Midnight Streak tentatively approached Sombra, the shadowy King of the Crystal Empire. She double checked her saddlebags for the two items that were imperative to her success. Both were in working order. With a tug of her black hoof, she yanked on the chain holding Iron Will prisoner, and forced her captive to stagger forward.
“I have come for the bounty on the minotaur,” Midnight Streak asserted, her wings flared.
“Cheessa neenjah mah wongee Iron Will. Kanjee teh droid,” Sombra laughed, the purple miasma around his eyes flickering with his mirth. He continued to speak in the bizarre language of the Crystal Empire, and pushed forward Sweetie Bot to translate.
“The tall, dark, and exceedingly handsome King Sombra,” Sweetie began, finding it difficult to keep the sarcasm out of her robotic voice, “Offers you a most generous sum of twenty-five thousand bits for him.”
Don’t be shy. Look him him the eye. “I’ll take no less than fifty thousand,” Midnight Strike rasped.
Sombra roared, reared, and bucked Sweetie off of the platform. The translator droid dusted herself off, and struggled to her hooves with a creak.
Collecting herself, Sweetie Bot cocked her head and listened to Sombra’s grumblings.
“The mighty King Sombra asks why you think he should pay fifty thousand bits?” Sweetie translated for Midnight Streak.
“When somepony tries to block, show them that you rock,” Midnight Streak replied cryptically, producing an object from her saddlebag.
Sweetie glared at the bounty hunter. “What the hay is that supposed to—sweet Celestia’s flank! She’s holding a thermal detonator!”
The silver object began to glow in Midnight Streak’s hoof. Sombra laughed, a mocking chuckle at first, but it slowly grew into a full belly laugh. Sweetie listened to the shadow king’s grunts and growls with a careful electronic ear and nodded.
“Sombra says that you’re his kind of scum, fearless and inventive. He offers you thirty five thousand,” Sweetie’s eyes widened into a pathetic pleading gaze that would make Winona proud. “I humbly request that you accept it for all of our sakes.”
One tense moment later, and the silver detonator ceased to glow.
“Thank goodness,” Sweetie Bot sighed in relief and pantomimed mopping her brow, both acts being quite odd considering that she was a droid who could neither breathe nor sweat.
King Sombra’s guards dragged Iron Will down the hall toward a cell. The minotaur shot a hate-filled glare in the direction of Midnight Streak, who shook her head once stoicly, her yellow streaked ebony mane barely twitching. Sombra ordered the band to begin playing. A purple maned earth pony, Symphony, began playing a rather upbeat tune on her violin, and soon the chamber was filled with raucous singing and dancing in various equine languages (and some not so equine).
Hours later, empty bottles of booze, cigarette butts, shards of broken glass, and various food refuse littered the floor, all that remained of the celebration. A mulberry coated mare with a cerise mane lay passed out amidst the debris. A dark shape emerged from the shadows cautiously and stepped over the inebriated mare, gingerly stepping on the tips of her hooves in an attempt to remain as silent as equinely possible. Creeping across the room, stepping over various other unconscious life forms, Midnight Streak stealthily approached her prize.
There, suspended upon the wall, frozen in carbonite, was Daring Do, a grimace on her face and one pleading hoof outstretched toward an unseen benefactor.
Midnight Streak quickly flashed her nimble hooves over the control panel, slowly lowering Daring Do’s prison to the floor. A few switches later, and the carbonite began to melt away. Daring’s coat returned to its usual tan color and a red flush returned to her cheeks. The flash freeze hadn’t killed her after all. Daring began to cough, her lungs filling with air that they hadn’t breathed in months. Midnight gently brushed a hoof against Daring’s muzzle, and the tan Pegasus moaned.
“Hush now, quiet now,” Midnight Streak murmured, almost musically in comparison to the raspy voice she had spoken to Sombra with previously. “You have hibernation sickness. You won’t be able to see right now, but your eyesight will return after you rest.”
