Ponywatching

by ThunderTempest

Prompt #9: Eulogy

I could always tell when Fluttershy’s house burned down, ‘cause she’d come up to the farm an’ ask to stay while her animal friends helped rebuild the darn thing. And lookin’ at her, still half-covered in soot and with that wide-eyed look on her face, I could hardly say no, no matter how many times it happened.

I suppose that’s where we learned to like each other. Sure, we were friends, and it ain’t in my nature to turn away a friend in need, but we weren’t exactly close, if you get my meanin’. But we got to know each other a little better, and before I even knew it, she was just droppin’ round the farm, asking the darn beavers to move their dams further away from the apple trees. Without me askin’ and all.

And then, ‘fore I even knew what was happenin’, she somehow managed to muster up the courage to say that she liked me, and wanted to try being more than friends. Well, I thought about it long and hard, and told her that I’d give it a try. I was gettin’ pretty fond of her, and when she wasn’t being scared of everything, she was pretty nice. Didn’t hurt that she was downright pretty, either.

So we tried it, went real slow because it had been years since I had anything like this, and I was pretty darn sure she’d never done it before, but we tried it. Found out that we liked it, and kept going. Before I knew it, we were spendin’ every spare moment we could together. Didn’t matter if she was just watchin’ me buck apples, or if she asked me for help with the bunny counting, we just liked to spend time together.

Now, that ain’t to say we didn’t have our troubles. She was still frightened of darn near everythin’, and I’ll admit, I got frustrated with her. More than once. Said some things I’m gonna regret forever, ‘cause it darn near broke my heart to see her tear up and vanish back to her house. And everytime that happened, I’d have to suck up my darn pride an’ go and ask Rarity for help to get Fluttershy out of her darn house.

Turns out my mouth is really good at gettin’ me into trouble but ain’t so good at gettin’ me out of it. I don’t even remember what we were arguin’ about this time-probably some of her animal friends sneakin’ onto the farm and stealing the apples.

I remember saying that ‘if she couldn’t keep those darn varmints under control and off my trees, then we’re done,’. Like I said, my mouth’s good at getting me in trouble. And Fluttershy, she just teared right up and flew off like she always does. And like always, the minute I couldn’t see her, I realised what an idiot I was for saying stuff like that.
But at the time, it was gettin’ late, and I thought that I’d wait for the night, give us, but mostly me, time to calm down, and then in the morning, I’d go see Rarity and get her help to wheedle Fluttershy out of her cottage so I could apologise for bein’ a boneheaded idiot again.

Of course, that night there was a darn lightning storm over the Everfree. Don’t know what really started the fire, if it was a lighting strike or some fool pony messing around with stuff they shouldn’t have. The next morning, I could smell the smoke, but the thought of Fluttershy didn’t even cross my mind until I was halfway into town. But when it did, I musta broken a record or two. I’d never run so darn fast in my life, prayin’ that Fluttershy was alright.

She never made it out.

I never got the chance to say this one last time, because a stupid darn fight.

Fluttershy, I love you.

Thank you.

Author's Note:

Written for Prompt #9: “Such Sweet Sorrow”
The prompt: write a FlutterJack fic which includes the last words Fluttershy and Applejack ever say to one another.

Applejack's voice is hard.

Comments

[Malandy]

Wow... sad, but nice!

I expected a happier ending... but the name of the chapter totally slipped my mind...