The Secrets of the Universe
“Are you sure it’s around here?” Fluttershy asked nervously.
“Of course I do! Lyra sent me directions to her house before we left school,” Rainbow Dash answered. Fluttershy didn’t believe she knew where she was going. They have started out at sunset and wandered to the next neighborhood since then. It was getting increasingly dark. Fluttershy was hoping they would get lost and cancel their plans to go to Lyra’s party, but knowing Rainbow Dash she persist, not letting the dark slow her down.
Fluttershy wished she’d said no when she had the chance. That Friday morning, as she was gathering her books for her first period class, Rainbow Dash came to her and informed her of Lyra’s party.
“Oh, uh, are any of our friends going?” she asked.
“They’re all somehow busy,” said Rainbow with a voice full of bewilderment. “Applejack has family over, Rarity’s out of town, Pinkie has the babysit for the Cakes, and Sunset Shimmer has a double shift at her job.”
“Oh… I don’t know.”
“C’mon, it’ll be fun! Besides, you need to get out more.”
It was no secret that Fluttershy was not so spectacular at social settings, not like her other friends. She mostly preferred the company of animals than people. Some time ago, she went to one of her empty classrooms and started a full conversation with the class guinea pig, and right when she realized that someone entered the room she began to stammering, almost stumbling as she rushed out. She tried not to think about that time so much.
“Well, I sort of have plans for the night,” said Fluttershy.
“And what’s that? Talking to your stuffed animals?”
“... No,” she lied.
“I’ll meet you at your house at 6:00 sharp. Wear something nice.” And like that she was forced to the party. There was no point in trying to resist. Whenever Rainbow Dash wanted you to do something with her, you had no choice in the matter.
Just as she said, Rainbow Dash fetched Fluttershy at 6 p.m. Rainbow sported a black t-shirt with small black shorts while Fluttershy had a green buttoned shirt with blue denim, thigh-length shorts. It was Dashes idea. Fluttershy wanted to wear a modest skirt, but once she arrived at her house she told her immediately change.
They travelled as the last light of the sun disappeared. It grew cooler as it became dark, making Fluttershy fold her arms across, quivering.
“I should’ve taken a jacket,” she said.
“You’ll be fine. It’ll be warm once you get to the party.”
“Are you sure we’re almost there? We’ve been walking for a long time.” She checked her watch. “It’s almost seven o’clock.”
“Relax, will you?” Rainbow said.
Turning a corner of the neighborhood Rainbow took out a slip of paper from her pocket and read. She looked at the green sign and nodded when it said Winsome Drive. “We’re almost there,” she said excitedly.
Maybe this time she’s right, Fluttershy thought to herself. She didn’t want her to be right, but it was evident they’ll make it to the party somehow, whether she liked it or not. She was just tired of walking in the dark. She watched Rainbow switching her glance from the paper in her hand to the houses on either side. They walked further in silence until booming, muffled music was heard. They looked ahead and saw two boys out on the driveway, staggering and laughing while attempting to breakdance.
“There it is!” Rainbow exclaimed. She grabbed Fluttershy’s arm and charged toward the house. While holding Fluttershy’s arm she maneuvered her way through the two laughing boys, and knocked on the door rapidly and very loudly.
It was answered by a minty-haired girl in a green shirt. “What’s up Lyra,” greeted Rainbow.
“Rainbow Dash, you made it!” she turned her head to the house and announced her arrival, which caused cheers.
Rainbow gestured toward Fluttershy. “This is Fluttershy. You remember her, right?”
“Oh yeah, the animal lover,” Lyra said teasingly. Fluttershy looked away, her yellow cheeks turning soft crimson. “Come in; there’s tons of drinks in the kitchen! Help yourselves!”
The house was dimly lit, the voices were quite loud and rambunctious. The booming volume of the music irritated Fluttershy’s eardrums, so she swiped her hand from Rainbow’s grip and used both to cover her ears. She looked around and saw that many of the guests were either lounging on chairs and the large couch or dancing (or what she thought was dancing, she couldn’t tell since there was not enough light).