“Where... where am I?” Daring Do wheezed, her sightless magenta eyes darting around the chamber wildly.
“Sombra’s palace,” came the laconic reply.
“And who are you exactly? Friend or foe?” Daring accused.
The bounty hunter removed a glowing crystal from her saddlebag. After some careful manipulation from her hoof, the glow receded. Midnight Strike’s features blurred, and there was no longer a jet black pegasus with a yellow streak in her equally dark mane. In her place stood a buttery yellow pegasus with a pink mane. Her cyan eyes gazed at Daring Do with tender concern.
“Somepony who loves you,” Fluttershy answered, wrapping Daring in a warm embrace and nuzzling her gently. “I need to get you out of here.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Daring said. “Fluttershy, before all Tartarus breaks loose around here, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. I wanted to say it before, but I could never find the right time, you know? And being frozen in carbonite gives a pony a lot of time to think,” Daring rambled.
Fluttershy helped Daring stand up slowly, leaning against the chamber wall for support. “I’m not sure that now is the appropriate time,” she said, flushing. Her wings flared a bit, and she looked around the room trying to anticipate the slightest obstacle to their escape.
“Maybe not, but with this war, and the rebellion and everything, when is there ever going to be the right time?” Daring stomped a hoof. “Fluttershy, I need to know… did you remember to pick up chicken feed at the market today?”
“Huh?” Fluttershy asked, bewildered.
“Chicken feed,” a voice called from the adjoining room. “You had said that you were running low yesterday and wanted me to remind you this morning to pick some up. I guess I kinda forgot to remind you myself, but I figured I’d ask.”
Fluttershy blinked a couple of times, trying to remember. “Oh right, Elizabeak and the others needed food,” she murmured to herself. She thought for a moment. “No Honey, I never made it out to the market today. What time is it? Do you think that I have time to trot over or is it too late?”
“It’s a little after three,” the voice from the kitchen noted. “If you hurry, you should have plenty of time to get there before they close.”
“Oh, good. I’m glad you remembered. The poor dears would have been awfully hungry when dinnertime came,” Fluttershy said. She silently chastised herself for neglecting her animals. Almost as an afterthought, she called out to the kitchen “Thank you for reminding me.”
“No problem,” came her answer. “I really should have brought it up earlier. Say, do you want me to tag along?”
“No, that’s okay,” Fluttershy smiled. “I know you’re busy, and it shouldn’t take more than an hour or so. Is there anything you need me to pick up while I’m there?”
“Actually, one of my work uniforms needed mending, and I was going to bring it to Rarity so she could work her magic on it. If you don’t mind dropping it off on your way back, you’ll be a life saver.”
“Not at all,” Fluttershy said. “Although you know Rarity. If I go in just to drop something off, we’ll end up talking about something or other.”
The voice laughed. “I do know Rarity. It’s OK, though. If you get chatting with her, it’ll just give this pumpkin soup a little extra time to cook to perfection.”
“Pumpkin soup? It’s not even our anniversary, Honey,” Fluttershy cooed.
“Yeah, well if you want it to be ready when you get back with the chicken feed,” the voice placed extra emphasis on that word, “you need to get going. Scoot!”
Fluttershy nodded, gathered her saddlebags for a market visit, and scampered out the door. She looked back at the cottage for a moment, taking her eyes off of the path, and almost ran smack into Applejack, who was yoked to a cart full of apples.
“Whoa, nelly,” Applejack cried out. “Where are you off to in such a hurry, Fluttershy?”
“Oh, dear, I’m sorry Applejack,” Fluttershy lowered her head guiltily. “I’m just in a hurry to get to the market because I’m almost out of food for my chickens. Plus I was also going to stop at Carousel Boutique afterward.”
“Well, shoot, I’m headed in the same direction. Why don’t you climb aboard and we can go together?” Applejack offered. Fluttershy hopped on the wagon, with a smile, nestling herself right behind her friend. Applejack might even get her to the market quicker than she could fly there herself, she reasoned.
