Chapter One: Winter Kindness
“Fluttershy! What are you doing out here all alone in the cold? I swear that you’ll catch your death out here one of these days,” I said almost grumpily.
“Oh, sorry Rainbow Dash… I was just trying to help out some poor lost animals, they were just so far away from home and I started to talk with them and well, I just guess that I lost track of time, I’m sorry Rainbow Dash, I’ll try not to let it happen again, you’re not mad or upset at me?” Fluttershy asked me nervously.
I sighed a little as I gently flew down into the soft wet mushy snow beside her wrapping my right wing around her body gently like a newborn baby, one of the things that would never cease to amaze or impress me was Fluttershy’s never-ending ability to be, well, just so kind if I’m going to be honest here.
“Fluttershy, I’m not angry at you, I never have been and I probably never will be, I don’t know how many times I’m going to have to keep telling you this,”
“You’ll never stop saying it Dash because I’m too scared to ever take action against you, and you’re always too nice to me no matter how much trouble I get in, you’re always the brave one, the smart one, the courageous one…”
“And you Fluttershy, you’re the kindest mare that I’ve ever known, and you are quite literally the element of kindness,” I say snickering and smiling a little bit at her jabbing her side a little, “So saying you’re the kindest mare in all of Equestria would be no understatement, it would be the pure truth,”
“R-Rainbow Dash… stop saying things like that please, you’ll make me blush…”
“Well, that’s exactly why I say them, because you’re even cuter when you blush,”
Fluttershy’s face lit up bright cherry red at this compliment as she stuttered a little bit for some words, I laughed at her, if anything was cuter than a blushing Fluttershy it was a blushing Fluttershy left completely speechless.
“Alright then, come on, it’s time to take you home and warm you up,”
Fluttershy nodded her head lightly and gently at me as we trotted along back towards her cottage treehouse, something that she had owned for a very long time, in fact I can hardly ever recall a time where she didn’t have that house…
Me and Fluttershy were side by side now, trotting through the snow, everything around us shimmered with sparkling white brilliant glory because everything seemed to be covered in snow, no, not just covered in snow, blanketed with snow, yes, that’s the right word, blanketed with thick piles and massive amounts of snow, it was like a winter wonderland dream come true to life.
I could hardly believe it myself, but it was here right in front of me, all around me, it was one of the most amazing and beautiful things that I’ve ever seen before, or if I was around my friends instead I would rather say one of the most awesome things that I’ve ever seen before. It was just simply splendid and glorious, everypony’s mood seemed to be higher than usual, perhaps as high as the clouds in the sky themselves, or as high as the moon and stars instead.
I really can’t say… I’m not exactly an expert on mushy-gushy stuff and things like that, or beauty, well, except when it comes to a few things.
Colts and fillies of all ages and races ran around outside playing in the snow, rolling around in it, building snowponies, having snowball fights, the usual kid stuff, it was charming, sweet and adorable, just like Fluttershy…
I frowned a little on the inside, why was I thinking about Fluttershy so much?
I didn’t know why, but ever since this last summer I’ve been thinking about her and making comparisons of everyday things and random events against her, it was almost a daily occurrence at this point, at first I had reasoned that it was just because we were really close and best friends, but now my thoughts as of late were starting to turn into another direction instead… a direction that even I was scared of, yes, me, Rainbow Dash, Wonderbolt, element of loyalty, one of the bravest ponies ever in recorded history (no, I am NOT overselling myself, it’s the truth, deal with it), well, I was scared of something and I freely admit that.
I turned to look at Fluttershy, she only had this cute little red scarf and nothing else, she must have been freezing without anything to wear…
Naturally enough I was concerned about this, that girl could get so caught up in caring for others that she sometimes forgot to take care of herself first.
I was so lost in thought at this point that I had barely even noticed that we were already at the door to Fluttershy's house, I barely managed to avoid bumping my nose into the door as I nervously open up with a little blush and sly but also awkward grin too. Fluttershy merely smiled back at me with her soul piercing eyes that could shatter the heart of anypony that made her cry, and her smile could melt the heart of even the grumpiest and most negative of ponies too.
