Do You Like This Painting?
On The Wall - Chapter 1
By River
Author's note: I started this one from a title, and then based an idea around it. Just a fun-fact.
One day, Fluttershy decided to go to the market. She needed some more carrots and lettuce for Angel bunny. She put on her saddlebag and went out the door. "I'll be right back" she said to her animal buddies. Fluttershy closed the door and trotted peacefully to her garden, which is a way to a shortcut to the market.
Fluttershy made her way to the market through the shortcut that ended right behind the vegtable stand, where she always buys her carrots and lettuce.
"Mornin' Fluttershy" greeted a Blue unicorn stallion with a nametag 'Blue Brush'. Fluttershy didn't recognise this colt, even though he was standing where the vegtable salesmare usually would. Which made her wonder how he knows her name. Also, what happened to the other salesmare? Did she go out of buisness? No that can't be, she has at least ten ponies who are stedy costumers... Fluttershy kept floating in her thoughts, and forgot to answer the stallion.
"Fluttershy? Hello?" he shook a hoof in front of her.
"Oh sorry, good morning" she said.
"Are you here for the weekly usual?" he asked.
"Um, yes but, where's Leavie?" she replied.
"Leavie? Oh you mean Harvest Leaves? She's uh... Busy today" he answered and soon started putting carrots on the scale. Fluttershy had more questions regarding this unfamiliar stallion, but she lacked the courage to ask them.
A few silent moments with some awkward stares passed as she waited for her vegtables.
"Here ya' go" said Blue Brush when he finished.
"Thank you" said Fluttershy and paid the stallion. She began to trot away when, "Hey wait!" yelled the stallion suddenly. Fluttershy almost jumped from his shouting, and then turned around. "I want to show you something, come over here for a second" he said.
"But... I... Oh..." murmured Fluttershy. She came back to the stand. The stallion pulled out a painting on a sheet of canvas. "You like it? I drew it myself, I'm trying to sell it and I thought you might want it. Only 5 bits!" said Blue Brush. It was a painting of a grassy field, a lakeside bed of flowers to the left, clear blue sky and a barn in the background.
"Oh my, yes, it's beautiful!" said Fluttershy slightly astonished.
"You think so? All the other ponies I showed this to thought it was sort-of ugly... But thank you!" he said. Fluttershy didn't respond. "So will you buy it?" he asked.
"I-yes" she said in her normal Fluttershy-shyness. She placed 5 bits on the counter and Blue Brush gave her the painting.
"Thanks Fluttershy" said Blue Brush with a thankful smile. Fluttershy didn't say anything, but he could tell her expression ment 'oh it was nothing' in a good way. Fluttershy turned around to hide her smile and trotted away to continue her shopping. After leaving the vegtable stand, she went on to get more things she needed, such as melons and oranges. And finally, apples.
"Hiya Fluttershy!" greeted Applejack.
"Hi" she greeted back
"Ya' here for some apples?" asked Applejack, she could tell that by Fluttershy's saddlebags.
"Y-yes, I need about 8" said Fluttershy.
"Alrighty then, that's 5 bits" said Applejack.
Fluttershy reached for her saddlebag to pay Applejack, but unfortunately, she only had 2 bits. "Oh no!" she said.
"What's wrong, sugercube?" asked Applejack.
"I only have 2 bits with me, I guess I didn't consider the extra cost of the painting" Fluttershy didn't mean to say that last part out-loud.
"What painting?" asked Applejack.
"Oh I just saw this beatiful painting at the vegtable stand, and the salescolt offered to sell it, so I bought it for my house, but I didn't think I'll run low on bits..." she answered eagerly.
"Well can 'ah see it?" asked Applejack.
"Y-yes" Fluttershy pulled the painting out of her saddle bag and placed it on the stand's counter.
"It's uh... Pretty" said Applejack. She noticed Fluttershy was a little ashamed of her lack of proper payment. "Oh shucks, I'll just give 'em to you for 2 bits, think of it as a favor" she said.
"Really? Oh thank you so much Applejack" said Fluttershy. Applejack smiled. Fluttershy took out her remaining bits and paid Applejack. She took her painting off the counter and put it back in her saddlebag, together with 8 apples. "Thanks agian Applejack" she said.