Rainbow Dash turned to her. “Is this party great or what?” she said happily, but Fluttershy kept her ears covered and shook her head. Rainbow tapped her arm and pointed toward a boy with blue hair. “There’s Soarin,” she said loudly, “I’m gonna talk to him! I’ll catch you later!”
“But what am I supposed to do?” Fluttershy tried to ask over the loud music.
“I don’t know… talk to people! Mingle! It’s a party!”
She watched Rainbow approach the blue-haired boy named Soarin. Fluttershy saw him a few times before. He was the star quarterback of the Canterlot High School football team, and people often compared him to Rainbow Dash favorably, and vice-versa. It was understandable why she would be interested in him. When they talked to each other they acted as though they were the only ones at the party, and everyone else just vanished.
It was at that moment that Fluttershy realized she still had her hands to her ears, but she didn’t want to remove them. She noticed a girl with blue, spiky hair wearing trendy sunglasses, browsing through an album case. Fluttershy glide her way slowly through the room, tapped the girl on her back, and asked in a loud voice, “Excuse me, but can you turn the music down a bit?”
The spiky girl nodded, then turned the dial to adjust the volume. The music was still loud, but the bass was lowered, and it was enough for Fluttershy to remove her hands from her ears. She thanked the girl, and tried to find something to do, which proved to be very difficult.
She stood at the center of the room, practically invisible to everyone else. A boy with baggy jeans and a green jacket stepped on her foot as he walked by. Fluttershy winced in pain, hopping on one leg. It was bad idea to just stand around, so she decided to wander the house. She wanted to find someplace more or less quiet, but was probably impossible with so many guests under one roof. After walking throughout the house she found a room that was occupied by one person. He was sitting on a couch that was facing a sliding glass door that overlooked the swimming pool outside, which also had people in it. The couch was currently the only place to sit, but Fluttershy didn’t want to disturb the boy. It was one of those times where Rainbow Dash would force her to talk to him.
She approached him, slowly, then cleared her throat. “Excuse me,” she said, “but do you mind if I sit here?”
The boy turned his head slowly, as if it was a last minute reaction. He gazed at her without blinking. The boy had brown hair, thick glasses, probably a freshman. He turned back to the glass door, and cautiously Fluttershy sat on the other side of the couch.
“Um… my name is Fluttershy,” she stuttered. “I’m from school. What’s your name?”
“Able was I, ere I saw Elba,” the boy spoke.
Fluttershy blinked. “Excuse me? Is that your name? Able, or is it… Elba?” she stammered.
“No, it never propagates if I set a gap or prevention,” the boy said again.
She was silent. “Okay,” Fluttershy said, “I’ll call you Able, then.”
“No trace; not one carton.”
The two sat in awkward silence. Someone turned up the volume of the music, which caused Fluttershy to jump in her seat a little. She received a glance from the strange boy, who only looked at her for a brief moment before returning his gaze to the glass door.
She clasped her hands together on her lap, twiddle her thumbs. “So… do you go to Canterlot High?”
“May a moody baby doom a yam?” the boy asked.
“Uh, I’m not sure what that means. Um… I volunteer at the animal shelter during the weekends. Do you like animals?”
“Animal loots foliated detail of stool lamina.”
“... What did you say your name was?”
“Ned, I am a maiden!” the boy shouted.
“Ned? I thought your name was Able… no, wait, I thought… “
The boy jumped on the sofa, making Fluttershy squeak, then he scanned the area vigilantly. “Mr. Owl ate my metal worm!” he shouted again.
“Who is Mr. Owl?” she asked fearfully.
The boy sent a long gaze at Fluttershy, who shifted uneasily on her side of the sofa. The boy then sat down and gazed at the glass door. It was apparent that he did not wanted to be bothered, she thought. Fluttershy slowly crept away from the sofa and into another room. It was the strangest experience with a boy she ever had. Who talks like that? she thought. At least she made an effort to talk to someone, even if the boy was speaking nonsense. Fluttershy stepped into the crowded hallway, and from the corner of her eye she saw Rainbow Dash chatting it up with Soarin. He had his arms around her waist from behind, whispering something in her ear that made her giggle. She whispered something back. Then they began to kiss.
