Starry Nightby ihatethisfreakingwebsiteChaptersPrologueChapter OneChapter TwoChapter Three4. I hate this websiteProloguePrologue The wooden door softly rattled as Twilight knocked, eagerly hoping Fluttershy was in today. She would like some company along while stargazing tonight, other than Spike, who had a tendency to ignore her and just eat jewels all night. Of course, even if Fluttershy was out, she could always go to one of her other friends, but Fluttershy was the most likely of the group to actually pay attention. Twilight snapped back to reality as Fluttershy opened the door with a nervous smile. “O-Oh! Hi, Twilight...” she said with her usual whisper. “Hey Fluttershy! Wanna come stargazing with me tonight? The sky is just asking to be examined tonight, and I’ve got some great sketches from earlier that could use some colouring and detailing,” she said with a grin. “Oh! Just you and me?” asked Fluttershy, slightly blushing. “Yeah. Well, I mean, Spike will be there too.” “Oh. S-Sure.” she responded, her original smile and blush fading into a slightly saddened look for a brief moment, before returning to her simple smile. “All right. We’re set up right over on that hill...” “And then, Fluttershy, you won’t believe what I saw. In the sky, the clouds were all gone. I could see every single one of the constellations! It was amazing! That’s where I made the sketch I’ve been working on,” Twilight rambled, abruptly stopping when she realized Fluttershy had fallen asleep. Giggling a bit, she stood up, stretching her legs. She enjoyed stargazing with Fluttershy, even if she wasn’t the most energetic pony around. “Spike? Can you take the books and telescope home? I need to get Fluttershy back to her cottage before... before Angel begins to worry” Twilight whispered, shuddering as she remembered what had happened last time she had brought Fluttershy home this late. Spike nodded, and Twilight softly picked up Fluttershy, lying her across her back and beginning the slow trot to the edge of the Everfree Forest, where Fluttershy’s cottage was. In fact, Fluttershy had been around her a lot, recently. She had shown up wherever Twilight went, and come to the library at the most random of times. Of course, she enjoyed Fluttershy’s company-- that’s why she had invited her stargazing so much this week. She was a smart, kind pegasus, and was always around to listen to her science. But it still intrigued her-- was Fluttershy spending more time with everyone else, too? Or was it just her? Perhaps Fluttershy was lonely, but that still didn’t explain why she seemed a bit down whenever Twilight chose to invite Spike along for the stargazing trip too. As she arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage, she shrugged it off. There was probably a simple, scientific explanation that she was too tired to think of right now. She pushed the door to the cottage open, glad Fluttershy never locked it, and made her way towards the bedroom. With a heave, she lay Fluttershy down on the bed, still slumbering. She was so peaceful, lying there, and Twilight began to feel a warm feeling-- one that she most certainly recognized, but couldn’t quite recall. What was it? She had felt it before, a long time ago, but never quite like this. With a shake of her head, she put it out of her mind. After an uneventful return to the library, she told Spike goodnight and went to bed. But lying in bed that night, she couldn’t help but ponder over the strange feeling. Chapter OneChapter One Twilight sat at the small table, with her half muffin eaten lying on the table. The recent events had been troubling her. Throughout her entire life, everything could be explained through science (other than Pinkie Pie, but she was an exception), and yet here she was, with something that completely baffled her almighty science. She glanced up, noticing Pinkie Pie excitedly bouncing in her direction, a huge grin across her face. “Hey there, sadface! What’s gotcha down?” she called. “What?...Oh, I’m fine, Pinkie.” “Oh puh-lease! I know when somepony's not happy, silly-filly." It was apparent to Twilight that there was no way she could get the annoying pink pony to leave her alone. Besides, Pinkie Pie wasthe only pony that she knew to ever defy science. Perhaps this was her area of expertise. “Well, I guess there is something...” “Ooh! A game! Oh boy... um... pineapple!” “...what? No, no, Pinkie, it’s not a game. You see, I’ve been having this really strange feeling lately, that I can’t explain. It makes me happy, but-- no, it’s better than happiness. I just... I can’t explain it,” sighed Twilight, unable to put her frustration into words. Pinkie giggled for a moment. “Silly Twilight! You know there’s nothing better than happiness.” “But it was Pinkie, I promise,” insisted Twilight. “Fine then. We can settle this with the happiness test!” beamed Pinkie, bouncing rapidly over to the counter, and returning with a cupcake in hoof. “Just eat this cupcake!” she called, shoving it into Twilight’s mouth. “See? Doesn’t that make you happy? Are you telling me it’s better than that feeling?” Twilight spluttered, trying to respond, her mouth full of cupcake. Spitting out the remains of the sugary treat, she managed to finally speak. “Yes, Pinkie, it’s better than cupcakes. I can’t explain it well, but when I feel it... I just feel... good.” "But, but....it's a cupcake." She said sadly. Pinkie sat down for a moment, confused by Twilight’s insistence that there could possibly be something better than cupcakes. After a long silence Pinkie spoke in a serious tone she rarely used. "Well... there is one thing that’s better than happiness and cupcakes, but...” As Pinkie placed her left hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, seemingly about to say something wise, she suddenly froze. She took off her hoof slowly and then she stared at it for a moment. “ITCHY LEFT HOOF!” she screamed, and suddenly bounced out of the building at top speed. Twilight shrugged, knowing better than trying to figure out what Pinkie was up to, and walked out of the building, trotting towards the library. When she arrived, Spike was just waking up. “Good morning, sleepyhead!” she called out to him. He groaned, and rolled over on his side. When he finally got out of bed and went downstairs, he found Twilight checking every nook and cranny. “Say, did you bring the constellation charts home yesterday?” she inquired. “Uh... no. You had them when you were taking Fluttershy home, remember?” “...horsefeathers. I must have left them at her cottage; I’ll be back by lunch, okay? Can you fix something for when I get back?” “Yeah, sure.” Twilight found herself knocking on the door to Fluttershy’s cottage once again. She had been pondering the recent events involving Fluttershy, and was becoming more and more confused. It seemed almost as if Twilight had been spending more time with Fluttershy, not the other way around. Her plan of a simple, scientific answer didn’t seem too promising now. Maybe she should talk to Fluttershy about it, but she didn’t want to freak her out with a confession of “Hey, I get a strange feeling everytime I see you. Any idea why?” “H-Hey, Twilight. You’re back... soon.” Twilight yelped slightly as she was snapped back to reality. “Oh! Hi, Fluttershy,” she stuttered, feeling at a lost for words. “I think I might have left my... um... my charts! My constellations charts, I think I might have left them here last night,” she managed to spit out. What is my problem? It’s like I’ve lost my ability to think rationally, she thought. “I think they’re in my room. I’m sorry--” “No, no! It’s fine!” Twilight interrupted, not wanting the pegasus to apologize for nothing. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I just need them back.” “Oh, okay. I’ll go get them-- you can have a seat, if, um, you want to? “Of course,” responded Twilight, feeling as nervous as Fluttershy usually was. While Fluttershy fluttered up the stairs to go retrieve the constellation charts, Twilight had a seat. The cottage was nice and quaint, with some lovely paintings strewn across the wall. Normally she would admire the paintings in more detail, but Twilight had something else on her mind. All of these strange feelings and her loss of words earlier had something to do with Fluttershy, that was for certain. ‘But what? What about Fluttershy made her act and think so differently?’ She pondered. It simply didn’t make any sense. “Here they are,” called Fluttershy as she came back into the room, delicately holding the charts in her mouth. “Thanks!” responded Twilight with a grin. “I guess I’ll be going now.” “Um... do you want to stay for lunch?” asked Fluttershy with a blush. “I can’t. I’m sorry Fluttershy, but I told Spike to make me something already.” “...oh. I guess I’ll see you later then.” mumbled Fluttershy, looking rather down. Twilight thought for a minute.“Well... I guess I could stay for a little while and have some tea--”... Twilight had no idea what she was doing-- she needed to get back home to Spike but she just couldn't turn away from Fluttershy. Then she felt it...that warm feeling from earlier had returned. Twilight didn't know why, but there was something she liked about that warm and fuzzy feeling she got when Fluttershy was around. “Yay!” Fluttershy called, her normally quiet tone lost for a more happy one. “I’ll make something right now! B-Be right back!” Twilight smiled, switching her place from the couch to the table in the dining room. Fluttershy was a good cook; she was certain to make something good. She leaned back in the seat, and continued to ponder recent events. Chapter TwoChapter Two Twilight stared down at the blank piece of torn parchment on her desk, yawning as she twirled her feather quill around in circles. She was determined to write some sort of conclusion on her study of recent events to send to Celestia, but despite her efforts she was unable to come to any sort of logical conclusion. With a sigh she looked out the window, gazing at the ponies around town. It just doesn’t make sense, she thought, pausing for a moment to think before continuing. None of it makes sense. There’s never been a non-Pinkie related problem I’ve been unable to solve, and suddenly this? It’s just plain baffling. Her thoughts wandered to the Fluttershy, the mare who had been the root of all of her problems. Problems, she chuckled at herself. As if.Still, Fluttershy had been the central-figure in all of her confusion. It was always a possibility to go to Fluttershy-- diplomacy is the best way to settle problems after all, as she had concluded in one of her previous letters to the princess. The thought crossed her mind for a brief second before she quickly brushed it away. That’s nonsense! I can’t just go up to her and try and explain this. She’d think I’m crazy or something. Of course, there was always Pinkie’s strange cupcake analogy, but that hadn’t given her any answers. Pinkie had just been as confusing as ever, dashing off as if there was some sort of shared revelation that had answered all of her questions. Then again, she hadn’t really expected much of an answer from Pinkie. But Pinkie Pie was the only one of her friends she particularly trusted to confide in-- there was always Rarity, but Fluttershy was one of her closer friends, and she knew very well that Rarity always loved sharing pieces of juicy gossip. And with Rarity eliminated, there was only Applejack and Rainbow Dash left-- both of whom she knew would be absolutely clueless and of no help at all. Frustratedly, she tossed her quill down, the ink splattering in tiny dots all over the parchment. She rolled her eyes, but they suddenly stopped in place as she saw what she had drawn on the slightly messy parchment. On the parchment was a picture of Fluttershy, spanning across almost the entire page. Looking around the room, hoping that Spike wasn’t nearby, she picked it up, examining it more closely. The picture was simple-- after all, she was no artist. Still, it was incredibly confusing. She hadn’t intended to draw a picture of Fluttershy, so clearly somehow the thought had entered her subconscious-- perhaps when Fluttershy had crossed her mind? The thought was cut off as the door behind her creaked. She quickly balled up the drawing and threw it in the trash right as Spike walked into the room, her telescope and sky-charts in hand. “Hey Twi! Ready for another night of stargazing?” he asked, bending down to pick up one of the charts he had dropped, suspiciously eyeing the trashcan that she had just thrown the drawing into. Smiling nervously, she nodded. “Of course! Besides, I hear there’s going to be a meteor shower tonight. Imagine the kind of drawings I can get out of that! I’ll be the envy of the astronomical community! We can even bring along--” Suddenly, she stopped. While she loved the little dragon, and enjoyed his company, he could get in the way sometimes. She was sure he wouldn’t mind if she went without him for once. Of course, she wouldn’t tell him that she planned to bring along Fluttershy. She’d appreciate the alone time with the yellow pegasus, but didn’t want him prying into her personal life anymore than needed. Nodding in agreement with herself, she looked at Spike, whose mouth was slightly agape as he stared at her. “Spike...? Is something wrong?” she asked puzzledly. “No.. you just kinda... phased out for a second there,” he said. “Oh. Well, anyways,” she said, embarrassed, “I’m sure you won’t mind if I go without you tonight, just this once?” “What? Why?” he protested, looking at Twilight angrily. “Is this because you don’t think I’m getting enough sleep? I’m getting plenty of sleep! I promise!” “Of course not,” she reassured him. “I just need to be really focused tonight, so I can’t have any distractions. I’ll bring you along next time” “Oh, okay,” he muttered sadly, looking unconvinced. Setting down her skygazing materials, he trudged out of the room, looking hurt. She gave him a sympathetic look as she bent down to get her supplies.I’ll find a way to make it up to him, she reassured herself as she placed the telescope in her saddlebags.But right now I’ve got a certain yellow pegasus to fetch and a mystery to solve. Pinkie dashed out of Sugarcube Corner at rocket speed, heading towards Rarity’s boutique. This was big news, and she knew Rarity would absolutely freak out when she heard it. Thinking back to Twilight’s description of her feelings, she nodded slowly, smiling as she bounced towards her destination. She may not be an expert, but she knew what this was. Besides, Rarity was an expert, and she’d certainly know one way or the other. But Pinkie knew she was right anyways-- after all, her left hoof had itched, and her Pinkie Senses had never been wrong. Even Twilight had come to accept that they existed, even though her beloved science couldn’t explain it. Rarity carefully placed the next gem, delicately balancing it on the center of the dress. She nodded deliberately, taking in the scope of the dress. She smiled, turning around to check another item off of her list. The princess is going to be ecstatic when she sees this dress, she thought to herself and she made some minor adjustments, analyzing every part of the piece of fabric. It wasn’t everyday that a designer was commissioned by someone famous to create a dress-- especially not the princess of Equestria herself. She had to make this dress perfect, and had most certainly been striving as best she could to meet that goal. After all, she couldn’t remember the last time she had slept. Suddenly, the door burst open as a pink blur whizzed into the room. There was a crash as Pinkie Pie slammed into her dress, pieces of fabric and gems flying all over the room. A moment passed before Pinkie’s head popped up out of the debris, smiling sheepishly. “Lovely dress you have... well, had, there,” she chirped, working her way out of the mess. “PINKIE PIE!” screamed Rarity, quivering with fury. “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HARD I’VE WORKED ON THIS DRESS?!” Pinkie’s eyes widened at Rarity’s burst of anger, her cotton-candy mane deflating from its usual flare into a straight style. She looked down at the