Opening Up

Chapters

Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eight

Chapter One

A beautiful melody of tweets and chirps met Fluttershy’s ears as she woke with the dawn. She opened her window and smiled at the collection of birds hovering there. “Good morning. Your singing sounds lovely,” she told them with a smile.

The pegasus flew downstairs, humming along with the birds, as she went about her morning routine. She fed her animals, checked on the sick, and woke up the last few sleepyheads on her property. Angel Bunny hopped alongside her, and she gratefully handed him a carrot when their work was through. On her way back to her cottage to prepare her own breakfast, Fluttershy noticed a foul smell, like sweat and rotting flesh.

Fluttershy was no stranger to death. She took care of many animals, both sick and healthy, but all met their end at some point. She usually held a funeral for the poor creature, and carried the body into the Everfree. It was simply another part of the cycle of life, and she had grown wearily accustomed to it.

This particular time was curious, though. She had checked on all of her wards, and they were all doing relatively well. She wondered if maybe someone had wandered off overnight. Following her nose, the pegasus and her bunny were led to a small clearing just off of the Everfree. The source of the smell appeared to be a small timberwolf pup, laying on his side, sticks and debris scattered behind him. Fluttershy approached slowly, laying herself close to the ground so as not to frighten him.

“There, there,” she murmured. “I’ve got you. Just let me look at you for a minute, sweetie. You look hurt.”

He whimpered and writhed, trying to get away from the stranger, but one leg remained where he fell. Hobbling on three legs didn’t get him very far, and he collapsed a few feet away, resigned to his fate. Fluttershy scooped him up gently and laid him down by his fallen leg to examine him. The leg looked bad, small and mangled. She was no expert on timberwolf anatomy, but she realized that, with a creature this small, he wouldn’t be able to reform his lost limb. This would need to be fixed, and fast.

She called out to Angel to bring her some bandages and a small splint. A few minutes later, he appeared, huffing and puffing but carrying a pile of medical supplies. The two set to work, carefully lifting the pup and threading a splint through some of the leg pieces. The pup offered a few snaps at first, but soon laid down his head, exhausted. Fluttershy wrapped the whole leg up in a bandage and helped the pup stand. He shook on his injured limb, but quietly followed both pony and bunny back to the cottage.

A week later, Fluttershy decided it was time to remove the bandages from the pup’s leg. She had decided to call him Woodsworth, after one of her favorite poets, and he had proven to be just as energetic as a flesh-and-blood pup, once he had warmed up to her. Twilight had come over to observe him the same day that Fluttershy brought him home, and she was fascinated by his progress. She had made Fluttershy promise to keep her updated on his condition, and she began taking notes to compile an official scientific report.

Upon removing the bandage, Fluttershy was shocked to find that the wooden splint had been absorbed into the leg, becoming the equivalent of the femur. She made a mental note to tell Twilight about that the next time they saw each other.

“Well, mister,” she told Woodsworth, a playful note to her voice. “It looks like you’re all set. I bet your mama and papa have been worried sick about you. Let’s get you home.”

Woodsworth yipped happily and ran towards the door, scratching at the oak surface. Fluttershy chuckled and opened the door for him. She whistled for him to sit, and he did so, quivering with anticipation.

Fluttershy called out to her number one assistant. “Angel Bunny! I need you to stay here and watch everyone for me. I’m going to go help Woodsworth find his family. Can you be a good boy and keep everycritter in line?”

Angel nodded in the affirmative, and assumed a no-nonsense look. She giggled. “It's twelve thirty now. I should be back in a little while. If I’m not back in two hours, though, go get help. The Everfree is a dangerous place, and I don’t know how well the timberwolves will think of me. They might think that I kidnapped this little guy.”

The bunny nodded, waving a paw at her as if to say, Just go already! You’ll be fine! He scampered up to the door and shut it, leaving pony and pup no choice but to forge ahead into the forest.

It took Fluttershy much less time than she had anticipated to find Woodsworth’s family. She simply let him lead the way, following him under gnarled trees and sharp thorns. After her mane got caught in a bush for the fourth time, she took a second to tie it up with the ribbon she had tied around the pup’s neck. She had intended to use that as a way of keeping tabs on him, but she had grown accustomed to his paw prints, and was confident that she could track him that way. Besides, she would only get slowed down if she had to keep pulling herself out of the wildlife.

Within an hour, the two had reached a small grove. A lone timberwolf, twice the size of the average pony, sat at the entrance, her green eyes glowing menacingly. Woodsworth shrank back uncertainly, allowing Fluttershy to creep ahead and address the sentry.

She cleared her throat uncertainly. “Um, hello,” she croaked. She cleared her throat once more, and assumed a more confident pose, to let the wolf know who was in charge. “I found this pup outside my house a week ago. He was hurt, but I helped him get better. I think he is part of your pack, and I am returning him to his home.”

The wolf yawned lazily. The timberwolf stench that Fluttershy had gotten used to washed over her once more, more pungent when it came from a fully grown creature. Her eyes flicked from the pup to the pegasus, measuring her opponents. Woodsworth growled and approached the sentry, inserting himself in front of Fluttershy. The two timberwolves stayed locked in a battle of dominance for a few seconds, before more timberwolves appeared from the trees. Soon, Fluttershy and her patient were surrounded by a pack of snarling timberwolves of all sizes.

The pegasus spoke up. “I mean you no harm. I only came here to return one of your own to you. I am leaving now, if you’ll let me.” She nudged Woodsworth with a hoof, and he ran off towards the rest of his litter.

She took a step backwards, but the wolves in front of her advanced in kind. The stench was overwhelming. As she steeled herself to fight, she thought, I hope I can keep them off for long enough that Angel gets worried. I don’t want to die here.

Back in Fluttershy’s cottage, Angel woke from a nap in a panic. He hadn't meant to fall asleep; he was supposed to be keeping watch for Fluttershy. She should have been back by now! He had forgotten what time it was when she had left; hadn’t it been around noon? He glanced at the clock on the wall, which read almost two o’clock. He bolted up from the couch and hopped frantically out the door, heading for the closest residence: Sweet Apple Acres.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders limped back to their clubhouse after yet another unsuccessful day of crusading. Apple Bloom collapsed on the floor just inside the door, making Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle step over her to come inside. Sweetie Belle marched over to a small bookshelf and pulled out a thick, tattered book.

“Well, that rules out professional knitting, facial hair grooming, and alpaca taming,” she grumbled, crossing out a few lines on the last page. “Any other ideas?”

Scootaloo rolled onto her back and groaned. “At this rate, we’ll never get our cutie marks! It’s useless. We’ll end up being blank flanks at Granny Smith’s age!”

Apple Bloom propped herself up on her forehooves. “There’s no need to get discouraged. Ah’m sure there’s tons of stuff out there that we still haven’t tried.”

Scootaloo glared up at her from the floor. “Oh yeah? Name one.”

The yellow filly tapped a hoof to her chin. Just as she was about to admit defeat, an idea popped into her head. “Necromancy!” she blurted out. Her two friends stared blankly at her. “What?” she muttered. “We haven’t tried it yet. Not sayin’ we should, but it’s something we haven’t done.”

Scootaloo closed her eyes in exasperation. “It’s also illegal.”

Sweetie Belle shook her head hesitantly. A heavy leather tome glowed green and settled itself in front of the small unicorn, and she flipped through it, hovering a hoof over a few lines, before clapping it shut and returning it to the shelf. “I thought so. That book says it’s only illegal to perform on other ponies and sentient beings. It doesn’t say anything about plants, though.”

Apple Bloom grinned at her. “Y’know, AJ was sayin’ just yesterday that the trees in the vampire fruit bat orchard are as good as dead. Ah don’t think she’d mind us using one’a them.”

Scootaloo nodded enthusiastically, getting to her hooves. “Where’d you get that book anway, Sweetie Belle?”

The little unicorn tapped her hoof to her face. “I think it’s from when we tried to be attorneys. It was about six months ago.”

Apple Bloom nodded as she opened the clubhouse door. “Oh yeah, Ah remember that. Y’know, one of these days we should go visit Cloud Kicker.”

Suddenly, a very agitated bunny ran up the ramp to the clubhouse and started pulling on Apple Bloom’s bow, as if it was a set of reins. Scootaloo plucked Angel off and set him on the floor of the clubhouse, where he started acting out an elaborate pantomime.

The three fillies looked at each other. “Do either of you have any idea what he’s trying to say?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo picked the bunny up by his ears. “No, and if he’s not straight with us in the next thirty seconds he’s getting thrown into the forest.”

Apple Bloom gently took the bunny from the frustrated pegasus and set him on the ground. He scampered back down the ramp and waved for the fillies to follow him. Apple Bloom sighed. “May as well see what he wants.”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders followed Angel down the path towards the barn. Behind them, in the Everfree Forest, a faint scream echoed through the air.

Chapter Two

Rarity trotted along the road towards Sweet Apple Acres. Her father had asked her, from behind his newspaper, to go find Sweetie Belle and inform her that she was grounded and was ordered to come home at once. Also, she was banned from using scissors until she was thirty seven. Rarity didn’t try to understand her family sometimes.

