By a Fireplace

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Epilogue

Prologue

You pace back and forth across your living room, the cloud of smoke from your lit cigarette hanging in your mouth growing thicker overhead.

Let’s see... Let's go over the facts... Caramella is stuck in a rut in her little home town and wants to do more, be more... Her parents encourage her to take up the family business of running the little general store, but she wants to go to the city... But... She can’t find a way out.

Taking another long drag on your cigarette, you make your way over to the typewriter and let out the smoke as you concentrate on the magic within yourself to your horn and start to press down on the keys as the words start to flow from your imagination to the paper.

“But momma! I just wanna live my life, why can’t you let me jus-

You stop and groan aloud as you hear the phone ring and get up angrily as you march your way over to the distraction.

“Hello?” you ask angrily.

From the other end, a gruff voice laughed a bit before doing what sounded like clapping his hooves together. “Hey, hey! How’s my favorite bestseller?”

You let out a heavy sigh and put your cigarette out in a nearby ashtray. “I’d be better if you didn’t check in on me everyday, Trump Card.”

“What’s wrong with just saying hi?” your agent asks with a bit of a chuckle. “I just wanted to-”

“You wanted to see how I’m doing,” you say bitterly as you make your way to the window. “Listen, writing this new novel is already a pain in the ass and you’re not making it any easier if you keep poking me while I'm writing, asking how far I've gotten.”

You can feel Trump Card’s temper flare a bit as you look out at New Colt City, his voice just a hair away from yelling.

“Hey come on, I just wanted to see how you were doing with the latest book, I-

“A book I didn’t even want to write!” you say rather angrily. “When I said I had a new book planned at that interview last week, I meant that horror story I’ve been working on, not another romance novel! Why did you tell all those advertisers I was?”

“Oh don’t be like that. Your fans want this, they eat up your work! A new romance novel would-”

“Fuck you! What about what I want?!?" you yell out angrily. "What about Geist? I’ve been wanting to write that story for years now! I told you that I was going to take a break from romance for a while and start branching out into new genres and here you are, tying me into promises for new stories I don't want to write!”

Trump Card goes dead silent as you start to dig into him.

"Now listen, I like writing romance and it gives me the warm fuzzies when my fans tell me how much they loved the story or how much they cried when this happened or how good of a author I am, but I'm the writer here, not you! If I want write horror, fantasy, or science fiction, I'm damn well going to write it and I don't need you telling my fans or me what I'm writing!"

“But I was just trying to-”

“You were just trying to make a quick buck, Trump,” you accuse sharply. “Don’t try to deny it. I know you. Now you listen here and you listen good. I’m going to write this novel and then I’m going to work on Geist, The Curtain, and The Wanderer. Not the sequel you’ve already promised.”

From the other end, you hear Trump Card audibly gulp. “Y...You know about that?”

“Yeah, and you’re lucky I don’t cut you as my agent for that."

"You wouldn't dare!" Trump yells angrily.

"Try me, I'll be my own agent. You know how spiteful I can be, so just fucking try me. Now, I want to be left alone to my work,” you say as you open up your window. “And I want to get away from it all.”

“What do you mean?” Trump Card asks as you lean out the window, taking in New Colt City in its entirety.

“You hear that?”

"Hear what?"

Grabbing a hold of the phone, you hold it out to the city and let Trump Card hear what you heard. "What about now?" you ask over the dull roar of the city. “It’s pretty hard to write about a small town mare when all I got to draw off on for inspiration is this city that never sleeps. I want to move to another town. Somewhere quiet and out of the way.”

"I don't think-"

"Trump, I'm tired, cranky, and on my third carton of cigarettes. I'm not going to argue. Either you let me go find myself and do write this fucking story or I'm leaving you and taking my business elsewhere."

Trump Card lets out a heavy sigh. “Alright, alright. You got me. I'll start making arrangements so you can move to... Where did you want to go, again?"

Looking out on the horizon, you feel a small smile start to grow on your face as you grab yourself a new cigarette “I hear Ponyville is good this time of year.”

“Okay, I’ll check around and see what I can do about getting you a place to stay.”

“...Thanks. I’ll get my stuff packed,” you say before hanging up the phone.

Chewing on the cigarette in your mouth a bit, you look around your living room and sigh aloud. Books, papers, a few dozen ashtrays, and enough empty bottles of energy drink littered the place and this place in the house was the cleanest.

Grabbing a hold of a nearby lighter, you touch it to your cigarette.

“This may take a while...”

Chapter 1

You feel yourself already regretting the decision to move as the countryside pases you idly by.

“How much farther to Ponyville?” you ask the carriage driver.

The sky blue stallion looks over his shoulder and simply shrugs. “About half an hour, still.”

Sighing heavily, you fall back into your seat and grope around your suitcase for the telegram again, still in disbelief about the whole situation.

THIS IS TRUMP CARD STOP COULD NOT FIND HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS IN PONYVILLE STOP SOMETHING ABOUT AN INVESTIGATION STOP DID SOME HUNTING AROUND AND FOUND A LOCAL WHO IS RENTING OUT A ROOM STOP SORRY BUT THIS IS THE BEST I CAN DO GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES STOP INSTRUCTED YOU TO MEET THEM IN THE PONYVILLE LIBRARY STOP DID NOT TELL THEM WHY YOU’RE IN TOWN STOP FIGURED YOU WANTED SOME PRIVACY STOP LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU AS SOON AS YOU SETTLE DOWN STOP

Throwing the telegram back into your suitcase, you look back out at the countryside and shake your head.

Great, and here I thought I might get some time alone... you think as you blow some hair out of your eyes.

Shifting your thoughts towards to your current story, you try to find that little muse that was stopping you from really writing it.

Carmella is really in a tough situation... I mean, she wants to move on with her life and get out of the little preplanned life her parents have for her, but she just doesn’t have the courage to do it... Pulling your glasses off, you rub at your eyes before letting out a deep breath. It’ll be kind of obvious if I introduce an outside love interest that spurs her... What if... Hm...

“A childhood friend?” you ask aloud.

“What was that?” the carriage driver asks.

“Nothing,” you say as you shake your head. “Just talking to myself.”

“As long as you don’t start answering yourself, then fine,” the carriage driver asks with a chuckle. “Ponyville’s not too far away now, we’ll be there soon.”

You give the driver a little nod before turning back inwards to your thoughts.

What about a childhood friend? Someone Carmella looks to for support... Someone that likes her and is willing to help her.

Something clicks in your head and you could feel a large smile grew across your face. “Ooooh, that is good,” you say as you give yourself a mental pat on the back. “Breeze.”

Could already imagine the conversation between the two.

Breeze, I just don’t know what to do! I wanna go to the city, but my mama and papa are tying me down here! Why can’t they see I’m a grown mare now?

They’re just worried about you, Carmella, anypony would be. The city can be a mighty dangerous place if ya ain’t careful or-

I know that Breeze, I-

I ain’t finished. It can be mighty dangerous if ya ain’t careful OR have somepony to watch yer back.

B...Breeze... Does this mean...?

Sure as sugar, hun. I’m comin’ with ya.

Oh, thank you Breeze! You’re the best friend a mare can ask for! I lo-

“Ponyville’s right on the horizon, if you’re interested,” the carriage driver says, stirring you from your thoughts. Looking ahead, you feel your jaw drop at the sight.

“Wow...” you say, completely starstruck. “Perfect.”

The carriage driver chuckles under his breath. “Yeah, Ponyville is a perfect little town... The springs are cool, the summers are lazy, the autumns are lovely, and the winters...” The carriage driver lets out a long sigh and stops the carriage. “The winters are beautiful. There’s no other word for it, it’s just... Beautiful.”

Looking all around you, you can’t help but smile. I meant the town was a perfect setting, but I can see what he means.

“The sledding any good?” your inner child asks as you gaze out at the rolling hillsides.

“Oh, there's no better sledding anywhere in Equestria...” he says with a hint of camaraderie in his voice. “There are these hills just outside of town that the kids are always sledding on and for good reason. It’s real fast with a whole bunch of jumps.”

“Sounds like fun,” you muse. “I’ll have to pick myself a sled.”

“You really should,” he says with a chuckle. “Especially if you have yourself a girlfriend. They hold onto you real tight you as you soar down those hills.”

Letting out a deep sigh, you sink back in your seat a bit. “Sorry, don’t have a girlfriend...”

“Boyfriend?”

You feel yourself blush a bit. “No, I don’t have a boyfriend, either. I don’t have anybody.”

That last sentence leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.

“Well, why not?” he asks in confusion. “Everypony needs a special someone.”

“Well... It’s not for lack of trying, it’s just I don’t have the time to really go out and see anypony”

“Oh horse feathers,” the carriage driver says in spite. “If you don't have the time to see anypony, then make some time... Tell me, what do you do for a living?”

“I’m a writer,” you say plainly.

The carriage driver is silent for a few moments. “Writer, eh? I gotta ask... How do you do it? How do you write?”

Recalling something said by favorite author, you manage a smile. “One word at a time.”

The carriage driver coughs and mumbles something under his breath. “You okay?” you ask as you lean forward.

The Carriage driver adjusts the straps around his waist a bit before nodding. “Yeah, yeah... Read a lot?”

You nod. “I make sure to pick up a new book every week.”

“Great. If you want to be a good writer, then read. You’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t read. But the same can be said if you want to find love. Lemme guess, you spend your days writing until the wee hours of the morning?”

“Y...Yeah. I’ve got to keep a pretty tight schedule," you say with a forced smile. "But I love my work.”

The carriage driver shakes his head. "You say that now, but you gotta find some time for yourself and a special somepony or your gonna work yourself into a hole.”

"No, I don’t think-”

“Ask yourself this,” he says abruptly. “When’s the last time you’ve been happy?”

You open your mouth to say something, but nothing comes to mind. “I... I don’t...”

“Exactly. Let me lay it all out for you,” he says with a bit of kick in his step. “You love your work, but your work won’t love you back. It’s not gonna hold you at night or not or say how much it loves you. You gotta find yourself somepony you can do that with.”

You mull over his words and nod dumbly. “Okay, I get’chya...”

Running a hoof through your mane, you slump back a bit farther in your seat. Easier said than done...

“Anything fun to do in Ponyville?” you ask idly.

The carriage driver looks back at you through his horn rimmed glasses and smiles. “Does a bear shit in the woods?”

You blink a few times in surprise before mouthing a single word. “Bachcolt?” you ask in disbelief. “Richard Bachcolt?”

The stallion laughs under his breath. “Please, call me King. I’d rather you not announce my nom de plume to all of Equestria.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure... It’s just... Wow, it’s been ages since I last saw you in the flesh,” you say say with a growing smile. "I barely recognized you! When's the last time-"

“At the Equestrian Writer’s Convention, if I recall correctly,” he says as he resumes a brisk pace. “You had the table next to me.”

You rub at the back of your head bashfully. “Y-Yeah, that was me... But King, I gotta ask... What are you doing here? Why are you a carriage driver?”

King simply shrugs his shoulders. “I like going for long walks. I figure as long as I am, I can meet interesting ponies and make a few bits on the side while I work on my latest stories.”

“Oooh, speaking of which, how’s your next installment in The Dark Tower series coming, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“It’s coming along fine,” he answers sharply. “I’ve got a bit of a... Writer’s block, but it’s coming along.”

“Well, that’s great to hear!” you say with a bit of giddiness. “I can’t wait to get my hooves on it... I gotta say, if anyone deserved the Pulitzer Prize it was you. You’ve got such a talent for writing, it’s unreal.”

“Talent is cheaper than table salt,” King says with a bit of flair in his voice. “What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work... And don’t sell yourself short, from the sound of it, you’re in the latter category. Didn’t you get nominated for an award at the last WriCon Award Ceremony?”

Letting out a heavy sigh, you feel your heart sink a bit at the mere mention of the ceremony. “Yeah, nominated. I didn’t win. Hearts and Hopes got an honorable mention at the start of the whole thing, then I spent the next three hours in my seat, watching the same ponies get award after award... Kinda disheartening to see drivel like Dusk and Full Moon get the reader’s choice award.”

King nods grimly. “Yeah, that really was a shame... I seriously thought you were going to get that one.”

Your heart perks up at those words. “Really? Why?”

“Like I said, you’ve got talent... And your line at the book signing was almost as long as mine. It’s amazing how ponies just eat up those romance stories.”

Letting out a heavy sigh, you nod slowly. “Yeah...”

King looks back and gives you an odd look. “Why so glum?”

Shaking your head slowly, you feel yourself breakdown. “I don’t know, it’s just... Have you ever wanted to write something other than horror?”

“I write whatever I feel like,” he says with a shrug.

“But what if you couldn’t? Like, what if someone was stopping you?”

King slows down a bit and looks back to you with a cocked eyebrow. “Who’s stopping you?”

“My publisher...” you say with a ragged sigh. “He’s roped me into my latest story and promised a sequel behind my back... And the thing is, even though I threatened to leave him and find another agent, I can't."

"Why? Got a soft spot for him?"

You shake your head quickly while making a gagging sound. "For that worm? No. I just can't find another agent. And it's not for a lack of trying. It's like they don't want anything to do with me."

King stays quiet for a few moments before laughing under his breath. “You know, my publisher is always on the look out for up and coming authors. I can put you in touch with her.”

You nearly jump out of your seat, smiling so hard that it was starting to hurt. “You can?!? Really?!?”

“Sure, why not? Just remind me to give you her number when we get to Ponyville. It’s in my side saddle.”

“Sure, sure!” you say in high spirits. As you settle back down into your seat, you can’t help but feel just a little happier and more eager to get to Ponyville. “So tell me King, can you tell me a bit more about Ponyville?”

King looks back and gives you a smile. “With pleasure.”
______________________

“This is the place!” King says as he stops in front of what he said was the Ponyville Library. You look to him, then to the sign out front, and then back to him.

“Seriously?” you ask in half disbelief. “It’s built into a tree?”

“That it is, friend,” he says as you hop down off of the carriage. “The unicorn running it is pretty nice, you should get to know her.”

Grabbing your bags out of the carriage, you give King a smile as he walks away. “I will! And thanks for the ride!”

“Anytime!” he calls out as he makes his way down the road. “Been nice talking to you!”

You wave him off as he disappears out of sight, it suddenly occurs to you.

“Oh, hell! I forget to get his publisher’s number!” you cry out in anger. Running your hooves down your face, you curse yourself before taking a deep breath and turning your attention to the library. Hmm... This might not be so bad, living in a library and all.

With a little kick in your step, you enter the library and look around. “Hello?” you call it.

“Just a minute!” a mare yells from the back of the room. After a few moments, a purple unicorn trots out from a nearby hallway and lets out a little sigh.

“Hi and welcome to the Ponyville Library,” she says with a smile. “How can I help you?”

Walking over to one of the bookshelves, you scan over the collection. “Really nice place you have here, miss...?”

“Twilight, Twilight Sparkle,” the mare says with a bit of pep. “Now, is there-”

“Wait, you mean Celestia’s pupil? That Twilight?” you ask with a growing smile.

Twilight blushes a bit as she gives you a sheepish nod. “Y-Yes, that’s me. But is there anything I can-”

“Color me impressed,” you say as you look over the large collection of books. “I’m actually looking forward to setting up here and really getting some writing done.” Twilight gives you an odd look as you start pulling books off the shelf and paw through them. “How do you organize your books? By author or title?”

“Wait, write? Set up? What are you talking about?” she asks in confusion. “And it's by title, but who are you? What are you talking about?"

Looking through the books, you smile as you find one of your early writings right there in the ‘D’ section; Desire. You flip through it idly as you talk to Twilight. “I was supposed to meet you here... You know, you’re renting out a room and I need a place to stay to work on my next novel.”

Twilight cocks an eyebrow as you explain the situation and slowly shakes her head. “I’m sorry... But I don’t know anything about this and I don’t have a room to rent out.”

“Wait a minute... Seriously?” you ask in disbelief. Sighing heavily, you run a hoof through your mane and set Desire down on a nearby table. “Sorry about that, I guess I’m meeting someone else here...”

Pity too... I would have liked to live in a library with Celestia’s star pupil...

“It’s not a problem,” Twilight says as she watches you walk over to a nearby chair. “You said you’re working on a novel?”

You give her a nod as you set down your bags next to the chair and take a seat. “Yeah, it’s called ‘By a Fireplace’. A romance novel set in a small town and centered around an earth pony by the name if Carmella.”

Twilight gives you a warm smile. “Well, I’m sure it’ll turn out well. Who knows, maybe it might even end up here in my library.”

“You mean like that one?” you ask plainly as you point to Desire.

“Wait...” Twilight looks to Desire, then to you, then back to Desire before looking to you in shock. “Y... You mean... You’re...”

You can’t help but chuckle under your breath. “Yes, I’m Dream Boat.” You flinch a bit when you say those words. “It’s a pen-name.” I can’t believe I thought that was clever at the time...

Twilight blushes slightly as she starts to fidget in place. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh... I can’t believe it, you’re Dream Boat? The Dream Boat?”

Letting out a heavy sigh, you nod. “Yes, that’s me...”

You suppress the urge to roll your eyes for what was about to come next, but instead simply smile.

“I’m your biggest fan!” I’m your biggest fan.

“I’ve read all your work!” I’ve read all your work.

“Could I have your autograph?” Could I have your autograph.

You try your best to look generally happy to give her a plastic smile. “Sure, got a quill?”

Twilight nods quickly and vanishes down a hallway as you lean back in your chair.

And here I thought I’d be able to avoid all the raving fans for a chance... you think as you run both of your hooves through your mane. No pony to blame but myself... My fault for telling her I was writing a novel.

A few moments later, Twilight returns with a white quill and a pot of ink. “Here we are~” she says in a rather upbeat tone. “Thanks again for the autograph!”

“No problem at all,” you say as you take the quill and ink from her. Levitating the it into the air, you open the book to the title page and look to her expectantly. “Anything special you wanted me to write, or-”

“Could you make it out to The Ponyville Library?” she asks with no hesitation. “I think it’d be nice for people who pick up this book to see a little something from the author.

You look to Twilight, completely dumbstruck. "...Alright. I can do that."

I honestly was not expecting that... you think with a warm smile. I guess not all fans after an autograph as a trophy...

Scribbling down a quick note and your signature, you pass the book off to her with a smile. Slowly, she opens the it to the title page and reads it aloud.

“To the Ponyville Library, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, with regards, Dream Boat,” Twilight says with a soft sigh. “Thank you. I wish I could house you here in the library, but the spare bedroom I have is being used as book storage right now.”

“Oh, don’t apologize,” you say as you reach into your suitcase and pull out a cigarette. “I understand, and besides, it’s not like I can pay you for room and board. My agent already saw to that. All I can do is wait for the pony I’m supposed to meet.”

“Well, alright,” Twilight says as she makes her way to the other room. “Can I get you anything while you’re waiting? Coffee? Tea?”

“Got a light?” you ask as you desperately try to get your lighter to work.

“I’d rather you not smoke that in here,” Twilight says rather sharply. “If you want to smoke, you can take it outside.”

“Mind if I ask why?”

Please don't let her be another health nut...

“Besides the fact that the walls are surrounded by flammable books?” she deadpans.

Looking around, you blink a few times and nod slowly as it dawns on you. “Alright... I gotch’ya...” you say as you get to your hooves. "Just holler if you need me."

"Will do," Twilight says as she holds the door open for you.

Heading out into the streets, you plop down beside the doorway and fiddle with your lighter.

Come on, come on... you think impatiently. Popeye needs his spinach...

After around the dozenth time, you finally get an open flame going on your lighter and touch it to your cigarette with a sigh of relief. Puffing on it a few times, you recline back against the wall to the library and smile. That’s the stuff...

Closing your eyes, you enjoy your cigarette and take in the sounds of Ponyville.

Now this is much better... you think with a satisfied smile. A good cigarette in a quiet little town.

Pulling your cigarette out of your mouth, you let out a cloud of smoke and smile widely as you look out into the streets as vendors set up their stalls. “I’m going to like it here.”

Just as you bring the cigarette to your mouth, a yellow shape runs into and knocks the cigarette out and onto the ground in a flurry of papers. “Hey, watch-”

“I’M SORRY I’M SORRY!” you hear somepony yell before grabbing at the papers that covered you and galloping into the library.

By the time you turn to confront whoever just ruined your smoke, you’re met with the library door slamming in your face.

“Great...” you mutter under your breath as you look over your dirt covered cigarette, Shaking your head, you bring a hoof down on it and put it out before reaching for a fresh one. Just as you pull it out of the carton, your eye catches a paper left behind by whoever bumped into you. Looking it over, you feel a blush creep up your face as you read under your breath.

“...do your best to control your inner lust, but something about the mare underneath you sparks something hidden deep inside and in the throws of passion you... you...”

You read on for a few more moments before a particular part makes you go bright red. Shaking your head violently to get the scene out of your head before folding and tucking the paper in your shirt pocket next to your cigarettes. “Just who was that?” you ask yourself as you make your way back into the library.

“Oh no!” you hear a high pitched voice cry as you walk in through the doorway. “That’s not him, is it?” the obviously distressed yellow pegasus cries as she desperately tries to shove a mound of papers into her saddlebag.

“Umm, yeah... That’s him alright. The writer you’re looking for.” Twilight says as she tries to help her pick up all the papers.

Walking closer to the panicky pegasus, you fiddle with your glasses before leaning down and meeting her at eye level. “So you’re the little flash that bumped into me.”

For the longest time, all the pegasus does is stare at you before turning a bright scarlet and diving behind Twilight’s legs.

Looking to Twilight, she gives you a sheepish grin before stepping to the side. “Umm, Fluttershy?” she asks as she moves the frightened mare’s hooves away from her eyes, hidden behind her long, pink mane. “Aren’t you going to introduce yourself?”

“Uh...Umm... I-I...I’m Fluttershy...” she says meekly, just above a whisper.

“Well, nice to meet you Fluttershy. I take it you’re the one who I’ll be staying with while I’m in Ponyville, correct?”

Instead of answering, Fluttershy simply looks to the ground and lets out a high pitched squeak before backing up slowly.

