Butterflies

Chapter 2

Twilight backed up, banging her flank into the large bookshelf that covered the wall. Her breathing was labored. Her mind was racing at a thousand thoughts a minute. She felt trapped. Her eyes scanned her familiar home frantically, looking for an escape. She didn't see one.

Rarity stepped forward slowly, genuine concern in her eyes.

"Twilight, are you okay?"

Rarity's words may as well have been whispered. Twilight couldn't hear anything she was saying. Twilight continued to breathe heavily. At this rate she was going to hyperventilate. Her entire body was shaking. Her skin was clammy under her mane. She felt like her legs would collapse under her weight.

Rarity was within hoof's reach now and she slowly reached out to try and calm her dear friend. "Twilight...sweetie..." Rarity said in her most soothing voice. "It's me...it's Rarity. I just want to help you." Her hoof was mere inches from Twilight's mane. Rarity took another small step forward.

Twilight began to cringe against her bookcase. She began to bend her back legs and slowly began sinking to the floor, desperate to separate herself from Rarity. "No...please..." she whimpered. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes. She was half-lying, half-sitting on a large chair in her living room, her head on the hoofrest. She blinked a few times, trying to get rid of her grogginess. She sat up, noticing she was sweating. A blue book with gold lettering was laying on the floor at the foot of the chair. 'I guess I fell asleep', she reasoned. Looking out her window, she saw it was sunset. 'I must have slept for an hour or two, at least.' She levitated the book up to eye level and read the cover. 'Butterflies, by Calvin Hoofson', she read to herself. "Did this book make me have that dream?" she wondered aloud to herself.

Twilight hopped out of the chair and stretched her muscles out. She looked over at the pedestal and saw the list of tasks Princess Celestia had sent her last week. She levitated the book back into its spot on the bookshelf as she walked over to the list and began to read off the items aloud.

"One. Get a proper dress for the banquet in three weeks time. Ask Rarity for help and suggestions." Twilight paused for a few seconds, deep in thought. 'Princess Celestia is incredibly brilliant. I guess I would have asked Rarity anyway, but...' Twilight shook her head. She was really grasping to think Princess Celestia could foresee what happened yesterday. Twilight read on.

"Two. Create a potion of monster calming using apples, luminous root, pure cow's milk, and tanglefoot vine. The details are in the book 'How to Use Alchemy to Avoid Getting Your Flank Bitten Clean Off by the Nasties, Uglies, and Scaries', by Scarlet Horn." She paused. "What a ridiculously long title", Twilight mused. "The Apples and Milk are easy enough to get from Applejack, but the luminous root and tanglefoot vine are both in the Everfree Forest." She considered that situation for a few minutes before deciding she would figure out how to deal with it tomorrow.

Twilight decided her day had been interesting enough without delving into that book again. She did a little cleaning around her house, studied up on the potion in question, including the two ingredients she didn't know that much about, and was in bed by 11.

The next morning, Twilight was flipping through Scarlet Horn's book for information on where the luminous root and tanglefoot vine could be found in the forest. At the same time, she decided to ask Fluttershy for help in the forest. Between Twilight's knowledge and magic, and Fluttershy's ability with animals, there shouldn't be anything they can't handle in the forest. She took her satchel with her and placed the book inside to use as a reference. She then set off for Fluttershy's house.

Reaching her house on the edge of the forest, she saw Fluttershy outside, feeding the various animals she's taken in. She hadn't noticed Twilight yet as she walked up the path; in an attempt to not disturb her, Twilight waited for Fluttershy's animals to finish their meal.

"Very good, you all ate most of your meal! I'm very proud of all of you." She looked up and noticed Twilight waiting for her. They smiled at each other before she addressed the animals again. "Now, run along to your homes again, okay everyone?" she said in her usual quiet voice. The various forest creatures squeaked, squawked, and chirped their approval before heading off in several directions. Twilight approached her dear friend.

"Good morning Fluttershy!"

"Good morning Twilight. It's been a long time since you visited my house."

"Well, you usually meet me in town when we see each other. But this time I needed to ask you a favor."

"Of course, Twilight. Whatever you want."

Twilight explained her situation and why she wanted Fluttershy's help. She mentioned that she could control most forest creatures they came across. She didn't mention that she wanted Fluttershy's opinion on a personal matter as well.

Fluttershy grabbed her own satchel and packed enough food and water for the two of them before they left her house.

The Everfree Forest was a little intimidating, as it always was, but these two ponies had faced loads of danger before in the past, so they weren't scared, but were a little cautious. Twilight was talking Fluttershy's ear off the entire time, mentioning facts about the forest, her potion, its ingredients, where it was first made, and why Celestia asked for that particular potion.

After about an hour of trekking through the woods, they had found both the luminous root and tanglefoot vine. They began their trip back out of the forest, Twilight on foot and Fluttershy flying alongside. Though she was nervous to do so, Twilight broached the subject that had been on her mind for almost an entire day now.

"Hey Fluttershy, can I ask you a personal question?" Twilight nervously looked at her friend as she asked. Fluttershy simply nodded. Twilight took a deep breath before continuing.

"I, um...wanted to, er...ask you about...relationships." Twilight's discomfort was obvious. As soon as she finished her thought, Fluttershy stopped moving forward and lowered herself to the ground. Twilight walked forward a few more steps before stopping and looking behind her.

"Relationships? You mean...being more than just friends with somepony?" Fluttershy blushed as she confirmed Twilight's line of thought.

Suddenly, Twilight wasn't sure if she wanted to be honest. This was Fluttershy - she had never so much as looked at a stallion before. How much could she really know about these kinds of relationships? 'Then again', Twilight thought as the cogs in her brain began to turn, 'if she's never looked at a stallion...maybe she's looked at a mare.' It was a long shot, but Twilight decided to go for it.

"Yeah, you know. Being stallion-friend and mare-friend with somepony. I mean, I know you've never been with anypony, but I wanted to know if you ever thought of anyone in that way." Twilight was surprisingly calm inside, now that she was in the conversation. She and Fluttershy were good friends. They can talk about this kind of stuff together.

Fluttershy blushed even more as she walked up next to Twilight again, her eyes averted from Twilight's. "I...Well I've...been with somepony before..." Fluttershy was nervous talking about it, but she wasn't uncomfortable because it was Twilight - her shy nature simply made her this way.

Twilight was genuinely surprised as Fluttershy's response. She had never known Fluttershy to have feelings for another. "Oh, you mean you were in a relationship? You two must have wanted to keep it quiet."

If you only looked at her cheeks, you would think Fluttershy's natural color was the same as Pinkie Pie's. Fluttershy summoned up her courage before continuing. "No...that's not what I meant." Twilight tilted her head, curious about Fluttershy's "relationship". She waited patiently for an explanation.

"I...I've been with somepony, but I don't have feelings for that pony." Fluttershy looked at Twilight's face to see if she understood.

Twilight nearly gasped as realization hit her. Fluttershy wasn't a virgin.