she had learned of their relationship in the first place. Fluttershy had spoken of them being in bed together when she had visited. The unicorn staggered, but relaxed as her pegasus girlfriend stepped in front of her.

"Calm down, Rainbow." Dash shook as Fluttershy unleashed her most powerful weapon: the terrifying Stare. "We only slept together because Twilight's guest bed was broken and neither of us would allow the other to take the couch. It was completely innocent." Rainbow attempted to speak, but Fluttershy lifted a hoof, cutting her off. "I know you're just trying to protect me, and I appreciate it. But there are some things you need to trust me take care of myself." Rainbow cast her eyes to the floor, and nodded shamefully. Fluttershy smiled and gave the pegasus a loving hug.

"Sorry, Twilight. Go on." Rainbow waved a hoof to signal Twilight onward.

"...O...kay." She felt a bit nervous with Dash now. "Anyway, I awoke first. I saw Fluttershy's beautiful face, mere inches away from mine. Every fiber of my being was shouting at me to just slide those last few inches, but I couldn't. It wouldn't have been real. Just me manipulating a friend to fulfill my own desires. I tried to ignore my feelings and go back to sleep, when I heard a voice. Her voice. She thought I was asleep, and she was considering the same thing I just had."

"I had waited so long for a chance with Twilight, I couldn't resist. When finally our lips met, it felt as though I were in a dream." She leaned into the unicorn, who gave her a sweet peck on the forehead.

"Why are we still talkin'?" Pikie inquired. "It's time to PAR-TAY!!!" And so they did. The group danced and sang and played through all hours of the night.

____________________________________________________________________________________

It was considerably late when the party had begun to calm. As the couple walked through the door, they waved goodbye to their friends and other ponies they knew. The two walked home under the moonlight, talking about the random things that entered their heads. As they walked, they were left completely oblivious to the fact that, at some point, they had taken an incorrect turn. Fluttershy was telling a joke she'd picked up from a friend when she noticed.

"So, the farmer looks to the apple and says-" Fluttershy gazed past her mare, completely frozen.

"Shy?" Twilight queried. "Shy, what's wrong?" She turned around, and the pegasus' distress instantly became apparent. There before them was an empty field, just outside of the Everfree forest. But it wasn't always empty. Just three weeks prior, it had been the sight of a small cottage. Twilight pulled Fluttershy's head away from the sight of her old home. She noticed tears breaking through the pony's eyes, and fracturing all of the progress Fluttershy had made in the past few days. Twilight saw the strength and joy instantly flood out of the pony next to her; she saw her mind beginning to crack. She was losing the mare she loved. Twilight contemplated her options. She could handle this if it were simply about the house burning down. But that's not what this was about; Fluttershy had lost her best friend in that fire, and nothing could ever fix that. But Twilight swore she would try. She recalled a song her mother sang when her granny had passed away. Worth a shot.
"The Moon Goes Down, And the
Sun Will Rise.
The Birds Fly Through the Cloudless Skies.
They Sing to the Wind,
To Carry Away,
The Most Beautiful Leaves of the Day."

The pegasus leaned in and wept into her lover's shoulder. When she pulled back, she had an interesting expression, one Twilight had not expected: she was smiling. Fluttershy rubbed her eye with a hoof.

"Th..(sniff)Thank you, Twilight. That made me feel... much better." Twilight lifted a hoof to wipe Fluttershy's cheek.

"You know I'm here if you ever need a shoulder to cry on." Fluttershy nodded and brought her girlfriend into a loving kiss. They then turned back to the spot where Fluttershy's cottage once stood.

"What do you think Angel would do," Fluttershy began, "If he saw me right now?"

"Hehe. He'd probably slap you for crying over him." The pair had a nice laugh at that. Twilight noticed a bush moving out of the corner of her eye. She walked towards it, and smiled at what she found. She looked around the bush, checking for any signs of life. She found none, but decided not to question it. She learned from Pinkie that there are some things that one simply can't explain.