The sound of howling suddenly burst from the Everfree Forest along the border of the farm. Rarity smiled. That meant Zap Apples were coming in a few days! She couldn’t wait; her stash from last year was almost out. She always bought just enough jam to last through the entire year. It was just too good to go without for even a week.

Applejack was working the fields just inside the gates to the farm. "Applejack, darling," Rarity called. "Do you happen to know where I might find our sisters?"

Applejack cocked her head in the direction of the clubhouse, then shimmied out of her harness and trotted over to her friend. "Ah think Ah hear them comin' this way now. Sounds like they got some grand new idea for their crusadin'."

As the two mares waited for the fillies' hoofsteps to catch up, Rarity turned her thoughts back to the prospect of jam. "So, Applejack, am I to assume that you can put a few jars of jam aside for one of your very best friends?" She fluttered her eyelashes at the farm pony.

Applejack snorted. "What the hay are you talking about, girl?"

Rarity faltered. "The Zap apples," she explained. "I believe it is that time of year, and the timberwolves are howling today. That is the first sign, is it not?"

Applejack chortled. "Nah, that ain't for another week. Them timberwolves probably got themselves worked up over something else. Happens all the time."

Before Rarity could save face, she was interrupted by a bunny latching himself onto her forehoof. The Cutie Mark Crusaders followed closely behind, panting. Sweetie Belle glared at Angel. "That little cretin made us run all the way here. Did you need us for something?"

Rarity glanced at the bunny in confusion. "Well, yes, but I cannot fathom how Angel knew to bring you here. Sweetie Belle, you're grounded. Don't ask why, as I'm not too sure myself. Father wants you to come home."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders whined in protest. "Aww," Scootaloo complained. "We were going to be Cutie Mark Crusader Necromancers next."

Applejack lifted an eyebrow at her sister. "We were just gonna try one'a the dead trees," Apple Bloom explained hastily. "Nothin' illegal, promise."

Throughout the whole discussion, Angel was tapping his tiny foot against Rarity's leg. Finally frustrated with the little rodent, she snapped, "What do you want?"

He pointed towards the forest, and on cue, a faint scream rose from the treetops. Rarity blanched. "Is F-fluttershy... Is she in there?" she stammered.

Applejack's face drained of color. "She was goin' to bring back that little wolf pup'a hers today, wasn't she?"

The bunny nodded. He jumped off of Rarity's leg and began trying to herd everypony into the forest. Applejack delicately stepped over him and took charge.

"Alright, here's the deal. Scootaloo, I need you to go get Granny from the house. Apple Bloom, can you go out in the fields and get Big Mac? Rarity, can you get Twilight? We'll meet back here in ten minutes."

"What about me?" Sweetie Belle whined.

"You are grounded, young filly," Rarity reminded her. Her sister began to protest but was cut off by a raised hoof. "That means no wild adventures. Now, I'll walk to town with you, but you must go home." Sweetie Belle huffed and grumbled, but obeyed her sister.

The ponies all ran off in various directions, leaving Applejack and Angel behind. The farm pony turned to him and sighed. "Ah hope we can pull this off." Angel huddled against her foreleg, ears back, as if to say, Me too.

Nine and a half minutes later, Rarity and Twilight came sprinting past the farm's gates. Assembled in a rough circle were the Apple family and Angel Bunny. "Where's Scootaloo?" Rarity gasped, both from panic and exertion. "You didn't let her go in alone, did you?"

Applejack waved her off with a hoof. "Ah sent her to go get Rainbow Dash and go home. Don't need the little ones gettin' mixed up more'n they need to."

Apple Bloom opened her mouth to protest being called little, then considered the situation and thought better of it.

Applejack continued. "Now, Ah'm gonna head into the forest with Angel. We'll search the west side. Big Mac, you'll take east."

The stallion nodded. "Eeyup."

Applejack straightened her hat nervously. "Twilight, before we go, is there anything you know about timberwolves that we should know about?"

The alicorn considered this for a moment. "Watch out for their teeth. They're extremely sharp, but that's not the worst of it. They excrete a poisonous sap that can leave you incapacitated for weeks. It's a slight sedative, as well."

Brother and sister looked at each other in concern. Big Mac spoke up. "Is there an antidote?"

Twilight looked down at Apple Bloom, who blushed. "Well, actually, that's one of the things your sister's been working on during Twilight Time."

Apple Bloom looked at her hooves. "It's not done yet, though. Ah cain't get it right. Maybe if Twilight could help me..." She trailed off.

Twilight nodded and readied her horn. "I'll get her things and be right back," she promised, before disappearing in a flash of light.

Granny Smith offered her hoof in the air. "What can Ah do?" She stood straight, ready to help as best as her old bones would allow.

Applejack turned to the old mare. "Granny, you've dealt with invasions before, haven't you?" she asked. "Ah need you to get ready for us when we bring Fluttershy back. She's probably gonna be hurt. Get doctors, medicine, whatever ya need. Can you do that?"

Rarity stepped from the shadows, almost forgotten. "I suppose I am to help her?"

AJ shook her head. "Ah need you to let Rainbow Dash know we've already left when she comes. Tell her to fly over the forest. We could do with an overhead search."

Rarity nodded and sat down daintily in the grass. As their hastily assembled crew set to their tasks, Applejack looked at her big brother. "You be careful now, you hear?" she whispered to him.

He smiled reassuringly at her. "We'll be fine. Just keep your head on you and holler when you find her."

With that, the two Apples took a deep breath and plunged into the forest.

Fluttershy was so tired. Her hooves were sore and bleeding, her wings torn and bitten, and a trail of downy feathers and blood followed her as she ran, then limped away from the wolves. As the last of the howls faded away, she collapsed to the ground, all energy gone. She shivered as she lay on the ground, breathing shallowly. Against all odds, her mane had stayed pulled back in the little ribbon, its cheerful color deceptive against the dark forest. She slowly raised a hoof and untied it, her hair tumbling out and covering her like a blanket.

She coughed weakly and tried to drag herself forward by her front hooves, but she was just too tired. Suddenly, a rustling sounded from her left, and a twig snapped. She froze. They had found her again.

Too tired to fight, Fluttershy simply lay there, accepting her fate. The bushes parted, and her breathing slowed, her vision becoming blurry. Maybe she could make herself pass out. Then she would be able to drift off slowly, rather than being ripped suddenly from life while she was awake.

But wait, those weren't the slow, measured steps of a beast stalking his prey, nor the howling, snarling mob of a hunting party. They were... hoofsteps? Fluttershy raised her head a fraction of an inch, but she couldn't see much past the fallen branch that was scarcely a foot from her face. She cried out in a thin voice, "Help me, please."

The hoofsteps came closer, until they were right next to her. She lifted her head to greet her savior, but the movement was too much. She caught sight of a pair of concerned green eyes. A voice called out, but the words came to her as though muffled through fabric, and she couldn't make them out. Then, her world faded into black.

Chapter Three

Fluttershy woke up in an unfamiliar bed, feeling nauseous and sore, but very much alive.

The first thing she noticed was the moonlight streaming into her face. That raised a few questions. Was it the same day? How long had she been out? She lifted herself up to observe her surroundings, but found herself restrained halfway up. She followed the feeling over to her hoof. A tube was taped there, jutting out from her skin, limiting her movements. She lay back down on the bed and contented herself with moving her head.

White walls, white sheets, and cold metal poles greeted her. She was in the hospital? The rest of her senses slowly woke up, and she found it to be true. The soft murmur of ponies came to her from the hallway, as doctors and nurses rushed by on their rounds. She breathed in, and the sharp, almost comforting smell of rubbing alcohol met her nose. A pretty pink mare in a starched white cap poked her head inside the door. "Oh, good, dear," she whispered. "You're awake. Oh, your friends have all been so worried for you."

The nurse stepped inside the room, trotting over to Fluttershy and checking her vitals. Temperature was normal, pulse was slightly elevated (but that was to be expected). Fluttershy stayed quiet, waiting for her to finish, then asked, "You mentioned my friends? Are they here?"

The nurse checked the clock over the door. "Let's see, it's ten fifteen right now... I believe it is Princess Twilight who is in the waiting room right now. They've got a rotation, you see. Visiting hours are over, but since it's the princess, I believe I can make an exception, if you'd like. Just make sure to keep it down; you've got a roommate," she waved a hoof towards a white curtain along one side of the bed. "Would you like me to go and tell her Highness you're awake?"

Fluttershy nodded weakly. "If, if it's not too much trouble, please." The nurse smiled kindly at her and trotted out of the room.

She returned a minute later, followed by Twilight and Spike. "She's just through here, your Highness," the nurse breathed respectfully.

Twilight looked uncomfortable. "Please, it's just Twilight. And thank you for letting me know. Would it be alright if we get a little bit of privacy?"

The nurse bowed slightly and backed out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her. The two visitors approached the bed tentatively.

