Author's Note

Please Read Author's Note

Before anyone reads this, I would like to make a couple of things known about this story and the things that will be seen in it. First off, it is a revival of an old version that I did not feel satisfied with and decided to redo from the ground up. It is at least three years in the making after it was first made in 2019 but was delayed due to some setbacks. A few things in this version are the same while still being vastly different and I can clarify it for anyone who is interested. I won't reveal too much though, as I want to avoid spoiling too many things in this little mini-clopfic series.

One more thing I would like to point out is that this series is more or less connected to a major project that I am working on behind the scenes. Some characters will be recognized, others won't be recognizable, and there will be mentions of unknown events too. All will be clarified in the series that will be coming back in later years. Along with any potential others as this series continues down the line to the fifth and final story.

Offers Of Shyness

Cool winter wind blew through the coolness of the afternoon air as it swept through the streets of Equestrian Empire's town of Ponyville. Snowflakes fell through the sky, their crystalline color gleaming in the orange light of the descending sun. Each continued their slow descent towards the ground, meeting either it or the white blanket of snow that was covering random parts of the streets. Mares and stallions - young and old - roamed in parts of the town, holding hooves or taking joy in each other’s company. Foals ran around energetically, laughing and squealing as they frolicked in the snow, some helping others with valuables they were handling. For the residents, everything was wonderful, with the excitement for celebrations right around the corner.

For one thestral stallion, it was anything but wonderful.

Nocturnus Yakōsei walked through the buildings and stores as the bustling activity flowed into his ears. His head hung low, the ebony locks of his mane obscuring his eyes like a curtain covering a window as he stared at the ground. With each step, the snow beneath his hooves crunched, leaving a hoofprint trail as his tail dragged behind him. Every few moments, the wind would blow his mane away from his eyes. Allowing anyone close by to see the blue irises - and the sadness swimming inside them.

‘What a day this was...’ Nocturnus thought solemnly as he looked up at the setting sun. ‘I can’t believe how the end of this day turned out to be. It had started off so well for me too. Ugh, why did things have to turn out this way?!’

Nocturnus's day started off as it usually did for a stallion of his age. After being woken up by the devil that was Epona’s sun, the young stallion pulled himself out of his bed to have breakfast with his family. Breakfast in the form of fruits nectar and lots of meat that was sure to have other ponies shivering with queasiness. Once their family bonding was over, Nocturnus faced the day in the form of reading, wilderness exploring, and hanging out with friends well into dusk. With the arrival of nightfall, the stallion returned home to spend the night with his precious flock. Except they already had plans of their own that did not involve the youngest member in any way, shape, or form.

Before he had the chance to feel sad, Nocturnus’s mother - Lilith - presented him with tickets to one of the faraway lands outside of Equestria. From what the mare told him, the kingdom in the west was holding a festival, and anyone with tickets to it would be able to go and celebrate in its festivities. Something she had taken the time to surprise Nocturnus with while he was out and about. From what his father - Tenryu - mentioned, Lilith was only able to get two, so Nocturnus would only be able to take one other pony with him on the trip.

Despite the lack of friends that he’d be able to take, Nocturnus’s excitement was not dampened in the slightest. He spent the next twenty seconds hugging his parents to the point of choking them before his sister - Miyako - ended it. Without wasting another minute, Nocturnus flew out the front door to find someone to go with him to spend the night outside of Ponyville. It was around this time that Nocturnus hit a major roadblock. Being that no one wanted to go with him on the nighttime trip. Each time he asked one of the residents, he was met with the same response. By the afternoon’s end, Nocturnus was rejected by everypony he asked, leaving him with very few options left. All of which led to where he was now. Sad and alone and feeling downer than garbage thrown in a giant dump.

‘Nyx's gleaming fangs! I can’t believe nopony wanted to go with me to the Pink Moon Festival tonight! I guess not everyone is up for traveling to a land where folklore and myth are actually real.’ Nocturnus thought, lightly kicking the snow as he let out a huff of disappointment. ‘The only ones I haven’t asked are the other Cutie Mark Crusaders, but they might have plans to. It still can’t hurt to ask them if they want to go for a night out with me right? I just hope they won’t be as harsh with their rejections. Or as crazy.’

In the midst of his thinking, Nocturnus failed to notice the shadow of a pony coming up to envelop his own. By the time he did, they were already running into each other, falling on their rumps in the snow. Nocturnus let out a hiss as he rubbed his forehead from the collision, silently berating himself for not looking where he was going. He looked up to apologize, only to let out a gasp when he saw just who he collided with.

