Greener Pastures

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7

Chapter 1

It was evening, sunset to be exact. Fluttershy and Big Mac were enjoying the view, like they had a few times before. There wasn’t much else to do in Ponyville at this time of day. Most shops and other outdoor activities had closed down for the night. So, there they sat, staring at the sun without a care in the world.

Three months. For three months this has been going on now. Why can’t I just tell him how I feel? Why doesn’t he try to make a move? Is he as shy as I am? No... he’s Big Mac. He’s not shy, he’s just quiet... right?

Fluttershy had been meaning to tell the red stallion how she really felt about him for quite some time now. Her entire life had been dominated by silence, having always been too shy to speak up about anything. She couldn’t stand up for herself. In fact, she couldn’t even stand to disappoint anypony, always doing her very best to avoid having to do just that. It was the main source of all her problems, that damned shyness.

If only I could just tell him! Life would be so much easier if I weren't... me...

“Mac?” she asked, her voice as soft as ever.

“Eeyup?”

“...I... nothing. Never mind,” she said, looking away from the stallion beside her.

It had happened again. Once again, she had tried to tell Big Mac how she felt, and once again, she had locked up completely. Truth be told, she wasn’t even sure what she was so afraid of.

I’ve spent so many evenings with him already, always doing the same thing... staring at the sunset. But... he’s here, with me. That has to mean something, right?

Maybe Big Mac has the same problem after all? He has always been the silent type...

Fluttershy sighed to herself. Big Mac looked up at the sudden noise, a questioning expression on his face as he turned to look at Fluttershy.

“It’s nothing, Big Mac. Let’s not ruin the moment,” she said with a giggle. Holding back another sigh, Fluttershy continued to stare at the sunset. Big Mac seemed to shrug off his worries, returning to the sunset with a smile on his face.

Why? Why not? What is so difficult about those words, that just thinking of speaking them aloud makes me feel sick?

A chill crept up her spine. It was cold outside, and even though she was huddled up against the stallion she had come to love so much over the past few months, the cold was getting to her. She crept a little closer to Big Mac, who didn’t seem to notice.

Go on, tell him! she thought, trying to convince herself that absolutely nothing could go wrong, and that Big Mac had been waiting for her to get the conversation going this whole time.

Nothing happened. More silence, as always.

Another deep sigh later, she still hadn’t made any progress. All she needed was to take her mind off of it, and she knew this, but it was just so difficult to stop thinking about the pony you love if you’re sitting right next to him. Watching the sun set, no less.

Not much time had passed before she found herself hoping that Big Mac would make a move on her. Just a small one, like a hoof on her shoulder, or just holding hooves. She edged a little closer to him once again. This time, Big Mac noticed, looking her in the eye for a moment before returning to the sunset. The rest of the evening passed slowly, Big Mac sitting next to Fluttershy, making no attempt to talk to her, silent as always.

“I... I think I’m going to go home now,” Fluttershy said after some time, deciding that she had spent enough time with the stallion, at least for now. She wanted nothing more than to stay there and sit with him, perhaps wait for the sunrise, but they both had things to do; Fluttershy had her animals to feed, and Big Mac had the farm...

“Eeyup.”

Her heart skipped a beat as Big Mac stood and looked her in the eye, but her hopes quickly faded as he turned to head home.

“Goodnight Big Mac, it’s been fun. Let’s do this again sometime soon.” Fluttershy was trying desperately to hide any disappointed feelings she might have had, but that became a little more difficult to do every single time she tried. Three months already, and Big Mac still hadn't caught on.

Maybe he just doesn't want to catch on...

“Eeyup,” he called back to her, already on his way back to Sweet Apple Acres.

Always the same with him. She smiled.

Fifteen minutes later, Fluttershy strolled up the path to her cottage. An air of sadness surrounded the pegasus, but she made an effort to hide her mood when she noticed her favorite pet bunny sitting in the doorway to her house.

Angel had been waiting for her with empty food bowl next to him and a look of anticipation in his eyes. He quickly perked up as Fluttershy came closer, apparently hoping that whatever she had been doing had put her in a good enough mood to give him some extra treats.

“Oh, Angel. You’ve had your supper, and it’s much too late for sweets now. You won’t be able to sleep!”

The bunny shoved the bowl aside, now apparently more interested in Fluttershy herself. He tugged at her hoof, pointing towards the forest in the distance.

“You... want to play with me?” Fluttershy asked, guessing by the gestures the little bunny was making that he wanted to play Hide and Seek.

“Uhm... I’m not really in the mood for playing right now, Angel. I’m sorry.” Angel didn’t seem too surprised by her answer, but he definitely did seem disappointed by the idea of yet another evening going to waste. Ears falling to the side of his head, he picked up his food bowl and slowly left the open doorway, reluctantly allowing Fluttershy to pass.

Normally, he wouldn’t have given up so easily, but this had been going on for a few weeks now, and he had learned that whatever kept happening to his owner whenever she went outside always left her feeling a little down at best.

Poor Angel. All he wants is to play, and I turn him down because I can’t talk to Big Mac.

“I’m sorry, Angel. We’ll play first thing tomorrow morning, alright?” She smiled as she asked this, trying to con the little white rabbit into thinking that everything was fine.

A quick nod from her favourite bunny confirmed the plans, and she made for her bedroom. Angel wasn’t quite finished, however. A tiny prod in Fluttershy’s hind leg made this clear.

“What’s wrong, Angel? It’s late and I’d really like to go to bed right now,” Fluttershy said, even though she had no idea what time it was.

All Angel did was hug her hoof, as it was the only part of her that he could easily reach. The idea behind this sudden display of affection was very clear, though: ’Don’t worry, things will be fine.’

Fluttershy couldn’t help it; she could feel the familiar sting of a tear welling up in her eye. Angel had no clue what was wrong; she hadn’t told him or anypony else. Despite this, he was still trying to cheer her up, undeterred by all his failed efforts over the past few weeks.

You really don’t deserve this, Angel. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, I promise.

“Go on, Angel, you should get some sleep. I’ll be sure to leave my bad mood behind when I get out of bed tomorrow."

Angel didn't seem convinced. He wouldn't let go of her hoof, as if he thought Fluttershy had misunderstood the message. He squeezed a little tighter, as if trying to tell her that he'd never let her go.

“I’ll be fine, Angel, really. You go to sleep now; it’ll be a busy day tomorrow if you really want to make up for today’s missed time.” She tried to fake a playful smile as she said this, and judging by Angel’s reaction, it worked. The little bunny let her go, although reluctantly, and turned away from Fluttershy, hopping away to nowhere in particular.

The smile she had been faking faded as she entered her bedroom. She felt sad, maybe even lonely, and nothing anypony could say or do would change that. Well, Big Mac could change it in a second, but there didn’t seem to be any chance of that. She’d spent so many nights dreaming about it that the very idea of being in a steady relationship with him seemed more like some surreal work of fantasy than something that could actually happen.

But somewhere deep inside, she knew she had a chance. It was what kept her going; that last tiny sliver of hope that one day, she and Big Mac could be more than just friends. She shoved the thoughts aside.

Now isn’t the time for this, she thought as she tried to take her mind off of Big Mac, focusing on tomorrow. I need rest, and I’m not going to get any if i keep worrying about this.

“Goodnight, Angel,” she whispered, even though she knew he couldn’t hear her. She closed the door, letting go of a final sigh as she made for her bed.

She crawled onto her bed, ready for another sleepless night. Most of her nights nowadays were spent planning that one elusive conversation between her and Big Mac, even though she knew it would never happen.

“...And goodnight, Big Mac.”

Fluttershy had always liked being alone. It was why she surrounded herself with animals rather than other ponies. Animals couldn't talk, and they couldn't judge either. They were just so much easier to be around. Time spent around animals was time for thought, a time in which nopony else could bother you, a time in which... you could be yourself.

She thought of the evening as she closed her eyes, too consumed in her thoughts to even care about setting her alarm. She didn’t have any plans for tomorrow anyway, aside from playing with Angel, and he was a late sleeper if you gave him the chance. He always had been.

Nothing like Big Mac, she thought, quickly followed by regret for thinking of him again.

Every night, it was the same story. She’d dream about herself, having the courage to just walk up to him, and just... kiss him... or hug him... or even just tell him. But it was always a dream, never reality. Every morning, she’d wake up to find herself in bed, instantly overcome with sadness as she realised that it had all been just another dream. It was all she had really felt the past few weeks, aside from when she was around him.

Enough of this. I’ve spent too much time worrying about it already. It’s even come to the point where it’s affecting those around me, she thought to herself, images of her disappointed pet bunny flashing through her mind.

Trying her very best to keep her mind empty, she waited. Waited for sleep to come.

Maybe music will help make me feel better? she thought after some time, giving up on sleep for the moment.

Music always makes me feel better, and it’s been a while since we’ve last practiced. The last time was for the Grand Galloping Gala, wasn’t it?

After considering the plan for a few more moments, she decided that she’d give music a chance if nothing else happened.

It’s not like I have any better ideas, anyway. Playing with Angel won’t take all day. He always grows tired of playing the same games.

This was true. The little bunny liked playing, Hide and Seek in particular, but he could never stick to one game for very long. He always got distracted, running off to find food or just getting bored with whatever game they were playing and hiding somewhere for Fluttershy to find him.

