My Little Pony: Floppy's Story

Floppy had managed to avoid interacting too much with everyone so far. Floppy knew that this peace where she could just wander around and observe would end soon. It was just too good to last. Nothing is ever that easy. She should have gone home yesterday while the going was good but she just didn’t want to return to the dark Everfree forest. Everything was so colourful in Ponyville that it almost felt like another world. Like the places she explored in her dreams at night. She felt drawn to it like a moth to a night light. She thought of leaving but could never bring herself to get up and go. But she could only hold the act for so long.

On the morning, after the golden ticket incident, things started to get more difficult. Applejack opened the barn door with a sense of purpose. Floppy knew what was coming. It had to happen sometime.

“Floppy, ya have been here for two nights now. I can’t just keep ya here like a stowaway. We need to get to the bottom of this business with your parents” Floppy tried to open her mouth but once she did she realised she didn’t have the words to say.

“No I won’t be havin’ any excuses this time” Applejack said in a stern but still rather sympathetic way. Floppy hung her head and struggled to look at her.

“Now don’t you worry, nothin’. I will come with ya and we can talk to ya mum about this. OK?” Floppy stood there in silence for a while before responding.

“Applejack. I don’t want to go back. I want to stay. I want to stay here” Floppy said, her voice cracking from the incoming tears.
“Now now, Floppy. Ya don’t need to get so upset. We can talk to her. It won’t be so bad”

“I just want to stay. Just a few more days”

“Floppy, I told ya, you can’t stay here”

“I can work on the farm. Just enough time for me to calm down”

Floppy looked straight into Applejack’s eyes. Applejack saw Floppy’s genuine fear behind her tears and her heart sank. How could she say no. It was true that she wasn’t in the best condition and Twilight had suggested to Applejack over lunch to perhaps try and fatten her up a little. With that perfect timing, Pinkie arrived. She bounced threw the door in what looked like a feathers weight but still managed to do enough damage to the barn door that it seemed a rhino had charged threw it.

“Oh Pinkie!” Applejack said in surprise.

“Yep! Pinkie Dinky here! Hehe he hehe” Pinkie chuckled with a little snort. Pinkie held a cupcake in her right hoof with a large, bright, rainbow coloured frosting on top, complete with colourful sprinkles. Floppy stared at it curiously.

“Twilight said you needed a treat and everyone knows Sugarcube Corner has the best treats in all of Ponyville so I brought you a cupcake for breakfast. That’s a treat right?” Pinkie Pie chirped proudly.

“Excuse me Pinkie Pie but I don’t think a cupcake is a good breakfast” Applejack said.

“What do you mean? I have a cupcake for my breakfast every day! It’s got all the healthy stuff in it” Pinkie pointed at the green swirl in the cupcake icing

“See here is the green. Oh and here is the orange. You gotta have your orange and ermm. Well it has all the rest of the colours to so it must be good for you” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Pinkie I don’t believe that how it-” Applejack tried to explain but Floppy unintentionally interrupted her

“What’s a cupcake?” Floppy thought out loud. Pinkie immediately turned her head to Floppy like a puppy who just spotted a tennis ball.

“What’s a cupcake?! What’s a CUPCAKE?!” Pinkie yelled in shock

“You have never had a cupcake before?!” Pinkie screeched. Floppy just shook her head.

Pinkie gasped in utter astonishment and then proceeded to scream “But y-you gotta have one now!”

Pinkie then proceeded to give Floppy the cupcake. Well I say give but it was more like a delicious punch in the mouth. Once Floppy had got over the shock of being choked with a foodstuff, she started to taste the cupcake. Floppy’s face froze and she stared into space. It felt like fireworks going off in her head. Applejack and Pinkie watched Floppy in anticipation. Applejack was a little worried with her lack of response so far but Pinkie just bounced in excitement for what was to come.

Then Floppy snapped out of it and swallowed the cupcake in one big gulp before squealing with all-encompassing joy. “Oh my FUCKING GOD! Thank Celestia! Thank Luna! Praise all the powers that be! That was AMAZING!” Floppy then feel on her rump and sat catching her breath.

