Chapters Of Butterflies and Biceps
Early morning cloud duty was the job every pegasus dreaded. Sure, it was simple enough, but nopony wanted to get up before Celestia raised the sun. Bulk was far from a weather pony, in fact, he was probably the opposite of one. With his small wings and lack of aerial measurability, his cloud kicking abilities were sub par.
But, when Rainbow Dash knocks on your door at eight in the evening begging for some help moving clouds, it is rather difficult to say no. Now he stood in the frosty air, warming his muscles with some basic stretches. A quick glance around at the empty town square revealed nopony but himself. Rainbow had promised that another pony would be there to help. So where were they?
Just on cue, a small figure flew over, landing softly beside him. The mare's long lilac mane was disheveled, covering her eyes. "Sorry, but the animals were oh so demanding."
Bulk raised a yellow hoof and gently brushed her forelock away. The mare's worried expression made him chuckle. "It's okay, Fluttershy. Glad you made it."
"Me too." Despite the early morning chill, Fluttershy's face felt incredibly warm. "So, uh, should we get started?"
"Uh, yeah!" Then, realizing everypony was asleep, Bulk lowered his voice to conversation tone, "Yeah."
The two pegasi took to the air and set to work. Unfortunately, the weather ponies that night had not cleared half the clouds they should have. So they had to kick and punch away a literal blanket of clouds over Ponyville by themselves.
Before long, Bulk's muscular frame was lathered in sweat. At least he was getting his morning workout early. Turning to Fluttershy, he noticed the mare gasping for breath on the nearest cloud. He flew over to her. "You okay?"
Her weak smile was less than convincing. "Uh huh. Just…need…a little rest."
"Okay." Bulk glanced around at the remaining clouds. There really were not that many left. "I'll finish up, you rest."
"But—"
Bulk gave an extra cheesy grin. "Don't worry about it." As quickly as his sore wings could manage, he took to the sky. Thankfully, it did not take long to clear up the remaining stragglers. Hoof pumping the air, he flew back to Fluttershy. "All done."
Fluttershy smiled sweetly, glancing around at the now beautifully clear sky. In the distance, peeking above the horizon was the sun. A warm, orange light bathed the town below. "Pretty."
"Yeah!" Though they were done with work, Bulk felt little desire to move. Sitting on the cloud, feeling her warm breath mingling with his was magic. The sunrise was beautiful, but it paled in comparison to the shy mare by his side.
Of Butterflies and Biceps
Dreams were cruel, hateful, wonderful things. Fragile, beautiful, and ephemeral, existing only so that they could be crushed and destroyed.
Fluttershy’s heart had been ripped out a hundred, a thousand times in the course of her work. It was a fundamental law; sometimes something you nurtured, cared for, loved with all your heart just wasn’t meant to be. And the more love you poured into it, the more you felt your soul shred as you watched it slipping away.
Dreams were like that, she thought. Adorable baby kittens and bunnies, runts of the litter, the delicate, fragile flowers you hoped and prayed would survive and thrive, proving to the world that it doesn’t matter how big and strong you are, you just needed the courage to try.
But almost every time, one day you’d come down in the morning, and find a cold, stiff reminder that nature has no sympathy for small, weak, timid mistakes.
As a small, weak, timid thing herself, Fluttershy had taken that lesson to heart from a young age. Everypony had dreams; it was a natural part of life that was inescapable. But dreams were meant to die, and if you didn't understand that, they'd take you with them.
Bulk had never had to learn that lesson. He was about as far from small, weak, and timid as imaginable. He'd made his dreams come true through sheer force of will and muscle. He went from being a pegasus who'd never fly to medaling in the Equestrian Games, to being the first Wonderbolt to specialize in feats of mid-air strength. From being sweet and shy, to proposing to her two years before. He hadn't lost pets and cuddly friends. He hadn’t spent nights up late, nursing a patient that he knew deep down was already gone. He hadn't had to hold parents who'd....
And, for just a little while, he'd made Fluttershy believe that dreams were worthwhile. That when they did come true, it was so wonderful that it was worth the pain when they didn't.
But he'd learned. Oh how they'd both learned, even beyond Fluttershy's worst cases. All their dreams and hopes, destroyed with a single word.
Colic.
So many sleepless nights; no dreams for either them, but instead they were living a nightmare. Neither of them could do a thing, except camp out in their little Cherub Heart's room and pray for a miracle, for the tiny, helpless coughs to finally stop.
And then... then they had.
Now, they were both watching their dreams being lowered into the earth in a tiny black box.
Fluttershy looked forward stoically, wrapping a tender yellow wing around her blubbering, sobbing husband and drawing him in close.