Twilight looks to you bashfully before ducking besides Fluttershy and whispering something in her ear, making her seem to tense up a bit before she takes a deep breath and looks to you with newfound confidence.

“Uhm, I um... Y-Yes... I, uh... T-Talked to your um, agent and he told me everything.”

With a heavy sigh, you plop down in a nearby beanbag chair and look to her with a plastic smile. “And just what did he tell you?”

“H-He said you were working on a new, um, book and needed, well... A place to stay while you write,” Fluttershy says rather timidly.

You let out a long sigh as you drag a hoof down your face in frustration. There you go again Trump, saying one thing when you meant the opposite.

“I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Fluttershy cries abruptly, nearly startling you out of your seat. “You’re probably really mad at me for being late and I’m sorry!” she says, half in tears. “It’s just that I was up late last night and I thought I set my alarm clock, but I didn’t, then I had to feed all the animals and I-I-I-”

“Hey, hey, hey!” you say as you bring your hooves up defensively. “No need to apologize! I just got here a few minutes ago. It’s not like I’ve been sitting on my hooves for the last few hours, waiting.”

“R...Really?” Fluttershy asks as she wipes the tears from her eyes. “Y-You’re not mad?”

You shake your head as you motion her to take a seat in the beanbag chair opposite you. “Not at all. Besides, think of it this way; you were neither late, nor were you early. You arrived precisely when you meant to.”

“T...That was, um, Tolkien, right?” Fluttershy asks with a half smile as she sits down.

You give her a nod before Twilight gets your attention with a rough cough. “Well.. If you two need me, I’ll be upstairs in my study. You’re more than welcome to stay here for as long as you want.”

“Thank you Twilight,” you say to her before turning back to Fluttershy. “So, tell me, did my agent tell you what I was working on?”

Fluttershy nods sheepishly as she takes off her overstuffed saddlebag. “Yes, he said, um, something about a romance novel and well... T-Twilight said you were D-D-Dream Boat and so, um...”

As you watch Fluttershy root around desperately through her pack, becoming more and more embarrassed as her searching turns frantic. “I-I just wanted to say, that is, if you don’t mind, that I’m, well, I’m your b-biggest fan,” she says rather bashfully.

You force a smile on your face as you brace for those next few sentences and watch on as she pulls out a small notebook.

“I-I, well.. L-Like I said, I’m your biggest fan...” You and everyone else who talks to me...

“I’ve r-read all your work and own several first editions, including Hearts and Hopes.”

...Well that’s different, you think as you sit upright in your seat.

“And I was hoping, um... I-If it wouldn’t be t-too much of a problem i-if...”

Here we go...

“C-Could you teach me to be a better writer?” Fluttershy asks, practically trembling in front of you.

You simply look to her in confusion as you shift uncomfortably in your seat. “I...I... Well, uhm... C-Come again?”

“Oh, I knew I should've just kept my big mouth shut...” Fluttershy says, dejected as she gets to her hooves.. “I-It’s okay, you don’t-”

“No, no!” you cry out as you stop her. “Don’t take my hesitation for unwillingness, it’s just... I... I’ve never had anyone ask me that before.”

Fluttershy looks to you, her jaw going slack as she sits back down. “R...Really? N...No one’s ever asked? I-I’m the first?”

You scratch the back of your head bashfully as you try to find a comfortable spot in the beanbag chair. “Well... Yeah, you are... Whenever I talk to someone about writing, they usually just ask me the same old questions or hound me for an autograph... I’ve never had anyone actually come to me wanting to well... Trade notes.”

“I...Is that a problem?” she asks nervously.

Giving her a wide smile, you shake your head. “No, no. It’s great. I’d love to.”

Fluttershy simply looks away as you grin like a fool, but you can tell she’s smiling back. “Thank you...” she says above a whisper. Pushing the notebook closer to you, she takes a deep breath and looks you in the eye “I... I’ve been writing for a while now and I don’t think I’m doing as good as I can be. C-Can you take a look at what I’ve been writing? Please? If, um, that’s okay...”

Talking the notebook gingerly, you open it out and start reading to yourself. “Chapter 1,” you say aloud “Care”

Glancing up at Fluttershy, you can’t help but chuckle as she blushes and gives you a bashful smile. Looking back to the notebook, you continue reading.

I hadn’t a clue where I was or what I was doing in that strange stallion’s bed. All I knew was that my head was pounding and it hurt to move. To me, it was like any morning after a night out hitting the clubs... But this. This was different. Instead of kicking me out of bed come sunrise or sneaking out before the Mrs. came home, he’s standing over me with a wet cloth, asking me if was okay. “What happened?” I asked with a bit of a slur as I tried to sit up. The minute I tried, he put a hoof on my chest and stopped me. “Whoa, whoa... Easy now. You were in an accident. You have a concussion.” I blink a few times, in confusion and to get the stars out of my eyes. “When the doctors asked where you live, you said you couldn’t remember... What about now? Can you remember anything?”

You stop reading for a moment to chuckle under your breath, making Fluttershy tense up a bit. “I-Is it that bad?” she asks nervously.

“Oh no, not at all,” you say earnestly. “It’s good, really good. It just the way you write reminds me of one of my favorite authors.”

“R-Really?” Fluttershy asks with a growing blush. “W...Wow...”

You remain quiet for a few more moments before finishing the first chapter and closing the book with a wide smile. “I must say, Miss Fluttershy, you have a lot of talent. But do you mind some criticism?”

“Oh no, not at all! It’s what I asked for, after all...”

Taking a deep breath, you open the book back up and put your hoof under a paragraph to show Fluttershy. “You see here? I can see what you’re trying to do. You want the reader to think that the main character doesn’t trust this mystery stallion, but you don’t have to go right out and say it. Find a way to hint at the fact that she doesn’t trust him. You get what I mean?”

“Uhmm... I think so...” Fluttershy says as she inches a bit closer to you.

“Also, something about the dialogue between the two is bugging me...”

“Really? Um, what is it? What don’t you like?” she asks as she nervously shifts in her seat.

“It’s not that I don’t like it, but the way this stallion talks to the main character, it’s like he knows her already.”

You can’t help but shoot Fluttershy an odd look as she giggles under her breath. “That’s um, the point. He does know her... A bit, well... More than he lets on.”

You blink in surprise before grinning from ear to ear. “I like it... I can’t wait to see where you go with this. But well, other than a few grammar errors here and there, a few sentences that can be reworded, I see nothing wrong with it. You did a great job.”

Fluttershy blushes deeply as she looks around frantically. “I, uh, I just, well... I... Oh my.... T-Thank you,” she says with a big smile. Her smile seems to disappear as she glances at the clock and turns to you in worry. “I’m sorry, but um, I, well, we um... We gotta go. I mean, if that’s okay... I-I have to get started on dinner, so um-”

“Oh, I understand completely,” you say as you get to your hooves. “I mean, as much as I loved sitting here, we can’t really stay all day.”

As you reach for your bags, yours and Fluttershy’s hooves meet at the handle, with both of you pulling away as soon as you touch. Looking to her with a blush, you rub the back of your head bashfully before throwing your saddlebag over your shoulder. “I-It’s alright, I’ve got it.”

“Um, a-are you sure?” she asks timidly “I could-”

“You’ve already got your own stuff to carry,” you interject. “Speaking of which, what’s with all the papers anyway?”

Fluttershy blushes heavily before making her way to the front door of the library, mumbling something under her breath.

“Pardon? I didn’t quite catch that.”

“I, um... I... panicked this morning and just grabbed everything that was on my desk... It’s embarrassing, really... I don’t like being, well, messy...”

You laugh nervously while fiddling with your glasses as you and Fluttershy make your way out into the streets of Ponyville.

Hope she doesn’t mind I’m the definition of ‘messy’, you muse as you think back to your old apartment.

“And last but not least... The typewriter,” you say aloud as you set down the delicate piece of machinery on the desk.

Really nice... you think as you survey your new room and study. I think I’m going to like it here.

From behind, a knock at the door stirs you from your thoughts. “Yes?”

Slowly, the door opens and Fluttershy pokes her head in. “Umm, I just wanted to know if you had everything you need.”

“Yeah, everything is perfect Fluttershy. Thank you for everything.”

“I-It’s fine,” she says with a bit of blush. “I just made sure the room was clean...”

“Let’s see how long that lasts,” you say under your breath with a grimace.

Fluttershy gives you an odd look before opening the door just a bit wider. “What was that?”

“Oh, uh, nothing. I was just about to start writing, is there anything else you need?” you ask as you settle down at your new desk.

“Oh, yes, actually. I was just about to head to the market to pick up some ingredients for dinner, I wanted to know if you wanted anything from the market.”

Pulling out an ashtray from your bag, you set it down by your typewriter and shake your head. “No, I’m all set. Thank you again, Fluttershy. Maybe after dinner you and I can do a flash fic or two.”

Fluttershy gives you an odd look at the words ‘Flash Fic’. “Umm... W-what’s that? I’ve never heard of those before.”

You can’t help but grin like a fool. “Oh wow, you’re missing out. Flash fics are really fun. Basically, you give a single word and you just write as much as you can in the timeframe. Like, say the word is “Caress”. You take that word and just write whatever comes to mind. Some old English 101 buddies and I did it a lot and we had a lot of fun with it.”

She gives you a smile as it all starts to sink in. “That sounds lovely. Maybe we can even have a quickie before dinner.”

Fluttershy turns bright red as her words echo back to her and shifts around nervously. “W-Well, I won’t keep you from your work.” She says as she closes the door behind her. “Have fun.”

“Thanks. you too!” you yell out as you turn to your typewriter. “Now...”

Chapter 1: On the Road

Carmella

Just as you bring up your magic to start hammering away at the keys, a tiny, frantic knock at the door stops you dead in your creative tracks.

“Fluttershy?” you ask aloud as you get to your hooves. Making your way towards the door, you open it slowly, only to have a white shape dart between your legs and past you. Whipping around, you look around and find yourself staring at a white rabbit that sat in the middle of the floor, looking up to you impatiently.

“Well... Hello there,” you say as you take a step towards the rabbit. “Mind giving me some privacy while I write, little guy? I can’t have you running around in here.”

In an odd display, the white rabbit shakes his head and bounces back towards the door, beckoning you to follow him.

You look at him in confusion before smiling and giving him a little push out the door. “Don’t worry little guy, Fluttershy will be back in a bit and then she’ll feed you, now-”

Before you can finish, the white rabbit darts back into your room, standing on your chair. “Hey, come on now!” you cry out as he taps his foot impatiently. “You really gotta go.”

Again, he shakes his head and points at you, and then the door.

“Listen, I can’t feed you anyway. I don’t know where the food is.”

With a heavy sigh, the white rabbit shakes his head before his eyes flash and a wicked grin spreads across his face. Without any warning, he hops onto the typewriter and starts jumping up and down on the keys.

“Hey, that’s a gift!” you sceam out as you dive for the white rabbit. Before you can even get close to him, the white rabbit jumps off of the keyboard and runs for the door and out into the hallway, but not before turning and blowing you a raspberry.

Seething with anger, you grimace and chase after him. “Follow the white rabbit, Neo,” you seethe under your breath.

Bolting after him, you nearly crash into the couch after barreling down the stairs, but end up slamming into the wall before running down the hallway after him.

“I know you’re in here!” you cry out as you step into what looked like another study room. “Just wait until I get my hooves on you!”

You look under the desk and behind the bookcase, all the while trying to calm yourself down. As you circle the study for the third time, your eye catches something in what you guessed was Fluttershy’s own typewriter. “Hmm... What do we have here?” you ask aloud as you glance closer at the paper in the machine. It had bits of liquid paper on it where parts have been edited or just removed altogether.

“Your legs feel weak as Tooty guides you down the hall. To her room. ‘Come now, sailor... Getting nervous?’ she asks with a sultry grin.”

You feel yourself blush heavily as you read the rest silently to yourself, before sighing heavily when you get to the end. “You? You what? Where’s the rest of it? What happens next? Where’s-”

Your breath catches in your throat as a thought crosses your mind. “No way...” you say above a whisper as you reach for your shirt pocket. Pulling out the piece of paper from earlier, you hold it up and glance at it and then the paper in the typewriter before gasping.

“Oh my gosh...” you say aloud as you set the folded piece of the story down. Slumping down in the chair, you wrack your brain for some kind of explanation.

“How could someone that bashful, that shy write erotica that good?” you ask as yourself as read it over again. Just as you do, a pile of stapled papers fall from above and into your lap. Looking up, you see the white rabbit you chased in here pointing furiously at the stack of papers in your lap. Glancing down, your eyes become as wide as dinner plates as you read the title.

Healing Blitz

by Butterscotch

-Rough Draft-

“No way...” you say under your breath as you reach out to open the stack of papers. Just as you do, a high pitched crying stops you.

“Wha-”

As you turn to face the noise, your heart sinks into your hooves as you see Fluttershy standing there, crying heavily. “No, no, no, no...” she says in between sobs. “I shoulda locked the d-door, you c-can’t see this...”

“F-Fluttershy?” you ask hesitantly as you take a step closer. “Y-You’re Butterscotch?”

Fluttershy simply nods as she slumps down to the floor, still crying. “You p-probably think I’m s-some big p-p-pervert now for w-writing all that a-and-”

“No, no!” you cry as you kneel down besides her. “I don’t!”

“Y-Yes you do...” she cries, hyperventilating. “I-I’m...”

“You don’t get it,” you say as a grin grows across your face. “I...I’m... I’m your biggest fan.”

Chapter 2

For what feels like an eternity, Fluttershy just stares at you as you sit across from her at the kitchen table, her eyes wide and pupils constrict.

How long is she going to just keep staring? you think as you shift uncomfortably in your seat.

“C...Could you just... Um... You know, start from the beginning again? Please?” she asks with a growing smile. “I... I just still can’t believe it...”

You let out a long sigh before leaning back in your chair. “Sure, sure...” you say, growing rather tired. “Well, it all started when I was working on Dewdrop Inn-”

“M-My favorite book,” Fluttershy says giddily. “Oh, um sorry for interrupting...”

You were sorry the last three times you think with a tired smile. But you have every right to be so... so... happy.

“I hit a dry spell,” you continue. “I had all the energy, but no motivation to write. It was frustrating, so I took a sabbatical, hoping that I could get a look at it with fresh eyes. It was during that time I came across a little book called-”

“Healing Blitz,” Fluttershy squealed happily. “It was my first book...”

You nod slowly before reaching behind you and holding up your copy of Healing Blitz again for her. “I got it when it first came out those few years ago. It looked good, so I picked it up and took it home... I ended up reading it in a weekend and started up on Dewdrop Inn that coming Monday. Sure, I was exhausted from staying up until the wee hours of the morning, but I wanted to write something. Something that good.”

Fluttershy blushed heavily as she smiled from ear to ear. “I-I-I still can’t believe it, I-”

“Please don’t make me say it all again,” you say with a nervous giggle. “We’ve been at this for over an hour and I’m getting pretty hungry.”

“Oh! Sorry!” Fluttershy cried as she got to her hooves. “I should have started dinner earlier, it’s just-”

“Oh no, don’t apologize,” you say as you join her side. “I like talking to you like this, about our books and projects... Tell me, what are you cooking up next?”

“Well, I was going to start on the green bean casserole,” she says as she pulls a medium sized pan from the cupboard. “And-”

“No, I mean books, ya silly filly,” you say with a chuckle. “What’s ‘Butterscotch’ got planned for their next book? You’ve been hinting at something in Violet Fog.”

Fluttershy’s face goes red as she puts a can of cream of mushroom soup in the can opener. “W...Well, nothing at the moment...” she says rather bashfully. “But I’ve had this idea I’ve been wanting to do for a while... But m-my agent thinks it’s too, well... Risky.”

“Oh come now,” you say as you pull the green beans out of the refrigerator. “Don’t let anyone tell you what you can and can’t write.”

Fluttershy turns a deeper shade of red as she continues to work on the casserole. “Okay... Well... The, um... Topic is sort controversial,” she says above a whisper. “I... I was thinking about a story about a mare named Summer Heart who trusted someone. Someone they loved. And they betrayed them by... by well... Forcing themselves on them.”

You look to Fluttershy in surprise, causing her to visibly shrink from you. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I knew it was-”

“A great idea?” you interrupt, catching her off guard. “Well, a great idea if you’re going where I think you are with it.”

“W...Where do you think I’m taking the story?” Fluttershy asked with a look of surprise. “I-If you don’t mind me asking...

You walk back over to the kitchen table and take a seat and a deep breath as you watch Fluttershy pop the casserole into the oven. “Well, I was thinking that Summer Heart would start isolating herself after she was well... Raped... She’d start closing up and pushing herself away from family and friends,” you say as you fiddle with a stray napkin on the table. “She’d think that there’s no such thing as love anymore and that’s where a new and sudden friend comes in and helps her open up her heart and she’d fall in lo-”

You stop dead when you hear Fluttershy sniffle and look to her, eyes filled with tears. “What’s wrong?” you ask in panic. “What did I do, what-”

“No, no... It’s nothing,” she says as she takes the napkin away from you and dries her eyes. “I was just... Thinking. About the story,” she says with a small smile. “About how... Nice it would be if it was that simple. But I don’t think the lead the leading mare would be able to love that quickly, especially after g-getting hurt like that.”

Fluttershy lets out another sniffle before getting to her hooves. “Sorry f-for crying like this. I-It’s just that this story is pretty sad and I can’t help but just tear up when I think about it...”

“Then why not give the story a happy ending?” you ask as you get to your hooves. “If the story makes you sad, then change the story. It’s that simple.”

“I-I don’t know if I can,” she says with a heavy sigh. “I don’t see how I can just make it better, I-”

“I could help,” you say as you gently put a hoof on her shoulder. “I figure we could put our heads together and give Summer Heart the story she deserves.

Fluttershy looks to you with a small smile. “R-Really? You would h-help me? Even when you have to write y-your own stories?”

“Sure, I don’t mind,” you say as you start grabbing some plates. “I can work on By a Fireplace while I’m helping you out with... What are you calling it?”

Fluttershy blinks a few times in surprise before giving you a bashful smile. “Actually, I um... I haven’t named it yet.”

“Well then, why don’t we name it now?” you say as you start setting the table. “Anything come to mind?”

“I...I don’t know, really,” she mumbles as she rummages through a nearby drawer. “I was thinking of calling it, well... Loving Touch. Because, well, that’s what Summer Heart needs. Someone to come along and-”

“Give her that special, loving touch she so rightly deserves?” you say with a warm smile.

Fluttershy looks to you with a deep blush and nods slowly. “Uh-huh...”

“Well I think it’s a perfect title,” you say as you take a look into the oven. “How long do you think until dinner is ready?”

“Well, um, I think...” she says with a sheepish smile, doing her best to hide her blush. “About an hour,” she finally says with a straight face. “If you want to go work on your story, I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”

“I’ll do just that, thanks Fluttershy,” you say as you make your way to your room. “If you need anything, just ask.”

Fluttershy mumbles something under her breath as you make your way down the hallway, already thinking about the next scene in By a Fireplace.

Carmella’s little trip to the big city is bound to be a little hectic, even with Breeze tagging along... It’s a little cliche, but what if it starts raining? you ask yourself as you close the door behind you. Or maybe they get chased by something... I gotta get them alone somehow...

As you sit down at your desk, a thought crosses your mind that makes you grin from ear to ear.

Carmella’s parents... They give chase and end up forcing Carmella and Breeze to hide in a nearby hotel. Problem is, there’s only one bed. They end up sleeping together and they grow a little closer together.

Stretching out your hooves and neck, you bring up the magic inside you and start hammering away at the keys, the words coming naturally and freely.

*****************************************

“Breeze, I-”

“Keep yer mouth shut, Carmella...” Breeze said above a whisper. “We don’t want them to hear us.”

Carmella nodded quickly and huddled closer to her friend, close to tears. She could hear the heavy hoofsteps of her father walking down the hotel hallway, getting closer and closer with each step. The closer he got, the more scared she got, squeezing Breeze tightly.

The only thing stopping her from breaking down and crying was the way Breeze ran her hoof through Carmella’s mane, whispering into her ear.

“Shhh.... It’s okay hun, it’s okay. I’m here... I’m here...”

That was all Carella needed to know that everything was alright.

As she curled up next to Breeze and smiled, she didn’t even notice her father’s hoofsteps getting quieter and quieter until the only thing that Carmella could hear were three words whispered to her that made her

*****************************************

“Umm... Sorry to bug you,” a voice behind you says, almost startling you out of your seat. “Oh sorry! I’ll just-”

Turning to face Fluttershy, you give her a smile and get to your hooves. “No, no, don’t apologize. I was just getting really into my work,” you say with a laugh. “But did you need something?”

“Oh, well... I just wanted to let you know that, um, dinner is ready,” she says with a bashful smile. “B-But if you want to keep writing I’ll make you a plate for later.”

“No, I’ll join you,” you say as you turn away from your typewriter. “I’m starving.”

“That’s good,” Fluttershy says as she walks walks with you to the kitchen. “We kinda made a bit extra and wouldn’t want to see it go to waste.”

“Well alright then,” you say as you walk up to the table. “I’ll try to eat as much as I can and then some.”

Fluttershy’s eyes go wide and puts her hooves to her mouth to stifle a gasp. “Please don’t! You’ll get sick and then I’d feel just awful for doing that to you, I-”

“Fluttershy, calm down!” you say with a nervous chuckle. “I won’t eat myself sick, I promise.”

“Well that’s a relief...” she says with an elated sigh as she sits across from you. “If you got sick, I’d have to nurse you back to health.”

You blush slightly at the thought. “Well, I’m not really against the idea...” you mumble under your breath. “Are you a registered nurse?”

Fluttershy shakes her head as she spoons some of the casserole onto your plate. “Umm, not a pony nurse... But I like to think of myself as an animal nurse, like my mother. She taught me everything I know about medicine...”

