//------------------------------// // To Teach a Pony // Story: My Shy Little Friend // by ChromeRegios //------------------------------// If you tell me, that you cared and nurtured a cartoon character over the past years, I’ll call you ‘nuts’. I might as well be so in all that is real. But I didn't mind, I was happy, she was happy. Its all good. It was already 4 years since she came to my care, she’s grown a bit but she still cant fly that high enough. I had no experience on flying in the first place, and I was a lousy at teaching her to fly higher, I really wish i could teach her more than that. It was a Monday morning, the clouds are a bit dark and ominous. I took her out for a picnic in one of my favorite spots in the field where I watched the thunder clouds out in a distance, when we got at the spot, some animals were hanging out there like chickens, birds any farm animals, you name ‘em. She asked me if she could go and play with them. I couldn't see why not? She talked to them for some time while I was setting up the blanket and the food. Just when I was about to call out for her a lightning shot across the field giving off a loud bang, like of a bazooka being blasted to a building. I looked at the sky and sure enough, rain was about to pour...hard. and its coming right towards us! I looked at her expecting she’d run towards me because of fear, again my expectations were wrong. she went towards for animals instead and calmed them down because all of them became frightened of what just happened. She managed to talked them out of their fear and calmed them down, then something amazing happened... Her cutie mark appears before my eyes, I was glad for her to had finally got her cutie mark. She then walks towards me and asked if there is any place for the animals to stay for a while... This was unexpected...I mean seriously where should I keep these animals? Certainly not my house, because that’s just plain wrong. I have to do something, or else she might not think I’m kind enough. Then it hit me like a rock, those abandoned houses across the street where I lived is the perfect place for them, since they already left it to rot anyway. I gathered the things back to the basket and ask Fluttershy for them to follow me, she’s quite good at telling them, that I was quite proud of her. As she settles them into the house, Me and Fluttershy went back to the house and prepared supper, The picnic was a bust, but in return she got her cutie mark. And that's all that matters for me for today... That night, we had supper and talked about things, like how was her day and how did it go...its cheesy but that's all I could think of at the moment. Then I asked her if she liked here with me, she nods with a hint of blush in her face. “Umm.. sir?” She looked at me, as if she wants something to ask but cant say it clearly. “Is something, troubling you shy?” I asked her with such concern in my voice. “May.. I uhm.. I-if you like uhm..” She doesnt seem to say it directly since she keeps shaking every time she spoke. “Call me what shy?” I knew what she was about to say, but I wanted to be sure and say it straight from the horses mouth. No pun intended. “Can I...call you...” She keeps the word back until she finally said those words I was expecting. “Can I call... you dad? I smiled and pat her in the head. “You can call me what ever you like my little shy” She flutters into my arms and gave me a hug, I returned the favor and hugged her back. It was a dream come true, a dream that I don't want to wake up to. That night she went to bed ahead of me as I think about something, If I should give shy her own room but the only problem is, there is no space. I planned to fix it while she plays with the animals in the other house as a little surprise for her. It was settled, tomorrow I’ll give shy her own room. I went to sleep on the couch instead, and planned to wake up early for me to get started right away... As I was in my deep sleep I suddenly heard a soft crying from somewhere which woke me up in the dead of night. She was crying. I scrambled up to my bedroom only to find Fluttershy crying in my bed. “Shy, whats wrong? What happened?” I asked her as I went to her side trying to comfort her, She just hugged me tight never letting go. “I had a bad dream” She cried some more as she tells me about her dream. She said that she dreamt that I was leaving her alone and walked away, she tried to run towards me but could not catch up then everything just vanish before her eyes. I gave her a hug and whispered to her ear. “I would never leave you alone, you can count on me” She looks at me through my eyes. “Why would I leave you alone? I would be a cruel heartless person if I do that, now do I?” She smiled and went back to her pillow. “Tell you what, I’ll stay and sleep with you here, hows that sound?” She blushed a bit as she opened her mouth to say something. “Is...Is it okay?” She asked softly. I just nodded and went to bed with her. I tucked her to bed as she lay down to the soft pillow. The I just thought of a way for her to sleep comfortably. “How about I sing you a lullaby?” I said to her. “That would be wonderful” She replied, I cleared my throat and sang her a lullaby that I recently heard. “Hush now, Quiet now It's time to lay your sleepy head Hush now, Quiet now It's time to go to bed Hush now, Quiet now It's time to lay your sleepy head Hush now, Quiet now It's time to go to bed” I almost started to think that Sweetie Belle might just pop out and sing the “Jazz” version of the song. Luckily it didn't happen. She quickly went off to sleep as I lay there brushing her as she sleeps... Soon after, I joined her into the dream world... That morning I woke up ahead of her and went to the kitchen to fix her breakfast, this time it was broccoli stew, her favorite dish. and as for me, Hot dogs! I ate first so that she wont see my eating meat. The fact that if she sees me eating meat she might think that I’m a predator myself. Those stupid thoughts just pops out to my mind, but still, what will happen if she finds out that I’m partially a meat eater? I don't even want to know... She woke up and got out of bed, just in time as I was finishing up my breakfast. She floats to the kitchen and sat across the table, I gave her the bowl of broccoli stew and happily eats it.. I told her that I had a surprise for her, but she has to stay outside and play with the animals for a while while I get it prepared. Her expression was full of excitement and agrees to my condition, she said that she looks forward for it and went out, smiling all the way as she goes to the other house. I started to work as soon as she went outside.