Prejudices

"Oh hey, Fluttershy, what brings you here?" Eon had a pleasant surprise the next morning at work.

"I was planning on treating myself but I don't know what." There was that adorable blush again that just kept winning him over.

"Say no more. I'll treat you myself," Eon announced gallantly.

"There's really no need for that," Fluttershy was delighted. Maybe Lyra was right; maybe he did like her.

"Hey, it's no big deal. That way you can save your money for treats for you animal friends." Or maybe he just cares about the animals, Fluttershy thought gloomily. Pull yourself together, Fluttershy!

"W-Well, i-if you insist. But I don't even know what I want to get," Fluttershy's forehead creased adorably in serious thought.

"Leave that to me, fair mare. I'm sure I can come up with something worthy of you," Eon made her sound like royalty. It was a bit uncomfortable, but pleasing all the same.

"Okay," Fluttershy blushed again. "I-I'll just sit over there," she indicated to a table within sight.

"As you wish," Eon's mind was already whirling with a rather complicated but sure to win her recipe.

There was a row of apple trees getting bucked that day after she cleared the skies. Lyra rode a cloud over to Sweet Apple Acres where she saw the Apple siblings laughing as they made their way to the trees that needed bucking. Big Macintosh didn't say much but he seemed to be enjoying himself. Applejack seemed the happiest and when she laughed, Applebloom looked up to Lyra's cloud and winked.

"So," Applebloom's voice sounded mischievous. "I heard Lyra's coming to help."

Big Macintosh seemed startled. "Why yes," Applejack answered, "the filly volunteered since she had nothing to do today."

"Lyra isn't a filly! She's just a bit short for her age," Applebloom defended her.

"Well, I'm sorry then. I didn't mean to offend. But it is great that she's coming," Applejack amended.

"I like Lyra. She's a great pony!" Applebloom cheered.

"Eeyup," agreed Big Macintosh.

Whoa. Lyra was dumbstruck. He thought she was a great pony? She HAD to tell Fluttershy. Lyra did a little silent celebration up on her cloud.

"Where is she, anyway?" Applejack looked around.

At a speed fast enough to make Rainbow Dash proud, Lyra swooped down, scooped Applebloom up and spun her around in air. They were both laughing from adrenaline by the time they swooped back down.

"Lyra, have you been listening?" Applejack looked accusingly at her.

"Eeyup," Lyra answered with a giggle. Applebloom was still hysterical on the ground.

Big Macintosh seemed to be looking at anything but the turquoise pegasus. The first time Lyra's going to meet his eyes, and he looks away! This was a first because Eon told her that Big Mac was ALWAYS looking at her. Deciding to push her luck, Lyra addressed him. "Hey Big Mac!"

Big Macintosh looked at her and Lyra almost swooned. There was something in his eyes; exactly like Applejack's but entirely different somehow. It was like Lyra was falling all over again, but her wings won't work.

"Lyra."

Oh my Equestria. Applebloom stopped laughing to look at her brother. Applejack's jaw hung open. All of Ponyville probably just went silent as well.

"How are you doing?" Big Macintosh's gorgeous green eyes never left her yellow ones.

"Fantastic." Lyra was beginning to understand that universal moment Eon had with Fluttershy; because she was having one of her own with Big Macintosh. "I feel fantastic," Lyra murmured.

"We should get to work!" Applejack bucked the tree above them. Big Macintosh and Applebloom jumped out of the way and Lyra got rid of the bad apples before they fell.

Applebloom's eyes were wide as saucers but they all got back to work. Applejack bucked apples perhaps a bit harder then usual whereas her sister had a big grin that almost rivalled Pinkie Pie. Lyra kept sneaking glances at Big Macintosh whose eyes she met everytime she looked. And so the afternoon went on, the tension never once leaving the air. Just when Lyra thought Applejack or Applebloom had cooled down, they would catch Big Macintosh looking at Lyra and get all worked up again.

When their job was done, Lyra's wings were worn out so she just had to walk home to rest them. Granny Smith heard and insisted that Big Macintosh walked her home. Applejack was on the edge of protesting, but Applebloom and Granny Smith pulled her away, both giving Lyra a knowing smile as they did so.

"Eon! That was certainly the best treat I've ever had!"

Eon turned the colour of a strawberry. "It was nothing."

Fluttershy knew otherwise. She had a decent look into the kitchen from where she sat. And she saw Eon doing a series of adding and mixing and all those baking moves with a very deep furrow on his brow, a sure sign that he was concentrating very hard. "It must have been a very complicated recipe. Oh, I'm sorry to have troubled you so much."

Eon blushed a little deeper. He hadn't planned on getting compliments when he offered to walk her home. "Really, Fluttershy. It was nothing. I meant it as it is. A treat."

And what a treat it was! It had been a lovely afternoon. After Eon had finished the masterpiece treat, he kept her company as she ate it. Pinkie Pie volunteered to take over for the rest of the day after giving Eon what seemed like a knowing look. Lyra must have been right! Eon must really like her! "I have to make it up to you somehow! How about helping me help my bear friend clean her den tomorrow? Her claws are full from taking care of her cub."

Eon wasn't sure he liked the idea of going into a cave with a protective mother that had claws, but if Fluttershy wanted him to, he'd do it. "Alright, just stop with the compliments okay? You're embarrassing me." Eon looked down as one blush faded into another. "Besides, I'm not the one who deserves to get compliments."

"Who then?"

"Why not the most exquisite mare in all of Equestria. The kindest, most graceful and beautiful pegasus ever born?"

Fluttershy didn't get it. "Lyra?"

"No, silly filly," Eon laughed softly. "You," he told her as he gently bumped her.

"Wha-" Fluttershy was speechless. Up ahead, a laughter was heard. "Who else would be out after dark?" Eon and Fluttershy squinted through the fog that had developed without them noticing.

Lyra came trotting beside Big Macintosh who didn't look anywhere else but the pegasus beside him. They both appeared to be obliviously happy and Lyra was laughing at something Big Macintosh had said.

"Lyra!" Fluttershy whispered-cried.

"Fluttershy? Hey! And Eon?! Oh wow. What's going on here?" Lyra gave Fluttershy a hug but stayed close to Big Macintosh.

"I could say the same to you," Eon told her with an impish grin at the same time Fluttershy told her, "Eon was just walking me home."

"Aw how sweet of you, Eon," Lyra cooed. "Big Macintosh here was doing the same for me."

"Eeyup," Big Macintosh smiled at her. Lyra started feeling the start of another universal moment.

"Well that was fast," Fluttershy interrupted, breaking the spell. She risked a glance at Eon.

"First thing tomorrow morning," Lyra promised her. "Now, we best get inside before the fog is too thick to see through."

And so all four friends said their good byes and parted into two groups. Each simply enjoying the company of the other pony while their walk lasted.