“Oh? Like what?” you ask idly as you nibble on your dinner.
“W-Well...” she says slowly after swallowing a bit of casserole. “Like, what kind of herbs help close wounds... What grasses are good for a sour tummy... How to set broken bones... That sort of thing,” she tells you with a sheepish smile.

You nod slowly as you grab your empty glass. “A writer and a practitioner of medicine?” you say with a smile as you make your way to the fridge. “Color me impressed.”

Fluttershy almost turns scarlet as she hears that. “W-Well, i-it’s nothing really, I, umm...”

“Want anything to drink?” you ask her, hoping to redirect the conversation.

“Y-Yes,” she says, her blush slowly fading. “Apple juice would be nice...”

Grabbing the jug of apple juice from the fridge, you uncork it and put yourself a glass before pouring Fluttershy one as well. “So, after this, care to do a little a group writing?”

Fluttershy gives you a nod as she brings her glass to her mouth. “Thank y-” She stops and shakes her head before setting her glass down. “S-Strong...”

“Strong? What do you mean?” grabbing a hold of your own glass, you take a swig and quickly realize what Fluttershy meant. “Tastes like hard cider...” you say before taking another sip.

“Oh no!” she cries out as she picks up the jug. “I must have grabbed the wrong bottle at Applejack’s Farm... Oh, I’m so sorry! I’ll just take it back and-”

Taking the jug of hard cider from Fluttershy, you pour yourself a new glass and give her a smile. “Oh come on, it’s no big deal... I’m not mad or anything and there’s no sense in letting it go to waste.” Your smile slowly dims when a thought crosses your mind. “Unless you don’t like it, then sure, we can take it back,” you say as you push your dinner around your plate with your fork.

Fluttershy stares at you for a moment and then to the jug of hard cider before letting out a long sigh and smiling. “No, it’s alright...” she says before taking a little sip of her cider. “I... I just don’t really drink that much. Only on special occasions or to celebrate something...”

Glancing at your glass, you pick up and hold it in the air in front of Fluttershy. “May I be so bold as to propose a toast? To new friends?” you ask warmly, the cider already working its way through your body.

“I... Umm... S-Sure,” Fluttershy says bashfully, her cheeks turning rosy red as she lifts up her own glass to meet your own. “T-To new friends.”

You can’t help but smile back at her as your eyes meet hers. “To new friends.”

*****************************************

“Oh dear Celestia, that’s amazing!” you cry out as you fall back onto the bed.

“Y-You really think so?” Fluttershy asks as she looks up from the typewriter.

“I know so, ‘shy...” you say as you sit up and stumble towards her before leaning on the back of her chair to steady yourself. “You are... An amazing writer. Don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.”

Fluttershy blushes deeply and gets out of your chair slowly, a little unsure of her own footing. “I-I’ll remember that,” she says, smiling from ear to ear. “Now, where should I go now?”

“Read it out to me again, something will click...” you say as you pour yourself a new glass of cider. “Want some?” you ask her as she grabs the latest page from the typewriter.

“Umm, that’s alright...” Fluttershy says as she sits besides you. “I think I’ve had enough for tonight.” Coughing into her hoof, she settles down and starts reading out what both you and she have been working on through the night.

“Summer Heart stared at the stallion standing in the doorway. The world slowed down and everything went quiet, save for a low, dull thud in her ears that she knew was her own heart. ‘R-Rainy!’ she cried out in surprise. ‘What are you doing here, I thought-’ Summer Heart gasped out and took a step back as Rainy Skies took a step towards her. ‘I couldn’t stay away... After you ran away last night, I couldn’t get you out of my head, I-”

You feel yourself blush and shift a bit in your seat as you feel something warm and soft touch your side. Looking down, you see Fluttershy’s wing wrapping itself around your side. As you follow her wing up to her body and then her face, meeting her own eyes. “I-I-I...” she stutters, her cheeks crimson red as she tucks her wing back and shifts nervously in her seat. “I’m sorry, t-that’s never happened before, I-”

“It’s alright, it’s alright...” you say bashfully. “It... It’s kinda cute...”

Fluttershy’s eyes go wide and stares up at you, her jaw slightly agape.

“I-I’m sorry!” you say nervously, your cheeks growing red with embarrassment, “I didn’t... I mean...”

“I-It’s okay...” she says with a small smile. “Really.”

You feel yourself blush as she stares at you and look away as you cough into your hoof. “W-Well, umm... So, is that everything or-”

“Oh! Umm, I have a bit more here...” Fluttershy says bashfully as she looks back to her writings. “... ‘I needed to see you. Talk to you. Please, just listen.’ Rainy pleaded, his eyes staring forward, right into Summer’s. She wanted to run, but her legs were frozen in place,” Fluttershy read aloud, smiling a bit as she leaned on you.

“Good, good...” you say with a slow nod. “She’s being forced to confront this issue... Her new boyfriend getting a little frisky the night before. She’s so scared of confrontation, she’s stuck there. She wants to run, but her body locks up and she’s forced to listen.”

“Thanks~” she says with a bit of a giggle. “That’s exactly what I was going for...” Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy goes back to reading. “After what happened last night, she wanted to be as far away from him as possible. ‘I...I’m sorry,” Rainy started as he took a step forward. ‘I... I didn’t mean to be so forward. I just... I just don’t know what came over me and I know that’s no excuse,’ he said, his eyes tearing up. ‘Just... Please. Give me another chance.’ Summer Heart sniffled aloud and looked to the ground, not wanting to see those big, green eyes look into her. ‘I... I don’t know...’ she said glumly.”

“And that’s where you stopped?” you ask as you look over her shoulder.

“Umm, yes...” she says as she sets the paper on the stack next to the typewriter. “I was thinking of having Rainy Skies keep walking towards Summer Heart, his words getting more and more sincere until he leans forward and kisses her, sho-”

“Wait, wait, wait...” you interrupt as you get to your hooves. “He just... Kisses her?”

Fluttershy falls back in her chair and gives you a puzzled look. “Well, yes... He kisses her. What’s wrong with that?”

“Well, it just feels really mechanical, you know?" you say as you get to your hooves. “I mean, he’s the one kissing her. It’s not how I would do it.”

"Well, how would you do it?" Fluttershy asks, turning to face you with a curious expression. "How would you write this scene?"

"Well. Summer's unsure," you say, standing and pacing a little. "Part of her wants to trust Rainy again, but she's afraid. And then she looks up, and he catches her gaze." You glance up to Fluttershy, meeting her eyes, a small smile spreading across your lips. "And he just... tells her. Everything." Your voice softens, taking a step towards her.

"He'll come closer, she'll step back, but she's leaning in, as afraid as she is she wants to hear this. He tells her how he feels about her, how beautiful he finds her, how he admires her strength of spirit, how he loves her. And then he'll just go quiet for a moment, staring into her eyes." You hesitate, drawing a steady breath, holding Fluttershy's gaze.

"And it's like she could fall forever into that look..." She murmurs softly, as though in a dream - or a story. You smile.

"And there's a spark, a charge in the air..."

"The kind that sends shivers down your spine?"

"Mmhmm. And for all they know each other, it's-"

"Like they're looking at each other for the very first time-

"But familiar, under all the excitement there's something welcome between them."

"Yes..."

"And then, the spark just ignites, and-MMPH!"

You gasp out as you feel Fluttershy’s lips press against yours, frozen in place as she gives you a soft, tender kiss on the lips. You stare into her eyes as you start to kiss back, slowly and unsure of what to make of all this and are rewarded with a soft moan from the pegasus in your hooves, encouraging you to continue.

The kisses come hotter and faster as you hold her a bit tighter, moaning back into her mouth as you’re lost in the throws of ecstasy.

Ripping your glasses off while you continue to kiss her, you toss them across the room and run your hooves through her mane as you push your tongue into her mouth playfully before falling back onto the bed with her. As soon as you and her hit the mattress, she lets out a startled gasp and tenses up in your hooves, feeling as stiff as statue as her eyes go wide. Slowly breaking the kiss, you look to her nervously.

“F-Fluttershy, what’s-” was about as much as you could get out before she scurried off the bed and galloped out of the room and into the hallway. “I gotta go!” she yells.

Getting to your hooves, you take after her, shouting at her. “Fluttershy, wait! Stop, please!”

“I-I gotta go! I gotta go!” she cries out, her eyes tearing up as she bolts out the front door. Reaching out to stop her, you’re far too late as she flaps her wings and takes off into the night sky, leaving you stuck there on the ground.

“W...Wait...” you say above a whisper, your heart wrenching in your chest as she flies out of sight.

For the longest time, you simply stand there, staring into the starry sky, hoping she’d turn around and come back any second now, but it was all for naught. Turning back into the house, you close the door behind you and collapse onto the couch.

“S...She’ll back back any moment,” you say aloud as you stare at the front door. “I’m sure of it.”

Five minutes pass.

Then ten minutes.

Thirty minutes.

Then an hour.

By then, you could feel your gut twisting into knots as you hold your hooves over yours. “Great...” you sigh out as you lay out on the couch. “I chased her out of her own home...”

Rolling over onto your stomach, you bury your face into the couch cushions and let out a wordless yell of frustration.

“...Great job, numbskull. When am I going to get this right?”

*****************************************

A loud, heavy knock startles you awake and sends you sprawling off the bed. “I’m coming! I’m coming!” you yell out as you get to your hooves shakily. As soon as you stand up, you feel your legs give out from under you and your head pound as you lay on the floor.

“Son of a...” you groan out as you haul yourself to your feet. Stumbling towards the front door, you run focus through your hangover and make your way to the door. Opening it just a crack, you find yourself staring face to face with a sky blue pegasus with a rainbow colored mane that made your eyes ache just looking at.

“C-Can I help you?” you ask as you open the door slowly.

“Oh, hi there,” she says with a smile. “Is Fluttershy home? I’m supposed to meet her for lunch today.”

“Lunch?” you ask with a puzzled look. “Isn’t it a little early for lunch?”

The blue pegasus points inside the house to a nearby wall. “No, I’d say it’s almost about time.”

Following her hoof, you blush with embarrassment as you realize you’ve slept most of the day away and that she was right. It was almost noon.

“Oh, sorry... I, um... I had a long night,” you say bashfully. “I don’t think Fluttershy’s home, but I’ll check. Umm, what did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t. Name’s Rainbow Dash,” she says as she pushes her way into the living room. “Might as well wait for her to come back-”

“I don’t think sh-”

Rainbow trots past you and sits down in a nearby chair with a smug grin. “Oh it’s cool, she said I could hang out already.”

You blink a few times in confusion as the pegasus already settles down and grabs a nearby book off of the bookshelf. “Any idea where she went?” she asks as she flips through the pages idly.

Running a hoof through your mane nervously, you let out a nervous chuckle. “I... I really don’t know.”

Looking up from the book, Rainbow Dash shoots you a glance. “You know, you’re a lousy liar.”

You feel the color run from your face as you do your best not to completely break down. “I-I-I don’t know what you mean, I well, I woke up and-”

Rainbow simply stares at you as you stumble around for an excuse, leaving you to sigh heavily as you collapse into the chair next to her. “You’re right... I can’t lie to save my life...” you say as you bring your hooves to your face, blinking back tears. “I screwed up. I screwed up and I don’t even know what I did wrong...”

“What are you talking about?” she asks curiously. “What happened?”

You let out a little sniffle as you try to gather your thoughts. “We...Fluttershy and I were drinking and we started to kiss when-” you stop suddenly and turn to Rainbow desperately. “Please don’t tell anyone! I couldn’t live with myself if anyone found out about this...”

“Why?” Rainbow asks with a scowl. “Something wrong with Fluttershy?”

You feel your jaw drop slightly as you move to the edge of your seat. “No! Not at all! She’s smart, she’s talented, she’s... She’s... She’s wonderful. And I couldn’t bear the thought of someone so fragile being in the public thought of her because of me...”

Rainbow’s face softens as you run your hooves through your mane nervously before giving you a small smile. “I promise, whatever’s said between us stays between us. Cross my heart and hope to fly.”

You smile back and relax a bit as you sit back in the chair. “Thank you... Well... Like I was saying... We were drinking. Hard cider. We were working on... My latest story.”

Best to keep Fluttershy’s stories close to the chest for now... She did say something about keeping it from her friends, you think with a little smile. Sweet Princesses above, I could use a smoke right now....

“Oh, you write stuff?” she asks with a growing smile. “Like what? Action? Adventu-”

“Romance,” you tell her bluntly. “Romance novels.”

Rainbow lets out a low sigh and shrugs. “Whatever, I guess... So, what happened next? What’d you do to make her run off?”

“I have no idea,” you say as you shake your head grimly. “"I don't know whether it was the cider, or something about the story we were working on, or what, but she kissed me. And well... I... I kissed back. And then she just... froze up. And bolted. I tried to chase her, but-"

You stop and grow quiet as Rainbow Dash stares at you intently, her face contorting in confusion.

Oh crap... What did I do now... you think as you shift restlessly in your seat. Oh sweet Celestia do I need a smoke...

“Wait... What?” Rainbow asks sharply. “Say that again. Back at the beginning. She kissed you?”

“W-Well... Yeah,” you say with a nervous chuckle. “Trust me, I was just surprised as y- What’s wrong?” you ask her as Rainbow starts to get to her hooves.

“Nothing’s wrong,” she says with a heavy sigh. “I just... remembered I gotta go see a friend of mine about a dress. Tell Fluttershy when she gets back that I stopped by, okay?”

Before you could even get a single word out, Rainbow bolted out the front door, taking to the skies and leaving you there with your mouth agape. “I... I...” letting out a heavy sigh, you get to your hooves and look around the room. “Where the hell are my cigarettes?”

*****************************************

Carmella let out long yawn as she rolled over on her side, her eyes slowly flickering open as she pressed into something warm. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared face to face with Breeze, close enough to feel her breath on her skin. “Hey there cutie,” Breeze said with a wide smile.

“W-We didn’t... We did, didn’t we?” Carmella asked as she set up quickly, her heart racing in her chest.

Breeze sat up and wrapped her hooves around Carmella’s waist, nuzzling into her neck lovingly. “Mmm, we did hun... And it was amazing...”

“Oh my gosh... Oh my gosh...” Carmella said again and again, shaking in Breeze’s grip. “I can’t... I just...”

Breeze let go of her slowly and pulled up a seat beside Carmella at the edge of the bed. “What’s wrong, hun? Was it something I did? I thought-”

“No, no... It’s not you, it’s just... I-I never thought of myself a... a... like that, you know? It’s just... I don’t know what to think...”

“Carmella, sweetheart... Why should it bug ya? I mean... I never thought I’d love a mare, let alone sleep with one... But I loved what happened last night,” Breeze said as she put a hoof around her shoulder. “And I thought you did, too...”

Carmella looked to Breeze and gave her a small smile before letting out a long sigh.“W-What about my parents, what would they think? O-Or the talent agents in the ci-”

In one quick motion, Carmella was spun face to face with Breeze, merely a hair away from meeting lips. “Honey, ya don’t need to worry about them at all... My daddy used to say me ‘those that mind don’t matter and those that matter don’t mind’”

“W-What does that mean?”

“It means the only one you should be worrying about is the mare that loves ya, hun...”

“Breeze, I-”

*****************************************

A knock at your bedroom door sends a chill down your spine, stopping you mid sentence. Turning around from your typewriter, you try to swallow but your throat goes dry.

“C-Come in...” you say shakily, your heart racing in your chest.

Slowly, the door opens and Fluttershy peaks in, looking just as scared as you. “Oh! You’re busy, I-I’ll just-”

“No, no! I’m not busy, not at all,” you say as you get to your hooves. “W-What do you need?”

Fluttershy stands in the doorway for few moments before walking in slowly, keeping her head down and away from you. “I...I, umm... I-I just wanted to... to see how you were doing... And well... I... I also wanted to...” Slowly, she takes a deep breath and looks to you, her eyes tearing up a bit. “I wanted to say I’m sorry. I was so stupid last night and if you’re mad with me I under-”

You get to your hooves quickly and put a comforting hoof around her shoulder. “Fluttershy, you didn’t do anything wrong, so stop apologizing... If anything, I should be sorry. I was way too forward and should have just stopped, but well... I... I couldn’t stop myself. I don’t know what came over me, and I’m sorry for taking advantage of you like that.”

“No, no, no...” Fluttershy says as she shakes her head quickly. “I was the one who kissed you first, I started the whole thing... You probably think I’m-”

“A good kisser?” you ask with a nervous laugh.

Fluttershy looks to you in shock, her entire body tensing up in your grip. “W-Wh-What?”

Clearing your throat, you give her a shaky smile and nod. “Y-Yeah... You’re a good kisser... Really good.”

“You’re just saying that...” she says above a whisper, her cheeks bright red as she tries desperately to hide behind her mane.

Carefully reaching out, you push her hair away. “No, I’m not... You’re a good kisser. Really.”

Fluttershy smiles from ear to ear as her entire face turned scarlet. “W-Well... You’re a good kisser too...”

You look at her with a bashful smile. “Oh come on, now you’re just saying that...” you say with a nervous laugh. “I’m not that exp-”

You gasp out as you feel Fluttershy’s lips press against yours and can’t help but moan out as a shiver goes down your spine and press into her, kissing deeply. After what few seconds that felt like an eternity, Fluttershy slowly breaks the kiss and giggles. “No... I mean it.”

Slowly, you open your eyes and look to her with a goofy smile. “W...Wow...”

“What? What’s wrong? Was I too forward again?” she asks nervously. “I didn’t mean... I-”

“Fluttershy, have you eaten yet?” you ask idly as you gaze at the clock.

“Umm... I had breakfast...”

Moving past her out of your room and down the hallway, you grab your coat and throw it on. “Well, I haven’t had breakfast and it’s getting close to lunch. How about we go out and get something to eat? My treat.”

“Ohh! Umm... Sure,” Fluttershy says with a small smile. “I don’t usually eat out that often... What’s the occasion?”

Trotting up to the front door, you open it up for her and smile right back at her. “A date.”

Chapter 3

“Well... What about this place?” you asked as you paused in front of a place named ‘Peppy’s Pizza’. “We could always just order a pizza and take it home.”

Keeping her eyes to the ground, Fluttershy kicks idly at the dirt. “Well, umm... If you want to do that, then I’m okay with it...”

With a heavy sigh, you hang your head and drag yourself over to a nearby bench. “Hold on... Let’s just take a break for a second, my hooves are killing me...”

“I-I’m sorry!” she cries out as she takes a seat next to you. “I just-”

“No, no... Don’t be sorry! Listen, I just... I just want to take you out for a nice lunch.” Glancing up at the clocktower, you can’t help but let out another tired sigh. “Well, it looks like that nice lunch is going to have to be a nice dinner...”

You wrack your brain, trying to come up with someplace that the timid mare would actually enjoy, chewing at your lip incessantly. “There’s a nice little cafe a block and a half away that we could check out. Feel like eating there?”

Fluttershy gives you a half smile as she shifted nervously in her seat. “S-Sure.”

“...Do you actually want to go there or are you just saying ‘sure’ because that’s what I suggested?”

“I...I... Ummm...” she stammers before letting out a small sigh. “Yes...”

Before you can even suggest about going back home and having a quiet meal in, Twilight walks up to the both of you with a rather large grin on her face. “Well hey there Fluttershy! I was actually hoping I’d bump into you. I wanted-Oh! Sorry, were you two in the middle of something?”

“Uh... S-Sort of. We... We were just looking for a place for lunch,” Fluttershy says with a little blush. “And well... we’re just having a hard time, is all...”

“Yeah, having a hard time agreeing...” you say under your breath. Clearing your throat, you straighten up in your seat and manage to give Twilight a little smile. “So, what are you up to? Out shopping for the next bestseller to add to your library? Because if so, you’re gonna have to wait for me to write it first.”

Twilight giggles aloud before shaking her head. “No, no... I was just out buying a few supplies for movie night at the library,” she says as she motions to the roll of white fabric sticking out of her saddlebag. “Which is why I was hoping to catch you. I wanted to know if you’d like to join us.” With a sigh of relief, Twilight rolls the the fabric off her back and stretches. “My back is tied in knots... Mind if I take a seat with you guys for a while?”

Fluttershy moves a bit to side and makes some room for Twilight. “No, not at all.”

“Movie night?” you ask as you move aside as well, finding yourself rather cramped with all three of you sitting on the same bench. “Wait... Please tell me you’re not going to watch that goddess awful movie Dusk, are you?”

“Uch, no way...” Twilight says as she makes a gagging motion. “I couldn’t stand the book, much less sit through the movies... No, we have something much better planned. So, will I see you there ‘shy?"

“Umm... W-What kind of movie are you going to watch? Is it going to be a scary movie?” Fluttershy asks nervously. “Because I’d rather not go if you are... If that’s okay...”

“Oh don’t be scared Fluttershy,” you say with a playful nudge. “You can just hold onto me for the scary parts.”

Fluttershy jumps at the sudden nudge, only to gasp as she bumps into Twilight. “S-Sorry...” she mumbles as she scooches herself closer to you, tensing up as she rubs up against you.

“Well... You don’t have to be afraid, ‘shy... We’re watching a comedy. The Cutie Marx Brothers. Nothing scary about it at all,” Twilight says with an awkward blush as she watches Fluttershy nervously shift in her seat.

“I, uh... M-Maybe. Who are The Cutie Marx Brothers?” Fluttershy says as she rests her head on your shoulder.

“It’s all slapstick comedy, ‘shy,” you say with a little smile. “They’re really funny and I think you’d li-like them...”

You feel a blush work it’s way up your neck and struggle to keep a sentence together as you feel a stray hoof run it’s way down your chest.

“Ohh... Well, I guess I can go, as long as you come with me,” Fluttershy says with a little smile. “You... You don’t mind if I bring him along, do you?”

“I, uh... Not at all ‘shy. You can bring your coltfriend if you want to,” Twilight says, breaking Fluttershy’s little trance and sending her scrambling as she sits up straight and turns bright red.

“C-Coltfriend?” she says with a deep blush. “I, uh... He... He’s not, I mean... He’s... And I’m...”

