Fluttershy was not okay with this. She had only tried out for the school play to be a tree. When she got her callback it was only to reveal that she was playing one of the main characters. Canterlot High was putting on a production of Into the woods. She had been chosen to play Cinderella.
Fluttershy had made up her mind to say she wasn’t interested but found herself accepting the role, as she was too scared to say no. Now here she was on her bed, reading through the hefty script and feeling dizzy at the amount of lines she had. There was no way she could do this.
She closed her eyes and felt the world disappear. She began taking deep breaths attempting to calm herself, the last thing she needed was to pass out. Okay it was a lot of lines. Like way too many lines. So many lines she just knew everyone would be looking at her. She whimpered, that was when she heard a knock on the door. Startled she let out a gasp and fell from the bed, the covers still hanging onto the bottom half of her form.
“Fluttershy? You in there?” The country drawl was unmistakable. She should have figured Applejack would come check on her. She was always more concerned over other than herself. She’d also been the one to help out with a previous play, hence why Fluttershy had felt sure of herself this time around. Sure of herself in a small, side role, not one of the main cast. Just the thought was enough to make her feel faint.
“Yes...I’m here.” She whispered, sounding more fearful than she’d intended.
“Can I come in?” The blonde asked. Fluttershy thought, on the one hand she really didn’t want to bother anyone with her problems, especially when they were so small. On the other, if she didn’t say anything, Applejack would dwell on it until the worry ate her alive.
“Okay.” She managed to squeak out. The farmgirl entered to see her on the floor.
“Fluttershy, what in the applesauce do ya think your doin’?” Applejack asked, bluntly.
“Um, trying to right myself after I fell off my bed?” She replied, though it sounded like a question more than anything.
“Sorry sugarcube, didn’t mean ta startle ya.” Applejack chuckled. She held out her hand, Fluttershy grasped it, and the farmgirl lifted her effortlessly,.”Now ya mind tellin’ me what your so worried about?”
“Oh, nothing important.” Fluttershy told her. Applejack raised her brow in that ‘I don’t believe you fer a second,’ way. “Okay it’s a little important, but it’s really nothing for you to worry about.”
Applejack sat down on her bed and patted the spot next to her. “Sit and talk with me.” Reluctantly, Fluttershy did as she was told. “Now sugarcube, everyone is worried about ya, not just me, but we didn’ want ya to get overwhelmed. So they let me come talk to ya. You tell me what wrong an’ we’ll all help where we can.”
Fluttershy thought for a moment, well it would help to get it off her chest, and her friends would probably worry too much if she didn’t say anything. She sighed. “Well, I tried out for a tree in the school play of into the woods but ended up being cast as Cinderella and now I have a major role to play.” She told her all in one breath.
Applejack looked at her quizzically. “Why didn’t you turn the role down?”
“I tried to, but I couldn’t get the words out. Now everyone is depending on me to play Cinderella.” Fluttershy buried her face into her hands. She could feel the tears trickle down her face. She felt a warm strong hand grip hers and gently squeeze it.
“You love singin’ I know ya do. You have it in ya ta be the best Cinderella Canterlot high has ever seen. I believe in ya. We’ll get through this.” Applejack said. Fluttershy lifted her head out of her hands, and the farmgirl gently brushed her tears away. “Now where do we start?”
Fluttershy handed her the script. “I could use help with my lines.”
“Alright then. Let’s start from the beginning.” Applejack told her.
---MLP---
“Never mind Cinderella, kind Cinderella, nice, good, nice, kind, good, nice.” Fluttershy sang softly. Applejack shook her head.
“Yer gettin’ mad at the end of that line, cause you’ve been good this whole time an’ yer step sisters are still takin’ advantage of ya! You need ta be more outspoken!”
“Um, okay,” She tried the line again but just like last time she was too soft. “I’ll never get this right.” She sighed.
“Sure ya will, we’ve got ya doing ‘Cinderella at the grave,’ and, ‘A very nice Prince’ like you’ve been singin’ them for years.” The farmgirl reassured her.
“Yeah, but those are both soft quiet spoken songs. I can still sing those okay, but the parts where I have to sing among others I’m not so good at. Also I still don’t have ‘steps of the palace' down.” She sighed.
“We’ll get through it bit by bit. For now just focus on this one line. Remember yer anger comes out at the end.” Applejack told her. She tried again. Applejack sighed. “We’ve gotta find some way ta get ya into a mad mindset.” A smirk lit up the farmgirl’s face as she thought of something.”Pretend yer brother wants somethin’ from ya,and you’ve already done a favor for him a few days ago.”
