As I knocked on the door of Fluttershy's cottage, I heard sudden hectic movements on the other side.
After a few seconds Fluttershy opened up but her mane was in such disarray.
“Oh hi, Stella.”, she greeted me out of breath.
“Hi Fluttershy. Sorry if I'm interrupting anything.”, I said with a smile and saw Dashie sitting on the couch also breathing hard and… well her mane always was messy. “Hi Rainbow.”, I added.
“Oh no… *pant* you didn't interrupt anything.”, Fluttershy explained. “Maybe we had expected you a bit later today, but please come in.”
Smiling I entered her house and took a seat on another chair, since the large sofa Dashie sat on looked… moist.
“Have you two already decided when the wedding will be?”, I asked them, partly to distract myself from the pictures of Rainbow and Fluttershy my mind showed me right now.
“Shortly after spring is here.”, the yellow pegasus answered while she sat next to her marefriend and started to comb her mane. “All my animal friends want to help with the ceremony.”
“I'm sure that will look incredibly cute.”, I told them. “I guess that means we won't start any preparations in the near future, there is still a lot of time left.”
“Yeah, there is no need to hurry right now.”, Fluttershy responded. “Oh no. I promised you we would have tea, I'm sorry.”
Before I was able to stop her she already ran off into the kitchen.
“How you’re doing Rainbow?”, I asked. “I don’t see you practicing much lately.”
“I’m great. I had never imagined being in a relationship would make me that happy.”, she answered. “But don’t worry, I’m getting plenty of physical workouts so I won’t lose my form. Getting into the Wonderbolts is still one of my main targets, but it isn’t my only one now.”
Fluttershy came back with three teacups and sugar cubes on a tray and placed everything on the living room table.
“It will take a few minutes for the water to boil.”, she explained and returned to her spot next to her marefriend.
“Do you have any idea how your wedding dresses should look like?”, I asked. “I bet Rarity was all over you after your announcement.”
There was a cute giggle from Fluttershy before she answered. “Indeed. She was so excited about the opportunity to make wedding dresses and had tons of ideas. But since I dream for years about being together with Dashie I already have very specific plans for how they should look like.”
“Still hard for me to understand how dense I had been not to notice that…”, Rainbow mused.
“Well, you know how shy I am… it’s not like I had shown it.”, the yellow mare explained. “But I’m very thankful for you helping me being more assertive now.”
“Oh? She does?”, I asked surprised.
“Of course.”, Dashie said and kissed her cheek. “I want to know what she thinks, how she feels and what she likes, especially when we’re having… when we’re doing things together. I don’t want her to agree to something just because I want it.”
And again I was quite impressed with Rainbow, at times she was able to act so maturely.
“And in return, she helps me to calm down when I'm hot-headed again.”, she continued with a huge grin.
We all started laughing at her honest words.
“You two really complete each other.”, I told them after our laughter had died down. “Speaking of completing each other… I have a favor to ask as well.”
I got curious looks from them while I thought about the best way to say it.
“I ordered wedding rings on my way here…”, I finally decided to say.
Fluttershy's eyes widened, she jumped out of her seat and flew towards me. I was so confused by the sight of her flying, I didn't react as she tackled me into a hug and the chair fell over backward.
“I'm so so happy for both of you. I'm sure Twilight will love it. Ohhh, I know… we can have a double wedding, this way the preparations together are easier and more fun.”
“I… well maybe… I guess…”, I stammered. I was wondering what had got into her all the sudden.
“And this way not everyone will be focused on me.”, she whispered into my ear.
‘Ah, now I see.’
Rainbow helped us to get back on our feet. She was giggling and clearly amused to see this impulsive side of her marefriend.
“When do you plan to ask Twilight?”, she inquired.
“I plan to give it to her as a Hearth's Warming Eve present.”, I told them. “As soon as she opens it, I will go down on my knees and ask her.”
“Ohhhh, that's so cute.”, Fluttershy commented.
“How was your proposal?”, I asked them in return.
