//------------------------------// // chapter 22. Pinkie-Reid // Story: Becoming Fluttershy // by Hope //------------------------------// After sitting, laying, and hopping in the tent for almost half an hour, I hear a car pull up. For a moment, I wonder if one of the news vans had gotten brave enough to try and get an interview. Thus far we had been lucky and they have only wanted to take pictures from afar. Julien peeked around our foliage shield and chuckled. "They're here." And like that, I was off. I jumped through one of the bushes. "Pinkie!" I squealed happily. The pink pony spun on the spot and spread her arms wide, smiling gleefully. “Flutter--no wait. Erishy!” With the force of a small cannon, the Pink fluff ball shoots towards me, knocking me out of the air and through a small bush. “Ohmygosh it's so good to see another one of us! Finally somebody who understands! You don't look hurt so I'm guessing you're not ohflarkyouareskreepingadorable.” The flow of words suddenly stopped as I was flipped over and one of my wings were taken in her hooves and rotated gently. “Radial motion of about 168 degreeees...” She mutters before flipping me back over and resuming the tight hug. The words also resume. “I was just so scared when I heard the news and now you're here and you're safe and we're together and your necklace looks neat why aren't you wearing any clothes?” She once again fails to give me time to reply as she pokes me in the chest and started counting my ribs, which was a bit odd since it felt more like I was being gently caressed than examined. Terrible thoughts. Finally, Pinkie-Reid mumbles; “Hmmm... I'll count mine later.” and I have a chance to interject. As I hugged the energetic pink pony tightly, I did my best to answer her. "It's so nice to meet you! I mean, I kinda remember you but more pinkie you. From before all this." I don't really have time to sort through tenses or to decide which things would freak other people out. "Wha... Hey, are you all okay? You look like you all have seen a ghost." I say cheerfully, as Julien joins Reid and I on this side of the shrubs. "Clothes aren't really necessary, I figure. I didn't wake up in any." The abundant flow of words resumes. “Anyway it's just superfabulotastic to finally see you in person and oh my gosh I know this is totally Pinkie talking but we should totally have some sort of small party and.... wait what?” Her attitude stalls for a moment and she looks at me as though I had said something terribly confusing. Her brother sighed and put his face in one hand. “You... see me as Pinkie.” She says quietly. A very quiet pause fills the air before she speaks again. “Oh. Okay. I can handle that, makes sense.” She mumbles before clearing her throat. “Um... Right!” She seems at a loss of what to say. I shrink away a bit from the seeming accusation. "Can we all go sit down at the tent? It's really awkward just standing out here." “Sure, hold on.” she says as she steps aside, allowing me a clear view of his group. “Ginny, it's your turn.” "My number one fan." I say with a grin to the scared girl. She rushes to me and picks me up, wrapping me up in a bone crushing hug and swinging me side to side. “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” She squeals. Linda holds out her phone, smiling innocently and chuckling “Just look at that decibel count.” She got a gentle swat to the shoulder from Harold. I return the tight hug as best I can, trying to show Ginny I really am okay. "You okay? I know you must have been scared." I whisper to her. “Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh” She whimpers in between her tears. “Oh hey there Shining.” Pinkie says to Julien. “Or... whoever.” I do my best to wipe away a few tears from her cheeks. I remember being this scared, or worse, only a few days ago. I can always spend more time comforting people in need. "I'm okay, I promise." I tell her, smiling. Julien had been watching silently, but turned to Reid with a small smile. "Julien. Shining seems less... eager to jump inside my head. Less need to." He explains calmly, while watching Ginny. “Yeah...” Pinkie said quietly as he glanced to the side. “Need.” “Ginny, Darling, I know this is a wonderful moment for you... and us all... but I'm pretty sure Fluttershy needs to breathe.” The Rarity cosplayer said with a chuckle. “OHMYGOSHYOU'RE RIGHT!” My unwitting captor said, gasping. She let me go and I did my best to land on all fours with a smile. “I am so so so sorry you have no idea are you okay I didn't hurt you or anything...” She rambled. I chuckle and I flutter my wings happily. "I've had worse." I say happily. "Now Pink.... er... Reid. You seem scared." I say, switching to serious and concerned face. “What really?” He said nervously. “Everyone can see it.” His brother chimed in. “What really?” The pink pony repeated. “Yep.” Harold said, nodding. Jacquiline confirmed my feeling as well. “I had my suspicions.” Linda decided to add even more weight to my argument. “You were terrified.” Naturally, poor Ginny was the outlier of the group. “I didn't notice anything.” she said in a dazed manner, looking between her friends. “Yes, but you were distraught, darling.” “There, see, Ginny says I wasn't scared. Right Figment?” Pinkie-Reid actually turned to a nearby stuffed dragon, looking a bit frantic. She, or I suppose he, looked close to tears, eyes wide and forelegs hugging himself. I want to tell him I was wrong, that it’s okay and he isn’t scared, but that would be lying. That wouldn’t fix anything. On a moment of inspiration, I spread my forelegs wide and cheerfully say; "Group hug!" I can't fix Reid. I know what he is going through and it isn't something that can be made better with talking. “Wait what?” he looked for a moment like he was going to sprint, before the group grabbed him and we all joined in a happy hug. It really did make me want to squee but I was pretty sure I needed to be able to breathe for that. After a bit, the hug eased up enough that we could talk, and Reid immediately tried to calm us all down. “ ...okay, fine, I'm feeling better now.” he mumbled. As we are all smooshed together in a hug (and I swear I feel someone caressing my wings in a disturbing way) I lean in to Reid and whisper; "It's okay to be scared. I know how scary it is to have these other thoughts, and how quickly it can seem like you are losing it, but it isn't bad. I promise, everything is going to be okay." and with that I break apart the group hug. The stare that ensues is far more intense and filled with unasked questions than I would have liked. Finally the pink pony turns to his friends, motioning towards me and back to himself. “...Do you peeps mind if the shy one and I have a little private filly talk?” Linda just nods, a small smirk on her face. “So long as it doesn't descend into rule 34 I'm hip.” Julien chuckles. "I've got bread, come on everyone." and he forcibly leads them away to the tent, leaving us alone. Alone with eachother, our thoughts, and our fears.