Main Characters: Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Twilight, TWP
Cameos: Rei, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash
Original Write Date: June 21, 2012
Fluttershy wakes in the middle of the night. Last she remembered, James had his forelegs around her as they fell asleep. He is now rolled up on the other side of the bed. She giggles to herself and goes to get a glass of water. The trip to the kitchen and back is a little shaky thanks to some after-hours fun the couple had. Fluttershy giggles about that, too. She curls up in bed and gives her husband a kiss on the cheek. Then she hears a whisper.
‘Twilight...’ James mumbles in his sleep.
Fluttershy flinches at the mention of the name.
‘Twilight...’ James mumbles again, almost whining.
Fluttershy rolls to her side of the bed, pulls the covers over her head and tries going back to sleep.
‘Well, what did you expect, darling?’ Rarity sighs as she soaks in the spa. ‘You may have gotten away with it for this long, but you knew he would go back to his old habits eventually.’
Fluttershy whimpers and stares into the water. ‘I know, but we were having such a good time together. He was so willing to play along, and things were going so smoothly. We pretty much have the whole town convinced...’
‘True, but everypony thinks you are a couple because of your accident and you hurting your head. They all know you are not really married.’
Fluttershy squeaks and hides under the water.
‘Please. We both know that does not define a marriage. Besides, you two have only been doing that for a few days now.’
The pegasus snorts. ‘Right. And if that did define a marriage, you’d be married to half the town.’
Rarity gasps. ‘I am going to write that up to you being upset.’
‘Right. I’m sorry,’ Fluttershy sighs. ‘I should tell everypony, shouldn’t I?’
‘James and I are willing to help you.’
‘No... I should do this on my own.’ She grimaces. ‘I hate to imagine how Rei will take it. She has grown so attached to the idea of having me as her mother.’
Rei smiles at Fluttershy. ‘Okay!’
Fluttershy freezes in shock. ‘What?’
‘Well, I knew you were not my real mommy and I knew you weren’t really married to my daddy, so I am okay with you not pretending to be my mommy anymore.’
‘You are taking this far better than I expected.’
The older pegasus gasps for breath as the younger one grabs her around the neck.
‘Rei-chan wants her mommy back!’ the filly sobs.
Fluttershy fights crying. ‘I don’t want to lose you, too.’
James trots over and puts his forelegs around the crying pegasi. ‘Don’t worry, everything will work out fine.’ He backs off a little. ‘Actually, where do we go from here? What is the plan, Fluttershy?’
Fluttershy breaks the hug and looks down. ‘Well, um, I should probably go back to my cottage. I mean, I only forced myself in here to maintain the lie. I have to work on telling the truth to make up for everything...’
‘Just tell us what we can do to help and we’ll do it.’
‘Honestly, I wish I didn’t have to move back out. I was beginning to really enjoy the intimacy.’
Rei giggles. ‘Flutters-chan likes the sex.’
The older pegasus scowls. ‘I meant the close bond your father and I shared.’
‘That shouldn’t have to be something we give up. I know once everything settles down, I’ll be a prime target again. I am certain that Twilight will be willing to work a schedule that controls every moment of all of my nights from now until I die.’
‘You mean regenerate?’
‘Flutters. This is Twilight. A several millennia-long schedule would be a dream. ’
Fluttershy giggles. ‘Yeah. I guess you’re right.’
James steps forward and kisses Fluttershy. ‘Just in case you need to go into hiding, I have a few important things to tell you.’
The pegasus blushes. ‘What?’
‘First, I cannot thank you enough for helping with Rei these past few weeks. I can’t think of a more perfect mother to help me raise her.’
Fluttershy looks down and lets out a happy squeak.
‘Second, even though this was a trick, I would not trade a single moment of it for anything. If any of our friends get upset with you, you have my full support. I will come to your defense as soon as you call.’
‘Okay.’
‘Last, please don’t change. I know you have some negative outbursts now and again, but I love seeing this more confident side of you. It... really makes you more attractive, too.’
‘Thank you. I’ll try to keep that in mind.’
The two ponies kiss again. Fluttershy starts crying again. She breaks the kiss to wipe her tears.
‘Everything will work out. Remember, confidence.’
‘It is not that... I am just beginning to miss you already.’
‘Fluttershy, I am always here, and I don’t plan on leaving. We adapted to being together. We can adapt to being apart again. Confidence.’
Rei trots over and hugs Fluttershy. ‘My brother gave me a motto that I have lived by since I got my cutie mark: Always be happy and hang in there.’ She hugs tighter. ‘Hang in there, mom. Please be happy.’
Fluttershy sobs again, but she gets control of her crying. ‘Okay. I’m off to see my friends now.’ She gives James one last kiss. ‘Mrs Fluttershy Wanderer will return one day. I promise.’