“F-Fluttershy?!” Nocturnus cried, scrambling to his hooves as if his tail had suddenly caught aflame.

The aforementioned mare shook her head, snorting out the snow that had gotten in her nose from her collision with the stallion. Groaning softly, she lifted her head, using a buttermilk hoof to brush away the cherry blossom curtain that was her mane. When Fluttershy finally made out who was in front of her, she mumbled, “N… Nocturnus?”

“Crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! What have I done?!" Nocturnus moaned, pulling at both sides of his face. He immediately went to the mare’s aid, not yet taking notice of the gifts that were scattered around them. “I am so sorry Fluttershy! I wasn’t looking where I was going and had no idea you were in front of me! Are you okay?!”

“...Yes. I’m a bit stunned and hurt from the hit, but I’m alright,” Fluttershy replied, graciously taking Nocturnus’s outstretched hoof as she got to her own. “I’m sorry for not noticing you either. I wasn’t paying attention and I ended up hurting you. At least, I hope I didn’t hurt you. Did I hurt you?”

“You didn’t,” Nocturnus replied, deciding not to tell the pegasus of the agonizing ache currently pulsing through his head. “I didn’t really feel anything until I was on the ground. I’m pretty sure that it was a lot more painful for you though.”

“Yes… it was.” Fluttershy nodded, gently rubbing her own head before taking notice of the scrambled gifts. “Oh goodness! The gifts! I dropped them!”

“Gifts?” Nocturnus blinked before looking at the items Fluttershy had. "Shit... I’m sorry about that.”

“No, it’s my fault.” Fluttershy countered, using her wings and hooves to pick the presents up. “I was the one who was carrying them and should’ve looked where I was going. I didn’t and I ended up messing up the gifts that I had bought for the girls. If anypony is at fault here, it’s me. Not you. And even if it was, I still hold some responsibility for this.”

Nocturnus’s ears dropped slightly at the mare’s statement. In the twelve years that he had known Fluttershy, he came to see her as a pony who was very kind and gentle-hearted. So much so that it was on par with that of his own mother and many other thestral mares he met in his life. Added by the fact that she didn’t have a single mean bone in her body or any kind of violent streak whatsoever. It was some of the things that he respected about the mare. Besides her motherly nature and love for children, pony or otherwise. All of which helped him to form a very close bond with her since they were more or less similar in personality. One thing he had a hard time with about Fluttershy though, was that she often made things more of her fault than they actually were. And even if it was all on her, she was known for habitually making it a much bigger deal than it really was, which usually wasn’t that bad at all. It didn’t bother him that much, but it always broke his heart to see that side of her come out. Over the years, she got better at controlling it, but it still did flare up occasionally.

“That doesn’t change the fact that I was careless in what I was doing,” Nocturnus stated firmly, reaching down to pick up some of Fluttershy’s items. "I think it’s only fair that I try to make it up to you. Both for this and making you feel like you just made a head-on collision with a yak.”

“I think you might be exaggerating love,” Fluttershy said, hosting her gifts onto her back. “I appreciate the offer, but I already said it wasn’t your fault. If anything, I should take this as a reminder to watch where I’m walking or flying... and maybe to carry so many gifts at once.”

"Yeah. May wanna get a cart or something with those,” Nocturnus murmured, watching as a nearby pony pulling a cart passed by them at the same moment. “Why do you have so many with you anyway? Are you gonna host a Hearth’s Warming get-together or something?”

"Yes actually! But it's not just me,” Fluttershy replied with abeam. “Spike, Zephyrus, and the rest of us were feeling pretty stressed from the friendship lessons, adventures, and jobs we were doing. So, we decided to have a Hearth’s Warming Party at Miyako's house. It was your sister that proposed the idea since we didn’t have the chance to get together since the last Grand Galloping Gala.”

‘Huh... so that’s why sis looked so excited when I got back home today. No wonder she was doing some much cleaning around the house.’ Nocturnus thought, looking off to the side as he processed the information. “I see… you guys must have a big night planned if it’s only going to be the nine of you.”

“Mhm! And I have a feeling I’m going to be in for quite the night!” Fluttershy nodded, giggling like she was a filly being taken around a petting zoo. “What about you Nocturnus? Do you have any special plans for tonight?”

At this, Nocturnus frowned, his ears fully pinning behind his back as he stared down at the ground, his mane shadowing his eyes. Fluttershy automatically took notice of it, and her maternal side flared up within her.

“Nocturnus?” She asked, her voice gentle and motherly. “Is there something wrong, sweetheart?”