"How are you feeling, Fluttershy?" Twilight asked gently. "We were so worried about you."

The question that had been bothering her since she woke up danced on the tip of her tongue. "How long have I been out?" Fluttershy asked, frightened for the answer.

Twilight couldn't seem to meet her friend's frightened gaze, moving her eyes from the intravenous tube to the curtain divider to the window behind her. Spike hopped up onto the bed, putting a reassuring claw on Fluttershy's hoof. "It's been almost two weeks," he explained. "We-- well, we were getting scared that you wouldn't wake up."

Twilight turned back around, tears shining in her eyes. "It's great to see you awake, though. Have you tried sitting up yet? Any dizziness?"

Fluttershy gestured towards the tube sticking out of her leg. "I tried, but this was holding me down. I am feeling a little nauseous, though."

Twilight chuckled dryly. "Yes, I suppose that does come from eating through a feeding tube for the last two weeks. I'm sure once you have some real food, you'll feel much better. Come on, Spike. Let's help her sit up."

Spike, still sitting on the bed, crawled over to the edge and stuck his head down, looking at the control panel. After several seconds of serious consideration, he rubbed the scales on his chin and pressed the top half of a button. Instantly, the bed shot up two feet in the air. Blushing, he pressed the bottom of the button, and they jumped back down to the floor. He looked sheepishly back at the bed's occupant, who was pressing her hooves to the side rails of the bed, the look of terror on her face barely concealed by a thin smile.

Twilight plucked the young dragon off the bed with a sigh, setting him on the floor and pressing a different button with her hoof. The head of the bed tilted upward slowly, and Fluttershy soon found herself in something of a sitting position.

"Any problems?" Twilight asked brightly.

Fluttershy shook her head slowly. She trailed the opposite hoof along the tube sticking out of her leg. "What's this?" she asked.

Spike jumped up from his spot on the floor. "Twilight and Apple Bloom created an antidote for timberwolf poison. Since you got bitten, you've been plugged into this since we found you." He looked proud for his friends' accomplishment.

Fluttershy nodded appreciatively at the alicorn, and then gave a small start. "Oh, Twilight, I meant to tell you," she whispered excitedly. "When I took the bandage off of Woodsworth's leg, the splint was part of his leg. I thought that might be important." She started to say more, but whatever she was going to say was swallowed up in a yawn. Twilight patted her leg gently. "I think we should leave now. Get some rest. I'll tell the others and we'll try to come by tomorrow during visiting hours."

She trotted to the door, turning the knob gently in her magic and gesturing for her assistant to follow her. Spike gave Fluttershy a quick hug before jumping off the bed and following Twilight out the door.

As Twilight walked through the hallway, she ran through a list of friends in her mind. She could go see Rarity tomorrow; the unicorn would most definitely not appreciate being disturbed at such a late hour, even for Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash was most likely already asleep, so she would have to wait until tomorrow, as well. Sugarcube Corner was closed, the Cakes most definitely asleep, but Pinkie Pie may well be somewhere else at such a late hour. Twilight decided to check a few of the party pony's favorite night clubs on her way home. Sweet Apple Acres would have to be visited that night, as well; Big Mac was assigned to the eleven thirty shift, Applejack had the following one, at three thirty, and Granny Smith had the one after that, at six thirty. She would have to inform them that their trip would not necessary.

The cool night air met her face as she exited the hospital. She closed her eyes, envisioning the streets of Ponyville in her mind and determining the most efficient route to hit all of the places she intended. She opened them and smirked at Spike, who stood next to her, sniffing the sweet breeze like a dog.

Twilight unfurled her wings and scooped up an unsuspecting baby dragon, depositing him on her back. "Hold on," she called back to him. When she felt his little claws tighten around her neck, she lifted into the air and soared towards the only section of Ponyville that was awake after the sun went down.

Finding Pinkie had been the easy part. Leaving, however, proved to be much more difficult.

Twilight had found her friend on the stage of the first place she looked, a small club called "The Liquorice Rope", doing a stand-up comedy act. Only one stallion was in the audience, and he appeared to be too far into his drink to even notice there was anything else in the room.

"Clever name for a bar," Spike commented.

"Hush," Twilight whispered. "You're lucky I'm even letting you come along. Don't get too used to going to bars, especially at this time of night. You're much too young for that."

Spike fell a few steps behind her and stuck out his tongue at her receding figure. "I'm not that young."

Pinkie jumped around on stage, singing a song about cups. Why they had to be red, Spike had no idea. Twilight tapped a hoof onto the stage and waited for Pinkie to bounce her way around to her.

"Well hiya, Twilight! What brings you here? Shouldn't you be at the hospital?" Pinkie chattered into the microphone, which dangled from her mane. Before her friend could answer, the pink pony spotted Spike. "Hey, Spike! You should have heard my joke earlier. Okay, here goes: What do you call it when a penguin gets in a fight with a polar bear?"

Twilight put up a hoof to cut her off. "Well, actually, Pinkie, polar bears and penguins don't even live in the same--"

Pinkie burst into giggles. "The Cold War!" she sputtered.

Spike scratched his head. "I don't get it."

Twilight sighed and looked at him in exasperation. "Spike! Don't you read? The Cold War was a period of intense hostility between Equestria and Griffonia during the early Celestial reign. It lasted for almost two hundred years, and it was triggered by the imprisonment of Nightmare Moon, because the Griffon ambassador had been working exclusively with Princess Luna. After--"

Spike grabbed Twilight's lips in his claw, swiftly cutting off her lecture. "Didn't we come here for something other than a history lesson?" he asked pointedly.

"Oh yeah," Twilight grumbled. She turned to Pinkie. "Fluttershy's awake."

"What?" Pinkie screeched. "That's great! Oh my gosh, we'll have to have a party tomorrow. Twilight, can you bring the nachos?"

Spike shuddered. Twilight smiled at both of them. "Sorry, Pinkie. I'm stopping by Sweet Apple Acres tonight, but I have to see everypony else in the morning. I'm sure whatever you want to put together will be fine."

Pinkie nodded thoughtfully. "Hey, Twilight, wanna stick around and listen to the rest of my set? Pretty please?" She looked at her friends with big, round, innocent eyes.

Twilight sighed. "Only for a few minutes," she relented. "I have to make it to Sweet Apple Acres tonight."

Pinkie launched into a stream of corny jokes, drinking songs, and, at one point, tried to gather the other five of the room's occupants into a kickline. The bartender was not amused. Neither was Twilight.

"Pinkie, I really have to go," she protested for the umpteenth time. "It's almost eleven. And I need to make it to Sweet Apple Acres before my shift is up."

"Oh, come on," Pinkie whined, laying her head on the ground and giving a goofy smile. "Five more minutes?"

Twilight started to tell her friend off, but was interrupted by a reptilian snore. "Sorry, Pinkie," she explained. "I gotta get Spike to bed. You know, he's not used to being up this late."

"Oh, I understand," Pinkie chirped. "I'll come by the library tomorrow morning before we go to the hospital."

Twilight scooped the dragon onto her back and gave a little wave. "See you then."

The two quickly left. As they shut the heavy door behind them, Pinkie's voice rang out. "C'mon, Cherry! Let's try this again!"

After depositing Spike at the library under the watchful eyes of Owlowicious, Twilight frantically flew across Ponyville, racing the clock to get to her friend's farm. She landed just past their carrot patch, skittering on the ground to avoid ruining the plants in her landing. She galloped up to the farmhouse and tapped her hoof on the door. Applejack opened the door a few seconds later, her trademark hat absent.

"Well, howdy, Twi," she said through a yawn. "Checking up on us? Big Mac just left for his shift 'bout five minutes ago. But shouldn't you still be at the hospital?"

Twilight gasped for a moment, trying to catch her breath. "That's why I'm here. Fluttershy woke up. I tried to come by before your brother left, but I stopped to see Pinkie, but there were so many bad jokes, and then we started dancing, and then Spike fell asleep, so I had to take him home..."

AJ stifled a snicker. "Sounds like a rough night. Listen, don't sweat it, sugarcube. Let him go. Big Mac barely leaves the house anymore; it's good to let him get around town every once in a while. But Ah'll let Granny know. Thanks for stopping by."

Twilight nodded wearily. "Oh, and before I forget, Pinkie wants to throw her a party." The two mares chuckled. "Just so we all show up around the same time," Twilight continued, "I was planning on having breakfast at the library around eight thirty."

"Sounds good," Applejack replied. "Now, if that's all, I hope you don't mind it if I head back to bed."

Twilight bid her friend good night, and took to the skies once more, at a much slower pace. Her mind turned to her warm bed, and she drifted across fields and silent houses, pondering her thoughts.

Big Mac wandered through the halls of the hospital towards the waiting room, a bunch of wildflowers in his teeth. Every day for the past two weeks he had brought them with him, and every day for the past two weeks he had given them to the nurses' station. But every day for the past two weeks he had brought them for a patient who lay unconscious in her hospital bed.

