“Come on, Fluttershy. You can do this!” The butter yellow Pegasus sighed as she stared at her reflection.
“No I can’t!” She cried.
“Yes, you can!
"No!
"Yes!
"No!
"Yes!” This went on for several minutes, stopping only when Angel hopped in front of the pony holding a watch. With a gasp, Fluttershy looked at the time. “Oh, no!” She whispered. “I’m late for my spa date with Rarity!” She took off, flying out the door to town.
“Hello, darling,” Rarity purred as her panting friend bust into the spa. “Why are you so late today? I don’t think you have ever been late for one of our spa sessions before.”
“Oh, um, I… Um… I was…” Fluttershy cast around for a reason to excuse her lateness, but to no avail. “Um… I’ll tell you later. If that’s OK with you, I mean,” she whispered, hiding behind her mane.
“No problem at all, dear. Now let’s get started, the sauna is all warmed up for us,” the white unicorn said, getting up from where she was sitting by the door. Fluttershy nodded and followed her friend. The spa was almost empty; other than the spa ponies, Rarity and Fluttershy were the only two. The latter kept looking at the door in hopes another pony would enter. She wanted to have a private talk with Rarity, but it was almost impossible with the spa ponies always catering to them and no other ponies. On the outside, Fluttershy looked just as she always did as the two friends went along their usual spa session, but inside a battle was raging.
Tell her! Now!
No, I’m too scared!
Do it!
No!
Do it!
NO!
DO IT!!
“NO!” Fluttershy cried out in an uncharacteristic volume. Instantly, every pony was looking at her. “Oh, um… sorry,” she whispered, almost silently as she ducked behind her mane in terror.
“No what, dear?” Rarity asked, looking at her friend.
“Nothing,” the shy Pegasus whispered. Tell her! Fluttershy demanded herself in her head. Now! You’re almost out of time! It was true; the spa session was almost over. The two mares were sitting in the big hot tub, as they always finished. I can’t! Fluttershy argued with herself.
And why is that?
Because Aloe is standing right. Over. There!
OK then how about this, the more assertive part of her compromised. If another pony comes in, then Aloe and the others would go see them, not us, right? Right. So how about if that happens, you tell Rarity.
OK. I think I can do that.
Good. It’s a deal then?
Yes. Fluttershy nodded at the agreement she had made with herself. She then blushed, realizing that she had just done something strange for the second time that day. She gave Rarity, who was again staring at her, a sheepish grin.
“Are you feeling OK, Fluttershy?” The unicorn asked, tilting her head to one side.
“Oh, yes. Thanks Rarity, but I’m fine. I’m-” Fluttershy broke off with a squeak. The door had just opened and a group of 5 walked in. Aloe looked at the mares in the tub and spoke.
“Will you girls be OK?” she asked.
“Yes, yes,” said Rarity, waving the Earth Pony off. “We can finish up ourselves. Thank you for a wonderful treatment, you never cease to amaze me.”
“Not at all,” replied the Earth Pony as she walked off to great her newest costumers.
“Now,” Rarity spoke again, turning to her friend. “What was it you were about to say?”
“Well, um. I um,” Fluttershy started. “Well, I. Um.”
“Come on, spit it out,” Rarity said, getting exasperated.
“Well, I,” the Pegasus stammered one last time. Then she sighed. “Can you keep a secret?” She asked.
“Well, of course darling!” Rarity cried. “Why, this one time Rainbow Dash told me-"
“FOREVER!!!!” cried Pinkie Pie, bursting up from under the water. “Ever, ever, ever, ever,” she echoed as she slipped back under the water, going back to whatever party she had been at only moments ago. Rarity sighed.
“OK, so maybe I’m not that great at keeping secrets,” she admitted. “But you can see that I will never be able to tell anypony, what with Pinkie Pie around and all.”
“I guess…” Fluttershy murmured, looking unsure. Then her eyes lit up. “Pinkie Pie Promise,” she demanded.
“Oh, must I dear?” The pompous unicorn asked. “I would, you know that. It’s just that it is a tab bit foolish to do something so… odd… in a public place.”
“Yes, you must,” Fluttershy spoke with determination. “You must and you will, if you want to hear what I have to say.”
“Well, you are rather assertive today, aren’t you?” Rarity sighed. “Fine. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” she murmured as she did the corresponding actions. “There, will you tell me now?”