“N-no… well, yes.” Nocturnus lied at first before eventually coming clean. “The truth is, I do have plans tonight. But… they are more or less at a dead end. So to speak.”

“A dead end? What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked, her curiosity peaked.

Nocturnus looked at her hesitantly. “Do you want the long version or the short version?”

“Um… the… long version?” The mare replied, not sounding very sure as to which version she wanted to hear.

“Alright, long version it is,” Nocturnus replied. “After I had gotten home from chillaxing with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, I went home to spend the night with my sister and my parents. But I got there I was told they already had plans for the night that didn't include me. Miyako was planning to spend the night with you guys, while Mom and Dad were going to head over to the Lunar Bay Empire for some… quality time together.”

Fluttershy’s cheeks darkened, making them contrast with the rest of the yellow on her coat. Nodding bashfully, she awkwardly coughed into her hoof before tugging at her scarf to hide her reddened face. “…Go on.”

“Right. So, after they told me that, my Mom decided to lift my spirits up by telling me she had a special surprise for me,” Reaching into his grey stetson hat, Nocturnus pulled out two red tickets that had symbols of a pink moon on them. “These are tickets to the Pink Moon Festival that - from what my Mom told me - is being held tonight over at the Western Rosière Kingdom. She thought I would want to take a friend with me, so she tried to get me one more. This way, I wouldn't be alone for Hearth's Warming.”

“You're going to the Kingdom of Rosière?!” Fluttershy cried, her hooves flying to her mouth as if she had stumbled upon an incredibly cute animal. “Holy Wings of Epona, Nocturnus! That’s wonderful! You have the chance to go to a land where vampires are alive and living as a society!”

“I sure do. Pretty exciting if you’re anything like me,” Nocturnus nodded, giving his best smile that did very little to hide the sadness he was feeling. “I was really happy when I got them, and I couldn’t wait to take who I wanted over to the festival and celebrate it with me.” His smile then fell as his frown came back. “Except... I wasn't able to.”

Fluttershy’s own smile faltered. “Did nopony want to go with you?”

“If you count having doors being slammed in your face, being chased away with a wooden stake, and being called a simp for the “demon mistresses of the night” as no one wanting to go accompany me to the festival, then yes,” Nocturnus confirmed bluntly, his response making the older flyer flinch as if she had been stung by a bee. “Not one and I mean, not one pony wanted to go to Rosière. I even asked Sparkler, who’s like a decade older than me! And do you know what her response was?”

“That she couldn’t make the trip and thank you for asking her?” Fluttershy guessed, trying to imagine the meeting going as smoothly as possible. Something that Nocturnus crushed into dust with his next response.

“She said that if I ever made her set hoof in that place, she would rip out my fangs and shove them so far down my throat that I’ll be shitting nothing but pulp from my ass for a week,” The thestral replied, watching as Fluttershy recoiled violently. “She also told me she’d use my fangs to give me a thorough experience of being butt fucked. If you know what I mean.

A cold shiver went down Fluttershy’s spine. Yes, she knew exactly what Nocturnus meant. She knew all too well even if he didn’t emphasize what he was saying. In spite of that, it didn’t make her any less embarrassed to hear that a stallion she knew since he was a foal was rejected in such a manner. Even more so since it was by a certain mailmare’s daughter who was known for having a pottymouth. She made a mental note to talk with that mailmare about her eldest child’s language and how it wasn’t okay to speak such a way to someone like Nocturnus. Especially since he was the little brother of a mare who was her close friend and part of a species having powers that were considered supernatural.

“Y-yes, I do,” Fluttershy said as she gathered her bearings. “I’m sorry that happened to you Nocturnus. It must’ve been hard for you to be rejected so many times. Especially since it was from some you know when you were a colt.”

“It was. Some more than others,” Nocturnus nodded, sighing as he ran a hoof through his mane. “I haven’t completely thrown in the towel yet though. I was planning to ask Mokata and the other girls, but I’m guessing most of them already have plans for the night too. It still can’t hurt to ask, right?”

Fluttershy didn’t reply, her eyes moving away from Nocturnus’s as if there was a replica of her giving her the Solar Stare. He caught onto her change in demeanor instantly and fear gripped his heart like a falcon’s talons. Nocturnus knew then that the mare was hiding something and whatever it was, he was not going to like it.

“Don’t tell me… they have plans too?” He whispered, his face scrunching up in discomfort.

