//------------------------------// // Initial Fears // Story: To Fear Fluttershy's BUTTerflies // by EcnarancE //------------------------------// Snowflake and Fluttershy had been spending more and more time together since Rarity had set the pair up on a blind date with one another. Fluttershy hadn’t wanted to date anyone after she and Big Mac had split because she couldn’t believe anyone could fill the hole in her heart like that stoic red stallion had. But Rarity was a persistent mare and insisted that the blind date she had set up for Fluttershy was going to be someone she’d absolutely adore and Fluttershy would be lying if she didn’t say Rarity knew her well. Snowflake was big and muscle bound like Big Mac (which was a trait in stallions that Fluttershy liked but was terribly embarrassed to admit) and while outwardly appearing to be loud and brash, he was actually quiet and caring like Big Mac and was only loud and brash to compensate for the fact he had tiny wings which is an embarrassing affliction for Pegasi but Fluttershy didn’t mind because it’s what’s inside that counts. The pair had met in the park for what was now their fifth date. They had met now and again at the market or the library but Fluttershy, ever the traditionalist, only counted a date as being as when she and her stallion met up, sat together or walked together and made sweet talk to one another. They’d sat for an hour now with their small picnic of apples and freshly picked flowers, commenting on the scenes of everyday life that passed through the park as the ponies of Ponyville went about their day. At one point the Cutie Mark Crusaders passed through, carrying their usual cart of full of random items, hoping to find their special talent. Fluttershy and Snowflake laughed joyfully when they saw how infectiously happy the three fillies were. Snowflake told of how he’s once helped the Cutie Mark Crusaders train and told of how he was asked to hold a rope while the three fillies tried to pull him along in a game of tug-o’-war. But he never finished the story and seemed to trail off half way through as if unwilling to relive the last part of it. Fluttershy found this strange and put a hoof over her shoulder to comfort him and he in return nuzzled her muzzle with his forehead in thanks. Soon, after much sweet talk, Snowflake cupped Fluttershy’s face and leant in for a kiss. The kiss was perfect, thought Fluttershy; filled with passion and warmth and love. Ever the gentlecolt, Snowflake used no tongue which Fluttershy welcomed because unlike Rarity who had once let slip after too much of Applejack’s cider the words “If the stallion can’t taste what you had from breakfast, he’s not using enough tongue”, Fluttershy liked only kisses on the lips. And besides, there were far better ways two ponies could be “intimate” that were also a lot more fun. To this end, after the kiss broke and Fluttershy felt all aflutter, she turned around and presented her adorable plot to Snowflake as mares usually do to communicate that they want to become more “intimate” with their chosen stallion in private. Fluttershy remembered her first time with Big Mac and how he had been like a horse dying of thirst to the shores a fresh water stream and while it had been extremely exhilarating, it had also been quite scary and she hoped Snowflake would be gentler. But Fluttershy didn’t expect what she heard next; she heard Snowflake let out an almighty roar of a scream that caused the birds roosting on the nearby tries to flee in terror. Fluttershy’s ears were ringing as she turned to her stallion to see him leap into the air and fly away, his eyes transfixed with fear on her flank. She was in shock; what was wrong to cause a reaction like that? Did the site of her flank conjure that much fear in someone or was he just scared of going to the next level and Fluttershy had simply rushed things? Regardless however, Fluttershy began to cry, sobbing heavily into her forelegs as she curled up as small as she could. In the distance, Sweetie Belle had heard the distress and saw Fluttershy crying and had begun galloping at full pace to Carousel Boutique to get Rarity. Soon the two unicorns returned to find Fluttershy still crying with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo standing around sheepishly, not quite sure what to do. Being the pony most of her friends went to when they felt upset or like crying, Rarity knew exactly what to do with fragile mess of tears that lay crumpled on the picnic blanket. “Fluttershy?” Rarity asked delicately as she rested her hoof gently on Fluttershy’s head. “What’s the matter darling? I thought today you were seeing your stallion, Snowflake, what’s happened? *gasp* He didn’t stand you up did he?” Fluttershy tried to answer but instead made a succession of squeaks, garbled noises and wracked sobs that no one could make any sense of. “Come again, darling?” said Rarity puzzled. “Ah dunno what she saying but maybe it’s t’ do with Snowflake flying off like that” said Apple Bloom. “Oh yeah!” squeaked Sweetie Belle “That was weird, when we passed them before, they looked so happy and romantic” sighed Sweetie Belle with doe eyes. “Yeah, didn’t y’all see what happened just before Snowflake flew off, Scootaloo” asked Apple Bloom. “Yeah… but do I have to say it?” whined Scootaloo. “Why, what’s wrong? Is it really sad?” whimpered Sweetie Belle. “No… it was weird…” said Scootaloo while squirming with embarrassment. “Come on darling, you must tell me” pleaded Rarity “For Fluttershy’s sake” Scootaloo looked back and forth between Rarity and Fluttershy, unsure what to do. What was better, keep quiet about the embarrassing thing she saw Fluttershy do before Snowflake flew away or tell everyone to help Fluttershy but potentially have Fluttershy hate her for blabbing? “Urgh, fine, I’ll tell you!” relented Scootaloo “I saw them kiss all smoochy and stuff and they stopped and then Fluttershy turned her butt to Snowflake, he