mess as she shuffled her hooves awkwardly. “I’m sorry...” she muttered. Rarity sighed as she inspected one of her more prized gems, looking for any imperfections in its glistening surface. “It’s all right, but that was hours of work for nothing...” she mumbled, her earlier anger dissipating as she regained her composure. “Why exactly are you barging in here anyways?” Pinkie’s hair returned to its usual state in an explosion of pink as she bounced over to Rarity excitedly. “This is super-duper important, Rarity! This... this will decide the fate of Equestria as we know it!” Rarity rolled her eyes, remembering the last time Pinkie had insisted that the fate of Equestria was at risk when she was actually just panicking about running out of hot pink icing to use on cupcakes. “Of course,” she murmured scathingly, “I’m sure it’s something oh-so important.” Pinkie glanced around, suddenly looking unsure of herself. “Well... it’s kinda hard to explain it, but you know Twilight?” “No, of course I don’t!” Rarity exclaimed sarcastically as she used her magic to lift the debris of the gown into a large ball. “It’s not as if I’m friends with her!” Pinkie giggled, completely unaware to the fact that Rarity was insulting her with almost every comment. “Silly filly, of course I know that!” She paused, looking inquisitively up at the sky in a moment of apparent seriousness before returning to her usual over-the-top self. “Anywho, what was I saying? Oh yeah! So, Twilight came to Sugarcube Corner earlier today and was talking about this stuff, and I was making some delicious--” “Get to the important things, dear, not everyone has time for a novel-length monologue.” Pinkie nodded, continuing, “Well, anyways, she was talking about this feeling she got and told me it was better than cupcakes, which is obviously impossible. Suddenly, I got an itchy left hoof, and I rushed back here!” “Okay? And what does an itchy left hoof symbolize?” “Well... it symbolizes love!” Rarity looked at Pinkie, raising an eyebrow. Out of all of the crazy things Pinkie had concocted, this was by far the craziest. Pinkie nodded, giggling at Rarity’s response. “I knew you’d freak out!” “Are you absolutely positive? I mean, I know you have a lot of faith in your Pinkie Senses, but...” Pinkie suddenly stomped her hooves on the floor, stopping Rarity abruptly. “Do not doubt my Pinkie Senses! They have never been and will never be wrong! Besides, even if you won’t believe in me, you can always look at the fact that she considered her feeling better than cupcakes! What else is better than cupcakes?” Rarity sighed, taking a seat in an armchair as she finished sorting the debris. While she had her doubts about Pinkie’s methods, it was undeniable that they had never failed before. “Well, who is it? Who’s this secret stallion that Twilight’s in love with?” Pinkie looked at Rarity, giggling. “That’s the surprise part! It’s a mare!” Rarity eyes widened slightly, looking over at Pinkie. “Really? I have no problem with such things-- after all, love is love-- although I didn’t particularly expect Twilight to, well, be interested in mares,” she said, stopping to think. “Well, who is it?” “You’ll never-ever guess who!” Rarity paused, thinking. “I’ve got no idea,” she conceded with a sigh. “Who?” “Fluttershy!” Rarity tilted her head slightly, taking in the idea slowly. She nodded, before bursting into a fit of giggles. “That’s charming, Pinkie, but I’m looking for a serious answer here.” To Rarity’s surprise, Pinkie’s face was actually straight. “No, I’m not being silly! This is one-hundred percent serious!” she insisted. Rarity stopped laughing, looking at Pinkie in shock. “F-Fluttershy? You mean our Fluttershy? The shy and quiet one?” Pinkie giggled. “Of course, you silly filly!” Rarity looked around the boutique in awe. “I never would have... I mean, of course... but... Fluttershy?” “Yep, yep, yep!” Rarity leaned back against her armchair, her head pressing into the soft fabric, the ruined dress completely out of her mind. “Fluttershy... I can’t believe this. Do we know if Fluttershy likes her too?” Pinkie shrugged. “I dunno. Does she like mares too?” Rarity paused, not sure if she could trust the pink pony. Eventually, she nodded. “Yes, she does. She told me on one of her salon days. I don’t know if she likes Twilight, though...” She paused again, looking at Pinkie in thought. “Well, I’ve got a spa day planned with Fluttershy tomorrow. I’ll see what I can figure out from that, and you can see what you can figure out on Twilights end of the spectrum. Deal?” “Deal!” called Pinkie, bouncing towards the door excitedly. “First off, I’ll have to get my night-vision goggles...” Rarity rolled her eyes as her mind returned to her ruined dress. As she paced over towards the debris, she pondered whether sending Pinkie out to investigate was a smart move. Chapter Three"Look at that!" exclaimed Twilight, staring up in awe. "Are you seeing this, Fluttershy…? Fluttershy?" Fluttershy snapped back to reality in a heartbeat, quickly jerking her head up to look at the sky. Her cheeks bloomed like roses, and she felt Twilight staring at her, with a confused expression on her face. "You all right?" "Yes, I'm fine." With an unbelieving look, Twilight turned and looked back at the sky, making a few notes on her charts. Fluttershy stared down at the ground as she shuffled her hooves on the soft grass. Fluttershy had been having feelings for Twilight for a couple of weeks now, and at first she couldn't understand them. Then, the first time she and Twilight stargazed together, she realized that she loved everything about Twilight-- the way she looked, her love and compassion towards her friends, and the best part about her-- the ways her eyes would sparkle and gleam when she talked about books, or magic, or the stars. To Fluttershy, Twilight's enthusiasm for knowledge was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. But she couldn't bear the thought of telling Twilight how she felt. "So, Fluttershy," began Twilight as she stared up at the flaming meteors streaking across the night sky. "How's life?" "Well, it's been... average, I guess." She paused, thinking of what to say next. "Lonely," she blurted out, instantly regretting her impulsive statement. "That's why I like going stargazing. Oh! I mean, I still like learning about the stars from you, though... I mean--" Twilight giggled, placing a hoof on Fluttershy's muzzle. "It's okay, I understand. For now, let's just watch the stars." Fluttershy gave a slow nod, feeling calmed by Twilight's presence. She really loved Twilight but the unicorn was oblivious as to feelings. She wasn't sure if Twilight would accept her feelings or not, so for the past weeks she was keeping them a secret. But suddenly, she felt a burst of passion-- fiery and fierce-- and she slowly leaned in towards Twilight, who didn't notice. "Twilight, I--" Just as Twilight began to turn to face her, there was a loud rustling from behind them and Twilight leapt up, looking towards the location of the sound. Fluttershy turned around more slowly, thinking about how close she had come to professing how she felt to Twilight. With a sigh, she looked towards the location of the sound. "Pinkie? What are you doing here?" Twilight exclaimed, staring at the pink heap next to a tree. "And why do you have night vision goggles on?" Pinkie giggled nervously, brushing off some bits of the tree that had gotten stuck in her mane. "I was in the tree..." Twilight nodded, rolling her eyes. "I figured as much; the question is why were you in the tree?" Pinkie glanced from side to side, before looking at Twilight. "Oh, you know... stargazing! Looking at the, um, shooting stars!" Twilight laughed, glancing back at the streaking lights dotting the sky. "Pinkie, those are meteors burning up in the atmosphere, not stars. If those were stars, we'd all be dead--" Twilight shook her head, looking back at Pinkie more seriously. "Well, care to join us?" Pinkie's eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head, her pink mane bouncing characteristically. "Oh, no... It's