“Zephyr Breeze!” Fluttershy scolded, pretending her brother had asked her for a ride again.
“Yeah! That’s the tone we want at the end!. From the top!” Applejack said.
“Never mind Cinderella, kind Cinderella, Nice! Good! Nice! Kind! Good! Nice!” Fluttershy sang. Her eyes widened at the sound of her voice. “I didn’t know I could sing so angrily.”
“Atta girl! Alright let’s keep going!” Being praised by Applejack felt really nice.
---MLP---
"On the steps of the palace!" Fluttershy sang completely absorbed by the music. She was so invested that she jumped when Applejack began clapping. "Ya did great sugarcube! Brava!"
Fluttershy blushed. "Um, don't you mean bravo?"
Applejack shook her head. "Naw Rarity says if it's only girls it's brava, an' I figured she oughta know."
Smiling, Fluttershy sat down next to Applejack. "I know you think I did well, but I’m still not sure." Anxiety took over her heart as she talked. "I didn't really enunciate enough, and I'm pretty sure I got several notes wrong. I'm not projecting my voice enough for everyone to hear me and-"
"Stop." Applejack told her, holding up a hand. "Ya don't need ta worry about most of that. I could tell what words ya were singing. No ones gonna notice a few off notes, an' as fer your projection, Rainbow told me all 'about yer cheering at her soccer match. So I know you're capable of it."
Fluttershy sighed and Applejack cupped her hands in her own. "Ya need ta have more confidence in yerself. You're capable of more than ya think."
Fluttershy could hear her heart pounding in her ears. She felt sweaty and a bit nervous. Her throat was dry when she tried to speak. "That's nice of you to say Applejack."
The farmgirl slung her arm over Fluttershy's shoulders. "Think nothin' of it sugarcube." She felt heat rush to her face, her nerves were getting to her. After fiddling with her hands for a bit she eventually placed them in her lap.
"Well, I gotta go. Big Mac'll be at his wits end if I don't help with the chores." She told her.
"Okay." Fluttershy wished she could think of something more to say, but it was like her thoughts had left her head empty. The moment Applejack was out of the room she called Rarity. As per usual she answered promptly on the third ring.
"Fluttershy darling! I wasn't expecting a call from you. Have you finished your practice?" a regal voice asked over the phone.
"Um yes. W-well I was wondering if you could help me? See lately I've been having these odd reactions to someone."
"What kind of odd reactions?" Rarity asked.
"Well, like when they compliment me I feel lighter than air. I've been nervous around them, but not my usual nervousness. It feels different somehow. My palms get sweaty, I lose all control of my voice, and I blush."
Rarity chuckled. "Is that all? Darling I'm afraid this person has caught your eye. You are smitten so to speak."
"So I like this person." She stammered, suddenly feeling very anxious. "As in like like?"
"Indeed darling. You must tell him!"
"Um her actually."
"No matter darling! Is it anyone I know?' Rarity asked.
"Yeah," Fluttershy whispered.
"Oh do tell me! I can't stand the suspense."
"It's Applejack..."
"Oh dear." She replied after a moment. "Well that complicates things." There was more silence. "I still think you should say something."
"What if I make things awkward?" Fluttershy swallowed.
"Darling she's one of your best friends. She's not going to abandon you." She didn't respond. "Well it's entirely your choice. Think about it. ta ta!" With that Rarity hung up.
Fluttershy sighed and curled up on her bed. Why did everything have to be so complicated?
---MLP---
They were going over the script again. Fluttershy looked up from the page she was at currently. She was trying to find her next song. "Applejack, I don't think Cinderella should be with this prince."
"Ya don't' say?" The farmgirl deadpanned. Fluttershy felt a blush creep up her neck.
"Well, he sticks her to the stairs, cheats on her, and on top of that he has an insufferable ego." Fluttershy continued.
"I don't think he's supposed to be a good person sugarcube." Applejack told her. "This play is about the mistakes people make. The Prince is one of those mistakes."
"Do you think Blueblood knows?" She asked.
Applejack scoffed. "He probably thinks the Prince is the hero."
Fluttershy giggled. "Yeah he probably does." A silence settled between them. Fluttershy felt heat rush to her face. "Y-you know Applejack, if anyone's a hero it's you."
"Nah, I'm jus' a hard workin' farmer with a stubborn streak." The farmgirl replied, brushing her praise off.
Fluttershy gripped Applejack's hand. "I think you're not giving yourself enough credit. I'd have never gotten this far without you."