He settled into the cushioned bench that ran along one wall, setting the flowers delicately next to him. He leafed through a farming catalog that sat on the table, before a chipper blue mare pushing a cart caught his attention. He recognized her as one of the nurses who tended to the patients on this floor. Snatching up the group of flowers, he trotted after her.

Hearing hoofsteps, the nurse turned around, and Big Mac had to skid to avoid a collision. "Oh dear," she apologized. "I'm so sorry. Can I help you with something?"

He tried to explain as best he could with the flowers in his mouth. "Good ev'nin', miss. Ah was wonderin' if you could--"

The nurse cut him off as she looked at the flowers. "Oh, you must be the kind young gentlecolt who's been bringing us such pretty flowers lately. Would you like me to take those back to the nurses' station?"

He began to nod, then seemed to change his mind. "Ac-actually, miss, Ah was wonderin' if you could bring these to miss Fluttershy. She's in room 2B."

The nurse looked slightly surprised, but nodded. Big Mac set the flowers gently on the cart, thanked the nurse for her trouble, and stumbled back to his seat, eyes firmly ahead. He grabbed the catalog again and settled down for the long shift ahead of him.

Chapter Four

Five mares pushed through the doors of the hospital, chatting happily. Pinkie darted up to a nurse to ask permission to bring her party cannon inside, and, upon receiving it, darted back outside again. They traveled through the halls, taking care not to disturb those still asleep. Applejack couldn't fathom how anypony could still be asleep at nine in the morning, but sick ponies always needed more sleep, she reasoned, so she stepped lightly.

The waiting room was almost empty, save for a familiar-looking stallion asleep on one bench. A very familiar-looking stallion...

Applejack trotted across the room and shook her brother awake. "What in blazes are you still doin' here?" she asked.

Big Mac blinked slowly. "Oh, AJ. Well, you never showed up, and Ah suppose Ah fell asleep waitin' for you."

Pinkie giggled. "Silly! Didn't you hear? Fluttershy woke up, so we don't need to stay here all day waiting for her! We're having a party now, so I guess your shift is over."

Rarity batted her eyelashes at him. "Although, I must say, it was terribly gallant of you to stay here all night for our dear Fluttershy. Perhaps you'd like to come and see her?"

Big Mac started to protest, making some excuse about his chores, but Applejack shut him up. "Come on, big brother. Five minutes won't kill you."

With that, Pinkie Pie pranced down the hallway, pushing her party cannon ahead of her. The other ponies followed. They pushed open the door to room 2B and greeted Fluttershy, who was finishing up a modest breakfast of what was probably supposed to be oatmeal, but looked more like slightly congealed mud.

"Well, howdy, Fluttershy!" Applejack enthused. "Great to see you're still with us."

The pegasus pushed aside her tray and gave her friends a small smile. "Hello, everypony. I'm sorry if I had you worried. I'm alright, I promise."

Pinkie Pie, who had been chatting with the room's other occupant, threw aside the curtain. Bon Bon sat in the bed, a hoof wrapped heavily in gauze. "Hey girls!" Pinkie skipped back over to her cannon. "Would it be okay if we expanded this party? Bon Bon got in an accident at work."

Twilight shuddered in sympathy. "Oooh. Sugar burns are the worst."

Rainbow Dash leaned down and pulled the string on the party cannon. "Of course! Twice the space, twice the awesome!"

Bon Bon chuckled weakly. "If you don't mind, I think I'll stay away from the caramels."

And so the party began. It was mild, even by Pinkie's standards; just perfect for a quiet pony like Fluttershy, especially since she still wasn't back to a hundred percent.

Big Mac gave a small smile to Fluttershy, who blushed and smiled back. She nibbled on a sugar cookie, her energy not entirely restored, and listened politely to Rarity's account of all the drama and gossip she had missed while she was unconscious.

Pinkie Pie skipped over to her and wrapped her in a huge hug, babbling away about how wonderful everything was now that one of her best friends was back. She smelled of all kinds of wonderful confections. Pinkie suddenly noticed something out the window and skipped away again, but Fluttershy continued breathing in the smells of her room. It still smelled like a hospital, but it also smelled like cookies and frosting and cake. And...flowers?

She turned her head to find a makeshift bouquet hanging limply in a plastic cup. "Oh, girls," Fluttershy cooed, grabbing some water. "They're so pretty. Thank you! How did you know I love honeysuckles?"

They all looked back at her, mystified. "Darling, we didn't bring those for you. I assure you, if I had brought flowers, they would be in a proper vase," Rarity sniffed.

Bon Bon put up her bandaged hoof. "I woke up around eleven thirty last night, and there was a nurse clattering around on your side of the room," she offered. "Maybe she brought them in?"

Applejack smirked. "Eleven thirty, huh? Gee, I wonder who coulda brought 'em." She turned to grin playfully at her brother, but he was gone. "Hey, anypony seen Big Mac?"

Twilight spoke up around a mouthful of muffin, "He left about a minute ago. He said something about being needed on the farm."

Rainbow Dash snorted. "You farm ponies. Always putting work ahead of fun."

"Well, he should've stuck around," Pinkie Pie pouted. "This party's for him as much as for Fluttershy."

The pegasus in question looked up from her flowers, confused. "What do you mean?"

Rarity sighed thoughtfully. "He was the one that found you, dear. When you didn't come back, your little Angel Bunny came rushing over to Sweet Apple Acres to get help. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Big Macintosh were all looking for you in the forest."

Applejack nuzzled Fluttershy affectionately. "That little rodent of yours is a piece of work, but Ah gotta say, he really cares about you. We were all over the place lookin' for you, then we heard Big Mac holler out that he found you, and Angel just about lost it. He went running back out towards the farm like a foal at a Pinkie Pie party."

Fluttershy smiled gratefully at all of her friends. "Well, the nurses said I could be out of here in a few days," she said. "I hope that Angel can hold on until then. I miss him, too."

The party lasted for the remainder of the morning. Pinkie Pie roped in anyone that dared enter the room. The nurses that came in to check on the two patients were given party hats and cupcakes. Lyra, when she came to visit Bon Bon, consumed an entire sheet cake, on a dare. Fluttershy settled back into her covers contentedly. It was great to see all of her friends, even if she felt like she had just seen them yesterday. When she gave a huge yawn, Twilight called off the party. "Let's give Fluttershy some time to sleep," she whispered, ushering out their friends. "She doesn't have as much energy as we all do."

Fluttershy burrowed into the scratchy hospital sheets, which felt like the most comfortable blankets in the world on her tired body. As she drifted off, she thought of her friends, and how glad she was to have them all. Bon Bon and Lyra's conversation wrapped around her like a lullaby, and she was soon fast asleep again.

That night, Apple Bloom and Granny Smith stood in the kitchen of their humble farmhouse, contemplating the array of ingredients in front of them. Dinner was going to be a simple affair; Granny had decided that Apple Bloom was old enough to take charge of its preparation. The menu was a simple eggbread with salad and, of course, apple pie for dessert. Apple Bloom had made bread before, so she wasn't worried; her main concern was getting the pie just right. It was her granny's special talent, making pies. The filly wanted to prove how grown up she was and make her granny proud.

Things almost went without a hitch. Apple Bloom got both doughs successfully prepared and delivered them to the icebox and the oven without incident. Then came the time to make the pie filling. Suffice it to say, little ponies should not be given large knives.

"Aww, shoot, Granny," Apple Bloom whined, setting aside a small, misshapen apple. "Ah dunno if Ah should be doin' this. Ah just keep takin' big chunks'a flesh off, not just the peel. Sorry for wasting all these apples."

"Ain't no trouble at all, sugarcube," her granny replied with a patient smile. "How's about Ah peel these last few apples, and you can get started on cuttin' 'em up inta little pieces."

Mare and filly swapped places at the counter. Apple Bloom hefted a large knife, set a slightly mangled apple, naked and hollow, down on a weathered wooden board, and swung her hoof down. The knife bit into the apple, slicing cleanly through it from top to bottom. "Hey, there's nothin' to it!" Apple Bloom exclaimed with glee. She quickly cut up the apples she had peeled, dumping them into a metal mixing bowl.

Granny set aside a few more apples. These were pristinely peeled. Not a single speck of green skin remained on them, yet they were smooth as though they had been grown without a peel. Apple Bloom grabbed one and plopped it down on the board, readying her knife. As her hoof made its way down, her granny looked on in alarm and exclaimed, "Wait! I ain't cored 'em yet!"

The knife continued its path toward the perfect fruit, cutting through the top. It stopped at the apple's center, firmly lodged in the dense core. Apple Bloom wiggled the knife, trying to free it, but it was stuck fast. "Now, you be careful," her granny warned. Apple Bloom ignored this, her attempts becoming more frenzied. She stuck her right forehoof on the apple and put the other on the underside of the handle, just below the blade. She pushed her left forehoof up in a quick motion, expecting to knock the knife upwards. But the knife was slick with juice, and the little yellow hoof slipped along the sharp blade.