“I’ve noticed Winona acting a mite strange lately, and with y’all being the animal expert, I reckoned that I ought to get your two bits on what might be up with her, you know?”
Fluttershy nodded absently.
“Madam First Lady?”
“Yes?” Fluttershy snapped to attention. This surgery required intense focus. Time was also of the essence.
“I have to say it is an honor to have you performing my surgery,” the patient said.
“I’m just doing my job,” Fluttershy said as evenly as she could. “Don’t think of me as the First Lady,” Celestia knows I don’t, she thought. “Right now I’m just your doctor.”
“Yeah, but you’re still my doctor,” the patient replied weakly. “You wouldn’t be where you are if you weren’t one of the best, and I'm thankful to have one of the best working on my case.”
Fluttershy suppressed a shudder at her new title. She knew how important it was that she keep calm and carry on in times like this. It was just that it had all happened so fast. First, Daring had been called upon by Celestia to be her National Security Advisor. Then, Vice President Luna had betrayed them all by declaring herself “Nightmare Moon, Queen of Equestria,” and attempting to overthrow the democracy that had existed for thousands of years. If that weren't enough, Flim and Flam had caused a run on the Equestria Economy in addition to allying with changelings who had started an undeclared war out in Appaloosa and the surrounding territories.
It took a lot of teamwork, but between President Celestia, Ponyville business stallion Filthy Rich, and Daring Do, they had somehow managed to come out on top. Luna resigned in disgrace, the changelings were defeated, and the economy was stabilized. Celestia had named Daring Do as Luna’s successor… until the next election, anyway. It was supposed to be a temporary assignment, a couple months of reward for a job well done, and then Daring would ride off into the sunset with Fluttershy, and they’d live happily ever after.
Then an insane Chrysalis had piloted a dirigible right into the middle of Canterlot, taking out President Celestia and most of Congress. Having just been sworn in as Vice President mere hours before, Daring Do became the new President of Equestria, and Fluttershy the First Lady. To say that Fluttershy was overwhelmed by all of this was the understatement of the millennia. Still, her problems were minor compared to the struggles she knew Daring would have to endure in rebuilding the Equestrian government. Right now she needed to concentrate on the task at hoof… her patient.
“I don’t want to worry you too much, but from the symptoms you’re describing, there’s a major chance that it might be epilepsy,” Fluttershy concluded.
“Epilepsy? I didn’t know dogs could get that,” Applejack breathed, giving a forlorn whistle as she did.
“It happens occasionally in her breed,” Fluttershy continued. “If you bring her around my cottage some time, I’ll take a closer look at her. That’s the worst case scenario, though. It could be nothing.”
Applejack frowned. “Well, I reckon this is one of them things that’s better diagnosed sooner than later. I could just be making a big deal out of nothin’, though.”
“Better safe than sorry, I always say,” Fluttershy cocked her head.
“Yeah, that’s why you’re the animal expert, Fluttershy,” Applejack smiled. “Well, we’re here. Thank you for the advice, and I’ll be bringing Winona to see you real soon.” Fluttershy clambered down from the cart. With a tip of her Stetson, Applejack continued on to her market stall. The best chicken feed Ponyville had to offer was still on the other side of the marketplace, however.
Fluttershy made her way to the stall that sold the chicken feed she was looking for. Sure, she could have bought it cheaper at one of the other stalls, but she knew this vendor well, and had been a customer for years. She glanced over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of Snowflake at a different stall across the way. Suddenly somepony grabbed her by the pastern and started dragging her away.
“But I haven’t paid yet!” Fluttershy squealed.
“Come with me if you want to live,” Daring Do said simply, and continued herding her around the corner.
“Please stop, you’re hurting me,” Fluttershy protested.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” Daring whispered. “I’m here to help. Did you see that thing back there?”
“Snowflake?” Fluttershy asked, her eyebrow rising curiously.