Fluttershy quickly removed herself from the hallway. She picked the next room she was nearest to, which was the garage. She muttered to herself while searching for the light switch, letting her hands run through the walls. With one flick of her finger the lights came on, but she let out a loud yelp when she saw a girl sitting on the surface. Like the boy from earlier, she turned her head slowly toward Fluttershy.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know anybody was in here,” Fluttershy said.
There was something about the girl that made Fluttershy lose all motion. She had long white hair and a pale face. Her eyes were freakishly large, and like her face her irises were pale with a hint of blue. Her purple long-sleeved shirt almost compliment her physical features.
“It is cold in here,” the girl said.
“Oh… would you like to come inside?”
“No. It is cold, but it is of the good kind. Cold, like home.”
“Home?” asked Fluttershy. “Where are you from?”
The girl said nothing. She faced the garage door once more, not once removing herself from the cold surface. After a moment she finally spoke. “The cold seasons last for as long as they can. Sometimes, during the later months, the sun disappears. Then it reappears again, as the air becomes warmer, more comforting. We usually have a celebration afterwards. The sky would change colors during those nights - red, blue, pink, green…”
“... Are you from around here?” Fluttershy asked again.
“Something happened. I could no longer stay in my home. My family sent me away. They said it was for my own safety. I will return home, someday. Everything will be just as it was.” The girl turned to Fluttershy again. She couldn’t look into her huge eyes for much longer. There was something inhuman about them. Fluttershy didn’t believe she saw her blink the whole time. “It is cold in here,” the girl said again.
Fluttershy tried to find the door, almost as though it had disappeared when she entered the garage. Finally she found it, and quickly stepped back into the crowded party. Surprisingly, the wild music was much softer now; a slow, psychedelic rock track was finishing just in time for an R&B ballad. Fluttershy was relieved until someone changed the track to a heavy metal song. Entering the living she accidentally caught a glimpse of Rainbow Dash and Soarin at the top floor. They were standing in front of an opened door, arms around each other, locking lips. They walked through the door, still embracing, then the door closed.
Then Fluttershy was very thirsty.
She made her way through the crowd and found herself in the kitchen. Luckily it wasn’t occupied. Fluttershy gazed at the table full of alcoholic beverages, used plastic cups and shot glasses. Not being a drinker, she searched the refrigerator and found a 2 liter bottle of cola half empty. Fluttershy wasn’t a drinker of soda either, but there was no other option. With a cup in her hand, all she could think about was how much she wanted to go home.
“I sense great unrest in you,” a voice said. It was female, and very soft. Fluttershy looked up and saw a new girl standing beside her. She had tan skin, and velvet hair which was straight but came down to little curls. The girl wore clothes that were similar to Fluttershy’s, only it was a beige buttoned shirt with knee-length shorts. She stared at Fluttershy for a long time before either of them said anything.
“... Who? Me?” Fluttershy said.
The girl slowly waved her mind, as if she were performing a mind trick. “There is something on your mind,” she said. “Something is troubling you, is it not?”
Fluttershy paused, then let out a sigh. She looked down at her cup full of soda. “Well… yes, something is bothering me.” When she looked up again she saw that the girl had already taken her seat. There was no emotion detected in her face. Fluttershy guessed it would end like the other two people she met, but at least this girl was seemingly normal.
The girl waved her hand. “What is on your mind?”
“I didn’t want to come here, but my friend Rainbow Dash kind of forced me to come. I hardly know anybody here. I can’t even talk to anybody. And Rainbow Dash already… um, getting to know someone she liked. I tried talking to this boy and girl, but they were both just… I shouldn’t say anything mean about them. Anyway, this whole night has been a disaster. I want to go home, but it’s too far from here.”