"Besides," she continued, "just because you can't see him, doesn't mean he's left you." She hoofed the item to Fluttershy: a small carrot plushie. Angel's favorite toy. Fluttershy held the item to her chest, a content smile forming on her lips.

"The ones we love never truly leave us. They're with us, here." She placed a hoof, softly, on Fluttershy's chest. The weeping pegasus locked eyes with her love, grinning even more brightly than before, and kissed her. When they pulled back, Fluttershy had a serious expression on her face, and was clutching the toy even harder. Twilight had an idea where this was going.

"I'll be over by that tree. You do what you need to do." Twilight walked over to a nearby tree, giving Fluttershy a moment to achieve something she had wanted for weeks. Closure.

"Angel," she spoke to the vacant patch of land, "it's me."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Twilight hadn't forgotten the joke Fluttershy had played on her that morning. As Fluttershy climbed into bed, Twilight got an idea.

"Hey, I'll be right back." The unicorn walked into the bathroom and closed the door. Fluttershy was left a bit confused. After about a minute, the door to the bathroom swung open, and Fluttershy's mouth followed close behind. Twilight wore an... interesting garment: a silk lavender nightgown with a deep violet lace.

"Rarity made this for me some time ago and I completely forgot to wear it. No time like the present, huh?" The pony in the bed didn't respond, her eyes still glued to her marefriend's evening wear. Twilight walked over and got into the the bed. She looked at the stricken mare next to her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Well, goodnight!" She said cheekily, as she turned over to face the wall. Fluttershy didn't notice, though. Her eyes were still stuck on the bathroom door.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Over the next few days, Fluttershy demonstrated how far she had come since that tragic accident. She sang while she cleaned, she had a light spring in her step as she walked.
she had even gone outside a couple of times, mainly just to greet ponies she knew. All of Ponyville was astounded by her progress.

"That Twilight must be some miracle worker," one whispered.

"It's just so nice to see her smiling again," spoke another. For three days, it was as though the fire had never happened. For three days, everything was back to normal. Then came the fourth day.

Twilight and Fluttershy looked to the sky as a royal Canterlot carriage rode in. It stopped directly in front of them, and the doors flew open. A pony stepped out, a pony that Twilight was always more than ecstatic to see.

"Shining!" Twilight ran over and gave her brother a hug that was inexplicably strong for such a small mare.

"Jeez, Twily! Careful. How are the guards supposed to look up to a captain with a hunched back?" He playfully ruffled her hair.

"How long are you staying? Where's Cadance? Do you want some tea? Do you want me to have Pinkie throw you a party? Or-"

"Twilight! I know you're excited. I've missed you, too. I'm not staying long, Cadance is in the Crystal Empire, I would love a cup, and I'm sorry to Pinkie but I'm here on official business." Shining huffed. He had never spoken that quickly in his life. *Twilight needs to spend a little less time around that pony* he thought. *Hey! What's wrong with her? I've just been trying to get her to unwind a bit.* *What?! Pinkie! Get out of my head!* *You really need to lighten up mister!* *PINKIE!* *Alright, I'm going.* After his... interesting dialogue with the pink party pony, Shining was brought back to reality by his sister's hoof in his face.

"Hellooooo. Equestria to Shining Armor! "

"Huh? What?" He looked at her, puzzled.

"What business are you on?"

"Oh, right." He cleared his throat and looked to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, we've found the ones who started the fire. They are being held in the Canterlot dungeons."

"Who are they?" Twilight asked.

"We don't have names yet, but they're dragons. Teen dragons, don't worry; we're not keeping any adults locked among the civilian population. One is brown; the second, a deep violet; the third, who we believe to be their leader, is a bloody crimson." Twilight glared. She knew those dragons.

"They're the ones that attacked us during the Dragon Migration." Shining's attention was quickly redirected to his little sister.

