Every Cloud

by D4ftP0ny

Rating: teen
Tags: Rarity, Romance, Fluttershy, Sad, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 18546

Fluttershy admits her feelings for Rarity, and Rarity reciprocates... or does she?

The Royal Wedding of Princess Cadence and Shining Armor is an event that will be remembered by ponies for generations to come as not only the day a Princess married a Captain of the Guard, but also the day that the Changelings almost took over Canterlot- a day when the Elements of Harmony and the Princess of Love stood up against the horrifying horde and somehow won a fight that Celestia herself could not.

However, for Fluttershy, it will stand out for a very different reason.

Because it is at the reception after the wedding and after several very strong glasses of wine that she is finally, after almost a year of pining in silence, able to speak her feelings aloud for a certain white unicorn of exceptional grace and beauty. Finally, after a year, she is able to tell Rarity how she feels, to let her heart's desire be seen beneath the sun and moon. But will Rarity return her feelings the way she hopes... or will clouds of hidden hearts and unspoken words keep her sealed beneath them, unable to reach the beauty beyond?

In Cloudsdale they have a saying- "Every cloud has a silver lining."... but will Fluttershy be able to find it?

~~

[A/N] This is a fic written for a good friend of mine to showcase a character she designed so beautifully, who is used in the cover page. This one's for you, Bri- I hope you like it. ^^

Published 2012-06-25 00:14:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-06-30 17:28:19 UTC

A Night of Beautiful Stars

The Royal Wedding- an event that had been looked forward to with eager anticipation- had almost ended up in a hostile force taking over Canterlot. The Queen of the Changelings had succeeded in disabling Princess Celestia and trapping her, and all hope had seemed lost… but Princess Cadence, along with Twilight Sparkle’s older brother Shining Armor, had defeated the Changeling army and sent them hurtling away from Canterlot. The wedding had resumed, and to everypony’s delight, it had gone blessedly to plan. The ceremony was beautiful, complete with Sonic Rainboom thanks to Rainbow Dash, and after the new husband and wife had danced the party had really started.

Fluttershy sat at one of the many tables that were scattered throughout the castle grounds, her eyes happily half-shut as her hoof gently caressed the lip of her third glass of wine. Fourth. Sixth. Whatever. The pink-haired Pegasus smiled softly as she watched her friends carry on like there would never be another party in Equestria once this one was finished; and after seeing what she’d seen today, Fluttershy was inclined to believe that at the very least there would never be another one quite like this.

The bride and groom had long since departed, and after their carriage had disappeared into the gathering night Princess Celestia had bid them all good night, as well- after all, she DID get up very early in the morning. Fluttershy giggled to herself. I wonder if she’ll have any problems with the sun in the morning after what that Changeling queen did to her… Fluttershy’s pickled mind suddenly conjured up an image of the Princess of the Sun accidentally setting the sun spiraling across the sky in strange designs, and she giggled wildly at the thought.

However, the party hadn’t ended there. Once Celestia was sequestered safely away, Princess Luna had taken over, bright-eyed and ready to keep the party going as long as there were ponies willing to continue. Pinkie Pie had been ecstatic, of course; the pink pony had seemed more than willing to continue until she passed out on her hooves, which, from the amount of alcohol Fluttershy had seen her consume, should be any time now. The party pony was currently dancing with a white-coated unicorn wearing a pair of flashy shades, and the two were getting very, very close indeed as Princess Luna took control of the music.

I wonder… I wonder what she’ll play… Fluttershy thought dreamily. Maybe something soft and beautiful… with stringggsss… Her eyes slowly drifted closed as the Moon Princess shifted a few records around with her hooves and magic. I love string-musics… so soft and soothing…

Suddenly, the speakers poured soft piano music into courtyard, and Fluttershy felt herself relax even further. It was played so beautifully, so carefully, that she felt her mind being carried away on a wine-colored tide, out into- and then a wave of deep, vibrating sound exploded into the night, and every pony in the whole courtyard jumped several inches into the air, except for Pinkie Pie and the white DJ unicorn who both squealed in delight and began dancing, their bodies rubbing against one another in a most provocative fashion. The song made Princess Luna laugh happily and clap her hooves together as she levitated the pair of headphones sitting on the turntable to her head. Fluttershy blinked, trying to make her eyes focus on the slightly-blurry Princess. I never knew she could do that… that whole… spinny-thingy. But to her seemingly endless surprise, the Princess gave the records on the table a deft spin with her hooves and proceeded to… what was that phrase…? To drop the bass.

Soon, the hypnotic beats had drawn ponies again to the dance floor, and as Fluttershy watched the whole group began to pulse and move to the sound of the loud music. Luna’s horn lit up, and the simple lights that had illuminated the night winked out, plunging the entire crowd into darkness- but it lasted the briefest of moments as orbs of light, each pulsing in time with the music and each shifting colors independently, appeared out of nothing and floated above the crowd, who lifted their hooves and cheered for the Princess. Luna tossed her mane behind her and allowed her eyes to glow bright white for a moment in the darkness of the DJ booth, something that even six months ago would have drawn fear from her subjects; but now it only caused the ponies on the dance floor to cheer louder and dance harder, and Fluttershy found herself smiling as her hoof tapped along with the beat.

Her soft teal eyes floated from pony to pony, occasionally finding one of her friends among the crowd- Spike had long since been put to bed in the Castle, but the rest of her friends were still here. She found Rainbow Dash on the far side of the crowd, dancing close to Spitfire from the Wonderbolts… almost as close to her as Pinkie was dancing with the DJ. The cyan Pegasus had her magenta eyes riveted to the other flier and Spitfire seemed to be sharing her enthusiasm, enough that Fluttershy found herself blushing slightly and turning away, seeking to find a less… stimulating place for her eyes to rest.

She saw Twilight off to the side, her cheeks flushed brightly and a glass of wine bobbing dangerously around in the aura of her magic. The purple unicorn was speaking animatedly to another unicorn, a mare with mint and white colors that Fluttershy recognized as one of the ill-fated bridesmares that the false Princess Cadence had brainwashed to guard the real Princess Cadence. The yellow Pegasus tried vainly to remember the mare’s name, as she was sure she’d seen her before, but her alcohol-soaked brain refused to capitulate, instead drawing her attention to how the mint unicorn’s cheeks were a demure shade of pink as she spoke with Twilight, and how her golden eyes seemed to be riveted to her conversation companion, forsaking the rest of the room for the light in the purple unicorn’s smile as she spoke. As Fluttershy watched, she felt a small grin creep onto her face and her eyelids grow heavy again. Oh my… she likes Twilighhhht… that’s so kyyeeewwwt…!

However, as Fluttershy watched, Pinkie Pie parted ways with the DJ pony, who gave her a very affectionate nuzzle on the cheek before dashing off to where Princess Luna still commanded the DJ booth, seeming content to hang out with the blue alicorn as she continued her non-stop ballad of party music. Pinkie Pie began bouncing her way lazily around the dance floor, wobbling only slightly despite the copious amount of alcohol that was no doubt running through her system. From the other side of the dance floor, Twilight’s eyes brightened, and with a hurried goodbye to the mint-colored unicorn she set the cup of wine she’d had off to the side before rushing towards Pinkie at a brisk if wobbly-hoofed pace. The other unicorn took a half-step after Twilight and opened her mouth as if to shout something after her, but after a moment’s hesitation she closed her mouth and seemed to shrink in on herself, bowing her head as she turned away towards the dessert table. Fluttershy’s eyes widened and she felt her heart break a little for the mint unicorn. How… didn’t Twilight see that sshhee wanted to talk and dance and… and… whatevvrrr? But as Fluttershy’s eyes slowly found Twilight again, it was easy to see why; Twilight’s attention was on Pinkie Pie. The purple unicorn forded the crowd quickly, her eyes intent on the pink mare ahead of her, and when she reached Pinkie she threw her forelegs around the other mare’s neck… and planted a very passionate kiss on her lips. Pinkie Pie’s eyes widened, but only for a moment; then they were closed, and even with her lips locked against Twilight’s, it was easy to see that Pinkie was smiling. Fluttershy felt her cheeks flush deeply as she averted her eyes, trying to find somewhere else to look.

Her wandering eyes finally found somewhere safe to look when she found Applejack, the orange earth pony’s cowboy hat being easy to pick out amongst the finery of the rest of the room. As she watched, Applejack threw her head back, tossing her immaculately braided mane over her shoulder as she slammed a tall, thin shot glass full of a liquid that shimmered and sparkled in the throbbing lights as if it were infused with gold. The apple farmer finished the small drink in seconds before slamming the glass back to the table and grinning at the pony who shared it with her- a sky-blue Pegasus that Fluttershy vaguely recognized as Soarin’ of the Wonderbolts, who finished his own shot a moment later only to glare at the smug orange mare across from him. He said something curtly to her, dropping his glass to the table in an angry gesture; Applejack laughed loudly enough that Fluttershy could hear her from across the party, but unfortunately Soarin’s words to her were lost amidst the din- though if Fluttershy had to guess, they probably weren’t very polite words, judging from his face. Applejack simply grinned at him before grabbing the mostly-empty bottle on the table, righting Soarin’s glass before pouring some more of the shimmering liquid into it and her own.

Soarin’s face fell, his ears drooped, and he said something that made Applejack laugh heartily; it didn’t take much speculation on Fluttershy’s part to figure out what he’d said: “Another one!?” The mare across from him nodded firmly, and Soarin’s head slumped to the table hard enough that the glasses leaped into the air slightly. Applejack threw her head back and laughed again, and it was such a happy sound that Fluttershy couldn’t help but smile broadly as it echoed across to her eager ears. After a moment of laughter, the orange mare hopped down from her chair, tilting only slightly to one side as she made her way over to Soarin’; without even disturbing her hat, the earth pony slid her head beneath Soarin’s wing and helped him stand, which judging by how his hooves seemed to be sliding out from under him at all times he needed. Fluttershy giggled again. It’s like his hooves are made of butter... She put her hooves to her muzzle as she giggled once more… and then her eyes widened as a sudden, crazy notion struck her squarely between the eyes. She stared at her own hooves in curiosity, her mouth pursed, and as quickly as she could she check to make sure nopony was watching, her teal eyes darting back and forth rapidly. Then, after she was certain that she was not being observed, she brought her hooves a little closer to her mouth… and her delicate pink tongue darted out, giving her right hoof a small lick. Immediately her shoulders slumped in disappointment. Ooh… Not butter…

She lowered her hooves again and sought Applejack, but she wasn’t at the table anymore. Fluttershy frowned and tried to force her eyes to find her orange friend again; finally she spied the duo, Applejack and Soarin’, slowly creeping towards a door that would take them into the castle. AJ’s face was flushed as she helped the Pegasus, and Fluttershy smiled a fuzzy smile. Awwwww… she’s blushing..! Applejack is… very… very pretty when she blushes… The yellow Pegasus leaned heavily on the table in front of her, her hooves beneath her chin as she watched the two enter the castle and vanish from sight. They’re… kinda kyewt together… She found herself giggling again at the prospect of Applejack with a Pegasus- what would Rainbow say?