“Fluttershy, want some hot coco, maybe get the fire ready, or would you rather I get the tea kettle pot and some water and use the water for tea instead?”
“Uh, maybe a little of both if you don’t mind?” she asked me politely.
“Yes, of course, but you’re okay, right? No frozen or stiff joints or feathers, no frostbite or anything else like that?” I asked her trying to see for myself.
“No, of course not, but thanks for asking anyways…” she said.
“Of course, you’re the most important and beautiful thing in my life…”
The moment I said that I swore to myself internally, drat, why did I have to say that out loud right in front of her? It was just so stupid and dumb, argh!
Fluttershy could only manage one of the brightest and reddest blushes that I’ve seen from her in her entire life, and I would know the best since I spent so much time with her. What would she say? What would she think? Was she going to hate me for this? No, she would never, but still it was scary to think of what could happen, but luckily, I wouldn’t have to wait very long to hear what she had to say to me. “Rainbow Dash, that’s so sweet and nice of you, but you don’t have to say that just for my sake, I know that we’re really good and close friends and all that good stuff too, we’ve shared so much of our lives together, so many important memories, but am I really the best thing in your life? What about the Wonderbolts? Isn’t that also important to you? What about your other friends?”
Damn it, why did she have to ask that question? Of all the things that she could have said, of all the ways that she could have reacted and she choose this route/pathway, how could I have been so foolish and stupid to not see this coming from a mile away? I don’t know, but I was blind to something here.
“Well, if I had to choose between them and you it would be a really hard and tough choice, but I’d never want to hurt you most of all Fluttershy,”
Fluttershy let out a weird strange sound that was sort of like a “meep!” or something like that instead, the sound was certainly adorable and sweet and totally cute too, just like Fluttershy. “Even when you’re just being you, just being shy, well, you’re still the most beautiful and amazing thing in this room,”
Fluttershy just couldn’t stop blushing, “Dashie, you don’t need to say that…”
“I wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true, you’re simply splendid Fluttershy,”
She blushed even more, “Why are you saying these things?”
“Because I want to, and it’s the truth too, besides, I don’t nearly compliment you enough, and it is the holiday season, just accept it and roll with it,” I said.
“Well, I’ll try my best Dashie, but I make no promises,” Fluttershy said.
“That’s the spirit, try to keep that attitude up, okay?”
“Oh, uh, alright, I’ll try, thanks for your kind words,” she said.
“No problem,” I said smiling warmly back at her as I quickly trot to the kitchen and turn on the stove to heat up some hot water for the teas and coco and soon enough both she and I were sipping coco in front of a blazing hot and warm fire snuggled up together in a very cute and adorable manner/way.
What in the wide world had I gotten into with her now?
Chapter Two: The Cherry Blossom Tree
They say that for every single pony that ever lived, died, or is living that there is a tree that represents their soul. Or at least that’s the case for some legends.
I don’t know whether that’s true or not, I highly doubt that it is, I’m skeptical of everything, but I couldn’t deny Fluttershy the opportunity or chance to spend some more time with her. After that cold dark winter day that we met and spent together things had been going fairly well for me, her, and the rest of the gang too. It has been well over a month since we last met, the Wonderbolts kept me very busy and I didn’t have too much free time anymore these days.
Fluttershy told me to meet her by the largest ash tree in the park and so I did, normally I would wonder what an ash tree was or even looked like or what the biggest trees would be, but Fluttershy had a way with words to make me actually interested in learning about the subject versus when Twilight tried to talk to me or teach me about something, or maybe it was just because I knew Fluttershy for so long that I just didn’t mind listening to her, either that or I could get interested into whatever she liked because she was such a close friend. Take your pick or mix of any of these explanations please. I met her on time exactly where she wanted me at and before I even got there I could see that she had set up a rather large red and white checker designed picnic blanket on the soft warm green grass, it was probably large enough to sit 10-12 ponies easily. I looked around us and saw that nopony was nearby, perfect, I didn't want us to be disturbed at all. This moment should only be shared by the two of us, especially if it was going to be something special. I went over and lay down sideways looking at Fluttershy as she smiled back at me nervously, “Hey there Flutters, what’s up? Why did you want to meet me here today? You know you can always come to my place or whatnot and that I’d be willing to talk to you, but I suppose you have something special to say or just wanted to do something special for you?”