Those plans usually backfired on him nowadays. Fluttershy had learned that if she just waited long enough, hunger would get the best of the little bunny, and he’d come home. She didn’t like letting Angel go hungry like that, but hours upon hours of searching had left her no alternative.

Yes, some music will help, I’m sure. I wonder how the birds are doing? The gala was weeks ago, and I haven’t practiced with them since...

With that final thought of composing some music with her birds, something she actually felt like doing that didn’t involve him, she drifted off to sleep, reluctant to find out what she would be doing in her dreams this time.

Chapter 2

There she was again, next to Big Mac. Walking this time, but still in the evening. Something was different, but Fluttershy couldn’t quite decide what it was. The sunlight seemed the same; gradually growing less. Grass was still green, and the sky slightly orange, as one would expect at a sunset.

Big Mac looks the same too, aside from... wait... is he... blushing? He is! Big Mac is blushing! Because of me! She felt her heart do a somersault as she tried to make eye contact with the red stallion.

“Big Mac?” she asked him, seeming remarkably confident. “We’ve been going out for a while now, and... uhm... I think we... we ought to be more than what we are now. ...Even though I’m not quite sure what we are right now.”

“Eeyup,” he said, slowing to a stop as he turned to look Fluttershy in the eye. He looked... happy, or relieved even.

And that was it. That one word had been all she needed. That one word meant everything to her, she had been hoping, no... dreaming of this moment for weeks now! And here it was. Big Mac, the sunset, the eye contact. They stared at each other, both overcome with joy that they had finally crossed that line. Fluttershy felt her heart beat faster as Big Mac leaned closer, and closer... and they kissed.

All the sadness of the last few weeks was forgotten. For that one, perfect moment, nothing else mattered to Fluttershy. She was happy. Her heart was racing, her chest felt warm, and her heart felt like it was about to explode. It was almost too good to be true...

Fluttershy woke up with a jolt, her heart immediately sinking as she realised that it had just been another dream. She had fallen for it again. Why would a pony’s mind play such cruel tricks on itself?

One flood of tears later, Fluttershy came out of her bedroom, still sobbing every so slightly. Angel was sound asleep, as she had hoped. She had promised the little bunny that she wouldn’t let her feelings get in the way of today’s plans, and she didn’t want to start the day by breaking her promise. Sure, it hadn’t been a pinkie-promise, but even normal promises are meant to be kept.

She stood there for a second, admiring the the little white rabbit. She hated waking him up, even if it was for the sake of playing with him. Angel was sprawled on the floor, snoring quietly, and a small trickle of drool running from the corner of his mouth. Fluttershy couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

“Angel, wake up. We’ve got a lot of games to play today,” she said ever so gently to the little bunny. He was a light sleeper, so it never took much to wake him up. As she looked up from the now awakening bunny, she noticed his empty food bowl.

Oh, right! We haven’t had breakfast yet! It was morning, and she had completely forgotten about breakfast.

“I’m sorry Angel,” she smiled. “You’ll want something to eat before we get started, won’t you?” The bunny nodded slowly, still a little drowsy from his sleep.

A strangle grumble was heard from her stomach, and she blushed in embarrassment.

“I guess that makes two of us,” she said with a smile as she made her way to the kitchen. “Let’s go see if we can find something to eat.”

The smile quickly faded from her face as she realised that she didn’t have any food to prepare for breakfast, not even something small like an apple.

How did that happen? Oh... I’m going to have to shopping... I hope Angel doesn’t mind having to wait even longer for his breakfast...

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Angel. It looks like I’m going to have to go do some shopping before we can start. Do you mind waiting for me to get back?”

The little bunny shook his head. Truth be told, he did mind. But he didn’t want the yellow pegasus to know that. Her state of mind was a delicate one these days, and he didn’t want to risk saddening her even more than she already was, despite her cheerful appearance.

“I’ll try to be as quick as i can, Angel! Why don’t you go play with some of the other bunnies?” she called over her shoulder as she made for Ponyville, saddlebags with her, and some money tucked inside a pouch on the side of them.

Just over two hours later, she had already arrived at the market, and had already done most of her shopping. Her saddlebags almost full, she only needed a few more things to make Angel and herself an extra luxurious brunch, to compensate for the belated breakfast.

With a lettuce, the last thing on her list, bought and safely placed in her saddlebags, she moved to turn around and started walking when she bumped into somepony. As she looked up to see who it was, her face started to assume about the same colour as his.

It was Big Mac. Out of all the ponies in the market, she just had to bump into Big Mac. After an awkward silence, she realised that Big Mac had no problem with remaining quiet, so she spoke:

“Oh... hi Big Mac, sorry I bumped into you. You aren’t hurt, are you?”

“Nope,” he replied with a smile, obviously amused by the idea of Flutterhsy injuring him.

“Oh, good... I had best be on my way now. Angel is waiting for me to come home to make some lunch,” she said, still blushing vigorously.

“Eeyup,” said Big Mac as he turned to proceed with his business.

“Wait!” Fluttershy squealed, immediately regretting her decision.

“Ee...yup?” Said Big Mac, turning back to face her with a questioning, yet also vaguely hopeful expression on his face.

“I... I...”

It was happening again. For the millionth time since she had fallen so deeply in love with the red stallion, she was locking up at just the thought of telling him exactly how deeply in love she really was.

’No. Not this time. Not again. I’m not letting this happen to me again. This has to end, if not for me, then for Angel.’

The thought of her favourite pet bunny did the trick. She just couldn’t stand thinking of Angel being in pain, or even feeling sad or let down, just because she wouldn’t just go up to Big Mac and tell him.

“I... I really like you, Big Mac. More than I would an other colt. I’ve always thought that one day, we might be more than just friends, but I was afraid to tell you.”

No reply. He was taken aback by this sudden outburst from the otherwise so quiet pegasus; she could see it in his eyes. She faced away, unable to look him in the eye, for fear of what was about to come. Tears started welling up in her eyes as she awaited those words she had dreaded for so long: “I’m sorry, but...”

They never came. As the first teardrop landed on the ground, there was no sound to be heard. Aside from Fluttershy’s own barely audible sniffling, the market was quiet.

A hoof. A hoof on her shoulder. She looked up and saw that Big Mac was moving closer to hug her. Her heartbeat quickened, just like last night, and just for a second, she thought that she had reacted too soon. For that one moment, she could pretend that she and Big Mac were actually more. It made her feel happy, but also a little guilty. She pushed him away, but only slightly, so she could look him in the eye.

He looked... happy? She had a hard time telling. He was always in a good mood, so it was hard to tell if he wasn’t just being himself. Add the teary eyes to that equation and for all Fluttershy knew, he could be laughing at her, not just smiling.

Realising that Big Mac was waiting for her to calm down, she spoke up, something she wouldn’t have been able to do if her mind hadn’t been drifting away towards Angel.

“So...?” she managed to ask him, only barely audible.

“...Eeyup.” That was all she needed. She felt her heart racing, tears welling up in her eyes once again. But these were different. They weren’t tears of sadness, they were tears of joy

She galloped straight home. Big Mac would understand, or she would explain later. She was simply too thrilled to be able to have a normal conversation. She loved him, and he loved her back. It was the best Fluttershy had ever felt.

Only five minutes had passed, but she was already home. She hadn’t stopped on her way home, not even to catch her breath; it could wait. Even Angel managed to forget about his increasingly louder stomach for a while when he saw his owner coming back so overjoyed. It was a big contrast to how she had come home the past few weeks. A big contrast, but a welcome one.

Fluttershy spent the rest of the day playing with Angel, and when he had had enough of that, she went to lie on her bed. Not to feel sorry for herself like she had been doing lately, but to remember the moment, to check if it really had happened.

It almost seemed like a dream to her, it was so... surreal. She almost couldn’t believe that it had actually happened, but deep inside, she knew it had. There was one thing different from the dreams she usually had: The perfect moment had passed, but she hadn’t woken up yet.

She had done it. She had told Big Mac how she felt. She had finally overcome her nature and done what her heart had always told her to do. She... she was part of a couple. A couple with Big Mac.

Done with her disbelief, but still unusually happy compared to her behaviour lately, Fluttershy went to check on her pet one last time.

Angel was doing fine. He had helped himself to some of the lettuce from her saddlebags, and was now lying sprawled in the middle of a small patch of grass, enjoying the sunlight, or... what was left of it. The sun had started to set.

Oh my, just how long have I been dreaming away in my bedroom?

After having checked on Angel, and making sure that he didn’t need anything else, Fluttershy went back inside. She gasped as she glanced at the clock. It was already seven PM. ‘Time really does fly when you’re having fun, she thought to herself. There was no point in making supper. She was much too excited to eat, and Angel would be quite happy with his lettuce.

The last few hours before bedtime were spent trying to think about the next conversation with Big Mac. It’d be awkward, she knew that much, but that wouldn’t last long; they knew how the other felt about the relationship. Fluttershy moved to go to bed, almost forgetting that she hadn’t yet wished Angel goodnight. Quickly retracing her steps, she found Angel huddled up in a corner of the room, but still awake.

“Goodnight Angel. I’m sorry we didn’t get to play all day, but we still had fun, didn’t we?” She smiled as she said this. It was a proper smile, too. Angel was beaming at the sight of his owner in such a good mood again.

She fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit her pillow, pleased with how the day had gone, and a giant smirk on her face as a result. It had been a long, eventful and happy day. The best she had had in a long time. And tomorrow would be even better; she’d actually be in a relationship, instead of just trying to start one.

