“Ow!” Marybelle starts as Guyrin sets the pillows down under her neck.

The batpony nuzzles his love now that he knows she’s hurt.

“I don’t need you to care for me Guyrin!”

The batpony starts.

“Ugh! I’m sorry Guy… Usually, I’m alone when I’m recovering from a fight…”

Guyrin writes on his chalkboard, “Not anymore!”

“I guess not. I’m just not used to that!”

“Get used to it!”

Marybelle frowns at this obstinate little nocturnal pony and says to him, “Okay fine Guyrin!” She then starts to mutter lower, “I’ll let you help me and take care of me…”

Guyrin smiles and nods his head, now secure in his victory over the Pegasus cage fighter, he scrawls out, “Food?”

“Oh! I should probably eat my potato pancakes, right?”

Guyrin nods as she gets up on her haunches, rubs her neck with her left forehoof (while Guyrin frowns), and collects her plate from the table.

She starts to eat voraciously as Guyrin starts, grabs his plate, and starts to put his muzzle onto the plate and eats his pancakes the same way.

She finishes before he’s even halfway done, smiles, and says, “Power my body remember?”

Guyrin looks up from his plate, nods, and then finishes up his food in front of a giggling Marybelle.

After they’re done with their food, Guyrin collects both plates with his mouth and trots out of Marybelle’s room. Then he comes back and smiles at her while she can only stare at him, not sure what to think.

Finally, Marybelle breaks the silence when she says, “Well, I was supposed to go to the market for a few things today, but I’ll sit this one out and do it tomorrow!”

Just then, Guyrin reaches into the bottom pocket of his harness and pulls out a pair of glasses with his mouth and sets them on the floor. He uses his right forehoof to open the temples of the glasses and then puts his head to the floor to put the glasses over his ears. He then looks up at Marybelle and smiles. She can see the glasses are dark… Then it occurs to the Pegasus that these are sunglasses!

Marybelle’s mouth gets smaller as she squints and says, “You wanna go to the market for me, don’t you?”

Guyrin nods his head.

Marybelle frowns and says, “Okay fine! Uh, get the notebook on the top of my closet! It’s in the back up top!”

Guyrin then diligently trots over to the closet, opens it with his mouth, and crouches before using his legs to briefly take off with his wings to get to the top and holds himself there with his forehooves as he looks back into the closet. He spots something over on the back left and uses his left forehoof to slide it out over the shelf so that it falls onto the floor. Then, Guyrin releases his body with his forehooves so that he falls back to the ground and turns to collect the notebook with his mouth and trots over to Marybelle with it.

Marybelle giggles again and says, “Well, you’re not that big!” before collecting the notebook with her own mouth from Guyrin and setting it down on the sofa. She leans her body over to the table to get her pen with her mouth and starts to write down a list for Guyrin at the market.

“I’m big enough!” Guyrin writes on his chalkboard before showing it to a preoccupied Marybelle.

Marybelle looks up and says through her teeth, “Well you did indeed, get the notebook little batpony! Good job!” before looking down and writing one final word as she softly giggles to herself.

She finishes her list and shows it to Guyrin with her forehooves.

Guyrin sees that she needs more hay, oats, oranges, and tomatoes. He reaches out with his neck and uses his mouth to tear off the page and then stashes it in his top pocket with his right forehoof.

“I still wonder what all you keep in there.”

Guyrin smiles, nuzzles his love, gives her a soft kiss, and then trots out the door before closing it behind him.

Once again, Marybelle is left alone with her thoughts. She thinks about how her neck got hurt and thinks that it was probably that violent hoof to the face she took in the ring. Then, she thinks about Guyrin and all he’s done for her. He’s so sweet and kind and she really doesn’t know what to think. Could it be that he loves her and is proving it to her? She ponders on these thoughts as she slowly drifts off to sleep.

She wakes up hearing a sweet soft voice in the foyer say, “Um, so she’s in here? Where Guyrin?” Then she hears two sets of hoofsteps coming towards her door and then it opens to reveal Guyrin and a slightly larger yellow Pegasus pony.