“That wasn’t Snowflake. It’s a terminator. Cyberdine model one-oh-one if you want to get technical,” Daring explained. “It’s an infiltration unit created to look like a stallion on the outside, but on the inside it’s a heartless machine. You, Fluttershy, have been marked for termination.”
“Oh dear, that sounds… um…” Fluttershy stammered, “Complicated?”
“That was the easy part to explain,” Daring continued with a snort. “I’m not sure you’d believe me if I told you everything right away. We should probably get back to running, by the way.”
“Oh, right,” Fluttershy said, and followed the tan pegasus. She glanced back at the marketplace, and saw Snowflake surveying the area. His red eyes met hers, and he started moving in her direction. Slowly at first, then quickening to a trot, and finally a full gallop in seconds. He was gaining on them.
“He spotted me!” Fluttershy cried.
“Aw, ponyfeathers,” Daring cursed. “Where’s a hydraulic press when you need one?”
“Ponyville doesn’t have a… whatever that thing you said is,” Fluttershy said, pumping her wings to help her run faster.
“Yeah, you’re right,” Daring said. “But Cloudsdale might have something we can use. We need to get to the Rainbow Factory.” She shot up into the air, with Fluttershy nipping at her heels.
Fluttershy looked at Daring, befuddled. “What could possibly be there that could help us?”
Daring chuckled. “The molten rainbow is superheated. It’s a longshot, but dropping him in one of the vats might be our best chance of getting rid of him.”
“What about the Elements of Harmony?” Fluttershy wondered. “I could get my friends, and—“
“No time,” Daring snapped. “Besides, the Elements didn’t work on them in the future anyway. You tried, but a magical rainbow isn’t going to change something that has no soul to begin with.”
Fluttershy tried to wrap her mind around the information Daring had given her. Daring and that thing wearing Snowflake’s skin were from the future. A future where she had tried and failed to use the Elements of Harmony to save everypony.
On the other hoof… Fluttershy peeked over her shoulder at the stallion. Snowflake had always been a bit odd. Not that she was one to talk about another pony’s eccentricities, but there was something about the way that he acted more like an earth pony than a pegasus. He was in fantastic shape and could buck apples with the best of them. Perhaps it was overcompensation for something…
“Don’t slow down!” Daring barked at her. Fluttershy squeaked, realizing that her speed had indeed diminished with her divided attention. “His wings are tiny, but they’re just as effective as ours. He’s like a giant bumblebee, don’t ask me the physics of it.”
Sure enough, Snowflake had taken off as well, and was still getting closer. A determined scowl was etched across his face.
“Thank Celestia he couldn’t bring any of the futuristic weapons with him or we’d be toast,” Daring muttered, flapping with all of her might. “Or if they’d found a way to send one of the prototype alicorns…”
Snowflake just kept approaching, closer and closer. Fluttershy could smell his sweat, and could practically feel his hot stinky breath on her neck.
“Miss Fluttershy, are you in line?” he asked her.
Fluttershy looked at the bag of chicken feed in her hooves, and then glanced at Snowflake. The white stallion’s cart was filled with various purchases. A young colt, Featherweight, was perched on top of it all, as if guarding it from potential thieves.
“I was, but you can go ahead of me, Snowflake. I only have this,” she held up the bag of feed.
“You are too kind, Fluttershy,” Snowflake said with a wink and a smile as he moved ahead of her to pay for his supplies.
“Thank you, Miss Fluttershy,” Featherweight flashed her a gap toothed grin.
“You’re quite welcome,” Fluttershy answered with a smile of her own. “Such gentlecolts.” After checking out herself, she paused upon seeing the uniform packed in her saddlebags.
"I need to get this to Rarity," she said. "I'd better hurry."
A hop, skip and a jump later, she was at Carousel Boutique.
“I know it’s getting late, but I needed to drop this off,” Fluttershy said, pulling the uniform out of her saddlebag. “Do you think you’ll be able to do anything with it?”
Rarity looked at the garment with disdain. Various stains, burns, and tears festered along what might have been rather dapper apparel at one point.