Chapter 3

Fluttershy woke up, feeling better than ever. She had dreamt of Big Mac again, but this time she didn’t have to feel sad that it had been just a dream. They were together now. After all those weeks of sulking, crying and wondering, they were together.

She wanted to ask Big Mac out on another date today, although she wasn’t really sure what they’d do. Big Mac was usually busy during the day, which meant that they only really had the evenings. They had gone to watch the sunset a few times before, so she didn’t want to do that again.

Maybe we can go rowing on the lake? It is the weather for it, and it's exactly the kind of time alone that I've been dreaming of spending with him.

After quickly checking up on Angel, and giving him his breakfast, she was already left with nothing else to do. The idea of visiting the lake still on her mind, Fluttershy started wondering if maybe Big Mac had an idea.

I haven’t planned anything else to do... Maybe i should go visit Sweet Apple Acres and see if Big Mac would like to join me at the lake this evening, if he doesn't already have plans...

As she came closer to Sweet Apple Acres, she noticed Big Mac was nowhere to be seen. Not really a surprise; he’d be bucking apples at this time of day, but Fluttershy had hoped to get in a quick word with him about the evening. Not wanting to give up so easily, she made for Applejack’s house. This could be a good time to get her opinion on the newfound relationship. She wouldn’t want to have to sneak around behind Applejack’s back.

“’Mornin’, sugarcube,” Applejack said as Fluttershy entered the earth pony's home. Normally Fluttershy would’ve knocked, but the door was open, and Applejack had seen her coming.

“Good morning, Applejack.” Came Fluttershy’s voice, ever so softly.

“So what’ve ya been up to lately? I haven’t seen very much of you.”

“Oh, nothing much. But there is something I’d like to talk with you about.” Fluttershy said, her voice growing progressively softer as she reached the end of her sentence.

“Wait, don’t tell me. It’s Big Mac.” Fluttershy looked up at the mention of his name, a very confused expression on her face.

“Oh.. he’s told you.. has he?” she asked, her voice even less audible than it had been before.

“Sure has. Big Mac would never keep something like that from his sis’,” Applejack said, suddenly growing very serious. “Ah know you must really care for him, he told me you made the first move. From somepony like you, that takes some serious courage.”

“Y’know what, this ain’t none of my business,” Applejack said, suddenly aware of how uncomfortable Fluttershy seemed to be.

“I’m happy for ya, ‘Shy. It’s not everyday ya meet your special somepony, even if it is mah brother.”

She couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for the yellow pegasus in front of her. Fluttershy clearly didn’t like talking about it; her eyes were averted, she was blushing, and shuffling nervously.

Deciding that she had teased Fluttershy enough, even if she hadn’t meant to, Applejack changed the topic.

“I know you’re not here for me, so how’s about you and I get started on preparing lunch? Big Mac won’t be done for another couple of hours,” Applejack said, trying her very best to sound friendly.

“Oh, that sounds nice, Applejack. What can i do to help?” Fluttershy said, all too eager to lead the conversation away from Big Mac. Applejack seemed relieved, for some reason.

“I suppose ya could help prepare some sandwiches for Big Mac; he always eats way more than I can prepare by mahself,” Applejack chuckled.

The rest of the morning, and a small part of the afternoon, was spent making sandwiches, both for Big Mac and themselves. They had produced several dozen already when Applejack noticed that it was time to ring the bell to announce lunch.

A few minutes had gone by in silence when Big Mac finally walked into the kitchen, a look of surprise on his face as he noticed Fluttershy.

“Oh, hi Big Mac,” she said, finally able to maintain eye contact with the stallion of her dreams. “We made you lunch...”

“Ee..yup,” said Big Mac as he noticed the giant platter of sandwiches on the table in front of him, all the while hungrily licking his lips.

They ate in silence, partially because Big Mac never really was one for conversation, and partially because Fluttershy just wasn’t comfortable talking about the two of them with Applejack still in the room. It was too early for that.

Applejack got the hint though, as Fluttershy wouldn’t make eye contact with her, or even look in her general direction.

“I.... I have some stuff to do... someplace else,” Applejack said, pretty sure that both ponies could see right through her flimsy excuse.

Neither of them commented though, both seemingly satisfied with staring at the ground and continuing the awkward silence they had going. Applejack left the room, and Big Mac continued laying waste to the platter of sandwiches.

After some time Fluttershy broke the silence;

“Uhm... Big Mac?” she asked, trying to be confident.

“Eeyup?” he said after having swallowed the sandwich he had been devouring, the next one already in his hoof.

“Would you... would you like to come to the lake with me... when you’re done working?”

Big Mac took some time to think, but eventually he gave her exactly the answer she had been hoping for.

“Eeyup.”

“Oh, that’s great! How about we meet at the lake at... seven? Is that alright?” she asked, more excited than ever.

Big Mac was slightly startled by this sudden outburst of joy, but he quickly recovered and responded as usual.

“Eeyup.”

“Alright, great! See you then, gotta go, bye!” Fluttershy squeeled as she ran for the door.

He had agreed to visit the lake with her. Alone, just the two of them. Just the thought of it made her stomach churn, but she didn’t mind. All she needed to know was that she’d be spending the evening alone with Big Mac, on the lake.

She spent the rest of the day thinking about what could happen, if she should wear anything, and several other similar questions.

After some thinking, she decided not to dress up too fancy though; Big Mac probably wouldn’t and she wouldn’t want to embarrass him.

The rest of the day passed quickly. Fluttershy had barely had enough time to ask Rarity for advice on what to wear. She had been particularly careful not to mention that it was for a date though; she didn’t want Applejack to know that somepony else had found out exactly what was going on between her and Big Mac before she had.

Fluttershy ended up going for the natural look, as Rarity had said it just looked best on her. No dress, no necklace, nothing. Just Fluttershy.

She had been waiting for barely five minutes when Big Mac showed up, also not dressed, thankfully. He was however carrying a small package in his mouth, wrapped in crimson red paper.

Realisation dawned upon Fluttershy as Big Mac came closer and she got to take a better look at what he was holding. He had brought her a gift.

Anxious to find out what he had gotten her, but not willing to rush things, she waiting for him to get closer before inquiring about the package.

“Is... Is that for me..?"

“Eeyup,” said Big Mac, a smile growing on his face as he said so.

“Oh, you really didn’t have to, Big Mac! I really wasn’t expecting any...” The words just stopped coming as she saw what he had brought her.

It was a necklace. Nothing really special, just a metal necklace. But there was a picture hanging on the chain, in a heart-shaped frame. It was a picture of Angel. How he had gotten the picture was beyond her, but she felt the familiar sting of tears in her eyes as she looked at the gift, at a loss for words.

“Big Mac.... it’s beautiful...” she said, still a little dumbstruck on how he had managed to get his hooves on the picture.

He just watched as she tried to get the necklace around her neck. She fumbled with the chain, so he stepped in to help her. Fluttershy merely beamed as she looked at the necklace hanging from her neck. It was the perfect gift.

When Fluttershy had finally finished admiring her gift, Big Mac admiring her in the meantime, they made for the boat.

As they sat in the boat, in the middle of the lake, Fluttershy’s attention shifting between Big Mac himself and the incredible gift he had given her, she noticed a small beetle in the bottom of the boat.

Being Fluttershy, she couldn’t just leave the little critter all alone, so she bent over to pick him up. As she did so, she felt a strange tugging sensation on her neck, although it soon disappeared.

That was odd. I wonder what that could’ve been...

Her heart stopped as she realised what had happened. As she had bent over to pick up the beetle, her necklace had snagged on something on the side of the boat, causing the chain to snap, and the necklace to fall overboard.

She could feel the first tear flowing as she turned her attention towards Big Mac, who had noticed everything. He was already looking over the edge of the boat, for any sign of the necklace.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Big Mac! I didn’t mean to! Please don’t be mad at...” She never got to finish that sentence, as she was cut off by a giant *SPLASH!*.

He had jumped into the lake. She didn’t even know Big Mac could swim.

Wait, what if he couldn’t? He wouldn’t be so foolish, would he?

It had been his very first gift to her, but it still wasn’t worth risking his life over.... was it?

She spent the next two minutes worrying about Big Mac, and to a lesser degree, her necklace.
Her worries faded partially as Big Mac surfaced, taking a deep breath as he did so.

No sign of the necklace, much to her dismay.

Way to go, Fluttershy. You lost your perfect present not even an hour after you got it.

Big Mac had dived again, or so she hoped. As she was mentally kicking herself, he had disappeared.

A minute went by, no sign of the red stallion.

Two minutes, still nothing. She was really starting to worry now.

Just as she was about to call for help, she heard a gasp. She spun around a little faster than she should have, almost falling overboard herself.

Big Mac had surfaced once again, a metal object in his hoof and a giant smile on his face.

He had found the necklace. Fluttershy let out a squeel of joy as she realised that she just might not have ruined the evening.

She accepted the necklace from him after she helped him climb back on board. The chain had broken, and the picture was ruined, but the heart-shaped frame was fine. She felt a tinge of sadness as she looked at the ruined necklace, but something about Big Mac’s expression told her everything was going to be just fine.

The rest of the evening proceeded without any other problems; they held hooves, they hugged, she even felt him nuzzle her cheek. It was the perfect night out, for a couple such as this, the silence was all they needed.