“We’ll see you there, Twilight... Why don’t we head back home?” you ask as you hold a hoof out for Fluttershy. “We can get ourselves ready and maybe make a little something for the get together. That is, if you don’t mind, Twi’.”

Twilight offers a little shrug as she starts to walk away. “Feel free to bring whatever you want... I’ll see you two love birds tonight.”

“L-L-Love birds?” Fluttershy says as you help her up, her whole body visibly shaking as she watches Twilight walk away.

“Well, yeah... I guess we’re a... thing now,” you say bashfully. “I gotta admit, I wasn’t as nonchalant as I hoped I’d be with the whole scary movie thing, but uh... You weren’t so subtle either... What was that back there Fluttershy?”

“...Cherry tomatoes...”

“What?”

Fluttershy trots ahead and down the street. “We should make a fruit and veggie platter for the party... But I need some cherry tomatoes...”

You stand there in confusion for a few moments before running after her. “Hey wait up! Fluttershy, I was-”

“Umm... I’m sorry to interrupt,” she says as she pulls the pouch off around her neck, only to fish around and pull out a few bits. “I just remembered I also need some fresh cucumbers... Do you think you could head over to the little farmer’s market across the street?”

You open your mouth to protests, but you just can’t find the words. Instead, you let out a little smile and take the bits from her. “Sure, Fluttershy.”

“Great,” she says with a little smile. “I’ll be right around here when you get back.”

“Be back in a bit...”

As you turn around and tuck the bits away in your own wallet, you can’t get rid of this nagging little thought.

Something’s up... What is she not telling me?

****************************************************

“How thin do you want to the slices to be?” you ask as you steady the knife on the cucumber.

“Oh, it doesn’t matter...” Fluttershy says rather idly as she stares out the window.

With a heavy sigh, you set the knife down. “What’s wrong? You’ve been like this ever since we got back.”

For the first time since she sat down, Fluttershy turns away from the window and looks at you. “Like what?”

“Like... Like this,” you say as you sit down across from her. “There’s something bugging you, I can just tell... Just please, tell me what’s wrong.”

Clearing her throat, she looks you straight in the eye. “Tell me what happened when we were talking with Twilight.”

You can’t help but blink in confusion. “I’m... Sorry? When what happened?”

“When you... for a lack of a better word, umm... changed.” Fluttershy says tentatively. “I just don’t know how else to explain it. When you were talking to her, you were all... confident. And just the way you talked. Like you were a whole other pony that I just didn’t know.”

“I... I was? I did?” you ask in confusion. “I honestly don’t remember acting any different...”

“Well... you kinda did,” Fluttershy says above a mumble. “And I... I just didn’t like it, okay? I just started thinking about and well it... it...”

Fluttershy visibly trembles as she squints her eyes before taking a deep breath. “It scared me, okay?”

Reaching out, you cup her hoof in your own. “I’m sorry if I did, I didn’t mean to make you angry, I-”

“No, no, no!” Fluttershy cries out in protest. “I’m not mad! I’m just... just...”

“Just what?” you ask with increasing worry, moving closer to the shaking mare. “What else is wrong?”

“No, nothing.... Nothing’s wrong...” Fluttershy says as she gets to her hooves. “I’m okay... I’m not mad at anything...”

Getting up, you follow her to the counter and hover over her shoulder as she picks up the knife and starts slicing the cucumber. “Are you sure everything’s alright?”

After a few slices, Fluttershy sets the knife down and turns to you, smiling a bit. “I’m fine,” she says as she places her hooves on your chest. “I still need a serving platter. Can you get it for me? It’s up in the cupboard next to the fridge.”

“I... I’ll get it for you, just gimme a second...”

You feel your jaw tighten as you make your rummage through the cupboard. She’s doing it again...

Finding one of platters Fluttershy was talking about, you pull it out rather roughly, only to have a cascade of plates and bowls fall onto you. One glass dish strikes you right on the crown of your head, eliciting a scream of pain as you collapse to the ground.

“Gods damn it all!” you yell out as you hold your head, eyes going fuzzy as you curl up on the floor. You try and calm yourself down, taking deep breaths. The only thing you can hear in that moment is your labored breathing.

And a small whimper.

Blinking a few times, you look around the kitchen for the sound as you held your aching head before finally realizing something that should have been obvious.

“Fluttershy? Where are y-”

Eyes straining towards the ceiling, you find yourself staring into the eyes of a rather frightened mare clinging to the ceiling fan.

Getting to your hooves, you look up to her in confusion. “Fluttershy, why are you-”

Your breath catches in your throat as you pull your hoof away from your head, only to feel something wet. “Damnit... I need a-”

Fluttershy’s eyes go wide as she looks down at your head and jumps down looks you over tentatively. “Oh no, no... Keep holding your head, I’ll go and get the first aid kit from the bathroom!”

Before you can say anything, Fluttershy zips away, leaving you to slump against the kitchen counter and cradle your bleeding head.

“I got it, I got it!” Fluttershy squeaked as she as galloped in with an overly large basket balanced on her back, full of all sorts of medical supplies.

“All I needed was a bandage...” you grumble under your breath. “Not a visit to the E.R.”

“It’d still be the best idea if we go anyway,” she replies as she pulls out a gauze pad. “For all we know, you could have a concussion.”

Taking the gauze pad from her, you hold it to your head. “I feel fine. It’s just a cut.”

“It’s better to be safe, than sorry...” Fluttershy says as she pulls out a pack of butterfly stitches. “I really think we should go to the hospital. I can walk you over and-”

“It’s fine!” you cry out in frustration. “I’m fine, really. I don’t want to go to the hospital, okay?”

Fluttershy looks to you for a few moments before nodding slowly. “O...Okay... Just let me put these on, at least...”

Letting out a small sigh of relief, you tense up as you feel the steri strips grip onto your mane and pull at the wound. “Do I get a lollipop at the end of all this?” you ask with a strained smile.

“I, uh... I don’t really have any candy,” she says nervously. “But I could go out and-”

“It’s a joke, Fluttershy, no need to go all bashful on me,” you say with a little chuckle. You feel yourself blush a little bit as something crosses your mind before giving Fluttershy a smile. “But a kiss to make things all better would be just what the doctor ordered.”

It was Fluttershy’s turn to blush with embarrassment. “I uh... I guess I could...” she says with an audible gulp. Trembling ever so slightly, she inches closer before pressing her lips against your cheek and letting out a scared little ‘eep’ that makes you laugh. “Perfect...” you say as you pick yourself up off the floor. “Uh, Fluttershy? I know you want to drop the whole thing-”

Fluttershy looks to the first aid kit that she cradled in her hooves and then looks to you with a puzzled look.

“No, not that you silly filly...” you say with wide smile. “I mean, well... The thing. Earlier. About me well, changing.”

“Ohh... You mean that,” she says with a small frown. “Well, umm... It’s just...”

“No, no, you don’t have to say anything... I just wanted you to know that I didn’t meant to scare you or make you mad or anything like that. I don’t know what you mean by when I well, change, but if I do, can you just sort of point it out or something?”

Fluttershy looks to you and manages a little nod. “Okay... I’ll... I’ll say something...” she says rather sheepishly. “Promise.”

Picking up the dropped plates and bowls, you bring them over to the sink and start rinsing them off. “Great. Now let’s get our flanks into gear. Twilight’s probably expecting us by now!”

****************************************************

Balancing the platter of vegetables and fruit on your back, you do your best to hold the library door open for Fluttershy.

“Thank you,” she says with a little smile.

“Knock knock!” you call out as you walk through the library door. “Where should I put this?”

Twilight pokes her head out from the kitchen and nods at a table near the wall. “Right there is fine!”

Rainbow Dash touches down from above, holding a roll of white sheet in her hooves. “Perfect timing Fluttershy! I could use another set of hooves. Think you can help me set up the screen?”

“S-Sure Rainbow...”

“Anything you need me to do?” you call out as you slide Fluttershy’s veggie platter on the table and pop the top off.

“Well, can you set up some seats?” a mystery voice calls out from the kitchen. “Me and Twilight here are having a hard time getting this stupid popcorn to-Wait there it goes!” the voice cries out as a succession of pops fill the air.

Looking around the library, you see a pile of beanbag chairs and focus for a second, grabbing them with your magic and slide them along the floor into rows in front of the screen. “Done and done!” you call out before turning back to the snack table. “Hey Fluttershy you want some of this punch?”

“Um sure,” she calls out as she holds the sheet in place while Rainbow stretches a piece of tape across the corner. “What kind is it?”

“Fizzy drunk time!” Rainbow says with a huge smile.

A new face walks out from the kitchen carrying a massive bowl of popcorn and lets out a heavy sigh at the name. “I told you, I don’t have a name for it and I really don’t think that one fits. I mean, it’s not supposed to get drunk off of it,” he says before turning to you. “It’s just fruit punch, some lemon lime soda, and a splash of vodka. You honestly would need to drink the whole thing to feel anything, so don’t be put off by it.”

“Heh, yeah... I mean, some movies might be improved by the addition of alcohol, but I don’t think this is one of the times,” you say with a chuckle before grabbing two cups of punch. “We just about ready?”

The stallion looks around and gives you a little shrug. “Yeah, I think so. Lemme ask Twilight to get the projector set up and we’ll start it up.”

Holding your glass up, you give the stallion a little nod. “Cheers,” you toast before taking a sip. “Oh wow, that’s good...”

Taking a seat in one of the bean bag chairs, you take another swig of punch and see Fluttershy sit down beside you. “Here, try this.”

Fluttershy takes her cup gingerly before looking to you and giggling under her breath.

“What? What’s so funny?”

“You have um... A little something on you,” she says with a smile, trying not to giggle any louder.

“…I can’t see it, where is it?” you ask, honestly wondering what she was talking about.

“It’s um… right there. On your nose.” Fluttershy says as she points to the tip of your nose. Crossing your eyes, you catch a glimpse of orange sherbert sticking to it and stick out your tongue, trying your best to lick it off but failing. “Can you get a napkin or-”

In one quick little movement, Fluttershy leans forward and licks the sherbert off from your nose, sending a wave of heat through your body as you blush in embarrassment.

“Sorry…” she says above a whisper, right before licking her lips.

You laugh aloud and throw a hoof around her shoulder and draw her in for a tight hug. “Oh you are just too cute, you know that?”

Fluttershy let out a little squeal and shivered in your grasp. “C-Cute...” she half whispers with a deep blush.

“TWILIGHT! GO TO MY HOUSE!” the stallion from earlier screams. “THERE’S A CARD ON THE TABLE WITH MY LAWYER’S NUMBER!”

You feel like that’s your cue and let go of Fluttershy gingerly before turning to watch him being handcuffed by a royal guard, only to have a purple mare chastise him for “going too far”. When everything starts to calm down again, you turn to Fluttershy.

“Um, you okay?” you ask with a sheepish grin.

Fluttershy nods slowly and rests her head on your shoulder. “Y...Yeah... I’m great...” she says with a dreamy smile. “Just great...”

“Alright everypony!” the now frazzled looking stallion says with heavy breath. “Lemme just push my heart back down my throat and we’ll get the movie started. Sound good?”

Everypony let out a collective “yeah”.

“Great,” the stallion said with a little sigh before guiding the guard pony. “Now get over here Snaps, I haven’t seen you in for ages.”

“Same goes for you, Smokey... Still on the clover I see?” you hear him say before they disappear out the front door.

“Well... That was interesting,” you say aloud as you get to your hooves. “I think I need another drink after all that... You want anything while I’m up, Fluttershy?”

“No, I’m good~” she says with a big smile before leaning back in her chair.

You roll your shoulders before meandering over to the snack table and picking up a few baby carrots and munch on them idly.

Now what’s gotten into her? you think as you watch her lay back, still smiling.

Walking back, you sit down and make yourself comfortable just as the two stallions walk back into the library, giggling and carrying a smoke cloud with them.

“Okay ladies and gentlecolts! Without further ado, let’s get this show on the road! Twi’ baby, hit the lights!”

With that, the lights slowly dim before going out completely.

“Lights, camera, action!”

“Shush!” Twilight hisses out as she starts the film. “The film hasn’t even started yet and you’re already this loud...”

“Oh come on Twilight, give the guy a break. It’s mostly my fault he’s like this. I’m the one who got him all wound up,” the guard pony says as he plops himself down beside the purple mare. “C’mere Cheeri~”

The mare giggles aloud before snuggling into the guard pony. “Come on now Snaps... Not during the movie...”

“What about after?” he asks with a little grin.

You feel yourself blush a bit as you did your best to focus on the movie, but if it wasn’t the sweet talk the couples were giving each other, then it was Fluttershy constantly rubbing her leg against yours.

“Umm... Hey Fluttershy, can you possibly...”

“Hmmm?~” she asks with a sweet little smile.

“It’s umm... Just that you’re rubbing my...” Looking down, you hope to get the point across without actually saying it.

Fluttershy follows your gaze down and turns bright red as she finally realizes just what she was doing. “Ohh... Ohh my... S-Sorry...” she stutters out as she sits upright in her seat.

“It’s... It’s okay,” you say with a bashful smile. “No harm done...”

Just when everything starts to get settled down, you feel a little blush work its way up your face as you feel a familiar leg rub against your own.

Well... Like I said before... No harm...you think with little smile, all the while Fluttershy works her way closer and closer to you.

****************************************************

You can’t help but laugh aloud as Groucho of the Cutie Marx Brothers dances across the screen, singing with all his heart.

Oh Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia? Lydia the Tattooooed Griffon~

She has eyes that folks adore so,

and a torso even more so,

Your breath catches in your throat and you let out a startled gasp as you feel a pair of hooves wrap around your torso. Looking down, you manages a little smile as Fluttershy hugs you tight, laughing into your coat as Groucho and the gang sing aloud.

Lydia oh Lydia, that encyclopedia, oh Lydia the Queen of Tattooooo~!

On her back is the battle of Poniloo,

Oh to hell with it... Wrapping your own hooves around Fluttershy, you return her embrace, only to feel her completely tense up in your grasp. In one quick movement, she places her hooves on your chest and pushes you off before staring down at her feet, leaving an awkward silence between the two of you, despite the show that was currently unfolding.

Beside it the wreck of the Kesley Blue,

And proudly above stands Celesta too!

You can learn a lot from Lydia!

“Fluttershy, what was that all about?” you whisper, feeling a little hurt. “Is something wrong?”

Fluttershy quickly shakes her head. “No, no, nothing’s wrong...” she whispers back. “It’s nothing.”

“It wasn’t nothing,” you hiss. “You shoved me...away after I hugged you. Now come on, tell me what’s wrong. Is it me? Or-”

“I-I’m going home,” Fluttershy tries to announce, only to have her words drowned out by the movie.

You watch her get up and make her way for the door and you start off after. “Fluttershy, wait!” you call out as you chase her out the door. “C’mon Fluttershy, what is going on?”

“Nothing...” she says rather calmly as she walks down the road. “I just feel like going home.”

“Oh come on! Fluttershy, you’ve been doing this all day! I respect you, I think you’re an amazing pony, and I think I even... I even...”

Your whole throat goes dry as the word gets stuck, leaving you to watch Fluttershy continue her way home.

Come on numbskull, just say it...

“I could even say I love you!” you manage to squeak out, stopping Fluttershy in her tracks. She slowly turns around to you, a look of confusion painted on her face. “And well... what does it say about how you feel about me if you keep pushing me away?”

“I...I... I don’t know...” she stammered out as she turned back and picked up the pace. “I’m sorry, I just... It’s complicated, okay? I’m not ready to talk about it now.”

“Then when?” you asked aloud as you followed her. “When are we going to talk about it?”

“I... I don’t know,” Fluttershy mumbles. “I just want to go home now. Why... Why don’t go back and watch the movie?”

“No, I’d rather go home with you. That way, we can sit down and talk this out like adults.”

Fluttershy stops in her tracks and turns around. “Fine then... I guess I’ll go back to the library and watch the movie.”

You stand there, jaw slightly agape as you watch her head back to the library. You throw your hooves up, more than a little irritated but finally concede. “Fine then. I’ll see ya back at the house.” You call out as you watch Fluttershy trot on down the road.

Turning back towards Fluttershy’s cottage, you start off down the road.

****************************************************

You practically collapse into your bed, your hooves aching and your head pounding. “Gods above, I need a smoke...” you groan aloud as you fish around for a pack of cigarettes. “Oh come on... Where are they?” you ask with increasing worry. “I had a full carton this morning. They didn’t just get up and walk away.”

After almost ten minutes of hunting, you meander into the kitchen, craving a cigarette more than anything, but content with raiding the fridge for something to fill the gap.

“Cider... That works,” you a say with a little shrug as you grab the jug. You pour yourself a glass of hard cider and sit down in Fluttershy’s library, looking for something to kill the time until she came home. “Ahh... Not as good as my Alpines, but good enough... Now lets see here...”

Browsing over Fluttershy’s books, you start grabbing a few at random. “Hmm... Sense and Sensibility... Pride and Prejudice... Les Misérables... Huh. What’s this one?”

All the other books look like they belong, but the brown hardcover book you held in your hooves felt out of place. There was no title, author, no forward, nothing. Opening it up, you’re immediately presented with what looks like a first chapter.

1... My momma said that if I want to start talking to ponies without getting nervous, then I should start a journal. She says “that way, you can pretend that you’re talking to whoever’s reading”. I don’t know if that’s true, but I kinda like it. It’s niec nice to put all my thoughts on paper.

“Huh... Looks like her hoofwriting... I wonder if this something Fluttershy’s working on for like, a side project or somet-”

From below, you feel something tug on your leg. Looking down, you see Angel pull on you furiously, trying to get your attention. Once he finally has it, he jumps up and down, trying to get the book from you. “Come on, stop it! What’s gotten into you this time? Listen, just go away! I’m reading.”

Shaking Angel off of your leg, you turn back to the book and try to continue reading, ignoring Angel’s frantic attempts to get your attention. “I said get out of here...” you grumble under your breath. Blinking a few times through blurry eyes, you rub at them before squinting at the clock. “Getting late...” you mumble before turning back to the book.

27... I met a stallion today after class. His name is Midnight Storm and he seems really really nice. He kept saying how much of a cutie I was and how he wanted to take me on a date. Me, of all ponies... I didn’t want to at first because I was so nervous, but Rainbow Dash was there and she-

Your throat goes really dry as the realization of what you were actually reading hit you upside the head. “Whoa... Oh boy... This... This is her diary.”

Looking down, you watch Angel make a face that screamed ‘now you get it’ and held out a paw, as if asking for you to give it to him. Making a snap decision, you get to your hooves and continue reading while Angel furiously jumps

-she nudged me into it... And I didn’t regret it one bit. Midnight was such a gentlecolt! He took me out for lunch at this little cafe before taking be back to his home where I met his parents. They were even nicer than he was and asked if I wanted to stay for dinner, but I kindly turned them down. I had homework to do, after all. Midnight did ask me if I wanted to go to the movies tomorrow night and... I just don’t know what came over me. I didn’t even think twice about saying yes.

“Something’s in here, I just know it...” you mumble under your breath. Gritting your teeth, you rub at your forehead, hoping to soothe your aching head.

You take another sip of cider before skipping ahead a few entries, only to find one page that caught your attention; one that seemed to be written rather disjointedly and stained heavily.

35... He seemed like such a good pony... I can’t believe what he made me do... Midnight, he forced me into it... I kept saying no, that I wanted to wait first, for when I got married, but he just... He just kept pushing me to do... to do... it. And I just caved and after it all, he didn’t even look at me... He told me to get out and that he was... he was done with me... I TRUSTED HIM AND HE THREW ME AWAY LIKE-

Your heart catches in your chest and a dull pounding echoes in your head drowns out everything except the sound of the front door opening slowly until the owner of the book you held stood in the doorway.

For the longest time, Fluttershy simply stood there, staring at you in utter shock and horror, like she couldn’t wrap her head around what she was looking at. You decide if somepony was going to say something, it should be you.

“Fluttershy, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

Your voice catches in your throat as Fluttershy levels her eyes at you and slowly steps out of the doorway and holds the door open. “Please, get out. Now.”

“Fluttershy, I didn’t-”

“I said,” she says rather sharply, her words cutting you, right down the the very core of your being. “Get out.”

Slowly, you make your way to the doorway and step outside and turn around, hoping to say something, anything, but instead are welcomed to the door slamming in your face.

“You can come and get your stuff tomorrow...” you hear Fluttershy say from inside. “I’ll leave it outside the door.”

You try to find something to say, but find yourself speechless. Instead, you just turn around and walk down the road, only to feel your stomach sink into your hooves and the whole world spin as soon as you hear sobbing coming from the cottage.

“You... You sure did it this time...” you say with a sniffle as you wipe at your eyes. Looking to the town, you scan Ponyville’s dark roads and sigh. “Great... I’m going to be sleeping outside tonight, aren’t I?” you ask nopony in particular. “Not like I don’t deserve it...”

Your eyes pass by the Ponyville Library and see a few lights on, giving you a little hope. Maybe Twilight can help me out... you think hopefully. She knows Fluttershy well enough... She might-

“Gods damnit!”

You grab your head and lean against a nearby building, every breath sending a wave of pain right through the very center of your skull. Taking a few deep breaths, you manage a few shaky steps into the streets of Ponyville before the whole world spins and shakes you around. The vertigo becomes too much and before you know it, you’re emptying the contents of your stomach into a nearby alleyway.

Taking a deep breath, you try to call out for help, but your words sound wrong and it all melts into a muffled cry.

Collapsing to the ground your vision goes blurry just a single piece of conversation from today echoes in the corner of your mind.

“For all we know, you could have a concussion.”

Chapter 4

“Hurts... Hurts so much...”

You try to open your eyes, but the mere act of moving your eyelids feels like somepony was tightening the vice that your head currently rested in.

Staying as still as possible, you try to concentrate on something other than the pain that wracked your head and finally notice something that was off.

Why’s it... Why’s it feel like I’m floating?

You couldn’t shake the feeling that you were being rocked back and forth, like you were laying on your back and sitting in the middle of a lake.

Gotta open my eyes...