“While I might be able to spruce this up a bit, Fluttershy,” Rarity began, her muzzle upturned. “Wouldn’t she be happier with a new ensemble altogether? Even you must agree that this outfit has seen better days.”
“I do,” Fluttershy nodded, “but you know how she can be. She doesn’t like change all that much, and she’s had this for so many years. She's also say something like 'Oh, these are just my work duds. No need for anything fancy.'”
"Be that as it may," Rarity pondered for a moment, scratching her chin with a hoof. Then her eyes lit up.
“Ideeeaaaa!” She cried. “I will do my honest-to-goodness best to repair these… er… work duds, but I will also design something fresh and new for her to wear. They won’t be ready until tomorrow, but If she comes in then and compares them, I guarantee that if she does not like her new outfit better than her old one, I’ll give them both to her free of charge.”
“Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked.
“I am confident in my ability to knock her socks off,” Rarity insisted. Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. “Figuratively speaking, that is,” she amended. "While you're here, would you mind giving me your opinion on this little number I'm working on for Granny Smith? She asked me if I would mend one of her old shawls for her." Rarity held up the repaired accessory, which was now encrusted with apple shaped rubies. "You don't think I overdid it, do you?"
“You know, in all of the years I’ve known Daring, she has never once acted like this,” Granny Smith smiled gazing in the direction of the tan Pegasus. “So if you break her heart, I’m going to have to kill you.” Her smile never wavered, but the look in her eyes told Fluttershy that the old green mare was serious.
“Um,” Fluttershy stumbled over what to say. “OK.”
“I was in love with an agent myself, once,” Granny continued. “Well, not so much an agent as an Opliptera. A descendant of one of Luna’s Royal Guard, you know. Such a sweet fellow, and so handsome. But between the farm, my parents, his parents, and the political nonsense, it just wasn’t meant to be. Tried to get into my knickers anyway, he did.”
“What did you do?” Fluttershy asked in wide eyed amazement.
“The only thing I could do. Bucked him in the balls,” Granny sighed. “Ah, that was love. But no ding-ding without the wedding ring as the saying goes.”
Fluttershy blushed.
“Oh, dearie, it was a different time back then. Of course, now that it looks like the old gang is getting back together—“ Granny cut herself off and looked at her former compatriots: Mr. Waddle, Stinkin’ Rich, and of course Daring Do, who was still wrestling with Scootaloo.
“Rainbow Dash trained you, kid?” Daring asked feinting at the orange pegasus.
“Yup,” Scootaloo replied her foreleg raised to block the attack if it had been real.
“I trained Rainbow Dash,” Daring grunted, sweeping Scootaloo’s legs out from beneath her. Waddle and Stinkin’ watched the scene with bored expressions.
“You know, I never expected this to happen to me,” Stinkin’ commented.
“What?” Waddle asked.
“Getting old. “I mean, we were in the thick of it all. We settled Ponyville, dealt with quarry eels, hydras, the Everfree. Now we’re stuck in some retirement home.”
“Happens to the best of us,” Waddle commented dryly, adjusting his glasses. He removed them, breathed on the lenses and wiped them with a kerchief. Putting them back on, he noticed Scootaloo trussed up on the ground like rodeo cattle. “You’re slowing down, old mare,” he teased Daring, who rolled her eyes.
“Didn’t see you helping,” Daring sneered.
“I thought you worked alone,” Stinkin’ joined in the banter.
“Have you even been paying attention to a word I’ve been saying?” asked Rarity.
“I generally prefer the top stitch, but a traditional blanket stitch would probably work nicely there as well,” Fluttershy gasped.
Rarity eyed the pattern carefully. “You know, I think I could do a blanket stitch here. Thank you, Fluttershy. As always, I’m grateful for your sewing suggestions. You have such a keen eye for these things.”
“Thank you again, Rarity. I’d best be going though,” Fluttershy said, hoisting up her saddlebags again.