She was happy, and she was pretty sure he was too. They watched the stars for several hours, not speaking a single word. It wasn’t necessary, and neither of them wanted to ruin the moment.

As the time neared eleven ‘o clock, they returned to the shore. They hugged once more, and she kissed him on his cheek. Aside from the necklace incident, it had been a perfect night, and one she’d never forget.

They said goodbye and turned to go home. Rarity would have insisted that he walk her home, but Fluttershy didn’t mind. The night had been a success; it didn’t matter if he walked her home or not.

As she arrived at her house, she noticed Angel was sound asleep. It had been a long night. Although the chain on her necklace may have broken, she didn’t want to have it repaired. The broken chain served as a reminder of what Big Mac had done to keep her happy, and she cherished the necklace all the more because of it.

As she laid down on her bed, the necklace safely placed on her nightstand so that it was in her view, she recounted the events of the night.

A smile spread on her face as she remembered how the red stallion had jumped into the lake just to save a piece of jewelry that he had given her only minutes before it happened.

With that final thought, Fluttershy drifted off to sleep, content with how the day had gone, and happier that she had ever been. Tonight, she had finally gone on an ‘official’ date with the stallion she loved so much. It had been a great day, and nothing could ever change that.

Chapter 4

Fluttershy had always been the type to get up early. Dealing with the small animals in her charge demanded that the pegasus stay on their schedual. It’d never been a problem; she actually enjoyed getting up before her animals. She’d derived joy from watching their day to day activities for as long as she’d been in the position of caring for them.

Instead of waking up early, the pegasus had slept in for several hours. Between the events of the previous day and the pleasant dreams filling her sleeping head, there was no reason for her to rise. Well... no reason other than a white rabbit who was tired of waiting for his breakfast.

After making sure her mane didn’t resemble a battlefield rather than an actual mane, Fluttershy prepared herself to go and feed her animals. She’d start with Angel; he was the least patient one of the lot by a long shot. After having fed him, the little bunny losing all interest in his owner as soon as he had his food, she moved on to feed all of the other animals she cared for.

Hedgehogs, deer, and pretty much any kind of animal you could think of. When she was done with that, she moved on to her birds; the last on her imaginary list of things to do for the day. As she finished feeding her birds, she realised with a slight shock that she’d have to think of something to do again. She couldn’t go visit Big Mac again, as much as she wanted to. He’d be busy catching up with the work he should’ve done yesterday.

Her worries quickly vanished as she noticed Rarity walking up the path to her humble home. Rarity was always good for some idle conversation, and she really knew how to keep a pony busy.

“Good morning darling,” she said as she walked up to Fluttershy. “I thought we had planned to go to the spa today. You didn’t come over, so I figured I’d come and see what’s wrong,” Rarity said, a slightly worried expression on her face.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Rarity! I had... forgotten,” Fluttershy said. It didn’t sound too honest, not even to her, yet it was the truth. She had been so caught up with Big Mac that she had completely forgotten about the weekly trip to the spa with Rarity.

“That’s quite alright, dear. I’m just glad to see that you aren't hurt,” Rarity said, any hint of worry in her voice completely disappeared as she spoke. “So, are we still going to the spa today, or did you have other plans?”

“No, I’ll come. I’ve finished feeding all my animals and I don’t really have anything else to do. Shall we go?”

“Yes, that sounds like a plan to me,” Rarity said as she turned around to walk towards Ponyville. “I thought we’d get to talk about why you suddenly needed fashion advice from me. If it were Applejack I would’ve understood, that pony really needs to learn a thing or two about fashion. But I would never have thought you’d voluntarily come asking for advice on such a thing."

“Oh, it’s kind of a long story, I’ll tell you when we get to the spa,” Fluttershy said, barely managing to hold back a sigh of relief as Rarity didn’t pursue the matter any further, for now.

“I suppose we should hurry, we’re already running late,” Rarity said, trying to get Fluttershy to get a move on without hurting her feelings. The rest of the walk continued in silence. Rarity was bursting with questions about why Fluttershy would need advice on such a matter, but Fluttershy had said she’d rather wait.

“The usual, please,” Rarity said to Lotus, one of the two ponies in charge of the spa. They had visited the spa many times before, so they never needed to say any more than those two words for Lotus and Aloe to know what they had to do.

“So... is there anything you’d like to tell me?” Rarity asked, her eyes covered by slices of cucumber. She knew Fluttershy would be reluctant to talk about whatever it was she was trying to hide, but she had more or less promised to talk to her about it, and Rarity had her mind set on finding out.

“Oh... I suppose I do owe you an explanation,” Fluttershy stammered. “The reason I wanted advice on something to wear...”

“Yes, dear?” Rarity asked, ever so anxious to know what was going on.

“It... it was for my cousin. She was going on a big date and didn’t know anypony fashionable enough to give her advice on such a thing.” Fluttershy instantly regretted lying to her friend, but she’d rather not tell the truth just yet. She still wasn’t sure about how her friends would react to the relationship she had be enjoying for the past few days.

“Your... cousin?” Rarity asked. She had never known Fluttershy had a cousin.“ Are you sure, Fluttershy? You’re not solving anything by keeping this quiet, you know.” Rarity wasn’t completely sure if Fluttershy was lying or not, but she was willing to take the risk to find out.

“No, I really do...” She stopped mid-sentence as she realised Rarity had actually lifted one of the slices of cucumber, as was starting right at her with one eye. She didn’t look happy.

“Okay, I give up. The advice was for me. I just didn’t want everypony to know what it was for...” Fluttershy said, her eyes tearing up slightly as she confessed.

“Calm down now, dear. There’s no need for that.”

“I... I needed your advice for.... a date,” Fluttershy whispered, her voice so soft Rarity had to strain her ears to make out what she was saying.

“A date?!" Rarity shrieked, completely disregarding any notion of Fluttershy being uncomfortable. Darling, you have to tell me absolutely everything! Who were you going on a date with? How did it go? Oh, do tell!”

“It... I was... me and... Big Mac..”

Rarity realised she had let herself go somewhat, and quickly regained her calm. “I’m sorry dear, I shouldn’t have shouted at you like that. That wasn’t ladylike behaviour. Oh, but do carry on!”

“That’s okay, Rarity. I can understand why you’re so curious,” Fluttershy said, regaining her ability to speak in full sentences. “Me and Big Mac were going to visit the lake that evening, and I really didn’t want to mess up the date, that’s why I asked you for advice.”

“You and Big Mac. Well, I can’t say I’m very surprised. You two were practically made for each other!” Rarity mused. She seemed happier with the development than Fluttershy had been.

Was it really that obvious? Are we really such a great couple? Did the others share Rarity’s thoughts on us? Had they all been waiting for this to happen?

Meanwhile, Rarity found herself feverishly hoping Fluttershy wouldn’t see right through her blatant lies. Luckily, Fluttershy seemed too concerned with her own thoughts to pay any attention to what Rarity was doing.

“So... how was it?” Rarity asked, making no effort to hide her curiosity.

“Uhm... how was... what?”

“Why, the date, of course! How did it go? How was he? What happened?” Rarity fired one question after another at the poor yellow pegasus. Fluttershy didn’t want to answer any of them, but she had agreed to this, and Rarity wasn’t one to give up easily. Especially when it concerned relationships.

“Oh... it was... fun,” Fluttershy replied. It had been much more than just fun; it had been the night of her dreams. “Big Mac brought me a necklace,” she added, hoping that she could lead the conversation away from the actual date itself.

“A necklace, you say? Where is it? Why aren’t you wearing it now?” Rarity asked. There really didn’t seem to be an end to the questions the unicorn was asking.

“I... uh... I broke it.”

“I... see,” Rarity said, a disappointed expression on her face.

The rest of their time at the spa passed in silence. Rarity still had several questions burning in her mind, but she knew better. Fluttershy wasn’t comfortable talking about it, and she wasn’t going to force her friend to say any more than she had already done.

The sun was already starting to set as the two friends exited the spa. Fluttershy could have gone past Sweet Apple Acres to see Big Mac, but she figured he’d be busy anyway. With nothing to do in Ponyville, she set out for her home.

“Angel, were are you?” Angel had disappeared once again. Fluttershy wasn’t particularly worried; he had run off before, and he always came back when he got hungry. “Come on, Angel. I have food!” She called, hoping that her favourite little bunny had worked up enough of an appetite to respond to her.

No response; he just hadn’t gone hungry yet. Maybe she’d try again in an hour or so; Angel had grown much too good at hiding for her to have a chance at finding him.

An hour and a half later, there was still no sign of Angel, and Fluttershy was getting worried. Angel had never stayed out this long before; his stomach always got the best of him.

Another half an hour later, Fluttershy was officially panicking. The sun was almost completely gone, and Angel still hadn’t shown up. Could he have run off into the forest? He never had before, but was the only explanation she could think of for Angel still not responding to her calls.

Her worries getting the best of her, she went to get help. Not really thinking about what she was doing, Fluttershy ran for straight for the first pony should could think of: Big Mac. In hindsight, it had been a stupid thing to do. Big Mac had been working all day, trying to catch up with the work he had skipped to be with her the day before. But she wasn’t thinking, she was panicking.

Fluttershy arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, completely out of breath. She had galloped all the way there, not stopping for anything or anypony. It had taken her twenty minutes to get there, and she was exhausted, but that didn’t matter. Her pet was out in the night, probably hurt and alone. He needed her.