Gritting your teeth, you try to slowly open your eyelids in the hope of finding out just what was going on. It takes a lot of concentration to just open your eyes with the splitting headache that seemed to fight against your efforts, but you finally manage to and find yourself staring up at an endless blue sky.

“I’m outside, aren’t I?” you mumble as you try to sit yourself up, grabbing at anything you could to balance yourself as the memories of last night flooding back. “I passed out last night and not a single pony-”

Your heart sinks in your chest as you quickly realize that your hooves couldn’t find purchase because there was nothing around you. You weren’t in the middle of the street, you weren’t even in the middle of a lake. You were in the middle of the air.

“I’m dreaming, I’m dreaming, I’m dreaming... SWEET SISTERS ABOVE, PLEASE TELL ME I’M DREAMING!” you scream at the top of your lungs, your heart running a mile a minute in your chest.

Your eyes go wide as you watch a building come speeding towards, making you flail around and grab for anything in some vain attempt to stop the inevitable, but it’s all for naught. Curling into the fetal position, you brace yourself for impact.

But it never comes.

You slowly open your eyes and look around you and stare in dumbfounded shock as the building you were sailing towards disappears behind you. And then another, and then another. Turning forward again, you flinch as you fly towards another building, only to go right through it.

Looking around in confusion, you rub at your eyes and try to wrap your head around just what was happening to you.

“Okaaay... Maybe I am dreaming...”

Looking around you take a deep breath. “Princess Luna! Your majesty?!?” you scream out. “Can I get a little help here? Please?”

You wait and wait for some sort of response, but you hear nothing but the sound of the wind whizzing by you. You let out a heavy sigh, the fear of hitting something or falling left behind you with the second building you flew into.

“Okay. So, if I am dreaming, then this is one sick joke my psyche is playing on me and Princess Luna is in on it...”

A thought occurs to you and sends a shiver down your spine as a whole new possible reality opens up. “What if I’m dead? What if I died in Ponyville and I’m now... Well, here? Wherever here is...”

Glancing down you, stare down at the row of houses whizzing by and start to notice something. “Whoa, whoa... What the hell was that?” you ask aloud as you watch a large silver object on wheels pass below you. “What’s moving it? What’s-WHOA!”

A sudden jerk and the wind being knocked out of you is the only warning you’re given as your direction is suddenly changed and you're sent flying, passing through someone’s roof before bouncing off the first solid thing you’ve come into contact with; the floor.

“Oh come on... This is getting ridiculous...” you mumble under your breath. “Where-”

“Hey man! What’s kicking? No, no. I’m not busy. Yeah, I just finished up some of my writings, so I’m free.”

You strain your neck and try to look around and find the source of the voice, but it wasn’t in the room you currently occupied. It sounded more like it was coming from the other side of the door.

“Oh yeah, I can hang out. Lemme just get my shoes on and grab my keys and I’m out the door. See ya in like, ten minutes, fifteen tops.”

“Hello? Umm... I don’t mean to bug you, but-”

The sound of a slamming door lets you know whoever was just talking is now gone.

Getting to your hooves, you look around the room you were currently in and scoff aloud. “Jeez... This place is a pigsty... Half eaten food, empty cups, cans of... What is this? Coca-cola? Huh. Never heard of it.”

Glancing at the door to the room, you trot over to it and grab the doorknob with your magic and try to open it, but it doesn’t budge.

“Hello? Anypony there? I’m a... Well, it’s kinda hard to explain, but... I was just flying by and well...”

Nothing.

“Hello?!?” you yell this time. “Come on, is anyone there?!?”

Still nothing.

You let out a heavy sigh and glance around the room. Your interests shift from getting out of the room to something that sat in the corner of it. It looked like your typewriter, but that isn’t what you’d call it. It had a keyboard sure, but it also had a television screen, and other things around it that you couldn’t identify.

Climbing into the chair you sit down at the odd device and experimentally touch one of the keys on it, only to jump back as a crackle of static electricity and lights from the television startle you.

“What the... Whoa...”

You climb back into the chair, less scared now and more fascinated now by the fact that television had images on it. And more importantly, words. Lots and lots of words.

“What is this, a story? ... Huh. I guess this thing is like a typewriter. Except it looks like something out of ‘Star Trot’,” you say with a nervous chuckle. Reaching out, you press some of the keys you didn’t recognize experimentally. “Wow... I’d kill to have something like this back home...”

You press keys like ‘backspace’ and ‘enter’ and even mess around with the keys that looked like arrows until you finally feel like you had a hang of it. As you move through the story itself, something makes you stop in your tracks.

By a Fireplace

“No way... Okay, while it’s not the most original story name, that’s still weird. I wonder why they chose that na... Wait a minute... I remember that. I did that! Wait... No way, it couldn’t be.”

Moving to the top of the document with the arrow keys, you start at the beginning and start to actually read what was in front of you. An unsettling truth starts to come to light that makes a lump form in your throat.

“Somepony’s... Somepony’s writing about my life. I’ve got a stalker...” you say, feeling your heart start to flutter in your chest. “Aaaand I’m in their home. And apparently, their captive...”

Running to the windows, that seemed just a tad too high for you, you grab the moulding of it and try to pull yourself up, only to find it blocked by what looked like chicken wire. “Come on... Come on!” you yell out in frustration as you bash a hoof against it, yet to no avail. Looking out the window, you see it held on with a combination staples and duct tape.

“That’s not giving any time soon...” you say with some dismay as you slide down the side of the wall. You look around for something, anything that might help you get out of the room or break through the window, but there’s nothing.

Just the thing in the corner with your life’s story on it.

A few minutes pass and you decide to look more over the thing your captor had written about you, maybe hoping you could glean their identity from it. You start reading, but stop rather quickly when something doesn’t match what you remember.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute... That’s not how it went down. I didn’t walk to Ponyville, I got there by cart and I met King.” Biting at your lip, you let out a heavy sigh and roll your shoulders. “You know, if this creeper is going to write about my life, the least they could do is to get it right.”

Bringing forth your magic, you touch the keys, hesitantly at first. But you soon gain some confidence when the words on the television start to match what you wanted.

“There we go... There’s that... And- Oh come on! If you’re going to be my stalker and write down my life’s story, at least put down things that actually make sense! I wasn’t mugged when I first got to Ponyville, I went to the library where I met Twilight and Fluttershy. And when Fluttershy and I got drunk, we didn’t argue and storm out, we talked and then kissed.”

Scanning more through the story, you run a hoof down your face as things make less and less sense from what you remember. Letting out a heavy sigh, you steel yourself. “Okay, I’m going balls to the wall. If Fluttershy, Twilight... Myself... If we’re all going to be the subject of this pony’s creepy fiction, then I’m going to make sure they know what really happened. None of this bullshit about me getting stabbed or ending up on Fluttershy’s couch or Twilight falling for me.”

Bringing up the magic from within you, you hammer away at the keys and manage a smile.

This is what happened.

The keys click and clack away as you weave something into the story that made you feel happy, all things considering.

“Maybe when someone finds me or my body, they’ll come across this little number and just who I really was...” sitting back, you let out a sigh before staring up at the white paneled ceiling. “That is, if someone does find me and whoever wrote this doesn’t scrap it.”

I wonder what Fluttershy is doing... She’s probably packing up my stuff and leaving it outside for me to pick up. I wonder what she’ll do when if never come by.

You push the thought to the back of your mind and look back to the story, rewriting it as you see fit and fixing every odd detail before coming to a halt as you reach the part where you pass out.

“Well... I guess that’s it, then...”

The words echoed in your head, but they just rang hollow. Something didn’t feel right at all.

What’s ‘it’? The story? My life?

Pressing the keys on the keyboard idly, you watch the mess of letters and numbers add up before a small smile creeps across your face. “There’s a good chance this whole thing will get thrown away, but you know what? Who cares. I’m going to have some fun with it while I can...”

Summoning the magic within you, the keys start to click away again as you giggle under your breath.

...Having woken up from his unconscious state, the stallion realized that the raw essence of that which lies beyond the reaches of the universe had saved his life, but in turn, damned his soul; the evidence was clear. He-

You feel the magic fade before you stop and look at what you’ve written so far. The mere sight of it made something deep in your gut hurt. “No, no, no... It just feels wrong now that I see it on pap-err... Well, whatever this thing is,” you say with a depressed sigh. “Still, I don’t like it.”

Bringing the back the magic, you try your hoof again at writing something.

The stallion woke with a start in his bed back in New Colt City, his coat drenched with sweat. Looking around, he leaned over the side of his breath and tried to catch his breath. “It was... It was all a drea-

“No, that’s even worse!” you yell out in frustration. “That’s a cop out and a cliche one, at that.”

It takes a while, but as you stare at your two failed attempts, the gears start turning and something starts to click. “No, it’s not what I want... It’s what should happen. I won’t be happy until I see this all end the way it should.”

The magic wells up inside you for a third and hopefully, a final time and you let the words flow out of you.

The stallion woke up, having been brought to the local hospital where he was cared for while he recovered from his concussion. There-

*********************************************

“Ohh! Doctor? Doctor! He’s waking up!”

Your eyes flutter open slowly and you try to sit up, but feel a forceful hoof keep you down.

“Don’t get up. Just lay down. Now can you tell me your name?”

Slowly, things start to come into focus and you look up to the white unicorn in confusion.

“I... I was somewhere else, I was... I was doing...”

“What about your age? Can you tell me how old you are? Or where you are?”

You look around, the name of where you are just outside your grasp. Like it was at the tip of your tongue, but it wouldn’t budge any further. Taking a deep breath, you focus and try to find your bearings.

“The... I’m at the... I’m at the... Wait, doctor. You’re a doctor. And I’m at the hospital.”

The white unicorn lets out a sigh of relief before sitting down at your bedside. “You suffered a major concussion that even resulted in a small hairline fracture of the frontal bone. I have to ask... How long have you been walking around with this injury?”

You focus hard on the question and look around the room for something that’d give you a clue as to how long you were out. “I don’t know, exactly... I got hit in the head with a... a salad bowl, I think. It was heavy, I know that much. I got patched up and just tried to walk it off. It got late, then I think I passed out.”

“I’m sorry we have to keep playing twenty questions, but I need to know as much as I can. And I don’t know how long you’ll remain this lucid.”

“I... I understand... It was... Fluttershy.” The name leaves a dry feeling in your mouth and your stomach sink slightly. “She um... She patched me up. She told me I might have a concussion, but I told her I was fine. I guess she was right.”

You let out a little laugh at your own joke, but the doctor doesn’t laugh back.

“Mmm... Well, I think I’m going to get a hold of Fluttershy and see if she can’t help me fill in the rest of the blanks. Like why you were walking the streets of Ponyville so late,” he says as he gets to his hooves. “If that griffon didn’t find you when he did, you probably would be much worse off.”

You bolt upright and reach out for the doctor as he makes his way to the door. “Wait, don’t get F-FUUUUCK!”

Immediately, you throw yourself back into bed and grip your head, the feeling of pain from last night coming back in full force.

“I told you not to sit up, you stupid-Nurse, increase his poppy drip for the pain and if he keeps trying to get out of bed, restrain him in some way. Either chemically, or physically if you have to.”

The white mare walks over to the side of your bed and fiddles with the knob on the bag that you just noticed was going into your arm.

“No! Don’t do thaaaa.. don’t...”

A cold, numb feeling runs through your veins and makes everything go numb until you couldn’t tell what was you and what was the bed. You keep trying to stay awake, but the painkillers cloud your thoughts and fog your mind.

“Listen, everything is going to be just fine,” the nurse says as you keep blinking, your vision starting to fog. “What you need right now is rest. So just lay back and try and get some sleep.”

“But I... I gotta... He’s... She’s gonna...”

“Just try and get some rest,” the nurse says as she steps out of the room, turning off the light as she leaves.

The darkness is the final straw that makes your mind go completely numb and your eyelids fall, the drugs speedily taking you away to a chemically induced sleep.

*********************************************

Doctor? I think he’s waking up again. Should I go get her?

You let out a low moan and groggily open your eyes to see the white unicorn again, bending over you and shining a small penlight into your eyes as you regain some semblance of consciousness.

No, I will. You check his vitals again. Fluttershy will probably want to know that he’s awake now.

Your eyes snap open at the name and you groggily grope for something to haul yourself up, but are promptly guided back into the bed.

“Listen, if you keep insisting on getting up, I might just actually tie you to the bed. Now lay still,” she demands.

“But, I... I... She doesn’t wanna see me,” you half mumble, the drugs still doing a number on your body. “Fluttershy and I, she-”

“What do you mean she doesn’t want to see you?” the nurse asks with a puzzled look. “She ran here as fast as she could when she heard you were in the hospital.”

“Why would she... she rush here? Why would she even wanna see me?” you ask, just as confused.

“I don’t know, but she’s been waiting here for the past five hours for you to wake up. Whatever the reason, she didn’t leave once.”

“Five hours? I was out for... And she waited? I’m so-”

The door to your room opens up slowly and the doctor steps in with Fluttershy right on his heels. You turn your head to the side of the pillow, unable to look her square in the eye without feeling your heart drop into your stomach.

“Doctor? Can you, umm... Give us a few minutes? Alone?” you hear Fluttershy half whisper.

“As long as it’s okay with the patient,” he says as he walks up to the side of the bed, giving you a once over.

“I... I don’t know... I... I guess so...” you mumble into your pillow, still trying to avoid eye contact.

You hear the sound of hoofsteps and then the door closing before the room goes stark quiet. The only thing you can hear is the sound of your own breathing and the shuffling of what sounded like a nervous pony.

“Why don’t you take a seat?” you ask, shifting your head and looking her way for the first time since she walked in. Your eyes meet her and you immediately move them to the chair behind her. “I’d get up and offer you a chair, but the nurse said something about tying me to the bed if I get up again,” you say with a dry laugh, hoping in vain to cut through the tension that currently filled the room.

“It’s umm... good to see your humor’s still in tact,” Fluttershy says with a forced smile. “I just wanted to stop by and see that you’re okay. Now that I know, I guess I’ll take my leave. I’ll leave your stuff with Twilight so you can pick it up when they discharge you.”

Your heart sinks as you watch her make her way to the door. “Wait!” you cry out, reaching for her. “Please... Just... wait.”

Stopping at the door, Fluttershy turns around and gives you a patient look, waiting for you to say something.

“Just... Please. Can I at least explain? So you know why I did what I did?” you ask, trying to swallow the lump in your throat as her gaze burns right through you. “You don’t have to believe what I have to say, I just want you to hear it.”

For what felt like an eternity, Fluttershy just stared at you before letting out a heavy sigh and walking over to the other side of the room, grabbing the chair, and dragging it over to the foot of your bed, silently staring at you.

Taking a deep breath, you try to collect yourself and find your words. “I screwed up, I’m not gonna lie or sugar coat it or deny it. I looked into your most private thoughts and no pony should be allowed to get away with that,” you say, your mouth going dry again. “But... I was scared,” you say, letting out a heavy sigh. “I was scared I’d done something wrong and you weren’t telling me.”

“What do you mean? You thought you did something wrong before all of this? I don’t...” Fluttershy lets out a small breath and rubs her eyes. “What made you think that you did something wrong?”

“You kept pushing me away! First I tried to ask you what was the matter and you’d always tell me that it was nothing. Not only that, but sometimes you’d shy away from me whenever I got too close and at the movie, you flat out pushed me away.” Wiping at your eyes, you do your best to hide the fact you were starting to tear up. “I was scared and kept thinking you were judging me for something and I didn’t know what it was or even if it was my fault.”

Fluttershy’s expression softens and her eyes shift down to her feet. “Oh... So, that’s why you read my diary?”

You let out a sigh and lean back in your bed. “I didn’t know it was your diary at first. I just pulled a book out of the library and started reading, but... I did figure it out when you mentioned Rainbow and the rest just sort of fell into place... I should have put it down there, I should've, but I didn’t. I just wanted to know what was wrong so maybe I could help or fix what I did wrong. It was stupid and you have every right to be mad at me...”

Fluttershy shakes her head. “You... You didn’t do anything wrong,” she says, biting her lip nervously. “I... I wanted to tell you everything, but I kept telling myself that I needed to wait for the right time. And when I saw you with my diary, I...”

The room goes deafeningly quiet, leaving you and Fluttershy shifting around nervously.

“If you want leave now, you can...” you finally say aloud. “I mean, I don’t think I have anything else I can say about... well, everything.”

“No... I’ll stay here,” she says, shaking her head. “I, umm... I actually have a question. How much of my diary did you actually read?”

“I got to the... The really stained page. Where you talked about what Midnight did. I got through half of it before you... well, you know...”

“So... You don’t know what happened afterwards,” Fluttershy says solemnly.

You shake your head. “No. What happened aft-”

You bring a hoof up to your mouth and stop yourself. “No, no... I have no right to ask you to tell me what happened,” you say, ashamed of yourself. “I’m sorry, just forget what I said...”

“Can I... Can I tell you a story?” Fluttershy asks suddenly as she drags her chair closer to the head of your bed. “It’s... It’s a long story.”

“Why?” you ask in confusion. “What’s even about?”

Fluttershy takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Because I think I should tell you now that you know at least half of it... It’s about... Summer Heart. And her first love, Sunny Skies. Sunny hurt Summer in a way that’s hurt her every day since it happened.”

You close your mouth and set your questions aside and just listen to what she has to say.

“Summer Heart met a stallion who made her feel... special. He treated her in ways she had never been treated before and made her feel truly loved, like she had found her soulmate. For a time, she was happy and they did everything together,” Fluttershy says, a small smile appearing on her face. “They went to the movies, had candlelit dinners and even went to the Hearts and Hooves Day dance together.”

Her smile slowly starts to fade and you watch her slowly tremble. “But Sunny wanted to... to take their relationship to the next level and become... physically intimate... But Summer wanted to wait and save herself, for when Sunny and her got married. But Sunny’s honeyed words swayed Summer and she caved for him... And that’s when Sunny’s true colors started to shine through. He... He...”

You reach out for her, wanting to comfort her, but stop yourself half way. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

Fluttershy shakes her head. “No, no... I want to, it’s just...” Taking a deep breath, she steadies herself and continues. “Sunny betrayed Summer and left her after... after everything was said and done. Summer was hurt and cried for a long time. She thought she’d never be happy again; that the world was over. But she had the help of a very good friend who helped her and things got better for a time... But Summer started to notice something about the ponies around her. They looked at her differently. They whispered behind her back and pointed, judging her and acting like they knew something she didn’t. And that’s when she figured out that Sunny betrayed her in more ways than one. He not only betrayed her love, but he betrayed her trust, too.”

The room goes quiet and you feel your stomach get tied in knots as it all makes perfect sense. You reach out and gingerly take her hoof in yours. “And then... And then Summer met another pony that made her feel special again and managed to betray her trust by digging into a past that would have been better left buried. He didn’t mean to hurt her and even if he had all the best intentions at heart, the damage was done.”

Fluttershy looks to you, blinking past the tears before nodding quickly. “Y...Yes. And all those feelings of hurt and betrayal are all she can think of when she sees this pony that she used to have feelings for.”

“Can I... This is...” Taking a deep breath, you do you best to find your words. “I know this being bold, but I want ask you for something. But you have every right to say no and walk out the door.”

“I suppose... What is it that you want?” she asks in an almost scripted manner, as if she knew what you were going to say next.

“I want... Another chance,” you say before biting your lip and shaking your head. “Another date. Just to prove that I still love you.”

Fluttershy goes quiet and sits there, shifting around in her seat. After a few agonizing minutes of silence, she gets to her hooves and makes her way to the door; taking your heart with her.

“The doctor said you’d be ready to be discharged tomorrow morning. I’ll stop by again around then and... we’ll see,” she says, stopping at the doorway. “I need to think about it.”

Your heart doesn’t exactly soar at that response, but it doesn’t break either. All you can do is nod dumbly as she makes her way into the hallway.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” you call out weakly. As soon as the door shuts behind her, you fall back into the bed and bring your hooves up to your face and let out a little whimper. “I don’t want to lose her, I don’t want to lose her,” you chant under your breath. “I need to make this right...”

Taking a deep breath, you start to make plans.

Okay, if she says no? I’ll have lost her and... and... And I don’t even want to think about it. But if she says yes? I make this right. I’m going to get a dozen roses, some of those expensive chocolates, two tickets for a movie, dinner reservations, jewelry maybe? I need to-

A knock at your door jars you from your thoughts and makes you jump slightly. “Umm... Nurse?”

No answer. “Doctor?”

The door slowly opens and in the doorway stands a rather angry looking blue pegasus. “You know, it kind of sucks that you’re already in a hospital,” Rainbow Dash says as she stomps over to you. “Because more than anything right now, I want be the one who puts you here.”

Ohhh boy.... This can’t be good

“Rainbow, I-”

“No, you shut up now,” she says, poking her hoof into your chest. “I’m the one talking right now. Fluttershy and I have known eachother since we were fillies and while I may not always act like her best friend, I’ve always been there for her. And I am not going to sit by while you make her relive all those bad memories of her scumbag boyfriend and-”

“Rainbow, we just talked, we-”

“I said-” Rainbow stops and blinks. “Wait, you talked to her? She was just here?”

“Yeah... You didn’t see her leave?”

“No, but then again, I did come in through the back...” she says, glancing towards the door. Letting out a long sigh, she grabs the chair Fluttershy was just sitting in and falls into it. “Okay, I’ve already blown up at one pony without knowing everything that was going on, so I’m going to shut up now and hear what you have to say. But you better make it good.”

Looking to you and impatiently tapping her hoof, you roll your shoulders. “She... She came to see how I was. She wanted to know if I was okay and then was going to leave. I stopped her and well... We talked.”

“About what?” Rainbow asks sharply.

“About the... the thing. With Midnight and-”

Holding up a hoof, Rainbow stops you. “You don’t have to say any more. And to be honest, I don’t even want to think about it,” she says, running a hoof through her mane. “What else happened?”

“Well... I asked her for another chance. To take her on a date and show her I still loved her.”