"They... attacked... you?" He stuttered, which Twilight knew wasn't a good sign. His eye began to twitch a bit. Twilight didn't want any blood on her brother's hooves.

"Well, I haven't seen these dragons yet. They may not be the same ones." She held her hooves up awkwardly, as if the image would calm her near-manic brother.

"I should probably compose myself a little more effectively. Sorry, Twily." He gave a heavy sigh. Twilight smiled at him. Her face instantly dropped, though, as she turned to the pony next to her.

"You know," she said," we don't have to go." Fluttershy nodded.

"Yes, we do. I have questions, I have things I need to say. I just want this all to be over."

"Then I'll be with you, to the end." Twilight leaned in gave the pegasus a loving nuzzle.

"I don't know what would have happened these past few weeks, if I didn't have you. Thank you, Twilight." She kissed her girlfriend on the forehead. Shining was at a loss for words.

"Uhh... am I missing something?" Twilight gasped. She had completely forgotten to tell him.

"Oh, sorry. Shining, Fluttershy and I are kind of... dating now. I forgot to tell you about it when you arrived. Sorry, BBBFF." Shining gave a large grin.

"That's great, Twily! It's nice to see you finally trying to date again. And might I say, you, like your big brother, have great taste." Fluttershy blushed deeply.

"Umm, thank you, Shining Armor."

"Just Shining, Fluttershy. Too bad though. I was hoping Twilight would date some jerk stallion. I had this whole speech prepared about what happened to the last guy who broke her heart."

"What DID happen to him?" Fluttershy asked nervously.

"Fluttershy, you seem to have a sweet, innocent mind. You REALLY would not want to hear it. Of course, it is what got me my captain position." Fluttershy looked over to Twilight, who rubbed the back of her neck, and gulped.

"Oh, don't worry. I know you would never do anything to hurt Twilight. You have nothing to fear from me."

"Heh. Right." She was still deathly terrified at the moment. Twilight noticed her marefriend's discomfort, and decided to change the subject before she had a heart attack.

"So, we should probably get up to Canterlot if we want to back by nightfall." Fluttershy was more than eager to get out of that situation.

"Yeah! Canterlot. Let's go." Shining held the door open.

"After you, ladies." The mares stepped into the carriage. Shining followed close behind, and called out to the transportation pegasi to take off before pulling the door to.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"The dragons are being held in the Canterlot castle dungeons." Shining led the mares into the entrance hallway of Canterlot castle, where they were greeted by another, larger pony.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight galloped toward her mentor.

"Hello, Twilight. It's good to see you. It has been far too long since last we've spoken." The large pony gave her beloved student a caring nuzzle. When the two pulled away, the elder looked over to the other ponies that had entered, and immediately her cheerful expression vanished, being replaced with sympathy and concern. She pulled the small yellow pony into a hug, something few ponies are privileged to from the princess.

"Fluttershy, I am so sorry for the travesty that has befallen you. Is there any way I can help?" Fluttershy blushed at being given so much attention, especially from the ruler of all Equestria.

"No, thank you, your majesty. I have been getting better recently. Twilight has been a true lifesaver."

"Well, I'm glad she has been such a help to you. Just know that I am here for you. Now, is there any news either of you would like to share?" Both ponies turned to stone. They indeed have news; whether they wanted to share it with her was debatable. This wasn't like the times they told their friends. Celestia was the supreme leader of the entire kingdom, not to mention practically a second mother to Twilight. Fluttershy looked over to Twilight, who was ridiculously focused on a vacant spot on the wall. Celestia looked at Fluttershy expectantly. Just as Fluttershy began considering ways to potentially melt into the floor, Twilight broke out.

"FluttershyandIareinlove!" Afterward, she simply snapped back into attention facing the wall.

"Well that isn't news." Celestia gained a cheeky grin on her face. Twilight was finally awaken from her apparent coma.

"Wh-WHAT?!"