“Well, uh, yeah, I was talking to Twilight trying to get some advice about how to tell you that well, I, uh… I don’t know if I can do this Dashie, it’s such a big secret, I’ve been trying to hide it away from you for years…”
“Ah, don’t be nervous Fluttershy, you can tell me anything and I wouldn’t hate you for it, shocked and surprised maybe like if I heard that you murdered somepony for example, you didn’t kill anypony, did you?” I asked jokingly.
“No, of course not! Why would you ever think that?”
“It was just a joke Fluttershy, please take it easy around me,”
“Sorry Dashie, it’s just that I’m so nervous, even more than usual.
This is even worse than the time that I wanted to sing in the show and take over for Big Mac until he got his voice back. Oh dear, I can’t do this, I just can’t,”
“Well if you don’t want to say it here to me now and today then that’s fine, I won’t pressure you, just know that I’m always here and ready to talk to you if you’re ready, if not that’s still fine with me, either way is fine with me so long as you’re happy, but in the meantime I think I’ll enjoy this lunch,” I said.
“Oh Dashie, you’re always so kind and understanding, I wish I could be as brave as you are though, I’m so weak and shy,” Fluttershy said.
“Fluttershy, you are not weak, you are stronger than you seem, faster than you know, smarter than you realize or think that you are, and braver than you believe that you are, you’re one of the best ponies that I have ever met in my entire life.”
Fluttershy blushed at this comment, “Oh, Dashie, please don’t say that about me, I know that it’s not true and you don’t need to lie to me just to make me feel better, and if you’re trying to compliment me well then you know how I am to stuff like that, you don’t always need to be the strong and kind gentle one you know, sometimes you have to let others heal your wounds too you know.”
“Yeah, I know, I don’t know where I would be right now without you or my other friends too, I can’t even imagine such a world like that at all,”
“Me neither, and I don’t want to either,” I said.
“Well, anyhow, uh, I wrote this poem for you if you want to hear it…”
“A poem? For me? Fluttershy, you didn’t have to,” I said.
“I know, but I wanted to, do you want to hear it?” she asked me.
“Yes, of course I do!” I said almost at the top of my lungs.
“Alright then, the poem is called Wings of Love, I hope that you like it,”
Every single day I think of you, I wish I didn’t have to, but I cannot escape it, I cannot ever escape a day without a single thought of you, every second, every minute, every hour, of every day, of every week, of every month, of every year, ever since I was young, I have only thought about you above all else in life.
Every moment I wish you knew the way that I felt for you, I wish that I could tell you how I feel, but I can’t, I see you up there, high above in the sky, and I wish, that just for a moment, a single moment, that you, my angel, might grace me with your brilliant light and glory, your radiant beauty, and your pure love and affection too, but I know that deep down inside of my heart that it is only a dream.
You alone could carry me with your wings of love, you alone are the one that I wish for above all the rest, you alone could ever hope to complete my life.
You alone are what I need, you alone can help me find joy, you alone give me hope and pride, you alone give me the courage I need to find the words to fight others with. You alone are the love of my life, for since I’ve been little and young I’ve had a secret crush on you my dear angel of blue beauty. You shimmer like a diamond, you shine like a star, and you radiate heat like a warm summer day, and your hair, your hair is the most beautiful and brilliant rainbow that I have ever seen before in my entire life. I wish that I could touch you, feel you, hug you, wrap myself in your warm embrace, and that you would in return love me too.