“Aaand what exactly did you have planned to do this?” Rainbow asks with a hint of skepticism in her voice.

“I was going to go all out. Roses, chocolates, a movie, dinner, the works,” you say with a little laugh. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to show her a wonderful time.”

Rainbow nods slowly and gives you a half smile. “Yeah, yeah... That’s great. If you want to show her how desperate you are.”

You blink in confusion. “What? What do you mean, desperate? I thought-”

“Wow, for being a guy who writes romance, you sure don’t understand mares,” she says with a scoff. “Not all mares like to be wooed by doing flashy stuff like that. I mean, Rarity does, but she’s a different case. But if I was in Fluttershy’s horseshoes and you pulled something like that? All I’d think is that you were trying to prove you loved me me with things, rather than like, actually showing it.”

“Then... Then what should I do? I mean, you know Fluttershy. I want to show her the time of her life, but apparently I don’t even know where to start.”

Rainbow Dash looks you up and down before folding her arms. “And just why should I help you? After everything that’s happened, why? Cause personally, I’d rather you just stay away.”

Grabbing at the bed, you haul yourself up and bring yourself face to face with her. “I need to make this right! I screwed up and I hurt her and I just want to make everything better. And I don’t care what I need to do, I’ll do it if it means I can say ‘I love you’ and hear her say it back.”

Blinking past tears and tensing yourself up, you muscle through it all and continue to stare Rainbow down until she lets out a sigh. “Lay back down before you pop a blood vessel,” she says as she gets to her hooves. “Against my better judgement, I’ll let you in on a few secrets... After that, what you do is all on you. One, Fluttershy hates to eat out at restaurants with a ton of ponies. She’s happier dining in. Two, she likes karaoke.”

You blink a few times in confusion as you hear that second part. “I’m sorry? I’m not doubting you, it’s just...”

“Yeah...” she says with a small nod. “She doesn’t look like the pony who like singing in front of a crowd... And you’re right. While she likes to sing, she likes to hear others sing even more. There are a few karaoke bars around Ponyville, so take your pick.”

Stopping at the door, Rainbow looks back to you, a glint of hostility in her eye. “DON’T screw this up,” she practically barks. “If you do, I’ll never forgive you for hurting her not once, but twice.”

You nod quickly. “I won’t. I promise.”

“I’m going to hold you to that,” she says before closing the door behind her, leaving you alone again.

Taking a deep breath, you focus and think, tossing away plans of moonlight serenades and mull over Rainbow’s advice.

No candlelit dinners at some fancy restaurant... But still, a dinner would work...

A smile creeps across your face as it finally hits you.

I’m not the best cook, but I can at least try to make something for her... But what about the karaoke thing? I don’t know a single bar in Ponyville... I need a phone...

Looking around your bed, you manage to find the remote that was supposed to call the nurse and hammered on the button until she walked in.

“Is there something wrong?” she asks, sounding slightly concerned.

“No, umm... Miss... Miss...”

“Redheart,” she says flatly. “Now what do you need?”

“Miss Redheart. Is there anyway you can get me a few things? Like a phone book? And a phone?”

Nurse Redheart taps her hoof and gives you a look. “You know, you aren’t supposed to do anything mentally straining for a while... I don’t know if-”

“Please, this is important. I’m not doing algebra here, I just want to talk to a few ponies. And if I seriously get another headache or feel dizzy or whatever, I’ll stop and let either you or the doctor know. Now, please. Can I get a phone book and a phone?”

“I’ll... I’ll see what I can do,” she says with a heavy sigh. “Good to see you’re feeling better already.”

You manage a small smile “Thank you.”

You watch Nurse Redheart trot out of your room and hear her disappear down the hallway, leaving you to nervously tap your hoof against the side of your bed.

You can do this, you can do this. You’re doing it for her. Just remember that and there’s no way you can screw this up.

As much as you wanted to believe yourself, you couldn’t stop your nervous jitters.

I need a smoke...

*********************************************

“Okay, yeah... That works. Thanks for talking to me like this, I’m sorry I can’t be in person for this, I’m kind of tied up at the moment.”

“Oh sure, it’s no problem!” the mare says over the phone. “But yeah, while we have an open bar, we can reserve a table for you, plus one pony. How does 7 PM tomorrow sound? That’s our first opening.”

“Ohh that is beautiful,” you say, smiling like an idiot. “Umm, I saw an ad here in the phonebook about your specialty nights... What are you doing tomorrow?”

“Hold on, lemme check... Uhh... Tomorrow’s saturday, so we’re doing Hot Cider Saturdays and our musical selection will feature artists just starting out or those not widely known. A lot of our patrons like it because they tend to leave with a new musician or band that they like.”

“That sounds great! I’ll take that reservation, if that’s well and good.”

“Sure thing. Is there anything else I can do for you or is that everything?”

“No, that’ll be it. Thanks again, miss.”

“Anytime! Thanks for calling 15 Minutes and I hope you enjoy yourself tomorrow.”

“Oh, I think we will.”

Setting the phone down on the receiver, you let out a long sigh and lay back in your bed. “Oh, I hope we will...” you say before letting out a long yawn. Glancing at the clock, you grab your covers and curl up. “I need to get some rest,” you mumble into your pillow.

Closing your eyes, you try your best to let sleep take you, but your mind was rushing a mile a minute.

Tomorrow... That’s when it’s all supposed to happen...

Gripping at the sheets, you do your best to calm yourself as you start imagining everything that could happen tomorrow.

I have never been more terrified or anxious for a sunrise in my whole life...

Rolling onto your stomach, you shut your eyes tight and bury your face in the pillow. “Don’t overthink it, don’t stress about it... just... get some sleep...” you mutter under your breath. “Sleep...”

Chanting this mantra, your stressed mind eventually melts and everything starts to slow until you finally feel yourself drift off to some much needed rest.

Chapter 5

Your eyes slowly open and you stare at the nearby wall for a few moments, the lights in your head slowly flickering on as things became less hazy and you remember just why you’re here. Rolling to the side of your hospital bed and dangling your hooves over the side, you stand up, uneasily at first.

“Still doesn’t feel like a bed of roses... But at least I can stand,” you say with a laugh as you wander over to the bathroom. Stopping at the mirror, you stare into it and let out a heavy sigh as your reflection stares back. “I look like a mess...”

Flipping on the cold water, you gather up a little in your hooves and splash it into your face with a heavy sigh. “She’ll be here... She said she would...”

As if right on cue, a knock at the door echoes through your hospital room. “Come in!” you call out as you step out of the bathroom. Your smile starts to disappear as only Nurse Redheart is the only pony to step through the door.

“You’re looking well,” she says as she walks up to you, giving you a quick once over.

You force yourself to smile and let Nurse Redheart shine her penlight into your eyes without flinching. “I feel good, too.”

Redheart looks into your eyes for a few moments before nodding and walking over to your bed and grabbing your chart. “Pupil response is good... Last time I checked, your blood pressure was normal. Is there anything that feels... well... off? Are you seeing any flashes of light or becoming dizzy for no apparent reason?”

“No, not at all,” you say with a shrug and a laugh. “I mean, my head still aches but it’s not that much of a problem.”

“Alright, but just to be sure I’ll write you a prescription for the pain... A little Hydrocap should help if the headaches flare up again,” Redheart says as she writes something in your chart. “But for now, you can head out. Fluttershy is in the main lobby waiting for you.”

Your ears perk and you manage an excited laugh. “Alright then. Thanks again nurse. And tell the doctor I said thank you for everything.”

Nurse Redheart gives you a nod and holds out a slip of paper. “I will. Now you take care and come back if anything’s wrong.”

“I will!”

You head out the door and trot down the hallway, walking into the main lobby. Your smile slowly disappears as you make it out to the middle of the room and feel Fluttershy’s gaze settle on you, her eyes seeming to gaze right through you, despite the reassuring smile she gave you. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you walk up to her and let out a nervous little laugh.

“I... I didn’t keep you waiting too long, did I?” you ask as she gets to her hooves.

Fluttershy shakes her head and grabs a saddlebag that sat in the chair next to her. “Not at all... I came by just a few minutes ago. Feeling better now, I take it?”

You nod quickly and walk up to her, reaching out to grab her bag for her but stopping short when she slips it on.

“Okay then... Now, I need to go to the market. It’s grocery day. So I’ll see you at my house and we can talk more.”

You trot up to her side and follow Fluttershy out the door and into the streets. “Well, why don’t I go with you? So I can help or-”

“No,” Fluttershy says flatly. “I’d rather go by myself, if you don’t mind. I’ll see you at my house and then we’ll talk more.”

You open your mouth in protest, but you stop short when she starts walking away. “O... Okay. I’ll see you there,” you say, forcing yourself to sound happy. “Take care, okay?”

Fluttershy doesn’t answer and instead continues walking away.

You watch her until she disappears out of sight and turn around, walking towards Fluttershy’s house. Along the way, the gears in your head spin away as you make your plans.

Lunch. I’ll cook her something for lunch.

Smiling a bit, you pick up the pace and trot quickly down the road and towards the outskirts of Ponyville. Seeing her cottage in the distance, you start to jog and stop at the doorstep, breathing heavily. Grabbing the doorknob, you turn it only to find it locked.

“What...”

You see the window curtain next to you move. “Hello? Anyone in there?” you ask as you look into the curtain. “The door’s locked...”

The curtain’s thrown back and the white rabbit stands there on the windowsill, a look of anger on his face as he crossed his paws.

“You locked the door?” you ask in surprise.

He nods slowly and just continues to stare daggers at you.

Visions of the night before and the bunny’s attempt to stop you come flooding back and make you let out a heavy sigh. “Ohhh... You’re... You’re probably mad at me, aren’t you?”

Another nod speaks volumes before he grabs the curtain and throws it shut.

“Hey, wait! Come back here! Ohh come on... What was his name? I heard Fluttershy say it before... Alfred... Anthony... Wait, Angel! Angel!” you call out, tapping against the glass. “Come on, please! Open the door!”

There’s no sound, there’s no movement at the curtain again, leaving you to stand there tapping on the glass.

“Listen, I know now I should have listened to you... And I know I screwed up. I’m sorry, I really am. Just... listen to me, okay?”

Running a hoof across your brow, you take a deep breath and lean against the side of the house. I can’t believe I’m talking to a rabbit...

The curtain slowly opens up and Angel stands on the windowsill again, looking to you patiently as he tapped his foot.

“Okay, I’ll talk quick... I screwed up. I invaded somepony’s privacy and I made an innocent mare cry. I deserve everything that comes my way, but I want to make it better.”

Angel cocks an eyebrow at you.

“I do, honestly. I talked to Fluttershy last night and well... She’s giving me a second chance and I want to show her how sorry I am and how much she means to me. But I need your help.”

Angel’s face contorts into a look of confusion and he just simply looks to you, like he doesn’t understand what you mean.

“You wouldn’t think I was worth her time if you showed me her personal study. And honestly? I’d rather have your acceptance than try to fight you over this... And probably fail,” you add with a weak smile.

You watch the little rabbit roll his eyes before letting out a heavy sigh and jumping off the windowsill, leaving you to stand there alone.

“Well, this is going great so far...” you say dejectedly, hanging your head down before plopping yourself down on the ground.

The sound of a deadbolt turning gets your attention and you watch the door open slowly. Angel stands there on a stepstool and waves a paw, inviting you in.

A small smile creeps across your face as you pull yourself up and walk through the door. “Thanks for, well, believing in me. I promise, all I want to do is make her happy.”

Angel closes the door and nods to the stack of boxes at the back of the room, your typewriter sitting on top of it. He then makes a motion, acting as if he was typing before giving you a quizzical look.

“You mean my writing?” you ask with an equally puzzled look.

He gives you another nod and climbs up on the couch.

“I haven’t done any writing in the last... well, week...” you say with a little laugh. “And you know what? I don’t rightly care about it right now. There are more important things in my life right now.”

Angel stares at you intently before climbing up on the back of the couch so he was eye level with you. He continues to stare until he finally holds out a paw, offering it to you. Reaching up gingerly, you take it and he shakes.

“You won’t regret this,” you say with wide smile. “Now, I could use some help. I want to cook something up for lunch before Fluttershy gets home. What’s she like? She got a favorite dish?”

Angel folds his paws and looks up to the ceiling before smiling and beckoning you into the kitchen.

Walking in and following him, you frown slightly as you looked at the sink, half full of dirty plate, bowls, and silverware. That’s a little out of character for her... you think as you walk over to them, idly playing with them. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Angel grab a cookbook and start flipping through it.

“She like something in there?” you ask as you walk over to the sink and start running the hot water.

Angel gives you a nod and holds up a paw before going back to flipping through it. “Lemme know when you got it. I’m going to take care of the dishes so she doesn’t have to come back to them.”

No sooner than you put your hooves in the water, Angel walks along the counter and holds up the cookbook and points repeatedly at one of the recipes.

“Chickpea burger with hayfries? Hm, alright...” You look over the recipes as you clean a half-full, melted ice cream bowl and look over the recipe list. “Does she have everything to make it?”

Angel furrows his brow and thinks for a moment before shrugging.

“Can you check for me? I’d do it myself, but I’ve got my hooves full right now with this,” you say as you put aside another clean dish.

No sooner did you ask, the little rabbit bound off and started raiding the pantry, pulling out what looked like a number of the ingredients that the recipe called for. Trying to finish the dishes off as quickly as you can, you laugh a bit as you watch Angel start to pile the ingredients up. “I don’t know how I can repay you for this, little guy.”

With barely a wasted moment, Angel runs over to you again and holds up the cookbook to a new page. Glancing at it, you look to him with a chuckle. “What? You mean... You want that?” Angel nods again, more quickly this time and taps the page incessantly. Reading over the dish he wanted, you roll your shoulders and sigh. “Alright, I’ll give it a shot... But just so you know, I’m not a perfect cook.”

Setting aside the last clean dish and draining the sink, you walk over to the kitchen table and start pawing through the bag of chickpeas, the assorted seed, spices, and veggies. “She sure has a lot of stuff, considering it’s grocery day...” you mumble disheartenedly. Taking a deep breath and pushing aside that particular thought, you take the cookbook from Angel and turn it back to the chickpea burgers. “Well...This looks easy enough. Thanks for everything, little guy but I think I’ve got it covered from here. If I need a fire extinguisher though, I’m sure you’ll be there to help.”

Looking up from the book, you see Angel standing there with a fire extinguisher that was just an inch taller than him. He smiles and nods, but you simply stand there dumbfounded.

“You know, I was kidding about the fire extinguisher thing, but...Yeah. Good to know you got one of those.” Walking over to one the cupboards and grabbing a bowl, you set to work and start to follow the recipe.

“Okay, step 1: prepare chickpeas...”

**********************************

“I can’t believe it...” you ask in complete disbelief. “How has nothing gone wrong yet?”

The burgers were cooking away in the skillet, the fries were baking, and you even had enough time to set aside a pitcher of ice tea.

“Like, seriously... This is creepy. I keep expecting like, I don’t know, the oven to explode or for the food to spontaneously combust.”

You tense up a little bit as you hear the door open and wait a second.

“Ohhh wow... That smells good.”

Poking your head out of the kitchen, you give Fluttershy a wide smile. “Hope you haven’t eaten yet! Otherwise this is just gonna become leftovers.”

“Oh no, I haven’t eaten, I-” Fluttershy stumbles a bit and lets out a nervous laugh as she tries to adjust her saddlebag. “Umm, sorry... It’s just a little heavy and-”

“Here, lemme give you hoof.” Walking out of the kitchen, you offer her a hoof and help Fluttershy get the saddlebag off. “I take it the shopping went well?”

Part of you wants to open the saddlebag while your hooves were still on it, but you stop and take a step back.

Opening the bag, Fluttershy pulls out two ripe cabbages and sets them down on the kitchen table. “Oh yes, actually. There was a great deal on cabbage was going to make a salad for lunch, but I... Is something burning?”

The hairs along the back of your neck stand on end and you take off towards the kitchen. “Oh come on, come on... Don’t do this to me.”

Flipping the burgers quickly, you let out a sigh of relief and turn off the burner before setting the pan aside. “Just a tad browner than I’d like... But they’re fine,” you say as you hold up the frying pan for Fluttershy.

“Chickpea burgers?” Fluttershy asks, a look of confusion painting her face. “Those are my favorite... How did you know?”

“I, well...” You glance towards Angel, who was giving you a motion with his paws that you could only guess meant ‘go on’. Looking back to Fluttershy, you smile and shrug. “I asked,” you said with a little laugh. “Hope you don’t mind, I just-”

“No!” Fluttershy cries out, only to start to blush and shuffle on the spot. “I mean... No... I don’t. Not one bit.”

Grabbing a nearby plate, you push the chickpea burgers off the pan and set them down on the table. “Okay. So, um... You said we’d talk when you got back?” you try ask nonchalantly as you grabbed a couple pieces of bread. “What did you want to talk about?”

Fluttershy glances down at her food and lets out a long sigh. “About? Well... About us, really. And the other things. And of course the date.”

Sitting down across from her, you roll your shoulders before pouring yourself and her a glass of ice tea. “Okay then. Where do you want to begin?”

“Well, I was thinking we start with the big thing.” Fluttershy says as she runs a hoof around the rim of her glass. “Us.”

You take a quick swig of your tea before letting out deep breath. “Okay. How do you feel about me right now?”

Fluttershy stops playing with her glass and puts her hooves under the table. “Well, I feel like you’re going to a lot of trouble... And I think... Well, I wanna know something first. You said you ‘asked’ what my favorite food was. Who did you ask?”

You let out a bashful laugh and nod towards the white rabbit that was leaning in from the living room. “I asked him.”

Her eyes meet with Angel and for a moment, she looks to him, confused. He stares back just as well and finally Fluttershy let out a giggle. “It’s okay...” you hear her say under her breath. Turning back to you she lets out a tired sigh. “Okay then... Next, I’d like to know: where did you plan to go on this date?”

“Well...” you start with small smile. “A little birdy told me that there’s this great karaoke bar called 15 Minutes and I made a reservation for two.”

Fluttershy’s eyes light up for a second and she starts to smile, but she quickly settles down. “And just how did you know that I like karaoke? Or that 15 Minutes is one of my favorites?”

You let out a laugh and take another sip of tea. “I’m going to be honest. Again, I asked. About the karaoke thing, I mean. I had no idea that 15 Minutes was one of your favorites, so chalk that one up to dumb luck.”

A warm smile starts to grow on the mare’s face and she reaches out, taking your hoof in hers. “You know... Any other stallion would have waited until the last minute to admit that he asked the mare’s friends what she liked so he could seem like he knew her better than she knew herself. Or at least that’s what every romance novel I’ve read seems to do. I’m going to be honest myself now and say I talked with Rainbow Dash already. I knew she talked to you and I was half expecting for you to, well...”

“To what? Lie?” you ask flatly before taking a bit of the burger.

Fluttershy opens her mouth and stops short before just nodding. “Yes...” she says above a whisper.

“Well, I’m going to admit that it crossed my mind to say that I came up with it on my own to look good. But that wouldn’t be the right thing to do.” Getting up and walking over to the oven, you turn it off and open the oven door. “And besides, we’re not living in a romance novel. If I pulled something like that, you wouldn’t be wrong to slap me.”

“Oh no, I could never do that!” Fluttershy gasps out. “I mean I’d be mad, but I could never...”

Pulling the pan of hayfries out, you set them down on the back burner and grab a spatula. “I know you wouldn’t. Still doesn’t mean I wouldn’t deserve it.” You let out another sigh and feel your shoulders drop a bit.

“Umm... Is something wrong?”

Leaning forward in your chair, you run your hoofs down your face and shake your head. “No... It’s nothing.”

Fluttershy stares at you in silence, but her expression says everything. “Umm, you know... A lot of our problems seem to come from ‘nothing’.”

“Well... You got a point there,” you say with a heavy sigh. “Well... It’s just hard to explain. But in so many words, I feel like... Like with everything that’s happened, I’ve gotten off too easy.”

“I... I don’t understand,” Fluttershy says with a puzzled look. “How could you think you got off ‘too easy’?”

You stare at the table for a moment, looking for the right words. “Well... It’s like... like... It’s like when I was a kid and kept trying to break into the cookie jar. My mom told me not to and said I’d be in deep trouble if I did. I did it anyway and I felt horrible afterwards. So I came to her and told her what I did and she wasn’t even remotely mad. She just said that she understood and said she forgave me. For like a week afterwards, I kept expecting her to blow up at me.”

“...And you think I’m going to, um... Blow up?” Fluttershy asks uneasily.

Letting out a heavy sigh, you slump down in your chair slightly and look down at your hooves. “No, it’s just... I feel like I deserve some sort of punishment.”

The room goes quiet and you half expect Fluttershy to say something. You glance up to her, not knowing what to expect. What you don’t expect is to see her staring off into the distance, her eyes glazed over slightly and a blush creeping up her face.

“Umm... Are you okay?”

Snapped from her daze, Fluttershy starts to blush even more and shift uneasily in her seat. “I-I’m fine...” she stammers out.

“What... What were you thinking about?” you ask as you lean forward.

“Noth-” Stopping herself short, Fluttershy looks to you and takes a deep breath and tries her best to look your way.

“I-In so many words? Well, umm...” She keeps her eyes to the ground and shuffles nervously in her seat. “R-Remember The Kama Sweetie?” By now, Fluttershy’s face was bright red and she couldn’t stop herself from stuttering and fidgeting. “L-Later on in the story... When B-Bubble Berry was getting really naughty with-”

“Oh yeah,” you say with a little laugh as her story of the candy maker came flooding back. “That was really something, especially with the licorice whip and how Bubble Berry kept going on how he was going to ‘punish h-”

The wheels in your head start to turn and you find it’s your turn to start turning bright red as it all started to click. “You were thinking about... With the punishment and... You thought-”

Fluttershy buries her face in her hooves and lets out a high pitched squeak. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened... You just said punishment and that’s the first thing I thought of and and... I have such a dirty mind. I’m horrible, I-”

“Hey, hey... It’s okay,” you say with a nervous laugh. “Nothing wrong with having an overactive imagination, is there?”