"Oh, silly Twilight. You honestly thought you were being subtle. I have been around for a very long time. I have seen love, and have known it a few times. When I see the way the two of you look at each other, how you're always around each other, I can see just how much each of you cares for the other. To be honest, I'm surprised it took you this long." Twilight's mouth almost literally hit the floor. *This WHOLE time?!* She raged internally. *If she knew, why didn't she do anything about it?! Would have saved us a lot of time.* Celestia then began laughing uncontrollably.

"Yeah, yeah. Yuck it up." Twilight said, rolling her eyes.

"With pleasure. Ha, ha." Celestia winked at the young unicorn, who soon joined in the laughter.

"As nice as it is to spend time with you, Twilight, you and Fluttershy have some business to attend to. This way, please."

"It was good to see you, Twily. But Cadance is probably getting worried now, so I should get going." He hugged Twilight, then turned to Fluttershy.

"It was nice seeing you again, too, Fluttershy. Take care of my sister for me." He gave Fluttershy a tight hug.

"You don't want to know what will happen if you don't," he whispered. Fluttershy's eyes widened, and she stuttered, struggling to speak out of fear. Shining chuckled and ruffled her mane.

"I'm just messing with you. See ya later." He then stepped through the main doors, leaving behind a terror-stricken pegasus.

____________________________________________________________________________________

"We found them setting fire to a small barn just outside of the Everfree," Celestia explained, "We managed connect the damage done there to the effects of the fire on your cottage. We started searching the theorized origin site of the Everfree fire, and discovered a few things. Dragon scales, gems, molten rock; just a few things one would typically find on a dragon. We tested the few scales we found against each dragon and had a match for each. There is no doubt in my mind that these are the ones who burned down your house, Fluttershy. All of that, and..." The other ponies raised their eyebrows at the princess.

"And?" Fluttershy asked.

"And... They confessed to it. Though I don't believe "confessed" is the appropriate word. It's more like they gloated about it. The red one said, quote, 'We'd never burned a house down before. That kind of power, potentially holding another life in your claws, I'd never felt anything like it. It felt... amazing!'" Twilight looked to Fluttershy, who had her eyes cast toward the ground. She leaned in and rested her head on the other pony's. Fluttershy gave her a quick peck on the cheek, and returned her gaze to Celestia.

"How many times, after the one that hit me? Did they hurt anypony?"

"As far as we have been notified, the only other arson was a tool shed in Trottingham. No casualties, though the owner did receive a small scar on his right foreleg from a bit of falling debris."

"It's good that they were stopped now. No telling what someone like that could do, given enough initiative." They were closing in on a thick metal door, monitored by a royal guard. As he saw the princess approaching, he stepped to the side, opening the door with a flick of his horn. The three stepped inside.

"I've never seen this part of the castle before," Twilight said, looking around in wonder. Celestia nodded.

"This is where we hold the maximum-security prisoners. Worst of the worst. Threats to our society. In the time since I began instructing you, I've hoped you would never gaze upon this wing."

"This place is so... cold. So full of hate."

"Equestria is not as much of a beacon of righteousness as the world seems to believe it is," spoke a voice from the darkness. They turned to the direction from which the voice emanated. Out from the shadows stepped Celestia's younger sister and second-in-command of Equestria, Princess Luna. "We all have hatred in our hearts. I know this better than most." Her expression sagged as the memory of her never-ending Nightmare returned. "What differs is what we chose to do with it. The residents of this prison chose to use their hatred, to take control of it to meet their own ends. They became hollow, broken- and this place followed closely behind." Twilight extended a hoof to her.

"It's nice to see you again, Princess Luna." Luna considered the hoof, but instead scooped both of the smaller ponies into a tight embrace.

"It is good to see you both, as well. And please, call me Luna. Fluttershy, I am sorry about your home."

"It's okay. I've gotten over it, thank you." Twilight knew that this was a lie. Fluttershy had made a lot of progress, but she had not completely moved on. Whenever somepony would mention the incident, she saw... something in the pegasus' eyes. Something she had never seen in the pony, but she couldn't place her hoof on it.

