A Week in the Life of Shattered Heart

The next day, Fluttershy takes care of the animals and lets me help. A small bird flies up to me and tweets inquisitively.

“What did it just say?”

“Twitter was asking about your bandage,” Fluttershy replies, shooting the bird an angry look.

I blush in slight embarrassment. “Um… I don’t want to talk about it.”

As I prepare a warm herbal bath for the bear in the corner, that white rabbit from yesterday taps my cutie mark.

“Angel! It’s not polite to poke somepony,” scolds the yellow pegasus, “especially back there!”

“It’s fine,” I reply, “Angel didn’t hurt me.”

The rabbit hops off, then returns with a carrot.

“Y-you want me to feed you?”

Fluttershy looks at Angel and says, “Do you want her to give you a carrot?”

The rabbit shakes ‘no’ and pushes it into my hooves.

“I’ve never seen him give away his food to anypony,” the yellow mare comments.

Angel looks up apologetically at me. He smiles and hugs my unbandaged hoof.

“He said he’s sorry for poking your flank.”

“Apology accepted,” I smile, stroking the bunny between the ears. I get back to preparing the bath as the brown bear approaches me, smelling my mane.

The bear sniffs my mane for about five minutes before backing off.

“He must smell something in your mane.”

“It’s just the shampoo I use,” I shrug, “it has a blend of cherry, apple, and orange extracts in it.”

The bear lumbers into the tub as Fluttershy trots over to help me. We scrub his coat with a homemade shampoo.

“He likes when I use this shampoo on his fur. It keeps the coat a beautiful chocolate brown without any harsh chemicals.”

I nod. My mane is slightly damp from the bear splashing around. “He’s like an overgrown foal.”

We dry the bear off and let him play around outside. As I close the door, I look at Fluttershy.

She smiles as a soft blush graces her yellow cheeks and muzzle. Her deep, cyan eyes glimmer before she hides behind her cherry-blossom-pink mane.

I walk over and laugh softly, pushing her mane out of her eyes and kissing her. As I pull away, I ask, “Would you please take me to the boutique?”

“Well, can’t you fly?”

I reply, “No… my wings can only open and close.” A hot wash of embarrassment turns my face bright red.

She wraps one wing around me to console me. The yellow mare coos, “I’m sorry… I didn’t know.”

“It’s fine. At least you didn’t make fun of me about it.”

She smiles and allows me to climb onto her back. “Hold on tight… but not too tight,” she says.

I grin as my marefriend trots outside and tentatively flaps her wings. For once, I feel… safe. I wrap my forehooves around her neck, tightly enough to hold on, but not enough to choke her.

“Here we go,” Fluttershy smiles, taking off and flying a seemingly short distance to Carousel Boutique.

I climb off and walk inside. The air conditioning is nice against my coat.

“Welcome to Carousel Boutique,” an alabaster unicorn with a deep purple mane and teal eyeshadow coos, “what can I help you with today, dear?”

Fluttershy walks in and waves. “Hello, Rarity. This is my marefriend, Shattered Heart.”

“M-marefriend! Congratulations, you two,” Rarity squeals.

“I just want to get something nice,” I say softly.

“You simply must allow me to make you two gorgeous dresses for the Grand Galloping Gala tonight,” she smiles, her long lashes fluttering as she blinks.

“Um, okay…” Next thing I know, I’m being dragged into a room.

Rarity takes careful measurements and shows me several fabrics.

“I… I like this one,” I smile, feeling the soft fabric.

“Satin is an excellent choice,” the unicorn replies, “and I think a tulle trim would be divine!” She looks me over carefully and muses, “I believe blue would flatter your features and build, darling.”

It seems like only minutes before an azure satin dress is draped over me. The white tulle graces the bottom of the skirt. I smile.

“You… look… fabulous!”

“Thank you.”

Soon, Fluttershy appears in a gorgeous, spring green gown with a baby pink butterfly detail.

We have our gowns on before she insists on doing our makeup.

