From Over The Mountains

From Over The Mountains
Chapter 2: Happy Hearts, and Destroyed Ones

The light invaded the room through the window, and the sun shone on the face of the sleeping pegasus. Fluttershy yawned and sit on the bed. A quick look to the right to check if no one was there sleeping by her side. It was just a dream. The mare grinned while she remembered it, and stretched her wings. She got out of the bed and stretched her legs, then tidied up her bed, slipping the soft blanket over it.

It’s been a week and a half since the Northern Ponies appeared. The relationship between the Ponyville citizens and the Vikings was strong and a few were stabilizing themselves, making little homes in the hills near Ponyville.

Fluttershy came down the stairs slowly, making the steps creak under her hooves. A grumpy bunny jumped in front of her, his paws crossed over his chest and his foot beating the floor rhythmically.

“Good morning Angel” she greeted “I’ll make your breakfast right away”

She trotted into the kitchen, picked up some ingredients and made a salad for the bunny.

“Here you go. Now be a dear and be nice ok? I have work to do. I’ll be back at dawn.”

The yellow pegasus opened the door and breathe in the cold morning air. With a smile, she took her red scarf and put it around her neck. She was now ready for the day’s tasks.

First, she helped the last animals awake to go into their hibernation. After it was done, she went to town and searched for Rarity to go into their weekly spa meeting. When they met, greeted each other and entered the spa.

“Aloe, darling, we would like to start our treatment now.” asked the dress maker.

“Right away. Ms. Rarity, Ms. Fluttershy, follow me please.” Aloe proceeded.

After a good massage, they got in the mud baths. Rarity got her face covered in a clay mask, and her eyes closed under the cucumbers.

“Oh, Fluttershy, I have something troubling me” said the white unicorn dramatically “That brute, Erik! We were having a civilized conversation, a nice walk, and then he said some nonsense and kissed me!” Fluttershy gasped in surprise.

“Really?! Well…” the pegasus said “was it… good?”

Rarity was surprised by the question. She took the cucumbers off her eyes. “Well… I didn’t thought about it before. I just hoofed him in the face and he was knocked down.”

There was silence for a minute, and Rarity broke it with the answer to the former question. “Yes. It was good. I think I should apologize to him… I’m feeling bad now.” The unicorn looked down, but brought her gaze up at the touch of a soft hoof, to see a pair of blue eyes.

“Don’t feel bad, Rarity. You didn’t had time to think about your actions.” comforted the yellow mare.

“Thank you Fluttershy, you are a real friend.” Rarity smiled at her companion. “Say, I’ve seen you with their leader, Johan. Is something happening between you two?”

Fluttershy blushed and hid behind her mane “N-no… But…” She didn’t finished.

“But what?”

“But I wanted to…”

Rarity gasped and then smiled “Well, that is incredible, Fluttershy! You finally found your special somepony!”

“Do you think so?” her friend replied “I think he is really nice. He’s friendly and beautiful. Even being the barbarian warrior he claims himself to be, he is gentle and kind.”

“That’s really amazing, darling!” the unicorn clapped her hooves “You have to tell him!”

Fluttershy opened her eyes wide “Oh no, no, I can’t! I can’t, its too hard for me, I simply can’t…”

“You have to try my dear, you won’t be happy until you tell him. Trust me, I’ve passed through this before.”

“But… all right, I’ll try... But don’t tell this to anypony at all, please!”

“I promise.”

“Pinkie Promise?”

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye”

“Right, Thanks. I have to go now, got to find Johan.” That said and the pegasus flies off the spa, leaving some bits on the counter to pay for them both, and a tip for Aloe. Rarity watches her go and smile, until she remembered who is going to have bad news. “I’m going to have a headache when Pinkie Pie discovers about the broken Pinkie Promise…”

Johan was awake for hours, that he spent thinking of what to do next about Fluttershy. He thinks fast, the clock was running and he had to do his plan fast so he could prepare the rest. He took flight, throwing snow everywhere with the thrust of his wings, and started his search for the mare that filled his dreams.

