He Who Commands Ice, Snow And Blizzards

    A couple days after their visit from the Crystal Empire, Keiji and his friends all returned home and went back to their daily lives.He was back in his home, lazing on the couch while reading a book when he heard the familiar ‘thud’ of somepony hitting his door. He can’t help but laugh at her misfortune, knowing exactly how it is.

    “That poor mare is going to get a bad concussion one day…”

    He gets up and walks over to the door, opening it to find the gray mailmare sitting on the ground and rubbing her head. He offers a hand to her, she looks up at him with a sheepish grin and takes his hand.

    “You need to be careful. One day you are going to get really hurt doing that.”

    He said as he pulled her back to her hooves. She nods with a smile and reaches into her satchel, she pulls out a letter for him and holds it out to him. He takes it and nods to her.

    “Try not to run into anymore buildings. The last thing I need is for my favorite mailmare to get hurt.”

    She blushes lightly, then flies off, waving bye to him. He walks into his home and closes the door behind him, tearing open the letter and reading it.

Dear Keiji,

    How are you this wonderful day? I was thinking...if you want to that is, we should get together for a picnic today. The breeze is nice and cool, and I...certainly wouldn’t mind your company. I will be at my home for the day. It...would make me very happy to spend time with you. Just the two of us.

                                    Your friend,

Fluttershy

    Keiji did indeed notice over time, that he and Fluttershy have been growing closer and closer. She seemed especially upset when he tested out his new ability that morning in the Crystal Empire.

    “Dis she thinks I was going to hurt myself? It took her five minutes to finally let go of me after what I did. Ah well, she is a sweet mare. And I do enjoy my time with her. And a picnic does sound pretty good.”

    He said as he placed the letter on the counter. He gets dressed in his usual suit and makes his way out of his house, locking the door when he leaves. He makes his way down the street and on the path to Fluttershy’s home.

Maybe I should have made something to go along with the picnic..then again I am not much of a professional cook.

    He sighed to himself and just continued on, feeling like a bit of a jerk now that he was already halfway there and emptied handed. He eventually makes his way to her home and knocks on the door. He waits, finally hearing slightly hurried hooves before the door opens, revealing the shy stare of the mare before it widens into a happy gaze. She swings open the door and embraces him into a warm hug, nuzzling into him.

    “Oooh, you got my letter!”

    He has gotten used to her affections. And to be honest he was really liking them. He wraps his own arms around her in return.

    “Of course Shy. I would never turn down an opportunity to spend time with you. But I really wish I had brought something along with me for the picnic…”

    She shakes her head after releasing him, welcoming him into her home once more.

    “It’s quite alright, Keiji. I have everything we will need.”

She said reassuringly

“ Let just go and put everything together. Please, make yourself at home.”

    Keiji reached out a bit.

    “You..don’t need my help with anything?”

    She shakes her head, giving him a gentle smile again.

    “Nono, just get comfortable. I won’t be long.”

    He nods and walks over to the couch and sits down, leaning back against it. He heard her starting to hum to herself. It was a song called ‘A True True Friend’. He had heard her hum it a few times. Her voice always made him feel calm and relaxed, like a soothing sleep aid that worked wonders. He even caught himself starting to doze off from the silky sound in his ears. He also caught her giggling to herself. She seemed so so happy. He could hear her whispering to herself, but he couldn’t make out the words. He soon drifted off into a light mode of sleep from her beautiful voice. Only to be woken up by a gentle hand on his shoulder.

    “Are you alright, Keiji?”

    She asked with light concern.He nods and rubs his eyes as he sits up.

    “Yeah, I am good Shy. You have such a lovely voice when you sing or hum apparently. I dozed right off.”

    A blush forms over the mare’s cheeks as he complimented on the beauty of her voice. She squeezed the handle of the basket she was carrying.

    “Oh..thank you for saying so, Keiji..I had not realized I could be heard…”

    “It was really nice Shy...it reminded me of someone who used to sing to the other children and I a long, long time ago. Her name was Margulis. She was kind of like our adoptive mother in a way.”