Fluttershy sits with Rainbow Dash in her cloud home. The yellow pegasus is explaining herself to her friend.
‘... And that is why I did what I did and lied to all of you. Can you forgive me?’ Fluttershy asks.
Rainbow Dash stares in shock. ‘So wait... I didn’t hurt you with my stunt?’
‘Well, you knocked me out for a bit, but I was perfectly fine...’
The cyan pegasus grabs her friend in a hug. ‘I am so relieved. I thought I had permanently damaged you.’
‘You’re not mad that I was lying to you this whole time?’
‘Fluttershy, I had just found out that Jimmy was seeing Twilight before you tricked us. I always thought he was with you. I just thought this was a natural progression of things.’
‘You never noticed him and Twilight?’
‘Not that I know of. Just the way you always talked about your online stuff... And now, I can’t really picture you two with anypony else.’
Fluttershy blushes and giggles. ‘Thank you.’
‘So are you two really broken up?’
‘I’m moving back to my cottage, but we will still see each other.’
‘Good! Because I don’t want you losing somepony that makes you really happy.’
Fluttershy smiles. ‘Thank you, Rainbow Dash.’
‘Oh! And if you need a place to hide from Twilight, she can’t reach you up here. Well, she can with her blimp and cloudwalking spell, but that doesn’t matter since she would probably just blast the whole house with her magic anyway.’
Fluttershy sighs, ‘Thank you, Rainbow Dash.’
Twilight is trying not to show any emotion as Fluttershy explains what she did to her friend. The pegasus is getting more and more nervous since she expected her friend to burst into flames instantly and banish her to the moon.
‘So, um, I am really, really, really sorry. I was, uh, just acting the whole time.’ Fluttershy grins nervously.
Twilight sighs. ‘I know. I thought you were hurt for a bit, but I could tell you were acting.’
‘You... knew?’
‘Fluttershy, we have done how many Hearths Warming Eve plays together? I think I can tell when you are acting.’
‘Oh... I didn’t know it was so obvious. Why didn’t you say anything? I knew you were upset with me.’
‘You were happy, and he was happy. I am not going to ruin my friends’ happiness for a petty reason.’ Twilight looks around nervously. ‘Besides, I was, uh, having a bit of an, um, affair behind your back.’
Fluttershy sighs. ‘I knew.’
‘You knew?’
The pegasus laughs to herself. ‘You know James and his honesty. He told me about the two of you. I am glad his first time was with somepony who he loves...’
‘Fluttershy... The way you say that makes it seem like he doesn’t love you too. You know full well that the physical act means nothing to him. It is the emotional bond the two of you share that is important.’ Twilight looks ashamed. ‘I was the one who was greedy that first time...’
‘Oh?’
Twilight groans. ‘It was after astronomy club. I was just so fired up after we found that comet. He was helping me with my telescopes and... Well, you know how oblivious he is when it comes to anything romantic. A mare’s got to do what the stallion cannot, right?’
Fluttershy sighs. ‘Same thing with me, too. You would have thought he would be fired up after such a racy play. I guess if it doesn’t have 8bit music...’
‘Or level grinding...’
‘Or DLC...’
The mares continue reconnecting over their mutual frustrations with the stallion they love.
Applejack glares at her friend as Fluttershy confesses. The pegasus is getting scared by the upset look she is getting.
‘So, uh, that why I did what I did,’ Fluttershy squeaks. She adopts a nervous grin.
‘Ah can appreciate ya bein’ honest with us now, but Ah can’ believe ya were lying t’ us this whole time.’
‘I am really sorry.’
Applejack takes a deep breath. ‘Ah fergive ya. Ain’t no use bein’ upset if ya are tryin’ t’ make amends.’
‘Thank you, Applejack. You are a very understanding friend.’
Fluttershy turns to leave, but her tail gets pulled. She turns back to see Applejack blushing and staring at the ground.
‘Um, does this mean anypony is free t’ date Jimmy now?’
‘Applejack?’
‘Ah... sorta like ‘im and would like t’ give ‘im a try.’
‘I just confessed a few moments ago, and you are wanting to ask him out right away?’
‘Ah-Ah jus’ want a shot! ‘Sides, it ain’t like Twi ain’t cookin’ up a scheme since ya told her.’
‘Well, she did seem rather excited that he was relatively single again...’
‘So ya don’ mind, do ya?’
Fluttershy groans. ‘At this rate, Big Macintosh and Granny Smith will be wanting to date him by the end of the year.’
At last, Fluttershy is with the friend she was certain would take the confession best. Instead, Pinkie is looking more and more upset as Fluttershy keeps talking.
‘B-but I-I am really sorry for lying and I hope you can forgive me and understand why I did what I did?’
‘Get out,’ Pinkie snarls.
‘What?’
