Chapters You dont know me well but that's okay. You make it your point, to know everything about everypony and that is the greatest kindness. Maybe this time I will be able to say something to you.
The room was loud to Fluttershy's sensitive ears, not that she ever expected any of Pinkie's parties to be quiet. Even the setup for one made all of Ponyville seem to shake due to the consecutive blasts of Pinkie's party cannon. But being in the midst of one was far worse.
Even from her seat in the far right corner of Sugarcube Corner, the noise was overwhelming. She had purposely sat close to the door and away from the heart of the party, so she would not get in anypony's way. However, this was not the most inconspicuous of tactics, because what kind of pony would mope in a corner mumbling to herself during one of Pinkie Pie's signature parties?
Finally satisfied after several minutes of her inaudible pep talk and rather sick of the strange glances she was receiving from a few of the ponies around her, Fluttershy began to slowly rise from her chair and make her way towards the center of the room.
In spite of the rather large crowd that wasn't in the least bit interested in her, or how she wanted to get through, Fluttershy managed to find herself close to the pink pony. She had overcome so much to reach this moment that thinking back on it gave her more courage than she had ever felt. The worst was over. She could do this. Fluttershy picked up her pace as she closed the gap between her and Pinkie settling on a slight speed walk that was her form of running.
This is it, Pinkie is directly in front of me, all I have to do is open my mouth and talk. This sounded so much easier in Fluttershy's head. She talked to Pinkie many times before, but she seemed to have more trouble getting the words out around her especially lately.
It's probably just due to Pinkie's unpredictability and how she likes to startle me. Fluttershy felt the last of her slight newfound courage drain away at the thought of startling. Pinkie always seemed to find a way to startle her, even though Pinkie didn't mean it. It was because of Pinkie though that Fluttershy had gained this much confidence. When Fluttershy had first arrived in Ponyville, she never would have dreamed of approaching Pinkie. Back then, her conversations consisted mainly of muttering, screaming, and annoyed gestures from her pet rabbit, Angel.
Fluttershy couldn't just back out now! Forcing each and every word, Fluttershy began to speak, yet in spite of her effort, her small voice that was extra small due to nervousness and could not be heard over the party. Fluttershy understood this, but was still slightly hurt. She tried again, this time barely managing to produce a squeak. Giving up, Fluttershy began to leave. Yet the second that she turned around, Fluttershy found herself face-to-face with the pink pony.
"Hi, want some pie?" Pinkie exclaimed, being particularly happy that the shy pony had decided to talk to her. She offered up a colorful piece of very berry pie. Startled by Pinkie's sudden appearance and the sheer volume of her voice, Fluttershy broke for the door using all of her might not to scream from the shock.
Pinkie wasn't expecting that kind of reaction. She understood that Fluttershy was easily startled, but normally Fluttershy did not run when startled; she just either fell down or hid shaking like a bowl of jello, which was definitely bad because jello is the last thing on a snack table. Fluttershy must have had something super pinkie-portant to have had come all of this way to tell her. But Pinkie couldn't leave her own party, it would ruin the whole thing. I'll figure out what's wrong with Flutters later.
After leaving the party, Fluttershy went directly to the spa. The franticness in her pace only caught the attention of Angel, who was already looking for when Fluttershy would return. No other pony in Ponyville would notice many of Fluttershy's emotions due to how toned down they were. Upon the sight of the mare, Angel started to follow her with a mixture of happiness through the opportunity to cheer Fluttershy up, getting a special dinner from it, and annoyance at how she was becoming more and more convinced that Fluttershy failed to talk to Pinkie again, and probably will never succeed at this rate.
Fluttershy settled into one of the spa's waiting room chairs. She was early as always from the time that Rarity always met her, and there was no guarantee that Rarity would just decide to go to the end of Pinkie's party instead. That was fine with Fluttershy, who just felt that she needed to be there in case Rarity showed up.
That was so stupid Fluttershy thought you can’t just talk to Pinkie Pie, especially during one of her Pinkie parties. "I'm such a coward," Fluttershy moped, "why can’t I just talk to Pinkie normally?"