“Be sure to let her know to stop by tomorrow,” Rarity called after her. “I’m sure she’s going to just love, love, love it!”
Fluttershy waved a hoof, and trotted out of Carousel Boutique and back into the street.
"Hiya, Fluttershy! Whatcha doin'?"
"Eep!" Fluttershy ducked and covered her head with her hooves. She peeked out. "Oh, hi Pinkie Pie. You startled me."
Pinkie giggled.
"Well, um, I had a few errands to run today, but I'm all finished now. I was about to head back home, where somepony special is cooking pumpkin soup for me." Fluttershy smiled shyly.
"Pumpkin Soup?" Pinkie gasped. "It's not even your anniversary!"
"That's what I said," Fluttershy replied with a chuckle.
"Ooh, I have something super duper special that goes great with non-anniversary pumpkin soup!" Pinkie squealed. "I mean, technically the Cakes have it at Sugarcube Corner and I have to sell it you you if you want it because Mrs. Cake said to me 'Pinkie Pie, you know we like your friends, but this is a business and you can't always give them free samples of our confections just because they're your friends,' and I said 'I know, and I'm sorry. I promise to be more responsible with your profit margins from now on,' so do you think you'd be interested in buying a little dessert to go with your soup? It's totes delish."
Fluttershy only managed to make out every other word of Pinkie's hyper fast speech. It was something about dessert.
"I think dessert sounds lovely. I should do something nice for her since she's being so kind to me," she said. "Let's go Pinkie Pie."
Fluttershy peeked out from between her hooves, watching Pinkamena wrestling with… herself? No, she was grappling with Daring, who was wearing the ring. I need to stop them, she thought. She remained rooted to the spot, watching the match between seen and unseen continue like two dogs fighting over a bone.
Finally, Daring must have worked her hind legs free of the psychotic pink pony’s clutches, because Pinkamena’s neck snapped around suddenly at a painfully odd angle. She backed off, rubbing her muzzle. She shot a hate filled glare in the direction of the attack, snorted loudly, and spat a wad of bloody mucus over the precipice.
From out of nowhere, the crazy mare produced a meat cleaver which she hurled at her adversary with all of her might. There was a bloodcurdling scream, and Daring Do appeared, writhing in agony on the ground. She moaned as she cradled what remained of the leg that had borne the ring moments before.
Pinkamena dashed over to Daring’s hoof and scooped it up, ring and all. Her mane suddenly exploded into a tangled nest of curls, and she began to dance merrily, gloating over her ill-gotten prize.
“Oh, the ring is a thing that I’ll bring to the king on a wing, it’s my preeeeecioussss…” she sang, slightly off key.
Fluttershy crept over to where Daring lay.
“Oh dear,” she lamented. “My poor Daring, we need to get you bandaged up. Oh dear, your poor hoof…”
Fluttershy bit the strap of her saddlebags and fashioned it into a tourniquet for the bleeding stump. Daring grit her teeth together and hissed, her eyes screwed shut against the pain.
“We’ll polish her up and make her look pretty, oh so pretty,” Pinkamena continued, bouncing around joyfully. “Such a pretty ring!”
Daring cracked open her right eye. “Pinkie,” she gasped weakly. “Look out!”
Pinkamena was too caught up in her dance to notice the tan Pegasus… or the edge of the volcano. A tremor shook the unstable ledge beneath her hooves, causing it to crumble. With a shriek, Pinkamena pitched forward and plummeted head first toward the fiery pools of molten rock at the volcano’s unforgiving maw.
“I should have gone to Jared!” Pinkamena cried as both she and the ring plunged into the fire and were consumed.
Fluttershy and Daring Do watched in amazement. Finally Daring broke the silence.
“It seems that Pinkie Pie has fulfilled our quest for us. Star Swirl was right. She did have a role to play in the end. The ring is gone,” Daring mused.
Another rumble belched forth from the depths of the volcano.