____________________________________________________________________________________

The door opened to reveal a small room. A guard was stationed at each side of the room, facing inward. At the center of the room was a bolted-down table. Chained to this table was a red teen-aged dragon. He looked to the four ponies entering the room, and smirked.

"Oh, hey,princess. You brought some friends with you. You throwing me a party? You shouldn't have." He turned his attention to Twilight. "Oh, and Spike's little bodyguard. How is the little guy? Y'know, the guys were pretty upset with him after that phoenix business. They were talking about setting fire to all of Ponyville. I tried to calm them down, but you know how guys like them can get." Twilight glared.

"That's why you burnt my friend's house down? She got in the way of your vengeance against Spike?! You worthless, self-righteous piece of-" Twilight felt a hoof on her shoulder. She turned to regard Fluttershy, who stared deep into her eyes.

"Twilight, don't lower yourself to his level." Twilight looked backed to the dragon, and nodded angrily. Fluttershy brought her into a warm embrace. "I love you."

"... I love you, too." The dragon laughed at this.

"Oh, that is just precious! A sweet mare loses her home. Devastated, she finds solace in her best friend. Eventually, they end up falling for each other. Such a heartwarming story. They might make it into a book." Twilight regarded the dragon with hatred and disgust.

"Twilight." She turned back to her lover. "I would like to speak to him. Alone, please." Twilight nodded, and walked next to the dragon.

"If you ever so much as look at Spike or Fluttershy after today, I will ensure that, when I'm done, no-one will even be capable of identifying you." She leaned back and looked in his eyes, and he could tell that she was serious. Fluttershy whispered something to the princesses, each of whom passed the message onto a guard. Twilight walked back toward the door, giving Fluttershy one more quick hug before following the princesses out. Fluttershy turned back to the dragon, who was grinning even wider now. She began circling slowly around him.

"Oh," he taunted, "Is this the part where you start giving me all of your little lectures about the 'magic of friendsh-'" He stopped when he felt a hoof slowly press against the back of his head. Before he realized what was happening, Fluttershy used all of her strength to slam his head into the table. He groaned, dazed by the attack.

"What in the name of Tartarus?!"

"Shut up!" Fluttershy extended her wings and soared over the table, looking the dragon in the eyes. By this time, his smile had faded, but he maintained his defiant attitude.

"Well, well, well. Who would've thought burning down a small, worthless cottage would actually make a pony grow a spine?"

"This isn't about the bucking house!" The dragon raised an eyebrow at her, for once legitimately interested.

"Oh, yeah? Then what's it about?" Fluttershy closed her eyes and reflected on the memories she'd made with her friend.

"I used that cottage as an animal shelter. I cared for many different animals, but one always stood out to me. He made me strong when I was at my weakest. He comforted me when I cried. He was more than my friend. He was my child, my Angel." Fluttershy felt tears burning her eyes. These were not tears of pain, or of joy. These came from something new, something she had never felt before. "And I'll never see his face again. He's gone, BECAUSE OF YOU!" Fluttershy raised her hoof to strike him again, but this time felt something gripping it tightly. She turned to see Twilight, looking at her with sad eyes. Twilight now realized just what she had been seeing in the sweet pegasus all this time. It was rage. Pure, unadulterated rage. Twilight was crying as well, seeing her love, the most loving creature she had ever known, reduced to... this. She pulled the yellow pony close to her, simultaneously pulling her foreleg down.

"Fluttershy, stop, please," she begged the enraged mare, "This isn't you. You know what you're doing is wrong. Please, I don't like seeing you like this."

"After what he's done, you expect me to just let him go?!"