Fluttershy's face immediately got crimson red and even Dashie got reddish cheeks.
“Is it okay to tell her?”, the blue pegasus asked her marefriend.
She nodded in return. “But you must tell her.”
Dashie looked like she had expected that answer. “How's the best way to say this…”
Patiently I waited for her to find the right words.
“When we just had… fun together…”, she started. “I tend to get a tiny bit mushy.”
“She becomes a total romantic.”, Fluttershy added.
“Hey, you said you wanted me to tell her.”, Rainbow complained.
“Well I have to put some things into context.”, her marefriend replied in her soft voice. “How can she understand if she doesn't know how soft you can get.”
“Well, I wouldn't call it soft…”, Dashie tried to save some face.
“Soft as a baby bunny.”, Fluttershy interrupted.
Rainbow shook her colorful mane around. “Okay, okay. So I get romantic after I climaxed, big deal. I admit it, but you can't tell anypony.”
“My lips are sealed.”, I responded smiling, the thought of mushy Dash was just too funny.
She just harrumphed in reply.
“... anyway. One time I may have said something like ‘You are everything for me, I never want to wake up without you again. I want to share the rest of my life with you and nobody but you.’”
I was able to feel the heat from her cheeks all the way to where I was sitting.
“In response, my surprised shy marefriend asked if I had ‘just asked her THE question’.”, Dashie continued. “I had been a bit confused by that, but as I recalled what I had said I found it could be seen that way. So jokingly I replied ‘Nahhh, but if I came one more time I might.’ Only a second later Fluttershy looked like a predator which had cornered its prey and she came towards me with a fire in her eyes.”
“There's no way I could have looked like a predator.”, Fluttershy complained with a little pouty face.
“Like a manticore ready to eat me… which she did in a way.”, Rainbow mused.
This made her marefriend blush so hard, her whole body started to look like Pinkie’s.
“Well, long story short, only minutes later I was on my knees begging her to marry me.”, Dash closed her story and looked embarrassed as well.
“Wow…”, was all I was able to say at first. It took a few moments to let it all sink in.
“That's definitely something different.”, I finally continued. “It's kind of cute in its own way.”
We heard the teapot whistle and Fluttershy used this opportunity to flee from the room.
…
I was on my way back to the library after a relaxing afternoon at Fluttershy's cottage. As I came closer to our home I decided to listen into our connection again and to my surprise, I found her still in a state of slight panic. I wondered what caused this long-lasting reaction while I opened the door and looked for my marefriend. I found her messing with silverware on our dining table.
“Princess Celestia will be here for dinner within an hour.”, Twilight shouted. “She wants to check on how Chrysalis is doing.”
“Ah, now I see…”
…
A little white bunny was hopping across the small cleaning of the Everfree Forest. It knew it always had to be alert in this forest, but this clearing had been surprisingly free from any predators since a few days, so I had become its favorite spot to find clover leaves.
It had just found a bunch of them and was munching happily. Maybe it had noticed the faint blue glow behind it if it hadn't been so distracted by all these juicy clover leaves.
It didn’t understand what happened when bullets of a silenced AK-47 ripped its body apart and a cloud of blood erupted from its body.
Three heavy armored soldiers stood next to the open portal, one of them lowered his weapon and picked up a handset from the ground which cable went through the portal.
“Central Command, can you hear us?”, he asked and waited for a moment to receive an answer.
“Yes, the area is secure and our weapons seem to work normally. We are ready for phase three.”
If changelings can shift into humans, any invasion is going to so confused. Not to mention the changelings could also steal information or even put Non-lethal poison or Poison Joke in their food & water. Between the changelings, 2-3 GODS (is discord reformed yet?) and all the other forces Equestria can bring to bear, I don't think Humans have much of a chance at winning.
Keep up the great work!!
8732521
Discord is still eeeeevil. We had the first gala but no Discord yet. The changlings are a great asset if the war starts, if you can't trust your own troops...