The hypnotic beat suddenly morphed again, fading into the background ever so slowly until it became a gentle pulsing in the back of Fluttershy’s chest, as if it were her own heartbeat instead of an outside force. The movement on the dance floor changed abruptly with the music; ponies were suddenly moving fluidly, dancing around and with one another as if they were all made of water, flowing against one another before sliding away to confront another dancer. Princess Luna was barely visible in the pulsating lights, but Fluttershy got the distinct impression that she was smiling in a very sly way. Pinkie Pie and Twilight were dancing as close as two ponies could dance while still staying two ponies, and Rainbow Dash was doing the same with Spitfire, her magenta eyes half closed and her mouth open just slightly, as if she was having trouble getting enough air as she rubbed up against the flame-colored mare. Fluttershy frowned in concern. Oh… maybe Rainbow should take a break… I… I’ll take her some punch… or something. She started to move from her table to do just that… when her eyes found her last friend, and she froze in place, one hoof extended awkwardly in mid-air.

Everything else, everything she had seen that night, everything she had intended to do… everything faded away from Fluttershy’s world as she came into view.

The pulsing lights muddled and morphed the tones of every pony on the dance floor except hers- her bright, snow-white coat blazed with color, reflecting each one perfectly as they cycled through their constantly-shifting pattern. The bouquet she’d caught so eagerly earlier that night was held securely in the gentle blue aura of her magic as she danced gracefully through the crowd, the serene white of her bridemare’s gown flowing like tamed starlight around her as she moved. She paused here and there only for a moment, dancing with a new partner for mere heartbeats before moving on like a honeybee to the next flower, her perfectly curled tail bouncing coyly as her hips swayed to the music… and the very sight of her made Fluttershy’s mouth go dry.

There were only two words that would describe such a vision: perfect… and Rarity.

The white unicorn swayed this way and that as she let herself be swept away with the music, her eyes closed as she danced, the bouquet hovering near her head. Fluttershy felt her cheeks begin to flush as she watched Rarity move, her hoofsteps sure and light, her body moving so fluidly that it was almost as if she were a mirage, an angelic illusion, and not real at all. The music faded away as Fluttershy’s heartbeat swelled in her ears, filling her world with the steady thump-thump, thump-thump that drove all other sound from her. Rarity was truly a vision tonight, seeming to be completely unfazed by the unfortunate events that had transpired earlier in the day; her mane was still perfect, the gentle blue makeup she used around her eyes was smooth and unmarred, and her coat was as pristine as a new fallen blanket of snow. She was so beautiful tonight that it almost hurt to look at her, but it was a pain that Fluttershy was used to, one that she sought out and reveled in... and one that she had been afflicted by for quite some time now.

Fluttershy’s ears drooped slightly, but only out of shame for how brightly she was blushing. She could feel the heat rising more brilliantly in her cheeks as Rarity came closer to her, the alcohol making it impossible for the Pegasus to stop staring at the pony who had been the object of her silent affection for almost a year. She had thought at first that the pull she felt towards the white unicorn was nothing more than strong friendship… but when Rarity had managed to encourage Fluttershy into a whirlwind modeling career, something so totally outside of the Pegasus’ comfort zone that she would have never considered it otherwise, she realized that what she felt deep in her chest every time Rarity looked at her with those beautiful sapphire eyes was something much, much more than friendship… but she’d never considered just how much more.

It wasn’t until Fluttershy had tried to take the advice of the minotaur, Iron Will, that she’d realized the full extent of her feelings for Rarity. She had turned into an aggressive bully… but that hadn’t kept Pinkie Pie and, to her surprise, Rarity from coming to her aid when she needed it the most. Seeing the unicorn there outside her home, after the things Fluttershy had said to her, ready to help her despite the insults that she had yelled… something inside the yellow Pegasus had, at that moment, realized the most horrible, wonderful thing that she could ever think of or remember:

She had fallen in love with Rarity; hopelessly, irrevocably, abashedly in love.

Since that day she hadn’t spoken to another pony about her feelings… and had done what she could to stop spending so much time with Rarity, even to the point of missing the great dragon migration to avoid being in too close of contact with her. Luckily, her past fear of dragons had been enough of a reason for her to, as Rainbow Dash had put it, “freak out”, and nopony had questioned her; and while she certainly still did not much care for dragons, it was her fear of what she might do or say around Rarity that had driven her into hiding and not the prospect of being near the dragons. When Twilight had received the invitation to the Royal Wedding, Fluttershy knew that while they were in Canterlot there would be no way to avoid spending time with Rarity… but her friends had needed her, and the Princess herself had asked for her assistance, so she had steeled herself and taken the plunge… but thankfully there had been plenty of work to do once they had arrived. And that was even BEFORE the whole Changeling fiasco had happened. All in all, Fluttershy felt that she had done quite an admirable job keeping her feelings for Rarity a secret…

But now, with half a dozen glasses of wine flowing comfortably through her veins and Rarity edging closer and closer to her… Fluttershy realized with a wave of surprise that right now, in the cool arms of the loving night, there was nothing she wanted more right that moment than to be near that beautiful white unicorn. She settled back into her chair, her eyes unable to leave Rarity for even a moment as she danced from stallion to mare, mare to stallion, flitting from partner to partner more gracefully than any butterfly. Her tail flicked against Twilight as she danced past, and the purple unicorn managed to take her lips off of Pinkie Pie long enough to glance at Rarity; the white unicorn gave her such a smug, knowing look that Twilight blushed even more deeply than she already was and even managed to look slightly embarrassed before Pinkie wrapped a pink hoof around her neck and pulled her back into a deep kiss. Rarity laughed, but she smiled fondly at the two as she moved on, past Rainbow Dash and Spitfire, whose gazes upon each other were so intense that they seemed to be in a world that consisted only of one another. Fluttershy saw Rarity lift a hoof to her mouth and giggle demurely as she passed the two Pegasi, slowly dancing and weaving her way across the floor. Fluttershy felt her heart pound as Rarity came closer, the unicorn casually side-stepping a rather rowdy dancer without batting an eyelash or losing the beat of her dance; Rarity had always complimented the Pegasus on her natural grace and poise, but Fluttershy always felt clumsy and club-hoofed around her.

Suddenly, Rarity stepped from the dance floor, leaving the crowd of ponies behind… and Fluttershy’s pickled senses realized that she was now standing barely five pony-lengths away from her… and that Fluttershy was staring at her like a socially-awkward colt at his first co-ed dance. She closed her mouth (which she hadn’t realized was open) and started to turn away… but it was too late. Rarity had seen her staring and was now making her way towards Fluttershy wearing that small, demure smile that only Rarity could wear so well. Fluttershy’s heart pounded even louder in her ears as she turned to the table and tried to make it look like she was doing something, anything when Rarity got there. She scanned the tabletop, but the only thing she had were several of her own empty wine glasses (she could have sworn there were fewer here the last time she’d looked), a small tray of peanuts and an empty plate. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Rarity approach, and in desperation she took one of her empty glasses, slid the empty plate beneath it and put the tray of peanuts atop the mouth of the delicate wine glass before sitting back casually, as if that had been her purpose the entire time.

Rarity alighted onto the chair next to her as if she had indeed been floating over the dance floor and not actually dancing. “Oh my,” she said, just loudly enough to be heard over the music, “If I wasn’t seeing it first-hoof, I’d never have believed that Princess Luna could manage such an… invigorating soirée.” Her magic set the bouquet of flowers down, ignoring the delicate glass and peanut tray structure, and immediately picked up one of the folded napkins on the table; she dabbed it gently across her forehead as she smiled breathlessly at Fluttershy. “I don’t believe I’ve danced like that in quite some time!” she admitted, moving the napkin to her cheeks. “Not since… well, there was that one party just before Twilight’s birthday, when I was here in Canterlot…”

The unicorn trailed off, turning her eyes back to the group as she dabbed the glistening sweat from her coat, moving it from her cheek to her jaw, pressing gently against brilliant white for a moment before lifting and moving down slightly to repeat the process. Fluttershy found herself mesmerized by the movements, so simple and delicate, as the napkin moved from her jaw to graceful neck, dabbing lower along the perfect, gentle curve of the unicorn’s neck towards the neckline of her dress. Lower and lower the napkin dabbed, until finally Rarity’s magic pressed it against her collarbone, just above where the dress hid her coat from view. Fluttershy’s cheeks ignited as she realized that there was nothing in Equestria she would not give at that moment to watch Rarity continue drying her coat in such a manner, the thought so bright and insistent in her mind that Fluttershy squeaked aloud, thankfully too softly to be heard over the music.

Rarity’s eyes returned to the table and met Fluttershy’s own, those beautiful blue eyes that had captured her heart more certainly and completely than any trap that could have been conceived. Suddenly, the music changed again, this time dropping even lower until there was nothing but a gentle string section backed by delicate synthesizer and bass. The sound was so ethereal and beautiful that immediately every pony on the dance floor found a partner and began to dance closely with them. The white unicorn DJ nodded in approval to Luna, who looked simply giddy from her position next to the turntables as she watched the newly paired couples dance to the soothing, flowing melodies that seemed to enfold all who heard them into a gentle blanket of emotion. Luna’s horn blazed again, and the flashing lights that had permeated the night changed again, fading from multiple colors to a pure silvery light that matched the stars themselves; ever so slowly they began to give off soft sparkles that fell in gentle drops around the dance floor. “Well, at any rate, I’m glad to see her out and about,” Rarity said in a much softer voice. She smiled serenely at the group of dancing ponies as they swayed. “This has certainly been a memorable evening… one I shan’t forget soon.”

Fluttershy’s heart pounded insistently against her ribs as the lights above the dancers began to spread out to encompass the entire courtyard, slowly filtering over the tables; one made its way over the table where the two friends sat, sprinkling a gentle silver dusting of magic over Rarity as it passed. Rarity giggled lightly as she held up her hooves, catching a small amount of the ethereal stardust on them before turning to Fluttershy, her eyes sparkling. Fluttershy felt her throat squeeze tight as Rarity moved, causing the magic sparkles that had settled into her mane to shimmer like ten thousand diamonds and reflect in the eyes that Fluttershy loved so much. Even Rarity’s pristine white coat had been touched by the stardust, her whole body seeming to glow in the darkness like an ethereal goddess that for one night had been given leave to be on Equestria.

With a smile Rarity held her hooves up and blew gently on the sparkles that rested there; as if by command they leaped from her hooves and floated directly at Fluttershy, who was so transfixed by her table companion that she didn’t even flinch as the magic floated to her and settled itself into her mane.

Rarity giggled again. “You look positively radiant with that stardust in your mane, Fluttershy,” she said softly. She sighed and smiled dreamily off into the sky. “Today may not have been everything we’d hoped for… but tonight… tonight has been everything and more.”

“N…not yet it hasn’t.”

Fluttershy blinked, wondering where that voice had come from… but when Rarity’s curiosity-filled gaze returned to her, she blushed and clapped both hooves to her mouth as she realized that it had come from her.

“What… do you mean, Fluttershy?” Rarity asked gently. “Did something happen? Oh… are you still upset about the Changelings, darling?” Those blue eyes filled with concern, and suddenly the hidden boldness that had forced the words from her mouth before returned, even stronger than before.

“N-no, Rarity… I’m not worried about the Changelings…” She couldn’t believe she was saying this; and to Rarity, no less! She had contemplated telling somepony about her feelings, had been almost sure she would tell SOMEpony… but never in her wildest daydreams did she ever consider telling Rarity how she felt… but there was something in the air tonight. Whether it was the music as it washed around them like an ethereal tide, or the magical orbs as they slowly painted the entire room in sparkling starlight, or the beauty of the wedding and the emotions as Princess Cadence and Shining Armor had pledged their lives to one another... or even if it was the ridiculous amount of wine that Fluttershy had imbibed as she’d watched others dance.