“Eeyup!” said Big Mac, a stern, determined look on his face. Fluttershy had just asked him to help her find Angel, and he couldn’t just leave her to find the bunny by herself.

Less than half an hour later, they were both in the forest, looking for Fluttershy’s pet. She was calling his name, while he was checking under every rock, behind every tree, and in any possible hiding place.

Another hour went by, and still no sign of Angel. Fluttershy was growing more desperate by the minute. Angel had been missing for well over four hours now, longer than ever.

Fluttershy was just about to break out in tears when she saw a very familiar, white, fluffy bunny in the middle of a clearing in the distance. She had found him. Angel was lying on his side, shivering. It was cold, and he wasn’t used to sleeping outside.

“Angel, wake up. What are you doing all the way out here? Oh, I was so worried! Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked him, knowing full well that she wouldn’t get an answer to half of those questions.

Angel woke up, drowsy at first. He livened up quickly as he recognised his owner, though.

...Something was wrong. Angel wasn’t getting up.

Fluttershy came closer to take a look. Angel pointed to his paw, which was bent in an awkward way. He was hurt, but it didn’t look too bad. Fluttershy would have him fixed up and ready to hop around again in no-time. She just needed to get him home.

Another hour later, Fluttershy, Big Mac and Angel were safely back at her place. Angel’s paw had been bandaged carefully, and Big Mac was just about to leave.

“...Thank you, Big Mac. I don’t think I could’ve found him without your help,” Fluttershy said, even though Big Mac hadn’t been the one to find her pet rabbit.

Big Mac just looked at her. He looked tired, exhausted, even. But he also seemed grateful for something. She didn’t bother to ask him about what. She had found her bunny, and Big Mac needed his sleep.

“I’m... I’m sorry to have kept you from going to sleep... again,” Fluttershy said, all the while making eye contact. “Goodnight, Big Mac. Thanks again for helping me, you were fantastic.”

Big Mac turned around, ready to go to sleep. He was probably just exhausted from a hard day’s work, it was already past midnight, after all.

A few minutes later, Fluttershy went to bed. Angel had been found, and cared for. Big Mac had seemed happy for her, even if he was completely drained.

Working for Sweet Apple Acres must be a lot harder than it seems, Fluttershy thought to herself. I hope he isn’t upset with me for bothering him at this time of night...

Her worries quickly faded as she noticed the necklace on her night stand. Big Mac wouldn’t be mad at her. He knew she had been desperate, right?

With her worries for the day taken care of, Fluttershy closed her eyes. It had been yet another eventful day. As of late, all of her days seemed to be busy.

“Goodnight, Angel. And goodnight, Big Mac,” she mumbled to herself, as she slowly drifted off to sleep once more.

Author’s Note: Massive thanks to Redeverose on DeviantArt for allowing me to use his artwork as cover art for my story, you’re a champ, buddy!

Chapter 5

Fluttershy woke up, immediately in a good mood as she laid eyes on the necklace Big Mac had given her. Angel’s picture had gotten badly damaged, but it held a special place in her heart because of it. It reminded her of that night at the lake.

Maybe I should find a replacement for that picture, but with what to replace it? I could use a picture of Big Mac... Oh, but I don’t have a picture of him... Perhaps I should ask him for a picture of himself the next time I see him? she thought to herself, yawning as she rubbed her eyes.

She snoozed for few more minutes, then got up. Her first order of business was to take another look at Angel. Even though she had taken the proper measures to ensure that his paw would recover sufficiently, it had been dark, and she wanted to make absolutely sure that nothing would happen to hinder her little white bunny’s recovery.

After making absolutely sure that Angel had everything he needed, she went to care for the rest of her animals. The task was quickly taken care of and, as usual, Fluttershy had little else to do that day.

Out of stuff to do already... I really should start making plans for things to do during the day, I keep having the same problem...

She spent some time just standing there, lost in thought, and when she finally snapped out of it, she still didn’t hadn’t thought of anything for herself to do.

Maybe a walk will help clear my mind, and help me think of something. It’ll give me something to do for the moment, if nothing else.

After spending some time making sure that there really wasn’t anything else for her to do, Fluttershy set out for her walk. Having nothing to worry about, she decided to let her thoughts wander. Paying no attention to where she was heading, Fluttershy set out in a random direction, and started wandering aimlessly.

Her thoughts quickly settled on one particular subject, though: Angel. She had never found out exactly how her pet rabbit had hurt himself. It wouldn’t be easy to guess; the little bunny couldn’t tell her how it had happened. She couldn’t help but feel a little guilty about not having thought of it sooner.

I wonder what caused his injury... There wasn’t anything near him that he could’ve hurt himself on; he was in the middle of a clearing. It couldn’t have been an attack by another animal; there hadn’t been any sign of a bleeding wound, Fluttershy thought. I guess he must have fallen off of something. He could’ve limped to the clearing, but it’d still have to be pretty close-by to where I found him...

Maybe I can get him to point to a picture of what caused the injury? Oh, but there are so many possibilities... it could take months to find a picture of what he hurt himself on... or maybe I could take him back into the forest to have him point it out to me? She couldn’t think of any other solutions, and as such, decided that she’d have to see what the bunny thought of her plan. I’ll ask him to come back with me in a week or two. His paw should have healed nicely by then. Satisfied with the plan, she finally took some time to look around; she hadn’t been paying very much attention to her surroundings.

As she snapped out of her thoughts, she realised with a smile that she had subconsciously made her way to the lake where she and Big Mac had spent the night just over two days ago.

Fluttershy looked around, letting her thoughts roam free once again as she inhaled the fresh air. Today was a good day. She didn’t have anything to do, but that also meant she didn’t have anything to worry about. She’d taken care of what little chores she had, and could spend the rest of the day doing whatever she wanted to do.

She squeeked in terror and bolted for cover as she heard a sudden noise behind her. She had never liked sudden noises, and this one had certainly caught her off guard.

Her fear quickly faded as she peeked at the source of the sudden noise from behind her tree.

Oh, it’s just Pinkie. For a second there I thought it might be... wait, why is Pinkie diving in the lake?

“Heya Fluttershy!” Pinkie cried out as she suddenly appeared next to Fluttershy, who proceeded to squeal once again at the sudden outburst of sound and movement.

“What are YOU doing here? Why are you hiding behind a tree? Come out, silly! Oh, are we playing a game? I LOVE games! Hide and seek is one of my favorite games! I’m really good, you know? Sometimes, I play with the Cakes, but they’re just babies, so it’s no fun. You’re not a baby though; you’re Fluttershy!” Pinkie looked the pegasus in the eyes, their noses less than an inch apart. Suddenly, she gasped. “Or ARE you!?”

“Oh... uhm... I’m just... I was just looking around,” Fluttershy stammered, eyes downcast. Pinkie’s energetic ways always brought out the worst of her shyness.

Pinkie looked at Fluttershy through one eye, slowly getting closer and closer. When she stopped, the only thing Fluttershy could see was one giant blue eye. The earth pony snapped her head back faster than she should have been able to, her usual smile on her face. “Okie-dokie! I’m throwing another party soon because Jason is having a birthday. I’m not really sure how to throw a party for a fish. They’re not at all like us ponies.” Pinkie threw her front hooves up in the air, staring Fluttershy down again. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to talk to fish about parties!? It’s like they don’t even know what a party is! I kept trying to get the other fish to tell me about them and come to Jason’s party, but noooooooooooo! They won’t even say a word to me!”

Pinkie crossed her front legs, then stood up. “Oh well,” she continued, cheery as usual. “I’ve got to go get a fish-cake from the Cakes. I wonder what fish like...” The pink pony started to hop away before suddenly turning around and dashing back to Fluttershy. “Would YOU like to come to Jason’s party!? Of course you would! I mean, there’s going to be cake!” The pink pony threw her front hooves up in the air yet again, but this time, streamers and confetti burst from the pink pony, flying in every direction possible.

“Twilight will be so surprised to know that I’m throwing a party at the library! She won’t even have to get out! I hope eight isn’t too late for Spike to be up. I’d hate for him to miss out on the cake.” The earth pony smiled at the pegasus. “I’ll see ya then! It’s time for cake!” She screamed, sounding like the mad-pony that some thought she was.

Fluttershy couldn’t help but stare in wonder as the pink pony dashed through the trees on her way to Ponyville. She didn’t bother to mention that Pinkie was going in the complete opposite direction; she’d find out sooner or later.

She sighed as she returned to looking around the lake; Pinkie could be very tiring to be around, even if only briefly. She sat there for several hours, dreaming about nothing in particular, and when she finally decided that she had wasted enough time, the sun was already past its peak, and daylight was fading.

Oh my! It’s getting late already! I have to go home and feed my animals!

A few hours later, Fluttershy was wandering the fields around her house. Her animals fed and happy, she went inside to prepare for the party. There wasn’t really much to do, other than making sure that her mane was presentable. She hadn’t thought of getting a present, but then again, the party was in honor of a fish. Twilight probably won’t have a present either, she thought. She didn’t even know the party was being held at the library, according to Pinkie, so at least I won’t be the only pony without a present.

As she walked up to Twilight’s library, she noticed that the party was already in progress; there was loud music playing, there were lights flashing inside, and most of all, there was Pinkie, dragging her inside.

It was crowded, much more so than Fluttershy had expected. She loved animals, but throwing a party of this size for a fish seemed a bit... much. Rainbow was there, she guessed;
there was a rainbow-colored tail sticking out from under a pile of books.

