But It's The Hardest Word to Explain
“That’s an odd request. Especially coming from you.”
“I had no one else to turn to! You always math, or science your way out of problems super-duper fast, so... I thought that maybe you could help me.”
Twilight sighed. She closed the book she was reading, unable to concentrate on it any longer. Friendship problems were problems. Being the Princess of Friendship, she had to solve them, or she’d be undeserving of her title.
“But this is different,” explained Twilight. “You see, you can’t apply math or science to love if you want to truly experience it. Nothing works better than experience in that regard.”
“But Twiliiiiiiight,” pleaded Pinkie as she bent down and cupped her hooves together. “I need your help! I’ve tried everything!”
“It’s impossible to try everything,” Twilight corrected. “Have you tried getting closer to her?”
“Nope!” answered Pinkie.
“Well, there you go,” said Twilight. “You’ve already got something to strive for.”
“It won't work!” Repeated Pinkie. Twilight was thoroughly confused.
“Uh…” she said, wondering what to ask. “Why's that?”
“Well, Fluttershy and I are like two sprinkles on a cupcake!” she exclaimed, throwing her hooves up into the air. “I know her favorite food, her favorite music, her favorite animal. There’s no getting closer than that!”
“Obviously, there is,” said Twilight. “For example: What does Fluttershy do at three o'clock every Thursday without fail.” Pinkie waved her hoof like it was nothing.
“That’s easy! She… uh…” Pinkie thought about it for a moment before coming up with an answer. “Making cupcakes?”
“She gives her pet bear his physical therapy,” answered Twilight. “Which she told me a few weeks ago, over breakfast.” Pinkie got down in her begging position once more.
“Pleeeeease tell me all of Fluttershy’s secrets!” she begged.
“No can do, Pinkie Pie,” said Twilight, shaking her head. “If you want to learn her secrets, then get close enough to her. She’ll tell you when she feels comfortable around you.”
“Uh, no offense Twilight, but I don’t think that’s it,” said Pinkie. “Who could not be comfortable around me? I’m like a big puffy fluffy pillow!” At that, Pinkie pulled Twilight in for a large hug, one that rendered Twilight immobile for a few seconds, once released, she took a breath deep to once again fill her lungs with air.
“Yeah… I see that now…” said Twilight, heaving. “Anyways, you should at least try to get closer to her. That way, you at least have something to go on.”
“Fine,” said Pinkie Pie, saluting Twilight before trotting towards the castle's door. After pushing it open, she was greeted by the very pony she was talking about a few seconds ago. Her entire body froze in place as Fluttershy looked at her with confusion.
“Oh. Hello, Pinkie Pie.” Her pink mane fell gently to one side, and her blue eyes shone nicely. “I didn’t know that you were visiting Twilight’s castle. Are you here for advice too?”
“Advice! No, no advice here! I don’t even know what advice is!” Pinkie chuckled nervously, thinking of something that could change the subject. “Oh yeah! I forgot that I left the Cake Twins in the oven! See ya later!” Before waiting for even a second to explain herself, she bolted off in the direction of the Sugarcube Corner, leaving a very confused and worried Fluttershy behind.
After a few minutes of tirelessly running, Pinkie finally reached Sugarcube Corner. She took a lot of large breaths and maybe even hyperventilated for a bit. After calming down—as calm as Pinkie could be, anyways—she walked into Sugarcube Corner and trotted behind the counter.
“Oh, Pinkie!” Pinkie turned to see Mrs. Cake approach. She was still the same as always, so Pinkie smiled so that she could seem normal too. “You’re back from your trip. How was it? Did you get the information you were looking for?”
“Yep! I got a whole bunch of advice from Twilight!” She tried to sound as normal as possible. Maybe a little too normal. Mrs. Cake gave her a worried look—one that made her adapt worry lines on her face.
“You okay, dear?” she asked. “You seem a little sad. Did something happen?”
“Whaaaaaat?” asked Pinkie, blowing off the possibility. “Me? Sad? That’s like Rarity being stingy, or Applejack telling a lie or Fluttershy…” Pinkie’s voice died in her throat, causing her to clear it. Mrs. Cake put her hand on Pinkie’s shoulder.
“Maybe you’re tired, is all,” said Mrs. Cake. “Go on upstairs and take a nap. I’ll deal with the customers.” Pinkie nodded in agreement.
“I promise I’ll be up before you know it!” Pinkie turned away from Mrs. Cake and dropped her smile. Maybe she was just tired. She climbed the stairs, and opened the door to her room, making her way to the bed with a slow pace. Once she settled down on her bed and closed her eyes, her body felt like it was slowly falling asleep.
Pinkie was dreaming before she even knew it. When she started hearing a soft song, she thought that someone was in her room, singing to her, but as she opened her eyes, she found herself in a seemingly endless meadow of yellow sunflowers. The flowers tickled her hooves gently, and the breeze ruffled her curly mess of a mane. The dream felt so real.
“Pinkie,” said Fluttershy’s voice. As Pinkie blinked, Fluttershy appeared before her, her bright and cheery smile painted on her face. It made Pinkie’s heart… flutter.