You are everything that I want to be, that I wish for, that I hope for, and yet every single day I think that you barely even notice me anymore, that you’re slowly fading away and slipping away from my grasp, and soon that my hopes and dreams would soon die, because if you ever lost your wings and fell away from me, then all my hopes, all my dreams, they would crash down with you.
You are my wings of hope and love and courage and joy, you in my eyes are the perfect angel, you are better than I can ever hope to be, and I only wish that you could show me as much love to me as I have love for you in my heart.
“Alright then, I’m done now, what did you think about it Dashie?”
“Fluttershy, that was… I have no words for it,” I said trying to think about the poem, about what had just been revealed to me, it was just too much to take in at once, did Fluttershy really love me and have a crush on me? Is that shy she wanted me here today, to tell me the long-awaited truth? Perhaps, maybe…
No, it couldn’t be, right? I mean it’s not like I had any obvious signs that she liked me, right? I didn’t know what to think anymore, but if she had to go to Twilight in order to this than that means she was too scared to tell me something, she wanted it to be a surprise, and Fluttershy rarely keeps secrets from me, slowly I started to realize the truth, that Fluttershy in fact really did love me.
“Oh, did you not like it?” Fluttershy asked me interrupting my train of thought.
“No, not at all! I love it, but Fluttershy, the poem, it was about me, wasn’t it?”
She blushed, “You don’t have to say yes or no, just nod or shake your head.”
She nodded her head, “Yes, it was about you Dashie, I’m sorry,”
“No, it’s alright, I'm glad that I know now, thanks for telling me, I know that this must have taken a lot of courage to do, so, you really do love me a lot, don’t you?”
“I looked up to you ever since the day you saved me from those bullied, I guess over time that those feelings turned into love since we know each other so well,”
“Huh, neat and cool, I don’t know what to tell you though Fluttershy, I mean, I really like you as a friend, but I’m not one to jump into relationships…”
“Oh, I see, that’s okay, I guess it was too much to ask a kiss or anything out of you, but do you think that maybe we can start dating or something like that?”
“Yeah, sure thing, something like that, but hey, I know a better spot for what I have to tell you next, come on, follow me please,” I said.
“Oh, alright,” Fluttershy said following me to a large cherry blossom tree.
“The large ash tree and this tree are my favorite trees; do you want to know why?”
“Yes, please tell me why you like these trees above all the other ones.”
“Simple, the ash reminds me of strength and loyalty, this tree though, it reminds me of something else though, it reminds me of your beauty Fluttershy.”
“Oh Dash! I can’t believe that you said that,” she said blushing some more.
“You had better believe it, but hey, I think I know the perfect way that we can end this day, even if I’m not 100% comfortable with it yet,” I said smiling widely at her, oh boy, this was going to shock her for a very long time to come.
“What exactly? What did you have in mind exactly?”
“Simple Fluttershy, a kiss,” I said smiling as I leaned forward and wrapped my hooves around her body planting a solid kiss on her lips as our bodies touched and I could feel the rapid beats of our hearts, excited, nervous, confused, surprised, and also the warm, soft, furry, gentle hair on our bodies too.
Fluttershy’s eyes went wide for a moment before they closed to enjoy the kiss.
A moment later I pulled away from her still smiling widely at her.
“Why in Equestria did you do that for me Dashie?” she asked me.
“Because you of all ponies, after all your waiting and shy nature, after all you’ve done for me, even if you don’t realize it right now, you deserve it,”
She blushed some more, smiled at me, and that smile, that pure unfiltered smile of pure joy, that, well, that not only made my day, but it was one of the best days of my entire life, and I would never forget today, no matter what happened to us, I felt like I could conquer anything, I felt like I could take on the whole entire world for her, I felt like a hero to her, and I felt better than I ever had in my whole entire life, it was one of the single greatest moments in my entire life.
I only wish that I could have seen the accident and tragedy that was soon to come a lot sooner, I wish that I had known then what I know now so that I could stop it, but if I did know then I would not be here today right now writing this down, if I had known then everything around me that I know would be different, but no matter, I have another chapter of my life story to tell.