“I’m glad that you are here with me at the end of all things, Fluttershy. I don’t think I could have gotten this far without you,” Daring said, nuzzling the yellow pegasus.
“I’m glad too, Daring,” Fluttershy said, returning the nuzzle. “I don’t want to give up yet, though. We might still have a chance. Do you think you can fly?”
Daring tested her wings. "Yeah, probably. Not too far, but it might be just enough to get out of here."
“Then lean on me,” Fluttershy eased Daring up onto three legs, with her wing offering the necessary support in place of the maimed one. “Once we’re out of this cave, we’ll have to—“
“That’ll be four bits,” Pinkie Pie proclaimed happily.
Fluttershy blinked twice and looked at the brownish gray box wrapped up with a simple string of twine. Reaching back into her saddlebag, she pulled out her coin purse, and counted out four golden coins. She placed them on the counter with a gentle clink.
“A pleasure doing business with you, ma’am,” Pinkie saluted her. “Let me know how much she likes it. I added a super secret ingredient just for her.” She winked and gave Fluttershy a winning smile.
“Vinegar?” Fluttershy asked. “I often use vinegar in my recipes.”
“Hm,” Pinkie thought, rubbing her muzzle in contemplation. “I never thought of that. Maybe next time.”
Fluttershy waved good-bye, and made her way out of Sugarcube Corner.
“Honey? Angel? I’m home!” Fluttershy softly called as she trotted into her cottage. She spotted Angel napping on the couch. The bunny opened one eye, gave Fluttershy the once-over, as if to say “Oh, it’s you,” and then went back to sleep.
“Good timing,” came a response from the kitchen. “The soup’s just about ready.”
Fluttershy smiled, and felt a rumble in her tummy at the proclaimation. “I stopped at Sugar Cube Corner while I was there, and picked up a little something special for you.”
“Something special?” The question drifted out over the sound of dishes being washed.
“Well, you were so nice to make pumpkin soup for me,” Fluttershy said, placing the small package on the table.”
“For us, my dear,” corrected the mare in the kitchen. “You’re not the only one who enjoys this, you know.”
“So,” Fluttershy began awkwardly. “You know what might be nice after dinner?”
“Gotta stop you right there,” Fluttershy was cut off. “I am this close to finished with the last chapter of the book. All I have to do is a teeny tiny bit of editing and it’ll be the best one I’ve ever written. I daresay this one could be my magnum opus.”
“Oh,” Fluttershy’s face fell. “So a bubble bath is out of the question then?”
“For me it is, but you relax and enjoy yourself. It’s not like you need me to take a bath, right?”
“I guess not,” Fluttershy gazed forlornly into the kitchen. "Do you mind if I take the soup upstairs to the bath then? That way you'll get your work done without me distracting you."
"You're not a distraction. I mean, I admit that the soup took a little longer than I expected, but I was actually inspired to fix something in the story. Trust me, when you read it, you'll see what I mean."
Fluttershy nodded. Meandering into the kitchen, she stole a quick glance at her lover, whose nose was buried in a stack of papers on the kitchen table. White stacks of paper dotted the counters, as well as various food preparation utensils and crockery. Fluttershy snickered in spite of herself at the attempted multi-tasking as she ladled herself a steaming bowl of soup. She left the brown package in one of the few bare spots remaining on the cluttered counter, taking care not to disturb any of the manuscripts. She was certain that there was some rhyme and reason to the mess, although she had yet to figure it out.
"Your special something is on the counter. I'm heading upstairs," Fluttershy whispered. A tan hoof, a nod, and a grunt acknowledged that her marefriend had heard her. Fluttershy reached for her bowl of soup.
“Gilda!” Fluttershy cried. “Give me your other claw. I can’t hold on to you like this.”
“I can almost reach it,” Gilda insisted, reaching her right claw out toward the artifact. Her middle digit barely scraped across the wooden surface. If she could just get a firm grip...
“Gilda,” Fluttershy pleaded, trying in vain to hold on to the struggling griffon with her hooves. “It’s too narrow to fly here. I need your other claw so I can pull you up. Let me help you.”
