Faithful Forever

Chapter 7: Acceptance

The walk back to Fluttershy’s cottage was a long one, I had so much to think about that I hardly paid attention to where I was going, so as I’m sure you can imagine I got lost…A lot. People kept asking me if I needed a helping hand, but I tended not to hear them. It wasn't because I didn’t want to talk; I just was so focused on the transformation that I had gone through to be here, that I had blanked out the world around me, almost as if I was lost on the moon.

I took many wrong turns along the way, ending up at sugar cube corner, the park and even near the Ever free forest. I’m not really sure how, but I eventually found my way back, I recognized the bridge and began to trot, towards it.

I trotted because I was done thinking about what had been said between me and Twilight, I had concluded that I was still who I was, so wouldn't change my opinion of those who did this to me because of it, I had to accept that I was different and had decided I could learn to live by it. After all it was what I wished for. I now understood why they warned me to be careful. Besides I had a new book to read, I looked forward to reading it, especially after seeing Rainbow’s reaction to it when she was hospitalized after crashing back to earth, (Clearly a trick too much for the energetic Pegasus).

Without pausing, I continued up to the door of the cottage, I knocked on the door hoping to see Fluttershy’s childlike gaze when she opened the door. She never came to the door, so I tried it, to find it was open. I cautiously walked into the living room to find Angel Bunny looking at me, with a very good poker face on, I could not tell what was going through his mind at all, and those coal black eyes were blank like a brand new canvas. He pointed towards the table in the middle of the room, where there appeared to be a note, I looked around, wondering what was going on, so I curiously sauntered over and picked it up to read it.

The note seemed to be from Fluttershy, it read:

Dear Jack

Please don’t be upset with me for not being home right now, I have gone over to Carousel Boutique to see Opel for her weekly brush up. I hope you found what you were looking for when you went to see Twilight; I hope you manage to take your mind off of things when you finally read this letter.

Much Love

Fluttershy

It was a simple note, and I was glad to have found it, I had been very worried when she hadn't been there and felt relieved that something hadn't happened to the vulnerable Pegasus.

I returned my thoughts back to my book, the cover looked very enticing. I stood there for a further few moments and then continued up the stairs into my room, each step taking an age as my excitement grew. I slowly approached my bed and laid on it, the mattress flexing a little as I did so. Finally relaxing after a stressful day, I sighed and rubbed my eyes before picking up the book and turning to the first page to start.

                                                                                      *****

About an hour passed and I had just managed to reach the third chapter, when I heard the front door open, and the clopping of hooves enter. I groaned as I put down the book and went, to go and see who it was. Sure enough there was the yellow Pegasus pony her long flowing pink mane falling around her face like a painting. She seemed to have some groceries in some paper bags that she placed in the kitchen before returning back and attending to Angel Bunny.

Before blurting out a greeting, I decided to be more careful so as not to startle her like I had this morning. I slowly walked around her until I was in front of her where she acknowledged me and smiled.

“You seem to be in a good mood” she said.

“Yeah I feel a lot better, Twilight told me everything I needed to know”, I said issuing a reassuring smile.

“So how was Opel?” I asked.

“Oh… she was fine, she just needed a little perking up, and she is so naturally lovely and such a good temperament”, Fluttershy said almost giggling as she thought of her day out.

“Good” I said. I knew what I really thought of that vicious cat, but decided not to say anything because I fully knew that annoying Fluttershy would not end well.

“Got everything you wanted from the market?”, I asked peering at the paper bags curiously trying to see what she had actually bought.

“I just picked up some things to help feed Angel” she said as she got them out one by one.

She had bought what appeared to be Celery, Parsley, Lettuce, Tomato and a couple of oranges, it was quite a bundle, and I assumed it would feed angel for a week, but suddenly I could see that Fluttershy had started Panicking.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no” she exclaimed, racing into the kitchen and over to the Fridge, in her state she ripped the contents of the fridge out, chucking everything all over the place including the eggs that smashed rather comically against the window on  the other side of the room.

“Fluttershy! You need to calm down, what are you looking for?” I asked, in slight shock.

“Oh… I forgot to get a set of Cherries for Angel’s Dinner! He won’t eat it unless I make it just right! I can’t see him starve!”,

She stopped running around after tearing the Kitchen inside out, and finally with much flailing of her forelegs, she collapsed into the ground and wept covering her face, so that no pony could see her crying.

