Author's Note
This is set between Rainbow Rocks and Friendship Games (i.e. no SciTwi). This is also basically Ch.1 of the previous iteration redone, so to returning readers it'll sound familiar. But it's purely Fluttershy's PoV.
Hope you enjoy!
1. A Fateful Encounter
“Alright, this should be the last poster,” Sunset said.
I nodded, handing Sunset the last poster advertising the Fall Formal. We made great time hanging these posters up all over the school, finishing with a few minutes to spare before band practice. What a lovely way to spend my Friday after school.
“Thanks for your help, Fluttershy,” Sunset said.
“Sure!” I said. “I’m happy to lend a hand.”
“That’s gonna be a busy week,” Sunset said. “The Musical Showcase and the Formal?”
“It’ll be busy, but fun too,” I said.
“Oh, I’m excited,” Sunset said. “It’ll be chaos, but fun chaos. You excited too?”
“Of course,” I said. “The formal’s a wonderful excuse to dress up and spend quality time with my friends.”
“Hmm... just your friends?” Sunset asked.
She was giving me a weird look, as if I should know something.
“Um... is there something wrong with that?” I asked.
“No, not at all,” Sunset said. “I was just wondering... if you have your eyes on anyone.”
“Hmm?” I asked. “What do you mean?”
“Y’know... a guy?” Sunset said with a grin. “A date?”
My face felt warm.
“Oh! Oh my... um... I haven’t even thought about that,” I said. “Am I supposed to want that?”
“Not necessarily,” Sunset said. “Just curious if any guy’s caught your attention.” Sunset said. “It’s okay if not. I’m not particularly interested in a date either. I’m just looking forward to hanging out with my friends.
I smiled. “Me too.”
“But y’know something, I’m willing to bet there’s at least several guys in the school who are dying to ask you out,” Sunset said.
My face flushed even more.
“Me?” I said. “Oh no, that can’t be true.”
“What makes you say that?” Sunset asked. “You’re the sweetest girl in the whole school, not to mention drop-dead gorgeous.”
I started playing with my hair. One of my many nervous habits.
“Well, thank you, but... I don’t know,” I said. “I guess I haven’t thought about being in a relationship. Nobody’s really stood out to me.”
“Waiting for the right one to come along, huh?” Sunset said.
I smiled. “Yeah, you could say that. I feel like when he comes around, he’ll jump right out at me like an excited puppy.”
Sunset giggled. “I hope you don’t mean literally.”
I giggled too. “Of course not. That would be a little weird. But do you know what I mean? If I’m going to go to the Formal with a guy, I’d want him to be special. When I meet him, my heart will know.”
Sunset smirked. “Who knew Fluttershy had such high standards?”
I blushed. “I just don’t want it to be a one-night thing, y’know? Or be someone mean...”
“Only teasing you. Nothing wrong with being picky,” Sunset said. “I think the right guy will have no problem asking you out. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the one to ask him out.”
Sunset winked, and my heart felt like a candle being blown out.
“Oh gosh... I-I can’t even imagine...” I cooed. I can barely work up the nerve to raise my hand in class, much less ask someone out.
“You can be pretty bold, Fluttershy,” Sunset said. “I wouldn’t doubt it.”
I giggled. “Aw, thank you. To be honest, I’m surprised nobody has asked you out, Sunset.”
Sunset shrugged. “Eh, not really interested in a relationship.”
“What about Flash?” I asked.
“Maybe...” Sunset said. “I don’t know. I feel like he hasn’t quite forgiven me for... y’know... using him for popularity. But I don’t mind being single as long as I have amazing friends like you.”
I couldn’t help but smile. That’s exactly how I feel.
“C’mon, let’s head back to the band room—”
BAM!!!
“ACK!!!”
Sunset and I flinched, hearing what sounded like something—or someone—being slammed against the lockers around the corner.
“You preppies are all talk,” a big voice said.
BAM!!!
“Not so tough in an actual fight, huh?” the big voice said.
“I-I never did anything...” a quieter voice whimpered, followed by some sniffles.
Sunset and I inched closer to the corner to listen in.
“Ha! You gonna cry?” the bigger voice said.
I heard the bigger voice grunt, immediately followed by the quieter voice yelping. It sounded like... the bigger voice was punching the quieter voice.