Whatever it was… Fluttershy had suddenly found her voice, and there was but one thing it wanted to say.

“I… I want to tell you something, Rarity…” she began, her voice barely audible. “I… I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately… ever since Photo Finish and the modeling… and especially since Iron Will and my sudden… bad attitude.”

Rarity smiled at her and waved a hoof. “Oh darling, are you still worried about those? Please, bygones and water beneath the bridge.” But Fluttershy shook her head, perhaps a little more firmly than she had intended, because the whole room spun for a moment as she looked at Rarity again, her teal eyes wide and imploring.

“No, Rarity, please… it’s not that… I’m not worried… but I… I have something that I have... I have to tell you.” The Pegasus took a deep breath. “I… back before Photo Finish… back before all of that… I started to have… well, I know we became friends a little faster than the rest of the group, and we started spending a lot of time together… and then my heart started to think of you differently…”

Fluttershy watched Rarity’s face go from quiet understanding to mild confusion; a gentle frown creased the unblemished white of her forehead. “Fluttershy…” she began in a gentle tone, “You’ve had quite a bit to drink tonight… perhaps you should-,”

“No, Rarity,” Fluttershy said, surprising herself again with the firmness of her response… and the desperation that was etched in her words. “Please… I have to tell you this… for the love of Celestia… I want you to know…”

The white unicorn watched her face closely for a long moment as the music changed again, fading to a soft guitar and piano that seemed to make the stars around them sparkle all the brighter. Finally, she nodded silently, and Fluttershy felt the words well up in her throat again.

“I… I started out thinking that it was just being friends with you… that it was just… I don’t know… friendship that was different… but then, when Iron Will came around, and I said all those awful… awful things to you… and you were still there for me…” Fluttershy felt her eyes begin to burn, but the words wouldn’t stop coming. She squeezed her eyes closed and turned away from Rarity slightly. “Ever since then… wh-whenever you come around, I feel… I feel like there are ten thousand butterflies in my stomach, all trying to go somewhere different. I feel like my heart is trying to use my wings and fly away…” She took a breath as her words came faster and faster, spilling out of her before she could make the conscious effort to stop them. “And I know I’m not making any sense… but Rarity… I feel like I’m flying when I’m around you, and when I’m not I feel like my hooves are… are tied to rocks, and they won’t let me go, and you’re the only one who can set me free… the only one who makes me want to be more than me, more than who I am, because… because I want to be with you… a-and you make me want to fly, fly, Rarity, fly higher than I ever have before, but not with my wings… with my heart…” Fluttershy turned back to Rarity, her teal eyes shimmering in the starlight as the words she had longed to say and dreaded more than anything burst from her lips:

“…because… because I love you, Rarity.”

The words seemed to drop into the world like a magical spell, because everything around Fluttershy seemed to freeze, including Rarity; the music slowly faded away as she watched the white unicorn’s face melt from concern to confusion to completely blank in the matter of a few moments. Saying those words seemed to have taken all of the courage out of Fluttershy, as if they had been supplying it to her from the beginning; she felt herself shrink beneath Rarity’s azure gaze, and as the moments ticked by, Fluttershy felt tears welling up in her eyes. She’s going to be mad, was her first thought. She’s going to be angry, and she’s going to hate me, and she’s going to tell all our friends what a horrible, horrible pony I am, and she’ll never speak to me again…! But Rarity just watched her, her gaze neutral, her expression completely unreadable… and as she watched her, Fluttershy’s heart slowly began to break.

A sob slowly began to work its way up her throat, and hot tears began to blur her vision. “R-Rarity,” she choked softly, burying her head in her hooves. “P-please… say something… anything… please… don’t look at me… please, Rarity…” She felt wet warmth on her cheeks, and tried her best to become invisible… or to teleport somewhere, like Twilight could… anything to be away from here… but she couldn’t. She was stuck here until she could gather the courage to run away, and she knew deep in her heart that by the time she raised her eyes again, Rarity would be gone… and everything would be done.

Then, so gently she almost didn’t notice it, a hoof touched hers; ever so slowly Fluttershy raised her red-rimmed eyes, her curiosity getting the better of her shame. She blinked to try and clear her eyes of tears, to see who had come by to check on the poor, sobbing mare in the corner…

…but she found a pair of clear, sapphire-blue eyes gazing across at her from the chair next to her… and her heart seemed to come to life again. Rarity hadn’t left… she hadn’t run, she hadn’t vanished… she had pulled a chair over to Fluttershy, and was smiling at her in that soft, unreadable smile that Rarity did so well. Fluttershy took a deep, shuddering breath.

“Please…” she squeaked. “…say something…”

Rarity’s smile quirked just slightly, and she gently put one hoof on Fluttershy’s left cheek, lifting her away from the table. Fluttershy sat up, unable to work against the unicorn despite her sudden surging fear as to what Rarity might do… but as soon as Fluttershy was upright, Rarity placed her other hoof on Fluttershy’s right cheek, just as delicately as the first.

Fluttershy’s heart began to slam against her ribs as if begging to be released as Rarity leaned forward, the delicate jasmine perfume Rarity wore teasing her nose as the white unicorn leaned closer… and closer… As she watched, Rarity slowly closed her eyes…

And suddenly, Fluttershy’s world exploded around her as Rarity brought her lips tenderly against her own. It was as if her entire body was suddenly blazing with fire, a fire that could never be quenched except by the pony in whose hooves she so willingly rested herself. Fluttershy felt her tears redouble themselves and she let out a muffled sob as she leaned eagerly, whole-heartedly into the kiss, wrapping her hooves around Rarity and pulling her closer until the heat of the other pony’s body was directly against her; Rarity wrapped her forelegs around Fluttershy’s neck as she kissed her deeply, her soft lips parting slightly as she ran a hoof through the Pegasus’ mane. Fluttershy found herself doing the same, and the blazing heat in her flared to new heights as Rarity’s tongue gently rolled against her own, the amazing silkiness of it sparking desire in the Pegasus that she had never known. She felt as though she would melt, simply turn to yellow mush as the heat in her built; the scent of Rarity, of jasmine and lavender, of fresh silk and the barest hint of sweat, filled her nostrils, her head, her entire being as the kiss lingered.

Suddenly, with a final gentle roll Rarity’s tongue retreated and the white mare broke the kiss, nipping gently at Fluttershy’s bottom lip as she did so; she pulled back, and Fluttershy felt as though her chest were going to explode as she locked eyes with Rarity.

The unicorn smiled, and a gentle blush touched her cheeks as she leaned forward once more to nuzzle Fluttershy’s cheek, and whisper the five words that the Pegasus never thought she would hear:

“…I love you too, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy heard herself sob again, and she pulled Rarity close; the unicorn giggled and wrapped her forelegs around Fluttershy once more, holding her close as the magical starlight around them danced and sparkled, making it seem as if the two mares were suspended in the sky itself instead of nestled in a castle… and for Fluttershy it was fitting, because it felt to her as if her heart were well and truly flying. Everything had gone better than she had ever even dared to hope… everything seemed to be going perfectly.

And for that one brilliant, shining night… it was.

To Love and Be Loved

The next morning Fluttershy had awoken, not sure if everything from the night before had been real or just a wonderful, beautiful dream… but when she had gone to breakfast that morning and seen Rarity, everything hit home for her. It had happened… and the happiness Fluttershy felt overwhelmed everything that she had ever dared hope she could feel. She had breakfasted with all of her friends that morning, but her eyes had only been for Rarity, and the white unicorn had been no slouch at making eyes across the table at her, either; enough that even Pinkie Pie and Twilight, who had been staring at nothing but each other since the group had gathered, mentioned something about it, causing Fluttershy to blush furiously and Rarity to giggle behind a hoof. Rainbow Dash had hardly noticed- her eyes had been out the window, one hoof beneath her chin as she’d stared up at the sky with a love-struck expression- and Applejack had seemed more worried about hiding the very obvious bite marks on her neck. Everypony at the table had been on her own individual cloud that morning, in her own way- even Applejack, who, when asked what had happened, refused vehemently to say and blushed furiously whenever it was brought up. Everything felt perfect, and Fluttershy for one had hoped that things would stay that way forever.

But nothing stays the same forever.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The sun blazed overhead in the deep cerulean sky, warming Fluttershy’s wings and coat so pleasantly that she couldn’t help but rustle her feathers and extend her left wing ever so slightly in an attempt to catch more of the sun’s golden warmth. A gentle breeze teased her feathers and mane, cooling her just enough that it made sitting in the direct sunlight not only bearable, but absolutely peaceful. With a content sigh she closed her eyes and leaned to her right, allowing her body to press a bit more firmly against the pony who lay next to her on the red-and-white checkered picnic blanket. Off to their far right, a large fountain gurgled merrily, casting a beautiful white noise into the world that, combined with the sizeable lunch she had just eaten, threatened to lull Fluttershy to sleep.

“It certainly is a beautiful day,” Rarity commented softly, taking a deep breath and sighing. “Absolutely gorgeous- the best day of the summer so far, I daresay.”

Fluttershy just nodded slightly, her gentle smile broadening just slightly. It didn’t seem to matter what Rarity said; just hearing her voice was enough to lighten Fluttershy’s heart.

The Pegasus heard a gentle clink, and cracked one eye open just in time to see Rarity set her teacup and saucer back down to the blanket; in spite of herself, Fluttershy felt her pulse quicken as she gazed at her marefriend. Rarity had chosen to pull her exquisite mane back into a ponytail today, the gentle wave of it falling across her glowing shoulders and down to her hooves, which were crossed daintily before her chest as she too enjoyed the incredible warmth of the sun. She was beautiful as always… but that wasn’t what made Fluttershy’s heart feel like it was going to leap into her throat. No; today, it was something besides Rarity that had set Fluttershy’s mind to spinning, even if the white unicorn had a good deal to do with it.

Today is a very important day, Fluttershy reminded herself. Very, very important… ooh… I hope I can say this the right way, like the Princess suggested…

But she had all day to talk to Rarity, and in spite of her nervousness, Fluttershy was more than willing to spend the majority of the day basking in the sun with the pony she loved. There was no rush… no appointments, no animals to take care of, no fashion fittings, no nothing; just the two mares out for the day, and Fluttershy couldn’t think of anything she would like better.

Next to her, Rarity tossed her mane and made a small, amused sound in her throat. “Oooh, look at this. It seems that our park is slightly less private than it was.”

Fluttershy opened her other eye and blinked in the bright sunlight as she followed Rarity’s gaze; and when she found what her marefriend had been looking at, she giggled in spite of herself. Across the park, two spots of color were making their way through the greenery, one purple with a tri-colored mane who walked sedately, the other bright pink with a curly, bouncy mane who seemed to be bouncing everywhere and anywhere she could; two ponies easily identified as Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie. The duo obviously had the same idea that Fluttershy and Rarity had; to get out and enjoy the beautiful summer day with their special somepony… and to spend it with only that somepony, because even though Fluttershy saw Twilight glance their direction at least once, their friends made no indication that they wanted company.