They trot in and Marybelle sits up quickly and says to her, “Okay, who the hay are you, uh, wait I know you!”

The Pegasus smiles and says, “Um, hi. I’m Fluttershy…”

Marybelle’s eyes widen as she says, “You’re the Element of Kindness! How the hay do you know Guyrin?”

She smiles as she looks to her back left at the batpony and says, “Well he’s friends with many of the batponies on Luna’s fireworks team and he met me through them one day. He seemed really nice! Anyway, I met him in the market, and he said his marefriend was hurt.”

Marybelle frowns and says, “Well, I am technically his marefriend and I am in fact hurt… So, the little butthole didn’t lie!”

“Um, butthole? Hey, I brought some things!” Fluttershy nervously says as she trots in the room closer to Marybelle, who can now make out Guyrin just behind her and trotting over to her right after he shut the door with his forehoof.

“Uh, I call him butthole… It’s a long story! Anyway, er uh, what did you bring Fluttershy?”

“Oh um, I brought some bandages and medical supplies and I wanted to bring a treat for you as well but uh… Well, Guyrin here said you liked weird things, but the only thing I had was some cheesecake from my pantry. I hope that’s okay?”

Marybelle glares and frowns at the batpony, who can only shrug at her with an idiotic look on his face as she says, “Yes, thank you Fluttershy! Cheesecake is delicious!”

Guyrin can only shirk slightly and tilt his head to the left at Marybelle as he grins like an idiot.

Fluttershy says, “Okay um, I guess I should get started?” before getting on the sofa on the far side and then saying to Marybelle, “Would you please sit up uh, Marybelle right?”

“Ugh!” Marybelle says as she slowly slides to an upright position on the sofa and turns to the backwall so Fluttershy is behind her. Then she says, “Yes my name is Marybelle and I suppose I love a batpony now!”

“Oh dear!” Fluttershy exclaims before saying, “Now, he said it was the back of your neck? Does it hurt when I do this?” and then barely tapping the back of Marybelle’s neck.

“Ow! Uh, slightly Fluttershy!” Marybelle says as she suppresses a grimace.

“Oh well, it would probably be better if I wrapped it then. It’s just for a day Marybelle!” Fluttershy says before using her forehooves to open her left saddlebag and pulling out a roll of bandages with her mouth and setting it down on the sofa. Then she says, “Okay, please be still!” Before picking up the roll with her mouth and unraveling it with her forehooves. She bites off part of the bandages and then proceeds to use her forehooves to start wrapping Marybelle’s neck. She says, “Now just one layer should be fine Marybelle. Please tell me if this is too tight!” before finishing the wrapping.

Marybelle giggles a bit before saying, “Actually, you should probably have it be a little bit tighter Fluttershy!”

“Oh um, okay. Just tell me if it’s too tight!” Fluttershy says before pulling a bit on the bandages around Marybelle’s neck with her teeth.

“Youch! Okay! Too tight!” Marybelle gasps out.

Fluttershy quickly lets go of the bandage and yelps, “Oh um, I’m so sorry! I normally just do this for bunnies and badgers. I’m not used to a pony neck!”

Marybelle gasps for air as the bandage loosens and then says, “Okay well, here’s an idea! You just pull on it slowly and I’ll tell you when to stop!”

Fluttershy snickers and says, “Oh! Right!” before grasping the bandage in her teeth and slowly pulling on it.

Marybelle finally says, “Stop!”

Fluttershy stops tugging and then gets closer to Marybelle to use her right forehoof and teeth to tie the bandage up behind her neck. Then she gets back down to her hooves from the sofa, looks up at her, smiles, and says, “Okay Marybelle! That will help keep your neck aligned and so you’ll heal faster now! That’s a little trick I learned from my vet friend!”

“Well I gotta admit, this really isn’t so bad now that it’s not tight anymore!” Marybelle says as she feels the back of her neck with her left forehoof.

“Okay you just rest up Marybelle and I’ll go clean your house for you!” Fluttershy says before trotting towards the door.

