A Week With Fluttershy

At the little cottage on the outskirts of Ponyville, two figures stood outside in the warm sun, laughing together as they took turns chasing after an escaped animal.  The two figures were Spike and Fluttershy.  “Go get him Spike!” she cheered as Spike ran after the little white chick.

She giggled when Spike tripped and landed flat on his face, hopping to his feet in seconds and resuming the wild chase.  “This bird’s faster than it looks!” he called back.

Finally though, Spike cornered the little animal between the wooden fence and his scaly body, leaving it nowhere to run.  Fluttershy opened her graceful wings and dashed forward, sliding on the ground and catching the tiny animal in her hooves.  “Gotcha little guy,” She whispered as she snuggled the little animal with her muzzle.  She placed it in one hoof and took a few paces to the right, dropping the animal gently back into its pen, watching it run around and then scatter into its coop with her loving eyes.

Fluttershy turned, placed a wide smile on her face, and trotted over to Spike.  “Thank You so much for helping me Spike!  I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come along!” she said in her quiet voice.

“Aw, no problem Fluttershy,” Spike replied as he smiled up at her, having just woken up.

She blushed and asked in a caring voice “You feel like going inside for a break and something to eat?”.

He jumped up and said “You bet!  That was one heck of a chicken chase!” she giggled and lowered herself allowing Spike to climb on her back.

Spike loved the sensation of riding Fluttershy.  There was just something about being high up on her back that made Spike feel even better, certainly better than when he rode Twilight.  Fluttershy rose with Spike on her back, and gently skipped the short distance to the front door.  She nudged it open with her muzzle and walked inside, shutting it quietly behind her.  She watched, a bit sadly, as Angel scrambled up the stairs, probably in fear that it was feeding-time.

She walked over and lowered herself slightly so that Spike could hop off and land with a soft thud on the cushions.  “Thanks Shy!  That chase really wore me out!”

She giggled and said “Your Welcome.  Besides, anything for…” she hesitated a few moments “my best friend.” And she quickly dashed off, running into the kitchen and slamming the door behind her.

Fluttershy had agreed to watch Spike for the week while Twilight Sparkle had left for Canterlot, summoned by the Princess to learn newer, more powerful spells which she sensed would help her in the near future.  Despite Spike’s many objections, Twilight just didn't feel right leaving him all by his lonesome, and who better to watch over him than Fluttershy?  Besides, Spike and Fluttershy were best friends!  Most of the time, they shared everything and did everything with each other.  Also, Fluttershy always paid more attention to Spike, more so than Twilight or any of the others ever did.  She always listened to him, and she was always happy to see him; she was never too busy.  Anytime Spike felt alone, or he had a terrible day, he always went to Fluttershy’s, and sometimes even the mere sight of her made him feel better.

They each knew how strong their feelings were for each other.  Spike often remembered the time when Discord had warped Fluttershy's personality into that of a bully, and upon coming to the library dumped a pail of freezing water on him.  Within hours of being freed of Discord’s power and defeating him, she ran in tears to Spike in the park, and apologized to him a countless number of times.  Fluttershy however, always knew that she could trust Spike with her deepest secrets, and that he would never judge her, she was so comfortable with Spike even, that she was not as timid around him.  She knew that Spike didn’t care though, and sometimes she even thought he liked her shyness and timidity.

Spike was leaned back on the couch, circling his thumbs around each other as he listening to the frantic clack of hooves on the hard-wood floor and the shuffling of glass plates.  Within fifteen minutes, Fluttershy walked out of the kitchen with two bowls of salad, one in her mouth and the other on her back.  She placed hers down first, and then bent down so that Spike could pull his off of her back.  Salad, or any vegetable or Green for that matter, wasn’t Spike’s favorite, but Fluttershy had prepared it just the way he liked it.  She had placed meat chunks (which she fed to her more carnivorous creatures) and had added a dash of cheap gem.  “At least Fluttershy knows what I like and don’t like.” Spike thought kind of sadly to himself.  He took a few bites and said “Mmm!  This is delicious Shy, your salads are great!” Fluttershy blushed (she often did this a lot around Spike) and said “Your Welcome Spikey.  I just wanted to thank you more for helping me out there.”

Fluttershy often called Spike “Spikey” and he often called her simply "Shy", neither of them minding the naming one bit.  Actually, it made them feel warm inside, and to some extent… loved.  They actually thought it was kind of special that the two had a secret name for each other.