freaked out and zoomed off” Scootaloo was still squirming with embarrassment even after finishing saying it but Rarity had been bright red with embarrassment from realising what had happened well before this. She looked to Fluttershy who’d at least stopped audibly crying and just had a look of utter sadness on her face. “Ok girls, you should be running along now” Rarity insisted “Me and Fluttershy have adult things to discuss” With a grumble, the three fillies slinked off back to their crusading. Even though they loved the pursuit of their cutie marks, as young fillies, nothing sounded more fun than over hearing adults talking about being adults. But there was no trying Rarities patience so they trotted off. Rarity picked Fluttershy from the ground and led her on shaky legs to her boutique where she fixed them tea. Fluttershy just stared glumly at the cup she was given, barely acknowledging it was there as she stared straight through it. “So… you presented your flank to Snowflake” said Rarity, followed by an audible cough “I mean, darling, you can’t go doing that, especially with a sensitive stallion like Snowflake” “But how was I to know he’d react like that?” sobbed Fluttershy “Most stallions leap at the opportunity if you give them as much as half of one” “Not every stallion is Big Mac you know” chided Rarity “Besides, if you ask me, that colt was just trying to get some frustration out of his system and using you was shameful” “Well I enjoyed his company…” said Fluttershy, pained. “I know, darling, and that’s why I set you up with Snowflake” smiled Rarity “He’s everything you liked in Big Mac but also so much more” “I know, and now I’ve lost him because I was too forward!” wailed Fluttershy “What do I do?” “You find him and you apologise.” said Rarity very matronly. “But won’t he hate me?” said Fluttershy. “If he’s half the gentlecolt I know him to be, he’ll at least hear you out” assured Rarity. Fluttershy knew Rarity was right and also knew there was still a chance with Snowflake so sat up from the table, took a deep breath and set out to find her lost stallion. She asked a few passers-by and because everyone knew everyone in Ponyville, Fluttershy soon found Snowflake sitting by a tree, looking at the ground solemnly. Fluttershy approached him slowly, careful not to disturb him as she approached. “Snowflake?” Fluttershy eventually said “Are you ok?” He turned around and smiled when he saw her. This was a great reassurance for Fluttershy because it meant he didn’t entirely hate her for being so forward. She trotted up beside him and chanced sitting right next to him on the grass. He didn’t flinch. This was strange because she figured he’d hate personal closeness such as this if he’d ran away in fear when she had presented herself too him. Nether the less, she was here to apologise and that she shall. “I’m really sorry, Snowflake” she began “I shouldn’t have been so hasty in getting us to take our relationship to the next level. I hope you can accept my apology so we can start over and we can only get closer when you’re ready.” Fluttershy finished her apology by looking Snowflake softly in his eyes and smiling but to her surprise, rather than soft eyes staring her back, she was greeted with a look of confusion. What had she said wrong? The mare panicked; what had she done wrong now? “What are you on about, Ms Fluttershy?” asked Snowflake quizzically. “When I presented my plot to you and you got scared by my offer and ran away?” answered Fluttershy, slightly bewildered. Snowflake was blushing red now but also smiling when he heard why Fluttershy thought he’d ran away. Comparatively his actual fear was nothing compared to the one that Fluttershy thought her had. It was time he set the record straight. “Ms Fluttershy, I don’t have a fear of intimacy” he said with a smile before dropping into a glum frown before saying “I have a fear of butterflies and unfortunately your flank is adorned with them so when you presented to me, I got terribly scared and flew away in terror” Fluttershy was so confused now. A fear of butterflies was fine but the fact that the stallion had never noticed her cutie mark before baffled her. Yes they were located very near the buttocks, but that was for everyone, so it wasn’t a social taboo to look there. Perhaps Snowflake had looked at her cutie mark before and just got freaked out and Fluttershy had never noticed. “So before was the first time you’ve seen my Cutie Mark?” asked Fluttershy, very puzzled. “Of course Ms Fluttershy, a gentlecolt never stares at a ladies plot unless she offers it to you, therefore giving you permission” replied Snowflake. Fluttershy squeed at this latest development; Snowflake was a real gentlecolt and was exactly the stallion she was looking for. If only he didn’t have this fear of butterflies, he’d be perfect! But she could cure his fear; she’d cured a black grizzly’s fear of bees so it could eat honey and she was going to help Snowflake get over his fear. Plus such activities were bound to bring them closer, a prospect that made Fluttershy giggle with anticipation. “I could help you get over your fear” smiled Fluttershy “You’ll be surprised how many of my little animal friends have fears that they need help with” “Do you think you could do that?” asked Snowflake cautiously. “I know so” beamed Fluttershy “Now it’s not going to be easy and I’ll need to prepare some things but meet me at my cottage at midday tomorrow!” With that, Fluttershy took off and made haste for Carousel Boutique to begin her first preparations for helping Snowflake get rid of his fear. Snowflake watched her fly away which was a rare sight for him because even though she was a Pegasus, he rarely saw Fluttershy fly, seeming to be much more content with walking. He liked that about her, so gentle that she didn’t even do anything as vigorous as flying. He hoped she could get rid of his fears because he wanted things to work out with Fluttershy so badly.