Looks like Rainbow got a bit too... enthusiastic, again. Applejack stood next to it, trying her very best to maintain her breathing while laughing harder than Fluttershy had ever seen her laugh before.

Rarity was on the other side of the room, talking to a stallion next to the punch bowl. She seemed incredibly bored, despite the colt’s best efforts to entertain her. Walking further into the party, Fluttershy noticed Pinkie had run off, apparently done with obeying the laws of nature. She was hanging from the ceiling, streamers flying away from her in every possible direction, all the while singing a variation of Happy Birthday adapted for fish.

“A happy birthday we wish, but you’re just a fish!” She could hear Pinkie’s yell over the crowd. The pink pony was obviously doing her very best to entertain herself and everypony around her. Fluttershy moved to sit in the corner as she usually did at these parties, but Pinkie quickly pulled her back into the centre of the room.

“Whatcha sitting in a corner for? We have some celebrating to do!” Pinkie mused, all the while dancing to the happy, upbeat music playing in the background. “Come on, it’s time to PARTY!”

“Oh, I really don’t want to...” Fluttershy tried to say. The pink pony quickly cut her off by jamming a cupcake in her mouth though.

“Can’t hear you, busy partying! And finish eating before you try to talk, silly!”

As the party dragged into its third hour, virtually all of the ponies were starting to tire. Pinkie, however, was still as energetic as ever, bouncing up and down the room like she had only begun two seconds ago. Fluttershy needed a break from the party, and Pinkie didn’t look like she was planning on letting her return to her usual corner.

“Uhm... I’m just... going to go outside for a second, Pinkie. I don’t feel so good. Maybe a little fresh air will help,” she stammered.

“Okie-dokie! Don’t take too long! I was just about to start pin-the-fin-on-the-fish!” Pinkie shouted, trying to be louder than the music.

Fluttershy stepped outside, closing the door behind her. The fresh air did make her feel better, even if she had felt perfectly fine when she told Pinkie she was going outside.

I haven’t seen Big Mac yet, tonight. Maybe he was too busy with the farm to come to this party. Then again, he’s been working hard to catch up with his work. He should’ve caught up by now...

Just as she thought that, she noticed a couple sitting on a bench not too far away. It was already well past nine o’ clock, and the darkness made it hard for Fluttershy to make out any details about the two ponies in the distance, but the moonlight helped. They were huddled closely together, her head resting on his shoulder. Fluttershy squinted to make out more details. One of the two ponies, the mare, was a unicorn. The stallion looked like an earth pony.

She stepped a little closer, doing her very best to make as little noise as possible. Normally she wouldn’t have done such a thing, but there was something oddly familiar about these two...

As she approached, she started picking up more and more details. The stallion was red, his mane yellow. The unicorn looked purple, with a darker shade of purple on her mane. Her cutie mark looked like...

No... she wouldn’t...

“Uhm, Twi... Twilight? Is that... you?” Fluttershy stammered. The two ponies jumped. As soft as Fluttershy’s voice was, the sudden sound had startled them, seeing as it had been so close.

“Fluttershy! Wha... what are you doing here?! I didn’t think we’d get interrupted here!” Twilight more or less of shouted. Big Mac just looked away, obviously extremely uncomfortable with unexpected this turn of events.

“I... I was invited... and wanted some fresh air...”

“Listen, Twilight. I need to talk to ‘Shy. Could you please... go inside?” Big Mac asked. Fluttershy was taken aback by the sudden sound of his voice.

Twilight did as he said, taking one last questioning glance at the red stallion as she closed the door behind her. Big Mac turned to face Fluttershy, a look of determination on his face. She met his gaze, forcing herself not to break eye contact.

Truth be told, she knew what was coming. She just didn’t want to... no, she couldn’t bring herself to admit it to herself.

Calm down, Fluttershy. Nothing’s happened yet, he was probably just comforting Twilight. I wonder what happened to get her so upset?

“I’m sorry that you had to find out like this, Fluttershy. I was going to tell you soon, real soon, but I just... couldn’t.”

No. This isn’t happening. It’s a dream, Fluttershy. Don’t worry, you’ll wake up in a second, in your bed, and everything will be just fine.

“Listen, I like you, ‘Shy, I really do. But... not as much as Twilight. I’m sorry.”

Wake up, Fluttershy, wake up! Why won’t I wake up?!

“Are... are y’allright, Fluttershy?” Big Mac asked, using her full name this time. He looked worried, almost afraid that he had been too blunt. Tact wasn’t something Big Mac was very good at, and he knew it.

Fluttershy only managed to stare at him, tears flowing freely from her eyes. Her mind slowly formed a sentence as the words the red stallion in front of her had just said came through to her.

’But... not as much as Twilight.’

The two ponies fell silent, and Fluttershy had no intention of breaking the silence. She couldn’t. Words had abandoned her, much like her thoughts. All she could feel was this... emptiness in her chest.

Why... how? How could he do this?

“...Fluttershy?” Big Mac asked, still looking worried. He raised a hoof to wipe away one of her tears, but she moved away.

And then she ran away from Big Mac, ran away from the stallion that had made her the happiest pony in Ponyville, only to take it all away again, not even a week later.

Angel was nowhere to be found as Fluttershy dashed up the path to her house, still sobbing uncontrollably as she slammed open the door to her cottage.

Good, she thought. I don’t want him to see me like this again, he hates to see me cry.

Not even bothering to shut the front door behind her, she galloped straight to her bedroom. Angel would close the door when he noticed, but she wasn’t thinking about that at the time. Her thoughts were elsewhere.

How could he do this to me?! How could she do this to me?! Fluttershy thought as she buried her face in her pillow, her sobbing steadily turning into a full-blown cry. Her emotions were in turmoil, somewhere between anger and sadness. Whatever it was she felt, it was overwhelming and devastating.

Why did this happen? What did I do to him? Why didn’t he just tell me straight away? Why would Twilight do such a thing? How could Twilight do such a thing?!

The questions didn’t stop coming. There were just too many, coming too fast for her to keep up with, and she didn’t have an answer for any of them. As the shadows of the coldly indifferent night washed over the pegasus, fatigue slowly set in, dragging her ever deeper into the darkness of her subconscious. One final question passed through her mind as she gave in to her fatigue: Why... why does he love her?

Chapter 6

Fluttershy awoke from a dreamless night’s sleep. She felt exhausted, despite having slept for what, judging by her alarm clock, must have been at least ten hours. The left side of her face, the one she had been sleeping on when she awoke, was wet for some reason. She checked her pillow, and there was a stain on it.

Tears? Why are there tears on my pillow? It was just a dream... right?

Realisation dawned upon the now once again heartbroken pegasus as the noticed how the necklace, the one gift Big Mac had given her, had been tossed into a corner of the room. She didn’t remember doing it, but couldn’t think of any other reason for something like that to happen.

No... no, they wouldn’t do that... would they? She tried to console herself. Big Mac wouldn’t be so... cruel... right?

The tears on her pillow were too obvious to ignore, though. She had dreamt of heartbreaking moments with the red stallion before, but never had she woken up to find her pillow covered in her own tears.

As the morning progressed, Fluttershy couldn’t deny the signs any longer. Big Mac had broken up with her and tossed her aside like it was nothing, and for Twilight, no less.

She felt a vaguely familiar sense of emptiness in her heart, quickly followed by a crushing sensation in her chest, something she hadn’t felt since... well, ever. The emptiness wasn’t new to her; she had felt it several weeks ago when she forced herself to accept the reality that the relationship between her and Big Mac would never come to be.

I was wrong that time... maybe I’m wrong again? she thought to herself. No, that doesn’t make any sense. Big Mac was fine when he... She stopped her train of thoughts at that moment, not wanting to think back to those words. Those words, spoken by the stallion she loved, had hurt her more than any physical pain she had ever felt before.

But the crushing feeling, that strange... weight on her heart, that was new.

It almost feels like... like he’s in there, personally crushing it, she thought. She couldn’t help smiling to herself when she realized what a fitting name for the feeling other ponies had invented. ‘A broken heart’ really was what it felt like.

She left her bedroom, ears folded down the side of her head, eyes downcast, and in no mood to do anything. Angel hopped up to her. It seemed his paw had made a full recovery; the little bunny had removed the bandaging, exposing the fully recovered, furry paw below.

Good to see that somebody still knows how to feel good.

Angel seemed confused by the lack of response from his owner. Hadn’t she cheered up recently?

Fluttershy noticed the disappointment in her bunny’s eyes, his ears drooping much like hers. She didn’t care. She knew she should, and normally, she would have, but today she just... didn’t. Angel continued to stare at his caretaker, as if trying to find out what was wrong simply by looking at her. Fluttershy sighed and walked past him, not sure what she was going to do.

The yellow pegasus knew that she’d have to feed her animals, but she just wasn’t bothered to. What point was there in doing anything? Why should she even bother? Other animals lived in the woods, so why couldn’t these?

Fluttershy stood in her living room, wondering what she would end up doing today. She sure as hay wouldn’t be going outside. Not into Ponyville, at least. She played with the thought of going for a walk, but to what purpose? She didn’t have anywhere to go, and she’d probably end up at that stupid lake again.

Then again... the lake was still a reminder of that one night they had spent together, enjoying each other’s company without a care in the world. Fluttershy walked over to her window and noticed that it was raining.