The sound of tapping snapped Fluttershy out of her stupor. Angel was right next to Fluttershy, tapping his foot to vocalize his apparent annoyance with Fluttershy. This was not the first time Fluttershy attended a Pinkie Pie party only to leave partially through and come back moping.
Angel started pushing Fluttershy off of the waiting room bench and out the door only to be stopped by Fluttershy grasping the door to prevent her being pushed out of the spa. "No.." Fluttershy objected, "I can't go back and talk to ... It would be too weird... I'll go tomorrow."
This statement set Angel into another fit of foot tapping. "No, really, I’ll do it this time... Pinkie Promise" Fluttershy continued, even though the last part was a mere mumble that was hardly convincing, especially to Angel who had not stopped tapping his foot, even through the Pinkie promise. "You know I would never break a Pinkie promise, and if I did, who knows what Pinkie would do. I certainly wouldn't want something so scary to happen."
The thought satisfied Angel through the fact that Fluttershy could barely speak to Pinkie when she was happy, it would be horrible if Pinkie was mad.
"Darling, you just can’t be so shy all the time!" Rarity exclaimed. "I simply couldn't help but overhear, and it is so obvious that you are head over horseshoes for this stallion! So what pony is it! Oh no, let me guess!" Rarity gushed while escorting herself and Fluttershy over to their massages.
"Rarity, I don't think you..." Fluttershy was trying to say but couldn't even finish that much before being cut off by Rarity's romantic nature.
"It is so sweet how you want to be polite all the time, but sweetheart, if you want something, sometimes you just have to go and take it."
"Oh I...I can't do that. I am not brave in social settings like you or Pinkie," Fluttershy commented.
Rarity might not get that it is not a stallion, but maybe she can still help, she's so much better at relationships than me.
Fluttershy was too deep in her thoughts, suddenly being rather alarmed to realize she was blushing at the mere mention of Pinkie Pie, which had only added more fuel to Rarity's gushing about Fluttershy's mystery stallion.
Rarity continued to rant on throughout their spa treatment. She made a point to constantly try to pick up hints on who the stallion was, but soon was too lost in her one-way conversation about fashion tips: what colors would work with Fluttershy's coat and mane, how cute Fluttershy was, and seemingly random details about various stallions of Ponyville. Most of the talk about stallions met with giggles from Lotus and Aloe. Fluttershy only picked up on basic things like how Doctor Whooves was "splashy". She didn't even know what splashy meant, but Aloe and Lotus were practically rolling on the floor during that one, so at least somepony knew.
Soon between the massage and Rarity's nonstop gushing, Fluttershy was lulled to sleep.
Special thanks to 2K_Chrome for spelling and gramar
"Fluttershy...Fluttershy!" Rarity yelled jolting the light yellow pegasi from her slumber "Were you sleeping?" Realizing her fault, Fluttershy sank and muttered several apologies for her rudeness. Rarity was more than satisfied with these apologies and even felt a little bad for putting her friend to sleep. However she thought it would be more fun to keep Fluttershy guessing about her plans "Well, I guess it will be a surprise then" Rarity chimed. "No, I'm very interested in what you have to say please continue." Rarity pretended to consider this for a moment. Then with a "nope" skipped out of the spa leaving the bedraggled pony to figure out what had happened herself.
The delight from the thought of Fluttershy's new found love made Rarity giddy. She never thought Fluttershy would be the first to find it. That factor was rather heart breaking,it is so hard to find stallions that are up to par nowadays, but I could make do with one off of the market especially for Fluttershy. She must have told one of her friends. If she hasn't talked to me than who would Fluttershy have talked to? Rarity thought. Fluttershy had a lot of trouble being in the same room as Pinkie, Rainbow dash had been friends with her the longest but Rainbow seemed to be completely focused on herself (not to mention her almost creepy obsession with the Wonderbolts) and the fact that she had wing muscles for brains. Twilight was completely absorbed in her studies (not to mention her almost creepy obsession with books) and she knows practically nothing about real love, she was a possibility though.
Finally Applejack who was honest, strong willed far beyond her own good and dirty as if somepony had dumped all of their trash on her. But Applejack sometimes did have a good head on her shoulders and is the complete opposite of me making it all the more likely that the shy adorable mare would have talked to her if not me. She thought, with a nod. Settling on Applejack as the best bet, Rarity trotted toward Sweet Apple Acres.