"Ow!" Apple Bloom yelled, quickly withdrawing. "Dammit! Granny, that hurt!"

Granny looked over at her granddaughter. "Let me see that, sugarcube," she commanded, beckoning for the injured limb. Then, she paused and looked at the filly with an angry expression. "What did you just say?"

Apple Bloom suddenly wondered if she wasn't supposed to have said that. "Uhh, nothin'," she said, a falsely innocent smile plastered across her muzzle.

Granny didn't look convinced, but she hummed to herself and said nothing more. The injured hoof was wrapped in a bandage, and Apple Bloom was instructed to let the older mare finish cutting the apples. The rest of the dinner was prepared in a tense silence.

When the timer on the counter buzzed, Granny sent Apple Bloom to bring her siblings in from the fields. A few minutes later, the sound of three sets of hoofsteps came trotting through the kitchen door, bringing in the earthy smells of dirt and sweat. Applejack rubbed a hoof affectionately on Apple Bloom's head. "Smells great, little sis."

"Aww, thanks," replied her little sister. "But Granny kinda had to take over towards the end."

The four Apples made their way to the table, where the dinner had been laid out. They went through the meal, talking about their days and commending Apple Bloom for her excellent salad preparation. Once the pie was brought out and distributed, Granny cleared her throat.

"So," she began sternly, eyeing each of her grandchildren in turn. "Apple Bloom learned a new word today."

Sensing that it wasn't the sort of word learned in school, Applejack turned to her sister and raised her eyebrow. Big Mac winced and began to eat his pie.

Apple Bloom looked appropriately guilty. "Ah'm sorry, Granny. Ah didn't realize it was a bad word. Ah just heard it out in the orchard today and Ah thought it was just another sayin'. You know, we got tons of 'em. It's kinda hard to remember 'em all." She once again smiled at her grandmother, trying to use her cuteness to worm her way out of a punishment.

Big Mac sighed. "Ah'm sorry, y'all. That musta been me she heard. Ah was out buckin' today and Ah slipped and hurt my hoof. Didn't realize there were any little fillies around, or Ah woulda kept a better hold on my tongue."

Applejack turned to him in alarm. "What's wrong, big brother? You never hurt yourself buckin' anymore."

He stuffed a bite of pie in his mouth. "Just wasn't payin' attention, is all," he offered, giving his family a messy smile.

Granny didn't seem convinced. She crossed her hooves in front of her and turned to her granddaughters. "Out. Both of you. Ah wanna have a talk with your brother here."

Apple Bloom shoved the rest of her pie in her mouth and skipped out of the room, pleased to have escaped punishment. Applejack followed more tentatively, glancing back at her brother in concern. Granny followed them both to the door and shut it firmly behind them. She returned to the table, sat down, and looked up at her grandson, her features neutral. "So, Big Mac," she began, a touch ominously, "What's on your mind?"

Chapter Five

Granny lifted an eyebrow, waiting for an answer. Big Mac swallowed the remains of his pie and looked her straight in the eye. "Nothin's on my mind, Granny," he protested. "Ah just got distracted by somethin' real fast. Ah'm fine, promise."

His granny wasn't convinced. "Like hay you're fine! Ever since we had that trouble with that sweet filly a few weeks ago, you've been quiet. More quiet than usual, even. And Ah didn't even think that could happen."

Big Mac looked uncomfortable. She was right. Ever since they had rescued Fluttershy, he couldn't stop thinking about it. How worried everypony was that she wouldn't wake up; that the antidote wouldn't work; that, despite everyone's best efforts, she wouldn't make it. He thought about it all the time, now. The smell of the forest, still stinking of those horrible beasts. The trail of blood he had found and followed. How she had been laying on the ground, small and shivering, barely conscious, her soft pink hair splayed out around her. He remembered thinking that she had looked like a broken angel.

"It's just the whole thing, Granny," he muttered. "She's one'a AJ's best friends, and Ah was just worried that Ah came too late. Ah was startin' to blame maself, thinkin' that it'd be all my fault if she didn't make it. But she's gettin' better now."

The wrinkled old mare across from him nodded her head wisely. "She gave us quite a scare. But you did more than any of us, Mac. We're all proud of you, and I know that sweet girl is grateful to ya. You got a good heart, boy, and it's a damn big one, too."

He nodded. "Thanks, Granny. Really, it's nothin'. Ah'm fine now, promise." He gave her a toothy grin, to which she chuckled.

"All right, if that's really all there is to it, Ah'll let ya be. Get on outta here and finish your chores, so Ah can eat my pie in peace" she relented, shooing him towards the door. "Oh, and Mac," she called.

He turned around. "Eeyup?"

"If Ah ever hear of you teachin' Apple Bloom any more colorful language, Ah'll tan yer hide. Got it?"

He flushed a shade darker. "Yes ma'am," he replied.

Two short days after she regained consciousness, the doctors decided that Fluttershy was ready to go home. She bid goodbye to Bon Bon, checked out at the receptionists' desk, and flew home as fast as her newly-healed wings would allow.

Angel Bunny was ecstatic to see her. He hugged her the minute she came through the door, then dragged her around to all of her animals to show that he had followed her orders, had kept them in line and in good health. She smiled and gave him a kiss on the top of his head, and he snuggled into her fur. Fluttershy surveyed her cottage and sighed. It was good to be home.

"Goodness, Angel," she commented with a start. "You've done all of my chores for this morning already. Now what am I supposed to do?"

The rodent hopped into the kitchen and pulled out his favorite cookbook, smiling hopefully. Fluttershy giggled. "Okay, Angel," she relented. "But pick something simple."

One extremely messy kitchen later, Fluttershy and Angel stood in front of a large tower of oatmeal cookies. It took Fluttershy a second to find her voice. "Well," she remarked. "That certainly made much more than we thought."

Angel nodded in agreement. There must have been over a hundred cookies there. There was no way the two of them would be able to eat them all, but none of the other animals liked oats.

Fluttershy looked stumped. What could they do with the extra? It would be wasteful to throw them all out. Then an idea struck her.

"Oh, Angel!" She exclaimed, rushing to find a basket. "We should bring these to our friends, to thank them for helping us out."

He seemed to agree, after making her promise that he could keep at least a third of what they had made. The two made up five bags: one for Twilight and Spike, one for Rarity and Sweetie Belle, one for Scootaloo, one for Rainbow Dash, and one for the Apples. She put the bags in a basket, he hopped onto her back, and together they flew into town to deliver their gifts.

Their first stop was Sweet Apple Acres, since it was the closest. Fluttershy landed just outside the fence and walked up the path, looking for somepony to deliver the cookies to.

But the orchards were silent. That was odd. Fluttershy looked up at the sun and tried to gauge the time. It was almost directly above her, at the peak of its path, which meant it was about noon. Of course! It was lunchtime. Everypony would be in the house.

She flew across the treetops and landed on their front porch. Angel jumped off of her back and knocked his tiny fist against the door. Fluttershy set the basket at her hooves and rotated her jaw, trying to ease the stiffness that had come from clenching the handle between her teeth.

The door swung open, and Apple Bloom looked up at Fluttershy in surprise. "Well, howdy, Fluttershy!" she greeted. "What are you doin' here?"

Fluttershy smiled at the eager little filly, who was eyeing the basket excitedly. "I wanted to come by and thank you all for helping me," she explained. Angel dug into the basket and pulled out the largest bag of cookies, put together for all four ponies of the house. "And, um, Angel and I made cookies." For reasons that Apple Bloom couldn't figure out, she looked a bit embarrassed at the second part.

The little filly took the bag from the bunny. "Wow!" she exclaimed, taking a whiff. "They smell great! Thank y'all so much!"

Fluttershy returned her smile. "No, thank you. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be able to give you these cookies in the first place."

To the timid mare's surprise, she found herself in a tight hug from the excitable filly in front of her. "It was no problem at all," Apple Bloom assured her. "Apples stick to their friends."

Fluttershy gave another smile to her little friend and picked up the basket. Angel jumped on her back, and the two flew off to their next destination.

Apple Bloom waved them off, shutting the door as soon as they were out of sight. She picked the bag up in her teeth and trotted into the kitchen, where the rest of her family was finishing up a quick lunch.

"Who was that at the door, sugarcube?" Applejack inquired.

Apple Bloom dropped the cookies onto the table and grinned. "That was Fluttershy. She an' Angel made cookies."

Granny looked sternly at her granddaughter. "And did you thank 'em properly?"

The little filly nodded. "She said she brought 'em over to thank us, anyways. For helpin' her out and all."

Granny looked pleased with her answer, and turned her attention to the treats. "Well, they smell delicious," she remarked. "Why don't we all try one or two."

Applejack and Big Mac cleaned up their lunch dishes, intending to grab a cookie each on their way out the door to the fields. Apple Bloom pulled out two and, under her granny's watchful eye, set them on the edge of her plate until after lunch. Granny then took out a small cookie and bit into it.