At least the weather is cooperating. Fluttershy smiled despite herself. The rain was comforting, somehow. It seemed almost fitting, and slightly poetic, that the pegasi had decided to make it rain today of all days. Perhaps they knew?

No, they wouldn’t know. Even Twilight wouldn’t know... would she?

And there it was, the question that had been bothering Fluttershy so much since she had woken up. Would Twilight really do such a thing to her, knowing full well that Fluttershy had been dating Big Mac the days before? Would Twilight really stab her friend in the back like that?

Fluttershy didn’t know. Her thoughts told her that Twilight would never do that to her, but Fluttershy couldn’t deny what she had seen; Twilight and Big Mac, sitting on a bench, staring at the nightsky.

The day progressed, although slowly, and Fluttershy still hadn’t found an answer to any of her questions. She simply didn’t know enough, or feared the answers themselves. What if Twilight really had done what she did while fully aware of Fluttershy’s relationship with the stallion that caused this whole mess? What would this mean for the elements? Would Twilight even still care?

Fluttershy spent most of the day in her cottage, pondering what had happened the previous night, but eventually decided that her animals needed food. Nature would not stop simply because Fluttershy wanted it to.

She grabbed the food she’d need and went outside, welcoming the rain. It was a storm, and thunder could be heard in the distance, but Fluttershy didn’t mind. In fact, she was thankful. The rain suited her mood, and for some reason, made her feel better. It was a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless.

Most of her animals had retreated to some kind of shelter, hiding from the rain. Fluttershy, however, walked freely through the rain, carelessly chucking a helping of food into each hole in the floor, and in the general direction of the animals that had taken shelter in the nearby forest. Normally, she would have carefully handed them the food, or placed it on the floor near them, but today, she simply didn’t care.

Fluttershy finished feeding her animals, but didn’t go back inside. She just sat there, watching the rain fall, feeling it beating down on her. Lightning struck nearby, igniting a tree. Normally, Fluttershy would have jumped at the noise and bolted for the nearest shelter, but not this time. She didn’t care enough. Instead, she simply sat there, watching the flames as they licked at the tree, slowly turning it to ash. True, the noise had startled her somewhat, but her apathy quickly replaced her fear.

The flames were odd, Fluttershy thought. Even with a storm beating down on them, dousing the flames with every drop of rain, they continued to spread.

Why do they spread? Don’t they realise that they’ll die when they run out of wood to burn?

Then she smiled. Flames didn’t know any better; that’s why they continued to do what they did. Why else would somepony keep fighting a hopeless battle? I guess ignorance really is bliss, in a way, Fluttershy thought.

That phrase prompted another thought. Bliss... is existence really bliss? What joy is there in existing if life just does this to you? I’m the element of kindness, for ponies’ sake, yet life still sees fit to spit on my dreams and crush my feelings.

Fluttershy looked up from the burning tree to the fields surrounding the forest. Animals were still busy eating at the edge of the forest, although they had run away from the tree Fluttershy had been looking at a few moments before. They seemed happy, content with their food and not worrying about what tomorrow would bring.

They have such easy lives... Why aren’t we more like them?

She looked around some more, only to see more animals enjoying their carefree meals.

Fluttershy sighed, giving up on looking around and returning to the tree. It had almost completely burned. Only a few flames remained, devouring the last few pieces of wood before they too died out.

The rain still beating down on her, Fluttershy finally stopped staring at the tree. She moved to go inside, finally stepping out of the rain. A concerned little bunny eyed her as she stepped inside. Angel had, apparently, been watching her sulk.

“I’m fine, Angel. You should go and play. I’m not really in the mood for games right now. I’m sorry.” Fluttershy was being blunt with the little rabbit on purpose. Usually, she’d try to make it sound like a suggestion rather than an order. This time, however, she wanted the bunny to know that there would be no discussion; Fluttershy would not play with him today.

Angel seemed to accept that there would be no games today, or at least not with Fluttershy. His eyes downcast, he walked off, probably to sulk in a corner. There wasn’t much to do for Angel inside, and he never had liked rain.

Fluttershy returned to the window she had been looking through before she left to feed her animals. With the tree she had been watching now a pile of ash, and her animals apparently done with their food, Fluttershy had nothing to look at. She returned to staring at the rain itself, considering the event of the previous day, and trying to make sense of it all.

It just didn’t. It didn’t make sense. She had spent the entire day trying to think of an explanation for what had happened, trying to think of a reason for Big Mac and Twilight to do what they had done, but she just couldn’t.

All I can think of... is that they both did it on purpose. That they did all of this, the dating, the party, the breakup, just to get at me. But... that doesn’t make sense. We’re the elements of harmony, we’re supposed to be friends... Friends don’t do that to each other... do they?

Fluttershy shoved the thoughts aside. There was no point in thinking about it any more; she’d thought about it all day and hadn’t even come close to a conclusion. She spent the rest of the day performing menial tasks around the house, trying to keep herself from thinking of the previous day again. It didn’t work.

Big Mac and Fluttershy had only been dating for a few days, but they had been friends, and perhaps more than just friends, for much longer than that. Fluttershy smiled once again, imagining how much easier things would have been if she had just kept quiet.

She returned to her housework, once again trying to distract herself from her own mind. She was more successful this time, if only a little. Big Mac crossed her mind a few more times, but the more Fluttershy thought about it, the more she came to believe that Big Mac must have had a reason for his behaviour.

I’ve known Big Mac for years now, and I just won’t believe that he’d do such a thing without reason. Twilight... she probably didn’t even know.

So then... why didn’t he tell her? And why didn’t he tell me? Fluttershy sighed. That was the fourth time she had asked herself that question today, not that she had been putting any effort into keeping count.

Hours flew by while Fluttershy cleaned up around her house, and when she checked the clock, she noticed that it was already past five PM. She needed to make supper.

Another hour later, Angel was happily munching away on a carrot. Fluttershy hadn’t bothered making anything for herself; she wasn’t hungry, so why eat? She sat there for a second, just watching Angel as the little bunny munched away at his carrot.

Life must be so much simpler for him, she thought. This would all be so much simpler if we could all just stop thinking, or stop... feeling. Big Mac wouldn’t have... done what he did, and I wouldn’t even have cared about him in the first place. Maybe we really would be better off if we were just animals.

After another hour of thinking, Fluttershy decided that she had tortured herself enough that day and went to bed. It was much too early for Fluttershy to sleep, and the storm outside was still raging, keeping her awake. So, she just laid there, trying her very best not to think. It was hard to do, especially with the necklace Big Mac had given her, a constant reminder of the evening they had spent on the lake, lying in the corner of the room.

I just have to forget. If I can just forget that this ever happened, I won’t be bothered by it. But... how? How can I forget with reminders of him around every corner?

Unless...

Fluttershy got up, grabbed the necklace from the corner of the room, and left her bedroom. Angel quickly hopped up to her, as he had done that morning, but Fluttershy’s frown told him that there was no time for games.

She opened her front door, and stepped outside into the rain once again. The storm was still raging, and Fluttershy welcomed the rain. “Don’t wait for me, Angel. This might take a while!” she called back to the little bunny, trying to make herself heard over the lightning. Angel, who was standing in the doorway with a concerned look on his face, nodded, and went inside. Fluttershy turned around, and started walking, the rain beating down on her as she went.

If I’m going to forget about him, I’ve got to stop reminding myself. The necklace has to go.

Chapter 7

The rain was still beating down on Fluttershy as she drudged through the now swamp-like forest. Her hooves were covered in mud and her mane was completely soaked, but Fluttershy didn’t care about any of that. She had more important matters to attend to.

Rays of moonlight pierced the layer of clouds that were pouring rain down upon the yellow pegasus, allowing her to see where she was going. It wasn’t much light, but it was enough. Fluttershy wasn’t really in the mood for sunlight anyway.

“If I’m going to forget about him, I’ve got to stop reminding myself,” Fluttershy kept telling herself as she barged on through the forest, each hoof taking just a little more effort to lift out of the mud than the last.

Finally, the trees ahead of Fluttershy parted, revealing her destination. Rain rippled the surface of the lake as she approached, the necklace in her mouth and a look of determination in her eyes.

A short distance from the edge of the lake, she paused briefly, thinking back to what had turned into her first and last date with Big Mac. Feelings of resentment filled the yellow pegasus’s heart as she remembered how he had actually dived into the lake to retrieve the piece of jewellery she was now holding between her clenched teeth, only to crush her feelings not even a week later.

If I’m going to forget about him, I’ve got to stop reminding myself. The necklace has to go.

Fluttershy moved closer to the lake, taking the necklace into her hoof and looking at the ruined picture of Angel inside. She pulled back her hoof to launch the necklace in an arc back into the lake from which it had been retrieved on that fateful night. Fluttershy paused, however, when she noticed the boat that she and Big Mac had shared that night was floating in the middle of the lake.

It was empty at first glance, but when a lightning bolt struck in the distance, Fluttershy had a little more light, allowing her to see the pony sitting in the boat. Or rather, the stallion.

He seemed familiar. Color was hard to discern in the moonlight, so Fluttershy decided to wait for the next lightning bolt, which would bring another moment of illumination with it. She didn’t have to wait very long, and when the flash finally came, she noticed that the stallion... had a red coat. Unsure of whether she was imagining things or not, Fluttershy decided to wait for one last flash to get a closer look at the stallion’s mane.