“I still cannot believe that those two are still together,” Rarity said lightly. “Honestly, I didn’t think that Twilight would be able to stand having Pinkie Pie for a marefriend for more than a week. I mean, honestly, she’s so quiet, and does enjoy her privacy… and Pinkie Pie enjoys exactly the opposite.” She levitated her tea cup to her and took a small sip. “However, one cannot argue with results. Here it is, almost six months after the wedding, and they are still as thick as thieves, even after Pinkie moved in with her. Honestly, I half-expected Twilight to have started going a tad stir-crazy with that party pony in her library, but they seem to be doing very well together.”

Fluttershy just nodded and leaned her cheek against Rarity’s neck; the love-lives of their friends were one of Rarity’s favorite topics of conversation, and even if nothing had changed in those relationships since the last time she’s talked about them, Rarity still enjoyed it… and Fluttershy was more than willing to listen to her gossip, occasionally helping flesh out a particular story that Rarity was vague on.

“Yes… they look very happy,” the yellow Pegasus said softly. “I admit that I’m surprised, too; but they are happy, and that’s what matters.”

Rarity nodded. “I would have to agree with you, but you must admit that they are not what you would call a “clear match”- in fact, if I had been choosing a special somepony for them, they are the last ponies I would have chosen for one another.” A sly smile stole over Rarity’s features as she gazed up at the sky. “Now, a couple that I thought for certain that we would see more of is Rainbow Dash with that fiery Pegasus… ooh, what was her name??”

“Spitfire?” Fluttershy offered helpfully, and Rarity nodded emphatically.

“Yes! Spitfire, of the Wonderbolts!” She sighed dramatically and brushed a stray lock of her purple-blue mane out of her face. “Oh by Celestia they made such a dramatic, dynamic couple. Rainbow Dash with her cyan blue, Spitfire with her burning orange… rainbows and fire, so full of zest! And they had certainly been attracted to each other.” She giggled. “Don’t pretend like you didn’t see them at the reception, Fluttershy- I know you did.”

Fluttershy blushed. There wasn’t any way she couldn’t have seen.

“Two mares, so brash and bold, blazing through the world at each other’s wingtips!” Rarity made a small squeal as she bounced her front hooves rapidly on the blanket. “So perfect!! And yet we haven’t heard anything about them.” She sighed, and after a moment turned one eye casually to Fluttershy. “You haven’t spoken to Rainbow Dash about it recently, have you?” she asked nonchalantly.

“Um… well, actually…” Fluttershy was still very good friends with Rainbow Dash, and there were some things that even Fluttershy’s meager curiosity could not help but pursue.

Rarity gave another small squee and turned rapidly, her hooves touching Fluttershy’s and her nose hovering so close that it brushed up against the Pegasus’ cheek. “Oh Fluttershy, you simply must tell me what you know!” Fluttershy gazed into Rarity’s eyes, and felt that same insistent fluttering in her chest that she’d felt for the better part of two years; when Rarity got excited about something, her azure blue eyes sparkled like the gems they so resembled, and the blue fire simply melted Fluttershy’s heart.

“Well…” she began softly. “I was talking to Rainbow the other day, and she said something about the Wonderbolts… and I did remember her with Spitfire at the wedding, so… so I asked her about it. She told me that they aren’t seeing each other.”

Rarity’s eyes widened and she actually raised and plopped her hoof back down onto Fluttershy’s as she gasped indignantly. “What?! But… but why ever NOT?! They were so perfect for each other..!”

“Well, Rainbow said…” Fluttershy cleared her throat; there was really only one way to say this next part, and when she spoke again she did a reasonable impression of Rainbow Dash’s voice- or what Rainbow would have sounded like if she’d suddenly become stricken by a horrible case of laryngitis. “She was nice and all, but she might be my boss someday. How weird would that be, having your marefriend as your boss?” She coughed lightly into her hoof and swallowed. “That’s what she said,” she concluded in her regular voice.

The unicorn sighed in vexation. “Hmmph. Well, they were still amazing together.” She gave a small growl under her breath. “Rrgh, that is just like Rainbow Dash- throwing something like that away for her future career!”

“Maybe… maybe it isn’t that Rainbow doesn’t want it… maybe it’s that she just isn’t ready for a relationship like that?” Deep down, Fluttershy felt like she knew Rainbow very well, and as tough as the blue mare was, there was simply no way that Rainbow would just throw away something like a chance at happiness with another pony.

Rarity seemed to think so as well, because she turned and smiled up at the sky. “Hmmm… I suppose that you could be right, darling. They do make such a gorgeous couple…” Slowly, her smile grew, and as it did, so did the wonderful feeling in Fluttershy’s chest; if there was one thing in the entire world that made Fluttershy feel alive, it was when Rarity smiled- really, honestly, truly smiled. Nothing could match her beauty when she smiled.

Ever so gently, the subject that Fluttershy wanted to discuss with Rarity tickled the back of her mind, encouraging her to broach the subject sooner rather than later… but Fluttershy only leaned against Rarity a little more, burying her nose in her marefriend’s mane and inhaling deeply of the beautiful lilac that infused it today. Rarity always smelled ever so lightly like fresh silk and spools of thread, but she also used an intoxicating array of perfumes that she purchased every time she went to Canterlot- and each seemed to be more amazing than the last.

Rarity nuzzled her in return. “I can only hope you’re right- everypony deserves to be happy.” She sighed. “And that reminds me… is Applejack still moping around her farm?” Her words may have seemed harsh, but her tone was one of genuine concern, and it made Fluttershy smile ever so slightly. One of the first things you had to learn about Rarity was that you had to listen to her tone, not her words- she often chose her words a bit coldly, but her intentions were always clear in her tonality.

“She’s doing a little better, but…” Fluttershy’s ears drooped. “…yes, she still is.”

“Ugh, that silly mare…” Rarity tossed her mane irritably, though it was clear her irritation was not with Applejack. “I told her she needed to leave that stuffy farm and come see us.” Her jaw clenched slightly. “When was the last time you saw her, Fluttershy?”

“Um… two days ago, when I bought my apples, I think.”

“Did she still have that silly picture beneath her hat?” Rarity asked quietly, as if she feared the answer. Fluttershy only nodded, and Rarity sighed loudly. “She needs to quit skulking on her farm, and either forget about him, or contact him; this… endless pining for that Pegasus is going to be the end of her. I mean, you’ve seen her, Fluttershy! The poor thing barely takes time to run a brush through her mane nowadays, then spends every ounce of her free time working by herself… nopony around but herself and her thoughts. That is not healthy for a mare, not in the least.”

Fluttershy shifted, gently drawing her right wing across Rarity’s back and coaxing a subtle shiver from the unicorn. “Does… she love him?” she asked quietly.

“Darling… of course she does,” Rarity said, giving her a sad smile. “I don’t think poor Applejack had any idea that she would feel so strongly for that dashing Pegasus, but love has a strange way of creeping up on you when you least expect it.” She sighed again. “Aimer et d'être aimée… Something so simple, yet so complex…” She gave a small giggle. “Although… I cannot help but wonder exactly what happened that night, between dear Applejack and… Soarin’? Is that his name?” Fluttershy nodded, and Rarity arched an eyebrow at her. “And don’t try to tell me you haven’t thought of it as well, Fluttershy- those dreadfully obvious marks on Applejack the morning after… one does not get those by simply helping a pony to his room, comprenez?” Rarity’s French was always superb, and it never failed to set Fluttershy’s heart pounding faster… which no doubt encouraged Rarity’s use of it.

“Oui,” Fluttershy said, blushing furiously both at the implication and the sounds of the beautiful language on Rarity’s most supple tongue.

The unicorn giggled again; then suddenly, her eyes went wide, and she clapped a hoof over her mouth. Fluttershy couldn’t help but giggle as well; that was the face that meant Rarity had just thought of something that she hadn’t before. Usually if Fluttershy saw it, it was in her Boutique, when Rarity had been stumped by something for hours on end only to be saved by a brilliant idea at the last moment- if it was outside the Boutique, it was safe to assume that it was something that would be considered scandalous in what Rarity called “finer company”.

“Oh Fluttershy… what if… oh Rarity, that’s almost too much… I really shouldn’t even think such things..!”

Translation- please, PLEASE ask me what I’m thinking!

“Rarity… what is it?” Fluttershy asked, trying to keep from giggling again; Rarity really was so easy to read, sometimes.

“Darling, I was just thinking…” She leaned closer to Fluttershy, her nose brushing gently against the Pegasus’ ear and causing her to blush deeper. “What if… Soarin’ had… well, gotten our poor Applejack pregnant?”

Fluttershy’s eyes shot open, and her entire face turned beet-red. “Oh… b-but he didn’t, did he?! I mean… oh my…”

The white unicorn rolled her eyes and shook her head, tossing her ponytail around behind her. “No, of course he didn’t, Fluttershy- we would have seen it before now if Applejack was pregnant. And besides, she has much more sense than to go around, bedding stallions that she hardly knows.” Rarity hmmph’ed delicately. “She and I may not always see eye-to-eye, but even she has more propriety than that.” But as quickly as it had arrived, the indignation at the insinuation that Applejack might do such a thing melted away, and Rarity’s eyes were bright with speculation again. “But if she had… oh, they wouldn’t be so bad together, would they, Fluttershy..? I cannot imagine how a Pegasus, so used to flying free in cities like Cloudsdale and Windsoar, would cope to being tied down in little old Ponyville… but they did seem to fit together rather well, didn’t they. And the foal, my word! Soarin’, so muscular and athletic; Applejack, so toned and strong… and their colors, dear Celestia… Why, if…” The unicorn trailed off, her eyes staring into a possible future that only she could see.

The mention of a foal sparked against the back of Fluttershy’s mind, and the topic she wanted to broach with Rarity suddenly surged to the forefront with a vengeance, as if to say She just brought it up! She’s giving you the perfect opening!!

And it was right, unfortunately. Fluttershy watched Rarity for a moment longer as the unicorn smiled excitedly up at the sky, as she often did when visualizing something, and before she could stop herself, the Pegasus gave her marefriend’s hoof a gentle squeeze.

“Um… actually Rarity… I wanted to talk to you about something… something like that.”

“Hmm?” Rarity only made this noise when she was very obviously distracted, and it was a dead give-away that she was most assuredly not listening. Fluttershy squeezed her hoof with her foreleg again, a little more firmly this time, and after a moment Rarity’s blue eyes finally returned to the present. “Oh, Fluttershy, what is it darling?”

The normally timid Pegasus felt her confidence begin to flee… but she looked deep into her marefriend’s eyes, at the love and patience she saw there… and she swallowed delicately. Now or never, Fluttershy…

“Well… Y-you were talking about a foal…”

Rarity’s eyes brightened again. “Oh yes, Applejack and Soarin’s foal! Darling, can’t you just see it! Such a handsome colt… or beautiful mare! I can’t decide which would be more becoming, a Pegasus or an earth pony…”

Fluttershy lifted a hoof and touched Rarity’s cheek gently, pulling the unicorn’s gaze back to her own. “Rarity… I don’t want to talk about their foal… I…” She took a deep breath. “I want to talk about ours.”