‘GET OUT!’ the pink pony shouts, her hair going flat. ‘I can’t believe you of all ponies would even think of hurting all of your friends like this! You are supposed to be the kind one, but instead your evil monster side was in charge!’
‘I-I only did it because I never get a chance to be with him. He-he was okay with playing along when I told him the truth.’
‘That makes it worse! You forced him and Rarity to play along with your stupid game! You made us all believe you were really hurt, then you manipulated your friends in some perverse scheme! You are the worst kind of pony!’
‘You mean you actually believed the lie? You are even more air-brained then you act. Besides, if you really believed we were really married, why were you sleeping with him behind my back?’
Pinkie gasps. ‘How did you know?’
Fluttershy shakes her head. ‘First going behind Twilight’s back, then going behind mine. Are you going to try stealing Rarity from Spike next? How about hooking up with all of the Wonderbolts to mess with Rainbow Dash?’
The two ponies butt heads and growl.
Fluttershy takes a deep breath and backs down. ‘I am sorry. Those comments were uncalled for. I am just upset because you are angry with me.’ She extends a hoof. ‘Can you forgive me?’
Pinkie bats the hoof away. ‘Can you listen to me? Get. Out.’
‘Will you at least accept my apology for what I just said? I will give you all the time you need to forgive me for my lie.’
‘If I accept your apology, that would imply I was still your friend.’
‘Pinkie...’
Pinkie turns away and points to the door. Fluttershy takes a deep breath and trots away.
‘I hope you can forgive me one day...’
Fluttershy exits the back door of The Power Block with a box on her back. James follows her out.
‘These should be the last of my things,’ Fluttershy says. ‘If you find anything I forgot...’
‘I’ll send Rei as quick as possible.’
‘Or you can come yourself...’
‘Flutters, I think if we’re going to undo as much damage as we can, we should try avoiding private settings together for a while.’
The pegasus sighs. ‘You’re right. I guess we’ll be seeing each other.’
Fluttershy leans forward to try and get one last kiss, but she yelps in surprise as she is pushed away from her friend. Her box of belongings spills all over the alley.
‘Hi, Mr James Wanderer Hayate!’ Pinkie greets. ‘Are you free tonight?’
Fluttershy groans and starts picking up her stuff.
‘Pinkie,’ James sighs. ‘We just ended this today. Give me some time to get used to being without Fluttershy.’
‘Who? I’ve never known anypony by that name.’
‘Pinkie, just because you are mad at her doesn’t mean you can ignore her.’
James moves to help Fluttershy, but Pinkie grabs his foreleg.
‘Don’t help her after she has hurt you so much,’ Pinkie begs.
‘She’s right,’ Fluttershy nods. ‘It is fine. I don’t want to be a burden.’
‘You’re not a burden,’ James replies. ‘And if Pinkie really wanted you gone, she wouldn’t have made a mess to keep you around.’
‘It is fine.’
‘See,’ Pinkie gloats. ‘The meany Miss Hurts-A-Lot doesn’t need any help.’
‘Pinkie...’
‘What? She hurt us all and manipulated your emotions.’
‘Pink...’
‘And what about Rei? Both of you toyed with the filly’s desire to have a real mother. Even if you can justify her actions towards yourself, what about your daughter?’
James stares back at the pink pony. He looks over at the pegasus trying to repack her belongings. She looks up and gives a weak smile. He takes a deep breath and turns around. Pinkie steps beside him. He pushes her back.
‘Pinkie, even though I am upset that you used Rei like that, I am angry at myself for not seeing what you said earlier. I... am just going to need to be alone with my daughter for a while.’
‘I’m real sorry, James,’ Fluttershy squeaks.
‘Fluttershy... I am still on your side in the long run, but not right now.’
The stallion closes the door behind him. Pinke looks at Fluttershy. The pegasus finishes packing and trots away, muttering apologies to nopony in particular. Pinkie gives a small whimper then holds her head up, confident in what she had done.
‘YOU WHAT!’ Twilight shouts, rattling the library’s shelves.
Pinkie backs away from her friend. ‘I sorta told him, uh, them that they were hurting Rei and...’
Twilight shakes her head. ‘I know I am upset at both of them for deceiving us like they did, but I’m not crazy enough to bring Rei into the mix.’
‘Did Pinkie do bad?’ the normally-energetic pony whimpers, trying to hid behind her flat mane.
‘Honestly, I don’t know. We both know that James loves Rei very much...’
‘Which is why I brought her up,’ Pinkie interrupts.
‘But, we also know that Fluttershy started caring for her too. Saying Rei loves everypony is an understatement, but she really cares for her parents, real or imagined.’
Pinkie lays on the ground and covers her head with her hooves. ‘I made a huge mistake.’
Twilight strokes her friend’s mane. ‘It is okay. We are all upset with them. I’m probably handling this better than I should since I figured it out before Fluttershy told me.’