When the flash arrived, Fluttershy’s fears were confirmed; the mane was yellow. It was Big Mac, sitting in the middle of the lake in the same boat that he and Fluttershy had shared that night. He was alone, it seemed.

Fluttershy played with the thought of trying to catch his attention, she even tried to raise a hoof to do so, but Big Mac was facing away from her. She’d have to walk around the lake to get him to notice her.

Fluttershy started her walk around the lake, but stopped after she had taken the first few steps.

If I’m going to forget about him, I’ve got to stop reminding myself. The necklace has to go.

She gave up on getting to speak with Big Mac that evening. The stallion had hurt her, probably even more than he thought he had, and the wound was still too fresh to ignore. Fluttershy raised her hoof, necklace in it, and threw.

The necklace arced through the air, the rain almost obscuring it from sight. Fluttershy heard a satisfying splash, and she knew that the necklace wouldn’t be found again. She had taken the first step towards recovery.

Big Mac would not be easy to forget, Fluttershy knew, for she still lived in the same town as he did. True, they lived on opposite sides of said town, but she’d run into him eventually.

Fluttershy didn’t immediately leave for home. She sat there for a while, staring at the stallion who was sitting in a boat, in the middle of a lake, sulking. It didn’t make any sense, Fluttershy thought.

Why would he be here? What’s so special about this lake?

Fluttershy wasn’t completely sure how long she had been sitting there, staring at the stallion who had crushed her heart. She found herself unable to leave, however, and only when the rain cleared did Fluttershy realize that she needed to get home. Big Mac hadn’t even stirred. He was just sitting there, in the middle of the lake, doing nothing.

The path home was a rather disastrous one, as the conditions in the forest had only worsened as rain continued to pour from the skies. Fluttershy struggled to make her way home, even tripping over the roots of some particularly large trees as she passed them. As a result, the yellow pegasus was hardly yellow anymore when she finally returned home. Her coat was covered in dirt, leaves, twigs, and pretty much anything one would expect to find in a forest.

She walked straight into her bedroom, ignoring Angel’s concerned looks as she crashed onto her bed, not even bothering to remove the dirt from her coat before she did so. She’d wash the sheets later, she thought.

Her nap, for Fluttershy had fallen asleep not too long after she crashed onto her bed, was rudely interrupted by a knock on her front door, however. Fluttershy hadn’t bothered to close her bedroom door, so the noise was distinctly louder than she would have expected.

Another knock, confirming that there was indeed somepony at the door. Fluttershy got up, still covered in dirt, and opened the door to see... Rarity.

Of all the ponies to see me like this...

"Rarity? What are you doing here? We've already been to the spa this week."

Rarity had been staring at the pile of ash at the edge of the forest, and turned to face Fluttershy when she heard her friend speak. Her face would have turned pale, had it not been for the pony’s already white fur.

“Oh, I just thought I'd stop by to ask you why you left the pa-... Heavens! What on Equestria happened to you!? Were you attacked, dear? Are you wounded?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Say no more!” Rarity exclaimed, as she grabbed one of Fluttershy’s hooves and started to drag her off into town.

“Uhm... I really don’t want to go into town today... Wait, why are we going into town?”

“Why, to get you into shape, of course! I simply cannot let one of my friends go around looking like... well, that! No offense, darling, but you look absolutely atrocious!"

“Oh... I uhm... I really don’t think that’s a very good idea...”

“Nonsense, dear! You’ll need capable hooves to take of this... situation, and I know of nopony more capable than Lotus and Aloe!”

Her protests going completely unnoticed, Fluttershy decided that the best thing to do was to lay low, and attract as little attention as possible. The plan worked, mostly, but she still got some weird looks as she drudged through the town, all the while being dragged along by the white unicorn in front of her.

The two of them arrived at the spa, and wasted no time in getting inside. “Good afternoon, Lotus,” Rarity said. “I’d ask for the usual, but we have a bit of a... situation on our hooves.” Rarity stepped aside, exposing the pegasus behind her.

Lotus had to fight back the urge to allow her jaw to drop, Fluttershy noticed, but she eventually recovered, and spoke. “I uh... think you’re going to need a full treatment, dear. This is... quite the mess you’ve made,” she giggled.

Fluttershy simply stared at her hooves, wishing to be alone in her home, with nopony bothering her. She still had a lot of thinking to do, but her friends didn’t quite seem to sense her mood. Rarity had already walked ahead, and was standing in the entrance to the room in which the hot tub stood. “Come on, darling. We’re going to be here for quite a while if we want that layer of... whatever it is, to be cleaned. Best we start soon, so we can be out of here before the day ends.”

Fluttershy remained quiet, but nodded before reluctantly walking over to her friend. The mud covering her had dried and cracked in places, making most of it easy to clean off. Not too long after Rarity had already relaxed in the hot tub, Fluttershy had been cleaned sufficiently to be allowed to join her friend.

Fluttershy sighed as she lowered herself into the water, catching Rarity’s attention by doing so. “What’s the matter, dear? You seem even more quiet than usual.”

“It’s... nothing. I’m just... nevermind. Let’s just focus on relaxing.” Fluttershy wasn’t making eye contact, but could make out the puzzled expression on her friend’s face from the corner of her eye.

“If... you say so,” Rarity said. The two of them sat in silence, allowing themselves to relax in the warm water. Fluttershy was having a hard time relaxing, though. Her mind kept drifting, and when it did, she always found herself thinking of Big Macintosh. She still didn’t know what he had been doing on the lake. If she hadn’t known any better, she’d think that he’d been there for her.

That doesn’t make any sense. He broke up with me, to be with Twilight. Why would he still be bothered by the lake, then? Unless he took Twilight there too...

“Oh, cheer up, darling,” Rarity suddenly said. “How about you and I go into town after this? You were cleaned remarkably fast, and I think we’ll still have some time. Going into town is just what you need, I think.”

“Oh... thank you, Rarity, but I really would rather stay home...” Fluttershy mumbled.

“Nonsense, Darling. You and I are going into town after this. I will not take no for an answer!”

“I really don’t think I want to go into town, Rarity.”

“What did I say about taking no for an answer, dear?”

“Oh, right.”

“Well, you look... presentable, at least. We’ll go into town now, and if you still don’t feel like it once we’re there, I’ll let you return to your home to sulk about whatever is bothering you so. Does that sound like a plan to you, Fluttershy?”

“Sounds... good.”

The two ponies proceeded to climb out of the hot tub, each of them taking a towel with which to dry their mane and coat. Not too long after, the two of them were walking around town, Rarity turning her head in each and every direction to look at every shop they passed. Fluttershy, on the other hoof, was just staring at the ground.

“Oh my, this scarf... it’s wonderful! Don’t you think so too, Fluttershy?” No response came. “Fluttershy, dear?” Rarity turned around to look at her friend.

Fluttershy was frozen in place, staring at something directly in front of her. Rarity went to stand next to her friend, to make it easier to follow her gaze. What she saw had her somewhat puzzled.

Fluttershy was staring at Twilight. Twilight and... Big Macintosh? The two were walking through town much like Rarity and Fluttershy had been doing, with the sole exception of neither of them being in a bad mood. They seemed remarkably close, even.

“Fluttershy, are you alright, dear?”

Again, no response. She was just staring at the happy couple in front of her. Rarity could’ve sworn that she’d seen Fluttershy’s lower lip tremble, but she didn’t get the chance to study her friend some more.

Fluttershy turned and ran for home. She had been trying her best not to think of the stallion she’d been dating, and her supposed friend he had left her for, but this confrontation proved too much to bear.

They seemed so happy. Twilight had been blushing vigorously, and Fluttershy could only assume that Big Mac had been doing the same. They were walking side by side, Twilight looking up at Big Mac while he was staring at something in the distance. Neither of them seemed to have noticed her, thankfully.

How could she?

Fluttershy ran past several ponies on her way. It was nigh impossible not to, considering that she was running from the centre of Ponyville. Some of them called her name, or a greeting, but Fluttershy payed them no mind. She just wanted to go home and be alone, as she had been doing before Rarity showed up and dragged her to town.

Why did she have to drag me into town, anyway? Couldn’t she have just left me alone?

She crashed through her front door, not even bothering to look around for a sign of her pet bunny. He could take care of himself, for once.

Fluttershy spent the rest of the day in her bedroom, quietly sobbing into her pillow. No more knocking on her front door, thankfully.

He seemed so happy...

She would never have looked up from her pillow, had she been left alone. Angel, however, felt it necessary to express his concern for his owner. Never had Fluttershy come home this devastated. Something was wrong, the little white bunny knew.

His gestures were of little use, as Fluttershy simply nudged for him to leave. She didn’t want any company. Angel decided that his efforts weren’t about to yield any results, and gave up. He left the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Fluttershy looked up at the now closed bedroom door, feeling just a little sorry for her pet. The little bunny had only tried to cheer her up, and she just shoved him aside. She’d had good reason, though. All Fluttershy wanted was to be left alone, yet none of her friends seemed to understand the message.

I’m sorry, Angel. I just... don’t want to be bothered, right now.

Hours later, Fluttershy’s sobbing finally ceased. Not because she was done with it, but because her eyes had run dry. She was out of tears. Her throat hurt, her head ached, and her eyes stung. Fluttershy rested her head on the now soaked pillow, and allowed sleep to take over. One final thought passed through her mind before she drifted off.

I hope it’s another dreamless night.