“You gonna cry? You gonna cry like a little bitch?!” the bigger voice yelled, punching relentlessly. The quieter voice changed from pained grunts to pained grunts with crying. Then it sounded like the victim was thrown on the floor, and the pained grunting continued. Was he being kicked now?
Oh gosh... what’s happening? And what are we doing just standing here?!
“Sunset!” I whispered. “We have to do something!”
“Shh, I have an idea,” Sunset said, pulling out her phone and bringing up her camera.
Unfortunately, just as we were getting ready to turn the corner, the beating stopped.
“Punkass shadowbolt,” the bigger voice said, quickly followed by footsteps getting closer.
“Pretend like you didn’t notice!” Sunset whispered, looking down at her phone and pretending to text despite the camera still being open. I took my phone out as well, acting like I was doing anything. I briefly looked up to see a big jock coming from around the corner with a grin on his face. In the dead silence of the hall, I could hear his victim coughing and crying. Then he had the audacity to wink at me.
That... meanie! I could feel my blood boiling as he walked away, hearing all the sniffling and crying from around the corner. I wanted so badly to get in his face and tell him off, but I managed to hold myself back. He’s not who’s important, right now.
Once he was out of sight, Sunset and I sighed in relief.
“I think I got a picture,” Sunset said. “I’ll see if Rainbow knows who he is.”
“We should go help whoever he just beat up,” I said.
“Right. C’mon,” Sunset said. I followed Sunset around the corner, and my heart was ripped in half to see a guy curled up with his knees held close in the corner, shivering and crying, surrounded by fallen textbooks and loose paper. He wore all black: a hoodie with the hood concealing his face, black sweatpants, and black shoes. The only visible part of his body was his pastel white hands. His build was rather scrawny—no match for the jock who jumped in.
Wait... is he whispering to himself?
“What did I do... I should just... kill myself...”
Goodness... there’s such pain in his voice. It’s making my heart ache. I almost wanna cry myself.
Sunset cautiously approached him. “Hey, are you—?”
“GAH!!!” he screamed, scrambling back and pinning himself against the lockers, visibly shaking. “Wh-What do you want with me?!”
It was hard to see his eyes, but I could see his bloody nose and red, irritated cheeks.
“Whoa,” Sunset cooed. “We’re not gonna hurt you.”
“Bullshit!” he yelled. “Nobody talks to me unless I’m about to get jumped. Just get it over with! You won’t see me after today, I swear!”
Sunset looked at me, mirroring the face of horror I had. He didn’t seem just scared. He seemed traumatized.
“Well?!” he shouted.
“Hey, I said we’re not gonna hurt you,” Sunset said. “Wait a sec...”
“What?” he beckoned.
Sunset studied him for a moment.
“I think I know you,” Sunset said. “Yeah, you’re the new guy! I’m Sunset Shimmer, remember? I showed you around school a week ago on your first day.”
He seemed to relax a little, but still looked very defensive.
“Y-Yeah... I remember,” he said in a much softer voice. “You remember me?”
“Of course, I do,” Sunset said. “Coppermane, right?”
He defensive posture almost completely melted away upon hearing his name. And what a cute name, too. Coppermane. Such a nice ring to it.
“Yeah,” he murmured.
“C’mon, lemme help you up,” Sunset said. She held out her hand, to which Coppermane hesitated initially. “We’re not gonna hurt you.” After another moment of silence, he cautiously took Sunset’s hand, standing up with her help. Even when he stood, he was slightly hunched and held himself in his arms. It was still hard to see his eyes with his hood draped over his head.
He was a little taller than I expected, too. Slightly taller than Sunset and I.
“There we go,” Sunset said.
“Th-Thanks,” he said. “Um... sorry for lashing out.”
“It’s okay. We did kinda take you by surprise,” Sunset said. “Oh, by the way, this is my friend Fluttershy.”
I felt my cheeks redden. This always happens when I meet someone new, though not as paralyzing as introducing myself.
“Hi. Nice to meet you,” I said, trying to offer a smile.
“H-Hi,” he said, almost inaudibly. And he never smiled, even turning away from me.
...is he scared of me? Coppermane... you don’t have to be so frightened...
“Are all these papers and books yours?” Sunset asked, to which Coppermane nodded. “Let’s help him, Fluttershy.”