When Rarity arrived the orange earth pony was as always bucking apples. Rolling out a red carpet for herself as she walked closer to Applejack. "Applejack darling" she said in a rather sing song voice "did Fluttershy come and tell you anything interesting recently." Rarity was batting her eyes at the confused mare as if it would make her do anything she wished. "Ah dont reckon she did, is their somethin that ah need ta know?" Under the impression that Applejack was just playing dumb Rarity pushed "about some stallion..."
"So that filly actually found her a nice stallion" Applejack responded with something in her eyes that Rarity could not place. But that didn't matter now for Rarity was practically bursting, barely managing to keep her sweet voice from turning into more of a whine. "You dont know either."
"What pony Fluttershy is in love with... you don't know." Rarity said softly. "Wait, that little filly didn't tell ya?!" Applejack uttered surprised. "No I thought that she told you" Rarity claimed. Ah thought Fluttershy told Rarity everything during their hoity toity spa trips. Yet here Rarity is thinking ah would know more about that filly's love life than she would.
"Fluttershy probably told one of our friends any way." Applejack stated breaking the silence through her words and having gone back to bucking her tree. "That's exactly what I was thinking" Rarity huffed as she started to leave. She was halted upon hearing "ah do have a plan though" from the bucking mare. Caught in her exhilaration, Rarity nearly galloped off of her rug and through the dirt going "what is it?! what is it?!" Her enthusiasm only to be cut off through the words "ya'll would need to rough it though." "Rough it why I would never" disgusted at the very thought she once again turned to leave. "Yah yer right, ya could never rough it in a cabin for an afternoon even if one of your friends life depended on it."
That mark was infuriating to the white mare all of the time that Applejack had wasted from this important matter of finding Fluttershy's true love and she was insulting her. "I could if I wanted to but I just don't fancy being around all of that filth. At least I am not some apple crazed ruffian!"
"Now what did ya’ll say bout my apples ya pampered frizzball!" Applejack’s plan was working but Rarity's insult of apples is something that crossed the line.
"Frizzball?! Well I bet you that I could rough it as you say in your beastly tongue for a whole night, and if you lose you will have to wear what I say for a week!"
"Well if ya lose..." Applejack racked her thoughts until they alighted on the perfect thing, causing a smile to spread across her face. That'll make her pay for the apples. "ya will have ta stop taking that their sofa everywhere." "Are you expecting me to lie in the dirt" Rarity interjected. "Not so confident now are ya" The blond pony smugly replied, giving Rarity the final push she needed.
"Oh. It. Is. On!" Rarity sneered hatefully. sealing their bet. "Good now lets get every pony to meet us in Twilight's library" Applejack finished. As the two set off to locate their friends Applejack explained her plan even having a few gaps filled in by Rarity along the way.
When every pony finally assembled after having to wait for Rainbow Dash to finish flight training, and Pinkie's frosting emergency that no pony really understood, (and seeing how she showed up covered in the sugary goo, everypony was rather afraid to ask.)
"Now you all are probably wondering why you are here" Rarity exclaimed. "Where's Fluttershy" Rainbow Dash interjected. "Ohh are we having a surprise party for Fluttershy!" Pinkie bounced. "I love those, especially when you jump out and yell..." Everypony was stuck staring at the empty space where Pinkie was only a second ago. Nopony could explain what had happened their was no explanation other than she was Pinkie Pie. They all knew it was coming coming but just not from where. Making them tense in spite of how short the interval Pinkie had disappeared was before she burst from the bookshelf closest to Rainbow Dash yelling "Suprise!" Scattering the books in all directions through her process, scaring no pony more than Rainbow (even though she wouldn't let it show more than she had too least of all admit it.)
Before Pinkie could cause a bigger mess in her pre-party excitement Twilight grabbed hold of her with a levitation spell giving Applejack the time to talk without worrying about what Pinkie would do given the chance. "We're planning ah camping trip." Applejack explained. "That still doesn't explain why Fluttershy isn't here" Rainbow Dash stated after regaining her composure. "That's because there is something else we need to talk about Rainbow darling" the purple maned unicorn exclaimed. "It has come to my attention that Fluttershy has fallen in love!"