“Um, yes,” Fluttershy whispered. “Well, you see… I um. I like somepony and-” Fluttershy was cut off by a large squeal of delight from her friend. Fluttershy ducked behind her mane once more as all eyes turned to the two of them, drawn by the sudden sound. Rarity, however, remained oblivious to the attention.
“Well, this is wonderful!” She exclaimed in full-on gossip mode. “What does he look like? How old is he? Do we know him? Is he an Earth Pony? Or another Pegasus? Oh, you like a unicorn, don’t you?! OOO, this is so wonderful! What does he look like?!” Rarity demanded once more before finally giving the cowering Pegasus a chance to respond.
“Well. Um. They’re an Earth Pony. I think you might know them. They have beautiful green eyes and they’reamare,” Fluttershy finished quickly and near-silently.
“I’m sorry, but I did not quite catch that last part. What did you say?”
“I said that the pony I like has beautiful green eyes?” Fluttershy said slowly, hopefully.
“No, no, after that part.”
“Oh that. Um, I said that the pony I like is a mare. OK I’m done,” Fluttershy finished from behind her mane.
“Come on, Fluttershy!” Rarity said, clearly tired of the game. “Stop murmuring and speak up!”
“Oh. OK then. Well, what I wanted to tell you is that… Oh, would you look at the time? Our spa session is over. We better get out now!”
“Oh, dear. It appears you are correct. Well, we better dry off then.”
Fluttershy nodded, hopping out of the hot tub. With speed to rival Rainbow Dash, she dried off and headed for the door.
“Just wait a second, could you darling?” Rarity called from where she stood, drying her own fur. “I believe we were in the middle of a conversation.”
“Well, I do really have to get going,” Fluttershy protested, backing away. She froze at the death glare Rarity was giving her. “… but I guess I could stay a little longer.”
Rarity smiled. A few minutes later, the two of them were walking to the unicorn’s house. Once there, the white mare invited her friend inside, but the Pegasus refused.
“I’d rather not. I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said.
“Well, will you at least tell me what you wanted to,” Rarity protested.
“Fine, I will,” Fluttershy responded. Taking a deep breath, she spoke several things in one go. “TheponyIlikeisRose. YesRosethemare. YesIknowthatsheisstraightbutIlikeheranyway. NowIhavetogoIwillseeyoulaterBYE!” Fluttershy finished loudly as she ran off. She took to the sky after a few moments of running, leaving her shocked friend behind her. Once she was home, Fluttershy fled to her room. “Oh dear, oh Celestia, what have I done?” She asked herself. “Maybe I should go talk to her. Oh, what if I scared her? Oh what did I do, why did I do that?!” Fluttershy curled up, hugging a pillow sadly. She decided that later she would go talk to Rarity. Just what she would say could be figured out later. Exhausted by fear and a stress let-down, the Pegasus fell asleep.
*************************************************************************************
Rarity looked at her three friends that had gathered at her boutique. Rainbow Dash was flying in circles above the mares, clearly bored. Twilight was sitting patiently on a plush cushion, waiting for Rarity to speak. Pinkie Pie was bouncing up and down, up and down, down and up. Rarity peaked out the window, looking to see if Applejack had finished washing the mud off her hooves yet. Once the orange pony was inside, Rarity called for her friends’ attention. The four of them stopped moving, all except for Pinkie, who never really stops moving. The four of them looked at their friend expectantly. After several long moments of silence, Twilight spoke.
“So, what is the urgent news that you called us here to tell us about?” She asked.
“Today Fluttershy told me something I think you should know. Fluttershy told me that she is-”
“Oh, wait a minute!” Pinkie cried suddenly. “Somepony is about to break a Pinkie Promise! I’ll be right back!”
“Pinkie, wait!” Rarity said, but the pink mare had already poofed away.
“FOREV-” Pinkie stopped dead, clearly confused to be in the same place. “Wait, what?” She asked. “Rarity, are you about to break a Pinkie Promise? Tsk tsk, that’s twice in one day I had to stop you.”
“Yes, Pinkie. I am about to break a Pinkie Promise, but for a good reason. What Fluttershy told me today I really feel you all should know,” Rarity looked at her friends.
“Rarity, I’m not sure this is a good idea,” Twilight said slowly. “I mean, this is one way to ruin a friendship-”
“FOREVER!” Pinkie cried in her usual Pinkie Pie-ish fashion. Her cry was so loud that none of the mares noticed the soft knock on the door or the quiet voice asking if anypony was there.