He found her in the clouds, resting and panting, like she just finished an hour of exercise. “Hey Fluttershy!” He greeted and flew to her “I have something to say”

“Me... heh… too…” the yellow pegasus said between breathes.

“How about we meet in that hill up north of Ponyville? The one we first met.”

“Of… Course…”

“Great! See you there, at midnight!” then Johan proceeded with his plan, and flew to prepare things at the said hill.

“But… hah… wait…” she cried with no response. “Oh well…” the pegasus sighed, defeated.

The Viking leader went to Sugar Cube Corner first. The scents of sweets he’d never seen, or smell, before filled his nose. He saw cupcakes, cookies, pies and every sweet anyone could imagine. Pinkie Pie saw him, and started bouncing, with a package being stabilized perfectly in her head.

“Here it is Johan! Your special package for a special pony you didn’t indentified!” Pinkie said with excitement

“Thank you Ms. Pie! I can’t repay you the kindness of baking this for me.” Said the happy stallion.

“50 Bits are fine”

“Fair Enough” and the pegasus took his pouch and dropped it on the counter “Keep the change” and he took flight to the hill.

The grass was covered by the white and cold snow, but was visible in the area cleaned by Johan. There was a blanket on the grass, a bottle of cider, a few daisy sandwiches he got from the nearest restaurant, the special cake, baked by the experienced pink party pony, and four lit candles. The bright gray pegasus was tense. He didn’t passed through such a trouble for a mare in all his life. Fluttershy was special. Her sweet smile that could calm a whole army, her two blue eyes, her famous kindness and natural beauty. Johan looked at Luna’s Moon. Even the moon was different here. The gods that ruled in different countries had different work tools, different ways to rule and manage the ponies that live under their skies. He missed home, but found comfort on the smile of the beautiful mare he was about to meet. The leafless tree he was under was moving with the wind, he adjusted his fur jacket and waited staring at the night sky.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” a sweet and calm voice said behind him. His date had arrived.

“Yes, it is.” Johan agreed. “I have prepared some food for us to eat” He said, inviting Fluttershy to sit by his side.

The shy pegasus laid down at the stallion’s side, she rearranged her red scarf around her neck more comfortably, saw the work he had done, and smiled at it. She thought that the Viking didn’t felt the same way about her, but after seeing this, she started gaining some confidence, and became less tense, and more calm. The yellow mare felt a wing over her, making her warm and comfortable. She smiled again, cuddling with Johan and accommodating on his side. Booth pegasi just enjoyed the night, ate their sandwiches and enjoyed each other’s company for a while. The Viking blew off the candles with a gentle movement of his free wing, they were now under moonlight and happy. Johan was loving his time with Fluttershy. He turned his head to her, she looked back at him. Her diamond eyes looking at his yellow ones. The stallion leaned in and their lips touched in a passionate kiss. Time stopped and it was just the two under the blanket of stars in the sky. There were no worries, no limitations, nothing. The two didn’t wanted this to end. They broke the kiss for breath, and a smile showed in their faces.

“I love you, Fluttershy” Johan said with conviction. He was now sure of it. The pink maned mare felt tears form in her eyes, and she hugged Johan, making him flip and lay on his back. Fluttershy was over him, and they kissed again. The mare gave Johan a smile, and got off of him, laying on her back at his side. They laid down looking at the stars, feeling the warm from their bodies touching and their hearts beating as one.

But in this night of love and happiness, there was sadness and anger. Rainbow Dash watched it all from far. The mare she loved was kissing a stallion she met recently. Tears of anger formed in the cyan pegasus eyes, and she took flight. She just wanted to be far away from there, she didn’t wanted Fluttershy to exist, and wanted Johan out of the living world. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t feel anything but the anger in her heart and the tears flowing like waterfalls. She felt betrayed and lost, left alone in this world.