Marybelle starts and says, “No really Fluttershy! You don’t have to do that!”

Fluttershy turns to her left to look back at her, frowns, and says, “Well um, wouldn’t you be doing that if you weren’t hurt Marybelle?”

Marybelle’s eyes widen as she abruptly realizes how absurd this notion is before saying, “Um, of course Fluttershy!” and then smiling back at the yellow Pegasus.

“Right! But since you’re hurt, I’ll go do a couple of things for you so it’s not so bad when you get started tomorrow!” Fluttershy says before trotting out of the room and gently shutting the door with her forehoof.

Guyrin smiles at Marybelle as she glares at him and says, “Great! Now the Element of Kindness thinks I’m a slob!”

Guyrin trots closer to the sofa and nuzzles Marybelle as he smiles at her.

Marybelle slowly grows less tense before saying, “Alright, I missed you too!” And then she lurches forward and kisses him softly on the lips.

Guyrin’s eyes widen as he feels her lips against his. He often wondered if the fangs on his face made a difference in how they felt. The little batpony could only move his face closer to Marybelle’s as he enjoyed this brief taste of his love and then pulls his head back to smile at her.

“You’re so sweet and kind to me? Why is that Guy?”

He scrawls out, “Luv U!” on his chalkboard.

Marybelle softly giggles to herself and says, “I know Guy… I love you too…”

“Anything wrong?” Guyrin’s chalkboard says.

“No, I don’t think so? It’s just weird having somepony there now to pick me back up when I fall down.”

Guyrin nuzzles Marybelle some more as she softly giggles at him. “I love you too Guy. Hey! You should go see if Fluttershy needs any help!”

Guyrin widens his eyes at that moment as he hadn’t considered that. He nods, kisses Marybelle one final time, and trots out the door before closing it behind him.

Marybelle is alone again and begins to think… Well, he’s determined to help her and make her life better? Could it be that he does love her? It sure seems that way, even though she didn’t believe she could be loved earlier. She squints her right eye when she starts to think that maybe she was wrong? She moved her right forehoof behind her neck again and felt the brace there with her hoof. She starts at the now slight ache there and begins to think about how he actually brought a friend over, just for her! And the Element of Kindness no less! All these thoughts circle the Pegasus mare’s mind as she drifts back to sleep, with her neck now feeling better.

Marybelle awakens to feel something warm behind her. She looks back and sees a little batpony snoozing there comfortably. She starts at her first thought, which is, “How dare he sleep in MY bed!” Then she begins to think on it… He does have to work tonight. Okay, so it makes sense that he get some rest this afternoon. She thinks about all he’s done for her and how now, here he is, sleeping in her bed! The bed that she alone should be sleeping in! She then looks over to see that her door is slightly ajar and there is a yellow Pegasus pony staring at her tentatively from behind it. She asks Fluttershy, “Can I help you?”

Fluttershy starts and softly says, “Oh! Um, I’m sorry. I uh, made lunch for you. Guyrin said you liked cabbage and mustard sandwiches and uh, I don’t think I can make a smoothie?”

Marybelle smiles and says lowly, “Juice is fine Fluttershy!” before carefully getting off the bed so she doesn’t disturb the batpony and trotting over to the door and Fluttershy.

She trots outside next to Fluttershy and quietly shuts the door with her forehoof as she looks back and then turns to the rest of the foyer before trotting towards her kitchen area. Fluttershy sees this and follows her.

Fluttershy says, “Go sit down at the table Marybelle! Your sandwich is already there for you!” before trotting over to Marybelle’s fridge.

“Alright Fluttershy! Uh, thank you very much!” Marybelle says as she looks at the table, sees her sandwich on the right, and sits down in front of it.

Fluttershy soon trots over to the table and drops a glass of berry juice next to her sandwich from her snout before saying, “No problem!” and she then moves over to the other side and quietly scoots to the opposite end of the table. She then asks, “So, how long have you been seeing my little Guyrin?”

Marybelle looks at her sandwich and says, “Oh, about three days now. Uh, what has he told you?”