"You're welcome" said Applejack in return. Fluttershy trotted away out of the market and started to head towards her house. Her mind, for some reason, was set on her newly purchased painting, she kept thinking on where to place it. The living room? No, too roomy. The kitchen? No, it doesn't fit. Maybe the bedroom? Perheps the guest room? Once agian, she floated away in her thoughts. She seemed to be doing that alot lately.
Finally, after a few minutes, she got back to her house. She opened the front door, "I'm back from the market everyone" she greeted her animal buddies. The critters came to her to welcome her back. "And I bought this wonderful painting as decoration" said Fluttershy. She went to the kitchen to put down her saddlebags and saw Angel bunny with a grumpy face passing her. "Oh you must be starving, I'm so sorry" she said to him. He remained as grumpy as always. "Here, you can have this if you're hungry" Fluttershy took a carrot out of her saddlebag and placed it next to him. Angel snatched the carrot with a mean look and walked away with his head up. Usual Angel bunny.
But Fluttershy had something else besides her animal friends on her mind. The promise she made to Pinkie a few days ago, she promised to help her tender with gummy's eating habits, he is teethless after all, and eating jello all the time wasn't the best for him. Fluttershy knew how to help him get used to semi-solid food, but she didn't have any of the neccessery tools with her, and the only place to get them is outside the mainland of Equestria. How will she ever find any at this time? And in such short notice, and why haven't she thought about it befo-*snap-snap-snap*.
"Oh?" Fluttershy turned around to see Angel pointing at a pocket watch. "Oh you're right Angel bunny, I better get to the chiken coop" said Fluttershy. She dismissed of her saddlebags (finally) and headed over to the front yard. Once agian, she managed to drift in her thoughts while getting the eggs and making sure the chickens and roosters were comfortable.
After going through her mundane tasks around the cottage, she decided to rest on the couch. She set down and curled herself with some of her animal buddies. The warmth from her friends felt nice agianst her fur and mane, and she couldn't help a smile. Fluttershy was happy that all the hard work and support she gives pays off in the end. Not anyone could be as caring and as nice as her to almost everypony. And once agian, she floated away with thinking, this time, untill she fell asleep.
On The Wall - Chapter 2
By River
Oh, what a beautiful picture, Fluttershy was sleeping ever-so-cutely with all her animal buddies on the couch. "It's a shame really, what I'm about to do, but no matter, just watch".
Fluttershy felt a small breeze from under her, as if she was being lifted to a different location, but she still remained asleep. The windy feeling went on for a few more seconds and then stopped with a small thud. Which just barely didn't wake Fluttershy up. As time went on, the grass whistled, the lake glimmered, the barn house was... uh... a barn house, and Fluttershy finally woke up. She shivered slightly at the morning dew, with it's warm drops of moist water. "Good morning my... Friends?" *gasp* Fluttershy suddenly panicked at the sight of where she was. "What? It can't be! Where am I?" she said out loud. Fluttershy then noticed a familliar sight, grassy patches, a barn house, a lake, and then it hit her. "But, how is this possible? Oh I must be dreaming" She tried to slap herself with her forehoof, sadly, all it did was a hoofmark on her cheek.
"Fluttershy..." she heard a mysterious voice and shreiked, the voice was female and whispering in a soothing manner. "Fluttershy..." the voice returned, but Fluttershy was far too scared to answer. She shivered in place hoping that whoever is speaking will leave her alone, but that wasn't the case. "Oh-ho, don't worry Fluttershy, I'm here to help you" said the voice. "My name is Valkyrie, and I brought you here for a reason. Do you remember Blue Brush?".
"Ye-yes" answered Fluttershy with a voice quieter than the wind.
"Well Fluttershy, I am the spirit that lived inside him untill he started to paint. Ever since then, I've been living inside his paintings. Now, it's time to tell you why I brought you here, as you might remember, Blue Brush lost his belief in his work, and he stopped painting as much because of this, if he ever stops his work as an artist, I will disappear. I need you to convince him to keep on painting, understood?" said Valkyrie.
"But-but why me?" asked Fluttershy.
"Well, you're the one who bought this painting, and I could only communicate with the owner. Besides, you like his work too, I'm sure you want him to keep painting, don't you?" replied Valkyrie.
