Feathered Paths

Against the prediction of the doctor, Soul Harmony's wing got well sooner than expected. The doctor called it a miracle that it was possible for him to remove the bandages from Soul's wing in the middle of February. It was a cold, but sunny morning as Soul opened the gate of Fluttershy's cottage. He stepped outside and grabbed some fresh air, spread his wings and let the wind pass through his feathers. He relished the feeling as the sharp wind bit into his flesh and shivered. He hunkered down, pushed himself off the ground as strong as possible and flapped with his wings. He felt like he was a young pegasus colt again who has just discovered flying. Quietly, he flew some laps around Fluttershy's cottage and forgot everything around him. He felt alive again, refreshed and ready for anything. Some birds caught up with him and flew alongside him. From time to time they chirped and Soul Harmony listened to them with a bright smile on his face. He accelerated, pulled ahead the birds and rose up to the sky. With a crow of joy he made some spins and for a moment, as his upswing abated, he stood in the clime and was able to overlook the whole town of Ponyville and the plains around it. He nosedived and alit in front of Fluttershy's cottage. Contented he folded up his wings and looked up to the door where he spotted Fluttershy standing in the door case, vested in her white and purple bathrobe. He walked towards her unhurriedly and as he was in hearing range, she said in a low voice and with an impressed undertone: "I didn't know you're such a good flyer."

"Oh, that's nothing. Sure, I was one of the best flyers back on the Manehatten Pegasus Academy, but I wouldn't say it's a talent of mine.", replied Soul flattered.

"You went to the Manehatten Pegasus Academy? That's one of the best flying academies in all of Equestria!", mentioned Fluttershy excited.

Soul stated: "You're right, and it was hard for me to get accepted there. I wasn't a great flyer at the time I had to apply for a collage place there, but my father thought it would be the best for me to go there to learn it... But actually I wanted to talk to you about something different..."

Fluttershy nodded silently and they both entered the cottage. The door shut silently behind them.

"What? But why...? Was I a bad host?" Fluttershy's reaction to what Soul Harmony just told her was predictable, but still, Soul felt bad that he had to talk about his upcoming plans to her.

"Fluttershy, my dear, I told you that you aren't the reason for my decision. You're the best host - and friend - I've ever had in my entire life and it hurts me too that I've to leave, but you see; I'm well again and have to resume work. And my profession demands from me to travel through Equestria." Soul stuck to his guns.

"But... but you saved my life from a pack of timberwolves. I owe you..." Fluttershy tried desperately to keep him staying at her cottage. She didnt want to admit that she had casted an eye at him, not only because he was brave enough to rescue her, regardless of the consequences for himself. All the time he lived with her in her cottage, he was friendly, charming and honest and Fluttershy could not get around the fact she found he was handsome.

But before Fluttershy could finish her sentence, Soul stalled her: "And you cared for me after I got injured. You owe me nothing, my dear. Fluttershy... I thank you for all the deeds you did to me, but you have to let me go!" It also was hard for him to say this, because he fell for her too. In his eyes she was the most beautiful mare he has ever seen, kind, cute and he was fond of her shyness. Neither of them knew what they felt for each other.

But Soul did not want to rankle with his crush. He thought, it would be better to leave her now, before they both could come so close to each other, that it would hurt her if he left. But it was already too late, Fluttershy was fallen into somepony completely for the first time in her life.

"Soul..." Fluttershy disavowed. She never felt something like the emotions which come up whenever she looks at Soul Harmony - a strange push in the stomach region and something like breathlessness.

Soul leaned forward, kissed her gently on her left cheek and whispered: "Farewell, my darling..." He turned around, departed from the little cottage on the brink of the Everfree Forest and headed towards Ponyville.

"Soul!" Fluttershy screamed for him in tears, but Soul ignored it intentionally. Teared up by himself, he clenched his teeth and continued on walking.

A few days passed and Fluttershy did not have the power to go outside her house. The day Soul Harmony left her was by far one of the worst days in her entire life. She was not able to do anything else than crying until she fell asleep under the care and watching eyes of her bunny Angel. Without the preoccupation with caring for Soul Harmony she felt empty and she missed him terribly. The following days she just sat at the window and looked outside without noticing anything, hoping for the implausible cause of Soul's return, but the only thing she saw was the rain of the springtime tempests crackling against the glass. From time to time she sighed, but she could not cry anymore. All her tears have been used up on the day of his leaving. Angel tried to animate her to do her routine duties, but it was of no avail.

By and by, the day came where Fluttershy usually meets her friend Rarity in the spa for their weekly get-together. She brought herself to leave her cottage the first time after Soul Harmony's move out. Fluttershy was the first of them at the spa, so she waited in front of it for her friend. The weather on that day was better in comparison to that of the last few days, but similar to Fluttershy's mood - cloudy and dark. She just sat on a bench and drooped. After a while, Rarity came out of a side street near the spa with many bags of fashion shopping. She happily whistled a melody and did not notice at first go the mournfulness of her friend.

"Good afternoon, Fluttershy, what a great day for a treatment in the spa! I hope you can forgive me my short delay, but I just had to buy out all those fabrics. How are you?", asked Rarity blithefully despite the foul weather.

Fluttershy got pulled out of her mind and answered grievingly and with a very low voice: "Mhmm, yes, it is a wonderful day... for a beauty care...", and sighted.

Rarity got suspicious: "Fluttershy, my dear, is something wrong with you? You seem to be aggrieved of something."

Unconvincingly, Fluttershy said: "Oh Rarity, it's nothing. Really. It just happened something recently what made me... confused... And I don't know what I should do...", and then her voice failed.

"That doesn't sound like nothing to me, darling. Come in and let us talk about it, I'm pretty sure we can get rid of your problem together.", said Rarity amiable and followed by Fluttershy, she entered the spa.