"No. I know you're angry, and I know he deserves to punished. But revenge isn't the way to go about it." Twilight looked to the mirror on the opposite side of the room which concealed a small observation area, from which a suspect could be monitored discreetly. "Look at yourself. Look at what your anger has turned you into. This isn't the Fluttershy I know. This isn't the mare I fell in love with. I want her back." Fluttershy focused on her reflection, seeing the hatred hidden behind her eyes. She spun around quickly and gave her unicorn the most loving kiss they had ever shared. When she broke it, she leaned her head on Twilight's shoulder.

"I... I'm so sorry, Twilight. Thank you. I promise you'll never see me like that again." The dragon rolled his eyes.

"And they all lived happily ever after, yeah, yeah, yeah. And that was just starting to get interesting, too." Fluttershy took long, deep breathes so didn't do something he would regret. Twilight placed a hoof on her shoulder and smiled, walking toward the dragon. She held that compassionate smile all the way to him, even when she gave him a nice, hard kick that sent him falling backwards about five feet. When she returned to Fluttershy's side, the timid mare gave her a bemused look. Twilight smirked.

"To be fair, it wasn't vengeance. It was,,, behavioral training." They both laughed like hyenas as they trotted through the door. The princesses awaited them outside.

"Well, girls," spoke Celestia, "It is quite late, and I must retire if I want any sleep tonight. So, I will make this quick. I could call for a chariot if you would like to return to Ponyville tonight. But if you would prefer, Twilight's room is still empty if you would care to stay in Canterlot tonight." The two grinned at each other.

"Well," Twilight placed a hoof on her chin as she spoke, "It has been a while since we've been to Canterlot. What do you think?" Fluttershy smiled.

"After the month I've had, I could use a vacation. Sounds great!"

"Splendid! I will have the door unlocked for you. It will be nice to have you back in the castle, Twilight. Just like old times." She smiled when she looked at Fluttershy. "Well, perhaps not exactly as I remember. It would be nice to have some quality time with you as well, Fluttershy."

"Looking forward, Princess." As the walked through the main hall of Canterlot castle, Fluttershy saw movement from the corner of her eye. She turned and came upon a window. She looked outside, and smiled. There stood a small white rabbit, smiling at her. This rabbit had a small patch of fur missing from its arm, as though it had been burned off. It waved and hopped away into a nearby bush, as Fluttershy wiped a joyful tear from her eye.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Twilight pounced on the unsuspecting mattress.

"Oh, I have missed this room," she heaved in a relaxed sigh. Fluttershy giggled at this and looked around.

"It is quite a nice room. The telescope here is definitely larger than the one you keep in Ponyville."

"It's not about the decor, it's the memories." She picked up a small wooden sword from her bedside table. "Spike used to run all around Canterlot pretending to be a knight, looking for some beast to slay or some damsel to rescue." She looked through the nearby window. "Plus, I mean look at this view! You can see all of Equestria from here. Look, there's the library!" Her smile wavered a little as she looked back down to the toy. "It seemed only yesterday Spike was rescuing Princess Twilight from the invisible Manticore. Now, he's maintaining an entire building on his own. Soon enough, he won't need me." Fluttershy placed her hoof on the toy.

"No matter how old he gets, no matter how big, he will always look up to you. To him, you'll always be "Princess Twilight". And you still have plenty of time with him. You should make every second count. He could really use some relationship advice." Twilight smiled.

"You're right. I'll have a talk with him as soon as we return to Ponyville. For now, we should get some sleep."

"Hmm, I'm not very tired. Anything else you would like to do?" Twilight turned to her, a mischievous smirk adorning her face.

"How about a shower?"

___________________________________The End_______________________________________

Author's Note

First off, if you want a melody for Twilight's song, just think of Zelda's Lullaby from OoT.
Second, I made it a point to interchange "marefriend" and "girlfriend" consistently so as not to use the same words over and over again. Let me know what you guys think of this. (For those of you who are unaware, the term "girlfriend" is used in the show. Scootaloo says it in the "The Perfect Stallion Is" song. The fan-base just seems to prefer "marefriend" for some reason)
Third, Trollestia! :trollestia: