Fluttershy was a gentle soul. She was shy beyond measure, as delicate as a flower swaying in the breeze.
More often than not, ponies dismissed her as being too shy to hangout with or, they didn’t even realize she was there to begin with. Like a sad forgotten wallflower.
Fluttershy knew she was more than ponies’ first impressions, but it didn’t make their reactions hurt any less.
But now she was back in the spotlight. Something more, a topic of conversation. For years she had one good friend, then that all changed when she braved the Everfree forest with practical strangers.
Now she was a bearer of the Elements of Harmony, the Element of Kindness. Fluttershy had some pretty big shoes to fill.
What did it even mean to be an Element bearer? For as much as the girls excitedly talked about their new roles, none of them could really give Fluttershy a concrete answer as to what they were supposed to do.
They met up and discussed it over daisy sandwiches and hay fries. The conversation wasn’t going as well as she hoped.
Normally, Fluttershy wouldn’t have been bothered by not knowing, but the answer was important. Not knowing was making her scared, and if Fluttershy hated one thing in the world it was fear.
Fear had plagued her her whole life and even now got to her sometimes.
She loved the girls but their wild guesses were exacerbating her anxiety.
After the wild theories were thrown out, some plausible but no less concerning ones came to the fore. Somepony suggested that they were supposed to actively guide others in the way of their Element to keep their connection strong. That actually got a few head bobs.
Her teach others the way of kindness? The idea nearly gave Fluttershy a heart attack.
Another disagreed, saying that it was a one and done deal. They had already done all the work they needed to for the Elements to pick them, end of story. Fluttershy timidly voiced her agreement.
At least, she hoped that was the case.
As squabbling broke out, Twilight finally chimed in to assure them that if the Elements required more work then Princess Celestia would have told them. The Elements were probably only there for them to use when Equestria needed protecting.
Nopony mentioned that Celestia was just a pony, fallible like them. Even Fluttershy knew of the princess’ written account that stated the Elements of Harmony were still shrouded in mystery.
Suffice to say, none of them really knew the answer to Fluttershy’s dilemma and the whole situation had her feeling a rare emotion: frustration.
She paid for her food then left the cafe without so much as a backwards glance.
Nopony followed. They must have noticed the tension in her eyes.
A flap of the wings and a gentle breeze always calmed her, so she took to the skies in the hopes of settling her emotions. Her flight took her past the edge of the Everfree. The wild forest was quiet today.
Fluttershy enjoyed little things in life the most. When she spotted something small and purple, she alighted in the clearing.
The trees here were bare, still in early spring. Fluttershy marveled at how the forest was untouched by ponies. It decided when it was ready to change seasons. Winter wrap up had forced leaves on the trees back in Ponyville ages ago.
Somehow the slow pace of the seasons here felt more natural.
She stepped through the tall grass, inching toward the flower. It was a lovely purple tulip, just beginning to open up. The closer she looked the more she noticed how different it was from the ones she knew. It also had thin yellow stripes running through the petals and the stalk, and a lovely aroma permeated the air.
The scent drew her in, so light and refreshing. She nuzzled the flower, for no other reason than to show appreciation for its beauty. All her worries melted away.
Roseluck would probably love to add this to her nursery. She couldn’t bring herself to disturb the flower any more, though.
She lay down in the grass, taking in the fresh air and watching the clouds roll by. No creatures stirred. This was the best side of the forest she had ever seen. She would stay out just a bit longer, she decided.
………
The worries and fears came back with a vengeance.
It was hours later, after the sun had dipped below the horizon and all the animals had settled down for the night. Her bed offered her no comfort as she tossed and turned.
After what felt like hours, she fell into a fitful slumber. It was uncanny how dreams warped reality.
She was back in the Everfree forest, in the clearing where the tulip had been. The flora took on a life of its own, growing taller and taller until it towered over the tiny pegasus. It was dark and eerie between the plant bases, stems as thick as tree trunks.
Being so close to the ground with plants pressing on her on every side, it was quiet. She craned her neck to see the sky. She could just make out clouds passing by between the swaying foliage.
Life carried on above while she remained far below unseen, unnoticed. Fluttershy had never felt so alone... yet there was something disturbingly familiar about the situation.
She wandered for a while, not knowing where she was going or what she was doing. It wasn’t until she nearly stepped on a flower that she took in her surroundings again.
The area was more open, lighter. The flower below her was small, frail. Its orange petals opened up delicately, much like a tulip with jagged edges.
She puzzled over it. It wasn’t overcrowded, had plenty of water and sunshine. So then why was it so small while everything else was huge?
It was like somepony suddenly hit the fast forward button. The small flower began to shift and grow before her eyes, rapidly gaining height. She spread her wings and chased after it, bursting through the thick canopy just as the rooster crowed.
She awoke refreshed, relieved to find herself normal-sized. She glanced out the window. The sun was just beginning to warm the horizon.
Her mind turned once again to the worries of yesterday, but they no longer seemed to tower over her. She didn’t have all the answers, but that was okay. She had room to grow, and friends to help.
Even a delicate flower can stand tall, given enough time.
For the first time in her life, Fluttershy felt ready to face the new day.