“I knew you’d like it! yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!” Pinkie exclaimed while bouncing around the barn and dodging around all the apple barrels with surprising ease.

“Twilight said you need lots of food coz your so thinny thin. I need to get more! Be back sooo-oooooon!” Pinkie said bounding into the distance and just like that she was gone.

“That gosh darn Twilight!” Applejack exclaimed

“We don’t need anymore distractions. We get to get ya to-” Applejack was so busy thinking she didn’t notice Floppy zoom past her and out the barn doors.

“Ah, wait! Floppy! Where are ya goin’?!” But it was too late.

Floppy had already made it a good long way to the apple family house. Applejack soon realised after sniffing the air what she was aiming for. Granny was cooking up her brilliant apple pies as she always did on a Wednesday morning and Floppy was heading straight for it. When Applejack caught up with her the damage was already done. An entire family’s worth of apple pies gone within an instant. Applejack had thought Pinkie Pie’s appetite was bad but this was on a whole other level.

Floppy licked the last of the apple filling from one of the tins and then instantly passed out on the floor. Applejack could not believe her eyes. Big Mac and Granny Smith both looked to Applejack. Looks like she had some explaining to do.

Applejack wanted to question Floppy about going back home but Twilight suggested that it might be better for her to settle down first. So Floppy was going to have to stay for now. Ever since that cupcake incident, Applejack had taken to feeding Floppy at least one cupcake a day. Well maybe two or three or ten.

Floppy found herself desperately hungry every few hours and begged Applejack to no end. Over the next few days there was a battle of wills. Applejack would claim this cupcake would be the last but then find Floppy gorging on the food in the pantry. Anything she could find, Floppy would eat when she had a desperate moment. Floppy felt ashamed of herself but somehow she just couldn’t stand the hunger. Applejack wasn’t sure what to do with her anymore but she knew fighting wouldn’t help. Applejack settled on just feeding her how she wanted just to make things easier.

Applejack had been very accommodating and understanding until now for the most part. But it seemed Applejack and Twilight were determined to get to know more about her. Then the weekend came. Applejack told Floppy this morning that the meal they had together after the golden ticket arguement was so nice they wanted to have a picnic today. What an excuse. Twilight was curious about her from the very start and Floppy knew it. Twilight had been trying to visit and talk to her for days. Twilight must have planned this so she could get her to spend time with them. Floppy had managed to find excuses until now but now there was no excuse. She should have never tried to help them with the Elements of Harmony. This was getting out of hoof.

“Come on, Floppy. I know you don’t like me stayin’ while ya eat but please just try to come with us for once, sugarcube. Twilight and the others are dying to meet ya” Floppy fidgeted franticly. ‘Please just go!’ Floppy thought to herself.

You see over the past few days Floppy’s stomach had been making loud noises in the morning and pretty much any time she was hungry. Her stomach was always noisy and she was always penalised for it at home. She didn’t want to become the laughing stock of a whole town of ponies. What’s more, it was terribly embarrassing. She should have gone home when she had the chance but, of course, she didn’t. So far she has managed to keep it hidden by a random cough or getting a pony out of the room fast enough but it couldn’t work forever. Floppy knew that in a picnic, she would be doomed for embarrassment.

Floppy had also gained a substantial amount of weight over the last few days. Too much weight. Floppy could feel her fat belly sway slightly as she walked and she hated it. She could just feel the eyes staring and see the ponies laughing at her behind her back. She had used to go on walks around town to get familiar with it but the last few days she had become close to a hermit, hiding in her make shift bedroom Applejack had now prepared for her in the spare room upstairs.

Applejack carried on begging for her to go but Floppy down right refused and Floppy’s eyes demanded she leave. Applejack decided that maybe it would be better to get Twilight’s advice and maybe she could talk to her. Floppy knew what she was thinking. Despite her hate for walking around town, Floppy feared having to talk to Twilight more so she set off before Applejack could return. Floppy had conversions with Twilight before while on the street. Just a simple chat, nothing that interesting as she always had an excuse to leave so there was no time for full conversations.