The birds were singing, the light was there, but there was no sun. The gray clouds were all in sight. A snow flake fell in the yellow pegasus muzzle, and she woke up. She slept outside, in the middle of the snow, but she was warm and alive. The blanket underneath her made her remember last night. The candles, the food, the cake they hadn’t touched, the moon over their heads, Johan’s embrace. And the kiss. The kiss that made the world stop, the kiss that made Fluttershy’s heart beat faster, the kiss that filled her with happiness and joy. Just like her dreams. She looked at her side to see a sleeping pegasus. The mare grinned and gave him a soft kiss in his forehead. His eyes slowly opened at the touch. When his vision focused he saw the most beautiful creature in the world looking down at him, smiling warmly.

“Good morning” she said “We have cake for breakfast!”

The Viking pegasus went back to the real world “Aw, I totally forgot about the cake!”

“I had a better dessert.” Fluttershy said, blushing a little.

Johan grinned and gave a seductive look at the mare, then he moved to the cake, while stretching his wings. “Well, maybe this breakfast won’t be bad at all. Here, have this piece.” The cake was amazingly decorated, it was yellow with white frosting, with one pink butterfly in the middle, and delicious.

Both ponies enjoyed their breakfast and considered going back to Ponyville to do their daily tasks. Fluttershy had none, since all the animals went to hibernation, and the ones who didn’t went into the Everfree. Johan had to meet with Idun, Pelle, Shadow and Erik to discuss what to do next, so they separated.

Johan got into the bar, where the reunion would take place. Erik was waiting in a table in the corner of the place. He called his brother to join him and have a drink.

“Hey, I heard you got into that house that sells candy and stuff and got out with a package. You bought something interesting to share with your brother?” asked the unicorn, licking his lips.

“No, I bought that for something special.” Replied the pegasus.

“Special occasion?” the unicorn was now interested “Got laid or something?”

“Is that all you think about, Erik?”

“Well, since we left our home I had nothing more important to think about shapely flanks of mares”

“You really want that title, don’t you?”

“Don’t you dare bringing that crap up again.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever. I had a date, the cake was for her. We only ate it today though…”

“HOHOHO! JOHAN BEING ROMANTIC, EVERYPONY! This is very interesting!”

“Shut your muzzle, It’s a secret! Anyway, I have a funny story to tell about it. When I got there, two other pegasi were fooling around. The mare had a mane with two shades of orange, and the stallion had a light blue coat. After a talk, I discovered that they were Spitfire and Soarin’, two flying partners that have a group called “The Wonderbolts”. Anyway, I had to buy a pie for them and they left. Everypony in this town only thinks about food, incredible.”

“So, who did you rode yesterday?”

“Damn it brother, I didn’t rode anypony. I told you, It was only a date, not a sex party. Gods, you are a perverted and stubborn unicorn.”

“Whatever, Pelle is here.”

A dark red coated pegasus walked into the bar. He had a black mane, brushed to the back of his head. Orange eyes and an anvil and a hammer as a cutie mark. He carried the hammer shaped amulet. He was Johan’s right hoof.

“Hello, my friends” the red pegasus greeted “In a week, we didn’t taught anypony to make mead. Why the hay not?!”

“Because nopony has time for it.” Answered Erik simply. “They are too occupied building houses and starting little farms, establishing merchant stalls in the market, trading presents and making friends that they didn’t thought about alcohol yet.”

“That’s why we are here” said Johan in a serious tone.

“For Alcohol?” asked Erik, giving a sip of his drink.

“No you idiot, ponies of our own are forgetting about their homeland. We have to remember them about their mission.” The Viking leader was irritated.

“But, how? We don’t have an army, we don’t have money, we don’t have warriors.” Remembered Pelle.

“But we still have to recover our kingdom” said a serious voice from above them.

“Damn it Shadow! You should stop doing that when we are not in danger or anything.” Complained a grumpy unicorn, covered in the cider he spelt over himself.

The white unicorn above them was there for a long time, even before Erik got into the bar. She had a black mane that was hidden under her hood and her cape. Her cutie mark was a ebony dagger. She carried a different amulet, it was a blade shard.

“Exactly. We can set a little life here, but we must remember that it’s all temporary, so we can get enough bits and buy steel to make armor and weapons” The gray pegasus explained his plan.