getting kind of late, so I better get home. You two have fun!" Twilight looked at her, inquisitively. "I guess you're right. It is kind of late... I better get home." Fluttershy nodded, secretly feeling miserable that they were ending already. With a sigh, she stood up, picking up Twilight's star charts and placing them in the unicorn's saddlebags. "Bye," she murmured, starting off towards her cottage. "See you, Fluttershy." Fluttershy continued on her way, wondering if she'd ever be able to confess how she felt to Twilight. Before she knew it, she was home. As she went to open the door, she noticed a small note pinned to it. Meet me at the spa tomorrow, 11 am ~Rarity She paused-- that wasn't their normal spa day. With a sigh, she went inside, wondering why Rarity had scheduled such a spontaneous meeting. Rarity relaxed, leaning back into the soft fabric that lined the chair. She glanced at the clock on the wall-- 11 am. Punctual as usual, she thought to herself smugly. There was a ringing as the door to the spa opened up, the bell clanging loudly. "Fluttershy! Come in, come in!" called Rarity, grinning brightly. She paused, shaking her head as Fluttershy moved to the counter. "No, no, no! It's all paid for-- come in, have a seat, relax!" Fluttershy bowed her head as she trotted towards Rarity, not liking all the attention that Rarity's calling had brought about. "Glad you could make it!" Rarity said cheerfully. "Now, let's get started, shall we?" * * * Rarity relaxed, letting the warm water soak into her coat. She glanced over at Fluttershy, who seemed deep in thought. "So, Fluttershy, I know it's a personal question, but I've been wondering lately," she finally said, breaking the silence. "Got any crushes on anyone?" Fluttershy seemed to freeze up, looking rather uncomfortable. "No... nopony." Rarity rolled her eyes extravagantly. "Oh, please. There has to be somepony." "It's really not important--" "Of course it is! These things matter, dear!" Rarity sat up, the water around her rippling. "Now, tell me." Fluttershy sighed, knowing that Rarity wasn't going to give up until she confessed. "Okay, fine. But... you have to promise not to tell anypony." "Of course, of course!" Fluttershy gave a deep breath, pausing. "Twilight." She instantly lowered her head, fearful of Rarity judging her choices. "I know, it's stupid of me..." "Stupid?!" exclaimed Rarity, standing up so abruptly that water went flying. "This is perfect!" Rarity giggled delightedly, stepping over towards Fluttershy. "Wh...what?" said Fluttershy, confused by Rarity's apparent excitement. "You don't have to make fun--" "I'm not making fun of you!" called Rarity. "Oh, this is excellent!" Rarity reached over towards Fluttershy, grabbing her front hooves. "I happen to know that Twilight likes you too!" Despite Rarity's enthusiasm, Fluttershy looked suspicious. "Oh, Rarity... You don't have to try and make me feel better..." "I'm not!" cried Rarity, looking Fluttershy in the eye seriously. "Why do you think Twilight's always so eager to stargaze with you?" "Well, it's because…well…I... I guess you have a point." "Then go! Tell her how you feel about her!" Fluttershy nodded, feeling a surge of energy go through her body. Twilight loved her! It was the most amazing feeling she ever felt. This feeling filled her with pure joy.Feeling elated, she dashed out of the spa while Rarity smiled smugly behind her. The box of sponges was very small. That was Pinkie's thought process as she climbed into the small box to watch Rarity's meeting with Fluttershy. The two had been painfully slow and boring for the first two hours, until Rarity finally carried out the plan. She listened slowly, taking in every word. Very good... Very, very good... she thought as Rarity convinced Fluttershy. It took a lot of convincing to make Fluttershy understand, she noticed. If only Fluttershy could be more open and trusting-- maybe then life would be easier for her. That was how Pinkie lived every day, after all. Finally, Fluttershy had listened to what Rarity told her, and it was time for her to follow Fluttershy and see her confession-- if not for the itchy right hoof. Fluttershy's heart pounded as she raced down the road to Twilight's library. She couldn't believe what Rarity had told her-- the actual possibility that Twilight liked her too. The thought made her heart skip a beat. As she approached town square, she heard a noise behind her. Stopping abruptly, her hooves skidding across the loose pebbles, she turned around. "Pinkie Pie?" she murmured, seeing the pink pony racing up toward her at breakneck speed. "Fluttershy! Stop! Stop, stop, stop!" Pinkie shouted, finally catching up to where Fluttershy stood still. "Umm... can I help you? I really need to--" "Twilight..." Pinkie gasped, "...doesn't.... like you that way..." she finally blurted out. "…What?" Fluttershy managed to respond, confused. "I... I overheard her talking to Spike... she said something about only, um, taking you stargazing because she needed someone... um, stupid enough to teach it to." "What…I…she... she thinks I'm stupid?" Fluttershy whispered, tears forming in her eyes, instantly doubting what Rarity had said. "I…I… knew it. She was just trying to make me feel better..." "W...wait..." Pinkie said, realizing the stupidity of her impulsive decision. "Oh!" Fluttershy cried, tears flowing openly down her face. "I'll always be alone!" "No! Fluttershy--" spluttered Pinkie desperately. But Fluttershy had already run away, dust going everywhere from her rapid flight. Pinkie's mane deflated, and she slumped down, looking down at the ground defeatedly. Suddenly, she heard someone running down the road, and she quickly looked up. "Fluttershy?" she called out hopefully. Instead, she saw Rarity dashing down the road, her mane flowing behind her."Pinkie! What happened to Fluttershy?! Why is she running away crying?!" Pinkie stood silently for several moments, before she finally said, "I... I got an itchy right hoof... so I told her that... that Twilight thinks she's stupid." "What? You're kidding!" "I... I got an itchy right hoof..." "You know what?! I don't care about your stupid Pinkie Senses anymore! Argh! Why Pinkie, why?! You ruined a chance for love!" Rarity stared angrily at Pinkie, more furious than Pinkie had ever seen her. Pinkie's normally bright, happy eyes began to water up, and soon she darted away, leaving Rarity alone in the dust.. Rarity stomped her hooves, staring down at the ground furiously. How did this get so messed up? Spike hummed happily as he sweeped up the floor of the library. "Done!" he called happily, throwing his broom down. He glanced around, looking for Twilight. "Twi?" he called. "In here!" she responded over the sound of pages turning. I should have guessed, he thought dully. Reading. He walked into the room where he heard Twilight calling from. "Hey Twi! I'm done." "Lovely," she murmured, her face buried in a book that he’d never seen before. "I'm reading a romance novel right now." "Ooh! A loooove novel, huh?" "Oh, shut up. Anyways, the characterization in this book is absolutely atrocious." "How so?" "Well, the main character is just plain stupid. I mean, she's a bookworm, but she's just so clueless when it comes to romance." "Gee, I wonder who that sounds like," Spike muttered under his breath. "Anyways, there's tons of signs that she's in love. I mean, she spends massive amounts of time with the other character. She’s also always thinking about her-- I mean, how in Celestia’s name does she not get it?!" "How stupid," Spike said, not paying attention. Suddenly, Twilight dropped her book, her eyes growing wide. "Yeah... really stupid..." Before Spike knew it, Twilight had leapt up from her seat. "Be back later!" she shouted as she ran out the door. Weird, he thought, jumping up on the table where Twilight had left the novel. I wonder why she was reading a romance novel in the first place. I mean, that section of the library is so unused there’s literally dust all over it With a shrug, he hopped down again, not thinking about it further. 4. I hate this websiteSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
ProloguePrologue The wooden door softly rattled as Twilight knocked, eagerly hoping Fluttershy was in today. She would like some company along while stargazing tonight, other than Spike, who had a tendency to ignore her and just eat jewels all night. Of course, even if Fluttershy was out, she could always go to one of her other friends, but Fluttershy was the most likely of the group to actually pay attention. Twilight snapped back to reality as Fluttershy opened the door with a nervous smile. “O-Oh! Hi, Twilight...” she said with her usual whisper. “Hey Fluttershy! Wanna come stargazing with me tonight? The sky is just asking to be examined tonight, and I’ve got some great sketches from earlier that could use some colouring and detailing,” she said with a grin. “Oh! Just you and me?” asked Fluttershy, slightly blushing. “Yeah. Well, I mean, Spike will be there too.” “Oh. S-Sure.” she responded, her original smile and blush fading into a slightly saddened look for a brief moment, before returning to her simple smile. “All right. We’re set up right over on that hill...” “And then, Fluttershy, you won’t believe what I saw. In the sky, the clouds were all gone. I could see every single one of the constellations! It was amazing! That’s where I made the sketch I’ve been working on,” Twilight rambled, abruptly stopping when she realized Fluttershy had fallen asleep. Giggling a bit, she stood up, stretching her legs. She enjoyed stargazing with Fluttershy, even if she wasn’t the most energetic pony around. “Spike? Can you take the books and telescope home? I need to get Fluttershy back to her cottage before... before Angel begins to worry” Twilight whispered, shuddering as she remembered what had happened last time she had brought Fluttershy home this late. Spike nodded, and Twilight softly picked up Fluttershy, lying her across her back and beginning the slow trot to the edge of the Everfree Forest, where Fluttershy’s cottage was. In fact, Fluttershy had been around her a lot, recently. She had shown up wherever Twilight went, and come to the library at the most random of times. Of course, she enjoyed Fluttershy’s company-- that’s why she had invited her stargazing so much this week. She was a smart, kind pegasus, and was always around to listen to her science. But it still intrigued her-- was Fluttershy spending more time with everyone else, too? Or was it just her? Perhaps Fluttershy was lonely, but that still didn’t explain why she seemed a bit down whenever Twilight chose to invite Spike along for the stargazing trip too. As she arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage, she shrugged it off. There was probably a simple, scientific explanation that she was too tired to think of right now. She pushed the door to the cottage open, glad Fluttershy never locked it, and made her way towards the bedroom. With a heave, she lay Fluttershy down on the bed, still slumbering. She was so peaceful, lying there, and Twilight began to feel a warm feeling-- one that she most certainly recognized, but couldn’t quite recall. What was it? She had felt it before, a long time ago, but never quite like this. With a shake of her head, she put it out of her mind. After an uneventful return to the library, she told Spike goodnight and went to bed. But lying in bed that night, she couldn’t help but ponder over the strange feeling.
Chapter OneChapter One Twilight sat at the small table, with her half muffin eaten lying on the table. The recent events had been troubling her. Throughout her entire life, everything could be explained through science (other than Pinkie Pie, but she was an exception), and yet here she was, with something that completely baffled her almighty science. She glanced up, noticing Pinkie Pie excitedly bouncing in her direction, a huge grin across her face. “Hey there, sadface! What’s gotcha down?” she called. “What?...Oh, I’m fine, Pinkie.” “Oh puh-lease! I know when somepony's not happy, silly-filly." It was apparent to Twilight that there was no way she could get the annoying pink pony to leave her alone. Besides, Pinkie Pie wasthe only pony that she knew to ever defy science. Perhaps this was her area of expertise. “Well, I guess there is something...” “Ooh! A game! Oh boy... um... pineapple!” “...what? No, no, Pinkie, it’s not a game. You see, I’ve been having this really strange feeling lately, that I can’t explain. It makes me happy, but-- no, it’s better than happiness. I just... I can’t explain it,” sighed Twilight, unable to put her frustration into words. Pinkie giggled for a moment. “Silly Twilight! You know there’s nothing better than happiness.” “But it was Pinkie, I promise,” insisted Twilight. “Fine then. We can settle this with the happiness test!” beamed Pinkie, bouncing rapidly over to the counter, and returning with a cupcake in hoof. “Just eat this cupcake!” she called, shoving it into Twilight’s mouth. “See? Doesn’t that make you happy? Are you telling me it’s better than that feeling?” Twilight spluttered, trying to respond, her mouth full of cupcake. Spitting out the remains of the sugary treat, she managed to finally speak. “Yes, Pinkie, it’s better than cupcakes. I can’t explain it well, but when I feel it... I just feel... good.” "But, but....it's a cupcake." She said sadly. Pinkie sat down for a moment, confused by Twilight’s insistence that there could possibly be something better than cupcakes. After a long silence Pinkie spoke in a serious tone she rarely used. "Well... there is one thing that’s better than happiness and cupcakes, but...” As Pinkie placed her left hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, seemingly about to say something wise, she suddenly froze. She took off her hoof slowly and then she stared at it for a moment. “ITCHY LEFT HOOF!” she screamed, and suddenly bounced out of the building at top speed. Twilight shrugged, knowing better than trying to figure out what Pinkie was up to, and walked out of the building, trotting towards the library. When she arrived, Spike was just waking up. “Good morning, sleepyhead!” she called out to him. He groaned, and rolled over on his side. When he finally got out of bed and went downstairs, he found Twilight checking every nook and cranny. “Say, did you bring the constellation charts home yesterday?” she inquired. “Uh... no. You had them when you were taking Fluttershy home, remember?” “...horsefeathers. I must have left them at her cottage; I’ll be back by lunch, okay? Can you fix something for when I get back?” “Yeah, sure.” Twilight found herself knocking on the door to Fluttershy’s cottage once again. She had been pondering the recent events involving Fluttershy, and was becoming more and more confused. It seemed almost as if Twilight had been spending more time with Fluttershy, not the other way around. Her plan of a simple, scientific answer didn’t seem too promising now. Maybe she should talk to Fluttershy about it, but she didn’t want to freak her out with a confession of “Hey, I get a strange feeling everytime I see you. Any idea why?” “H-Hey, Twilight. You’re back... soon.” Twilight yelped slightly as she was snapped back to reality. “Oh! Hi, Fluttershy,” she stuttered, feeling at a lost for words. “I think I might have left my... um... my charts! My constellations charts, I think I might have left them here last night,” she managed to spit out. What is my problem? It’s like I’ve lost my ability to think rationally, she thought. “I think they’re in my room. I’m sorry--” “No, no! It’s fine!” Twilight interrupted, not wanting the pegasus to apologize for nothing. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I just need them back.” “Oh, okay. I’ll go get them-- you can have a seat, if, um, you want to? “Of course,” responded Twilight, feeling as nervous as Fluttershy usually was. While Fluttershy fluttered up the stairs to go retrieve the constellation charts, Twilight had a seat. The cottage was nice and quaint, with some lovely paintings strewn across the wall. Normally she would admire the paintings in more detail, but Twilight had something else on her mind. All of these strange feelings and her loss of words earlier had something to do with Fluttershy, that was for certain. ‘But what? What about Fluttershy made her act and think so differently?’ She pondered. It simply didn’t make any sense. “Here they are,” called Fluttershy as she came back into the room, delicately holding the charts in her mouth. “Thanks!” responded Twilight with a grin. “I guess I’ll be going now.” “Um... do you want to stay for lunch?” asked Fluttershy with a blush. “I can’t. I’m sorry Fluttershy, but I told Spike to make me something already.” “...oh. I guess I’ll see you later then.” mumbled Fluttershy, looking rather down. Twilight thought for a minute.“Well... I guess I could stay for a little while and have some tea--”... Twilight had no idea what she was doing-- she needed to get back home to Spike but she just couldn't turn away from Fluttershy. Then she felt it...that warm feeling from earlier had returned. Twilight didn't know why, but there was something she liked about that warm and fuzzy feeling she got when Fluttershy was around. “Yay!” Fluttershy called, her normally quiet tone lost for a more happy one. “I’ll make something right now! B-Be right back!” Twilight smiled, switching her place from the couch to the table in the dining room. Fluttershy was a good cook; she was certain to make something good. She leaned back in the seat, and continued to ponder recent events.
Chapter TwoChapter Two Twilight stared down at the blank piece of torn parchment on her desk, yawning as she twirled her feather quill around in circles. She was determined to write some sort of conclusion on her study of recent events to send to Celestia, but despite her efforts she was unable to come to any sort of logical conclusion. With a sigh she looked out the window, gazing at the ponies around town. It just doesn’t make sense, she thought, pausing for a moment to think before continuing. None of it makes sense. There’s never been a non-Pinkie related problem I’ve been unable to solve, and suddenly this? It’s just plain baffling. Her thoughts wandered to the Fluttershy, the mare who had been the root of all of her problems. Problems, she chuckled at herself. As if.Still, Fluttershy had been the central-figure in all of her confusion. It was always a possibility to go to Fluttershy-- diplomacy is the best way to settle problems after all, as she had concluded in one of her previous letters to the princess. The thought crossed her mind for a brief second before she quickly brushed it away. That’s nonsense! I can’t just go up to her and try and explain this. She’d think I’m crazy or something. Of course, there was always Pinkie’s strange cupcake analogy, but that hadn’t given her any answers. Pinkie had just been as confusing as ever, dashing off as if there was some sort of shared revelation that had answered all of her questions. Then again, she hadn’t really expected much of an answer from Pinkie. But Pinkie Pie was the only one of her friends she particularly trusted to confide in-- there was always Rarity, but Fluttershy was one of her closer friends, and she knew very well that Rarity always loved sharing pieces of juicy gossip. And with Rarity eliminated, there was only Applejack and Rainbow Dash left-- both of whom she knew would be absolutely clueless and of no help at all. Frustratedly, she tossed her quill down, the ink splattering in tiny dots all over the parchment. She rolled her eyes, but they suddenly stopped in place as she saw what she had drawn on the slightly messy parchment. On the parchment was a picture of Fluttershy, spanning across almost the entire page. Looking around the room, hoping that Spike wasn’t nearby, she picked it up, examining it more closely. The picture was simple-- after all, she was no artist. Still, it was incredibly confusing. She hadn’t intended to draw a picture of Fluttershy, so clearly somehow the thought had entered her subconscious-- perhaps when Fluttershy had crossed her mind? The thought was cut off as the door behind her creaked. She quickly balled up the drawing and threw it in the trash right as Spike walked into the room, her telescope and sky-charts in hand. “Hey Twi! Ready for another night of stargazing?” he asked, bending down to pick up one of the charts he had dropped, suspiciously eyeing the trashcan that she had just thrown the drawing into. Smiling nervously, she nodded. “Of course! Besides, I hear there’s going to be a meteor shower tonight. Imagine the kind of drawings I can get out of that! I’ll be the envy of the astronomical community! We can even bring along--” Suddenly, she stopped. While she loved the little dragon, and enjoyed his company, he could get in the way sometimes. She was sure he wouldn’t mind if she went without him for once. Of course, she wouldn’t tell him that she planned to bring along Fluttershy. She’d appreciate the alone time with the yellow pegasus, but didn’t want him prying into her personal life anymore than needed. Nodding in agreement with herself, she looked at Spike, whose mouth was slightly agape as he stared at her. “Spike...? Is something wrong?” she asked puzzledly. “No.. you just kinda... phased out for a second there,” he said. “Oh. Well, anyways,” she said, embarrassed, “I’m sure you won’t mind if I go without you tonight, just this once?” “What? Why?” he protested, looking at Twilight angrily. “Is this because you don’t think I’m getting enough sleep? I’m getting plenty of sleep! I promise!” “Of course not,” she reassured him. “I just need to be really focused tonight, so I can’t have any distractions. I’ll bring you along next time” “Oh, okay,” he muttered sadly, looking unconvinced. Setting down her skygazing materials, he trudged out of the room, looking hurt. She gave him a sympathetic look as she bent down to get her supplies.I’ll find a way to make it up to him, she reassured herself as she placed the telescope in her saddlebags.But right now I’ve got a certain yellow pegasus to fetch and a mystery to solve. Pinkie dashed out of Sugarcube Corner at rocket speed, heading towards Rarity’s boutique. This was big news, and she knew Rarity would absolutely freak out when she heard it. Thinking back to Twilight’s description of her feelings, she nodded slowly, smiling as she bounced towards her destination. She may not be an expert, but she knew what this was. Besides, Rarity was an expert, and she’d certainly know one way or the other. But Pinkie knew she was right anyways-- after all, her left hoof had itched, and her Pinkie Senses had never been wrong. Even Twilight had come to accept that they existed, even though her beloved science couldn’t explain it. Rarity carefully placed the next gem, delicately balancing it on the center of the dress. She nodded deliberately, taking in the scope of the dress. She smiled, turning around to check another item off of her list. The princess is going to be ecstatic when she sees this dress, she thought to herself and she made some minor adjustments, analyzing every part of the piece of fabric. It wasn’t everyday that a designer was commissioned by someone famous to create a dress-- especially not the princess of Equestria herself. She had to make this dress perfect, and had most certainly been striving as best she could to meet that goal. After all, she couldn’t remember the last time she had slept. Suddenly, the door burst open as a pink blur whizzed into the room. There was a crash as Pinkie Pie slammed into her dress, pieces of fabric and gems flying all over the room. A moment passed before Pinkie’s head popped up out of the debris, smiling sheepishly. “Lovely dress you have... well, had, there,” she chirped, working her way out of the mess. “PINKIE PIE!” screamed Rarity, quivering with fury. “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HARD I’VE WORKED ON THIS DRESS?!” Pinkie’s eyes widened at Rarity’s burst of anger, her cotton-candy mane deflating from its usual flare into a straight style. She looked down at the mess as she shuffled her hooves awkwardly. “I’m sorry...” she