“Yes, yes. I know this,” Rarity said. “But I truly think that you girls need to know this.” All eyes were glued to the white unicorn so not one of the ponies noticed the door to the fashion boutique open.
“Hello?” Fluttershy asked as she stepped inside. “Anypony here?” She stopped talking as Rarity spoke again.
“I truly think you girls need to know what Fluttershy told me when we were at the spa today.”
“No,” Fluttershy whispered. “But, you Pinkie Promised!” Her voice was still too soft for the others to hear her.
“Well, spit it out already!” Rainbow said impatiently. “I have tricks to practise.”
“Very well then. Today Fluttershy told me that she likes somepony,” Rarity hesitated, unsure of how to go on.
“Well, Fluttershy likin’ somepony is nothin’ to hoot at. If that’s all you got to tell us, I better get goin’ I got apples to buck,” Applejack said.
“That is not all she told me. She told me who she likes. You know Rose? The florist?” Her friends nodded.
“Yes, but what does that have to do with Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.
“Ah think she means that Fluttershy likes Rose,” Applejack said, honest and blunt as ever.
“WHAT?!” Rainbow cried, dropping to the floor in surprise. Pinkie Pie felt her chin hit the floor as she gasped in shock.
“Oh. Well then. Is this right, Rarity?” Twilight asked.
“Yes.”
“Like, as in likes-likes?”
“Yes.”
“As in Fluttershy is…?”
“Yes. Fluttershy is a fillyfooler,” silence followed Rarity’s words for several moments. Then the silence was broken by Rainbow Dash.
“BWahahaha!!! Oh, oh good one, Rarity! I never knew you liked pranks! Hee hee!” Dash looped in the air, trying to work off the laughter.
“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity shouted. “I assure you, this is no prank.”
“But it has to be! I mean there is no way I am friends with a fillyfooler. No. Way.”
“Well, unless Fluttershy has found an odd sense of humor recently, this is no prank. And judging by the way she was so reluctant to tell me and how quickly she spoke and ran off once she had told me, I’m going to say it is not a prank. I’m just not sure what to do!”
“I’m not sure we need to do anything,” Twilight said. “I mean, is this a bad thing?”
“Is this a bad thing? Is this a bad thing!?” Dash cried out. “No, not at all! This is just one of the worst things that could happen!”
“Eeyup,” Applejack agreed bluntly.
“Why, yes!” Rarity cried dramatically.
“See, this is why nopony liked her in flight school!” Dash shouted. “Everpony said she was a fillyfooler, but I defended her! Gah, I was such a fool! Fillyfoolers are not welcome here. There is no way I am going to be friends with one,” The Pegasus stomped her hooves irritably as even Pinkie Pie nodded agreement.
“I’m still not sure why this is a bad thing, although I admit it is a little… unusual. Abnormal. Strange. Offbeat. Queer. Irregular. Un-”
“Get to the point already and stop muddlin’ our minds with your fancy talk!” Snapped Applejack.
“Weird,” Twilight finished. “I will feel strange around her from now on, I’m sure.”
“Wait, you still plan on hanging out with her?!” Dash cried, indignantly.
“Well, yes. Why wouldn’t I?”
“’Cause fillyfoolin’ is sinful,” Applejack remarked.
“And so dirty and wrong!” Added Rarity.
“And just so weird!” Pinkie Pie piped in. “I mean, come on! Think of all the times she has seen us without clothing! How can we know we can trust her?”
“Oh, I never thought of that,” muttered the purple unicorn. “Oh wow, now this is awkward. I’m not sure what to do anymore.”
“Well I do,” the colourful Pegasus spoke again. “We lose her. Get her out of our lives like AJ bucks rotten apples off her farm. Stop talking to her before word gets out and everypony hates us because we know her. I know that’s what I’m going to do.”
“Ah’m with ya there, Dash,” the orange pony said. “No way in hay am Ah bein’ round such a bad crowd, even if it is only one pony.
“Come on you two,” Twilight tried to reason with her friends. “Fluttershy is still our friend, even if she is a bit… different. What about using the Elements?”
“Well, Ah still fit mah element. Ah’m just being plan honest with y’all.”
“But what about you, Dash?” Twilight turned to her friend. “I thought you were loyal.”
“I am! Just not to a fillyfooler.”