The two ate their meal sitting beside one another as they talked mostly of the day’s events.  Fluttershy finished hers first and moved her bowl aside.  She turned to Spike to ask him something, but before one word could slip out, a hiccup did.  Her face turned a heavy red as she blushed and placed a hoof to her mouth, looking away from Spike.  He knew how sensitive Fluttershy could be, so he made himself give a hiccup.  She turned to face him, surprised but giggling when his second hiccup turned into a burp, a flame escaping his mouth.  This time though, it was Spike who blushed and placed his hand over his mouth.  The little guy always knew how to make her feel better!  He blushed as she came forward and hugged him tightly.  They had shared several hugs, in secrecy from the others of course.

She backed off of him and began to gather Spike’s now empty bowl and her own using her mouth.  Spike stopped her and asked if she wanted him to take the bowls.  Fluttershy thanked him, but said no, and after snuggling her head affectionately against the blushing Spike turned and walked away from him.

Spike leaned back against the couch, glancing up at the clock and out the window; surprised that it was already sundown.  He couldn’t believe that he only had four days left with Fluttershy.  Only three days of being at her cottage had made up years of fun and attention from when he was at the library.  He then tried to get relaxed, twiddling with his thumbs as he listened to Fluttershy’s soft movements in the next room.  Strangely enough, Fluttershy hadn't wanted him in the kitchen or into her linked, makeshift vet office the last few days.

The noises stopped, and Spike was surprised to see Fluttershy exit through her office door, a small purple box, held by its neatly tied green bow in her mouth.  She was trying to keep a straight face, but Spike could tell that she was excited, for she was trying to suppress a grin and she was coming forward at an even faster pace than she usually did.  She stopped at the couch and took the small box in her hoof, placing it beside Spike, and sitting on the opposite side of it.

Spike stared down at the box quizzically.  “You’ve been so great with me these past few days, so I wanted to give you something...”

Spike snapped out of it and looked up in shock at Fluttershy, exclaiming,  “No!  I like being with you!  Actually, just being here with you is the only gift I’d ever want from you..” She only blushed and insisted that he open it, nudging it forward with her hoof.

He looked up at her and back down at the box.  Slowly though, he unwrapped the neatly tied bow and took the lid off.  She watched with anxious eyes as he pulled his gift out.  It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen!  Fluttershy had given him a hoof-crafted necklace made out of pure gems.  He placed it neatly over his head.  It was a perfect fit.  “I’m sorry it took so long.  I had to find some of the gems myself and clean them, I also had to hoof stitch the gems to the  thread so that it would fit around you.  That’s why I didn't want you to come into the kitchen or my office.  I borrowed a book from Twilight about what types of gems dragons liked to eat most, and I got most of the ones listed,” she said in her timid voice.

Spike was speechless “No!  I’d never eat these.  Thank You so much Shy, this is the second best gift I’ve ever gotten...” he hesitated a moment  “You being the first.” She blushed, and hid her eyes behind her mane.  “I got you something too.” He said softly, though a little guiltily.  Spike was guilty at the fact that Fluttershy had beaten him, by coincidence or otherwise, to exchanging surprise gifts of friendship with the other.

Fluttershy looked over and watched, wide-eyed, as Spike pulled a tiny box out from underneath one of the pillows and held it out to her.  She looked at it and said “No Spike, you don't need to get me things!  I’m just glad that we got to spend the week together!” Spike brushed all of her attempts to say no off, and placed the tiny box in her hoof.

She glanced down at it, and up at him.  Eventually though, she lifted the lid and gasped at what she saw inside.  It truly was the most beautiful thing that she had ever seen.  She took the fragile object out, and turned it around in her hoof a few times.  “I remembered how much you liked butterflies…” she saw him take a quick, nervous glance at her flank “So, I thought you might like it.  You’re such a good friend to me, and I planned on giving it to you our last day together, but since you gave me this,” Spike tugged gently at the necklace “then what better way to repay you then with an early gift?”  Fluttershy continued to turn the object over in her hooves as she said “It’s wonderful Spike, but why?  How much did this cost you?”  Spike shrugged and said “Eh… 6” he hesitated for a moment “hundred.  I... uh, sold a rare gem I had been saving for the money”  He looked away from her and nervously scratched his arm “Because well, you… you’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.”  Spike had gotten her a pure silver onyx mane-clip, in the shape of a butterfly, embroidered with real blue gemstones all around.  She was amazed at its beauty and how it glimmered even in the dim candle light.  “I... I’m REALLY sorry I didn’t make it by claw, b... but I did have it custom made,” he laughed nervously, "I...I guess I'm just not that talented."

Fluttershy took one final glance at the little clip, and choking back tears, she placed the clip gently back into the box and closed the lid.  “I can’t take this from you Spike.  You’ve done too much for me already.”  Spike frowned and gently took his necklace off.  “Well then, I guess that I can’t take this either.” He too placed his gift back into the box and placed the lid back on top of it.