Rarity’s face slowly faded from peaceful curiosity to a subtle frown. “O-our foal..? Fluttershy… what are you-,”

“Please, Rarity, l-let me finish.” Fluttershy’s cheeks burned beneath Rarity’s gaze as she waited to see if the other mare would continue, but to her surprise Rarity closed her mouth and gave her a subtle nod, her eyes flashing a mixture of emotions so quickly that even Fluttershy could not catch them. The Pegasus took a deep breath. “Rarity… I love you… I love you more than anything in the world. We’ve been together almost six months now… a-and I want to… take our relationship… further.” She smiled and blushed even deeper. “I… I want to have a foal with you, Rarity…”

The unicorn’s mouth dropped open slightly, and Fluttershy was taken aback by the flash of shock she saw in Rarity’s eyes. “A… a foal, Fluttershy?” she asked incredulously. Rarity’s mouth opened again, then snapped closed; she was silent for a long moment, the look of surprise slowly fading from her features, and after a deep, cleansing breath she spoke again, her voice calm and collected. “Darling… if you haven’t noticed, we’re both mares. We can’t exactly have a foal. Well…” she paused, almost as if she were fighting herself on whether or not to continue. After a moment, she continued. “... well, unless we… I suppose that Twilight may know some kind of spell… oh, but no, I would not want Twilight to be involved…” Rarity shifted with what Fluttershy could only describe as mild discomfort at the thought. “And other than that… I suppose the only way would be to have a… a donor of some kind… but then it wouldn’t be…” She sighed harshly and thumped her front right hoof on the blanket. “Fluttershy, I work very hard to keep this figure, and having a foal would simply destroy it.” She turned her eyes back to the Pegasus, her lips pursed in what was most definitely a gentle pout. “Is that what you’re suggesting that you want, darling?”

Fluttershy shifted slightly, pressing a bit more up against Rarity- the unicorn’s amazingly soft coat soothed her nerves, and gave her the surge of courage she needed to finish… even giving her enough to overlook Rarity’s less than favorable reaction to the idea. “No Rarity, of course not… I-I’ve been sending letters back and forth with Princess Celestia for the last month or so…” She took a deep breath again. “…and after lots of paperwork… She has agreed to let us use the Foal Mirror.”

The unicorn’s eyes widened again, and understanding slowly blossomed in their depths. “The Foal Mirror…” she said, almost reverently. Fluttershy nodded, some of her earlier eagerness returning. The Foal Mirror was something that most ponies had heard of at least in passing, and as a unicorn Rarity had most certainly heard of it- Fluttershy had been told by Twilight that each and every unicorn learned about the Mirror as part of their magical studies, even if it was often nothing more than a point of interest. Rarity’s mind was working furiously, even if she managed to maintain her outward calm. “The Foal Mirror,” she repeated again, more softly this time. “I… I never thought in all my life that I may get to see it…”

Fluttershy leaned forward, unable to contain her excitement. “Oh Rarity, wouldn’t it be amazing?? To get to go with the Princess to the Mirror… to get to see it, to be in the room when the Princess touches it… To… to have a foal of our own…” She felt her eyes start to burn ever so slightly, and she blinked to try and chase it away. “To have a foal to raise as ours… together forever?”

Perhaps it was the tears in her eyes, or perhaps it was the sunlight blinding her temporarily… but she could have sworn she saw a flash of panic cross Rarity’s face at the word forever. She blinked extra hard, trying to rid herself of the offending tears, and by the time she could see again, Rarity’s face was carefully neutral.

“Well… I-I certainly cannot say that I haven’t thought about being a mother someday…” the unicorn said softly. “But… but isn’t this a little… soon, darling?”

Fluttershy’s face fell, and in spite of herself she felt her tears began to return. “Oh… d-does that mean… that you don’t want to..? I… I…” Somehow… somehow Fluttershy had never even considered that Rarity might say no; that after all the seemingly endless forms that Fluttershy had filled out in secret, that after everything she had asked the Princess to make sure that she could give a foal a good home that Rarity might not share her enthusiasm, her excitement at the prospect of bringing a new life into the world. She felt the tears in her eyes begin to overflow, their warmth slowly marching down her flushed cheeks.

Rarity’s face slowly began to lose its neutrality at the prospect of Fluttershy’s tears; finally, just when Fluttershy felt the first sob start to work its way into her throat, the white unicorn sighed again, a sound so soft that the Pegasus almost missed it.

“Please… don’t cry, Fluttershy… I’ll do it,” she said gently.

Fluttershy’s sob broke free from her chest, and the tears that had started out of disappointment suddenly surged forward with a brand new purpose; before she could stop herself Fluttershy lurched forward and tackled Rarity to the blanket, wrapping her forelegs around her beautiful white neck and pulling her as close as she possibly could.

“Rarity… oh Rarity…” she gasped, her tears flowing freely. “Thank you… I love you so much… thank you…”

After a moment she felt the gentle pressure from her marefriend’s hooves around her, pulling her close. The yellow Pegasus nestled against her, letting herself feel safe and secure in the arms of one she loved so dearly. Rarity sighed, the gentle warmth of her breath tickling Fluttershy’s ear.

“I love you too, Fluttershy,” she whispered, those five simple words that made Fluttershy’s life worth every hardship she had ever faced…

…but if Fluttershy had listened closely, she would have heard something different in those words, the seeds of which would grow to change everything she knew and loved-

-the subtle, wheedling touch of doubt.

Every Cloud

The next week passed like wildfire for Fluttershy as she hurried to make the preparations for the impending new addition to her family. She had asked the Princess how old the foal would be when it was… well, “born”; Princess Celestia had told her that because the Mirror was a powerful magical object, it was all but impossible to determine how old the filly or colt would be, and that in all her years dealing with the Foal Mirror she had seen anywhere from newborns to a filly at least two years of age. This, of course, did nothing to help Fluttershy prepare her cottage for the young pony- if anything, it only made her mind spin faster.

Will I need to lock the cupboards? Or will the foal be old enough to understand what I mean when I say no? Oh, do I need to put pillows on all the corners of the tables, or will the foal be old enough to walk without stumbling? Oooh, this is so confusing!

But in every ounce of stress and worry, there was a pound of anticipation and love- because everything she was going through would be worth it, she knew. She and Rarity were going to have a foal, a beautiful filly or handsome colt to raise as their own! That one, singular thought propelled her through all of her preparations, every purchase and every renovation that she had to make. And Rarity was always there with her; every day after the Boutique closed Rarity made her way to the cottage to help Fluttershy work by straightening and cleaning and folding where she could. The yellow Pegasus felt her heart swell with love whenever the unicorn entered her home, even if by the time Fluttershy was finished for the night she was too tired to do much else with Rarity than curl up on the couch and fall asleep in her embrace; that was more than enough for Fluttershy. And while Rarity never really said too much during her visits, Fluttershy just knew that inside, her marefriend was bubbling with the same excitement that she was; after all, Rarity was going to move in with her once the foal was born, and then they could truly be their own little family. The prospect of Rarity living with her brought a splash of color to Fluttershy’s cheeks every time she thought of it, but it was something that she wanted almost as much as the foal… to share a home, share a bed with the mare she loved… It was almost too much for the timid Pegasus to handle, but it was something she thought about constantly as she worked. Slowly everything came together, and deep down in her heart Fluttershy knew that once this foal had arrived, everything would be absolutely, indisputably, unequivocally perfect.

But just as fog can blind our eyes, so can excitement and anticipation blind our hearts, and make us miss tell-tale signs that we should be able to see in the one we love most…

~*~*~*~*~

The halls of Canterlot Castle were surprisingly quiet; especially for what Fluttershy would have thought would be one of the busiest times of the day. The sun was only a few of its own lengths above the horizon now, and early enough in the day that Fluttershy was certain there would have been maids and grooms bustling about, Day and Night Guards changing positions… something other than the silent hallways and empty rooms that she saw now. She and Rarity slowly made their way through the winding network of hallways in the upper parts of the castle, gradually climbing towards the chamber that housed the artifact they sought… but the number of ponies that they had seen since their arrival had been in the single digits, and now the absence of other ponies was beginning to unnerve Fluttershy. These hallways were smaller than the ones below, simply decorated with a plush red carpet on the floor and polished white marble walls around them. The silence seemed to close in around her, and something about the idea that these chambers should be humming with activity but mysteriously were not made the hair at the base of her mane stand on end; instinctively she stepped closer to Rarity, brushing against her marefriend’s side as they walked.

“I-is it always this quiet?” she whispered to Rarity. “I mean… where are all the ponies?”

To her surprise, it was the pony leading the two mares down the hallway who answered, first with a good-natured chuckle, then with gentle words.

“The Castle always runs very efficiently, Fluttershy. Any changes to the Guard, any switching of day and night staff are all accomplished within minutes, as soon as the sun rises and the moon sets. And believe me, both Luna and I prefer it to be quiet in these halls- these are very much our home, where the rest of the Castle is the capital.” Princess Celestia turned a violet eye to her and smiled warmly. “I hope that makes sense.”

Fluttershy nodded and blushed at her own silliness. “O-oh, of course it does, Your Highness… I guess… I guess I was just confused.”

Princess Celestia giggled lightly, a beautiful sound that seemed to draw all of the tension from Fluttershy like a salve. “Please, don’t apologize. Today is not a day for apologies, after all!” The alicorn Princess turned to face forward again, her sparkling multi-hued mane shimmering in the sunlight filtering in through the windows. “And please, do not hesitate to ask questions; I assure you I won’t throw you in the dungeon for being curious!”

The Pegasus nodded, and as if on cue the feelings of excitement that had been quelled by the curiosity and fear surged to the forefront of her mind again. They were actually here; the day that Fluttershy had dreamed about for the past two months was finally here! Today was the day! She cast a glance at Rarity as her cheeks heated with excitement.

“Can you believe it, Rarity?” she whispered. “We’re here, it’s today! We’re going to get our foal today!” Fluttershy couldn’t keep a small giggle of excitement from bubbling up and out of her, and the tinkling, mirthful sound echoed around the silent halls in an ethereal manner. She reached out and nuzzled Rarity’s cheek with her snout. “Oh Rarity… I can’t wait…”

The unicorn gave her a small smile. “Oh Fluttershy… I’m very excited too, darling… if a bit… nervous.” Rarity’s blue eyes found hers, and Fluttershy smiled broadly… but the unicorn only held her gaze for a second before turning away and focusing back on the hallway around them.

The Pegasus frowned ever so slightly. It really wasn’t like Rarity to be so… distant. Something tickled the back of Fluttershy’s mind- something that told her to look deeper, ask Rarity if something was wrong… but before she could even begin, Princess Celestia spoke again.

“How did Twilight and your other friends take the news that the two of you would be having a foal?” she asked over her shoulder as she led them around yet another turn. “She told me in her letters that she and Pinkie Pie were very excited for you, but I’m curious to know if that was whole-hearted or not.”

“Oh heavens yes,” Rarity replied, tossing her mane over her shoulder. “She and Pinkie were most excited for us… in fact, I daresay that if the train had taken any longer on the platform we would have had two couples here instead of just one.” She sighed. “Pinkie Pie looked about to leap onto the caboose with poor Twilight. I would keep the Foal Mirror warmed up for them, Your Highness- I think that they both may be writing you letters quite soon.”

Celestia laughed again. “Oh my word… well, I suppose it’s a good thing that the train departed on time! I try not to do more than one foal per day out of the Mirror, and with a pony like Pinkie Pie, who knows what could have happened!”

“Indeed, Your Highness,” Rarity agreed.

“And what of your other friends, Rainbow Dash and Applejack; what do they think?”

Fluttershy looked to Rarity, but the white unicorn’s eyes were again focused ahead of her, staring unblinking into her thoughts, so after a moment’s hesitation, Fluttershy answered.