“Well... No, not really...” Fluttershy says bashfully.

You let out an awkward laugh and try to give a Fluttershy a smile through deep blush you had. “A-And who am I to argue if you think that’s the kind of punishment I deserve?”

Squirming again her seat, you hear Fluttershy mumble under her breath. “I-I don’t think I’d make a good dom... maybe a sub...”

The words echo in your head and you simply stare at her for a few moments. “W-What?” you finally stammer out, your face going bright red. “I-I was kinda trying to make a joke.”

“Oh...” Fluttershy says with a blank look. “Ha ha?”

At first, you don’t know what to say or do, but Fluttershy’s fake laugh sets something off in you and before you know it, you’re laughing. It starts out as a chuckle, but it soon descends into a full blown laughing fit. And it doesn’t take long for Fluttershy to join in on the laughter as it spreads to her.

“Why... Why are we laughing?” you manage to wheeze out as the laughing fit slowly subsides.

Fluttershy shakes her head and wipes away a stray tear. “I... I don’t know...” she gasps out. “But it was nice.”

Glancing over at the clock, you let out a little sigh and get to your hooves. “I need to take a shower,” you muse aloud. “I haven’t had a chance to since... since the hospital.”

“Okay. I’m going to go check on some of the animals...” she says as she gets up as well. “When did you want to, um, go out?”

“I made a reservation for the evening, so we still got a lot of time.”

Fluttershy gives you a smile just as you start to walk down the hall. “Wait,” she calls out, making you stop mid stride.

Turning around, you look to her with a twinge of fear, making your stomach start to do flip flops.

“The fact that you... you think you deserve punishment is proof to me that you feel bad for what you did. So you don’t need to keep doing... that. Beating yourself up, I mean.”

You let out a little laugh and manage a smile. “So... Does that mean that things are... are well, good? Between us?”

Fluttershy’s smile falters slightly and she lets out a breath. “It means they’re getting there. Now go take your shower. I’ll clean up the kitchen.”

Turning back around and doing as she says, you make your way for the bathroom and feel yourself grow distant as you clamber into the bathtub and pull the curtain aside. They’re getting there... They’re getting there. It means things are getting better.

Turning the hot water on and turning your face up to it, you let out a sigh of relief as the water falls across you. Why does that not make me feel any better?

Steam soon fills the room and just for a split second, all your troubles and worries melt away, leaving just you and the water.

Things are getting better. And at least that means they’re not getting any worse. Just remember that.

********************************************************

Stepping out of the bathroom with a cloud of steam at your back, you can’t help but hum happily under your breath while you towel dry your mane. “Okay, now I feel better.”

Making your way down the hallway again, you walk up to your door and grab the doorknob, only to find it locked. “Fluttershy? Did you lock m-” you stop yourself short as last night dawns on you again. Walking out to the living room where all the boxes were, you start going through one after another.

“Did I lock what?” Fluttershy asks as she walks in from the kitchen.

“My... My old room. I tried to open the door, but it was locked and then I remembered you cleaned it out. I’m just looking for my comb and some of my clothes.” Looking over the boxes, you let out a little sigh and give her a strained smile. “Didn’t waste any time getting it all packed up, huh?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Fluttershy asks, her face scrunching up a bit. “I just...”

“Just what?”

“I was angry that night. I think I had a right to be after what happened and I just... I just didn’t want to look at it.” Walking off with a little huff, Fluttershy hangs in the doorway for a moment. “I’m going over to see somepony. I’ll be back in a bit.”

“I-Umm... O-Okay. Bye.”

You were only to get out so many words before Fluttershy was out the door, leaving you to stand in the middle of the room. “Things are getting better...” you say aloud, trying to convince yourself. But from one of the corners of your mind, a little voice rings out.

Yeah right.

Making your way to your room again and grab the doorknob. “Wait, crap... It’s still lo-”

The door opens slowly in your grasp, leaving you to stand there in the doorway. “Huh... I guess she unlocked it.”

Walking to your former room, you can’t help but feel a little depressed with how empty it looked. There was nothing in the room, save for the bed, the table, and what looked like one of your notebooks. “Guess Fluttershy missed one...”

It doesn’t take long for you to wander over to your bed and lay down. Staring up at the ceiling and putting your forehooves behind your head, you let your eyes glaze over and let your mind wander.

I wonder if Fluttershy is mad again... She definitely left that way...

Closing your eyes and trying calm yourself, you let yourself relax and sink into the bed. Letting out a little yawn, you rub at your eyes and roll onto your side. “Just a quick little nap...” you think as make yourself comfortable. “Just five minutes...”

*********************************************************

You know... I was stuck for quite a while. I didn’t think I’d ever get over that writer’s block. But then you showed up and showed me exactly where I messed up. And from there, it’s all just fallen into place. Soooo... Consider this a little thank you. I’m going to give you the happy ending you deserve instead of the sad one I had planned. Now wakey wakey.

It’s show time!

*********************************************************

Your breath catches in your throat as you catapult yourself off the bed. Looking around, your heart hammers in your chest and it only starts to calm down once you realize just where you were.

Whoa... What the hell? What made me jump like that, what-

“Oh! You’re already up,” Fluttershy says, poking her head through the door. “I got back a little while ago and I found you sleeping.”

Looking over to the doorway, you let out a litt;e laugh as you straighten yourself out. “Y...Yeah. I nodded off.”

“I was going to let you sleep, but I heard you talking. I hope you don’t mind I let myself in.”

“No, I-” you stop and give her a funny look. “I was talking? Huh...”

“Yeah... And um, I don’t mean to change the subject but it is later. Do you still want to, um... Go out?”

You smile and make your way for the door. “Of course. That is... If you still want to go.”

Fluttershy smiles back and trots beside you all the way to the front door. “I do.”

Opening the door for her and following her out, you crack a little smile and close the door behind you with an added kick in your step. “Great.” Silence falls between you and Fluttershy as you walk down the road, leaving you feeling nervous. “I heard that 15 Minutes is doing this thing with all sorts of up and coming artists,” you blurt out to break the silence. “And hot cider.”

Fluttershy’s ears perk up at the word ‘cider’. “Ohhh, I love their hot cider... It’s lightly spiced and always leaves my tongue feeling funny. It’s nice.”

It starts to grow quiet again, leaving you to grab at anything to keep the conversation going.

“Any kind of songs you like that they play?”

“They’re all pretty nice,” she says with a little shrug. “Sometimes they get a little... mean. Like during Nightmare Night.”

“Ohh? What happened Nightmare Night?” you ask curiously.

“Well... I decided to spend most of my Nightmare Night at 15 Minutes instead of at home like I usually do. And they played all these nasty songs by these angry musicians like Cannibal Pony and another called Fear Factory... They were just so scary!” Fluttershy visibly shudders and looks to you. “I don’t see how anypony could enjoy something like that...”

Now wouldn’t be a good time to bring up my collection of Slayer albums... you think with a nervous laugh. “Yeah... No idea how... But anyway, they didn’t say anything about having those kind of songs, so you shouldn’t worry.”

For a third time, things go quiet as you and Fluttershy walk to 15 Minutes. Things are going great... you think sarcastically. No doubt she already knows I like that kind of ‘scary’ stuff... She’s probably judging me right now... Glancing over to her, you let out a little breath and bite your tongue. Better keep my mouth shut until we actually get there... I don’t-

“What kind of music do you like?” Fluttershy asks abruptly, jolting you from your thoughts.

“W-Well, umm...” You stumble over your words and give her a nervous smile. “Anything, really. I’ve listened to all sorts of stuff while I’m writing. I find playing music in the background really helps the process.”

“Oh! Speaking of which, how has your writing been g-”

You watch Fluttershy’s expression soften into that of disappointment before she hangs her head slightly. “Oh... N-Nevermind... I guess with everything that’s been going on, you haven’t been doing a lot of writing lately, huh?”

Your mouth hangs open slightly as you tried your best not to say anything, but you find yourself mumbling. “N-No... Not really...”

Fluttershy’s face says it all as she glances down at the ground. “I see...”

Way to go... Now I can either keep my mouth shut before I make things worse or-

“But really, I’ve been needing a little vacation as of lately,” you say with a little chuckle. “There’s been a lot going in my life, yeah. But I’ve just needed to... take stock, if you will.”

“Take stock of what?” Fluttershy asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Well... the important things, really. Like... What makes me really happy. And those around me,” you say with a shrug. “You know, the important things. The things like here and now. Because to me, today is a day that deserves to be spent with... with ponies I really like.”

A small blush creeps across Fluttershy’s face. I’m on the right track, you think with a smile.

“I haven’t been doing a lot of writing, so what? I can pick up my typewriter and pound out a few pages anytime I want. Not everyday do I get to make a special mare in my life happy.”

For a final time, things go quiet. Fluttershy glances to you, but each time she does, she blushes and smiles a bit more.

Now this feels better...

*********************************************************

“Such a gentlecolt,” she says, nodding slightly as she takes her seat. “So, I take it’s your first time coming here?”

“Yeah, actually. I only found out about the place in a phone book,” you say with a nervous chuckle. “In fact, this is probably my first time at a karaoke bar.”

A waitress trots up to your table and smiles at both you and Fluttershy before placing two drink menus in front of you. “Hi, my name is Buttercup and I’ll be your server tonight. What can I start you out with?”

“Uhh, can I get some of that cider?” you ask, only glancing at the menu.

Fluttershy gives the menu back to Buttercup with a little smile. “Me too, please.”

Without another word, Buttercup grabs the menus and disappears as quickly as she came without a word.

“You said you’d never been to a karaoke bar before... How come?” Fluttershy asks. “I mean, I know it’s not everypony’s cup of tea, but I think it’s nice.”

“Well, I’m not really big on the social stuff... I’d either be in my room writing or going to signing events. And come to think of it, I don’t think it’s ever crossed my mind to come to a place like this.”

“Do you like it?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty good...” you say, watching the pony on the center stage looking over some papers with a headset on. “What’s he doing?”

Fluttershy’s looks to the pony and smiles. “He’s getting ready to sing. They let you hear the song first and look over the lyrics before you step up to the microphone and sing for real.”

Just like she said, the white pegasus takes the headset off and walks up to the mic and clears his throat. The whole room goes quiet and a discordant guitar riff fills the room before the stallion cracks a smile.

“HEY!
My little baby brother used to play down on the floor!
But now he’s not satisfied to do it any more!
He’s got a funny habit and I don’t know why...
He walks around the ceiling, now he’s stepping on the flies!
Baby brother... Baby brother!
Well he learned to crawl on kitchen wall, baby brother!”

Fluttershy breaks into a fit of giggles at the lyrics and you’re not too far behind her as the stallion really gets into the song.

“Well, just the other day, well-a bless-a my soul,
I found him swimming round in the goldfish bowl!
Since nobody told him that he hadn't oughta...
He swam around for hours with his head underwater!
Baby brother, baby brother,
Well, you may swim all you wish but don't eat the fish,
Baby brother!”

“Ohhh my gosh,” you say with a labored breath. “This is too good.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard this song before... I like it.” Fluttershy’s looks up to the stage with a dreamy look on her face. “He must really be having a lot of fun...”

Looking over to her, a little smile cracks across your face. “Have you ever gotten up there yourself?”

Fluttershy’s eyes go wide and she shakes her quickly. “Oh no, no, no! I could never...”

“Why? You don’t like singing?”

“Well, no...” she says bashfully. “I like to sing. A lot.”

“Well then, what’s the problem?” you ask with a shrug. “Don’t you want to?”

“I... I do,” she says, blushing even deeper. “But-”

Before she can go any further, Buttercup comes back carrying a tray on her back with two glasses. “Here’s your cider! If you want a refill, all you need to do is ask.”

You reach out and stop her. “What a second... I’m a little new here and I’m just curious. How does somepony go about going up on stage? Is there a line or...?”

“Oh! Well, it’s more of a first come, first serve... If the stage is empty, you can step on up and somepony will be right around and we go from there. Is there anything else you wanna know?” she asks with a polite smile.

“No,” you say shaking your head. “You’ve been great, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now you two have a nice time!”

Turning to Fluttershy, you find her gaze making you uncomfortable. “W-What?” you ask nervously.

“Don’t try and force me up there,” she says, a hint of anger in her voice. “I-”

“Whoa, hold up... I wasn’t asking so I could get you up there,” you say with a nervous little laugh. “You know, I just figured...”

“Figured what?” she asks curiously before taking a sip of her cider.

“I figured that at least one of us should sing tonight if we were going to a karaoke bar... And since you don’t want to, I guess I can.”

Fluttershy blinks a few times in surprise. “Y-You don’t have to do that, you know...” she says with a bashful laugh. “Not if you don’t want to.”

“Oh but I want to now.” Glancing up at the stage, you look back to her with a smile. “I’m pretty good at singing myself... So yeah, I’m gonna do it.”

Fluttershy starts to blush deeply as you get out of your seat. “O-Okay... if you want to, I guess...”

“Well... Here I go...”

Your throat goes a little dry as you walk towards the stage, prompting you to look over your shoulder and back at Fluttershy, who looked just as nervous as you felt. It’s fine, it’s fine... you think over and over again as you step into the spotlight and feel everypony’s gaze settle on you. It’s just like a book reading... Just get it done and over with...

“So tell me, what kind of song did you feel like doing?” a voice from behind asks.

Turning around quickly and coming face to face with a green stallion, you let out a nervous laugh and shrug. “Uhm... Well... I don’t know, really. This is my first time doing something like this.”

“Well then, just... pick something,” the stallion says with a shrug. “If you don’t know, then just pick something familiar.”

Looking towards the boxes full of records, you let out a heavy sigh and roll your shoulders. “I don’t know... I’m sorry for being on the fence it’s just... I really don’t know what to sing.”

The unicorn’s face contorts for a moment before he cracks a toothy grin and laughs aloud. “Well then... How about we let the dice decide?” Reaching into a nearby, he pulls out couple of multi-sided dice and holds them up. “Can’t really complain about the choice if it’s completely random, right?” With a flick of his wrist, the dice hit the ground and roll before stopping, one reading ‘90’ and another reading ‘4’. “94, eh?”

Going through one of the boxes of vinyl records, he pulls out one of the records. “Hmmm... Steam Powered Giraffe, eh?” Grabbing another die, this time one that looked like it had at least 20 sides, he tosses it onto the floor. “Hmm... Track number 3. ‘Me and My Baby’.”

She better not think I planned this or something... you think with a heavy sigh.

“Alrighty then... Here,” he says, handing you a set of headphones. “Take a listen and get yourself familiarized. Lyrics are in the album.”

“Thanks,” you say before putting on the headset.

“Don’t take too long!” he calls out as he walks away. “It’s almost show time!”

You look to the stallion and feel a sense of deja vu wash over you, but it quickly disappears as the song you’re supposed to sing starts up and fills your ears.

“Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing...”

Huh... I think I can pull this off... you think, a small smile appearing on your face. Not what I’m used to, but it’ll work.

After listening to the song all the way through and even once more for good measure, you slip the headphones off and feel everyone’s eyes burn into you as you step up to the microphone. Looking around through the crowd, you force yourself to smile and clear your throat.

Well... Here goes nothing...

Just as you open your mouth, another pony jogs up onto the stage, laughing under her breath as she does. “Whoa, whoa! Hold up there!” The blue mare takes a short breath and straightens herself out. “You forgot about the accompaniment!”

“The what?” you ask, more than confused. “I don’t-”

“Creeps told me what you were singing and you need another pony, okay? So just sing and I’ll take care of the rest.”

You open your mouth to protest, but the feeling of everypony’s eyes burning into you gives you the motivation to actually start. “Fine, fine...”

You take another deep breath and bring your lips up to the microphone. “One two three four...”

“Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing?
I ask myself that everyday.
That is until the weekend comes and the sun has gone away to sleep...
Then there's only one thing on my mind:”

“A good time...”

You try to keep singing along, but your eyes keep shifting to the mare out of the corner of your eyes, singing in and adding a little harmony to the song.

“That's right
Me and my baby love Saturday nights, Saturday nights...”

“Saturday...”
“Yeah, me and my baby love Saturday nights, Saturday nights...”

“Saturday...”
“With the dancing and the singing,
like the weekdays never happened
I could be, I should be dancing right now 'cause...”

********************************************************

“Me & my baby love, love, Saturday...”

At first, everypony is quiet after you finish the song and for a split second, your stomach sinks into your hooves and you brace yourself for booing.

That is, until the clapping and cheering filled the room.

“Whoa... I didn’t think I did that good...” you mumble aloud, smiling from ear to ear.

“Don’t put yourself down,” the mare says with a giggle. “You’re like a total natural! Lemme know if you wanna sing anything else.”

“I... I will!” you call out weakly as you walk back to your table. Sitting down with a wide, stupid grin, you can’t help but laugh. “That was fun, I... W-What’s wrong?”

Fluttershy stares at you intently, her eyes looking right through you and leaving you squirming on the spot.

“Um... I, uh...” That was all you could get out before she cuts you off.

“Did you enjoy singing?” she ask idly.

“Y-Yes,” you stammer out. “It was... Fun. I honestly liked it.”

Oh goddess above... What did I do now? you think nervously as Fluttershy goes silent once more. Was it because of that one mare? I don’t even know her, I-

“I’d like... I’d like to sing now,” Fluttershy says with a stutter. “But I want to sing with you. Up there.”

You let out a nervous little laugh. “I, uh... Sure. That is, if you really want to.”

Getting to her hooves, Fluttershy holds out a hoof. “I do.”

Author's Note

I'd like to thank Fourpony for the editing. They've always pointed out the errors when I post stories, so I thought I'd cut out the middleman and let Fourpony take a look at it first. Thanks again!

Chapter 6

“So, umm, what made you change your mind?” you ask with a nervous smile as you ascend the stage once more, this time with Fluttershy at your side.

She looks over to you, blushing slightly. “W-Well... No reason, really...”

You and her stop behind another pony who was in line and you shoot her a glance. “But you were so... serious about not wanting to sing. Why—”

“I was jealous, okay?” Fluttershy squeaks aloud. “It looked like you were having so much fun and... I-I just changed my mind.”

You blink a few times and let out a little chuckle. “J-Jealous? Wow... This is a first. I don’t think anypony’s ever directed that kind of jealousy at me before.”

“Oh? Well, umm... Okay, then. I—”

“On second thought...” the stallion in front of you says, pivoting on his hooves. “I think I’m going to pass. You two have fun.”

He trots off nervously, leaving you and Fluttershy at the front of the line now.

“I, uh... I think it’s our turn,” you deadpan as you take a step forward. “Thought we’d have at least a few seconds, you know?”

“Yeah... I, um...” Fluttershy nods quickly, squirming slightly as she walks. “Ohh... I think I’m getting stage fright, now... I don’t know if—”

Before she can finish, the mare that had been your accompaniment last song bounds up with a big smile.

“Ooooh~ Another go, huh? Duet I take it?”

Fluttershy nods weakly. “Y-Yes!” she manages to squeak just above a whisper. “Yes.”

The mare nods with a smile on her face and leads you both up to the stage. “Since this is your first time, I think we should forego the lesser known stuff and go on to some classics... You both familiar with Sinatra, I hope?”

You offer her a shrug and a strangled laugh. “S-Sort of, yeah.”

“Yes.” Fluttershy simply says with a nod, looking like she was about to bolt for the exit at any second.

The mare spins around and starts digging through a number of records, humming under her breath as she does. “I got a lot of good songs by that guy, but I think this one~” she says in a sing song voice, pulling out a black vinyl record. “Is the best bet. Now, you two want to go up now or do you need a moment?”

“Yes,” Fluttershy says, nodding as she glances out to the crowd. Her eyes go wide slightly as what she just said hit her ears and she looks over to the mare. “Wait, I mean—”

“Great! Here are there lyrics if you need to look at them during the song. Lemme just get this thing started up.”

You run a hoof through your mane and let out a worried laugh as you step up to the microphone. “I’m... I’m sure we’ll be fine. I mean, really. What’s the worst that could happen?”

The sentiment only seems to make Fluttershy visibly shake as she looks over the lyrics. “Oh no... What am I singing? I—”

Before she can get out another word or you could answer, the music starts to pick up, leaving you and Fluttershy there on the spot. Looking over to her and then the lyric sheet, you take a deep breath and decide to take the lead

Here goes nothing, you think.

“I've got the world on a striiiiiing...”

Fluttershy looks over to you and hesitates for a moment; just before moving up closer to the microphone and closing her eyes.

“I'm siiitting oooon a rainbow.”

You don’t waste a second and keep the pattern up.

“Got the string around myyyyy fetlooooock...”

“What a world, what a life, I'm in looove~”

You look over to Fluttershy, no longer looking so nervous as she smiles from ear to ear.

“I've got a song that I siiiiing...”

“I can make the rain gooooo~”

“Anytime I move my fetlock...”

“Lucky me, can't you see, I'm in love”

“Life's a wonderful thing~”

“As long as, I hang on to the string~”

“I'd be a silly so and so~”

“If I should ever let it go~”

By now, you and Fluttershy were easily going back and forth and the smile on everypony’s face in the crowd was enough to give you a warm fuzzy feeling. But the thing that truly made you melt was the way that special yellow mare looked to you when it was your turn.”

“Got the world on a string!”

“Sittin' on a rainbow~”

“Got the string around my fetlock!”

“What a world! What a life! I'm in love~”

“Life's a wonderful thing~”

“Long as I hang on to the string~”

“I'd be a silly so and so!” “I’d be a silly so and so~”

You can’t help but laugh a bit, surprised by Fluttershy’s sudden harmony. Not wanting to be undone, you try your hoof at it as well.

“If I should ever let it go”

“Let go, let it go!”

“I've got the world on a string!”

“And I'm sitting on a rainbow!”

“Got that string around my fetlock~”

“What a world!” “What a world!”

“And what a wonderful thing!”

“When you got the world on a string!”

The music stops and it’s soon replaced by a raucous round of applause that almost leaves your ears ringing. Fluttershy visibly shrinks and her eyes go wide, but she’s also giggling and smiling.