Despite this, Floppy had always felt like Twilight had a way of looking at her that made her feel very uncomfortable. Twilight just seemed to seep into her soul whenever she looked at her. Floppy found it very difficult to hide herself and keep her composure when Twilight was around so she tried to avoid her like the plague. She always seemed to know exactly what to ask to push her buttons and Floppy knew she was very suspicious of how she avoided these questions.

The typical traps were “you seem distressed, Floppy. What’s wrong?” and

“why don’t you...” She also had a great memory so when Floppy went back on herself she always noticed.

Floppy wandered the streets, looking at her hooves as they waddled and scrapped across the floor like a penguin. Floppy tried to kick up more dust with her hooves as she walked so she would have something to look at. It was better than paying attention to the ponies who she knew were looking at her. She tried to concentrate on the birds singing and the sound of the dripping water from the fountain in the centre of town rather than the gossiping of the ponies she walked past. She tricked herself into thinking she couldn’t hear or see any of it...but she could, all of it.

Floppy was so busy looking at her hooves that she didn’t notice herself wandering straight into a queue for a market stand. Ponyville held a farmer’s market every weekend and this week was no exception. Floppy bumped into a pair of young teen ponies.

“Hey, like, what the hell” one of them said as she turned around with her giant ring earrings swinging after her.

“oh I-I’m sorry” Floppy cried and tried to step back but in doing so she tripped on a box of turnips and crashed into a stall behind her.

“HEY! What do you think you’re doing?!” The man of the stand yelled after he saw the destruction of half his stall display.

“I-I-I-I-I” Floppy tried to speak but she couldn’t seem to form words as she cowered in fear of the angry stall owner.

“Why don’t ya watch where you’re going, fatass!” The other young mare said while bobbing her head left and right and gesturing towards her with her hoof.

Floppy’s face fell and she felt the waterworks coming. Just then a voice came from the crowd.

“Hey! Leave her alone! That is no way to treat another pony!” Floppy recognised the voice and looked up to see Twilight standing between her and the young mares. Twilight then turned to Floppy, held out her hoof and smiled.

“Let’s go. Floppy. I don’t think you want to stay here” Floppy took Twilight’s hoof and walked with her away from the fuss. Floppy couldn’t hold it in this time and as soon as she got a hairs distance away from the town square she found herself sobbing uncontrollably. She was crying so hard she could barely think to walk at the same time.

“It’s OK. Floppy. Let’s go to the library and we can talk”

Floppy didn’t think about what she was doing. All she wanted was someone to comfort her right now so she just did as she was told. Twilight held her hoof all the way to her tree house and guided her in. Twilight made her a warm drink and got some pillows for her to rest on. Floppy took it all without question. Before long Floppy calmed down and found herself suddenly conscious inside the enemy base, Twilight’s house. Twilight slowly walked towards her with a sandwich and placed it in front of her before sitting down nearby

“I hope you like zap apple jam. It’s all I have right now” Twilight said. Floppy didn’t feel like eating but she found herself exchanging glances between the sandwich and Twilight.

“Oh should I put it away. Do you not like zap apple?” Twilight enquired

“nono. It’s OK” Floppy managed to conquer up in a weak voice

“Are you feeling a little better now?” Twilight asked. Floppy nodded. Twilight fluffed one of the pillows as she spoke.

“Now, I know that those ponies were pretty mean but” Twilight turned and looked Floppy dead in the eyes.

“that’s not the only thing you are upset about. Is it?” Floppy just hung her head in shame and tried to keep calm.

“It’s OK. You don’t have to speak to me if you really don’t want to but I think it would do you a world of good. Don’t you think?” Twilight said with an irresistibly comforting smile. Floppy sighed deeply and spoke

“I’ve been picked on by my brother a lot. I guess that made it worse” Floppy looked at Twilight to gauge her response before continuing. Twilight just smiled and waited patiently. Floppy was just waiting for her to say the typical ‘take your time’ comment, which literally meant hurry up but she didn’t say a word.

“Please can I not go the picnic!” Floppy begged

“No one said you had to, Floppy” Twilight said softly.

“But I have barely spoken to you guys” Floppy cried

“Does that bother you?” Twilight inquired. Floppy paused and looked at Twilight. She was still sitting there, patient and smiling.