"By golly," she mumbled. "This is almost as good as you get at Sugarcube Corner." She looked around to seek out her grandchildren. Applejack had already left, Big Mac was washing dishes at the sink, and Apple Bloom had just started her lunch. Not wanting to deny her youngest grandchild the chance to eat for any longer, she turned her her grandson. "Big Mac," she said. "Ah want you to go find that filly and thank her for bringin' these to us. And maybe see if you can get that recipe." She winked at him.

Big Mac gestured towards the sink, but his granny waved him off. "Apple Bloom can get that when she's done," she dismissed.

"Hey!" Apple Bloom protested through a mouthful of food.

Granny ignored her. "Ah mean it, boy. Ah would go maself, but my old bones need a rest."

He sighed reluctantly but left the sink. He ruffled his little sister's mane as he passed her and chuckled. "Have fun," he teased. She stuck her tongue out at him.

Granny, who was making her way to her rocking chair and had her back to the two of them, yelled out, "Apple Bloom, don't you do that. It's rude."

The two siblings looked at each other, exchanging a look that said, How does she do that? Then Big Mac left his little sister to her lunch and afternoon chores. He stopped to give his granny a kiss on the cheek before leaving, and set out along the path to Fluttershy's cottage.

Chapter Six

Big Mac waited outside the cottage for what felt like hours. Looking back, he probably should have asked his sister if Fluttershy had gone somewhere else after their house, but he was afraid of returning home without the recipe for his granny. When that mare got mad, she got furious.

So he sat there by the river, idly feeding some birds from a bag of seed that lay nearby. Finally, he heard a chattering voice coming up the path. He tried to make out the words, but they didn't seem to make any sense.

Fluttershy and Angel came into view, walking along the path up to their home. Big Mac hastily stood up and brushed the seed off. He hid himself slightly under the bridge and waited for them to approach.

Angel saw him first. He pointed at the bridge and chattered something to Fluttershy. She stepped down by the river, and Big Mac met her there.

"Oh, good afternoon, Big Mac," she said, surprised to see him. "Did you need to stop by for something? I hope you weren't waiting long."

He cleared him throat. "My granny sent me to come an' ask for that cookie recipe you used. She said they were some of the best she ever tasted."

Angel poked a paw at himself proudly, and Fluttershy flushed. "It was really mostly Angel's doing. I'm glad everypony liked them, though. Why don't you come inside, and I'll get it for you."

Angel pushed the door open with his tiny paws, and it swung open effortlessly. Big Mac stepped tentatively over the threshold, peering in at the cozy living room within. Fluttershy followed and gestured at her couch. "Make yourself comfortable in here. It might take me a while to copy it down. Would you like some tea?"

Big Mac shook his head. Fluttershy disappeared into the kitchen, and Angel started to follow. He stopped in the doorway and narrowed his eyes at the large, red stallion. He stared back at the bunny calmly, settling himself down onto the couch. Still skeptical, the rabbit followed his mistress into the kitchen, throwing a warning look over his shoulder.

Big Mac surveyed the room around him. It was small, but homey, sort of like his own house. He spotted a beat-up book on the table next to him, and carefully picked it up. The title was worn off the cover. He set it on the couch next to him and flipped it open to a random page in the middle. He read the first few lines:

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that’s best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes;

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

He recognized the poem. In fact, he owned the same book. It usually sat on his bedside table, unless one of his sisters went into his room. He didn't like them to know that he read poetry for fun.

Big Mac continued to read through the book until he heard hoofsteps coming from the kitchen. He hastily, but gently, shut the book and returned it to its spot on the table. He stood up just as she entered the living room.

"I'm so sorry that took so long," she apologized. "Angel put the cookbook back in the wrong place, and I couldn't find it right away. But here it is. Tell your grandmother I'm happy she enjoyed them."

Angel held up an envelope. Big Mac bent down and carefully took it from his tiny paw. Fluttershy looked out the window and gasped in concern. "Oh no!"

Big Mac turned in confusion. Outside the window, a team of pegasi was quickly arranging a blanket of dark gray clouds to cover the sky. Big Mac shrugged. "Ah'll be fine. Ah can just ask them to wait a few minutes to start the storm up over the farm."

He bid goodbye to Fluttershy and Angel and approached the team's leader. "'Scuse me, miss," he called up. A purple pegasus flew down to meet him.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked, a tinge of annoyance in her voice. "We need to get this storm started."

Big Mac smiled nervously. "Ah'm sorry, but Ah was just wonderin' if y'all would be able to wait just a few minutes to get this storm started. Ah gotta bring somethin' home for my granny, you see, and Ah don't want it gettin' all wet. Ah just live over at Sweet Apple Acres. It won't take long."

The pegasus chuckled. "Sorry," she said in an amused tone. "The storm's already started everywhere else in town. This is the last place we gotta set up, and we're almost done. Why don't you just stay here, spend the night with your marefriend?"

Big Mac sputtered. "She's just my sister's friend. Ah don't even know her that well. Now Ah gotta intrude on her again? How long is this storm s'posed to last?"

The weather team began wrapping up overhead. They positioned themselves above the cloud layer, ready to strike. Their leader flew up to join them. "Guess so. Tough luck. It's supposed to take all night." She called down.

Big Mac sighed and trotted back over to the door of Fluttershy's cottage. He put a hoof up to the door to knock, but it swung open. Fluttershy stood on the other side, one hoof on the door, smiling kindly. "I hope you don't mind, but I heard your conversation. I wanted to make sure you could make it home without any trouble. Come inside before it starts."

He quickly stepped inside, and almost immediately the clouds poured down buckets of rain. Big Mac shivered and stared wistfully outside. It was almost completely dark out. "I'm sorry to be intrudin' like this," he apologized.

Fluttershy waved it off. "If it's anypony's fault, it's mine for taking so long in the kitchen. You might've been out of here earlier."

Big Mac opened his mouth again to protest and apologize, but caught himself. Instead, he said, "Well, thank you for takin' me in. It's very kind'a you. Is there anythin' Ah can help with?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "Angel did all of my chores for me before I came back from the hospital so I could just relax today. Normally, during a thunderstorm, I just like to watch it. You could join me, if you'd like. Or, I have books along that wall; feel free to take any you want. I'm sorry, I don't have much else for you to do."

She smiled sheepishly at the large stallion, and walked over to her couch, sitting down. A bright flash came from the window, followed immediately by a loud boom of thunder. Angel shrieked and scurried upstairs, where he crawled under his covers and hid. Fluttershy looked at the stairs distractedly, a mild look of concern on her face, but returned her attention to the window, fascinated.

Big Mac walked over to the chair next to the couch. He stole a glance at Fluttershy, and determined that she was too focused on the storm to notice anything else. He quietly picked up the book of poetry and picked up at his previous page.

A comfortable silence rang through the house, broken only by the occasional clap of thunder.

Hours later, after Fluttershy had made supper, the two resumed their previous positions. Fluttershy laid her head along the windowsill and let her hair fall around her face, blocking out everything except the storm. She had always loved thunderstorms; even though they kept her from most of her friends, she always got an indescribable feeling of happiness watching them. The gloomy skies and comforting rush of pouring rain made her cottage seem much more cozy, and it made her feel like she was wrapped up in bed with a warm mug of tea.

She felt her eyelids getting heavy, but didn't get up. She was so comfortable and sleepy that getting up would jolt herself awake. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the storm, sighing contentedly. She drifted off to sleep, already forgetting that she had a guest in her house, who remained silent in his chair, re-reading the same pages over and over again.

The candles in the room seemed to grow dimmer, as a bolt of lightning lit up the sky like the sun. Big Mac looked up from his page, focusing on the window in alarm. Fluttershy groaned quietly in her sleep and readjusted herself. The noise caught Big Mac's attention, and he gazed at the sleeping mare. Should he take her to her bed? She looked so comfortable. He looked at her positioning and decided to move her upstairs. He didn't want her to wake up in the morning with a sore back and neck when she was so newly healed.

He stepped quietly over to the couch and eased her onto his back. She was much lighter than the heavy apples Big Mac was used to hauling. She stirred slightly, and he held his breath. He didn't want her to wake up now and get the wrong idea about his actions. However, she simply burrowed into the back of his neck. No doubt in her sleep she thought it was her pillow, but Big Mac still blushed. He climbed the stairs carefully, but realized he didn't know which door was her bedroom.

He tried the first door, but it was locked. The second door held a bathroom, and the third held a menagerie of injured animals. He approached the door at the end of the hallway and nudged it open with his hoof. The room was rather small, and the majority of the floor was taken up by Fluttershy's bed. He approached the side and contemplated how to transfer the pony on his back to the covers.

After almost dropping her twice, Big Mac bent down so that his back was level with the bed. Then, he straightened his outside legs, tilting his back so that Fluttershy rolled off onto the edge of her bed. He winced; it wasn't the most graceful way to do it. He nudged her away from the edge of the bed with his nose and pulled the covers over her. He quietly stepped out of her room, closing the door behind him.

