Dead on the inside

Although Inhio’s face was still missing a solid smile, the ponies were still happy about the way things had turned out so far. Rarity had done a great job at putting Inhio in a seemingly good mood. No one thought, even for a second, to be unhappy with the fact that she didn’t succeed in actually making Inhio smile. Two out of six ponies had finished their part in this ordeal, and the time for the next one to take their place was at hand.

As the gentle pegasus with the soft voice guided the cowboy and her friends to her cottage through the streets of Ponyville, a lot of ponies were seen unbarricading the doors and windows they had previously sealed shut in fear of the evil creature. Most of them had turned a blind eye towards the way he behaved earlier, but quite a few ponies still looked at him with a rather reproachful scowl. Some even with a touch of fear in it.

As Fluttershy gathered all of her animals around her, her friends found a more comfortable spot to watch from. They had seen her do this plenty of times before, and saw nothing fazing in her performance, even though Inhio still seemed rather intrigued. The way all the animals followed her call like she was a mother to each and every one of them, it was rather amazing. It felt like Inhio was looking at a pony version of Gaia herself. Birds and animals of all kinds alike, from the smallest hummingbird and cutest bunny, up to the most majestic eagle and fearsome bear, an animal most people with a brain would play dead when seeing, he bowed to this gentle soul - less than one fifth of its size - as though he was bound to her by nature.

All of this seemed twice as intriguing for Inhio, since his own wife was quite a gentle soul and a passionate friend to all animals...Of course, not the kind of friend like this one, though. She would no doubt love to be in her shoes. To bend the will of the animals around her as if it were her own, not for ill purposes, but for the sheer privilege of being around them without scaring them away. Inhio felt like he could spend the whole day and more here, just watching and listening to the way she talked and sang for the animals. He never thought that he could have these sorts of feeling towards such a creature, but, despite it not feeling right, he didn’t feel ashamed.

Inhio even started feeling rather uneasy. It felt like the more time he spent around her, the more she started reminding him of his wife. He did not want to sit and wait to see what these feeling lead to, so he decided to cut in and somehow get the chain to move towards the next link. "You have quite the talent for dealing with animals, Miss Fluttershy.”

Talent, that word made Inhio remember something. He remembered about the definition of a cutie mark and the butterflies on this one’s backside. He seemed to have figured out the connection here - The butterflies must have symbolized her talent of being good with all sorts of animals, just like the diamonds on the white ones flank meant she was a passionate fashionista. He was now, more eager than ever to reach the next link in the chain. The cloud and colored lightning on the blue, rainbow-maned one's flank had particularly intrigued him. What could it symbolize? he wondered.

"Oh, thank you, Sir. I do try my best.” Fluttershy smiled at the man, hoping he would smile back.

"Believe me, as much as I would love to stay here longer, I fear we must move on.”

"Oh? But you’ve only just arrived. I’ve barely even shown you anything, and we haven’t even stepped inside my cottage yet. Are you sure you don’t want to come in for some tea?” Fluttershy felt like she wasn’t even given a chance to prove herself. She wasn’t the only one surprised about Inhio wanting to leave so early. Her friends had only just found a comfortable sitting spot when Inhio was already getting up.

"I’m sorry, Miss Fluttershy, I do not wish to offend you in any way.” Inhio knelt on one knee before the pegasus. "But despite feeling comfortable here, I fear I cannot see myself getting a smile over my lips while sitting here, and I was never really one for loving tea parties either.” His tone was sincere, and his voice clear and without pause. He, no doubt, truly meant what he was saying. Nevertheless, the ponies still couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t telling them everything, but none of them dared to ask him anything. The sadness in the eyes of the young pegasus was a painful sight for Inhio.

"I understand.” Fluttershy descended to the ground with closed eyes and a remorseful expression. "I’m sorry,” she whispered.

She’s not making this easy... Inhio thought to himself. "Please, do not despair. This was in no way your fault. If anyone is to be sorry here, then it’s me...” Fluttershy looked at Inhio with wide eyes and a half-open mouth, wondering what could he possibly be sorry for. "I’m sorry for not giving you a proper chance, I’m sorry for cutting this visit short, I’m sorry for just plain being so damn insufferable and putting all of you through this...I’m sorry for everything, that’s what I’m sorry for.”

All of the ponies looked surprised about Inhio’s sudden apology streak. None of them realized that he actually felt sorry for anything, let alone, so many things at once. Something about him seemed out of place. Only Twilight alone realized what exactly wasn’t right with Inhio. He was breathing heavily, as though he was suffocating. It almost seemed as though he was unable to stand up for some reason...He looked weak, and the way he kept apologizing just now, it was as though he wasn’t himself. Out of the six ponies, Twilight was the only one who had seen this before. Inhio began to shake and sweat like he had suddenly caught a fever.

"Inhio!” Twilight shouted out to him and walked closer, but stopped when Inhio raised his hand towards her, holding his palm straight, clearly ordering her to stop. The shaking and heavy breathing continued for another few seconds before Inhio rose up to his feet again.

"We must go!” Inhio exclaimed, but the ponies around him still looked a bit dazed. "Now!” he added. That shook the ponies up a little and reminded them what this moment really meant – they were running out of time. There was no time for talking left, and everyone looked at Applejack for further guidance. Her only response was a loud, nervous-looking gulp. Needless to say, she no longer felt anywhere near to as enthusiastic about this plan as she did at the beginning.