Fluttershy took a deep breath, then another, then another, then another and many more. Her entire body was jittery and her face was as red as an apple. She kept her eyes closed, waiting for her beloved's reaction.
I...I finally did it! Fluttershy excitedly thought to herself, All of that training with Angel has finally paid off!
Indeed, all that training did pay off, for the most part. Fluttershy shuddered at the thought of it all: Angel constantly slapping her with a carrot for being hesitant, the countless hours Angel made her face the mirror to force herself into giving herself pep-talks, the number of grocery bags Fluttershy used to stabilize her breathing, the many nights Fluttershy dreamt of her actually doing her confession as well as the many nightmares she thought would happen between her and her beloved.
Huh...? thought Fluttershy.
A few minutes had only passed after Fluttershy confessed, but she felt this to be wrong. Considering who her crush was, Fluttershy thought that SHE would respond, or at least react, almost immediately. Fluttershy opened her left eye and gazed up.
There she stood, the most amazing pony Flutteshy had ever met: Pinkie Pie. However, something felt wrong when Fluttershy saw Pinkie like this; she was just standing still, a hoof brought up to her opened mouth and her eyes slightly shaking.
"P-Pinkie...?" Fluttershy asked softly.
Suddenly, all of the lights within Sugar Cube Corner went out. Fluttershy jumped in response and stumbled a little on her landing. Then, two spotlights lit upon the mares. A heavy atmosphere hung between Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. The entire room remained quiet for a second or two, until Pinkie Pie began to speak.
"Wh-What is this? What is THIS? This-this spirit manifesting within me? Fluttershy, what kind of spell did you cast upon my soul? My heart refuses to stop beating at the pace of galloping ponies. My face is as warm as Princess Celestia's loving gaze. My mind is a hive, abuzz with many thoughts! I beseech you again, dear Fluttershy, what spell did you cast upon me?
I-I feel strange, I feel lost. Both my mind and heart give birth to thoughts that make me smile, yet they also bear children that bring me fear. What am I to smile about? What am I to fear? These uncertainties and absolutes, what do they mean? Reveal to me, please, Fluttershy, what is happening to me?
Was it that? Yes! That must be it! That confession, that spell! A spell of...of... What emotion is it? The spell, full of light, full of courage, what was it trying to say? 'I love you' was it? 'I've always admired you!', 'I find you charming!', 'I think you beautiful!', 'I love you!'
Is that what you are trying to say? Oh, Fluttershy... I-I... I do not know what to say. Flattered, I am, shown by these rose-red cheeks and throbbing heart of mine. Yes. Happy, I am.
But also, I am scared, worried, fearful. What is it that you see, Fluttershy, that is of interest to you?
What is there to admire of me? I am simply an Earth mare with the spirit of a child, filled with the thoughts of fun and laughter. I am no noble, nay am I gracious. I am merely living my days by the hour, by the minute, by the second. Am I worthy of admiration?
What is charming of me? I make pranks and faces, appearances most humorous. I tell jokes of immaturity and fallacy. I give songs and rhymes of giggles and snickers. All of which, all of which bring no romance. Am I charm worthy?
What is beautiful of me? My mane is a cloud; a swirling and jumbled mass of fibers that contains Luna knows what. My fur, pink and bright, pains the eyes of many for being neon. My body, oh, my body! I cannot explore there! Am I worthy of beauty?
But love...love...
What do you love about me? Alas, I cannot answer that! It would be a dishonor to us.
But me, what of me? What does this spirit stir within me?
Hearing those words, I now see memories. These visions, filled with smiles and hugs and cheer, shine light upon my heart. I cherish these, very much I do. Especially...especially the ones I share with you. Our victories, our defeats, our disputes, dark as they may seem, I hold those dear because they have you. The image of you, the memory of you, the thought of you, all of it! All of it, I hold dear because of you.
But now, what now? Where to go after this point? Courtship? The idea of such a thing makes me warm, but frightened. We make more memories, memories of intimacy and romance, only between us, sacred to us. But what of broken hearts? Oh, I cannot imagine experiencing such a feat! What is a world to me if your love is something I can never regain? Or worse, your love belonging to another... I fear that if such a demon appeared, I may turn into one of the greatest bastards Equestria has ever had the fortune of witnessing and recording.
Scared... very frightened... I am so.
But... Fluttershy... you have given thought over these, yes? I can see the empathy in your eyes. Such horrors and evils have plagued your mind as well. However, you had the courage to do this. Your faith in us, despite knowing such demons that we may meet, pushed you through! I am blinded! I am unworthy! I am not deserving of you... a mare filled with doubts and fears, forever damned by such evils.
Still, I want it! My emotions are clear as well! I love you, too, Fluttershy! I want your warm embrace when the nights get cold. I want to hear the sweetness of your voice when my thoughts become sour. I want your light to guide me when I become lost in darkness. I want your comfort when fear strikes my soul! Most of all, I want you, Fluttershy, all of you. I want to be the one that caresses your mane in the morning. I want to be the one that lightens your spirit when it becomes gloomy. I want to be the one that carries you when you get tired. I want to be the one... the one... the one that loves you more than any other pony in the entire world.
So... will you accept this mare? Will you accept me with all of my being: my faults, my doubts and my demons? After having heard these, dear Fluttershy, do you still wish to have me as I wish to have you?"
Tears formed in the corners of Fluttershy's eyes. She's just like me... she thought, We were just both scared of what might happen to us... Fluttershy took a deep breath and stared deeply into Pinkie Pie's eyes. But that doesn't matter! No matter what happens, I will always, always , always...
"... yes." Fluttershy said sheepishly, "Even with what you have hanging around your heart, I still love you, Pinkie." The usually timid mare's tone now rose with the power of her heart. "And I promise you, I will make sure to do my best for the both of us!"
Pinkie's mouth began to quiver. Then, a fountain of warm tears followed. The pink mare tackled her beloved yellow pegasus to the floor of the store and gave her a tight hug. The spotlights that blanketed them both now merged into one.
Pinkie released Fluttershy from her hug and gazed into the pegasus's eyes with glittery, watery ones. "Oh, Fluttershy!" cried Pinkie. The pink mare brought her muzzle up to her beloved's, enveloping both of their mouths into a kiss; a kiss so full of passion and love that both mares wished for the spotlight to shine upon them, and only them, forever and ever.
