Umm, why do I feel so strangely attracted to it? Fluttershy kept on staring at the giant cardboard box. For over fifteen minutes she had sat there, in the middle of the room, eyes glued on the object. It was without a doubt the largest box she had ever seen, towering before her, a drawing of a glass and umbrella on its side.
When the hotel manager had learned that, to his great regret, Fluttershy would be leaving, he had personally brought the large cardboard box so she could pack her belongings. He had also deemed it necessary to have a brand new tablet and vacuum cleaner brought to her as a parting gift. Normally, the devices would cause Fluttershy to shiver in painful recollection of past events. Yet whatever memories they invoked were quickly replaced by a sense of amazement and curiosity.
I wonder if I can fit inside, Fluttershy asked herself. It was a foalish thing to think, absurd and completely unbecoming of a grown mare. However, the temptation was so great. Biting her lower lip, Fluttershy looked around. There was no one else in the room, and yet she couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that swept through her.
Umm. Fluttershy swished her tail a few times. Her left ear twitched, nudging her to move closer—an internal struggle of epic proportions that raged on for ten full seconds before Fluttershy gave in. Defeated, she flapped her way onto the table.
I'm just going to look at it from here, she told herself, moving closer. From this distance, she could smell the unmistakable scent of paper filling her nostrils like an exotic perfume. Slowly, her forehoof rose, stopping an inch from the cardboard surface. For over a minute it remained in the air, hovering between the table and the box, but touching neither.
Why must I be so weak? Fluttershy wept, then stood up and placed both forehooves on the cardboard edge. A moment later she peered inside. It was definitely the biggest box she had seen—probably five times the size of normal Equestrian packing boxes. A pony would probably fit inside with room to spare. Should she try to, though?
Well, it is my last day on Earth. Fluttershy twirled a lock of her mane. I'll only be inside for a little while… just to check how many things I can put in there.
"Fluttershy!"
A loud shout sent her jumping up. Startled, the pegasus attempted to flap her wings, but fright glued them to her sides. Time stopped. For a fraction of a second Fluttershy froze in mid air, mane flowing, legs stretched in all directions... then came crashing down right into the box.
"Oomph!" Fluttershy's muzzle smacked against the bottom, bringing tears to her eyes. Once inside the box's allure quickly vanished replaced by its true nature: stuffy, uncomfortable, and extremely tight. She tried to move, but found the space wouldn't let her. Apparently, the box wasn't that large after all. Fluttershy's forehooves could touch the bottom, yet her rump and legs were stuck ten inches above her head.
I'm not afraid. Fluttershy's pulse hastened. She tried desperately to push and climb her way out, but no matter how hard she struggled the only thing she succeeded in was making the box come dangerously close to tipping over.
"Bwahahahhah!" The muffled sound of laughter came from outside the box. "That was hilarious!"
"R-Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy squeaked, almost against hope. "Rainbow Dash!"
"The way you tried to hop over the box, but then fell right in it." Rainbow's voice sounded closer, just on the other side of the cardboard wall. "I wish somepony was here to see it!"
"Rainbow!" Fluttershy cried, trying to free herself. "How could you?"
"Please. You were eyeing that thing for ten minutes. You didn't even hear me knock."
"Rainbow!" Fluttershy squeaked. A streak of crimson covered her face. Why must you catch me in all my embarrassing moments? She shut her eyes. This time, at least, Rainbow couldn't see how uncomfortable she felt.
"Don't worry, I won't let you down," Dash laughed. "Get it? Let you down?" Her voice came from above.
Without warning, Fluttershy felt something grab her tail and tug on its end. Instantly, she froze up. For several seconds she just lay there, almost in disbelief, trying to determine if she had imagined it or not. A second pull quickly answered her question.
"Rainbow, no!" Fluttershy moved her legs and wings wildly, trying to bury herself deeper into the box. No, no, no, no! Her hind legs kicked as much as the confines of the box would allow.
"Hey, thtop thtruggling, okay?" her friend persisted. "Jutht thtay thtill, will you? I got thith!"
