Chapters Fluttershy woke to silence, she opened her warm, rubbery eyelids and stared at the ceiling. After a few minutes of snoozing, she eventually got up and walked into her bathroom where she got showered. She stared into her bathroom mirror, "It's ok Fluttershy, it's just another day at school." she said to herself. She let out a faint smile before getting dressed in her normal everyday white vest and green skirt and boots and going downstairs where she greeted all her pets as she started eating some cereal. Angel, her pet Bunny, hopped onto the table and nuzzled Fluttershy's cheek. She smiled at him, "Good morning to you too Angel Bunny!" she said to the small critter who was standing there smiling at her. After a while she noticed he was still staring at her, she started to get a bit worried. "Is there something you want?" she asked, the Bunny nodded. "What is it?" she asked, Angel facepalmed knowing he couldn't reply. Just as he was about to point at something, Fluttershy heard the sound of growling come from behind her. Hatchet walked into the kitchen, "Good morning Hatchet" she said. He didn't reply, he just gave her that plain, stone cold look he gave everybody he saw. The strange thing about Hatchet was that no one knew what he was, although he appeared Human, he walked on four legs, had a large metal tail and wore metal armour that was welded into his skeleton, he could also change his tail into different shapes and showed no sign of Human ways of communication such as English or sign-language. Fluttershy stared at the strange looking creature for a while, he sure was big, almost twice the size of her. Angel jumped down onto her chair and started pulling at her skirt trying to get her attention, she didn't notice. Frustrated, Angel grabbed her waist and started to shake it, Fluttershy squealed and giggled. Both Angel and Hatchet stared at her, "I've told you before Angel Bunny, don't touch me there, I'm ticklish!" she said smiling, she looked at Hatchet who was looking at her as if to say 'Really?' which made her feel quite pathetic. She eventually remembered that she had to feed Angel which was really what he was trying to say in the first place and gave him a couple of carrots, she then packed her backpack, said goodbye to Angel and Hatchet and all her other Animals and headed for school. As she did every day she was walking, she was too shy to take the bus, but she mostly decided to walk because she knew Sunset Shimmer travels to school by bus. As she was walking down the pavement she was thinking about what happened that morning with Hatchet, why did he look at her that way? Was it because of the weak sound of her squeal or the fact that even a small shake on the side can make her giggle? She didn't know what to think of it, but she couldn't seem to get it out of her mind. In fact it was so stuck in her mind she didn't notice Sunset Shimmer walking around the corner who she bumped into, they both fell to the ground. "Oh my goodness! Sunset Shimmer I am so sorry! I didn't mean to-"
"Watch where you're going you idiot! I could've got hurt!"
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't m-mean to-"
"What? You didn't mean to what? Blindly walk around the corner not even looking where you're going?!"
"I-I'm sorry!"
"If you'd have taken the bus you wouldn't have to look where you're going, but you're too much of a wimp for that aren't you Fluttershy?"
"I...no I...I just...well..."
"You're wasting my time! I gotta get to school, be more careful next time clumsy idiot!" Fluttershy stared at Sunset Shimmer as she walked away, maybe she was right. Maybe she was just a clumsy wimp, after all even Hatchet thought so and he's one of her best friends. Pathetic or not, she would be in trouble if she got to school late, so she continued on down the pavement, unaware of what fate had in store for her.
Fluttershy slowly walked up the stairs into the courtyard where there were lots of other students there waiting for the bell to go too, she sat down underneath the white birch tree where she usually waited for the bell to go. She was worried about Sunset Shimmer, she could be planning revenge after what happened this morning. She was in the middle of thinking to herself when she suddenly started laughing uncontrollably, she kicked herself away from the tree and turned around to see who her sneak attacker was. "Hi!" Came Pinkiepie's high voice, "Pinkie don't do that! You know I'm ticklish!" she exclaimed quietly. "Do what? This?" said Pinkiepie going in for another attack, but Fluttershy moved back and swatted her hands away. "Pinkiepie don't!" she exclaimed once again quietly, trying not to attract attention. "Oh fine!" Pinkiepie said giggling, "Thanks..." she replied. "What's with the face?" Came a voice behind her, she turned around to see Obscurity, Rarity's big Brother, standing behind her. "What face? This...is my...face..." Fluttershy said turning away. "Come on Flut', I know that face, somethin's botherin' you" said Obscurity in his scruffy Scottish voice, Fluttershy stared at him for a second before sinking her head into her shoulders and looking down at the ground. "Sunset Shimmer bumped into me...well, I bumped into her and she's pretty mad at me..."
