It was a bright and sunny morning at Fluttershy's cabin. Fluttershy was getting out of bed. Her mane was messy from sleeping on the pillow, and her breath had a bit of a musk to it.
"Hello, morning breath. We meet again." Fluttershy yawned to herself as she got out of bed and started galloping down stairs.
Fluttershy yawned again as she slowly padded down the wooden steps. A sleepy gaze was still drifting lazily in her eyes. She looked around the bottom floor when it finally came into view, and eyed happily at the sleeping creatures that were scattered randomly everywhere.
"My pretties." Fluttershy whispered sleepily as she stepped quietly over a few of the animals and headed to the bathroom.
Suddenly, a deep yawn came from the other side of the room. Fluttershy looked over in curiosity at what made the sound and stared into the eyes of her now awake bunny, Angel.
"Hello, Angel. Did you sleep well?" Fluttershy questioned as she ceased her galloping and stared happily at Angel.
Angel stared at Fluttershy with a blank expression on his face. He quietly jumped over the sleeping animals and ran toward fluttershy. A look of curiosity was in his eyes.
"What is it, Angel?" Fluttershy spoke quietly.
Angel pointed his finger to the bathroom with a questionable gaze on his face.
"Oh, I'm just going in there to wash my mane and get rid of this morning smell. Would you like to join me in washing hair?" Fluttershy asked.
A sudden look of dread fell on Angel's face. Angel then immediately crossed his arms together and shook his head back and forth.
"No? Is it because you don't like water?" Fluttershy asked.
Angel closed his eyes and nodded his head up and down, signifying that he didn't like water.
"Well, okay then. Suit yourself." Fluttershy whispered as she continued galloping to the bathroom.
Fluttershy stepped quietly over the animals that stood in the way of the door to the bathroom as she watched Angel head off to the spot where he was recently asleep.
"Angel sure does love doing his own things most of the time." Fluttershy giggled as she closed the door to the bathroom behind her.
Fluttershy galloped slowly toward a small faucet and turned the hot water valve on, causing a small stream of warm water to erupt from the pipe.
"Though it does make since why he likes doing his own things," Fluttershy spoke to herself as she dabbed her hoof with water and started stroking her mane. "Most of my critters haven't learned that much. I guess it's because I spend a lot of time with Angel. Angel is a great bunny, but all my other critters are great too. I have a connection with all the animals, it's just…I feel an teeny weeny bit deeper of a connection with Angel. I don't know why, I guess it's because…he's been on many journeys with me."
Fluttershy smiled with acceptance at that theory, and turned the water off completely. She then reached for a toothbrush, dabbed a bit of tooth paste on it, and started brushing.
"I mean, I do love all of my animals equally," Fluttershy mumbled through a mouthful of toothpaste. "I just think that Angel is more responsible for doing his own stuff…sometimes. He has the experience, but then again, he doesn't have that much of strength. My bear critters have strength, but they don't have that much of experience. I guess some of my critters can do some things, and others can't. Either way, they are all aweso…"
Suddenly, Fluttershy heard a cold draft from behind her, causing her to cease from her brushing with fear suddenly striking at her very heart. She then slowly looked in the mirror above her faucet to see the door that she thought she had closed wide open with an entire room of animals staring at her with questioning in their gazes.
"Hello, my pretties. I did not see you there." She whimpered with shyness.
"*Roar*!" a bear from the crowd spoke with unhappiness in his tone.
"Yes, I know what I said, but if it makes you feel better…I called you strong." Fluttershy whimpered.
"*Roar*!" The bear said with a hint of sadness.
"Yes, that's true. I did call you inexperienced, though surely your not mad at me for saying that?" Fluttershy questioned curiously.
"*Roar*." The bear grumbled as he crossed his arms and tilted his nose upward.
"Well, what do you want me to say?" Fluttershy questioned.
"*Rrroar*?" The bear yowled with a hint of questioning.
"Oh, it's not what you want me to say. It's what you want me to do?" Fluttershy asked.
"*Roar*!" The bear smiled.
"Oh, I see. So, what is it you want me to do?" Fluttershy asked.
A long moment of silence followed as the bear looked up at the ceiling in ponderation. Suddenly, a gleam of inspiration sparkled in his eyes.
"Maybe you could treat us like you treat Angel?" The bear asked.