The door across the hall flew open. Angel had been roused from his bed by the rattling doorknob when Big Mac had tried to open it, and Angel had woken up. After a few minutes of trying to find the key, the little bunny had balanced on a lamp beside the door, unlocked it, and opened up the door to investigate. He saw Big Mac exiting Fluttershy's room and immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion.

He sprinted across the hallway towards the bewildered stallion and began forcefully thumping his tiny little legs against Big Mac's hoof. Big Mac picked his hoof up and inspected the little critter in surprise.

"What are you so worked up about?" he whispered. Angel pointed at Fluttershy's closed door and narrowed his eyes at the stallion, who suddenly understood the source of his anger. "It ain't like that," he whispered, embarrassed. "She fell asleep and Ah just brought her up here."

The rabbit crossed his paws, as if to say, Oh, really?

Big Mac shook him off. "Believe me or not," he grumbled, making his way back down the stairs. "It's the truth."

Angel started to chase Big Mac down the stairs, intending to run him out of the house, but a large crack of thunder sounded once more, and the bunny decided instead to go back to hiding under his covers.

Big Mac returned to the living room and stretched out on the couch. He might as well go to sleep, as well; he'd have to get up early in the morning to catch up on the chores he missed this afternoon. He closed his eyes and listened to the calming music of the rain as it lulled him to sleep.

Chapter Seven

Fluttershy woke up in her own bed, which was much more surprising than it should have been.

The sun streamed onto her face, letting her know that she had indeed slept all night, and through the open window came the spongy, earthy smell of mud and wet grass She rolled out of bed and trotted downstairs to make breakfast.

A note lay on the counter, in neat, unfamiliar writing. It read:

Miss Fluttershy,

I want to thank you again for letting me take shelter in your cottage. It was awful nice of you to make dinner, too. I hope you don't mind, but I left before saying goodbye. I got to get home before my granny starts worrying too much.

-Big Macintosh

Fluttershy smiled as she read the note. Big Mac had been good company, even if neither of them said much. She swept aside the note and began preparing her critters' breakfasts.

As she began distributing breakfast to the animals in the living room, she noticed a well-worn book in the middle of the room. She picked it up, recognizing it as her book of Romantic poetry. That was odd. She usually kept it on the table next to the couch. Then she remembered seeing Big Mac reading something the night before.

She giggled to herself. She wouldn't have pegged Big Mac as the type to read poetry. Unless he only read it because Fluttershy had nothing better for him to do. She set her book back on the table and pushed the thoughts out of her mind. Whatever his reasons were, they were of no importance to Fluttershy at the moment. She had work to do.

Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Big Mac hummed to himself as he bucked. When he had tried to sneak back in the house before dawn, he had been caught by Granny Smith, who was keeping watch from her rocking chair.

"And where do you think you've been all night?" she had demanded in a quiet voice. "We were worried sick about'cha when the rain started."

Big Mac set the envelope with the recipe down on a table before responding. "Ah was still at Miss Fluttershy's house, and she offered to let me stay," he had whispered back.

His granny gave him an inscrutable look. "Well," she said levelly. "Ah sure hope you behaved yerself."

Big Mac had looked at her in shock. Why had everypony thought that he had some special connection to Fluttershy? Really, he didn't even know her that well. She was one of his sister's best friends, he saved her life, and she helped him out last night. And she had helped him out with the Ponytones when he lost his voice. End of story. Just because he liked looking at her and thinking about her didn't mean that he had feelings like that for her, right? Right.

He nodded his head, and Granny sighed. "Well, Ah best be gettin' to bed. It's almost time to start the day. Heh. Don't let Apple Bloom wake me when she leaves for school, all right? Let this old mare have her sleep."

He nodded again. "Eeyup."

He had busied himself around the kitchen, eating a quick breakfast before going outside to catch up on his farmwork. He had been scheduled to finish bucking the west orchard the previous day, but had only gotten halfway through it before stopping for lunch. Then he had never gotten back.

He finished up the west orchard by the time Applejack came out and joined him in their work. "Nice to see you back, big brother," she remarked coolly as she trotted past him. She didn't say much else the rest of the morning.

A break finally came with the ringing of their mealtime bell. The two siblings ran towards the back door. Two sandwiches had been laid out on the picnic table by the kitchen door, and Granny sat eating a third. AJ and Big Mac sat down and picked up their own sandwiches when a knock came at the front door.

AJ sighed. "Ah got it," she offered, walking around the side of the house to the front porch.

On the porch stood Fluttershy, who was speaking sternly to her rabbit. "Be nice," she whispered. "We're here to help, not to annoy them."

Applejack cleared her throat. "Well, howdy, Fluttershy. What brings you here two days in a row?"

Fluttershy whirled around at the sound of Applejack's voice. "Oh, Applejack, hello," she said. "Um, I came to see if anypony needed help after that storm yesterday. Big Mac mentioned that he would have to catch up on his chores from yesterday, and with all that rain I can't imagine anypony could do much farmwork, so you must be a little behind. And I brought Angel, too."

AJ looked at her friend appraisingly. She appreciated the offer, and Celestia knows they could use the help, but Fluttershy was so delicate that anything they gave her might be too much. Besides, if they really needed help, they could have just kept Apple Bloom home from school that day. They'd done it before, and Ms. Cheerilee understood that farmwork came before schoolwork.

Applejack shook her head. "Ah appreciate the offer, sugarcube, but we've got this on our own," she said firmly. She knew if she showed even a little bit of uncertainty, Fluttershy wouldn't take no for an answer. "At the rate we're goin', we'll be all caught up by sundown. Thanks, though."

Fluttershy deflated a little. "Oh, that's fine," she murmured. "I'll go make myself useful somewhere else."

Applejack cringed. "Now, that ain't what Ah meant, Fluttershy. We got this handled by ourselves. It's not that we don't want you here."

Fluttershy looked up at her friend. "No, I know," she said. "You can't really give me anything that I can do without hurting myself. It's fine. I'm going to go see who else needs help around town. I'll leave you to your lunch."

She turned and trudged back down the path. Applejack bit her lip and walked back towards the lunch table. As she sat down and picked up her sandwich, Granny asked, "Well, aren't you gonna tell us who it was?"

AJ looked up, her mouth full. "Oh," she mumbled. "It was Fluttershy."

Big Mac inhaled a bite of sandwich and started coughing, his face turning a deeper red. Both mares stared at him before turning back to each other.

"She came over to offer to help," Applejack continued. "Ah told her we got this."

Big Mac finally cleared his throat. "But we don't got this," he pointed out. "We've been working all morning and we just caught up to the end of last night's work."

AJ nodded. "Ah know that, but Ah don't want her to strain herself. She just got outta the hospital yesterday, Mac. Ah'm not gonna have her do farmwork so soon."

Granny agreed. "Ah'm all for recruitin' every eager set of hooves as comes in here, but only a fool would endanger another pony for their own benefit. AJ's right, we'll get this done. Ah'll send Apple Bloom straight out soon as she gets home."

The Apples cleared off their lunch table and set back to work. Granny brought the plates inside and started to wash them, and Applejack and Big Mac started back towards the orchard. When they were out of earshot of the house, AJ turned to her brother and jabbed him in the chest with her hoof.

"What'd Ah do?" he asked in surprise.

She snorted. "Don't act like you don't know what's going on." Upon seeing the utterly bewildered look on his face, she rolled her eyes. "Fluttershy came by today to see you. Ah'm sure of it. What'd you two do last night that's got her chasin' after you like a lost puppy?"

Big Mac blinked in surprise. "Nothin'," he protested. "Ah read, she watched the rain, we had dinner, and then we went to sleep." His sister raised her eyebrow at his last statement. "Separately," he informed her.

AJ smirked. "Well," she said. "Looks like Fluttershy's got a crush on you."

Big Mac laughed mirthlessly. "Are ya sure she didn't just want to help? She is the element of Kindness, after all. And you're one of her best friends."

Applejack nudged him playfully and chuckled. "Nope," she teased. "It's definitely what Ah said. Ah'm sure it was just for you. After all, the whole town knows that my brother's the handsomest stallion in Ponyville, right?" She raised her voice an octave, doing a pretty decent impression of Fluttershy. "Oh, Big Mac," AJ said. "I just stopped by to tell you that I love you."

They laughed together, long and gasping. "Come on, enough foolin' around," Big Mac said. "We got work to do."

They went their separate ways, each pony taking one half of the of the northwest orchard. Big Mac started bucking and let his thoughts wander. He had always thought about how nice it would be to have another pony bucking alongside him, just so he wasn't so lonely. Oftentimes a faceless mare made her appearance. In his imagination, they would take breaks from bucking just to sit together among the trees and talk or do nothing at all. As he worked his way through the northwest orchard, the pony in his mind made her return, and he noticed that she had beautiful, yellow feathers.

Chapter Nine

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter Ten

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter Eight

Fluttershy collapsed onto her bed with a sigh. All afternoon she had been helping Pinkie Pie clean up litter around the town. The winds of the storm had blown around some interesting things; they had found Ms. Cheerilee's lesson plans from the previous week, Rarity's favorite pair of slippers, some tax forms for Quills & Sofas, and what looked like the beginnings of the next great Equestrian novel. Unfortunately, they hadn't found the owner of the last item.