Fluttershy jumped up from her lying position, and sat up on the couch, pushing some of her animal buddies to the ground. She had a panicked look on her face, and she was breathing heavily. An angry squirell that flew off the couch waved an angry fist at her and chirped, but stopped when he noticed Fluttershy's panic. He came back up the couch and climbed to Fluttershy's shoulder. Fluttershy managed to calm down slightly, and tried to stable her breathing. It was then that she noticed she was sitting in an impossible position, and slid off the couch with a shreik.
Fluttershy layed on the ground for a few moments and then shook her head. "Oh" she murmured. It seemed as if she just now became awake. She knew what happened was a dream, it's impossible to go inside a painting, but it felt so real, maybe her imagination got the best of her. Fluttershy got up on her hooves. She looked at the clock on the wall, it was nine in the morning.
"Oh no!" realizing she over-slept, Fluttershy went to the kitchen to start her everyday work. First, she had to make breakfest for her and her animal buddies, then she had to clean the house for the weekend, and last she needs to go see Rainbow Dash for a play-date with their pets, Angel and Tank, to be exact. So starting her day, she decided to make a salad. Tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce, with a thousand-island's sauce dressing for Fluttershy, and a pinch of fresh water for her animal friends.
And while she made her equine breakfest, Fluttershy kept thinking about whether or not her dream had a meaning. Of course it was just a dream, nopony can go inside a painting, but what if it was a massage as well? That's the question that followed her for the rest of the morning. And through to the afternoon.
Two in the afternoon, at Ponyville's river bank, is where Fluttershy had plans for a play-date. She got there well after the set time, and Rainbow Dash was already waiting for her with Tank by her side. Fluttershy came over to the picnic blanket. But was stopped halfway by Rainbow Dash.
"There you are finally, I thought you'd never show up!" said Rainbow Dash hovering next to Fluttershy.
"Oh I'm so sorry Rainbow Dash, I over-slept and didn't have enough time to get here" replied Fluttershy. Rainbow rolled her eyes.
"Come on!" said Rainbow Dash and flew back to the picnic she set up, and sat down. Fluttershy followed. When she sat down, she took out a ball from her saddlebag, and threw it. Angel gave her a daunting look, as if she was mocking him. Tank on the other hand, started to run to the ball. But being a tortoise, he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
"So Fluttershy, what've you been up to lately?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"Well Rainbow, yesterday I found a beautiful painting, and I bought it for my house, though I'm not entirely sure where to put it yet, what about you?" replied Fluttershy.
"I just learned the sickest move, I call 'The Cloud Conker' it's when I spray a bunch of walnuts over some clouds, and then I pick up each one while balancing the last on my nose, I'm sure to join the Wonderbolts with that one!" said Rainbow. As the two rambled on and ate some sandwiches, it seemed like Fluttershy wasn't so cought up in her thoughts, despite the last few days. She had a lot more focus on the pony she was speaking with rather than what she was talking about.
"I think your bedroom, it's a calming thing to look at in the morning, and it'll look awesome next to a window" said Rainbow. Fluttershy nodded in agreement. She had a point, the painting will definitely look good in the right lighting.
The hours went on as the two ponies shared a fun time with their pets. And soon enough it was time for them to say goodbye.
"See ya' Fluttershy" said Rainbow Dash.
"Goodbye Rainbow Dash" said Fluttershy, and Rainbow flew off. Fluttershy parted her way too, heading towards home. On her way, she thought about what just happened, it was fun, she had fun, they should meet up for this type of thing more often. Unfortunately, the rest of her week was already planned, and she wouldn't be able to make more time for another play-date. Maybe she could bring Angel over to Pinkie's when she comes to help her with Gummy, maybe. And once agian, she floated away with her thinking, but this time, it wasn't just that, she managed to control her thoughts alot better, unlike the last few times where she just drifted, she was actually thinking and thinking hard on these things that were on her mind.
"Home at last" said Fluttershy when she and Angel finally got home. She opened the door and Angel immediately ran off to his basket, or bed. Fluttershy came in too and closed the door behind her. It was quite late, and most of her animal buddies were already asleep. She went into the living room to tidy up a bit before going to bed, picking up whatever 'gifts' some of her animal friends left her. Afterwards, she came up to her room, ready to go to bed. But before she did, she hung the painting up on the wall, to the left of the window. And finally, after a long day of fun, work, and bizzare dreams, it was time for her to go to bed. She climbed onto the bed exhausted from her day. 'Tomorrow is gonna be even better' she thought, and fell asleep blissfully.