“yes” Floppy said, the most honest she had ever been this past week. Floppy had never liked lying but she found it so difficult to speak her heart to ponies. It felt good to just say the truth for once.

“why?” Twilight asked. Floppy started to feel a little more at ease.

“I want to get to know you and your friends. I really do!” Floppy turned away in shame

“but...” Floppy stopped. Twilight still sat there. She seemed eager for her to continue but she didn’t pressure her in the slightest.

Floppy tried to continue but she found herself just stuttering and fidgeting the more she thought about how to put it across. Then it happened. Floppy’s stomach decided it now wanted that sandwich. Floppy closed her eyes and covered her face with her hoof. It was bound to happen at some point but what a time for it to happen. Floppy heard the plate being moved and peeked out of her hooves to see Twilight’s hoof moving the sandwich closer to her. Floppy started to break into a sweat and before long she had scoffed the sandwich. Floppy just stared at the empty plate in shame. Surely her time with these ponies was over. They would never accept such a greedy and disgusting pony but then she saw Twilight’s hoof grab the plate and she wandered away into the kitchen.

Floppy waited for the insults, the disgrace but it never came. Twilight came back with more sandwiches and passed them over to her. Floppy looked at the plate and back at Twilight and then back to the plate again. Floppy continued to eat the sandwiches. She might as well. Twilight waited patiently for her to finish, it felt a little awkward but comforting at the same time. Eventually Floppy had to speak

“I-I’m sorry.”

“It’s OK, Floppy”

“No it’s NOT!” Floppy found herself yelling. Twilight pulled her head back a little in surprise.

“I’m a fat pig!” Floppy cried. Floppy’s eyes started to water for what must have been the millionth time this week. Floppy almost felt too exhausted to properly cry. Floppy couldn’t bear to look at Twilight but then she felt a hoof gently touch her shoulder. Floppy looked up and saw Twilight looking at her dead in the eyes and with the most gentle, honest and softest tone she could muster Twilight said

“No, you’re not”

Floppy had never had anyone say something like that to her. Ever! To say it so honestly, like it was the truth. Like she truly believed it and wanted her to know. Floppy couldn’t believe her ears. Floppy was so shocked she burst into tears yet again. Twilight rubbed her shoulder and came closer to put her whole hoof around her.

“It’s OK, Floppy. Let it all out” Twilight said while rubbing Floppy’s back. Floppy had cried so much that day that it didn’t take too long to stop this time. She practically had no tears left in her anymore.

Floppy turned to Twilight and smiled. “Thank you” and she meant it with all honesty. She found herself swinging her hooves around Twilight in a tight hug.

“I told you it would do you a world of good” Twilight said with a little chuckle. It certainly did! Floppy found herself feeling rather bouncy and full of energy all of a sudden.

“Is there anything else on your mind?” Twilight asked. Good point! There was a few things but Floppy shied away again when she thought of telling her. But ‘what the heck!’ Floppy thought so she got on with it. She explained how she hated being fat and how she was anxious when ponies stared at her. How she waddled when she walked and how her belly swayed. Twilight didn’t mind about any of it though. She reassured her that it was nothing to worry about and her friends wouldn’t mind either.

“They wouldn’t be good friends if they did” Twilight said. Floppy explained how she felt so desperate when she was hungry and that led to how she ate nothing but weeds in the Everfree forest.

“It can’t be healthy eating those weeds. The plants in the Everfree forest don’t get much sunlight so they are lacking in nutritional value. Perhaps your body is just begging for nutrition” Twilight reasoned.

“But I don’t need it. I’m fat!”

“Perhaps it is a problem with your subconscious. You seemed panicked and scared to me when you were eating the sandwich I gave you. Perhaps you fear the hunger” Floppy nodded. Now this made sense.

“Don’t worry. Everyone has hardships in their life. This is just yours. It might not be a common problem but that doesn’t make it any less important” Floppy smiled. Finally a pony that understood. Floppy had never met a pony who was so open minded and understanding. So reasonable and yet social and kind at the same time. It was perfect. They talked for a long time about various things.

Floppy told her about how her ears were paralysed from birth so she couldn’t move them. How her mother had named her from her clumsiness when she was two years old. How she could climb trees and which was the best cupcake frosting. Twilight learned she didn’t know how to read and offered to give her lessons.