Dreams were cruel, hateful, wonderful things. But the worst thing in the world was waking to find them gone.
Author's Note
If you're wondering whether or not it's a foal, don't ask me. I don't know.
Of Butterflies and Biceps
Fluttershy could hear the doorbell ring inside Bulk Bicep’s house as soon as she pressed it. She looked around nervously. The sun was on its way down, casting long shadows across the grass. Fluttershy’s own shadow cowered against the house.
The door slowly opened. The pegasus squeaked and jumped into a nearby bush, shaking the entire thing.
“Fluttershy?” Bulk Biceps looked around from the doorway for his date and spotted the rattling shrubbery. “Fluttershy, it’s just me!”
Fluttershy poked her head out of the bushes. “Oh, um, hi.” She could feel her cheeks grow warm. “I-I’m here?”
Bulk was going to chuckle, but decided against it, instead giving a smile that couldn’t quite decide what it wanted to be. “Why don’t you come in?!” he yelled nervously. Fluttershy shrank into the bushes, her eyes wide. “Oh, sorry. Um, won’t you come in?”
“Th-thank you.” Fluttershy shuffled into his house, taking one last glance behind her.
The first thing she noticed in the house was how pristine it was. Everything was in its place: no unidentifiable splotches on the walls, no unidentifiable smells, no messes anywhere.
The second thing she noticed was the heavenly smell. She sniffed the air. “What’s that smell?”
"That's the wheatballs you're smelling," Bulk said. Then he yelled, "And I think the spaghetti might be done!" He heard Fluttershy's wings flare in surprise. "Oh, sorry."
"It's okay," Fluttershy said.
She followed him into the kitchen and watched as he drained the water from the pasta through the strainer and down the sink. When he set down the pot on the counter, Fluttershy decided that she was going to help...somehow. She racked her brain for something to do, then remembered something Rainbow Dash had said about pasta.
So she picked up a few strands of spaghetti and threw them at the wall.
The splat of noodles hitting the wall alerted Bulk Biceps to what was going on. He turned just in time to see the pasta sliding to the floor and Fluttershy pulling out some more.
“Wait! Fluttershy!" Bulk held Fluttershy's hoof back before she flung anymore spaghetti. "I was joking. If it sticks to the wall, it's more likely to be overdone than cooked correctly."
"O-Oh." Fluttershy's face slowly turned red, and she placed the strand of spaghetti on the plate.
“Don’t worry about the other spaghetti noodles, I’ll clean them up,” Bulk said, grabbing the noodles off the floor. Then he had an idea.
When Fluttershy had her back to him, he threw one strand of spaghetti at her. She literally jumped three feet into the air and fluttered down slowly.
Bulk couldn’t see, but as he was trying to hold back his laughing, a devious smile crept across Fluttershy’s face--a highly unusual and rather scary sight on the normal demure mare--and she, too, picked up some pasta. She spun around and flung a whole hooffull of spaghetti at Bulk. It hit his face with a splat , and he blinked in surprise.
Then, the kitchen devolved into full-out war.
Spaghetti and laughing were flying all over as the two attacked each other with noodles, having too much fun to care about anything else. Pasta got in their manes and on the floor, smashed with every step.
Eventually, their war ceased, but their laughter didn’t and continued after they saw each other with spaghetti all over themselves.
After their laughter finally died down, Bulk looked around his kitchen. Normally, it was pristine. But he didn’t care. He chuckled and said, “After we clean up, how about we go out to eat?”
Fluttershy giggled. “Sounds good to me.”
Author's Note
Due to a misunderstanding, there are two versions to this prompt! View bahatumay's version here !
Of Butterflies and Biceps
It was a nice sunny day out in Ponyville. At the park, Bulk happily trotted over to a nice tree with shade and carefully placed his picnic basket on the green grass. He looked inside the basket to make sure that he did not forget the food or, most importantly, the box.
"Come on Bulk, get it together; you have done this before," he mumbled to himself. "I'm sure she'll approve of this and I'm also sure that it will turn out great. I have been waiting for this moment for years."
He nervously waited for his date to arrive. He wanted everything to be as perfect as possible when he finally did ask the big question. A question he had asked once before but ready to do so again. "Do it for her and do it for your daughter that needs a mother figure," he continued to mumble.
After a few more minutes of waiting, the mare he was expecting finally showed up, like an angel from heaven. Her angelic voice, her glorious yellow fur, her impressive pink mane. Everything about her screamed "beautiful yet delicate," but it also did scream the one word he desperately wanted in a mare: "motherly."
"Oh, I am so sorry I am late. Angel was being a little stubborn with his dinner," she said as she landed next to the big muscular pony. "I see we're having a picnic this time?"