But machine guns shouldn't be underestimated, the amount of power and destruction they bring is nothing a normal unicorn can shield against for more than a few seconds, not to mention earth ponies and pegasus. Either way there would be a lot of casualties. Let's see how this goes instead.
The portal has a fixed position, they could only retreat back to earth, and reinforcement would only arive slowly.
To fight the humans all you need is a few pegasi. Clouds and fog to obscure the view, and than a few tornados and thunderstorms.
Or hurl a big rock at the place were the portal opens, to seal it of. As soon as the princesses know of the danger, the fight would be over.
what a fun, funny and exciting chapter all rolled into one.i cant wait to see how stella handles this.
Any humans who enter have sealed their death note, no sunscreen can match the full heat of a magic sun
8733122
Wow, haven't even thought of the huge rock solution. Well the portal would open on the same location inside the rock, so they would be able to drill through it eventually, but it would be a hassle for sure. This plus a small army surrounding the place would be enough. To bad the soldiers are already there and have some time to prepare before they get noticed.
8733194
Well many noted Stella was prepared for fighting after the end of book two with her arm and the highly explosive 'Twilonium' or however I have named the element ;-)
8733563
The Equestria version of a nuke...
Like a nuke it would hurt not only the ones its aimed at.
a sweet chapter that ends with a good cliffhanger.
8733807
yes is interesting how Fluttershy have not hear about mysteries animals in forest of other animals go missing / kill
i hope that is not angel that just got kill cuase if it was then they doom
Loved Rainbow's & Fluttershy's proposal story. I can totally see Fluttershy pouncing on Rainbow in that scenario.
It troubles me that they would test a 'silenced' weapon. Do these humans know about Stella? I like 8733122 's weather and rock ideas. It'll be something to buy Equestrian forces some time and cut off supplies/reinforcements for any hostile humans who've already come through the portal.
8736471
A strange creature killing things in the Everfree Forest isn't news, that is what the Everfree Forest is all about.
Creatures looking like Stella killing creatures, THAT is news! And Fluttershy will be the first to hear it.
8736616
Fluttershy, 'Cute messenger of death'
8737091
Do they know about Stella... yes they do.
Would you bring silenced weapons if you don't wanna be noticed too soon before you got some defenses and reinforcement, yes you would.
8737172
well she can snap a bears neck with easy, plus the stare
8737176
If my intentions were of civilized exploration and knowledge then no, I would not bring silenced weapons. Would I bring a normal firearm for self-defense? Yes, but for nothing more. The fact that it makes a loud noise is part of the deterrent. The actions of the incoming humans in the story have not been civilized though. It seems to be an invasion at worst and the establishment of a foothold at best. I'm fearful of where the story might be going.
P.S. I was just thinking. Too bad Stella didn't ask the Princesses to have someone keep an eye on the portal's location and it's surrounding area.
8737271
Yeah, they're not coming to have tea parties with Fluttershy like Stella.
Well Stella though the portal would be gone for good, she would give her right arm if she could be sure... Oops.
But there was one thing she hasn't thought about and this is now going to bite her in her cute butt.
8737323
Your previous stories haven't been 'genocide and/or enslave all Equestria' so I'll trust you.
Someone had better go turncoat and shoot the other humans.
8737396
There is always a solution.
8737323
Several, actually.
Backups are one - she didn't wipe them.
Video is another. Her keystrokes could have been recorded.
Determinism is a third - the program doesn't randomly pick, it would be testing variables. They could just look at what should have been tested in that timeframe, and manually search those.
Then there's access controls - she can't delete things if she can't access them.
I could keep going, but the point is that she should have worked with Twi on closing the portal, and just intentionally damaged the portal instead of bothering with all that. Stand on the Equestrian side, hit the portal structure with a pipe, it's no longer a perfect replica of itself and it won't ever re-open to the same places again. Or have Twilight make a crude alchemical grenade and chuck it through the open portal. Lots of options here.
Also, these people are psychopaths. What the shit? You can't eat a rabbit that's been hit with a 7.62mm round; that's just killing for the sake of killing.
8841599
Weapon test.