Good sign, you think with a smile.

You trot up to her as she makes her way off the stage and give her a little surprise peck on the cheek that makes her squirm. “Good job! I think they really liked you.”

“That’s umm... An understatement,” Fluttershy says as she takes her seat. “They really, really liked us.”

Making your way over to the table, you gasp under your breath when Fluttershy does the same little thing, only so fast you’re left stunned.

Sitting down, you find yourself grinning from ear to ear and take a sip of your hot cider; only to feel a hoof tap on your shoulder. Turning around, you find a blue mare and a black stallion looking to you and Fluttershy with a smile.

“That was very impressive! I’ve never seen a harmony that good before,” the mare idly comments as she leans forward.

“Thanks,” you say with a nod before taking another drink of your cider.

“So, how long have you two been engaged?”

You almost choke on your cider as you hear the stallion’s question and take a deep breath before looking to Fluttershy, who was turning bright red and stammering aloud. “I, umm... I, we are... I mean we aren’t...”

“What we’re trying to say,” you breath out as you clean up your face. “Is that we’re not engaged.”

The mare cocks an eyebrow and lets out a strangled laugh. “You’re... Joking, right? With you two so in sync? You’re like... No way!” she says, shaking her head. “You’ve got to at least have
been together for a couple years. I know these things.”

You offer her a bashful shrug. “Not really, no...”

Fluttershy nods slowly and starts playing with her tail. “C...Come to think of it, we’ve only been together for about a week.”

The blank expression on the mare’s face lingers for a few seconds too long before you’re left awkwardly sitting there, waiting for her to stop.

“Well... Okay then,” you say, trying to turn away before the blue pegasus grabs your attention again.

“I’m still not convinced. Not when you’re that in tune. If you really don’t know anything about her and vice versa, then you—” she says, pointing a hoof at Fluttershy, who visibly recoils, “—wouldn’t know the first thing about this stallion.”

You blush deeply and run a hoof down your face, hoping to high heavens that this mare would just be quiet and go away. “Listen ma’am, I—”

“Oh I get it... You’re just a fake couple then?” she barks out, leaning forward a bit. “Going around to get mares like me jealous and—”

“He, umm... He likes it when a mare...” Fluttershy’s voice goes down to almost a whisper, turning bright red as the blue mare looks to her expectantly. “He likes it when somepony runs their hoof down his chest, circling and circling before stopping right before—”

Your jaw drops and you snap towards the mare before she could finish. “Fluttershy! Wh-Who told you that? Wh- It was the rabbit wasn’t it?”

Fluttershy shakes her head and draws her hind legs into her chest. “I just... Guessed. From your books, all the male leads melt in the mare’s hoof when they do that, so I just figured...”

She’s not wrong... but...

“W-Well, by that logic,” you say, a small yet coy smile creeping across your face as you lean forward to whisper. “Then you like it when a stallion bites your ear when he’s on top and—”

A hoof pushes over your mouth, leaving you mumbling as a bright red pegasus tried her best not to shake to pieces. “Don’t please I-” Fluttershy looks down at the hoof she had jammed over your mouth and recoils, only to apologize. “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry I just didn’t want you to talk about my turn ons and-”

Fluttershy’s hoof goes over her own mouth this time before she slumps forward and lets out a tired sigh. “Wonder what else you know about me that’s embarrassing...”

“W-Well... Not everything is embarrassing,” you say with a small, genuine smile. “Like, I know how you really like Esperian food.”

“Wait. You know that because...”

“Because you mentioned it in three different stories. Like the coltpania pizza thing?” you say with a little chuckle. “See? Not everything is embarrassing.”

Fluttershy manages a smile and shifts around in her seat. “My turn?” she asks, inching a little closer. “I guess you like food from New Colt City. Cause you talk about stuff from there all the time.”

Feeling a little coy, you crack a grin at her and lean in as well. “And you like it when a stallion cooks a good meal for you while wearing an apron and—”

Fluttershy tenses up slightly and gasps aloud. “An-and you like it when...” she squeaks out. “When a mare takes a few moments longer than needed to bend over and pick up—”

“A-And there’s nothing you love more than a kiss that means the world,” you choke out quickly. “Something that rocks the world of both ponies.”

Fluttershy stops mid sentence and looks to the ground. “Well, who wouldn’t? That’s not embarrassing...”

“Yeah. Who said it was? I... I thought it was beautiful. I love how your two leads usually end up in the throes of passion, kissing like their lives depended on it.”

“I just... I just can’t help it. It’s something two ponies should get to experience once in their life.”

Your mind races back to a couple nights ago and you feel yourself blush. “Sort of like that one kiss we shared?” you asked with a nervous laugh. “When were doing all that writing and you kissed me. I never really got to return the favor, but it was still—”

You find yourself a hair away from Fluttershy’s face, finally realizing that both of you had been inching forward with each word the entire time. Both yours and Fluttershy’s cheeks instantly become red. But Instead of recoiling though, you hear Fluttershy swallow a lump in her throat.

“Re....Return the favor?” she asks with a whisper. “Well, um... You’re more than welcome to.”

Wasting no time with that invitation, you quickly close the gap, and give her a quick kiss on the lips that leaves you and her giggling.

“S-Sorry...” she whispers out, moving and shifting restlessly in her seat. “But umm... C-Can we try that again? Cause well... I, uh... I didn’t feel the earth move like it should have. Can I... Show you what I mean?”

It’s your turn to swallow the lump and you nod quickly. “I don’t mind, so... Y-Yes please.”

She hesitates for a moment, meeting your lips tenderly and carefully before holding herself there. Taking this opportunity, you reach out and gingerly hold her as the two of you kiss with a little more passion. You close your eyes and let it just happen.

You feel Fluttershy’s hooves wander across your shoulders and hold you tight, bringing her into her embrace and letting you know she had no intention of letting you go.

As your tongue meets her’s in a cascade of ecstasy, an idea crosses your mind.

If Healing Blitz is anything to go off, she likes it when somepony does... this.

You start to run your hooves down Fluttershy’s sides, slowly at first. You feel her coat stand up on end and her breath quicken before she starts to melt and shiver in your grasp. You reach the small of her back and she lets out a startled gasp, breaking the kiss prematurely.

“I’m sorry,” you croak out as you take a much needed breath. “Did I—”

“No. I mean yes. I mean...” Fluttershy takes a deep breath and leans in close to your ear. “I liked that. That’s what I meant.”

You can’t help but let out a little laugh as Fluttershy looks to you with those big, blue eyes and you feel yourself start to melt as well.

Until you hear a cough from behind you.

Fluttershy looks around and her pupils turn into pinpricks as she glances around. “Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, I’m soooo embarrassed....” she moans out as she buries her face into your shoulder.

“What? What’s going—”

Glancing around the room, you finally notice the dozens of eyes staring at you and the shrinking form of Fluttershy.

Some ponies blushed and looked away as you gazed in their direction. Others offered a coy smile and nod, but most ponies had a look of embarrassment on their face that neat neatly mimicked yours and Fluttershy’s.

But the worst set of eyes to you was the look of pure shock and jealousy the blue mare was giving

“I’ll, uh.... I’ll have what she’s having,” some stallion quips with a dry laugh, only making the awkward silence worse.

Fluttershy gets to her hooves and moves in close enough to whisper. “Can we please leave?”

You nod quickly and follow her towards the door, doing your best to avoid the eyes of any staring pony. “Yeah. That’s probably for the best.”

Out into the streets of Ponyville, you and Fluttershy leave the gawking ponies to their own devices and start wandering the streets.

“I, uh... I really hope I didn’t embarrass you that bad,” you say, looking up to the moon raising across the sky. “With the kiss I mean.”

Fluttershy shakes her head. “It... It wasn’t that bad.”

Her eyes go wide and her cheeks flush. “I mean, the whole thing with the ponies, not the kiss.” She lets out a little groan and shakes her head. “No, I mean that wasn’t bad either, I just...”

She lets out another groan and offers you a weak smile. “You know what I mean, right?”

“Yeah, I know,” you say with a laugh and lean in, giving her a quick little kiss on the cheek, making her squeak aloud in surprise. “And hopefully, we’ll be by ourselves next time...”

You feel a small flush creep up your neck upon saying that and half expect to hear Fluttershy say something in protest.

“...Okay.”

You blink in surprise and look over to Fluttershy who was offering you an embarrassed little smile.

“So...”

Fluttershy bounds ahead and looks over her shoulder at you. “Do you, umm want to go home now? If that’s okay with you...”

The hair along your back stands up on end and a goofy smile grows across your face. “Yes. Very much so.”

*******************************************************

A nearby glance at the clock let you know it was creeping right onto midnight. But the right mood made it feel like midday; so you and Fluttershy weren’t slowing down anytime soon.

“Ohhhh wow! I love how you do that!”

“Ohh, please... Stop, you’re embarrassing me...”

You drape your hooves over Fluttershy’s shoulders as she sits at the desk and kiss at her neck. “No, really, that was clever. The prompt was Velvet and you turned it into that feeling of velvet against your skin as two ponies intertwine... I especially love the part where every touch seems to drive them closer and closer to the edge while they’re making lo-”

“D-Don’t finish that sentence,” Fluttershy says, smiling and blushing at the same time. “It’s embarrassing...”

You cock an eyebrow at her. “What’s so embarrassing about sex? You write about it all the time. Naughtier stuff than that, too~” Grabbing onto Fluttershy’s sides, you start tickling her and get a series of shrieks and giggles from the mare.

“Nooooooo~! Stoooop~! It just... embarrases me...” She says in-between laughs. “I can’t help it.”

“You are so cute, you know that?” you say, giving her ear a little nibble that changes her giggles in to moans.

“Oooooooh... A—Ah~ Ohhhh my~ P—Please...”

You lean in close, pressing your body against hers and move down, nibbling on her neck now. “Please what?”

Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy gets to her hooves, leaving you leaning on the back of the chair. “Please, take a seat. It’s your turn to write.”

“Well alright... And uh, sorry I’m so... Playful. Something about watching you write it, just... You know?”

Sitting down at the chair, you start bringing your magic up, only to falter as you feel Fluttershy snuggle up to you. “It’s alright. And yes. I do know.”

Clearing your throat and doing your best to keep a clear head, you bring your magic back up and start hammering on the keys.

Flash Fic #5
Prompt:

“What’s the prompt this time?”

Fluttershy leans on you, pressing her cheek against yours and making you go flush with embarrassment. “I umm... I don’t know... Maybe something simple? Like... Explain? Yes, do that one. Explain.”

You smile from ear to ear and giggle before starting in, hammering at the keys quickly as the words seemed to flow from your mind, to your horn, the keys, and glide right onto the paper. “Easy.”

Flash Fic #5
Prompt: Explain

I used to be a robot. I used to be an automaton colt, living my life from day to day, taking a bit of happiness from each little victory and forced to look in the mirror after my sleep cycle. And what did I see? I saw a bucket of bolts with a static electrical discharge emanating from behind two glass eyes. So explain to me, how does a bucket of bolts finds somepony who they just click with? Like the teeth of a gear, we fit so easily.

“Wow... This one is... Different than the rest,” you hear Fluttershy whisper as she leans in a little closer to the typewriter, waiting for the next set of words.

“I told you, I got a flair for all sorts of topics... And this is what I’m coming up with, so just watch.”

And then it happened. The bolts came undone and the plating fell off, leaving me there naked. But instead of a mechanical skeleton standing there with gears grinding away, there was a pony. An actual pony who thought of love as something more than a petty little victory that leaves them wanting for more. No, this was a pony who looked to the other and asked a simple little question. “Please explain to me... What kind of love is strong enough to do this?” The other pony waited a moment before answering. “Ours.”

Happy with what you had so far, you turn to Fluttershy. “Well, what do you think? Should I keep going? Or—”

Without warning, you feel Fluttershy’s lips press to yours for an instance and it feels different than before. The surprise, the tenderness; something about it sparks something inside you that makes your whole body tingle.

“It’s... Different,” she says with a small smile. “I’ll admit it, but it’s nice. Very, very nice.”

You smile back and look to each other, less than an inch away from the other’s lip. You stare into her eyes and she stares back, shrinking for a moment and blushing bright red.

“I, uh... I was thinking that maybe we can work on one of the novels next,” you say, leaning back in your chair and scratching your head. “Mine... Maybe yours? I’m kinda raring to start something a bit bigger.”

Fluttershy’s smile slowly fades and she shakes her head. “I... I don’t know. I kinda want to umm, stop working on my novel. Just pack it away.”

You feel your jaw drop a bit and you get to your feet, following Fluttershy over to the bed. “Can I ask why? I mean, I was excited for a new story, but I don’t want to force you.”

“I just... I just don’t. What I had in mind just doesn’t feel right anymore. I don’t want to write about anything sad like that.”

Sitting herself down, you give Fluttershy a long look before sitting down beside her and placing a hoof on her back. “You’re an author. You tell the readers what the story is, it’s all up to you. You don’t have to write anything you don’t want to, but you can change what you already have. It’s all relative, like... like sand in an hourglass.”

Fluttershy giggles aloud and sighs. “And the days of our lives?”

“Yeah, something like that,” you say with a smile and nod. “So what do you say? Wanna try making a new story? Something brighter?”

A few seconds go by that leaves you just a little uncomfortable, but Fluttershy finally speaks up. “I’ll... I’ll give it a shot. What should the story be about now? Because well, I can’t think of anything. It’s a writer’s block or... or something.”

Fluttershy’s gaze dips to the floor and she let’s out a half-sigh and puts on a face you are all too familiar with.

Alright... Just need to lay on the charm a bit... Show her it’s not the end of the world.

Carefully, you reach out and wrap your hooves around her and lean backwards with her onto the bed, snuggling into her. “Let’s just sit here and think. You’ll get around it and we’ll come up with something amazing. Sound good?”

“Good...” Fluttershy half whispers, laying her head on your chest.

Now all you gotta do is not breathe too hard and you’re fine, you think with a nervous smile as she looks up to you.

You try not tense up and let out a deep breath before stroking a hoof through her mane. “Well... Let’s work out the beginning and the end first.”

“Why make the end?” she asks, giving you a puzzled look. “I usually save the end for, well... the end.”

“Well, it’s usually how I do things. I make the beginning, the end, and fill in—between. Start strong, end strong, you know?”

Fluttershy thinks for a moment before nodding thoughtfully. “Oh, yes. Well, we can do that. If you, umm, want to that is.”

“I do as long as you do.”

“I do, just umm, as long as you’re okay with—” Fluttershy stops herself short and holds a hoof up to her mouth. “Ooops... I’m doing that thing that Rainbow Dash says I do, I’m sorry. I want to do it, that’s what I’m um, trying to say.”

You can’t help but chuckle and tussle her mane. “I understand... So how do you want your novel to start? Lots of different ways we can do this.”

“Well... We need a good place to start. A bit of, umm, conflict is always important. Like...” she stalls for a moment before taking a deep breath. “Like the thing... From before? With Summer Heart and her... her boyfriend and—”

You cut Fluttershy off just as her voice starts to quiver. “Yeah, yeah, I know. That thing.” Thinking for a moment, you lift her chin up ever so carefully. “You know, we can change it if you want to. We can come up with another—”

“No!”

You jump slightly, your heart skipping a beat as Fluttershy comes face to face with you, a bit of fire in her eyes. It quickly disappears however, and she backs off, her ears flat against her head. “Sorry, it’s just... No. It’s important to Summer’s character. It’s hard to explain...”

“Well alright, it’s fine. We don’t have to change it,” you say, holding up your hooves. “If you don’t want to change it, then let’s do what we talked about; the happy ending she deserves, remember?

“Yes... But let’s work on the beginning first.” Clearing her throat, Fluttershy lays herself down on your chest so she’s looking right into your eyes. “Summer Heart just broke up with her boyfriend because of what he did. How does she feel?”

“She feels... Betrayed,” you say tentatively. “She has a right to be; after what he did. So she’s trying to put it all behind her, act like nothing happened and live what she hopes is a normal, happy life.”

“But a new stallion meets her and she starts to fall for him.” A light blush creeps across Fluttershy’s face. It’s quickly replaced with a frown and her eyes dart to the floor. “But it, umm... it stirs up all sorts of bad thoughts she thought she packed away. Scars that she thought had... well, healed...”

“But the new stallion doesn’t know this and only wanted to make a mare smile the way he thinks she deserves to. When she keeps pushing him away...”

“It only makes things worse,” she finishes.

The room goes silent for a few moments, leaving you there stroking Fluttershy’s mane.

“Well... We got the beginning,” you say, finally breaking the silence. “Where do we-I mean, they... Where do they stand now?”

Getting to her knees, Fluttershy crawls off of you and into the blankets, looking at you expectantly. Taking the hint, you crawl over to her and slip underneath them with her and cuddle up.

“Well,” she starts, taking in a deep breath. “Summer Heart and... Reverie Cruise, they—”

You let out a snicker after it finally clicks and give Fluttershy a quick kiss on the cheek that makes her giggle.

“—they finally come to terms with what happened. And the, umm... The mistakes made on both parts. So Summer gives Reverie a chance to show her how he really feels. But instead of that, she, well...”

“She... got jealous?” you finish for her. A quick nod tells you everything you need to know. “She got jealous when she saw Reverie Cruise with another mare and she...”

Wrapping her hooves around you, Fluttershy lets out a long sigh. “She realized just then and there she wanted to be with him. Because for everything that happened; everything said and done, she did love him. Because she felt like she’s always known him.”

“And him the same.”

You reach out and embrace her back, the warmth between you and Fluttershy seeping through to your very core.

“So... What about all that stuff in the middle?” you ask, bringing her just a little bit closer.

With a light yawn, the now sleepy looking mare “We’ll worry about it tomorrow... Goodnight... And, umm... Love you...” she says sheepishly, her gaze drifting.

“I-”

Fluttershy’s face scrunches up and she shakes her head. “No... That... That didn’t sound right.” Taking a deep breath, she looks you square in the eyes this time.

“I love you.”

The words ring through your ears and something about the way she looked makes you smile.

“Love ya, too.”

Epilogue

“Are... Are you sure about this?” Fluttershy asked timidly, her grip tightening around you. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this...”

You lean forward and brace yourself. “Just relax... You can do this. On three, I’m going. Ready?”

“Yes... I’m ready,” she squeaks out. “Just... Just be careful, okay?”

“One... Two... Three!”

With all your strength, you shove yourself forward and start your way down the snowy hill with Fluttershy clinging tight to your back, calling out the entire time. “Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!”

You get to the bottom of the three foot tall hill and Fluttershy was shaking and looking like a bundle of nerves with hers shut tight.

“We’re fine, you know,” you say in a deadpan voice. “We haven’t crashed or anything. You can stop crushing me now.”

Slowly, Fluttershy opens her eyes and looks around. “...Oh. Well, umm... That wasn’t that bad,” she says with a nervous little chuckle.

“Great! Ready for the six foot hill?”

Her eyes shoot open wide. “I-I-I-I think I, umm, want to get some hot cocoa first. If t-that’s okay,” Fluttershy says nervously.

Getting to your hooves, you dust the snow off your coat and laugh. “Alright. And I was kidding, ya know.” Leaning in, you give Fluttershy a kiss on the nose that makes her break out into giggles. “Shall we, love?”

Extending a hoof, you help Fluttershy up who only responds with a wink that makes you blush.

“So, umm...” you say bashfully, trying not to look that goofy. “Hear anything else from Trump Card? He still whining?”

Fluttershy nods solemnly. “Unfortunately, yes... He keeps saying you broke a contract, but I already had Twilight review everything. He’s, umm... lying.”

“Sounds like him alright,” you say with a heavy sigh. “Anything from your publisher yet? Can they work out a deal?”

“Well, they said it might be a little complicated, but they are working on it.”

You can’t help but let out another sigh. “In other words, they have no idea that Trump Card is lying when it comes to our former deal... I swear, dropping him has been more trouble than it’s been worth.”

“Ohhh don’t you worry now,” Fluttershy says, nuzzling against you. “We’ll work something out, I just know it.”

You stop at the entrance to the cottage and notice the red flag for the mailbox up. “Here’s hoping it’s good news,” you say with long, annoyed sigh. “Knowing my luck, it’ll be Trump card with a subpoena. Something about not making ‘By a Fireplace’ good enough for his stan-”

“What? What is it?” Fluttershy asks, a bit of panic in her voice. “Is it... Is it that bad?”

You shake your head slowly. “N...No,” you say, dumbstruck. “It’s... This...”

Holding it up to her, you feel an uneasy smile creep across your face. “Familiar with the Ka-Tet Publication?”

Fluttershy’s eyes go wide. “K-King? What’s he doing writing you?”

You shrug. “It’s not King, it’s his publishers... And I got a small idea.”

Opening up the letter, you start into it, half excited and half worried.

“Okay here... Dearest whatever, whatever... We are pleased with your interest in becoming a member of our publication group and we would... Love to see you as a part of our family. Contact us ASAP and we can set up a meeting.”

“Oh my gosh! You’ll be published under the same name as King!” Fluttershy cries out excitedly. “This is such a major opportunity, you’ll be able to get to so much exposure.”

“Don’t you mean ‘We’?” you ask with a small smile. “Co-author?”

Fluttershy’s jaw drops slightly. “C...C... Co-author?” she stammers out.

You give her an excited nod. “Of course. You helped me with By a Fireplace. Only fair you should get to share in the success. So... Wanna work on Summer Heart in earnest?” you ask excitedly. “We can get a storyboard up and we can totally hammer out a prologue and first chapter today and-”

“To be honest?” she half whispers, stopping you mid sentence. “At the moment? I’d rather just stay with you by the fire today. Is, uh... is that okay?”

Your smile fades for only a moment before it’s replaced with a new one. “With you? By the fireplace? That sounds great.”

Following her up the path to your new home, you can’t help but wear a big, goofy grin.

Things are good. For the first time... Things are looking good.

“Coming love?”

Turning towards Fluttershy standing there with the door open, you trot quickly towards her, still grinning. “Coming love.”