“Y-You don’t have to,” Coppermane said.
“I insist,” Sunset said. “We can’t just leave you behind, right?”
“Um... o-okay,” he said softly. “Th-Thanks.”
Sunset smiled and gestured for me to help, which I gladly did. Anything to brighten this poor guy’s day, even just a little bit. Coppermane started picking his things up too.
As he leaned down, he sniffled, wiping his nose with his arm. I gasped when a streak of blood appeared on his hand.
“Oh, you poor thing,” I said, going over to him.
“Um... s-sorry...” he cooed, trying to wipe it away.
“Wait just a moment,” I said, rushing to the restroom and grabbing some paper towels. I came back and gave them to him.
“Oh... th-thanks,” he stammered, accepting them. He blew his nose, clearing it of a big glob of blood and mucus. Gross. He blotted his nose further with the dry parts before tossing them in the nearby trash can. Then... he just sat there, staring down at the ground. He was completely silent. What an awful sight. It reminded me of some of the abused puppies at the shelter when they first arrived—scared of everything and everyone. But just like those puppies, I think what he needs is a little care.
“Where did that mean jock hit you?” I asked.
He pursed his lips. “Everywhere. He threw me against the locker, punched my face, threw me to the ground and kicked my stomach...”
“Oh no... how awful,” I cooed.
He shook his head. “It’s... no big deal.”
“Coppermane, it’s a huge deal,” I said. “You said he hit you in the face? Do you... um... mind putting your hood down for a closer look?”
He looked hesitant.
“Wh-What if other jocks see me?” he asked.
“Don’t worry. I’ll try to be fast,” I said.
I know he seems shy, and I do want to see how badly he’s hurt, but part of me just want to see what he looks like. He took a deep breath, grasping his hood and slowly putting it down.
Then he looked at me... and time froze. I froze. Nothing moved. The only sound I heard was my heartbeat, and all I could do was stare at Coppermane in awe... as he stared back at me.
He’s so... handsome. Who knew his hood was hiding so much? A shame too. His skin was a gorgeous pearly white, and as flawless as a blanket of snow. His hair was a luxurious auburn, adorned with red highlights... like copper. Not too long, but just long enough to be parted to the right, looking adorably messy and soft. And his eyes... goodness... the most beautiful brown eyes I’ve ever seen. So gentle... so warm... they reminded me of hot chocolate. My body even felt warm, as if I was drinking hot chocolate next to a fireplace on a bitter cold day.
I don’t think I’ve seen a more gorgeous face in my life.
Gosh... he’s hasn’t stopped looking at me. My face feels so hot. My heart’s beating so fast. What’s this weird feeling inside me? I feel like... I’m floating.
Wait a minute... is he blushing too?
“Fluttershy? You okay?”
I flinched, hearing Sunset’s voice and bringing the outside world crashing back to me.
“Huh? Oh! Um... o-of course!” I said. “I-I was just... um... seeing how badly he was hurt.”
I took a moment to gather myself again. It’s like I was hypnotized. I looked back at Coppermane, making eye contact again. I reflexively looked away, hiding my face behind my hair, slowly looking back to see Coppermane perfectly mirroring me. It was actually really cute. I couldn’t help but smile. At the same time, my cheeks felt like they were burning. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I was about to do.
“Um... here... y-your eye is a little red,” I said, carefully lifting my hand. My heart felt like it was about to punch out of my chest as my hand got closer. When I touched area under his eye, he winced, and I immediately pulled back. “Oh, sorry!”
His cheeks were bright red.
“No, it’s fine,” he said. “It’s a little sensitive still. I... um... got punched pretty hard.”
The poor thing...
“Aw... I’m sorry. I-I'll be more careful,” I said.
C’mon, Fluttershy. You can do this. He’s just a guy, right? A shy... cute... unbelievably handsome guy...
I carefully reached my trembling hand back out to examine his eye. I felt warmth wash over my heart when I felt his skin. It was as soft as it looked, and as close as I was to him, I could smell... mint? It gave me chills.
“Um... I-I think it might blacken, but nothing more than that,” I said, begrudgingly bringing my hand away. “You should get some ice for it when you get home.”
He sighed, giving me a nod. “Th-Thanks.”
I blushed when he looked up at me, playing with my hair. I can’t get over how big his eyes are.