I blush as she sweeps azure eyeshadow across my eyelids and glitter on my cheeks.

Fluttershy simply smiles as she receives a dusting of soft green glitter onto her eyelids.

“Free of charge, dears,” Rarity coos, “now let us get you some hoofwear and jewelry.”

I choose a pair of azure booties with diamonds on the straps. Fluttershy selects some spring green slipper shoes.

Rarity clasps a diamond necklace around my neck before gracing Fluttershy’s with a string of pink pearls. She holds up a mirror, and I gasp. I… I look gorgeous… I look like a million bits!

Fluttershy and I smile as Rarity gallops off to prepare herself for the gala. I turn to Fluttershy and smile.

“It looks great on you.”

I blush. “Th-thank you.”

Rarity reappears in a gorgeous white gown. She has sparkling white shoes and a diamond necklace on. “Are we ready, ladies?”

Fluttershy and I nod ‘yes.’ We head out to the Grand Galloping Gala before a blur of pink zooms by us and into the building.

“What was that?” I ask.

“That,” Rarity replies, “was Pinkie Pie. She’s Ponyville’s baker and party pony.”

We step in and see so many mares and stallions. Three little fillies run up to us and wave hello. A pale yellow Earth pony with orange eyes and a red mane, a white unicorn with green eyes and a pink and purple mane, and an orange pegasus with purple eyes and a purple mane smile.

I smile.

The Earth filly pipes up in a Southern accent, “Hello! I’m Applebloom!” She sports an apple red dress.

“I’m Rarity’s sister, Sweetie Belle,” the unicorn smiles. Her dress almost matches Rarity’s, save for a lavender lace trim.

“Hey,” the tomboyish pegasus says, “I’m Scootaloo.” Her dress is a bright yellow. It reminds me of a canary.

“Hello… my name is Shattered Heart,” I smile, “nice to meet you.”

Applebloom notices my bandage. “What happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Dagnabbit, Applebloom!” a Southern voice shouts, “Are you botherin’ ponies again?”

I look up and see an orange earth pony with green eyes and a blonde mane approaching. Her freckles are considerably paler than the rest of her body. “Sorry ‘bout that, Ma’am,” she apologizes, “sometimes Applebloom forgets her manners.”

“I-it’s fine,” I tell the country mare, “she was just curious.”

“I’m Applejack,” she smiles, shaking my bandaged hoof, “Applebloom’s big sister.”

“I’m Shattered Heart. Nice to meet you, Applejack.”

Applejack takes me to the mares’ room. “What’s with the bandaged hoof, sugarcube?” she asks me, concern in her eyes.

I bite my lip.

“You can tell me. I won’t tell a soul.”

“Well… I… cut myself yesterday,” I sigh, “I’m not known for being happy.”

“That’s terrible! You know dang well you have potential,” Applejack replies, “happy or not, y’all got a destiny. You just have to find it.”

“Fluttershy found me outside her cottage and took me in. I woke up on a couch, surrounded by animals… and she’s… my marefriend.”

“She’s your marefriend?” she asks.

“Yes.”

“Hoo-wee! I didn’t know Fluttershy had it in her to ask anypony out… but don’t tell her I said that.”

“I won’t.”

“You gotta go before we head back out?”

“Yes… I’ll be a few minutes. Go ahead if you want; I’ll find a table when I get out.”

“Alrighty, sugar cube,” Applejack smiles, “take all the time you need.”

Applejack approaches her little sister with a stern expression as I come back out. “Applebloom, that was very rude to bother that nice mare like that,” she scolds, “especially about injuries.”

“I didn’t know.”

I trot over and look at them.

“Go on,” Applejack says, “apologize.”

“I’m sorry for botherin’ you.”

“Apology accepted,” I smile, “I was a filly once, too.”

Applejack scoots her little sister off before guiding me to a table occupied by Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, a blue pegasus with rose-colored eyes and a rainbow mane, and a purple alicorn with bluish eyes and a midnight blue mane with a purple streak and a pink streak.