“That’s pretty much it.” Agreed the fellow pegasus “We are going to train our soldiers.”

“Erik, you are very experienced warrior. You and Idun will train the army, so try to start it fast like… Now.”

“Right away sire.” Erik finished his drink and walked out of the bar, leaving a few bits at the counter to pay for his beer.

“Pelle, you are the second in command of everypony. Tell the ones that are making market stalls and gaining bits to save them to buy steel. Also advise all of our own to remember we are not staying here forever.”

“Yes, sir.” Pelle left trotting to the market.

“And Shadow… we have to discuss something later.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know what you want. The answer is no.”

“You have too much power, if you don’t learn how to control it yo-“

“I KNOW HOW TO CONTROL IT!” The unicorn’s horn started emanating magical aura as Shadow growled at Johan.

“If you say so… just don’t kill anypony when you don’t need to, understand?”

The unicorn sighed “Yes, sir.”

They all left the bar, paid their bills and continued their day. Idun got there 10 minutes after they were gone, looked around and left, irritated for being forgotten again.

Fluttershy flew towards Rarity’s boutique, with a smile across her face and happiness filling her. She entered the boutique, took her scarf off and hang it on a nearby chair. She looked around and didn’t find nothing. She searched the kitchen and only saw a white cat staring back at her.

“Hello Opalescence, you know where Rarity is?” The cat pointed the stairs with one of his paws, glad to help the pony who took real care of her “Thank you!” She started coming up the stairs when she heard something. It was a angry growl, two ponies were having a discussion. She put her ear against the bedroom’s door and listened. It was Rainbow Dash and Rarity.

“… doesn’t care! She won’t give a buck to me anymore! That Viking one is mounting her wildly at this instant!” screamed an angry Rainbow Dash.

“Darling, you can’t possibly know that! But I agree, she has interest in stallions, she’s not a fillyfooler like you. Oh, sorry for the term” apologized Rarity.

“It’s all right, no problem. Its just…” Rainbow sighed “I just wanted to be happy again…”

Crying was heard, and Fluttershy felt bad, like it was her fault that Rainbow Dash was crying. The mare sobbed and the crying stopped for a moment. A galloping sound was heard and the door opened in a powerful swing.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE YOU…” the cyan pegasus growled.

“Rainbow, stop! She doesn’t know anything. Also its not her fault!” Rarity said, defending her yellow friend.

“What did you heard, Fluttershy?” demanded Rainbow Dash.

“I… I heard you weren’t happy anymore for a reason, and something about you being a fillyfooler. I feel bad for you” she answered.

“You already heard more than you should, go away, don’t ever talk to me again!” Rainbow screamed with tears in her eyes. She took flight and broke through the bedroom window.

Fluttershy started crying. She fell on the floor, shoving her face in her hooves, until she felt a caring touch. “It’s not her fault, she is out of her mind. She’s distorted by anger and disappointment.” A pause. “It’s mine. It’s all my fault Fluttershy, I betrayed you, I broke the promise, I am a horrible…” she said between sobs, ending in a small crying.

“What…?” the pegasus finally managed to say.

“I told Rainbow Dash about you and Johan. I had to! She also had a secret, and I am breaking another Pinkie Promise.”

“What is it, Rarity?” she asked seriously.

“Rainbow Dash loves you.”

The world stopped again, but for a worse reason.

“I knew it before anypony else, and kept that secret well, until now.”

Rainbow Dash was depressed, and it was her fault.

“I told her about you loving Johan, and she went searching for you, to tell you the truth”

Tears started forming in her eyes.
“When she found you, she saw you and Johan under a tree in that hill, kissing.”

Her oldest friend, her best friend, who secretly loved her, and she crushed her dreams and destroyed her heart. The tears started streaming down the pegasus face, and she dried them with her hoof. She had to do something, try to fix things.

“Rarity, I’m sorry. I forgive you for the broken promises. We can still be friends. We can catch up later, ok?” She forced a little smile and then flew through the window, to search for the rainbow maned mare.