“So... I gathered all your stuff, Coppermane,” Sunset said.
“Oh, thanks,” Coppermane said, standing up and accepting his things from Sunset.
Oh no, I made Sunset do all the work. Oops. I guess I got too... distracted.
“I’m sorry this happened to you, Coppermane,” Sunset said.
“It’s not your fault,” Coppermane said. “I-I should be used to it by now.”
“Used to it?” Sunset asked. “You mean... this has happened before?”
Coppermane nodded. “It’s been going on all week. The jocks found out I’m from Crystal Prep and... well... they really hate Crystal Prep students... and me.”
“You poor thing...” I said, feeling my heart rip. How could anyone be so awful? He seems like such a nice guy.
Coppermane immediately blushed when I spoke, which made me smile. He seems nice, and is extremely cute too.
“Well, I won’t stand for it,” Sunset said. “I happen to be best friends with Rainbow Dash, the captain of all the sports teams. I also managed to get a picture of the culprit.”
“Y-You don’t have to get involved,” Coppermane said.
“No no, this isn’t something you should have to ‘get used to’,” Sunset said. “I feel so bad after telling you how great it is here. I’ll talk to Rainbow Dash and see what’s going on.”
Coppermane looked hesitant still, but eventually offered a nod.
“O-Okay. Thanks,” Coppermane said.
“Of course,” Sunset said. Suddenly her phone buzzed. She checked it and gasped. “Oh shoot, we’re late for band practice! Sorry, Coppermane, but we gotta go.”
“Oh...” Coppermane murmured. “Okay. Um... thanks for helping me.”
“Anytime,” Sunset said. “Let me know if those jocks give you more trouble and I’ll see if I can pull some strings.”
“Y-You can ask me too!” I said.
Sunset and Coppermane both looked at me, making me recoil. Even I didn’t expect that from me.
“I mean... o-only if you want to...” I said. “But I’ll help in any way I can.”
And then... the most amazing thing happened. He smiled. It wasn’t big—hardly a smirk—but still just as beautiful... and cute. There’s a little hint of happiness under that sadness after all.
“Thanks,” he said.
I stifled a squeak, offering a smile in return.
“C’mon, Fluttershy. Let’s get going,” Sunset said. “Have a good weekend, Coppermane.”
I couldn’t stop myself from taking one more glance at his handsome face before turning around to join Sunset around the corner.
“Wait!”
“Oh!” I squeaked, feeling something tap my shoulder. I turned around, immediately feeling my face heat up when I saw Coppermane. I couldn’t stop myself from smiling too.
I guess I’m getting more than a glance, but I’m more than fine with that.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Uh... it’s Fluttershy, right?” Coppermane asked.
I giggled, hold my hair close to my face. I guess I’m trying to hide my cheeks. They must be as red as Coppermane’s. Hearing him say my name... was breathtaking.
“Y-Yes, it is,” I cooed. “And... y-you’re Coppermane, right?”
“Heh... yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
How does he keep getting cuter?
“Fluttershy? You coming?” Sunset called.
“Oh, yes! Just a moment!” I replied. “I-I’m sorry, Coppermane. I have to go.”
“Right. Sorry to keep you,” Coppermane said. “Um... bye.”
“Goodbye,” I said, joining Sunset around the corner, but not before taking one final glance at Coppermane.
Now that he was out of sight, my heart could relax. But he definitely wasn’t out of my mind.
“Hey, Fluttershy,” Sunset said.
“Yes?” I said.
Sunset smirked. “What happened back there with Coppermane, hmm?”
My words got caught in my throat.
“Um... I-I was just... checking up on him,” I said. “Seeing how badly he was hurt.”
“Hmm... are you sure?” she asked. “What about just now?”
I pursed my lips, habitually playing with my hair.
“He just... wanted to make sure he got my name right,”
Sunset studied me for a moment. Just when I thought my heart could rest...
“...alright,” Sunset said, still smirking. “I think there might’ve been a little more to it, though.”
“Wh-What do you mean?” I asked.
Sunset giggled as we arrived at the practice room. “I think you know. C’mon, let’s get inside for practice.”
“Oh...” I said. “O-Okay.”
I blushed when Sunset gave me a wink. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I do know... because I can’t stop thinking about Coppermane... and what's going on in that handsome head of his.