The two girls were silent. Fluttershy took the plastic cup to her lips as the velvet-haired girl looked one. The way she was looking at her made Fluttershy feel uncomfortable. Just like the girl in the garage, there was something about her eyes that was not natural. When she got a closer look at them she saw that both of the girl’s eyes were opposite colors; her left eye was yellow, and her right was blue.
“You are a lost soul searching for purpose,” the girl said, waving her hand. “You will make a discovery that is far greater than anything you have known.”
“I don’t know what that means, but at least it sounds like good news,” said Fluttershy.
“My name is Mira,” the girl said. Fluttershy told her name.
“Would you like a cola?” asked Fluttershy.
“The need for nutrition is of no use to me,” said Mira. “I have transcended beyond this plane of existence.”
“... Oh. So, do you go to Canterlot High?” Mira said nothing. “I thought so,” Fluttershy sighed. “Are you from around here?”
“I come from the center of the universe, where all of creation began, and where all the powers and energies of the physical realm originate.”
Fluttershy was silent. She poured more soda into her cup. “It must be really nice there.” There was nothing she can do now. It was not her night. She might as well contribute to the nonsense.
“I have travelled through a multitude of galaxies to find the one who I believe is worthy in sharing the secrets of the universe. For an eternity I could find none who were pure of heart. Now, on this night, I believe my search has ended.”
“Oh really,” Fluttershy said. “Who did you pick?”
“You.”
Fluttershy was taken aback. She gazed at Mira, her eyes shifting from side to side. She pointed to herself. “Me?”
“Fluttershy, the answers to the questions you’ve been asking all of your life will be revealed, but we must become one.”
“... One?”
Mira gazed directly at her. She gradually leaned forward, their faces were about to connect. Fluttershy didn’t know what was going on. Her mind couldn’t process or make sense of the situation, but there was no time to think. This was finally happening, Fluttershy thought. She wanted to get away. Her brain ordered her legs to move. Soon she relented. This was probably going to be the only form of intimacy she’ll ever get from this terrible night. Fluttershy closed her eyes, waiting for the moment their lips touched.
The sound of the door being kicked opened from upstairs was heard, interrupting them. “You’re a jerk, you know that Soarin?” someone yelled. The party completely stopped. Fluttershy knew that angry voice. Fluttershy stepped away from Mira to investigate, and saw Rainbow Dash coming downstairs furiously. She was shirtless, but she was wearing her bra, and she carried her t-shirt in her arms. Soarin called out to her from upstairs in confusion. He had no shirt on as well.
“You’re making a big deal out this,” he said.
“Go eat a jockstrap or something!”
Lyra came to see what was wrong, but she shoved her out of the way. Rainbow caught Fluttershy by her arm, and the two made their exit from the party. As Rainbow dragged her, Fluttershy and Mira shared one last gaze. They will probably never see each other again.
Once they were outside and far away from the house, Rainbow put her shirt back on. They stood awkwardly beneath the street light. Rainbow had her arms crossed, her head down, seemingly glaring at her shoes. Fluttershy opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Then, to her surprise, Rainbow began to cry, covering her face with her hands. There was one thing Fluttershy knew what to do in a situation like this.
She hugged Rainbow Dash, letting her bury her face in her chest. Her cries were muffled. “I’m so stupid!” she sobbed.
“Don’t say that,” said Fluttershy. Her voice was soothing. She stroked Rainbow’s hair. After a long while, she detached herself from Fluttershy. “Do you feel better?”
“... I will once me and Applejack get him,” she said sadly.
They walked away in the dark in silence, the house vanishing from their sight. Fluttershy thought about what would have happened if she stayed and let Mira “kiss” her. She thought about the two other kids from the party. Were they with her? Did they came from the center of the universe? Although she initially believed that she will never see Mira again, Fluttershy had a feeling that she will come back in some other shape or form.
Maybe the secrets and mysteries of the universe will finally be revealed to her. Maybe the white haired girl will find her way home. Maybe the boy with the thick glasses will finally make sense. Who knows? Fluttershy sure didn’t. But there was one thing was certain: Rainbow Dash will have her revenge for whatever Soarin did to her. That was no secret.