"How do you even know this?"
"It was written all over her face, red is such a becoming color."
"Anyways, Rarity only found that part out not who the stallion is. So our goal here is that we each choose the stallion we think it is and invite them to go camping with us near the EverFree forest" Applejack explained. "Then we would pair ourselves into stallion-mare groups and one group of three switching partners as we go, ensuring that Fluttershy spends her time with all of the stallions."
"Wait a minute, isn't Fluttershy afraid of the Everfree Forest like most ponies?" Rainbow questioned. "We're not staying in the forest, and when we go in it we'll be in a group. She's been there before. That should be more than enough to keep Fluttershy calm, and if not, the sparks of love will do it for us!" Rarity said emotion brimming in her voice.
"All we need to do now is decide rooming, it'll be three fillies to ah room" Applejack claimed. Practically overlapping Rainbow Dash and Pinkie both bursted with
"I can understand Rainbow, but why would you want to share a room with Fluttershy. Pinkie?" Twilight questioned. "For the party, duh!" Pinkie responed. "But Pinkie we are not having a party." "Oh I get it we are not not not not not not not not having a party" and with that the pink mare trotted out. "Well thats settled...I hope" Twilight grimaced. "Aww I wanted to room with Fluttershy" Rarity whined.
Before anypony could really respond a loud voice screamed something unmistakable. "SOMEPONY BROKE A PINKIE PROMISE!!!!!"
Special thanks to Swift Research for spell check and spacing
Pinkie should be out soon Angel hoped. Waiting outside the library was becoming rather boring, but the boredom would definitely be over soon. There was no way that the ponies Fluttershy considered friends could keep that hyperactive mare still for so long. Angel didn't want to let Pinkie know about the promise around the others, they would only get in the way. All the bunny could do here was wait.
It wasn't like Fluttershy did not try to speak to Pinkie. She was just being a wimp about it as she always was. Watching the frantic mare pace the way between her cottage and Sugar Cube Corner may have been amusing the first few times, listening to her nervous murmurings, but it rapidly became annoying, and she still hasn’t stopped! She hasn't even realized that Pinkie was no longer there. Along with that, her panic of the very thought of Pinkie had caused her to jump ahead a day. Not that Angel was going to correct her. It gave Fluttershy the push she needed and the animals another feeding.
Telling Pinkie about Fluttershy's Pinkie promise, and how she had supposedly broken it would be the best bet. It acted as a conversation starter as well as a way to put a stop to that infernal walk.
Pink! A pink figure was at last bouncing from the library, going so rapidly that Angel was forced to bound after her. Pinkie was surprisingly, fast considering her strange way of walking. On several occasions, the figure nearly hopped out of Angel's sight. The route they were taking seemed familiar to the dashing rabbit, though he couldn't allot enough of his energy to figure out why. Though when the bouncing ball of energy that was Pinkie stopped, the reason became clear.
They were headed for Fluttershy's cottage the entire time. Yet, other than a shallow groove worn into the dirt, there was no sign of the shy mare. After closing the gap between himself and the pink earth pony, Angel acted out the promise. He ran, pushed himself, and for a brief moment, he even seemed to cry in spite of it all. The only thing even Pinkie could get out of that was Fluttershy. Then, the twitching began.
"Nose shakes, eye flutter, hoof stomps." The pink mare’s anger rose, contorting her voice with several others. "FLUTTERSHY BROKE A PINKIE PROMISE!"
Unfortunately, the yellow mare had just come into view. At least until she heard the scream, which had the desperate pegasus diving for cover in the bushes. Although, the moment in which she wasn't hiding was all Pinkie needed to go racing after her, yelling, "FLUTTERSHY!"
With a start, Fluttershy propelled herself into the air, flying faster than she ever would have been able to force herself if it wasn't an emergency. Somehow, in spite of all this, the pink figure was still leaping after her. Fearfully, the lightly colored pony headed towards the trees. Under normal conditions, she would have been hesitant to do this out of fear of waking the animals. For this moment though, that did not matter.
When Fluttershy reached the first of the trees, Pinkie jolted out of them bellowing. Putting her friend into sheer terror that made the golden mare's wings lock around her, the Pegasus was sent towards the earth in a deadly spiral, only to be caught by Pinkie.