“Oh, nothing but good things Marybelle!” She smiles and continues, “He said your sweet, kind, loving, and um, well…”

Marybelle then looks carefully at the Pegasus as she asks, “And what else?”

“Um, it’s way too personal! So, what do you think of the weather we’ve been having?”

Marybelle’s eyes turn to daggers as she then slowly and lowly asks the yellow Pegasus once more, “What has the butthole been saying about me?”

Fluttershy looks at Marybelle and sighs before she says, “Um, well, he said you were afraid of him?”

Marybelle’s eyes widen as she yelps out, “WHAT?”

Fluttershy flinches before regaining her composure, looking back, and saying, “Well, he said you were hurt and um, that you needed some more time to uh, accept his love?”

Marybelle looks down at the table and sighs before saying, “Yeah I uh, don’t like to talk about it…”

“Well why not? You know, if you’re hurt or something is bothering you, you really need an outlet? A way to get it out!”

“Well, it’s just that, that makes me look weak you know. I’m supposed to be strong! I’m a fighter after all! And well, I guess fighting and training wasn’t enough?”

Fluttershy smiles as she puts her right forehoof onto Marybelle’s left and says, “Well, maybe that’s not what you really need Marybelle? I mean, it’s gotta go somewhere right?”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right? Hey, why are you talking to me about this anyway? Why are you so interested in Guyrin?”

“Well, ever since his father died, he’s been very lonely, and I worry about him sometimes. But he really seems to like you!”

“Yeah, and I don’t know why!”

Fluttershy looks deep into Marybelle’s eyes as she says, “Sometimes, you don’t need to understand things Marybelle. Sometimes, you just have to allow yourself to be loved… You think you deserve love, right Marybelle?”

Marybelle looks down and says, “Um, I think so?”

Fluttershy’s eyes widen as she leans in and says, “What do you mean? I think everypony deserves love and happiness, right?”

Marybelle can only start at this as she says, “L-love?”

“Well yes Marybelle! Don’t you want love?”

“Um, I guess?”

Fluttershy tries to stay composed as she continues, “You guess? Marybelle, don’t you want somepony to be there for you? Somepony to love you and care for you? I mean, isn’t that important to you?”

Marybelle looks back at Fluttershy as she finally says, “Look! I’m just not sure if it’s really for me okay? A lot of things have happened, and I just don’t know why anypony would want to love me?”

Fluttershy smiles and replies, “You don’t need to remember?”

Marybelle grimaces as she says, “Yeah I guess that’s true?”

Fluttershy softly giggles with her hoof still on Marybelle’s as she says, “You won’t know until you allow him to love you Marybelle. I mean, calling him “butthole” is cute, but it also says something about your feelings.”

Marybelle grimaces even harder as she says, “And that’s exactly why I don’t talk about this stuff!”

Just then, Marybelle notices a batpony with a disheveled mane trotting out of her door. She looks at him, frowns, and yells back, “What are you doing awake? You need your rest! Go to bed butthole!” *

He trots forward and takes the chalkboard off his back and scrawls out, “U OK?”

Marybelle squints at this in the distance and says, “Yeah I’m fine! Fluttershy is here! Get some rest! Now!”

Guyrin looks at Marybelle with a shocked expression on his face, before regaining composure, nodding, and then trotting back to Marybelle’s room.

“And don’t take up the whole bed either!” as Fluttershy watches this and softly giggles with her right forehoof over her mouth.

Fluttershy looks back at Marybelle and says, “You do care about him!”

Marybelle looks at Fluttershy with stern eyes and says, “Well, he works tonight, and he needs to rest now! I uh…” she scowls once more and says, “I guess so? And it pisses me off!”

Fluttershy frowns and asks, “Well, why is that?”

“Because this wasn’t supposed to happen! I’m supposed to be alone! I’m supposed to be strong Ugh! Why do I need love?”

Fluttershy smiles again as she looks deep into Marybelle’s own purple eyes with her big green pupils and says, “Everypony needs love Marybelle! And well, love is something you don’t plan for. It kind of, just happens!” And her voice grows higher as she continues, “And now you care about him!”

