Thud, Thud, Thud.
Heavy knocks were sounded on the wooden door of Fluttershy’s little cottage. She smiled as she walked towards the door. There stood Twilight Sparkle, fourth princess of Equestria and Element of Magic. She hugged Fluttershy as the pale yellow pegasus closed the door. Fluttershy hugged her back and the two mares walked towards the main hall. The hall was small but big enough for the both of them. Fluttershy gestured Twilight to sit down, before she entered the kitchen.
It was late afternoon, around 1:30 PM, and the sun was shining warm. Twilight Sparkle had had a tiring morning, assisting guards with jobs and discussing matters with the Mayor of Ponyville for the upcoming ‘Winter Wrap Up’ session. It became more tiring since it was ‘Re-shelving Day’ and, without Spike’s help, she would have not been able to feel her bones. Fluttershy had called her, in the middle of the process, and had invited her over for tea. Twilight agreed, immediately, but had asked Fluttershy to wait. Now, the exhausted princess sat up as Fluttershy walked in with a tray. On it, two cups, a kettle, a plate filled with biscuits and another plate filled with herb sandwiches were placed.
“Delightful!” Twilight exclaimed.
Fluttershy smiled. She served Twilight tea and some biscuits. Then she, herself, took a sandwich before sipping her tea.
“Ah, much better!” Twilight sighed as she put down her cup of tea.
“Princess duties are tiring, aren’t they?” Fluttershy asked.
“Tell me about it” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Yet, the new sense of responsibility, in all honesty, is pretty important.”
“Oh, yes, of course.” Fluttershy agreed. She put down her cup, which was now empty. She picked up Angel Bunny and began petting him. The little, white rabbit did not budge, instead, he dozed off to sleep.
“So, how’s your family, Twilight?”
“They’re doing great. Shining and Cadance's foal is to be born in a few days! I’m so hyped to see her. Mom and Dad are over at the Crystal Empire, helping out Shining and Cadance before the birthing. Soon, we- me, you, Rainbow Dash, Apple Jack, Pinkie Pie and Rarity- will be going there, the day she is born!” Twilight spoke, enthusiastically, forgetting all her pressure with the thoughts of happiness. “Families are so beautiful. Mom and Dad are in heaven that they’re going to be grandparents already.”
“Yes. Families are…beautiful.” Fluttershy emphasized the last word in a sad tone.
Silence followed. The air became a little moisty. Twilight, suddenly, noticed that Fluttershy’s eyes were welled up with tears. This alarmed her.
“Fluttershy! Is everything alright?” Twilight asked, concerned.
The Element of Kindness only wept. She, finally, stopped and wiped her tears and smiled at Twilight.
It was more of a forced smile.
“Everything is fine, Twilight. Just a little homesick, I guess. Don’t worry.” She said.
Twilight wasn’t assured. She could see her friend was not comfortable and Twilight had never known Fluttershy to be homesick. She could not bear Fluttershy to be wrapped in sadness, so, she walked over to the pegasus and sat beside her.
“Fluttershy, what’s wrong? I know you. You aren’t fine; you’re miserable.”
“Twilight, please, I’m okay.” Fluttershy’s voice became tighter.
“No, you’re not! Are you missing your family? If so, just tell me! I can arrange something. I can he-”
“NO, YOU CAN’T! Why do you even try!? How can you help when I don’t have a family! Yes, that's the truth! My family died long ago, okay! Get that in your head and stop bothering me!” Fluttershy yelled, tears flowing from her eyes.
Twilight was taken aback. Never in her life had she imagined such an outburst from Fluttershy. Fluttershy, a calm and shy pony. Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness. But that was nothing.
What really shocked her was the truth behind Fluttershy’s family. She remembered one special day, a few weeks ago. Memories flowed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------(Few Weeks Back)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Mane 6 were at Sugarcube Corner, eating strawberry buns and chattering away.
"Get a load of this! Soarin ate five apple pies, just after one round of practice! The Wonderbolts are practicing for the upcoming ‘Miraculous Flyathon’, you know, and poor Soarin tired out just after a few minutes of flying!” Rainbow Dash said.
“Hah! Just five, you say, Dashie?” Pinkie Pie broke in. “Well, that’s nothing! I can beat him by eating five more apple pies, whether I’m hungry or not!” Pinkie pulled out her tongue at Rainbow Dash.
The others laughed as Rainbow gave the party pony a playful shove.
“Well, I wouldn’t even bother one apple pie! Don’t get me wrong, I adore them! They’re delicious. But, recently, I have been watching my diet. It simply won’t do if I become fat.” Rarity spoke. “Sorry to disappoint, Apple Jack.”