Despite her struggles Fluttershy felt herself being lifted up. In any other case this would be a good thing. Yet what Rainbow didn't know, what she couldn't know since she had never been stuck in a box before, was that it wasn't just Fluttershy going up: so was the box.
"Rainbow! Stop!" Fluttershy shouted, kicking even more into the air. "Let me—" Fluttershy’s hoof made contact with something soft. A series of stifled coughs followed.
Oh dear. Fluttershy stopped, realizing just what she had done. There was a moment of silent stillness before the box and Fluttershy came crashing down. This time, however, a new element was added to the mix.
"Urgh!" Rainbow Dash's voice came much closer, as her hooves bumped into Fluttershy's head.
"Ah!” the yellow pegasus shouted.
"Shy?" Dash shouted, her voice drenched with fear and concern. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Fluttershy try to hold in her tears. "Just... I'm just..."
"Hey, hey, no crying, okay?" Rainbow tried to move about. With every attempt, however, she got more and more stuck. "Yeah, I know it was a stupid prank, but—" She fell further down, pushing Fluttershy's face to one of the cardboard walls. Now they were truly stuck, back to back and completely unable to move. "Clouds damnit!" Rainbow Dash shouted in anger. "I really messed it up, huh?"
What? Fluttershy's ears perked up. Completely forgetting her situation, she turned her head sideways.
“No, Rainbow, it’s alright.” Fluttershy tried to squeeze slightly to the side. “I know you have a pranking habit. We’ll just—” Rainbow’s wing smacked her in the muzzle. “Ouch!”
“Sorry.” Dash tried to turn around, but her head was in a corner. “Did it hurt bad?”
“No.” Fluttershy shuffled. “You just smacked me on the muzzle and… ouch!”
“Yeah, yeah.” Dash let out a tense laugh. “I'm a bit twitchy in tight spaces. Not like you. You're always scared and panicky on the outside, but when it counts you're really cool. The way you jumped into that car yesterday and took the race…wow.”
Fluttershy’s ears drooped down. The racetrack incident was something she wished she could forget. Everyone had made a big deal about it; there were photos, speeches, Fluttershy standing next to a trophy nearly as large as her. Rainbow had loved it. Fluttershy, though, had focused all her energy on keeping keeping the smile on her face.
"When I came by just now, I just, you know, wanted to pass by to see if you needed something," Rainbow went on. "Help you pack and such. Maybe tell you how awesome you are."
Awesome? Fluttershy's heart skipped. Me?
"Cause, you know, you are awesome, but each time I went to tell you I lost my nerve and..." More nervous laughter followed.
“No, Rainbow…” I was the one who got into embarrassing situations each time you appeared. The vacuum cleaner, the shower that nearly strangled me… even that silly mail-slab I tried to use to send you a letter.
"I understand.” A sad sigh filled the inside of the box. “If I saw somepony as lame as me, I'd avoid me too."
"Rainbow..."
"Like, I know I’m awesome and all, but I'm really not that awesome."
"Umm, Rainbow..." Fluttershy said slightly louder.
"To be honest, I'm actually not awesome at all. I get really shy, you know. I just pretend that I'm confident and I know what I’m doing."
"Err, Rainbow..."
"But the truth is—"
"Rainbow!" Fluttershy shouted.
"Huh? What?" Rainbow Dash almost jumped, shaking the entire box.
"Rainbow. I think you're awesome."
"You do?" Surprise mixed with joy in Dash's voice.
"Yes, Rainbow, I do. And I like you very much, but... maybe we can get out of here before we continue?" Fluttershy smiled even if she Dash couldn't see her. "It's been a long week and I just want to go back home to the cottage and enjoy a nice bowl of tea. With you."
"Umm, I can deal with that." Rainbow Dash tried to sound calm, but Fluttershy could feel her friend's heart pounding. Stuck in such a tight space, it was difficult not to. The thought that Rainbow most likely could feel hers as well made Fluttershy’s wings fluff up. "So, just stand still and I'll turn around," Dash said.