The ground shook, and with an eardrum shattering shriek, Gilda slipped from Fluttershy’s grasp and pitched head first into the chasm. She attempted to spread her wings to fly out, but the yellow Pegasus had been correct: there simply wasn’t enough room. Within seconds, she had plummeted out of sight.
The quake tossed Fluttershy into the same precarious position Gilda had been in. Her hooves scrabbled against the stony precipice, and she started to slip down into the bottomless gorge herself. A pair of strong tan hooves grabbed her own. Daring Do smiled at her. Fluttershy glanced behind her. The prize that Daring had sought for countless years was still within reach. Her right hoof let go of Daring and reached for the ancient artifact.
“Fluttering Posey! What in Celestia’s name do you think you’re doing? Give me back your other hoof. I cannot hold on,” Daring ordered her.
“I’m closer than Gilda was. I can get it for you,” Fluttershy insisted. Her hoof brushed the surface, just as Gilda’s had. Just a little closer.
“Posey!” Daring shouted angrily.
“I almost have it, Honey. You said yourself that it belongs in a museum.”
Daring gritted her teeth and took a longing look at the object consuming her lover’s attention.
“Fluttershy,” she sighed.
The use of her nickname caught Fluttershy’s attention. Daring never called her Fluttershy. She turned her head and looked questioningly into Daring’s magenta eyes.
“Let it go,” Daring finished.
“But… that’s your life right there,” Fluttershy said incredulously.
“You are my life, Fluttershy,” Daring said. “Until I met you, I was a lonely workaholic. You’ve made me realize what it’s like to really care for somepony. So what if we lose that artifact. It will someday be found by somepony else. If I lose you…” She broke off, unable to complete her thought.
Fluttershy looked at their prize, and looked at Daring, on the verge of tears, and grabbed on to Daring with both hooves. Together, they pulled her up out of immediate danger.
“Let’s get out of here,” Daring said. “This place could collapse at any minute. The two pegasi, one tan, and one buttery yellow, galloped off toward the cavern’s exit.
"So, are you coming to bed?" Daring asked.
"Hmmm?" Fluttershy murmured. She raised her head a bit out of the bathtub and opened her cyan eyes slowly.
"The book's finished," her lover said. "Like I said before, it's probably the best I've ever written. I was about to go to bed when I realized that- well, you weren't in it." She chuckled. It was a bit raspy, but it was music to Fluttershy's ears. She felt the corners of her own muzzle turn up in a smile.
"I guess I was a bit too relaxed," Fluttershy said, blushing.
"You are so adorable when you do that," came the response. Sure, it was a bit cliche and expected, but Fluttershy could tell that they came from the heart, and that was what really mattered. It's not like she was going to write a novel about Fluttershy, after all. She allowed herself to be helped out of the tub and wrapped up in a towel. The water had gotten chilly a while ago, but she hadn't really noticed until she was no longer in it.
"So... bed?"
"Bed," Fluttershy agreed.
As they trotted to the bedroom, an unexpected question assaulted her.
"Fluttershy, do you ever miss being an Element of Harmony? I mean, we've talked about the Tree and how it needed to have the Elements back, but..." she trailed off.
Fluttershy did not respond right away. She slipped into bed, snuggling up against her special somepony and burying her muzzle in the strands of her mane. Finally she sighed.
"I love you," she said.
"I love you, too. Don't think I'm going to let you avoid the question like that, though."
Fluttershy sighed again, still smiling beneath the waves of mane. "We may have given our Elements back to the Tree, but that doesn't mean that we represent them any less than before. I believe that I'm still the Element of Kindness even without a pretty necklace to say so. So I guess that means that I'm exactly where I want to be right now. Isn't that what matters?"
"I suppose you're right."
Fluttershy gave her one last "good night" nuzzle and drifted off to sleep, happily looking forward to the many adventures that tomorrow would bring.
The End