My heart exploded, this mare needed help and when I thought about it, I realized that I was in the middle of the land of love and tolerance. I beamed down at her with an affectionate smile and crouched down to her level.

I delicately whispered into her ear “I’ll go to the town and get them for you”.

She slowly began to look up at me her red eyes glistening and her cheeks rubbed red as if she was blushing.

“You…You’d do…th…that for me?”, she whimpered, struggling to make her sentence’s flow.

“Of course I would!” I cried beaming at her “I’d do anything for someone in need and it seems you need me now”.

“I still think she’s over reacting”, said one half of my mind almost mocking her, only to be silenced by other side of me that said,

“No, she needs me and if it makes her happy then this is well worth the time”.

“Just one thing if I may” I said slowly.

“What is it?” replied Fluttershy, beginning to cheer up a little.

“Can I borrow some money, I’m broke” I replied slightly ashamed of asking in the first place.

“Um… Sure there’s 2 bits on the side in the Kitchen” she said holding back a petite sniffle “you can use that, it should do” she began to smile, which warmed my heart in that short moment. I trotted into the Kitchen and picked up the money. I know it sounds weird but it actually tasted weird as if it wasn't made of metal as I had expected, instead it felt like something else but I couldn't tell what, perhaps some kind of gem? It did have a mineral like taste.

I put the thought to the back of my mind as I looked back at Fluttershy and gave her a reassuring Smile before leaving.

                                                                                       *****

The trip into Ponyville market was short, I felt like I was finally starting to get a hang of the navigation, even though in truth I followed my nose, the market was still busy but perhaps in the final closing hour or so, ponies were running left right and center trying to get their last minute purchases before Princess Luna raised the moon to bring forward her usual, beautiful night time.

The smell was delicious Apple Pies, Apple Fritters, Pancakes, cotton Candy, Cupcakes, if you can name it, it was there I had never seen such a variety of stalls including one set up by even Zecora, who was selling remedies to those in need of help.

“Wow that’s really nice of her” I thought.

Time suddenly hit me as I became aware that standing around and admiring everything wouldn't get me those cherries, I walked over to the stall and got in the que.

While I was standing there I noticed that every-pony was looking at me funny. Like there was something wrong, I couldn't think what though, it was baffling me, so I tried to ignore them, but a few were whispering, even looking as if they were giggling. I started to feel a bead of sweat drip down my face, as I grew ever more conscious that something was up. I was getting close to the front of the que, but time had slowed down and the repressing looks I was getting had me scared, the pressure of it building on me the whole time.

“Excuse me?” said a young magenta filly

“What?” I said twitching slightly my nerves were frail and I didn’t want to talk at that moment.

The filly was surprised by my reaction, but was stubborn enough to stand there and raise her nose to me and reply

“Where are you From, I couldn't help noticing you are still a blank flank” she said, giving me a taunting look her eyes narrower than before and an evil grin across her face.

Looking closer at this filly, at the Tiara balanced on her head, I realized that this was not just any filly this was Diamond Tiara, the one tormentor of the Cutie mark crusaders.

I started to breathe heavily as I looked at the other ponies witnessing the confrontation.

“I…I…I don’t come from around here” I said quickly, my words almost lost in my throat.

“Figures” said the filly “so then is your talent being talent less?” she mocked.

“Urrrrrrmmmm… well…you see…it’s just that”.

“Spit it out!” she exclaimed, getting more annoyed at me for not giving her what she wanted.

I backed up trying to get away.

“Hey buddy, are you buying or what?” a lower more growling voice of the stall seller asked.

Without hesitating I spun around, placed the Bits on the counter, grabbed the cherries and Fled as fast as I could, trying not to look at anyone who watched me as I sprinted back to Fluttershy’s cottage.

Is this what I have to face now? Criticism over my non-existent cutie mark? “It’s not fair”, I thought as I ran, my eyes welling up and toying with my vision.

As I ran I realized how foolish I had been to believe that I could escape to a perfect world, no one is perfect, nowhere is perfect, I felt as if I was being condemned to live with some kind of tormenting, which had to follow me everywhere I went. It was the saddest I had felt since I had come here.