“Well, Rainbow is happy for us, even though she said she doesn’t want to have a foal ever… b-but I don’t think she means that, Your Highness, I think she wants to have one eventually.” Fluttershy sighed. “And Applejack…”

“She cried,” Rarity said matter-of-factly, her eyes still staring ahead as if she were trying to see straight through the walls of the Castle to the mysteries beyond. “She took off her silly hat, hugged us both, and sobbed like a schoolfilly with her first broken heart.”

Fluttershy’s wings drooped slightly. Applejack had cried a lot at the station… all the while holding her hat to her chest; the hat that held the picture of Soarin’ inside. It was really hard for Fluttershy to watch Applejack hurt like she was… especially because of another pony, be it directly or indirectly, and especially when there was nothing to be done for her.

Princess Celestia’s frown was easily heard in her words. “My goodness… I hope that it was not because of the two of you having a foal. It’s never easy if one of your closest friends does not support you.”

Rarity sighed. “No, Your Highness, it was not because she does not support us… rather, I think it is because she envies us.” The unicorn sighed and muttered something under her breath that Fluttershy couldn’t catch, and the alicorn ahead of them simply nodded in response. The trio continued on in silence, and in that silence Fluttershy’s excitement began to build again. It was almost as if she could feel the Mirror coming closer; feel the incredible innate magic of it flowing around them, building up on her coat and feathers like dewdrops from a cloud. Her wings lifted slightly off her back as Princess Celestia led them around two more turns, the time between each shorter than the last; her smile, which had slipped away during the discussion of Applejack, returned in full force, and by the time Princess Celestia stopped before one particularly large doorway on her right side, Fluttershy’s cheeks were beginning to ache from it.

The Princess turned to them and smiled fondly. “My dear little ponies,” she said quietly. “I welcome you to the Chamber of the Foal Mirror.” Her horn glowed with soft golden light and the door behind her swung open noiselessly.

Fluttershy’s chest felt like it would explode as she, Rarity and the Princess entered the Chamber; golden sunlight poured into the room from three massive windows, one along each of the three adjacent walls that gave them an incredible view of Canterlot beyond… but the Pegasus’ teal eyes had latched onto the one feature in the white room that was not the gold gilding along the walls. The Foal Mirror, standing alone in the center of the room, was easily as tall as Princess Celestia and perhaps half as wide as it was tall, the glass of it so crystal clear that it felt to Fluttershy that she was looking through a doorway into another room instead of a reflection. The frame around the edges of it was deceptively thin mahogany, chased and gilt with interweaving strands of silver and gold vines that wound up the sides and around the top, culminating in a single large diamond nestled at the center, wrapped in gold and silver leaves. All along the vines were the most intricate carvings that Fluttershy had ever seen- carvings of ponies running up and down the vines, leaping, flying, playing amongst the leaves as if they had not a care in the world, all so incredibly life-like that as her eyes wandered the frame Fluttershy could have sworn that she saw them move.

Her heart beat faster in her chest as the Princess walked before the Mirror and bowed reverently… but to her surprise, there was no reflection of the alicorn in the glass. In fact, the only thing that the Mirror was reflecting right at that moment was the doorway behind her, and the details of the hallway beyond. Fluttershy frowned, but it was a frown that she didn’t really feel- the excitement in her seemed to be taking over her whole body, almost making her shake with anticipation.

“Princess..? Um, why are there no reflections in the Mirror?” she asked quietly. The Princess rose from her bow and smiled at her.

“This is not your ordinary mirror, Fluttershy. Nothing will happen with it until I touch it with my magic- and only alicorn magic can activate it.” She walked to the right side of the Mirror; her horn glowed gently and she touched the corner of it, where all of the vines crossed- immediately the golden vines lit up brightly, the magic that the Princess put into it flowing gently around that side of the frame. “The Mirror does not work for just anypony, either. There has to be enough love in their hearts, enough love for each other, to give this foal life.” She walked around the back of the Mirror to the left side and touched her horn to the same place she had on the right; immediately the golden vines lit up along the frame, glowing like liquid sunlight around silver vines and diamond at the top. The Princess stood off to one side of the Mirror and gazed evenly at Fluttershy and Rarity. “Do you both understand this? That this foal is not a construct, this foal is not a toy; this foal is a child, a real, flesh-and-blood filly or colt that will be yours.”

Fluttershy nodded eagerly. “Yes, Your Highness, we understand.” To her left, Rarity nodded as well, and perhaps it was a trick of her eyes from watching the frames of the Mirror for too long… but for half a moment, she could have sworn she saw doubt flickered across Princess Celestia’s face. But as quickly as it had appeared it vanished, and the alicorn smiled at them again.

“Then Fluttershy and Rarity of Ponyville, I present you to the Foal Mirror.” Princess Celestia stepped before the Mirror and touched her horn to the diamond at the center; and as she withdrew to the side, it immediately began to glow with a brilliant white light that grew brighter and brighter- as it did, the silver vines dimmed, and the gold ones flared all the brighter, enough that Fluttershy had to squint to see the surface of the Mirror.

At first, nothing happened; the surface of the Mirror still reflected nothing but the room around them and the door behind them for several long seconds. Then the glow from the vines cooled slightly, and the crystalline Mirror changed; the reflections in it wavered, as if the glass had suddenly become liquid. Slowly, the lines from the room shifted and rippled… then as suddenly as they had changed, they snapped back straight, and the Mirror once again became solid. Several more moments passed as Rarity and Fluttershy watched… and still nothing happened.

Fluttershy started to get a horrible feeling in her stomach as she watched the blank Mirror. The Princess said that as long as we had enough love… we… we have enough love, don’t we..? She glanced at Celestia, hoping that she wouldn’t see remorse or sorrow… and thankfully, what she saw there was a small smile that said only one thing: Wait.

The Pegasus swallowed slightly and turned back to the Mirror… and ever so slowly before her eyes, something began to change.

Ever so subtly, a shape began to form opposite Fluttershy; at first it was nothing more than a vague shadow, but as the seconds passed it solidified, and within a minute, a perfect mirror copy of the yellow Pegasus rose to her hooves and shook out her wings and mane before smiling out at the real Fluttershy, who could only blink and gape, her mouth slightly open in surprise.

“Wh-what..?” She glanced at Rarity, who had her blue eyes locked fervently on her side of the Mirror, as if her entire life rode on what happened next.

And after several more seconds, a shape began to form on the unicorn’s side in the same fashion that the reflection of Fluttershy had, slowly but surely forming the shape of her marefriend in every last, perfect detail. The mirror-Rarity tossed her mane and turned to the mirror-Fluttershy, giving her a small smile before turning back to her real counterpart… who made a small noise in the back of her throat that was impossible to read.

Fluttershy stared at the Mirror, and was about to ask the Princess what happened now, when to her surprise and amazement… the reflections spoke.

“For the incredible gift of bringing a life into this world, and all the joys therein,” the Rarity-reflection said, her voice calm and serene.

“For the simple beauty of a family, no matter the size or form,” Fluttershy’s reflection said, her words strong and confident as she gazed at the real Pegasus, a small smile on her lips. Fluttershy blinked, her heart pounding wildly. What… is going on..?

Then, as one, the two reflections turned to one another, smiled lovingly, and touched their noses together; as they touched, the surface of the Mirror ignited in a blaze of light that put the glow of the vines to shame- a light that forced Fluttershy to close her eyes against its blinding power. Around her, a wind began to blow, steadily growing stronger and stronger as if she were flying through a windstorm, tossing her long mane around her face and buffeting her wings against her as she spread them slightly to maintain her footing…

… and then, as quickly as it had come, the wind died away, and the intense light faded.

Fluttershy’s heart pounded in her ears, her breath coming in short, rapid draws as she held her eyes close long after the light had vanished. Silence filled the room around her, all noise drowned out by her own racing thoughts… and as much as she wanted to open her eyes, she found herself unable to do so. What happened…? Who… where…

Suddenly, she heard Rarity gasp next to her, and before she could even think, the Pegasus opened her eyes… and looked at the foot of the Mirror.

There, huddled on the floor before the huge Mirror, was a very small pony.

Fluttershy felt her chest squeeze tight and unbidden tears rose in her eyes as she gazed at the filly- because it was most definitely a filly. Her mane was a perfect blend of her two mothers; it was just long enough to fall around her shoulders as she lay on the white marble floor- smooth and flowing like Fluttershy, but delicately curled at the ends, drawing a definite parallel to Rarity. She was a perfect, flawless shade of the lightest lavender that Fluttershy had ever seen, and her mane took the beautiful blue-violet tones from Rarity and blended it seamlessly with a tone of pink that could only come from Fluttershy. Her tail was ever so slightly curled, just enough that it looked tousled… and as Fluttershy watched her the filly shivered against the marble, extended a pair of beautiful wings and gave them a flutter before wrapping them tightly around herself as she slumbered.

A sob found its way out of her throat, and she put a hoof to her mouth to try and stop it… but she knew she couldn’t. A surge of the most incredible feeling Fluttershy had ever experience started low in her chest and began to rise up, expanding through her until it felt like her entire body was bathed in the purest sunlight, warming her from hoof to mane. Her tears surged, and she looked at Rarity, who was staring at the filly with tears in her own eyes, a hoof to her pristine white chest.

“R-Rarity…” Fluttershy managed to choke. “Th-that…”

The unicorn turned to her, and every trace of doubt, every ounce of uncertainty that had ever been on her marefriend’s face was gone, replaced by shimmering tears and a smile that seemed to light up the entire room all over again.

“Y-yes, Fluttershy,” she said, her voice quavering. Rarity shifted, bringing herself close enough to Fluttershy that she could lean her head against the Pegasus; Fluttershy sobbed again and pulled her close with a wing and hoof, squeezing her as tight as she felt she could. The unicorn drew a deep, shuddering breath. “This is our foal…”

Princess Celestia smiled at them broadly before stepping over to the filly; she sat down next to her, reached out with a hoof and stroked her mane ever so gently. Somewhere in Fluttershy’s mind, she realized that their filly was much larger than a newborn, and was easily two years of age. So much for cupboard locks…

The filly stirred beneath Celestia’s hoof, and after several moments her eyes fluttered open- eyes that were the most amazing shade of pink that Fluttershy had ever seen; something that was completely her own, that she had not gotten from either mother. The filly blinked up at the alicorn for a moment; then, ever so slowly, she stretched first one front leg, then the other before rising to a sitting position. She arched her shoulders and stretched, giving her small, gorgeous wings a few tentative flaps before smiling hesitantly up at Celestia, who laughed lightly and touched the filly’s mane with a hoof again.

“Welcome to Equestria, little one,” she said softly. The Princess extended one snow-white wing and wrapped it around the foal, who stared up at her with wide eyes as she spoke. “This world is wide, and its perils many; but you come to us with a family, strong and firm, to keep you safe and happy.” The Princess’s eyes danced to Fluttershy for the barest instant before returning to the foal. She smiled down at the tiny pony before bending her neck and placing a single kiss on the foal’s forehead. “Be strong, daughter of Fluttershy and Rarity, for you go into the world with the blessings of the Princess of the Sun.”

She turned her violet eyes to Fluttershy and Rarity, giving them both a caring smile. “Take your daughter, my dear friends, and know that you carry with you the blessings of Celestia.”