“Spoken like a true lady.” Apple Jack chuckled. “Shucks, don’t worry, ah ain’t sad; ya do know yer not the only pony, in town, for my apple pies, don’t cha?” Apple Jack winked. Rarity gave a little laugh and nodded.
“So, how are all of you doing?” Twilight Sparkle inquired “Sorry, but I’m really busy these days and I can’t seem to have enough time to check on you guys.”
“Don’t worry ‘bout us, sugarcube! We’re doing great, right?” AJ said. Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Rarity nodded. “At our farm, it’s soon gonna be time for the zap apples to ripen! Granny can’t wait to make her signature zap apple jam.”
“Nor can I!” Rainbow rubbed her hooves in excitement.
“Well, that’s wonderful” Twilight smiled. “And I know all your families must be fine, too.” Twilight, suddenly, put her hoof to her mouth in dismay. “Sweet Celestia!” she turned towards Rainbow. “I’m so sorry, Dash! It completely slipped my mind that you…” her sentence broke off as she looked at the ground.
Rainbow put her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Twi! It’s cool, you know. You’re apologizing like as if you stole the chance of me being a Wonderbolt!” Twilight laughed at this and sighed of relief.
“You know, speaking of families, it’s time we talked about one.” Rarity said. She turned around to face Fluttershy. “Why don’t you ever discuss about your kin?” she asked Flutters.
Fluttershy turned white. Everyone else was now staring at her, waiting for an answer.
“They, um, you see, they’re at Saddle Arabia. I can’t visit them as I’m busy but I send them letters daily. I don’t like to talk about them much since I don’t visit them, that’s why you all don’t know about them!” Fluttershy explained what seemed like a ‘true story’.
The others looked at each other, not sure what to make of Fluttershy’s explanation. Pinkie shrugged and wolfed down her tenth bun.
“Okay, now, how about we go over to the Ponyville Park for a little stroll, eh?”
The others nodded.
“Alright!”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------(Back To Current Situation)---------------------------------------------------------------------------
“So, everything you told that day…was a lie?” Twilight asked. “I did think your explanation to be a little awkward.”
“Yes, I hadn’t been honest that day.” Fluttershy said. She stared out of her window.
“But why, Fluttershy? Why didn’t you tell it that day? This is something which friends can help to comfort.” Twilight said.
“I know. But sharing a family death just to get pity and comfort is not my cup of tea, Twilight.” Fluttershy replied.
“If you don’t mind, how did it happen?” Twiliight asked, curiously. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t feel like it.”
“Oh, no, I will tell you since you already know the secret. But I won’t explain in detail.” Fluttershy walked over to her chair and sat down. “In short, one day in Saddle Arabia, two mysterious ponies came knocking at our door and shot my father and my mother. I survived because I had gone out to look at some birds from a nearby forest. When I returned, the crooks were caught and sent off to jail, neighbours were gathered and few ponies were collecting two, reognisable bodies I knew. I never got to know what rivalry was there between the culprits and my family. I was sent off to an adoption centre and there I met Rainbow Dash. I learnt that she had no father and her mother had died, giving birth, so, we became best of friends. We soon joined the Young Fliers’ Academy and, later, I arrived at Ponyville.” She stopped.
Twilight looked at her, her eyes wide, after knowing the knowledge of Fluttershy's parents' death . She went to Fluttershy and hugged her.
“Twilight…I miss them so-so much…I want them back.” Fluttershy sobbed.
Twilight patted her friend. “I’m very sorry for what happened. I hope they are in a safer place now. What happened is heart-breaking” She looked at Fluttershy and wiped her tears.
“Hey, listen, I’ll always be by your side, no matter what. If others leave you, I’ll still be here, supporting your thoughts and decisions and I’ll make sure that you never, and I mean NEVER, feel lonely. Keep that in mind, okay?” she told. Fluttershy smiled through her tears and hugged Twilight back.
“Thank you, thank you so much.” She whispered.
“Not a problem. Now, let’s cheer up; how about you and I go to Sugarcube Corner and have a little treat?” Twilight suggested.
“Yes, let’s do so!” Fluttershy said. All at once, her face went serious, again. “But, Twilight, please, do not tell anypony else about the secret.” She pleaded.
Twilight grinned. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye! I Pinkie Promise not to tell anypony. Now let’s go!”
The two friends laughed as they walked down the path towards Sugarcube Corner. Fluttershy glanced up at the clear night sky. She noticed two stars shining the brightest, among all the other stars. They suddenly reminded her of two special ponies.
She smiled at them.