“This is Rainbow Dash,” Applejack smiles, gesturing toward the pegasus.

“Nice to meetcha,” she smiles.

“And this is Twilight Sparkle.”

The purple unicorn smiles. “Hello. It’s a pleasure meeting you.”

I smile. “I’m Shattered Heart.”

I sit down as a red Earth stallion with blue eyes and a white mane asks if we’d like a drink.

“Some Chardonneigh for me, please,” Rarity replies.

“Hard apple cider,” Applejack smiles.

“Um, just some water, please,” Fluttershy whispers.

“Coffee with half-and-half and sugar, please,” Twilight says.

“I’ll take a Buckweiser,” Rainbow Dash blurts.

“I want a HUUUGE hot chocolate with LOTS of whipped cream and marshmallows and chocolate!” Pinkie squeals.

“I’d like a Bloody Marey,” I muse.

The stallion nods and retreats to the bar.

“I reckon you’ll forget whatever happens next,” Applejack says to me, “Bloody Mareys are purdy strong.”

“I can handle my cocktails.”

The stallion returns with our drinks. He smiles, “If you ladies need anything else, holler for Star Spangler.”

We all thank Star Spangler as he heads back to clean the bar. I look over at Pinkie’s drink… and my jaw drops. What she has in front of her is a massive mug of hot chocolate. It almost overflows with whipped cream. Large marshmallows stick out of the white mountain, and chocolate coats the tip of the whipped cream mountain.

I take a sip of my Bloody Marey, looking around at the other mares. Twilight stirs a small cup of half-and-half into her coffee. Applejack takes a swig of her cider, hollering for Star Spangler to bring her 50 more ciders. Rarity cringes, then delicately sips her Chardonneigh. Fluttershy sips her glass of water. Rainbow Dash pops the top of the Buckweiser bottle. And Pinkie… Pinkie unhinges her jaw, unfurls her tongue, and scoops the cream up like a bulldozer, swallowing it with no effort.

“Wow,” I mutter, nursing my cocktail.

“Twilight,” a tipsy Applejack asks, “are you… hic… alright, sugarcube?”

Twilight looks up from her coffee. “What? Oh, I’m fine, Applejack. Why?”

“Y’all look down in the dumps.”

“I’m just thinking about the new foal.”

A record scratches as a romantic slow-dance begins to play. Fluttershy blushes as I take her hoof. I smile as we stand on our hind hooves and embrace.

I lead her as we spin around and around to the music. She smiles and gazes into my brown eyes, and I look into her big cyan eyes.

“Dawwwww, ain’t they cute together?” Applejack slurs, 51 empty cider mugs around her.

“I love you, Fluttershy.”

“I love you, too, Shattered,” Fluttershy smiles, placing a kiss on my muzzle.

As the music fades out, we hug tightly and trot back to the table. We’re met with a standing ovation from everypony in attendance.

“That was so graceful,” Rarity coos, “I never knew you could dance, Fluttershy.”

“Neither did I.”

I blush as I sip my second Bloody Marey.

Applebloom runs up with her two friends and acknowledges our dance. “That was great!”

Scootaloo smiles, “Yeah, that was awesome.”

Sweetie Belle looks at me and blurts out, “CAN YOU TEACH ME TO DANCE LIKE THAT?!”

I wince. “Sure… as long as you don’t bust my eardrums.”

Hours later, the gala ends. Four drunken mares, including myself, stagger toward the door. Fluttershy picks me up and puts me on her back.

“I really don’t think you should try walking yet,” she giggles, “you had a lot to drink.”

“I… hic… only had 20 Bloody Mareys, ossifer…”

She flies back to the cottage and opens the door. “Come on, Shattered. Let’s get you a nice relaxing bath, okay?”

I nod. She’s perfect, I say to myself, just… perfect. I smile. After the bath, she tucks me in.

“Sweet dreams,” Fluttershy whispers, kissing me on the head before getting into bed on the other side.