"Should've known, you an' her aren't exactly on friendly terms are you?"
"I...well...no..."
"Come on Fluttershy! Smile, you have nothing to worry about!"
"Yes I do, she might find me and embarrass me like she usually does" Both Obscurity and Pinkiepie knew that one of Sunset Shimmer's favourite hobbies was to make people look like fools, Fluttershy especially, Shimmer found her shy and sensitive behavour fun to mess with. "just avoid her, she can't be that bad to avoid!"
"She is! She's waiting around every corner!"
"Come on Fluttershy! I'm not leaving 'til I see you smile!"
"I'm fine Pinkie..."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes..."
"Are you sure you're sure?"
"Yes!"
"Are you sure you're-"
"Yes! I'm fine Pinkie!"
"...I don't believe you" Pinkiepie smirked, Fluttershy looked away. "Just leave me alone, I'm fine" she said. Pinkiepie thought for a second then turned to Obscurity. "I wanna make her feel better!" she said, "I don't really care..." he said in the painfully honest way he always did, which made her giggle "Oh Obscurity, you're so-"
"Obscure...I know"
"Seriously though, I can't let her go into school like this! We need to help her!"
"Do whatever you want, I'm not helping, this isn't my business..." Pinkiepie then thought hard, how could she make Fluttershy smile in the five minutes there was left of the morning? An idea popped into her head, she smiled. Fluttershy sat down against the birch tree again, still thinking and worrying about Sunset Shimmer. When suddenly she felt herself being pulled upwards by something, Pinkiepie grabbed her under the armpits and held her against the tree. "Pinkie, what are you doing?" she said, "Nothing, just smile!" Pinkiepie giggled. Pinkiepie then started viscously tickling her soft armpits. Fluttershy started giggling uncontrollably, she tried to call for help but the sound of the other students talking drowned out her weak voice. "PINKIE! STAHAHAHAHAP! I TOLD YOU I'M OKAHAHAHAHAY!"
"Less talk, more smile!"
"PINKIE STAHP IT! I'M SERIOUS! NOHOHOHOHO, STAHAHAHAHAP!" Nobody seemed to notice her squirming underneath the tree, apart from Sunset Shimmer who had noticed the noise and turned to see what it was. "How pathetic, she's really that ticklish?" she said to herself, she then got an idea that made her smile, But this was no nice, happy smile, this was an evil smile. After Pinkie finally stopped, Fluttershy's weak body slid down the tree onto the ground, she was pooped. "Happy now?" Pinkiepie giggled, Fluttershy smiled and blushed while breathing heavily. After a minute or so of getting her breath back, Fluttershy finally got up and smiled at Pinkie. The bell then went, Fluttershy and Pinkie gathered their things and headed for class. "Seeya later Fluttershy!" Pinkie called, "Bye" said Fluttershy quietly. Obscurity, who was already gone by then, moved to Canterlot high after being expelled from his old school for breaking someone's arm in a fight, little did his head teacher know he was only reacting in self-defense. Fluttershy slowly pushed open the door, she had no idea that she was being watched by someone who now possessed the key to make her life a living hell.
"And then I realised the muffins weren't even supposed to go in the fridge anyway, they were supposed to go in the oven! But they were too cold to go in the oven because the frost off them would melt and then water would get into the oven and break it!" Pinkiepie giggled. "Uh...no offence Pinkie but uh...why are yah tellin' me this?" Applejack asked. "You asked about my muffin recipe!"
"No, I asked why Derpy likes muffins so much." Derpy looked over at her from across the dining hall and waved with her usual, bubbley, cross-eyed smile. "Oh, that reminds me of the funniest story!" Pinkiepie said, "No more stories Pinkie, I tuned out at least fifteen minutes ago."
"Then you'll miss out 'cause this story is funny!" Applejack rolled her eyes as she took another bite from the apple she was eating.
"Oh, go and tell Big Mac!"
"Nnnnnnope!" Came Big McIntosh's low voice.
Fluttershy came and sat down next to Pinkiepie, the look on her face showed just how worried she was. "Somethin' wrong sugarcube?" Applejack said smiling. "I need to speak with Pinkiepie" Fluttershy said, trying not to sound too intimidating. "yay! I like speaking, imagine if none of us could speak, we'd all be so bored!" Pinkiepie said. "Don't count on it." Big McIntosh replied. "Pinkiepie, I was speaking to Sunset Shimmer earlier and-"
Applejack spat out the chunk of apple she was chewing on. "What in tarnation were yah speakin' to her for?!" she exclaimed. "She said she'd found out a secret of mine, a secret that Pinkiepie told her."