The filly smiled up at the Princess for another moment before she rose to all four hooves and turned to the two mares; Fluttershy felt her heart stop as her daughter’s beautiful pink eyes met hers for the very first time. The filly stood and walked over to the pair, her eyes darting from one mare to the other as she approached; for her part, Fluttershy didn’t think she could move even if she wanted to, for fear of tackling the poor foal and never letting go. She sniffled mightily as the filly came to stand directly before them, her delicate little hooves placed close together, uncertainly, just as Fluttershy knew she used to do as a filly… and still did to this day. There was a very tentative silence between the three ponies as Fluttershy fought to keep herself from devolving into sobs again…

And then the little filly took the last step separating her from the two mares; she reached a hoof out, and gently touched Fluttershy’s leg. The yellow Pegasus let out a muffled sob as the filly met her gaze… and smiled the most beautiful smile that Fluttershy had ever seen.

“…Hi, Momma,” the filly said quietly, tenderly stroking Fluttershy’s hoof with her own. Her voice was as soft and delicate as she was, with just the barest hint of the clipped way that Rarity spoke… and it rendered Fluttershy completely speechless.

Next to her, Rarity gasped aloud. “Oh for Celestia’s sake…” she muttered brokenly. “C-come over here so we can hug you..!” The white unicorn held out her hooves to the filly, and the tiny Pegasus broke into a huge smile before leaping into her embrace. Rarity’s whole body tensed as she hugged their daughter for all she was worth, burying her muzzle into the filly’s mane and sobbing loudly as she held her close. Fluttershy’s vision blurred yet again as tears surged in her eyes… but that didn’t matter. Her entire world was here, now; this unicorn whom she loved so much, and now this tiny Pegasus, this brand new life that had been brought about by the two mare’s love… they were her world, and as she threw her legs around the two of them and cried for all she was worth, she knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that as long as they were all together, she could never be anything but happy.

…and as involved as she and Rarity were, neither of them saw the knowing glance of the alicorn Princess… and the sadness she held deep in her eyes as she gazed at them. Because if there was one thing the Princess of the Sun knew more than anything, it was how to see bitterness and uncertainty… and she had seen both this day. The white alicorn gave a small shake of her head, and prayed to the Ancient Alicorns that she had not just made everything worse.

~*~*~*~*~

The trip back to Ponyville on the train was a time that Fluttershy would always look at as one of the happiest moments in her life. She had Rarity with her, sitting as close as she could sit, with their foal between them smiling happily as she watched out the window with wide, curious eyes. Fluttershy’s heart had soared that day, and it had felt as if she might faint from sheer pride when she exited the train at the station in Ponyville with her new family. All of her friends had been there, and they had one and all fawned over her daughter like they had never seen anything so precious and beautiful in all their lives; even Applejack’s tears had been happy ones as she had introduced herself to the shy filly, who had stayed hidden behind Fluttershy’s legs almost the whole time. Everything that day felt like a whirlwind of complete and utter bliss, and had ended with her putting her beautiful daughter in bed before joining Rarity in her own.

It was a beautiful day and an amazing night for Fluttershy… and as she fell asleep in Rarity’s embrace, she honestly didn’t know how her life could get any better.

Upon reflection later, she would often wonder how she could have been so blind…

~*~*~*~*~*~

“All right, my little darling, it’s time to get ready for supper,” Fluttershy said, smiling lovingly at her daughter. The filly had decided that she was going to figure out where Angel Bunny spent most of his time and had pursued him around the house for most of the day, much to the white rabbit’s dismay. The light lavender filly pulled her head out of the small house on the floor with a subtle pop and smiled up at her mother, her mane in slight disarray.

“Okay Momma!” she said happily, bouncing to her hooves and hurrying over to the dinner table. Fluttershy giggled lightly and touched her daughter’s mane with a hoof.

“Oh, look at you- best go run a comb through your mane before Mother gets home; you know how she likes to have you presentable.”

The filly just smiled up at her with nothing but absolute trust. “Okay!” She paused only long enough to nuzzle against Fluttershy’s chest before hurrying off to her room upstairs. The yellow Pegasus watched her daughter ascend the stairs, again feeling that amazing squeeze of pride and love in her chest. She’s everything I could have hoped for, and more, she thought as the door closed behind her filly, leaving Fluttershy alone with her thoughts as she set the table for dinner.

She glanced at the clock, trying to gauge how much time she had left before Rarity came home, and frowned slightly; it was already forty minutes after five o’clock, and there was no sign of the white unicorn. Well, maybe she got caught up with a customer, Fluttershy reasoned, turning back to the table and adjusting one of the forks that was out of place. She moved from the table to her small kitchen, checking on the contents of one of the boiling pots before shifting it to another burner to let it cool… then she glanced at the clock again, a small knot of worry gathering in her stomach.

Rarity had been coming home later and later in the past week, ever since the day after they’d come home from Canterlot. That first day back, everything had seemed so perfect, so surreal… and then Rarity had gone back to work. That night, she hadn’t even come home at all; Sweetie Belle had shown up at Fluttershy’s doorstep with a hastily written note, telling her that Rarity was going to stay at the Boutique all night to work on a special order. She had asked Sweetie Belle what kind of order she was working on… but the young unicorn had simply shrugged and asked to see her daughter before she left.

The next day, Fluttershy had asked Rarity about it, but the unicorn had been very evasive, telling her that it was nothing she needed to worry about… but she had stayed at the Boutique the next night, as well, with no note whatsoever… and Fluttershy had been almost beside herself with worry. Only caring for her daughter had made that day bearable.

She sighed as she moved the next pot to a cool burner, removing the lid so the delicate sauce inside could thicken. She hasn’t even bothered to talk to me about a name for her… Before their trip to Canterlot, Fluttershy had been completely clueless about picking a name for a foal- she didn’t know if she was supposed to pick a name before it was born, or wait until afterwards, or… or sometime in between, she just had no idea. When she’d brought it up to Rarity, the unicorn had simply rolled her eyes and said, “Do I look like I’ve had foals before, Fluttershy?” Meaning, of course, that she had no idea herself… so Fluttershy had asked the one pony she knew that seemed to have all the answers: Princess Celestia.

You’ll know the name when it comes to you, the Princess had replied with a small smile. And not a moment before; you’ll know it when you say it.

Fluttershy, of course, had wanted to start trying to find a name for their daughter at once, but when she’d brought it up to Rarity…

“I… I have something that needs tending, darling. W-we’ll talk about it later, I promise.”

Fluttershy was still waiting on that “later”… but she couldn’t pressure Rarity. She knew that this whole situation was going to take some getting used to for the normally independent unicorn; having a marefriend that she was living with, having a daughter who wanted and needed her attention- these were big changes in Rarity’s life, and Fluttershy was more than willing to help her adapt. Or at least try to give her the space she needed to adapt on her own. A name would be found, she was sure- and if it took a little longer than normal, well, that was just what happened.

The door to the room upstairs closed, and Fluttershy turned just in time to see her daughter bounce down the stairs, her mane now beautifully brushed, the curls at the end as pristine as if Rarity herself had detailed them.

“All done, Momma!” she declared happily, fluttering her wings as she leaped from the bottom step towards the table. “Can I help with dinner?” she asked, her pink eyes darting around the table.

“Not right this moment, my dear, but when Mother gets home I’ll let you dish out the soup, all right?”

The filly’s eyes lit up as if that were the most incredible offer she’d ever had, and she nodded vigorously; Fluttershy giggled at her daughter and leaned down to give her a quick nuzzle on the cheek.

“I love you, little one,” she said softly.

“I love you too, Momma!” the filly chirped, her mane falling over one pink eye as she smiled up at her mother. Fluttershy couldn’t help but giggle at her silly daughter before brushing the wayward mane out of her face.

Suddenly, she heard the door of the cottage open, and her heart leaped in her chest as she spun around to gaze upon the one pony she loved as much as her daughter- her brilliant white marefriend.

“Oh, welcome home, Rarity!” she gushed, hurrying away from the table to meet the other mare at the door. Unbidden her wings fluttered out from her sides, lifting her into the air as she covered the last few feet. “I was starting to get worried- I know you close the shop at five o’clock, and I was starting to wonder…”

The white unicorn sighed and accepted the nuzzle that Fluttershy gave her cheek. “Yes, well, I do apologize, darling, but things… er… came up.”

“Well, that’s all right, I understand,” Fluttershy said with a happy smile. “What’s important is that you’re home now and I that I have dinner all ready to-,”

But to her surprise, Rarity raised a hoof and brought it to Fluttershy’s mouth, cutting her sentence off mid-word; and when Fluttershy turned her eyes back to the unicorn… she could tell that something wasn’t right; in fact, something was very, very wrong.

“Fluttershy, darling…” Rarity said, her voice heavy with apprehension and… something else. “…We need to talk.”

The Pegasus felt the hair at the base of her mane stand on end at the tone of her voice… but all that Fluttershy could do was nod. Rarity sighed heavily before withdrawing her hoof from Fluttershy’s lips.

“Darling… this is… not going to be easy for me to say…” The unicorn took a deep, shuddering breath, and Fluttershy was horrified to see tears in her azure eyes. What is going on…? “I… I have something to tell you… s-something very… very important…” Rarity’s jaw clenched, and Fluttershy could see the muscles beneath her white coat bunching and relaxing as she ground her teeth together… and when Rarity spoke again, her voice quavered on the verge of shattering like a delicate piece of glass.

“Fluttershy… I… I’m not moving in with you… I-I’m staying at the Boutique… at my home.”

The Pegasus blinked, and felt her heart sink into her hooves. She… she doesn’t want to move in with me..? She… she’d thought that Rarity wanted to live with her and their daughter… to be together always, to be a family. To think that she was still going to live at her own home... it just didn’t seem right to Fluttershy.

But… well, that could be all right, she reasoned. She’ll still be here a lot, a-and I’m sure she’ll come by for dinner every night. I’m sure she just needs more time…

“And…” Rarity’s voice drew her from her reverie, drew her eyes back to the sapphire orbs that held her heart. The unicorn’s lip quivered, barely able to form the next words out of her mouth… words that would change Fluttershy’s world forever:

“And… w-we can’t be together… anymore.”

It felt as though Rarity had smacked her between the eyes with a rock. Fluttershy stood, completely and utterly stunned, as the tears in her marefriend’s eyes began to flow down her cheeks… and as she continued, Fluttershy felt everything in her world begin to unravel.

“I’m so sorry, Fluttershy… b-but this isn’t… this isn’t what I want, anymore… e-everything is moving too fast… I-I don’t even know where my heart is at, anymore! When things started, everything was so simple… it was just you and me and our hearts and feelings… but now…” Rarity choked, and shook her head so violently it sent her mane flying around her face in disarray. “I’m so… so sorry, Fluttershy…” she sobbed, her tears falling like a sorrowful rain.

The yellow Pegasus stood completely still, rooted to the spot as she watched Rarity shake and cry. Fluttershy knew she should be crying, too… she felt like crying… but she couldn’t. It was like those first few words had numbed her soul as sure as midwinter wind numbed the flesh; she was aware of feeling… but she didn’t feel. She watched as Rarity spoke some more… but the other mare’s words faded away, and all that was left was the tone… the one thing that she could always believe about Rarity.

What Fluttershy heard shook her to her core; she heard anger, bitterness, regret… and sorrow deeper than she could ever have imagined. Anger… sorrow… from Rarity…

Slowly, Rarity’s words flowed back to her ears… and as she listened, Fluttershy felt the numb void inside her begin to fill.