“Girls, I think we should change the subject now,” Rarity interrupted the argument.
“Why is that?” Pinkie asked, tilting her head to one side.
“Because Fluttershy is standing by the door listening to our every word,” the unicorn replied. All movement stopped, even Pinkie managed to cease bouncing. Then, as one, they all turned to face a tearful Fluttershy.
“Hi Fluttershy!” Pinkie cried happily. “What ‘cha doooing?”
“Do.. do you all really feel like that?” Fluttershy stammered, ignoring the pink pony’s question as tears feel into an ever-growing puddle on the floor. “Do you all really hate me?”
“I will never be friends with a fillyfooler,” Dash said once more. Looking straight into the yellow mare’s eyes, she spoke with a cold sureness. “Never.”
“I’m sorry, but I just do not feel comfortable around you anymore, dar-, er I mean Fluttershy,” Rarity added.
“AJ?” Fluttershy asked painfully. “Pinkie Pie?”
“Eeyup.”
“Yup!” exclaimed the easily excitable pony.
“Twilight?” Fluttershy looked at the only pony she felt might still be a friend. “Twilight, do you hate me?”
“I… No. I do not hate you,” the unicorn said. Fluttershy felt her face light up as hope filled her. “But,” the purple unicorn continued, “I don’t think that we should hang out anymore. Or talk to each other much. At least not for a little while. I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I told Rarity and ruined all of our friendships. I’m so sorry. I’m just going to go now. I’m so, so sorry,” Fluttershy murmured as she turned and ran out the door, leaving a river of tears behind her.
“Should one of us go after her?” Twilight asked as she watched her ex-friend flee.
“Nnope,” Dash said in sync with Applejack. The five ponies stood in awkward silence as they listened to the pony they thought they knew ran away.
*************************************************************************************
Several weeks later, Twilight was walking around Ponyville. She had not seen Fluttershy since the ugly encounter at Rarity’s boutique; nopony had. Twilight was still not sure that they had made the right choice about what they told Fluttershy. It must have been though, it was the truth. The truth is always best, right? Twilight sighed, allowing herself to get lost in thought. She wandered through the town for a while, too busy thinking to watch where she was going. She was just wondering if she should go check on the animal-loving Pegasus when she stumbled upon a small lump of fur. Looking down, the unicorn let out a gasp. Huddled at her feet there lay a starving bundle of fun and bones.
“Angel?” Twilight asked. “What happened to Fluttershy? Oh, never mind that, we have to get you to the vet!” Gently picking up the dying bunny with a haze of magic, Twilight ran off.
A few days later, Angel was well enough to mime what had happened. Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash all got together at the library. They sat in a circle with the unwell bunny in the middle. After a few hours that seemed like days, the ponies managed to piece together what had happened after the talk in the boutique.
Fluttershy had gone home, crying harder than she ever had, even harder than the time Gabby Gums had spread gossip about her in the paper. She had opened up all the food she had for all of her animals then kissed Angel gently on the forehead. After that, she had walked out of her hut into the Everfree Forest. Angel had waited for as long as he could. Although it did not look like it, he truly did care for his owner. Finally, he and the other animals had run out of food, yet Fluttershy had still not returned. All the other animals left once there was no more food, but the bunny had tried to wait. Eventual, he saw far too hungry to survive, so he had gone to town and that is when Twilight found him.
Once the bunny had finished his tale, the 5 mares sat silently. Finally, Twilight broke the silence.
“I think we need to look for her.”
“No,” Dash objected. “Why should we? She is no friend of ours. Why should we risk our necks trying to save her? Besides, she probably just is staying a Zecora’s.”
“Ah don’t think so, Dash,” Applejack shot back. “Why would she leave her bunny behind? Somethin’ musta happened to her.”
“So?” Dash growled. “What does it matter to us? Even if something happened to her, why should we help her? She lied to us for all those years. She must have known before she told Rarity.”
“Dash, stop it,” Twilight said. “She may no longer be our friend, but that does not mean we shouldn’t help her. We need to help everypony that needs help; that is what it means to be an Element of Harmony!”
“But-”
“No buts, Dash,” Twilight cut across. “We leave now. No arguing. Let’s go.”
Unwilling to waste anymore time, Twilight started off, leaving the others no choice but to follow her. As they neared the forest, the temperature dropped noticeably. It was nearing night time; the darkness seemed more cruel than usual. Even brave Rainbow dash was reluctant to enter.