"Well thanks sugarcube." Silence reigned again and Fluttershy's heart raced. This was the perfect time, they were alone in her room, with no one else around. She swallowed, took a deep breath and began. "Applejack I-"
She was interrupted by the door swinging open. "Guess who's home!" Zephyr cried, bursting into the room without so much as a knock.
"Zephyr Breeze! You know you're supposed to knock!" Fluttershy told him irately.
"I know but I figured you'd say yes, so I didn't bother asking." He replied. It was then he noticed their position. "Ooh did I interrupt something?" He asked suggestively.
Fluttershy's face was now more red than yellow. "Zephyr-"
"Say no more! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t!" He told her with a wink.
Applejack rolled her eyes, before turning her attention to Fluttershy. "You were sayin'?"
"Never mind."
---MLP---
Fluttershy peeked out from behind the curtains. The crowd was huge, and she shook with fear. She could do this. Rather than focus on the size of the crowd she began to search it for some familiar faces. There was Lyra, Bon Bon, Octavia, Derpy, Bulk Biceps,and even the CMC. Finally her eyes found the group she was looking for, but her heart froze as a realization came to her.
Applejack wasn’t there. The group had a seat saved for her, right between Sunset and Rarity. The girl herself was absent. Fluttershy felt panic rise within her. She couldn’t do this without Applejack. She was her rock! For a moment Fluttershy considered telling the teacher she had started feeling ill. She had an understudy so it would be fine right?
Fluttershy shook the thought from her mind. No she couldn’t let her co-stars down. Not to mention the school and her friends. Especially her friends, they had come to see her not some understudy. She knew her friends would understand. They shouldn’t have to.
She moved back from the curtains. She began to take deep calming breaths just as Applejack had taught her. She had been practicing with the farmgirl for over a month now. She could do this.
She knew her lines inside and out. She knew what songs she had to sing, and when her parts were. She knew what part of the stage she was supposed to stand on, what tone each scene was supposed to have, and what action she was supposed to do. She could do this... probably.
She saw the curtains go up in front of her as the narrator began. She didn't have time to think, hers was the first line aside from that. She did however have enough time to check with her friends. Applejack was there now, watching. She apparently noticed her gaze because she smiled at her encouragingly.
It was her turn now. "I wish, more than life, more than jewels." She began to sing. Applejack nodded her head and Fluttershy felt her heart swell. She continued to sing, letting the role envelop her until she was not Fluttershy, a timid girl singing. Instead she was Cinderella experiencing new and exciting things for the first time.
When she reached a very nice prince she was excited and scared. During 'on the steps of the palace', she was struggling to make a decision. In 'your fault,' She was overcome by guilt but still not wanting everyone to blame her. When she finally reached 'Children will listen' she felt like she had learned through her experiences. In short she lived her role, completely forgetting that she was playing a part, that scores of people were watching her.
They had reached the tail end of the play and just as she was the first to start singing, she was the last. "I wish." For a moment there was stunned silence. Fluttershy suddenly remembered that she was onstage and withdrew into herself. She held her breath. Did they like the play?
Then there was clapping, wolf whistles, a chorus of compliments. There in the third row on the left her friends all cheered for her. Pinkie was in tears, Rarity's makeup had started to run. Rainbow was pumping her fist into the air, while Twilight and Sunset clapped politely. What made her heart explode with happiness, was hearing Applejack's southern accent yelling out bravo.
The curtain closed, and she received many compliments from her co-stars. Miss Cheerilie gave her a hug, telling her that she knew Fluttershy could do it. It was exhilarating and she felt amazing.
She turned to see Applejack talking with her brother, who had built the sets this time around. The farmgirl turned, giving her a smile. "Ya did great sugarcube. Even better than I thought."
Fluttershy felt her heart pound with excitement. She ran over to Applejack, and in the heat of the moment, pressed her lips to the blonde's. It was about two seconds into it that she realized what she was doing. She pulled away. "I'm, so sorry! I didn't mean to! Well I did but I should have asked! I'll go!"
She had turned to leave when she felt a firm hand grip her wrist. They stood there a moment, the farmgirl making sure this was okay. When Fluttershy didn't move Applejack pulled her to her. She wrapped her arms around the timid girl and drew close. She whispered. "You ain't going anywhere sugarcube." Before pressing their lips together once more.
Author's Note
Oh but I do love this ship. Partly because their my two favorites but mostly because it just works. Fluttershy is overly anxious and shy. Applejack is patient, kind, supportive, protective, and loving. Ya'll can ship her with Rainbow, Rarity, or Twilight but flutterjack is by far my favorite mane six ship.
I do ship fluttercord as well though.