    “She must have really cared for you all…”

    Fluttershy said as they began walking to the door and making their way out. She closes the door behind them after they leave and walks closely to Keiji with the basket resting in front of her/

    “Yeah, she did. She saw us as children still. Despite what we had become. But when the Orokin realized they couldn’t control us, they had her executed and they tried to kill us next. But thanks to other plans, we were put into pods and placed on the moon, where it was sent into the void so that we could not be killed off by enemies.”

    Fluttershy couldn’t help but feel for Keiji. He had lost his real family, then lost someone who was like a mother to him. And yet he is still going through life like it was nothing. Then again, him being immortal, things like that are nothing to him when it comes to time. Once they had finally made it to a secluded but safe part of the forest, Fluttershy sat the basket down in the small clearing. Keiji takes the covering off the basket and lays it out nice and flat on the ground. They both sit on the covering and Fluttershy brings the basket in the middle, opening it and pulling out all sorts of goodies she had prepared. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Keiji’s favorite, of course, fresh cut apples, fresh squeezed lemonade, and a couple slices of apple pie. Keiji looked up at her with a few blinks.

    “You..prepared all this for us?”

    Fluttershy nods with a shy smile and a small blush.

    “It all looks great!” he said excitedly, wondering what he should pick first. His icy gray and blue eyes scanned over the tasty looking food, he reaches over and takes an apple slice and pops it into his mouth, the sweet and slightly sour flavor a perfect combination.

    “Wow Shy...thank you so so much for this….”

    “It..was no trouble...really…”

    She said as she picked up one of the sandwiches and started nibbling on it quietly. Though her mind was racing.

Okay Fluttershy, you have him here...the mood is right, and the scene is beautiful. Ask him! Don’t let your shyness get the better of you with him!

    She screamed to herself in her head. She looks over to him after finish the last bite of the sandwich.

    “So...the Grand Galloping Gala is coming up…”

    Keiji laughs a bit as she brought it up.

    “Yeah, Everytime Twi comes over, she keeps reminding me.Must be some big event that goes on here huh?”

    “Oh yes, it is a bunch of ponies who get invited by the Princesses get together for a party. And well...I…”

    She takes in a breath and lets it out.

    “I was wondering since I got my ticket. Would..would you like to go with me?!”

    She asked a little loudly, at the end, probably her nerves getting the best of her. Keiji leaned back a bit in shock. Not because of how loud she got, but at her ask him of all people.

    “We...are allowed to bring plus ones with us….and I thought since nopony has asked yet...well...oooh this is so stupi-.”

    Keiji placed a hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder and smiles at her lightly.

    “Yes Shy. I would be happy to go with you. I am honored that you would ask me. Just a little shocked is all.”

    It took nearly all the willpower of the pegasus mare to not jump up in happiness and wrap her arms around Keiji and squeeze him tight, and she would have if she hadn’t heard his words after he said yes.

    “What do you mean Keiji…?”

    He couldn’t help but chuckle.

    “You are a beautiful mare Shy. I bet all the guys would line up to go to such an event like that with you. I was surely expected to be the last you would have to go with you.”

    Fluttershy lowers her head and places her hands in her lap.

    “Well, normally yes, you are right. But for some reason, I feel more comfortable around you than any other male in Ponyville. You are always so sweet to me. Going out of your way to come and visit me everyday. Especially when storms come around. You stay with me until they pass. Even if it is overnight. Even though I know what you are and what you have done. I can’t help but be attached to you. The others like you very much as well. We all believe you have come a long way from when you first came here.”

Keiji remembers when he first came here. He was mistrustful, distant and even sometimes to the point where he’d get a little too tense and may hurt somepony. But now he was here with Fluttershy. He was having a picnic with her and just spending time with her. Something he never thought he would be doing when he first got here. The rest of their picnic went quite nicely. But little did Keiji know. That the night of the gala was going to be one he’d never forget. As things would indeed go good, but also very badly.