"If you don't mind, of course." Bulk smiled as he offered the shy pegasus some of the food in the basket.
"Well, hopefully your daughter's friends won't interrupt us again like last time."
"Uh...yeah." he nervously chuckled. "Don't worry, I doubled her allowance so she and her friends can go crusading at the carnival today."
Fluttershy smiled. "Well, their intentions were noble at least."
With that, Bulk started to unpack all the food from the basket but was extra careful to keep his second surprise hidden...for now.
***
"Oh goodness, I am stuffed," commented the mare as she finished the last muffin. She gently rubbed her full stomach. "That was really good. I really mean it."
"I am glad you liked it." He smiled with relief. "But I do have one more item in the basket," he said slyly.
"Oh? What is it?" Fluttershy said, intrigued.
"Just go in and look for yourself."
The mare nervously walked up to the basket and peeked inside to find an unexpected surprise: a jewelry box. "Bulk? What's this?!" She carefully took the box out of the basket. Bulk came up and grabbed it, then slowly went down to his knees, much to the timid pegasus' utter shock. "B-B-Bulk?!" she stammered.
"Fluttershy..." he happily began as he opened the box, to reveal a gold band inside. "...will you..." He gulped. "Will you ma-"
His statement was immediately interrupted by the loud crash of thunder in the sky and the heavy downpour of rain that fell from the sky. All the ponies in the park ran for cover, and the couple was no exception: they both sprinted to a nearby gazebo to take shelter at.
"Damn..." muttered Bulk to himself in frustration. He wanted the day to be just as special as last time. He sadly looked out at the storm filled landscape. He sadly turned to his marefriend and sighed. "Look...I'm sorry ab-"
He was once again interrupted by a loving yet unexpected kiss on the lips. He felt all of his worries melt away then and there.
Fluttershy gently broke the kiss with a smile. "Why of course I'll marry you, you silly pony." she smiled.
Bulk smiled back, but had trouble telling whether or not the water coming out of his eyes were either tears of joy or raindrops from the storm still raging outside.
At this moment in time, he could not care either way.
Of Butterflies and Biceps
It was a beautiful day. He knew that. The sky was blue - brushed lightly by the sun's rays. White splodges in the sky neatly decorated it, to his jealousy. Unlike the clouds, he had sharp edges and jerky movements, only sharing the same colour, and nothing more. It was something he didn't like - resenting the world, even just a little. But the world didn't seem as beautiful as some liked to describe.
He was broken out of his thoughts as a sweet sound found its way to his ear. He flicked it in response, before glancing to both sides of him, wondering where it was coming from. As he listened to it more than the tweeting birds around him, he recognized it to be a voice. A quiet voice.
A quiet voice singing.
He wondered if he was wrong to assume the song to be less than happy. From what he could hear, it was not at all sang in a minor tone, nor where the lyrics at all depressing. In fact, they seemed to dance steadily with the nature, which by all means, was wonderful.
And yet... the voice sounded so distant.
The white pegasus lifted his bulky body onto his hooves, and began to trot towards the sound. Though with each step the voice became louder, the words could not be sang more quietly.
He paused behind a bush, searching for the voice's keeper, and by no means took very long to spot her; a yellow pegasus, whose lips only faintly moved as she continued to sing with a slow tempo,
"...and the leaves will keep swirling, when new and when old.
"YEAH!"
He then gasped, slamming his front hooves on his mouth. The mare jumped, swinging her head around to lock her eyes with his. As she did, a faint whimper escaped her, as several pink tresses covered her eye. Filled with guilt, he buzzed his wings and hovered over to her.
"Sorry!" he said, a little more loudly than he intended. "I just really liked your voice... and I was just curious to why you sounded so-"
A yellow hoof closed his mouth before he could finish. She stared up at him, her face a little more visible. Her cheeks were tinted red, by what he thought to be embarrassment. Yet, he might've been wrong.
"...I'm glad somepony stayed to listen to me."
Of Butterflies and Biceps
Fluttershy some up to the smell of hot oil, blueberries, and pancakes, with the omnipresent undertone of her home's assorted fauna beneath it. Who would be doing in her home? And this early?
Actually, a glance at her alarm clock — conspicuously silent — told her it wasn't that early after all. It was almost noon!
With a jolt, Fluttershy leaped out of bed, and immediately regretted it as everything from her hips and back protested against even having to dangle in a different shape than they'd reknit themselves into overnight. Fluttershy blushed, remembering exactly why she was so sore, and realizing who had to be cooking downstairs.