"Pinkiepie?! What in tarnation were yah speakin' to Sunset Shimmer for?!"
"I hardly ever speak to Sunset Shimmer, the only time I ever speak to her is when she talks to me!"
"But why in tarnation would yah speak to-oh nevermind..."
"But she said it was something that you told her"
"But what do you mean? I never told her anything?" Pinkiepie was beginning to get confused to the point of looking worried.
"Think about it Pinkie, when was the last time yah saw Sunset Shimmer?" Asked Applejack
"Um...this morning before we went into school."
"Did you say anythin' to her?"
"Not that I can remember."
"Then we're porked, I ain't got no idea how she figured out your secret!" Pinkiepie then remembered what else had happened this morning. "Oooooooohhhhhh, you mean this!" she said grabbing Fluttershy and tickling her underarms, making her squeal again. "don't do that!" she said "But it's fun!"
"I don't care! It's annoying!"
"Woah, woah woah! Hold up now! All this trouble...is because you're ticklish?" Fluttershy nodded
Applejack laughed. "Oh sugarcube, bein' ticklish ain't nothin' to be ashamed of."
"But if she knows she could start using it against me!"
"I ain't sure how to react to that, I ain't had many experiances myself."
"Sure you ain't!" Big McIntosh's voice came. "'Cause you really ain't ticklish are you?" he said sarcastically. "No!" Applejack shouted. "Eeeyup." He replied. "Are you callin' me a liar?!"
"Eeeyup."
"Why of all the...how can you say that about me? What I'm sayin' now is the honest truth!"
"Sure it is, so if I try and tickle you now you ain't gonna laugh?"
"No!"
"Quit lyin' Aj."
"I ain't lyin'!"
"Eeeyup."
"I ain't!"
"Eeeyup."
"Will you stop sayin' that?!"
"Nnnope."
"I promise ya'll now, I ain't ticklish, cross my heart an' hope to die, stick a needle in my eye!" Applejack didn't notice Pinkiepie come up behind her, she grabbed Applejack and started tickling her sides. "HEY! PINKIE! STAHAHAHAHAP! OK, OK! I'M TICKLISH, I WAS LYIN'! JUST MAKE IT STAHAHAHAHAHAHAP!" Pinkiepie stopped and giggled "Lying isn't a good thing to do Applejack!"
"Hmph! I may've lied but yah just played plain dirty!"
"Nnnnope."
"Stop it..."
It was Geography class next, and after that scene in the lunch hall with Applejack Fluttershy was felling less ashamed of being so ticklish. She liked Geography, she liked learning about the different places where Animals could live and her seat was right next to Rainbow Dash's. Luckily she had eaten quickly and left the hall quickly to avoid Sunset Shimmer, to her suprise Rainbow Dash was here early too, with her body stretched onto her chair and her arm hanging over the back of it. "Hi Rainbow Dash."
"Hey Fluttershy, you're here early."
"I was about to say the same to you."
"Heh, yeah. I got here early 'cause Mr Whooves has been getting angry about me not showing up early enough for his lessons, how can I help it? Geography and Science are just boring for me, I'm here early today to try and take his mind off it."
"Wont he still remember?"
"Not if I don't give him any reminders!" Rainbow Dash stared over at Fluttershy. "Are you alright Fluttershy?, you seem down."
"I'm fine" She said twiddling her hair. "Fluttershy, I know that face, something's bugging you." Which, to Fluttershy's suprise, is exactly what Obscurity said.
"Really I'm fine."
"It's ok, you can tell your pal Rainbow Dash, I wont tell anybody!"
"Ok, Sunset Shimmer found out that I'm ticklish and she said she's gonna have some fun with it." Rainbow Dash started snickering. "BAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!! What is she gonna do?! Tickle you to death?! HAHAHAAAAAAAA!!! Oh God, that's great!"
"I don't understand, what's so funny?"
"So she knows you're ticklish, so what? The worst she can do is make you laugh!"
"I never really thought about it that way."
"Well just ignore Sunset Shimmer, she's an Undertone sister, she doesn't matter."
"thank you Rainbow Dash."
"Hey, don't worry about it girl."
Eventually the class started and the students got out their books and pens, it just so happened that Fluttershy sat right in front of Sunset Shimmer. Shimmer moved her chair forward and slowly ran the tip of er shoe down the back of Fluttershy's knee, Fluttershy let out a quiet whimper. "What's wrong?" Whispered Rainbow Dash
"Sunset Shimmer."