“Fluttershy…” Pinkie said, nearly all of her breath taken from her by Fluttershy’s appearance. “Uh… there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell—”
“Pinkie,” Fluttershy cut in, her smile still bright and cheery. “Smile.”
Pinkie didn’t notice that her hair was flat. She ran her hoof through the fallen hair and glanced at it as its strands fell around it. When she looked back up, Fluttershy was already trotting off.
“Wait a second,” said Pinkie, trotting after her. “There’s something I want to tell you. I—”
“Smile…” repeated Fluttershy. Her voice was getting farther and farther away. Pinkie started going faster, but to no avail. She was afraid she wasn't going to catch up.
Then it hit her.
Pinkie broke into a full gallop, tears streaming from her eyes as she spread the biggest, most sincere smile she could across her face.
“I...” Fluttershy turned around, and Pinkie embraced her. Pinkie grabbed the back of Fluttershy’s neck and gripped her gently. After a few seconds, Fluttershy started to dissipate, looking at Pinkie with the same gentle glance that she always has. “I think I love you, Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy completely disappeared, replaced by sunflower petals. As Pinkie’s gaze went up towards the sky, she saw a dark figure descend, easily identified by her long, flowing, blue hair.
“That wasn’t so hard,” said Luna with a smile.
“Princess Luna?” asked Pinkie, wiping her tears away. "W-What are you doing here?"
“Just helping you," she answered. "Thanks to this, do you think you can say what you just said in real life?” asked Luna. “It should be easy. After all, love is just a four-letter word.”
Pinkie began to feel her body become lighter and her eyes become heavier. She laid her head down in the meadow, closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Watch out Fluttershy! Here I come!”
Pinkie took a few deep breaths before coming to terms with what she was about to do. She raised her free hoof and rapped the door to Fluttershy’s cottage a few times. After backing away, Fluttershy’s voice rang out.
“Uhm, coming!” Her hoof steps clicked and clacked as she approached the door. Fluttershy opened the door and spotted Pinkie. “Oh. Hello again, Pinkie.”
“Hi Fluttershy!” said Pinkie with a grin. “Can you follow me? Pretty please?”
“The animals just went to sleep, actually," said Fluttershy, glancing back at her living room full of animals. "Where are we going?” Pinkie shook her head.
“It’s a secret!” Pinkie turned and walked off. Fluttershy turned and checked on her animals in their sleeping positions once again before departing.
“I wonder where we’re going in the middle of the night,” said Fluttershy, catching up to Pinkie. She didn’t answer, and instead kept leading Fluttershy to the Everfree Forest entrance. Fluttershy stopped for a bit but kept following as Pinkie led on without a hitch.
“Don’t worry. We’re not going anywhere too deep,” said Pinkie, still leading on. After a few minutes, Pinkie reached the alternate road she’d found and started trekking that way instead. After jumping up a few rocks and climbing for a few seconds, Pinkie finally pulled Fluttershy up onto a large rock. It looked deep into the forest.
“The forest?” asked Fluttershy. “It looks very dark and spooky tonight…”
“Yep,” said Pinkie. “Buuut, if you turn around…” Pinkie guided Fluttershy, turning her around in place.
What she saw was marvelous. Ponyville itself was dark, but above them was the sparkling city of Cloudsdale. A bit further away was the sparkling Canterlot City. Both made Fluttershy’s blue eyes twinkle with wonder.
“Wow…” said Fluttershy. “This is amazing…”
“Right?” asked Pinkie. She sat down and nudged Fluttershy’s side. She looked down and joined her. “So… the reason I brought you up here is because it’s amazing.”
“It is,” said Fluttershy. “Have you showed the others?”
“No… not yet,” Pinkie grinned wide. “Because I wanted it to be special for us!”
“Oh…” Fluttershy became silent for a few seconds before continuing. “H-Hey, Pinkie Pie?”
“Hm?”
“Um... how do I ask this…” Fluttershy chuckled a bit. “If you like someone… and you’ve been trying to hide it from them for a long time, how do you tell them?”
“That’s easy!” said Pinkie, throwing up her hooves. “First, you take them to a place you think they’ll really like. Then, when you’re all alone…” Pinkie nuzzled Fluttershy cheek, bringing a blush to the mare’s face. “You look them in the eye and tell them: I love you, Fluttershy!” Pinkie grinned wider and backed up. “And that’s about it.”
“I…” Fluttershy gazed at Pinkie for a few seconds. “I don’t think I need that advice anymore…” Pinkie broke out into laughter, then met Fluttershy's muzzle once more.
“Me neither!”
Author's Note
This story was inspired by soothing love songs by soothing love artists such as FallOutBoy, Casey Lee Williams, and Skrillex!
Sorry, I'm an idiot. The actual reason I wrote this is because I don't know how love works. In fact, my idea of a proposal is sitting down, challenging my girlfriend (who doesn't exist [#foreveralone]) to a game of Street Fighter, saying that if I win, she will marry me. I then would lose horrifically.
Yep, that's about how that would go.
Anyways, like, favorite, and follow for more of my tales!