“…They do,” Fluttershy replied after an incredibly awkward period of saying nothing. “Apple Bloom is spending the holiday at Sweet Apple Acres with her Family. Sweetie Belle is going to Canterlot for a Hearth’s Warming Play, and Scootaloo... will be seeing a special Wonderbolts show over in Cloudsdale.”

A whimper left Nocturnus’s throat at the response he dreaded hearing. His eyes squeezed shut, trying to fight back the tears building up in them. With a slight crack in his wavering voice, he stammered, “So… you’re saying none of the other Crusaders will be able to go with me to the Pink Moon Festival?”

“Well, not all of them per se,” Fluttershy said quickly, trying to keep the thestral from feeling sadder than he already was. “Mokata doesn’t have anything big planned for tonight. I was planning on having her go with me to spend the evening with my parents while I had somepony else watch the cottage for tonight. I know it isn't what you wanted to hear, but…”

“Great… just fucking great!” Nocturnus cursed as he gave a stomp like he was a colt whose sandcastle got destroyed in front of him. “And here I was planning to ask my closest friends if they wanted to go to the place where every single myth and legend lived as one nation! Looks like I really did have my hopes up for nothing. Nyx dammit…!”

A solemn silence washed over the snow-covered holiday-lit streets, Nocturnus sobbing silently while Fluttershy looked on sympathetically. Out of all the foals she had met and grown to know over the years, Nocturnus was one of her favorites. She had plenty of other foals - now adults - who she loved and adored, but the thestral held a special place in her heart. Putting his heritage aside, Fluttershy admired Nocturnus for his sweetness, diligence, honesty, sense of humor, and big heart. It always hurt her to see him look so sad and heartbroken. More so whenever it was something he was looking forward to that he no longer had the chance to do. And as Fluttershy stood there, watching the stallion she had seen grown to love like a little brother cry his sadness away, she saw it happening once again.

She wanted to help Nocturnus. Holy wings of Epona she wanted to help him. If not to at least ensure that his night didn’t go to waste. Most of all on such an important day as Hearth’s Warming Eve. A time when, friends, family, and mates, should be together. One thing Fluttershy did not like was someone who was alone, which only ignited her desire to lend Nocturnus a helping hoof. Other than Mokata, she couldn’t think of anypony who’d be even remotely available to go with him on the trip.

Unless…

“Oh well… I guess I'm going to be spending Hearth’s Warming alone this year,” Nocturnus said softly, calming down from his outburst of emotions. “Thank you for letting me know the other crusaders’ availability Fluttershy. And I’m sorry for taking up so much of your time. I’m gonna head home to get myself ready for the festival. I appreciate you letting me talk my fangs off like this…”

Giving the mare a respectful nod, Nocturnus slowly headed in the direction of his parent's house. He barely made it two steps before he felt a tug on his scarf, almost making him fall and faceplant right into the snow. Looking back, he saw the end of the scarf in Fluttershy’s hoof, the mare looking at him with resolution in her eyes.

“F-Fluttershy?” Nocturnus stammered, taken aback by both the action and the look the pegasus was displaying.

“Just a moment Nocturnus,” Fluttershy said, her tone making him stop in his tracks. “I think I may know a way to help you with your problem.”

“...What are you saying?” Nocturnus asked, slowly turning to stare at the mare.

Letting the thestral’s scarf fall away from her hoof, Fluttershy responded with a question of her own. “You said you only had two tickets to the Western Kingdom's Festival, right?”

“…Yeah, I did. I said my Mom was only able to get two tickets.” Nocturnus said, his brows furrowed in perplexion. Said brows then shot upward as he stared wide-eyed at the pegasus. “Wait.. are you saying that you know someone who can come with me?"

The buttermilk mare nodded in affirmation. “Yes love, I do. You remember me saying that I was planning to have Mokata go over to my parents for Hearth’s Warming, right?” She looked off to the side. “Well… I haven’t told either of them yet, they don't know about it. Mokata doesn’t know that either, and you have an extra ticket for the Pink Moon Festival, so…”

“No… no way! You’re kidding me!” Nocturnus gasped disbelievingly, his fanged jaw going slack. “You’re planning to have Mokata go with me to the festival?!”

“I am,” Fluttershy said simply, a small smile dotting her muzzle.

“B-but… but why?! Why would you do something like that?!” Nocturnus asked, those being the only words he could say at the moment. “You said yourself that you were going to have Mokata go see Mr. and Mrs. Shy! You have a house sitter for your cottage and everything! So why would you make a change of plans at the last moment to help me with my own?!”