"What about her?"
"She's tickling me..."
"Just try and ignore it, it can't be that hard!" Fluttershy was trying as ard as she could and was starting to get the hang of it, but when Sunset Shimmer started poking Fluttershy's sides with her feet Fluttershy coud bear it no longer. "Fluttershy? Are you ok?"
"No! This really tickles!"
"You're sweating like crazy!"
"I k-know, t-this is really h-hard!"
"Just be strong, it can't be that-"
"Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash. I don't want any distractions, Rainbow Dash you are already in a bad place I suggest you attempt to keep yourself from falling lower. As for you Fluttershy, I expect someone as quiet as you to remain quiet and only speak when spoken to, do you understand?" Fluttershy didn't dare say anything about what Sunset Shimmer was doing, she didn't want to look pathetic in front of the entire class or make Sunset Shimmer angry. "Yes sir, I understand." she said sheepishly.
"Good, now we can continue with our lesson." After class Rainbow Dash caught up with Fluttershy. "Wait a sec Fluttershy, what happened back there? You practically had your chance to stop Sunset Shimmer dead in er tracks!
"I couldn't possibly do that, she'd be mad."
"Who cares? She'd be told off!"
"I don't want to look pathetic in front of the whole class Rainbow Dash!"
"She'll be the one that looks pathetic! She's-"
"I don't want to talk about it any more ok?" Fluttershy slowly turned from her friend and ran back home as soon as the bell went. "There's an easy way out of this Fluttershy! Trust me!" But Rainbow Dash wasn't sure her friend could hear her. Fluttershy now knew what Sunset Shimmer could do. Disrupt her learning, make her look pathetic, even turn her into a laughing stock. She was going to try her best to stay away from her, she just prayed to God that Sunset Shimmer's games would be over soon.
Fluttershy walked down the school hallway on her way to Maths, she was trying to make it on time. Although she did not like Maths she still didn't complain about it, she prefered to think that she liked all the lessons equally. As she continued walking down the school corridor she bumped into Sunset Shimmer again, but this time it was different. "Oh my goodness! I'm so so so so so so so sorry Sunset Shimmer! I didn't mean to bump into you! I-" But she was consumed by silence when she saw a large grin plastered across Sunset Shimmers face. "Oh Fluttershy, you really should be more careful, at least after what happened this morning." Fluttershy blushed as she remembered how embarassed she was when Sunset Shimmer scared her to the point of her looking sheepish. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you!" she said sinking her head into her shoulders and crossing her knees. "Don't worry Fluttershy, I'm not mad." she said with a grin. "You're not?" Fluttershy said with suprise uncrossing her knees and raising her head. "of course not, I'm in such a good mood nothing could get me down." Sunset Shimmer said. Fluttershy hesitated to ask why she was in such a good mood, but she eventually forced it out. "Why?" she asked sheepishly "Because I found out something today that made me extremely happy, and I plan to use it to have some fun." Once again Fluttershy hesitated to ask what but once again forced it out. "What is it?" She asked. Sunset Shimmer leaned towards Fluttershy narrowing her eyes. "I know your little secret."
"Secret...what secret?"
"Don't you know?"
"Not...really..."
"Then allow me to shed some light on the subject." Sunset Shimmer leaned forward, grabbing Fluttershy's sides and squeezing them. Fluttershy squealed and quickly moved away, she was extremely confused. "But...I-I don't understand!" she stuttered.
"I just showed you!"
"But I-" Fluttershy then realised what Sunset Shimmer had found out, her greatest weakness. Fluttershy had always been extremely ticklish, even when she was just a child. "but...h-how did you f-find out?" she stuttered.
"A friend of mine told me"
"Who t-told y-you?"
"You should know, you were sitting with her this morning."
"...Pinkiepie?" Fluttershy was confused, why would Pinkiepie tell Sunset Shimmer any of her secrets?
"Have fun in Maths, I do believe you're late" Sunset Shimmer said before running off. Fluttershy's eyes widened "Ohmgoodness, ohmygoodness, ohmygoodness I am late!!!" she said before running off to Maths. "Sorry I'm late Miss Cheerielee!" she said bursting through the door.
"Where have you been Fluttershy?"
"I was...taking care of a...problem..." she said. Cheerielee gave her a strange look "Oh well, try not to let it happen again" Fluttershy hoped it woudn't happen again, but if Sunset Shimmer was going to do what she said, then this was obviously going to become a living nightmare.