"That would work," Fluttershy smiled. "So, as I asked Angel. Would you guys like to wash your fur and brush your teeth with me?"
"Sure!," the bear nodded in excitement. "Come on guys. Let's get the Angel treatment."
Suddenly, the animals that stood in the doorway of Fluttershy's bathroom came bursting in and charged at the faucet where Fluttershy stood.
"Wait, not so fast everyone!" Fluttershy screamed.
The animals all came to a screeching halt at hearing Fluttershy's cry, but crashed into the wall, squeezing Fluttershy uncomfortably.
"Oops. Sorry, Fluttershy." The bear apologized as he got up from leaning against Fluttershy's body.
"It's alright." Fluttershy grinned with a cough.
"Now, how do we turn this faucet on?" The bear asked as he grabbed ahold of the faucet head.
"It's easy. Just twist the knob." Fluttershy replied as she turned at the hot water knob.
The bear stared at the sink in surprise as a stream of hot water flowed from it. He felt the warm sensation on his paws as he felt around the metallic head of the faucet. He then quickly cupped his two from paws together and placed them under the stream of water, causing his paws to fill up with water.
"Look everyone! Water!," the bear shouted as he through it up in the air with pure joy in his eyes. "Dance! Yes! Dance in all of it's glories, my brothers and sisters. For today, we are treated like Angel! Wash yourselves with it, for this water is more than just water. It is freedom."
"Umm…okay." Fluttershy whispered to herself as she watched the others dance happily.
"Dear Fluttershy, would you like to join us?" The bear asked over the screams of joy.
"Umm…no thanks. I'll just…brush my teeth." Fluttershy mumbled loudly.
"Brush your teeth?!," the bear shouted out loud. "Brothers and sisters, did you hear that? She is going to brush her teeth! Fluttershy, may we have a look at the devices you are going to use to accomplish this task?"
"Devices?," Fluttershy questioned, "Well, I was going to use a toothbrush and some toothpaste."
"Show us these wares of dental hygiene." The bear commanded softly.
"Oh, okay," Fluttershy whispered as she held up an tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush. "Here they are."
"Fascinating," The bear cooed as he picked up the two objects. "You wouldn't mind if we…"
"Please, go right ahead." Fluttershy sighed with kindness.
"Thank you, dear Fluttershy," The bear spoke with a bow of his head. "Guys, I have one thing to say…we are now like Angel!"
Fluttershy stood silently in front of the sink as she watched her animals throw around the toothbrush and squirt toothpaste everywhere.
"I really need to spend more time with them…or perhaps just that bear in particular." Fluttershy whispered as she watched the toothpaste fly through the air.
Suddenly, the toothpaste throwing had ceased as Fluttershy looked up at the animals with an empty tube of toothpaste in their grasps.
"What now?" Fluttershy whispered as she gazed at the bear who had his eyes on the empty tube of toothpaste.
"Hmm…ah! I know!," The bear smiled. "Where do you keep the carrots?"
"Carrots?," Fluttershy said. "What for?"
"Angel eats carrots, correct? So, why not we eat carrots as well? Now, where are they?" The bear replied softly.
A long moment of silence followed as Fluttershy looked to the ground in nervousness. Although carrots were for mostly Angel, these were still Fluttershy's animals.
"Well, even though you brushed your teeth already, I might as well tell you," Fluttershy whispered. " Angel's carrots are in a secret compartment in the refrigerator, but please be carefu…"
Just then, a swarm of animals leapt out of the bathroom and charged to the refrigerator. Fluttershy galloped slowly behind them and watched as they rummaged through the food.
"Found them!" The bear shouted as he started throwing carrots up in the air.
"Oh my, please be careful with those," Fluttershy whispered. "We wouldn't want someone to get hit by one of tho…"
Suddenly, Fluttershy stood speechless as a lone carrot had been thrown from the animals' grasps and landed directly at her head. A small darkness had now surrounded Fluttershy. She looked around with her eyes to see if anything would come into view, and saw her room come into focus.
"What? Oh, it was just a dream," Fluttershy yawned as she felt at her warm mattress. "Good thing too. I don't know how I would survive with a group of animals that wanted to be treated like Angel wants to all the time."
"Tell me about." A gruff bear voice spoke next to her.
"Oh dear." Fluttershy whispered.