“…I… I never meant to hurt you, darling… oh by Celestia, please understand I didn’t… I… I only wanted you to be happy…” The unicorn sobbed again, and this time she stamped a hoof firmly against the floor and shook her head again. “THE MOON TAKE YOU, FLUTTERSHY, SAY SOMETHING!!” she shouted, her voice trailing off into a pitiful hiccup.

Ever so slowly, Fluttershy brought her eyes back into focus on Rarity’s… and as soon as she locked her teal eyes with Rarity’s blue… everything flooded into her, as if the dam had broken. She felt herself fill with the most profound sorrow she could ever conceive- so deep that she felt as though she were drowning, her chest squeezing as if she were being buried beneath an avalanche of cold, horrifying despair.

“You…” she whispered harshly. “You only wanted me to be happy…?!” She honestly felt as if she may throw up. “How is this making me happy, Rarity?!” she said. Her eyes began to burn as she shook her own head in anger, despair and agony. “How… how is losing you going to make me happy?! How is going back to being… to being alone and pathetic going to make me happy, Rarity?!”

Rarity’s chest heaved as the unicorn turned her gaze from her. “…I said… wanted. Past tense… These last few days… these days away from you have made me realize, Fluttershy… made me realize that I’m not happy… that I don’t want this… I… I’m not ready for this… to be with anypony so seriously, to be…” She glanced over Fluttershy’s shoulder; it was a glance so rapid that in a normal situation it might even have been overlooked… but right now, Rarity might as well have put a spotlight on the poor filly behind Fluttershy.

It felt as though the very core of Fluttershy’s being had been fractured. “To… to be a mother?” she whispered harshly. “You aren’t ready to be a mother, Rarity?!” Unconsciously, Fluttershy took a step towards the white unicorn, her legs shaking so badly that she almost sent herself to the floor. “Then… why… why didn’t you say something before-,” Now Fluttershy glanced over her shoulder at the foal… the poor thing… huddled at the base of the stairs, her eyes full of the biggest tears that Fluttershy had ever seen in her life… one wing lifted slightly between herself and her mothers, as if to shield herself from their words…

Rarity took a deep breath. “I… thought that having her… would make things better, Fluttershy… that having her would make me want this more, would make me… more ready for it…”

“But a week ago, th-there in the Castle,” Fluttershy insisted. “Y-you hugged her, you loved her!”

“I never said that I didn’t love her, Fluttershy!” Rarity snapped, her eyes blazing. “I never said that!!” The unicorn took a step towards her, and for the barest moment, Fluttershy thought she may strike her… but instead, after a moment, Rarity seemed to shrink; her shoulders slumped, and she bowed her head slightly. “I thought that it would make me… want to be with you more… to save what we had…”

“But…” Fluttershy said, her mind churning almost as violently as her heart and stomach. “But the Foal Mirror… i-it wouldn’t have given us her if we didn’t-!”

“-Didn’t love each other, I know, Fluttershy,” Rarity interjected, tears in her eyes again. “I-it’s not that… I love you, Fluttershy… I do… just…” She sighed and turned away as she started to cry again. “…just not in the way you need me to… that she needs me to.”

Fluttershy’s stomach clenched, and if there had been anything in it, she knew that it would have emptied itself. She didn’t… didn’t love her? That… that was impossible. Fluttershy knew that Rarity loved her, knew exactly what she meant to the unicorn…

…but the tone was there. The sincerity, the unbelievable, heart-rending honesty of it all… that below the words… Rarity was telling her the truth.

“If you… if you didn’t want this, Rarity… then why… Why didn’t you SAY anything?!” she choked.

The unicorn’s eyes suddenly filled with an emotion that surprised Fluttershy- a horrible, undeniable guilt. “I… I should have, Fluttershy… I know I should have,” Rarity said softly. “But I thought… I thought that if you were happy, then I would be happy, too… and… and by Celestia, I’m not, darling, I’m NOT happy!” She took a shuddering breath. “And… I know that if I t-tried to keep going like this… I would end up hating you… and I would destroy everything…” Her words caught in her throat, and she croaked, “…and I don’t want that, Fluttershy… I want you to be happy, and I want me to be happy… a-at least this way… there’s a chance for us both…”

The Pegasus felt her head spin as a sick, prickling feeling started at the back of her throat. Her hooves suddenly felt as if they wouldn’t hold her up any longer, and she staggered to the side, thumping loudly against the small table near the door. Rarity winced as she hit… but her expression didn’t change. Fluttershy just stared at her, her chest heaving, her breath coming faster and faster as the blue-eyed unicorn stood there…

…and then it was over.

Rarity squeezed her eyes shut, and she managed to sob, “…Goodbye, Fluttershy… I hope you can forgive me…”

And then she was gone.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Fluttershy didn’t remember much of the next several hours, and never really would. She remembered images, snippets of things that had happened.

She remembered seeing the dinner table she’d set, so pristine and perfect; and then it wasn’t, the table was on its side, the china was smashed.

She remembered seeing the pictures she’d had up of Rarity and herself together; then seeing the pictures on the floor, smashed and tattered.

She remembered hating everything, kicking and screaming and slamming doors and everything she could get her hooves on…

…and then she remembered her bedroom… the slamming of that door, closing that last barrier between herself and the rest of the world…

…and then nothing but silence, tears, and darkness.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ever so slowly, Fluttershy felt herself coming back to the waking world. She shifted in her bed amidst the twisted sheets and rumpled pillows, trying to untangle herself enough to sit up as she grudgingly returned to wakefulness. She finally managed, after unwrapping one of the blankets from around her right front hoof more than five times, to right herself; she sat up in bed and blinked, trying to relieve her eyes of that horrible gritty feeling that one gets only when one has cried more tears than one should ever have to cry. She felt… hollow… empty and dry, like the skin of an orange left out in the sun all day.

She glanced at the left side of her bed… a side that for one beautiful night had been filled by the pony she loved… and felt her eyes begin to water yet again. Oh Rarity… why… why didn’t you just say something before…?

The Pegasus sniffled and winced; her nose and eyes felt so swollen and red that even touching them with a hoof hurt… but it was nothing compared to the empty, jagged pain in her chest.

Rarity was gone… her one, true love… gone. It was almost more than Fluttershy could bear; she felt her eyes hurting again, and she felt the sobs once again begin to slowly make their way up her raw throat…

…but then a small sound caught her attention; a sound so soft and delicate that she probably should have missed it… almost as if she were hearing it with her heart instead of her ears. She paused, her curiosity driving the sadness back just far enough, for now. She blinked into the dark room, and with a glance out the window realized that it was still night outside. I… wonder what time it is… She had no idea how long she’d been in her room…

There was the sound again, so soft and low that it barely tickled the edges of her hearing. The Pegasus strained her ears, but it was gone again as quickly as it had come. With one last gentle sniffle, Fluttershy pushed first one leg out of bed, then another… then a third… until she was standing next to her bed. She sighed shakily and threw a longing glance back to her rumpled, tear-soaked pillow… longing only to fade away again, to disappear into the dark abyss of sleep, where perhaps her dreams would give her solace…

But she was up now, and that small noise tickled her ears again, drawing her out as surely as a blaring trumpet. With a deep sigh, Fluttershy made her way to her bedroom door; the door that was keeping all her troubles out, the door that was her one barrier between herself and all the pain outside… and with a sigh, she pushed it open.

She stepped out into a home that she barely recognized, into a mess that made her bloodshot eyes widen painfully. Everything in her home… her beautiful cottage… was wrecked… and by her own hooves. Her table was on its side… her beautiful china, smashed…

Fluttershy felt a wave of hopelessness hit her again, that horrible feeling that had almost drown her in her own sorrow. Everything… everything was destroyed. Her home… her life… her love… all of it, gone in one night of anger and heartache…

…and then she heard the noise again… clearer this time:

A tiny, shaking sob.

The sound stabbed Fluttershy through the heart, and she whipped around towards the stairs… and that was when her eyes found her daughter.

The tiny Pegasus was huddled in a moonbeam between the staircase and a chair, her wings wrapped around herself, hiding her from the world. Her whole body was shaking like a leaf in autumn, and from behind her wings there came tiny gasps and the most plaintive crying that Fluttershy had ever heard… a sound that seemed to slap the Pegasus in the face as her eyes widened yet again.

In the name of Celestia and Luna… She hurried over to the chair.

“D-darling..?” she said softly, her voice harsh and raw from her own sorrow. “A-are you… okay?” She put a hoof on the chair and scooted it away from the little filly gently.

Ever so slowly, her daughter lowered her wing from between them… and the look of anguish and fear on the filly’s face felt like a punch to Fluttershy’s chest. The absolute horror in those beautiful eyes… eyes that should only be full of happiness…

“Oh… my darling…” Fluttershy said, her voice catching in her throat. “P-please… don’t cry…”

The filly stared up at her, her cheeks stained with hours of tears. “Do…” she began, her voice barely above a whisper. “Do… you hate me, Momma..?” she begged. “Do you..? D-does… does Mother hate me…? What did I do wrong..?” She took a shaking breath, and raised a hoof slightly towards her chest. “Please… t-tell me what I did wrong… a-and I promise… I-I’ll fix it… Please… don’t hate me…”

A sob wrenched itself free from Fluttershy’s chest again, and she threw herself down onto the floor next to her daughter, wrapping the filly up in her forelegs and wings and pulling her close to her chest.

“NO, my darling, darling girl…” she whispered into that beautiful pink-violet mane that she loved so much. “No… I don’t hate you… I could never, and neither does Rarity… she loves you too…”

The filly hesitated for a long moment… then she wrapped her hooves around Fluttershy’s chest and buried her face against the Pegasus’ coat as her tears returned tenfold, her tiny frame shaking as she sobbed into her mother’s embrace, crying for all she was worth, letting every last ounce of fear, uncertainty and pain flow out of her…

And as she cried, Fluttershy’s world suddenly shifted. She felt it in her heart as surely as she felt her daughter in her arms; as if everything she had lost was suddenly meaningless, completely and utterly worthless… all of her belongings, all of her pictures and china… even Rarity… none of that meant anything next to making sure this little filly never, ever cried this way ever again.

As she held her daughter close, the words that she had heard out of the Mirror just over one week ago, out of the mouth of her own reflection, floated out of the darkness to her:

For the simple beauty of a family, no matter the size or form.

Fluttershy squeezed her eyes shut, and unbidden a smile rose to her lips… a small, sad smile… but a smile nonetheless. She felt strength return to her, a strength different than any she’d ever felt in her life. It wasn’t much… but it was enough. She knew that it would be enough… because it had to be.

In her embrace, the little filly sniffled and looked up at her, her eyes still brimming with tears. “I-I’m so sorry, Momma…” she repeated, her voice so hoarse that it squeaked gently.

Fluttershy shook her head minutely and pulled her daughter close, running a hoof tenderly over her disheveled mane. “Hush now, my dear. No more apologies out of you,” she said gently.

“B-but… Mother left because of me… you… you must hate me…”

“Never,” Fluttershy said firmly, drawing her daughter’s eyes to her own in surprise. “Don’t you ever think that again, understand? I love you very much; you are the absolute most important pony in my entire life…” She leaned down and nuzzled her daughter’s cheek before hugging her as tightly as she could, her eyes squeezed shut tight.

“…and I promise I’ll be strong for you… my beautiful daughter…”

Her smile widened, and she felt tears spring to her eyes anew.

“…my little Silver Lining.”