“Simple. Because you won’t be alone,” Fluttershy replied warmly, taking a step closer to the stallion. “I know it seems out of the blue for me to do something like this, but I’m doing this because I want to help you. No one should have to be alone for any reason. Most of all on a day when ponies and other creatures should be together. One thing I don’t like is when others don’t want to be by themselves but have no one with them. That’s why I’m giving you this offer. To make sure that doesn’t happen. And if that means you taking my little sister to be with creatures of the deepest and darkest of legends, then that’s what I’ll do.” She back peddled a bit as she withdrew back into her shyer aura. “I, um…I-I mean... if that’s okay with you.”

For the longest time, Nocturnus stood, overcome by the shock of the surprising offer presented by the mare in front of him. He didn’t know how long he did, but it had to have been pretty long due to his eyes watering like they were twin damns that were about to break. After taking a moment to keep them from burning, he gathered his thoughts before finally speaking to the patiently waiting mare.

“W-wow Fluttershy… I don’t know what to say,” He said softly, so softly that Fluttershy almost didn’t hear him. “I never thought you’d go to this length just to help me feel better about something.”

“Well, you are one of Mokata’s best friends. You’ve helped her so much since you were growing up together, and I’ve always wanted to repay you for it somehow. I guess you could say this is partly because I wanted to show you how much I appreciate you always being there for my little sister,” Fluttershy stated sweetly, doing her best to hide behind the pink streams of her luscious mane. “So… is that a yes?”

The next thing Fluttershy knew, she was on the ground with her vision being filled with nothing but grey. She then felt herself being hoisted in the air as Nocturnus spun her around like a parent with their preschool-aged child. After a few seconds of feeling like her spine would be split in two, Nocturnus set the mare down as he gave out happy squeaks.

“Are you kidding me?! Of course it’s a yes!” Nocturnus cheered as his wings fluttered at his sides. “After everything that you just said, there’s no way I can say no! I get to have someone come with me to the festival now! And it’s gonna be one of my bestest friends in the world! Thank you for this Fluttershy! Seriously, thank you!”

“Of course, Nocturnus. Anything for the one who’s always been such a wonderful friend to my sister all her life,” Fluttershy cooed, giggling when Nocturnus rubbed his cheek against her own. “Just… don’t hug me so tightly next time okay? I appreciate the gratitude, but I’d rather not feel like my spine is going to be split in half by a Zebrican Cragadile.”

Nocturnus immediately deflated. “Oh! Sorry about that! I’ll be gentler next time!” He said, giving repeated bows with his head while Fluttershy straightened her back. “But really! Thank you so, so much for this! I’ll be sure to pay you back for this! I swear on Selene’s all-seeing eyes!”

“No need to do that Nocturnus. Just keep being there for Mokata like you always were and everything will be just fine,” Fluttershy said dismissively as she patted the stallion's head, making his nose twitch like a rabbit sniffing a carrot. “Now why do you come with me to the cottage so you can tell Mokata about the big surprise you have for her? I do want you guys to be able to have as much time to get ready as possible so you can have plenty to get to the festival. That and I also wanna make sure that you don’t catch a cold out here in this cold weather.”

“Fluttershy, you do realize that I’m a thestral right?” Nocturnus asked, pointing to himself as if he was giving a presentation in a classroom. “Our species are built for cold climate and especially chilly weather no matter where it is! Why do you think we have such fluffy ears and coats?!”

“That’s true, but it can also backfire for you on warmer days like spring.” Fluttershy countered as the colt landed beside her. “It may protect you from the cold, but your coat can also make it hotter than usual for you during hotter months like spring and summer. Even adaptable creatures like you can suffer if you stay out of your element for too long. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Nocturnus’s mouth opened, then abruptly closed as he acknowledged the point in Fluttershy’s words. “Yeah, I can…”

“Yes, you could,” Fluttershy nodded, giving the colt a wink. “Now, come along so we can get you situated in my cottage. The sooner we get there, the sooner you can cuddle with Mokata in front of a nice cozy fire while at Rosière~.”

“Uh-huh… that too,” Nocturnus nodded, purring pleasantly as he felt Fluttershy’s tail wrap around him like a snow leopard on a mountain's edge.

“And the sooner we get there...” Fluttershy continued, her smile gaining a devious edge. “…the sooner you can also have my sweet little sister for dessert ~.”

Nocturnus felt his heart skip a beat as he locked his slitted eyes with that of the older flyer. With an inaudible gulp, he stuttered, “W-what did you say?”

Fluttershy merely planted a tender kiss on his cheek, winking far too innocently for the young stallion’s liking.

“Nothing love. Nothing at all~.”