“Speaking of books!” Twilight told Spike to fetch a dusty thick book from the shelves.

“When I first saw you I swore there was something I read about your behaviour. It has been bugging me ever since but I finally found it!” Twilight said with excitement, flipping open the book and coughing at the dust that flew in her face.

“You show clear signs of having special needs and your behaviour points to you being on the Autistic spectrum!”

“What does that mean?” Floppy asked sounding a little deterred by the idea.

“It means that you were born with a brain that is wired differently. Common symptoms are...” Twilight started to read from the book

“struggling with social interactions and situations and a general lack of social skills and interest in repetitive tasks”

“wow” Floppy said, sounding a little worried

“That sounds a lot like me. Is that bad?”

“Oh no, it’s not a disease! It’s just a genetic trait you can have from birth. Although some people get similar symptoms from being in an accident with a head injury”

“So it’s an injury?”

“It’s a disability” Twilight said

“It also is closely followed by things such as Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Dyscalculia. Dyslexia means you find it difficult to read and write, Dyscalculia means you find it difficult to learn maths and Dyspraxia means you have bad hand-eye coordination”

Floppy turned her head in confusion.

Twilight elaborated “It means, your body doesn’t quite move in the way you want it to. For example, if you wanted to pick up a glass of water your hoof might be slightly to the left of the glass when you try to pick it up or you might knock the glass over”

“That explains so much!” Floppy cried, now finding this rather interesting

“Yes, this probably explains the reason you walk unevenly and why you were so clumsy at the farmer’s market in town today”

“Oh, yeah” Floppy remembered and still felt hurt

“Don’t worry, Floppy. We won’t let that happen again” Twilight said.

“Oh wait! What time is it Spike?” Twilight asked suddenly.

“It’s 1 o ‘clock”

“We are going to miss the picnic!” Twilight cried and got up quickly

“Oh I’m so sorry”

“Oh don’t worry. It’s my fault for not keeping an eye on the time. I have got the basket ready in the kitchen” Twilight galloped into the kitchen and came out with a large wicker basket.

“Let’s go!” Twilight cried while dashing for the door. Floppy hesitated at the door and Twilight turned back to see she hadn’t moved.

“Come on, Floppy. We can go together. It will be fun” Floppy gave a sigh and composed herself before nodding and trotting off with her. Twilight guided her to the spot.

“Almost there. I can see the tree!” Twilight shouted back to Floppy

They walked into a field just off Ponyville where beautiful yellow and pink flowers grew all around. The short grass ticked Floppy’s hooves as she walked. There was a little hill in the distance and a large tree stood proud at the top. The tree blossomed with pink flowers. It was so thick with flora it seemed it grew them instead of leaves. Floppy looked up at the tree and had to wince and cover her eyes with her hoof as the sun shone past the hilltop.

“There they are!” Twilight cried. Floppy could see a bunch of small colourful figures on the hill.

“Hey everyone! We are here!” Twilight shouted over to the ponies. The ponies turned, waved and cheered back to them. Applejack came over and offered to carry the picnic basket.

“There you are, sugarcube. I was worryin’ about ya. Why ya have to go runnin’ off like that” Applejack said as she saw Floppy
“It’s OK. She was with me having a chat” Twilight supported her.

“Well as long as she is alright. Come on, I have brought a lotta apple treats for ya’ll. Apple tarts, apple pies, you name it”

Applejack said gleefully as they headed towards their friends. Floppy walked slowly behind them with her head held low. She looked forward and watched the others as they greeted each other. She wished she could be involved but she also didn’t want to draw too much attention to herself. She expected to watch and wait for them all to talk to each other while she just sat in the side lines but, to her surprise, Rainbow called out to her

“Hey! Stop daydreaming knucklehead and sit down. You can sit with me. Where the best ponies sit” Rainbow said teasingly while making sure Applejack was listening.

“Ha ha, very funny” Applejack said, sounding unimpressed.

“I think it would be best if Floppy sat next to Fluttershy. She is a little shy” Twilight suggested

“No kidding! She has been inside that nasty old barn for a week she MUST be shy to do that!” Rainbow retorted before letting out a snigger. Applejack smiled and playfully bumped her with her elbow.