muttered. Rarity sighed as she inspected one of her more prized gems, looking for any imperfections in its glistening surface. “It’s all right, but that was hours of work for nothing...” she mumbled, her earlier anger dissipating as she regained her composure. “Why exactly are you barging in here anyways?” Pinkie’s hair returned to its usual state in an explosion of pink as she bounced over to Rarity excitedly. “This is super-duper important, Rarity! This... this will decide the fate of Equestria as we know it!” Rarity rolled her eyes, remembering the last time Pinkie had insisted that the fate of Equestria was at risk when she was actually just panicking about running out of hot pink icing to use on cupcakes. “Of course,” she murmured scathingly, “I’m sure it’s something oh-so important.” Pinkie glanced around, suddenly looking unsure of herself. “Well... it’s kinda hard to explain it, but you know Twilight?” “No, of course I don’t!” Rarity exclaimed sarcastically as she used her magic to lift the debris of the gown into a large ball. “It’s not as if I’m friends with her!” Pinkie giggled, completely unaware to the fact that Rarity was insulting her with almost every comment. “Silly filly, of course I know that!” She paused, looking inquisitively up at the sky in a moment of apparent seriousness before returning to her usual over-the-top self. “Anywho, what was I saying? Oh yeah! So, Twilight came to Sugarcube Corner earlier today and was talking about this stuff, and I was making some delicious--” “Get to the important things, dear, not everyone has time for a novel-length monologue.” Pinkie nodded, continuing, “Well, anyways, she was talking about this feeling she got and told me it was better than cupcakes, which is obviously impossible. Suddenly, I got an itchy left hoof, and I rushed back here!” “Okay? And what does an itchy left hoof symbolize?” “Well... it symbolizes love!” Rarity looked at Pinkie, raising an eyebrow. Out of all of the crazy things Pinkie had concocted, this was by far the craziest. Pinkie nodded, giggling at Rarity’s response. “I knew you’d freak out!” “Are you absolutely positive? I mean, I know you have a lot of faith in your Pinkie Senses, but...” Pinkie suddenly stomped her hooves on the floor, stopping Rarity abruptly. “Do not doubt my Pinkie Senses! They have never been and will never be wrong! Besides, even if you won’t believe in me, you can always look at the fact that she considered her feeling better than cupcakes! What else is better than cupcakes?” Rarity sighed, taking a seat in an armchair as she finished sorting the debris. While she had her doubts about Pinkie’s methods, it was undeniable that they had never failed before. “Well, who is it? Who’s this secret stallion that Twilight’s in love with?” Pinkie looked at Rarity, giggling. “That’s the surprise part! It’s a mare!” Rarity eyes widened slightly, looking over at Pinkie. “Really? I have no problem with such things-- after all, love is love-- although I didn’t particularly expect Twilight to, well, be interested in mares,” she said, stopping to think. “Well, who is it?” “You’ll never-ever guess who!” Rarity paused, thinking. “I’ve got no idea,” she conceded with a sigh. “Who?” “Fluttershy!” Rarity tilted her head slightly, taking in the idea slowly. She nodded, before bursting into a fit of giggles. “That’s charming, Pinkie, but I’m looking for a serious answer here.” To Rarity’s surprise, Pinkie’s face was actually straight. “No, I’m not being silly! This is one-hundred percent serious!” she insisted. Rarity stopped laughing, looking at Pinkie in shock. “F-Fluttershy? You mean our Fluttershy? The shy and quiet one?” Pinkie giggled. “Of course, you silly filly!” Rarity looked around the boutique in awe. “I never would have... I mean, of course... but... Fluttershy?” “Yep, yep, yep!” Rarity leaned back against her armchair, her head pressing into the soft fabric, the ruined dress completely out of her mind. “Fluttershy... I can’t believe this. Do we know if Fluttershy likes her too?” Pinkie shrugged. “I dunno. Does she like mares too?” Rarity paused, not sure if she could trust the pink pony. Eventually, she nodded. “Yes, she does. She told me on one of her salon days. I don’t know if she likes Twilight, though...” She paused again, looking at Pinkie in thought. “Well, I’ve got a spa day planned with Fluttershy tomorrow. I’ll see what I can figure out from that, and you can see what you can figure out on Twilights end of the spectrum. Deal?” “Deal!” called Pinkie, bouncing towards the door excitedly. “First off, I’ll have to get my night-vision goggles...” Rarity rolled her eyes as her mind returned to her ruined dress. As she paced over towards the debris, she pondered whether sending Pinkie out to investigate was a smart move.
Chapter Three"Look at that!" exclaimed Twilight, staring up in awe. "Are you seeing this, Fluttershy…? Fluttershy?" Fluttershy snapped back to reality in a heartbeat, quickly jerking her head up to look at the sky. Her cheeks bloomed like roses, and she felt Twilight staring at her, with a confused expression on her face. "You all right?" "Yes, I'm fine." With an unbelieving look, Twilight turned and looked back at the sky, making a few notes on her charts. Fluttershy stared down at the ground as she shuffled her hooves on the soft grass. Fluttershy had been having feelings for Twilight for a couple of weeks now, and at first she couldn't understand them. Then, the first time she and Twilight stargazed together, she realized that she loved everything about Twilight-- the way she looked, her love and compassion towards her friends, and the best part about her-- the ways her eyes would sparkle and gleam when she talked about books, or magic, or the stars. To Fluttershy, Twilight's enthusiasm for knowledge was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. But she couldn't bear the thought of telling Twilight how she felt. "So, Fluttershy," began Twilight as she stared up at the flaming meteors streaking across the night sky. "How's life?" "Well, it's been... average, I guess." She paused, thinking of what to say next. "Lonely," she blurted out, instantly regretting her impulsive statement. "That's why I like going stargazing. Oh! I mean, I still like learning about the stars from you, though... I mean--" Twilight giggled, placing a hoof on Fluttershy's muzzle. "It's okay, I understand. For now, let's just watch the stars." Fluttershy gave a slow nod, feeling calmed by Twilight's presence. She really loved Twilight but the unicorn was oblivious as to feelings. She wasn't sure if Twilight would accept her feelings or not, so for the past weeks she was keeping them a secret. But suddenly, she felt a burst of passion-- fiery and fierce-- and she slowly leaned in towards Twilight, who didn't notice. "Twilight, I--" Just as Twilight began to turn to face her, there was a loud rustling from behind them and Twilight leapt up, looking towards the location of the sound. Fluttershy turned around more slowly, thinking about how close she had come to professing how she felt to Twilight. With a sigh, she looked towards the location of the sound. "Pinkie? What are you doing here?" Twilight exclaimed, staring at the pink heap next to a tree. "And why do you have night vision goggles on?" Pinkie giggled nervously, brushing off some bits of the tree that had gotten stuck in her mane. "I was in the tree..." Twilight nodded, rolling her eyes. "I figured as much; the question is why were you in the tree?" Pinkie glanced from side to side, before looking at Twilight. "Oh, you know... stargazing! Looking at the, um, shooting stars!" Twilight laughed, glancing back at the streaking lights dotting the sky. "Pinkie, those are meteors burning up in the atmosphere, not stars. If those were stars, we'd all be dead--" Twilight shook her head, looking back at Pinkie more seriously. "Well, care to join us?" Pinkie's eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head, her pink mane bouncing characteristically. "Oh, no... It's getting kind of late, so I better get home. You two have