Trusted Scales

Spike realized he had kept the shy pegasus waiting for far too long, and felt a slight bit of guilt as he debated over what to say next in his head. Did she wish to know simply out of curiosity, he wondered? Perhaps she was simply trying to make conversation, and that was the first thing that came to her head.

But if that were the case, then Spike wagered that she'd have said it much more calmly - or whatever could be considered calm for the agitated pegasus. The thought dawned upon him that the reason for her asking had not been because she wished to make simple conversation, but for a much deeper and more significant reason. Something that would have been connected to her very soul, he reasoned.

It must have been fear, Spike believed. He had waited for so long and then rushed over here without a plan. Mentally kicking himself, Spike let out an audible groan; this was met with a look of worry from the yellow pony sitting across from him.

"I hope you aren't bothered by it!" she blurted out suddenly, the redness in her face creeping back ever-so-slightly for a moment. It returned just as quickly when she stated with a voice just above a whisper, "I just wanted to know, is all." Hiding behind her mane, she mumbled in a voice that tugged Spike by the heartstrings. "If you don't want to say it, I'll unde-"

"I think you're fantastic," Spike interrupted her, finally finding the correct words to sum up his opinion of Fluttershy. He had no idea why it had taken so long to think of something so utterly simple, but there it was. He was met with a response that was less than preferable, however; the redness was beginning to return back to Fluttershy's face, and Spike took this to mean he had messed up somewhere.

"You're wonderful, I mean!" he said, trying to cover whatever tracks he had made to lead Fluttershy into being upset. "Nice, pretty, and really smart. An all-around good friend to have" There was a hint of pure, unfiltered joy in Fluttershy's visible eye, and she came out from behind her mane long enough for Spike to see she was actually grinning.

She smiled quite often, Spike found, but hardly did she ever express anything more than a minor feeling of joy. Here she was, however, practically glowing with some sort of happiness. Either that, or she was about to laugh at Spike - but he didn't give such a thought much consideration.

"Um.." she said quietly, looking to Spike's right for a moment, then tilting her head down and gazing up at him, "Thank you, Spike."

Completely relieved he hadn't destroyed whatever shred of comfort Fluttershy had left, Spike breathed an audible sigh of relief. "For the record: I do think those things. I think you're pretty great," he said, tossing her a compliment. She deserved a few compliments for all the kindness she produced.

Fluttershy fidgeted in her place and then stood up suddenly, a little color returning to her face once again. "I-I forgot! I have to.. Uh.." she said, biting her lip and looking around the picnic until her gaze fell upon a napping Angel. ".. Feed the rabbits!" She trotted nervously over to the small, white rabbit and scooped him onto his feet, earning a confused look from the rabbit.

Angel turned to look at Spike with the same confusion as he stretched, and Spike simply gave him a shrug. "If you say so," Spike said, standing up to assist Fluttershy with wrapping up the picnic area.

When everything was packed away and Fluttershy looked as if she was ready to burst at the seams with nervous energy, she spoke, "Sorry to cut this short, but-"

"Nah, it's fine. It was just nice to be able to come out and talk with you," Spike said as he held up a hand to stop her worries. He leaned down to give her a hug and she leaned up to meet him, wrapping her forehooves around his neck. That was one more thing Spike liked: Fluttershy gave exceptional hugs. He'd have to mention that the next time they hung out.

After saying their goodbyes, Spike took a moment to consider just why the yellow pegasus had acted so awkwardly. Sure, she wasn't exactly a master of the social arts or an ambassador of conversation, but she did know how to hold a conversation. He had seen her and Rarity talk for what seemed like hours upon the most simple of topics.

Spike wasn't exactly a tailor, but there was only so much he could come up with in terms of conversation about yarn. Yet she held Rarity's attention and spoke eloquently nonetheless. Which meant that either he had messed up, or there may have actually been something wrong with her that he hadn't quite picked up on.

In fact, Spike wasn't entirely convinced she was not afraid of him. As far as he knew, she had never overcome her innate fear of dragons. Perhaps someone closer to her than Spike would know, however. He could ask Pinkie Pie, as she seemed to know quite a lot, but the very thought of trying to get her to focus on one thing for much too long was not a welcome prospect in the young dragon's mind.

Applejack knew a good bit about Fluttershy, come to think of it. She had had Fluttershy come over a good bit last year when the animals around Sweet Apple Acres began acting peculiarly. In that time, she surely would have learned a thing or two about the shy pegasus.

Even so, there was the chance that the kind farm-pony had learned little to nothing about Fluttershy. What Spike needed was someone who knew almost anything about the shy pegasus. He needed someone that Fluttershy trusted, and felt comfortable with.  Someone she's known most her life, and who's been there through the thick and the thin of it all with her..

Someone like Rainbow Dash.