Marybelle frowns and asks, “Tell me again why I don’t just beat up both of you and kick you out of my house?”

Fluttershy smiles even more brightly when she says, “Because you’re a kind and gentle soul who needs love, affection, and companionship?”

Marybelle sits quietly for a few seconds before finally saying, “So, maybe I’m not so strong after all?”

Fluttershy starts and says, “Marybelle! You’ll always be a warrior! Needing love doesn’t take away from your ability to fight!”

Marybelle curves her mouth and squints her right eye once more as she says, “Okay so uh, keep fighting and battle for the ring and just be happy and make nice nice outside of it?” before smiling at Fluttershy dimly.

Fluttershy giggles softly again and says, “Sounds like a plan Marybelle! Hey! You haven’t touched your sandwich yet!”

Marybelle then looks down at the lone cabbage and tomato sandwich and says, “You added tomatoes!” before picking it up with her forehooves and taking a big bite.

“Yeah um, I noticed you had tomatoes, so I added them to the sandwich. I hope that’s okay?”

Marybelle finishes the bite in her mouth and swallows before smiling and saying, “That’s fine Fluttershy! Sometimes I add tomatoes! I mean, that’s why I had him grab them earlier!”

Fluttershy smiles and says, “Oh good! Now you just finish up your sandwich Marybelle! I need to finish mopping your kitchen now. Just take your glass of berry juice to the living room and wait for me there! Um, I saw magazines there. Is that all you need?”

Marybelle’s eyes widen when she remembers that Fluttershy is cleaning her house for her and she says, “Uh, that’s fine Fluttershy! I mean, a hurt neck shouldn’t keep me from getting anything I want right?”

“Well, probably not? But if you need ANYTHING Marybelle, you just let me know!” Fluttershy says before smiling and trotting out towards the kitchen area.

“Ugh! I’m not used to this! Usually, I’m alone!” Marybelle exclaims before eating her sandwich some more.

She finishes and looks to the kitchen. She sees Fluttershy is there now, surrounded by chirping birds as she cheerfully floats with her wings and cleans up the floor with the mop in her forehooves. Thinking she doesn’t want to disturb the other Pegasus, she then trots over to her couch in the living area. She sits on the couch and opens one of her magazines with her forehooves. In the latest issue of Equestrian Fighter, she finds an interesting article on zebra hoof-to-hoof fighting techniques and proceeds to read it.

Some more time passes, when finally, Marybelle notices Fluttershy closing her closet to put up the mop and bucket before trotting out into the living area. She cheerfully says, “Okay Marybelle! I swept and mopped your kitchen floor and did the dishes! Now it shouldn’t be too bad when you get started tomorrow!” and proceeds to trot over to the couch and sit there next to Marybelle. “Um, I hope helping you is okay?”

Marybelle’s eyes widen as she then says, “Of course! Helping is good! I like help!”

Fluttershy smiles and says, “Okay, good! Guyrin should be waking up for his work in a few more hours now. So um, what did you want to do?”

“Well, I’m not sure Fluttershy? Usually, I’m training, but my neck is hurt and well, you’re here now. Uh, what would you like to do Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy smiles and says, “Well, it’s a nice autumn afternoon and I did want to take a nature walk today? But you’re hurt and probably shouldn’t do that…”

Marybelle grimaces at Fluttershy and says, “Well I could go on a walk with you or talk some more uh, yes Fluttershy! Let’s go on a nature walk!”

“Well, you live on the outskirts of town here on the East side? I know there’s a small forest to the South and um, we can go as slow as you need to and you let me know if you need to go back home okay?”

Marybelle smiles and says, “I’m sure I can handle a little walk in the woods Fluttershy!”

Fluttershy says, “Well um, okay! As long as you’re sure Marybelle… Let’s go on a nature walk!”

(To be continued…)

Author's Note

*I actually say something very similar to my own special somepony! “Go to bed butthole! You need some rest!” Butthole or no, I guess I do care about him huh?