“Maybe we should wait until morning. You know, when it is light?” The Pegasus suggested as they stood at the edge of the path.
“No. We need to find her now. How knows what kind of trouble she had gotten herself into by now?” Twilight said.
“She’s right, y’all,” Applejack spoke up. “Ah don’t like it either, Dash, but we gotta do what we gotta do.”
Pinkie Pie and Rarity nodded their heads, fear plainly viable in their eyes are the stared into the shadows.
“Right then, let’s get going,” swallowing her fear, Twilight lead her friends into the darkness. After about an hour of fruitless wandering, Twilight let out an exasperated sigh. “This is taking too long!” She shouted into the night. “Dash, you fly ahead, see if you can find any signs. But stay within earshot, OK?”
“Yeah, whatever,” Dash said before flying off. Several minutes of wandering later, the four ground searchers hear a shout. They froze, frightened by the fearful shout they heard from Dash.
“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight shouted. “Can you hear me? Come back!”
“I-I can hear you Twilight. I’m coming back, wait where you are, I’ll find you.”
“OK,” Twilight called back. As the ponies waited, their imaginations took over. Each mare stood lost in her own mind, wondering what Dash had found. They all jumped as the blue Pegasus burst from the trees.
“I found Fluttershy,” Rainbow said softly.
“Is she OK?” Twilight asked, clearly frightened.
“No. She's- no. You- you better come see for yourselves.” Without waiting for a response, Rainbow turned and forced her way through the undergrowth. Exchanging terrified glances, the others followed. Several moments later, they emerged into a clearing. It was beautiful; the moon cast a peaceful glow on the grass. The trees did not seem as frightening as they did outside the clearing and the light illuminated several bushes of bright blue leaves near the center of the clearing. None of the ponies noticed the beauty of the glade; all of them stared at the one thing that seemed to suck any magic from the area. In the middle of the grass lay Fluttershy. She had several dried berries in her hooves and dried juice crusted on her lips. It was clear that she had eaten the berries. She lay without moving, although weeds had sprung up around and on her. The long tendrils of the plants had crept up onto Fluttershy over the weeks she had lain without moving.
“Is she- Is she dead?” Pinkie asked, for once all joy gone from her voice.
“Yes,” Twilight whispered, nodding. “Yes, I’m afraid she is.”
“Oh, I feel simply horrid!” Rarity cried. Tears fell from her eyes, slowly climbing down her face. “Is she dead or almost dead? Is it too late to save her?”
“Yes,” Twilight said again.
“Are ya sure, sugercube?”
“I’m afraid I am.”
“How can you be so sure?” Dash asked, her voice thick with accusation.
“Do you see those berries she was eating?” The others nodded. “Well, I know about those. They are called Instans-Aeacus. It's Latin. It translates to ‘instant death.’ They are the most lethal substance on all of Equestria. And-and I think Fluttershy knew that when she ate them.”
“What makes you say that?” Asked Pinkie Pie.
“Because Fluttershy is the one who told me about them.”
An evil muteness filled the air as the four ponies looked at the dead body.
“What do we do now, Twilight?”
“I’m not sure AJ. Rarity, Rainbow, you two knew her best. What do you think?”
“I don’t care. One less fillyfooler on Equestria, the way I see it.”
“Rainbow Dash, how could you be so cruel?” Rarity shook her head sadly. In the beauty of the copse she could almost pretend the gentle Pegasus was asleep. Almost, if not for the scent of death that hung heavy in the air. Rarity sighed. “I think we should leave her here. She always liked nature and she looks so peaceful. I don’t think there is anything we can do here. What do you girls think?”
“I think you’re probabaly right,” Twilight said sadly. “Any objections?” When nopony responded, Twilight nodded. “OK then. We should go back to home now. There is nothing we can do. Goodbye, Fluttershy. I’m sorry,” Twilight said as a tear slipped down to the forest floor. There was nothing left to do so the purple unicorn turned and walked back to the path. Slowly, the others left until only Dash was left. She looked down at the cold, dead pony with hatred. As she stood alone, however, her gaze softened. She turned and walked to the trees her friends had disappeared behind. Turning to look at the Pegasus one last time, Rainbow spoke.
“I’m sorry, Fluttershy. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have been so mean. I’m sorry. I never should have laughed at you. So, goodbye. And, I’m sorry.
“I’m so, so sorry.”