Angel hopped up onto the bed next to her and stood above her head, staring upside-down at her. She blew a piece of her mane out of her eyes and sat up, crossing her forelegs. "What's wrong, Angel?" she demanded. "I thought you'd be glad that I came home, but you've just been acting strange all day."

He shook his head and jabbed her bed, as if to say, Go to sleep, you're exhausted.

Fluttershy wasn't giving in. "Was it the storm?" she continued. "Are you still scared from it?"

Angel hastily nodded his head and tried to hop down. Fluttershy, sensing that there was still more, caught him by the tail and hauled him back up. She spat fluff out of her mouth and looked at him, concerned. "Angel," she said. "I know storms are scary, but you normally don't act like this for very long after they're over. Now, tell me what's really on your mind."

Her rabbit sighed and dramatically flung himself onto his back. He chattered away, waving his paws for emphasis. Fluttershy scooped him up in a hug.

"Oh, Angel," she laughed. "What made you think of that all of a sudden? I'm not going to leave you for somepony else. You're worrying too much. I promise, I'm staying right here for now."

Angel sighed in relief and snuggled into her hug. Her words rang through his head, and he thought, Darn right, she's not. Not if I have a say in it.

Apple Bloom was sick and tired of bucking. Until recently, her siblings had told her she was too little for it. Now, she supposed, they were only making her help because they needed it, but it didn't mean she had to like it.

It had been three days since the storm, and they still weren't caught up. To make matters worse, AJ was off in town with her friends for the day, so Apple Bloom had been forced to stay home from school and do her sister's work. The little filly didn't think it was fair; how come she always had to put aside her friends for last, but Applejack got to skip everything for them?

As it neared three o'clock, Apple Bloom heard voices coming up the path. She stopped bucking and snuck up along the edge of the path, crouching in a bush to see. Applejack was coming back, and she had brought her friends with her. She tried to scramble back to her buckets, but Pinkie saw her.

"Aw, hey Apple Bloom!" she cried. "Are we playing hide-and-seek? That's my favorite!"

Sighing, Apple Bloom left her hiding spot behind and stepped into view. She expected Applejack to rip into her for slacking off, but her sister just grinned. "Hey, can you go ahead and let Granny know we're comin'? Ah brought the girls by to try that new cider recipe."

The little filly nodded and started towards the house, but then she remembered something and doubled back. "Gimme a minute, sis," she said. "Ah just gotta get Big Mac to bring ma apples in real quick."

She raced back to her section of the orchard. She heard her brother pounding away a few yards behind her. Quickly, she scooped a bucket of apples onto her back and headed towards the noise. She found Big Mac, bucking trees with rapid precision. He had his eyes closed and was humming a little tune to himself. A half-full cart stood behind him, and she jumped up, depositing the bucket onto the cart.

Apple Bloom tapped her brother on the shoulder, and he opened his eyes in alarm, his front hooves slipping out from under him. He had been in the middle of a kick, and his back legs swung wildly as he tried to regain his footing. He crashed onto the ground, exhaling forcefully as all of the wind was knocked out of his lungs.

His baby sister grinned sheepishly at him. "Eh heh, sorry about that. Ah need you to come pick up ma apples for me. AJ needs me back at the house."

He glared up at her, then struggled to his hooves. "Eeyup," he wheezed.

She nodded gratefully. "Thanks, big brother!" She ran down the path, yelling over her shoulder, "Ah owe you one!"

Apple Bloom skidded through the open door of the farmhouse. Granny Smith was in her favorite chair, taking her afternoon nap.

"Granny!" The filly panted. "AJ's comin' by with her friends. Where's the cider?"

Her granny jerked awake. "What? Who's there?" she mumbled. Her eyes focused on her granddaughter. "Apple Bloom! What are you doin' in here? S'it dinnertime already?"

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "Never mind that, Granny. Where's the cider? AJ wants to test out the new recipe."

Granny yawned and lazily waved a hoof at the kitchen. "In the icebox. Now let me sleep."

Apple Bloom ran into the kitchen. She flung open the door to icebox, grabbed six bottles of cider, and placed them carefully on her back. Then she went over to the counter and picked up a cup full of straws, balancing in precariously on her nose. She walked slowly out the back door and set the drinks on the picnic table. Her sister and her friends rounded the corner a few seconds later.

AJ started when she saw the drinks already laid out. "Thanks a bushel, sugarcube," she said, patting her sister's head.

Apple Bloom scowled. "How come we've had to work our tails off these past few days, and now all of a sudden y'all can just take a day off?" she demanded.

Applejack grinned. "Because, you silly filly, the girls're here to help us out."

Her sister continued glaring at her. "Why didn't they come earlier?"

Applejack looked sheepishly at her friends, her face glowing with embarrassment. She turned to her sister and whispered, "Because they offered to help today. Ah'm not gonna be ropin' 'em into things they don't wanna do. Now go finish your homework. Ah'll have somepony else pick up your work."

Apple Bloom perked up as she realized she was done with farm work for the day. She began to head upstairs when her sister called her back. "Bring Mac somethin' to drink, wouldya?" she asked. "Ah'm afraid he'll never take a break otherwise."

The little filly nodded and scurried into the kitchen, snatching up a bottle of cider and popping off the lid. She stuck in a straw and placed it on her back, tearing back out into the orchard. She approached her brother more carefully this time, calling his name while she was still several feet away. He turned to face her, and she dropped his cider bottle on the apple cart.

"This is for you," she told him. "AJ's lettin' us all take a break 'cause her friends are comin' to help afterward."

Big Mac gulped down the cider. "Thanks," he said gratefully. He took another sip of the cider and smacked his lips suspiciously."Tastes diff'rent..." he mused.

"It's a new recipe or somethin'," Apple Bloom explained. "Anyways, Ah gotta go do ma homework now. You're cleanin' up after yerself!" She ran back towards the house.

Big Mac sat down and stretched out his aching muscles. He had been working so much these past few days, he hadn't even given himself time to be sore. He had tried to avoid taking breaks, because it would be that much harder to pick back up again, but he stayed sitting. He sucked once more on the straw, and it gave a hollow slurping sound. He left the empty bottle on the cart and hitched himself into the harness, trotting back to the barn to unload. The buckets of apples jumped and jostled as he walked leisurely down the path.

Meanwhile, AJ and her friends assembled in front of the barn. Applejack cleared her throat. "Alright, y'all," she began. "Ah think it's best if half of us buck and half of us haul. Big Mac'll be on haulin' duty, too. Now, Twilight, Pinkie, can you help him? Then Fluttershy, Dash, Rarity, and Ah can buck."

Rarity grimaced. "Not to, erm, impose, Applejack, but is there something that I can do that involves less dirt?"

Applejack chuckled dryly. "Well, Ah suppose you could always unload the carts in the barn. That clean enough for ya?"

Rarity smiled. "But of course, dear. I'm always happy to help."

She retreated into the barn, and the other five ponies proceeded on to their jobs. Big Mac pulled his cart up to the barn as Twilight was struggling to make sense of the straps on her harness. Applejack trotted over to give her a hoof and nodded up to her brother. "We're splittin' up into teams. You just keep bringin' apples to the barn, alright? We'll buck the rest of these."

Big Mac unhooked himself and pulled a bucket onto his back. "Eeyup."

The girls headed out into the orchard. Fluttershy contemplated the tree before her, peering up into its branches. She turned around and shot her back legs out, making contact with the tree. A handful of apples fell into the buckets around her. She sighed and bucked again. A few more fell, but most of the apples stayed firmly attached.

A chuckle sounded from behind her, and she whirled around, her face red from exertion and embarrassment. "Ah think AJ's got it all backwards," Big Mac said. He picked his way around to face Fluttershy and wriggled out of his harness. "No offense, but Ah don't think you're gonna get very far like that. Here, why don't Ah buck, and you can carry the cart."

Fluttershy dropped all four hooves onto the ground. "Is it really that bad?" she asked.

Big Mac shook his head. "Nah, your method's good, but you don't have enough power. Ah've just had more practice at it. See?" He kicked out his back legs, and a shower of apples fell from the tree behind him. He tossed a full bucket into the cart and gestured toward it. "Plus, Ah figure you'd be better for this kinda thing, with your wings and all."

She relented, and the two traded places. In no time at all, Fluttershy needed to go to the barn and unload. When she left, Big Mac found himself wanting to follow her. He shook his head, wondering at himself. He had certainly been talkative today. And now, with his sudden separation anxiety, he felt like he hadn't since, well...

Since Hearts and Hooves Day. But that was silly. Apple Bloom had promised to never do it again. And it's not like he had anything to drink lately, except the cider, so he was probably fine.

He froze. He remembered commenting that the cider tasted different, and his sister just brushed it off and then darted away. He was convinced, now. It explained so much! He set off towards the house at a run. Oh, Apple Bloom was really in trouble now.