Pinkie's eyes were small, and they held none of their usual warmth for her terrified friend. Pinkie howled again, "YOU PINKIE PROMISED!" The pegasus sprang out of the earth pony’s arms and slowly backed away, hiding her face in the bulk of her mane. Not daring or even thinking about flying again, she continued creeping away, trying to negate the earth pony’s advance.
"YOU BROKE YOUR PINKIE PROMISE!" Backing into a tree, left with nowhere to run or hide, and scared out of her wits triggered a dormant power inside Fluttershy. She looked Pinkie straight in the eye using all of her force in a piercing glare that could only be defined as “The Stare”.
Pinkie froze, giving the scared mare enough time to recuperate, at least enough to talk. "I... didn't break my promise." Taking in Pinkie's startled, yet confused, expression, Fluttershy continued. "My promise was that I would talk to you, and I just did ...well I am." She blushed, "It's just that... I really admire you... the way you can speak up to everypony without hesitation or worry. It’s... just... amazing." The stare faded as Fluttershy spoke, yet incredibly Pinkie remained rooted to the spot until her friend finished.
Then, Pinkie chimed in, "Why didn't you just say so silly filly! It would have saved you so much trouble. Ohh and we’re going camping this weekend, so get packing!"
Pinkie galloped away unable to hear Fluttershy's continued conversation. "Not only that...I think I might..." She glanced up only to realize Pinkie was no longer there. With a sigh, she finished, "Love you."
Pinkie probably just had somewhere to be... that’s all...I...understand. She sank down with her thoughts until she almost disappeared in the dirt, weeping. Why does it hurt so much?
The yelling came from this direction Rainbow thought. She could hear a slight sob coming from the forest.This should be about right. Spotting the crying mare, Rainbow touched down next to her. Fluttershy was apparently too busy in her own thoughts to take notice in the newfound company. Until she received a comforting nuzzle.
Looking over to glance at her guest, Fluttershy's teal eyes were speckled with glistening tears that made Rainbow freeze from the captivating sight. Shaking it off, the blue mare asked, "You ok?"
"Yeah."
Dash held the conversation since she had plenty of experience cheering Fluttershy up. From the constant bullying Fluttershy was under at flight camp, she normally was feeling down. At first, all Rainbow managed to do was get angry and make things worse, but as time wore on, she managed to figure out how to cheer her friend up without having to drag Fluttershy out from fetal position. It was like she was a different pony. Someone that she could show Fluttershy, and Fluttershy alone. Someone only she could accept. It was special.
"How did you get her to leave?"
"I was... enjoying her company."
"You enjoyed getting yelled at?"
"I... don't want to talk about it."
There was a slight change in Fluttershy's eyes at that point. If Rainbow was looking anywhere else, she would have missed it. It was something Rainbow recognized more than anything, the way that she saw Fluttershy all of the years they spent together. Creating a pained realization, You love her, don't you?
"Let's go to Twilight's I'm not the only one who wants to be there for you."
As they headed off, Fluttershy took comfort in having such great friends, while everyone of Dash's wingbeats felt like a stab to her heart.
Special thanks to 2K_Chrome for spelling and gramar
Tomorrow's the day Fluttershy... wait did Twilight say Saturday or Sunday, Saturday or Sunday?! The blond coated pegasi hyperventilated which day is it!... How many hooves am I holding up?! "I can't see my hooves." Facepawing at her distress, Angel lifted one of his caretakers forehooves that in her panic she didn't lift in order to prove they were still there. Then the bunny pointed to a calendar with Saturday circled in bright red ink. "Thanks Angel" the bright mare sighed completely oblivious to how Angel was once again tapping his paw in utter annoyance as she headed off for bed.
When Fluttershy told her friends about her talk with Pinkie they seemed rather impressed and surprised at how the shy pegasi had handled the situation. Nopony, even Fluttershy herself thought she had it in her. Of course she left out her failed confession along with what the Pinkie Promise was about much to Rarity's dismay. But everypony got a good laugh out of how Pinkie never told Fluttershy the date of their camping trip. That party pony was always rushing through everything to get to the party. It was even proven that so long as she had something to celebrate, she would forget her own birthday.