“Go on, Floppy” Twilight reminded Floppy as she was too busy listening to Rainbow and Applejacks banter.

Everyone was beaming and seemed in a great mood. Floppy smiled. Maybe this won’t be so bad as she thought. Floppy sat next to Fluttershy. Fluttershy was holding and stroking a little white bunny in her hooves with the grace and softness of a loving mother. Floppy watched her for a while. It was somehow comforting to see, like a massage for the eyes.

“oh! Do you like bunnies to?” Fluttershy said in her usual feather soft tone.

“Well, I dunno. I like to watch them but-” Floppy started to say but she was interrupted by an enthusiastic Fluttershy

“wow! That’s great! This is Angel. Oh, would you like to pet him?” Fluttershy looked so happy to have a fellow animal lover with her. It was very hard for Floppy to refuse but she hadn’t exactly had the best experiences with creatures in the Everfree forest before.

“Thanks but I-”

“Awww come on, Floppy! It’s just a bunny!” Rainbow interrupted. Floppy turned to explain to Rainbow her reasons but before she could say a word she could feel the gentle touch of Fluttershy’s hooves passing Angel to her lap.

“Angel. Be nice, Floppy just wants to give you a little pet now” Fluttershy said as she passed him over. Angel didn’t look too pleased to be passed on to a stranger. Floppy looked on at him struggling and grew increasingly nervous. But eventually Angel was on her lap. Floppy just stared at the bunny for a while without moving.

“go on! Give him a stroke, darling” Rarity said

Floppy slowly put down her hoof to touch Angel and began to stroke. Unfortunately, she was stroking his fur the wrong way and it wasn’t long before Angel jumped back out of her lap towards Fluttershy. Floppy hung her head and shuffled on the grass. It wasn’t a bad experience but it wasn’t a good one either.

“Don’t worry, Floppy. Angel is always a little grumpy” Twilight giggled

“Oh, he doesn’t mean to be mean. He just likes his message and tail fluffing to be done just right. Don’t you Angel bunny?” Fluttershy said as she continued to stroke him in the most loving way.

Floppy looked over at the picnic basket and felt her stomach churning hungrily. She broke into a sweat. She knew what was coming. She tried to sit with her front hooves in front of her stomach to cover it. She had to try and conceal it somehow but she couldn’t touch it directly as then they would know for sure. It would be rude to interrupt the conversation to say she wanted to eat so she just sat with her head down, begging it wouldn’t make a sound. Nobody noticed except for Twilight who had been keeping a close eye on her.

“So why don’t we get the food out?” Twilight said to everybody.

“I brought daisy sandwiches” Twilight said while taking them out.

“You already know what I brought” Applejack said with pride while uncovering her large stash of apple related treats.

“I brought the best food! Hay burgers, extra crispy! Awww yeah” Rainbow exclaimed happily as she displayed them on the table after doing a little circle in the air.

“I brought some fruit punch. I made it myself. It’s gorgeous when you get the amount of passion fruit just right” Rarity said with pride.
“Cupcakes cupcakes cupcakes!” Pinkie cried excitedly as she put down a whole box of cupcakes of various kinds.

“What did you bring, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked

“A salad. The animals helped me make it” Fluttershy pulled out a large salad bowl from a little bag next to the tree and put it down with the rest of the food.

“I didn’t bring anything” Floppy said with a frown.

“Oh don’t worry, Floppy. You don’t know how to prepare food. No one expected you to” Twilight reassured.

Floppy looked down at the huge array of food in front of her. Then her stomach roared. Of course, it was bound to happen. Floppy quickly grabbed her stomach with her hooves in a hopeless attempt to drown out the noise. It wasn’t only loud, it was long as well. Rainbow started laughing and Floppy’s heart sank.

“Well, we better get eating then” Twilight said with a sprightly attitude and she quickly picked up one of the daisy sandwiches with her levitation spell.

“I claim at least one hayburger” Rainbow cried while grabbing a plate.

“You can’t eat that. You brought it!” Applejack cried

“That’s coz I like them! I’m not gonna let you guys have all the fun!” Rainbow said while grabbing a burger.