The notion seemed logical, though the situation made it impossible. Even when attempting to coordinate their actions, the pegasi's efforts were akin to juggling during a five legged race; both sides had the good intention to get it right, yet ended up with each other's hooves in their face. Things were made twice as difficult thanks to Rainbow's explosive behavior. The Wonderbolt remained as restless and irritable as always, letting her annoyance be known at every setback.
"Just slightly to the left," Rainbow Dash said. "I'm almost there."
"Ouch!" Fluttershy screamed. "That's my wing!"
"Oops, sorry, sorry." Rainbow pushed in the other direction. "I think I got it this time. Absolutely! Without a doubt!"
"Umm, maybe we can call for help?" Fluttershy suggested as hooves pressed against her side. "It won't... aww! ...be of any bother to anypony if—"
"Nah, I got it," Dash insisted. "All I need to do is—"
Before she could finish, the giant box tilted over, falling to the side. Fluttershy felt a moment of weightlessness before crashing down again. The good news was that this time she landed onto something soft. The possibly-good-but-also-embarrassing news was that the something soft was Rainbow Dash, who this time was facing her. Even trapped inside the box, Fluttershy could see Dash's muzzle change from blue to a slight shade of purplish.
"Umm, Shy." Rainbow's heartbeat could be felt throughout the box once more. "Maybe, you know, we—"
A purple flash of light burst in the room.
"Girls!" Twilight's head appeared, peering in the box. "I heard a noise so I—"
"It's fine, Twilight." Rainbow Dash glared, while Fluttershy made desperate attempts to hide her face under her wings. "We're just a little stuck."
"Stuck? No problem!" Twilight beamed. "Just give me a moment and I'll teleport you right out and—"
"As I said, it's fine Twilight!" Rainbow hissed. "We got this."
"Well, I don't see why a simple tele—" Twilight stopped. Her ears perked up. "Oh." Her eyes grew wide. "Oooh! Right, right." She stepped away towards the door. "Well, then. I guess you don't need my help. Just in case, I'll be next door. So... oh, look at the time. I better get going. I have this important speech I must finish before—"
"Goodbye, Twilight," Dash said in exceedingly annoyed tone. Twilight took another step forward, waved a wing in absentminded fashion, then teleported away, leaving the pegasi pair alone once more. "She really is an egghead," Rainbow snorted.
"Umm, Rainbow?" Fluttershy whispered.
"Y-yes, Shy?" The Wonderbolt looked back at her. "W-what is it?" Her face had suddenly turned purple once more.
"Maybe you should have let her get us out of the box before you chased her away?" Not that I mind, of course, Fluttershy added to herself. Her week on Earth could be summed up as one crazy experience but, in the end, she didn't mind at all.
Author's Note
This concludes the Fluttershy vs. series :) A huge thanks to all of you for your support and persisting so far :)
I can only hope that these silly stories managed to bring a smile to your day. :)
Be well always!
Author's Note
In homage to ROBCakeran53
Bonus
I'm sure I heard something. Twilight levitated her headset off. It had almost sounded as if someone was calling her name. Then again, it was difficult to tell for certain with the the game going on.
"Guys," she put her headset back on. "Going AFK for a few. Someone might be calling me."
"Seriously?!" A cry of disapproval came through the voice chat. "We're down five to one. Just tell whoever it is to get lost, okay?"
Twilight sighed. At least she had managed to get her teammates to tone down their language, and it had only taken a few dozen spells. The first time she had joined a game she had used close to a hundred.
"Just play a round without me, I'll be right back." Twilight put the headset on top of the game console and went towards the door. Originally, she had planned to pamper herself today to eight full hours of PvP bliss to unwind after a long week of inter-realm relations. Instead, she was subjected to incessant interruptions, including Rainbow and Fluttershy's shenanigans.
So much for getting a high score. Twilight opened the door and peered into the hotel hallway. There was no one to be seen. The only sounds she could hear were an argument on the floor below, the hum of an elevator, and—
"Twilight!" a faint squeak was heard.
Twilight stopped. Her ears twisted around, seeking the source of noise.
"Twilight!" another squeak came, just as quiet as the first.