The yellow mare chuckled softly at the memory. Pinkie tended to rush and always would, it was just part of her charm. Blushing she stared at her ceiling, enjoying the thought and hopes for the day to come. Trying to get any amount of sleep so she could welcome the day faster. However she just couldn't, and instead she found herself bursting with laughter as she recalled a play Rarity had made her read. "Arise sun send away the envious moon and come dawn come Pinkie" Fluttershy joked, alternating between herself and Pinkie in her one pony reenactment. There was no way that she could sleep now!
Upon the arrival of morning Fluttershy set out to feed her animal friends, still muttering her own monologue of love. Becoming disturbed by a knock on the door the rose headed mare went to greet her visitor silencing her monologue slightly. Ponies were different from animals; the animals that she cared for were quiet sweet and understood her. Or if they didn't they at least pretended to, aside from Angel who seemed to be convinced that all ponies were insane. She could be herself around them. Ponies made nice company as well, but they were far too loud and excitable.
"Ready Fluttershy darling" Rarity chimed, as she was being let in. Being unable to share a room with the shy pegasi had forced Rarity to settle for accompanying her to the campsite, and merely demanding in the most ladylike manner possible all of the details at a later date. She would not accept anything less and had made sure that her point was extremely clear to all of her friends aside from the one in question. "Just let me grab my... saddlebags" the polite mare responded still mumbling under her breath. "Sounds like somepony had a good night, hoovesperian, I love it!" The classy pony cheered as her friend grabbed what she set out for with a slight "eep" and returned. "Red really does flatter you, you know that?"
By the time that the two got to their camp site everypony else was already unpacking their things. Twilight and Pinkie were having a rather heated discussion on Twilight's part about some of the colts. That conversation was thrown aside when Pinkie caught sight of Fluttershy's pink mane so that she could bounce on over tailed by the purple unicorn. Until Twilight saw how hopeless conversing on the topic with Pinkie had and would be and set off to lecture Rainbow Dash on a very similar subject. "Were in the same room" the bubblegum mare explained "Hope your ready for a party!"
"Pinkie we are not having a party" Rainbow burst in the room slamming the door behind her as if she was being chased by some unspoken horror. "Well duh i've already addressed it with Twilight remember. It was at the meeting where I was so happy because I thought we were having a surprise party. Which isn't much of a surprise now that you mention it. Then I went all SURPRISE and you went all bahhhh. Like what Fluttershy does when she's startled. Were you startled Rainbow Dash? Then Applejack and Rarity talked about their plans or this camping trip and the colts and the walk through Everfree. Then I went and said we are not not not not not not not not having a party and I saw Fluttershy and Angel and I was all angry" "Pinkie!" "and went all you broke your promise" "PINKIE!" "Yes Dashie!" "I think your forgetting somepony."
"A...A walk in the ... Everfree forest." Fluttershy mumbled her voice just short of a squeak. "It's nothing really just a group stroll" Rainbow said attempting to pass it off as no big deal. "Ohh I know what will help!" Pinkie screamed "When I was a little filly and the sun was going dowwnnn" "PINKIE!" The blue pegasi remarked "we already heard that one I doubt it will help." "A...I...I would like to hear it" a quiet voice spoke "it will help..." "Woohoo! When I was a little filly and the sun was going dowwnnn."
How could Fluttershy like this? Rainbow thought doing her best to ignore Pinkie's constant singing. Well she does look calmer, maybe we could get her in the forest without having to push her most of the way. If Fluttershy is so scared of Everfree why did she decide to live next to?... wait is Fluttershy glowing. How does Pinkie not notice?
Rainbow watched with new interest as her best friend seemed to radiate light and another one of her good friends either ignored the problem or just couldn't see it through her musical antics. Pinkies song ended just as twilight came into the room, taking Fluttershy's glow with it. Figures the glow would be gone by the time Twilight got here. Doubt it's anything but a trick of the light but I should keep an eye on her though. Looking at the glare her eggheaded friend was giving her gave her the warning. That is going to be a trick in itself.
special thanks to InsanityCorps who pointed out the problems in this with his ausome comments!