fun!" Twilight looked at her, inquisitively. "I guess you're right. It is kind of late... I better get home." Fluttershy nodded, secretly feeling miserable that they were ending already. With a sigh, she stood up, picking up Twilight's star charts and placing them in the unicorn's saddlebags. "Bye," she murmured, starting off towards her cottage. "See you, Fluttershy." Fluttershy continued on her way, wondering if she'd ever be able to confess how she felt to Twilight. Before she knew it, she was home. As she went to open the door, she noticed a small note pinned to it. Meet me at the spa tomorrow, 11 am ~Rarity She paused-- that wasn't their normal spa day. With a sigh, she went inside, wondering why Rarity had scheduled such a spontaneous meeting. Rarity relaxed, leaning back into the soft fabric that lined the chair. She glanced at the clock on the wall-- 11 am. Punctual as usual, she thought to herself smugly. There was a ringing as the door to the spa opened up, the bell clanging loudly. "Fluttershy! Come in, come in!" called Rarity, grinning brightly. She paused, shaking her head as Fluttershy moved to the counter. "No, no, no! It's all paid for-- come in, have a seat, relax!" Fluttershy bowed her head as she trotted towards Rarity, not liking all the attention that Rarity's calling had brought about. "Glad you could make it!" Rarity said cheerfully. "Now, let's get started, shall we?" * * * Rarity relaxed, letting the warm water soak into her coat. She glanced over at Fluttershy, who seemed deep in thought. "So, Fluttershy, I know it's a personal question, but I've been wondering lately," she finally said, breaking the silence. "Got any crushes on anyone?" Fluttershy seemed to freeze up, looking rather uncomfortable. "No... nopony." Rarity rolled her eyes extravagantly. "Oh, please. There has to be somepony." "It's really not important--" "Of course it is! These things matter, dear!" Rarity sat up, the water around her rippling. "Now, tell me." Fluttershy sighed, knowing that Rarity wasn't going to give up until she confessed. "Okay, fine. But... you have to promise not to tell anypony." "Of course, of course!" Fluttershy gave a deep breath, pausing. "Twilight." She instantly lowered her head, fearful of Rarity judging her choices. "I know, it's stupid of me..." "Stupid?!" exclaimed Rarity, standing up so abruptly that water went flying. "This is perfect!" Rarity giggled delightedly, stepping over towards Fluttershy. "Wh...what?" said Fluttershy, confused by Rarity's apparent excitement. "You don't have to make fun--" "I'm not making fun of you!" called Rarity. "Oh, this is excellent!" Rarity reached over towards Fluttershy, grabbing her front hooves. "I happen to know that Twilight likes you too!" Despite Rarity's enthusiasm, Fluttershy looked suspicious. "Oh, Rarity... You don't have to try and make me feel better..." "I'm not!" cried Rarity, looking Fluttershy in the eye seriously. "Why do you think Twilight's always so eager to stargaze with you?" "Well, it's because…well…I... I guess you have a point." "Then go! Tell her how you feel about her!" Fluttershy nodded, feeling a surge of energy go through her body. Twilight loved her! It was the most amazing feeling she ever felt. This feeling filled her with pure joy.Feeling elated, she dashed out of the spa while Rarity smiled smugly behind her. The box of sponges was very small. That was Pinkie's thought process as she climbed into the small box to watch Rarity's meeting with Fluttershy. The two had been painfully slow and boring for the first two hours, until Rarity finally carried out the plan. She listened slowly, taking in every word. Very good... Very, very good... she thought as Rarity convinced Fluttershy. It took a lot of convincing to make Fluttershy understand, she noticed. If only Fluttershy could be more open and trusting-- maybe then life would be easier for her. That was how Pinkie lived every day, after all. Finally, Fluttershy had listened to what Rarity told her, and it was time for her to follow Fluttershy and see her confession-- if not for the itchy right hoof. Fluttershy's heart pounded as she raced down the road to Twilight's library. She couldn't believe what Rarity had told her-- the actual possibility that Twilight liked her too. The thought made her heart skip a beat. As she approached town square, she heard a noise behind her. Stopping abruptly, her hooves skidding across the loose pebbles, she turned around. "Pinkie Pie?" she murmured, seeing the pink pony racing up toward her at breakneck speed. "Fluttershy! Stop! Stop, stop, stop!" Pinkie shouted, finally catching up to where Fluttershy stood still. "Umm... can I help you? I really need to--" "Twilight..." Pinkie gasped, "...doesn't.... like you that way..." she finally blurted out. "…What?" Fluttershy managed to respond, confused. "I... I overheard her talking to Spike... she said something about only, um, taking you stargazing because she needed someone... um, stupid enough to teach it to." "What…I…she... she thinks I'm stupid?" Fluttershy whispered, tears forming in her eyes, instantly doubting what Rarity had said. "I…I… knew it. She was just trying to make me feel better..." "W...wait..." Pinkie said, realizing the stupidity of her impulsive decision. "Oh!" Fluttershy cried, tears flowing openly down her face. "I'll always be alone!" "No! Fluttershy--" spluttered Pinkie desperately. But Fluttershy had already run away, dust going everywhere from her rapid flight. Pinkie's mane deflated, and she slumped down, looking down at the ground defeatedly. Suddenly, she heard someone running down the road, and she quickly looked up. "Fluttershy?" she called out hopefully. Instead, she saw Rarity dashing down the road, her mane flowing behind her."Pinkie! What happened to Fluttershy?! Why is she running away crying?!" Pinkie stood silently for several moments, before she finally said, "I... I got an itchy right hoof... so I told her that... that Twilight thinks she's stupid." "What? You're kidding!" "I... I got an itchy right hoof..." "You know what?! I don't care about your stupid Pinkie Senses anymore! Argh! Why Pinkie, why?! You ruined a chance for love!" Rarity stared angrily at Pinkie, more furious than Pinkie had ever seen her. Pinkie's normally bright, happy eyes began to water up, and soon she darted away, leaving Rarity alone in the dust.. Rarity stomped her hooves, staring down at the ground furiously. How did this get so messed up? Spike hummed happily as he sweeped up the floor of the library. "Done!" he called happily, throwing his broom down. He glanced around, looking for Twilight. "Twi?" he called. "In here!" she responded over the sound of pages turning. I should have guessed, he thought dully. Reading. He walked into the room where he heard Twilight calling from. "Hey Twi! I'm done." "Lovely," she murmured, her face buried in a book that he’d never seen before. "I'm reading a romance novel right now." "Ooh! A loooove novel, huh?" "Oh, shut up. Anyways, the characterization in this book is absolutely atrocious." "How so?" "Well, the main character is just plain stupid. I mean, she's a bookworm, but she's just so clueless when it comes to romance." "Gee, I wonder who that sounds like," Spike muttered under his breath. "Anyways, there's tons of signs that she's in love. I mean, she spends massive amounts of time with the other character. She’s also always thinking about her-- I mean, how in Celestia’s name does she not get it?!" "How stupid," Spike said, not paying attention. Suddenly, Twilight dropped her book, her eyes growing wide. "Yeah... really stupid..." Before Spike knew it, Twilight had leapt up from her seat. "Be back later!" she shouted as she ran out the door. Weird, he thought, jumping up on the table where Twilight had left the novel. I wonder why she was reading a romance novel in the first place. I mean, that section of the library is so unused there’s literally dust all over it With a shrug, he hopped down again, not thinking about it further.
4. I hate this websiteSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