Oh, no! Twilight's face turned pale. The sound, or rather “attempted yell", was coming from one specific room—the one next door… which belonged to Fluttershy. Without a moment's thought, the alicorn cast a teleportation spell.
"Fluttershy?" Twilight asked the instant she popped in the hotel room. "Is everything alright? Are you..." Her words trailed off as her mind tried to grasp the absurdity of the situation before her.
On the floor, inside a particularly large cardboard box, were Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy just as stuck as she had left them half an hour ago. The only difference was that this time Rainbow Dash was sound asleep, using Fluttershy as a pillow. The yellow pegasus seemed to be taking it surprisingly well, everything considered.
"Twilight," Fluttershy whispered, ears drooped as she attempted to remain as still as possible. "Help, please."
"I, err, huh, wha?" Twilight tried to articulate. Must not laugh. She swished her tail several times and clenched her jaw.
"Rainbow said we could take a few more minutes getting out, then a few more and a few more," Fluttershy began explaining. "I didn't want to disturb her because I thought she was thinking, but then she fell asleep. Can you help us get out? I don't want to wake her up and I really don't want to tear the box. The hotel owner would be so upset if I did. And the box is nice, so I don't want to damage it."
"Of course, Fluttershy." Twilight shook her head. Typical Shy. This is what I missed tournament practice for? At least it didn't turn out to be something serious. "I'll take care of it. Hang on."
If I stay up all night, maybe I'll get enough practice to be somewhat in shape by tomorrow. Twilight's horn flashed bright purple. A ball of white energy emerged from the tip and hit the box, engulfing it in incandescent light. The smell of ozone filled the room, then with a sudden pop the light disappeared, along with the box . Only Fluttershy remained lying on the floor, wings and legs trembling.
"There you go," Twilight said with a confident smile. And just in time! Now I can get back to my game!
"T-Twilight," Fluttershy stuttered. "T-the—"
"Nothing to worry about." Twilight shook her mane. "Since you were so attached to the box, I combined my teleportation spell with a few other spells, not only transporting it safely to Equestria, but also reducing it in size. That way it will remain safely tucked away in your cottage until you get back."
"B-b-but Rainbow Dash—"
"Yes, yes." Twilight nodded. "When you and Rainbow Dash get back you'll be able to play with the box to your heart’s content. Knowing her I'd say that—"
"Twilight!" Fluttershy shouted. The reaction was startling enough to make Twilight’s ears perk up.
Slowly, Twilight turned around. Fluttershy was back on her hooves now, her entire body shivering as if she'd fallen in a lake during Winter Wrap Up. Tears had gathered in the corners of her eyes.
"Rainbow Dash was inside the box!" Fluttershy said, lips trembling. "And now she's gone!"
No. Twilight felt her stomach bundle up. She looked around, carefully inspecting every inch of the room, in the hope that she'd find some trace of Rainbow Dash. Maybe she's just asleep somewhere? she thought, though she knew she was lying to herself. The spell had been cast in such a way as to shrink and teleport. However, thanks to her stupid obsession with computer games, she had completely forgotten to account for a living pony—one of her best friends at that—being inside. There was no telling where Rainbow Dash had ended up, nor what had happened to her. Had she shrunk in size? In age? Was she lost forever?
"There's nothing to worry about." Twilight forced the words out of her mouth, trying to appear calm. Fluttershy was terrified enough without adding Twilight-panic to the mix. "You know Rainbow. She'll probably wake up in a few hours then fly here and start complaining. Or someone will find her before that and let us know." Please someone find her! Please someone find her! "Really, it's alright."
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, a moderately-sized box with a Rainbow Dash filly inside popped into existence. It remained there, sitting on the cracked concrete, until the most unlikely of people passed by, ignored it, then returned. Curious, he stared at the box—contents included—and bumped the side with his foot, inadvertently waking Rainbow Dash. The filly yawned, stretched, rubbed her was with her foreleg, then looked up.
“H-hi there,” the man said, as the semi-wake filly stared at him. “Uh, what are you doing out here?”