“There is enough food for everyone” Twilight said to settle the argument. She then proceeded to pick up a hayburger.

“Would you like a hayburger, Floppy?” Twilight asked. Floppy was still in shock that no one seemed to care about what happened earlier. She stared and Twilight continued.

“Go on. They are delicious” Twilight encouraged

“and very filling. If I ate one of those I would not be able to eat anything else” Rarity joined in.

“what is your stomach too dainty to handle the awesomeness that is my hayburgers?” Rainbow said while taking a big bite out of one.
“Rainbow! You’re getting crumbs all over me!” Applejack cried

Twilight smiled and pushed the plate closer to Floppy. Her stomach growled again and so she quickly grabbed the plate and proceeded to take a bite. It was certainly delicious but not as filling as she had hoped. Everyone was taking food at their leisure so Floppy thought it appropriate to get her own food from the picnic towel. Floppy proceeded to try everything. They were all so good.

While she ate everyone kept on chatting happily to each other about the last few days events. There was lot to talk about considering the whole Nightmare Moon situation not too long ago. They asked Floppy a few questions about her ears and about where she came from. They seemed surprised about most of what she said just like Twilight and Applejack but they backed her up on most of it so it wasn’t so difficult. It felt very strange finally being part of a conversation she would normally be watching from a distance at the edge of the Everfree forest. Not just next to it but also included in it and without much penalty. As the hours went on, she grew more confident but she never said anything unless asked.

She felt a little anxious after a while as the food started to disappear. She was willing to eat more but she didn’t want to look greedy. She stared at the food as some of the last of them were taken. Everybody chatted about how good the food was.

“What’s your favourite, Floppy?” Rainbow asked mid conversation with the others.

“I like...errr...I like them all”

“yeah but which do you like the best?” Rainbow asked eagerly

“I think I like the cupcakes the best” Floppy said

“Aww sorry sugarcube I just had the last one” Applejack said sadly

“no, there is one more!” Pinkie cried and she pulled it out of her bag.

“I was going to save this one for later but you can have it” Pinkie handed the cupcake to Floppy

“oh no. I-I can’t” Floppy insisted. She didn’t want to look greedy, even though she really wanted it.

“aww come on you love cupcakes. You can’t be full yet” Pinkie urged

“Go on. It’s OK” Twilight agreed. Floppy proceeded to eat the cupcake and thoroughly enjoyed it. In the end, there was still some salad and apple treats left. Each pony took part in tidying the empty bowls and plates and putting them back in their respective bags.

“What are we going to do with all this food? We can’t waste it” Applejack said as everyone got up and was ready to go.

“Hey, you’ll eat it. Won’t you Flops” Rainbow has taken to calling her this throughout the entire picnic.

“err I dunno. I’m full but I’ll tidy up the last of the stuff” Floppy said, trying to be as polite as possible, in case there was any hard feeling.

“Thanks, Flops” Rainbow said as she dashed away in her usual fashion. Everybody started to wander off in their own directions. Floppy was left behind and as they turned their backs she started to eat the left overs. Twilight and Applejack turned back and smiled at her.

“Once you’re done eating, hurry on up with those pots” Applejack yelled out to her. Floppy froze as she realised she had just pointed it out.

“Don’t forget to put my plates neatly along the side, dear” Rarity suggested.

Floppy picked up the last of the plates and hurried to the back of the group. They continued to talk as they all walked each other home. No one seemed to notice her belly sway as she tried to catch up to them. It also surprised her that they acknowledged her love for food but they didn’t seem to mind her eating so much, even when she lied so she could eat the left overs without anyone noticing. It gave Floppy a warm feeling.

Twilight was the last to be dropped off and Floppy and Applejack waved Twilight goodbye. Floppy went to bed with a smile that night, the first night in a week. Not because the day was going to end like usual but because she had made friends. The first friends she has ever had. Despite, having such a good time, she couldn’t help but wonder. What would they think of me once they know the real me? Will they care then? Do they even care now or are they just being polite? Even so, the going was good and there was no use upsetting herself now. She would have to wait it out. As soon as it goes wrong she would leave. She always had that to fall back on.