Oh, she so hoped he'd remembered to feed the critters first... although, if he hadn't, she could use that as an excuse for him to come back upstairs after breakfast — brunch, she supposed, and punish her for—
Nope! She was going to march downstairs, feed the critters, enjoy her coltfriend's efforts in the kitchen, and then go soak in a nice hot bath until she could feel her tail again. While Bulk joined her to help make sure she lost—
Fluttershy started flying downstairs before she could go any further down that particular trail, thank you very much!
Downstairs, her suspicions that Bulk was making breakfast were confirmed, the gentle giant humming tunelessly while he flipped blueberry pancakes. Angel stood stern guard over him with stirring spoon in paw, ready to lay down the law if the Maker of Late Breakfasts dared trespass against any other house rules. All the other critters were milling about as usual, strangely quiet for now hungry they must be. And Rarity was sitting at the kitchen table with a steaming mug of coffee in front of her.
Oh dear. Fluttershy was suddenly very aware of how unkempt she was. Normally it wouldn't bother her, Rarity expected a certain level of frazzled on spa days (oh, why hadn't she remembered that was today ?), but this morning's display came along with some distinctively matted fur that the poor pegasus really didn't want to explain!
At least not until after a they were soaking safely in the privacy of the spa's hot tub, where she could hide beneath the water.
Maybe if she just drowned herself in the tub, it would be less awkward?
No, no, Aloe and Lotus would be devastated, and besides, how could she settle her account there if—
Fluttershy's musings were interrupted by a glowing, blue, flying plate of blueberry pancakes with syrup fluttering onto the table nearest her.
"Eep! G-good morning, everypony! Thank you for making breakfast, Bulk!"
"Happy to, Fluttershy! I took care of your animals too, since you... uhm... had such a rough night last night."
He and Fluttershy both blushed as Rarity tittered into a hoof, her predatory grin growing even wider as some juicy details (quite literally, to judge by Fluttershy's poor coat) promised to offer themselves as up later.
"Yes, I arrive just as Bulk was finishing up and putting his nuts into the pancake batter," she explained.
Fluttershy's world started to blur at the edges. So this was what it felt like to die....
"My cinnamon nuts!" Bulk very nearly squeaked, just before his marefriend could actually faint in front of him. He planned to do that himself later, she had no business beating him to it!
"Of course, darling, whatever else would I mean?" Rarity flashed her grin at him, and not for the first time since she'd arrived he felt like the last protein shake at a bodybuilding contest.
"I'd better finish cleaning up and get going to work," Bulk hurriedly explained, turning to start washing the dishes and hide his blazing cheeks.
"Oh, I can do that! " Fluttershy protested.
"Nope! My mess, I clean it up."
"Such a gentlecolt!" Rarity smiled. "Not what he said last night though, was it?" She teased Fluttershy with a quiet sing-songy tone, levitating her last pancake and rolling it up to a tube that could have held Mister Mouse comfortably. She quirked an eyebrow, as if asking about her estimate.
Fluttershy flushed and poked at her own pancakes, rolling the top one up like me Rarity's... then a second around that... then a third around that , and finally holding her hoof above her confectionary confession, indicating something more the size of the rabbit still guarding the kitchen, Rarity's eyes widening with each progressive addition, her jaw dropping slightly at the last one.
"Well, I certainly hope he was a gentlecolt then!" She muttered, fanning herself slightly and eating the last of her impromptu meal. Still, morbid curiosity demanded she ask, and once she finished, she floated her dishes over to Bulk at the sink, holding her hooves about six inches across as she did.
Fluttershy began to wonder if her coat could ignite from her own body heat, and if so, how much warning would the smoke give her first. Still, using her fork she push the innermost two pancakes out, like a telescoping tube of delectably hot, sticky goodness. Half again as long as the pancake... three-quarters... finally stopping just shy of a full two pancake widths.
Rarity's eyes widened again, this time with newfound respect for her dear friend's... appetite.
Fluttershy restacked her breakfast and started to eat silently, hoping Rarity would be satisfied for now.
"All done!" Bulk announced as he dried his hooves, oblivious to the objectification going on behind him. "I'll see you at the spa later, okay?"
"Yeah!" Fluttershy laughed, imitating his trademark enthusiasm. He laughed back at her, and kissed her gently before heading out.
"You have got to be pulling my leg, Fluttershy!" Rarity exclaimed once the door was shut. "Really... is he.... "
Fluttershy finished her own breakfast with a bashful nod to her flummoxed friend.
"And when he...?"
Fluttershy reached a wing out towards the syrup bottle to put it away, and then considered for a moment. She pointed her feathers at the bottom of the bottle, then raised them... and raised them... And again, until she'd measured out about half the bottle's height.
"If you don't mind, I think I need to go wash up before we head out to the market," she explained, putting her plate in the sink for later and putting the syrup away. "I got some syrup in my coat."