‘You knew? Why didn’t you tell anypony?’
‘Would you have had any less of a freak-out if I told you sooner?’
Pinkie stares at her friend for a moment. ‘You knew? Why didn’t you tell anypony?’
Twilight lays down and hugs her friend. ‘Come on, let’s go apologize to them.’
‘I...’ --- she buries her head deeper -- ‘can’t.’
‘Why not?’
‘He told me he didn’t want to see me again, and I sort of told her I wasn’t her friend anymore. I feel bad for upsetting both of them, but I am also really, really mad at Flutterliar.’
Twilight sighs. ‘You know he wants to see you again. He just needs to blow off some steam.’
‘And Meanie Lies-A-Lot?’
‘She is looking for our forgiveness, right? She knows we are mad. I bet she is giving us some space before confronting us again. She will be happy with any small step back towards friendship.’
Pinkie moans. There is a knock on the library door, and Rarity pokes her head in.
‘He~~llo~~! I was just looking for...’ Rarity spies the ponies on the floor. ‘Room for one more?’
Twilight quickly gets to her hooves. ‘Sorry about that. Pinkie just needs some comfort because of this whole Fluttershy situation. How can I help you?’
‘Actually, that is why I am here,’ Rarity replies. ‘I have been trying to find the poor dear to see how the confessions are going, but she is not answering her mobile, and her cottage was empty.’
‘Maybe she is just out. It has been a stressful day for us all.’
‘No, I mean it was literally empty. All I could find was this note on the door.’
Rarity levitates a note to Twilight.
‘To the pony who finds this,’ Twilight reads. ‘Please ask the RSI Adventure Team to care for my animals. Tell them I will reimburse them as soon as I have resettled. Thank you, Fluttershy.’ She lowers the note. ‘This is very serious.’
‘This is all my fault!’ Pinkie sobs.
‘Now, now,’ Twilight assures. ‘She might be on a vacation until we are all thinking clearly.’
‘The note does sound like she is leaving us,’ Rarity points out.
‘Okay... She could just be hiding in her house.’
‘The doors were locked and the windows sealed,’ Rarity adds.
Twilight huffs, ‘Fine. We’ll check out her house then panic.’
‘All right...’ Pinkie whimpers. ‘I hope Meanie Stupid Liar Face is okay.’ She turns to Rarity. ‘Thanks for telling us, Snooty McSecret-Keeper.’
Rarity turns her nose up. ‘I’ll just assume the insult is because you are as broken up about losing our friend as I am.’
‘Girls, we have more important things to worry about,’ Twilight groans as she heads to the door.
The others nod and follow their friend out.
Fluttershy’s friends (and Pinkie Pie) are gathered outside her cottage. The house is dark, and the shutters block the windows. Twilight is pacing in front of the door.
‘Okay. This isn’t good. Fluttershy is missing, and we have no idea where she could be,’ the unicorn states. ‘Rainbow, you get to Cloudsdale and ask her parents if they have had any contact with her.’
‘On it!’ Dash salutes. ‘I also told the other pegasi in town to keep an eye out for her.’
Rainbow Dash flies away.
‘Rarity, you ask around town. You’re better than us at that sort of thing.’
‘I will do my best to find our dear Fluttershy.’
Rarity gallops away.
‘Big Mac and Ah will bring the ground game and search everywhere she coulda got on hoof,’ Applejack says.
‘Excellent,’ Twilight nods. ‘I sent a letter to the princess asking for help. I will check with Zecora if Fluttershy entered the Everfree Forest.’ She sighs. ‘I really don’t want to play the trump card.’
Applejack puts a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. ‘Ah doubt he knows more than us. ‘Sides, if he’s still in the married mindset...’
Twilight nods in agreement. ‘He’d rip Equestria to shreds trying to find her. Best not to worry him for now.’
‘Um... And me?’ Pinkie mumbles.
The two friends look at Pinkie Pie. They smile at her.
‘I know how stressed you are feeling,’ Twilight says. ‘You have a lot of conflicting emotions right now. Get some rest and don’t worry. We’ll call you if anything comes up.’
‘Yeah, don’ worry yer head off. We got ya covered.’ Applejack gets an idea. ‘Hey! Ya should stop by mah house. Ah jus’ baked some fresh apple fritters. Ya should get one befer AB and her friends try fer their Cutie Mark Crusader Fritter Taster cutie marks again.’
Pinkie smiles. ‘That does sound good.’
Twilight gives her friend a gentle nuzzle. ‘Don’t worry. She’ll be fine. Take as much time as you need to work out your feelings.’
‘Thanks, Twilight.’ Pinkie chokes back a tear.
After one last parting smile, the group splits up to search for Fluttershy. Pinkie sighs and looks up at the cottage. Something catches her eye, and she narrows her gaze. She looks around and jumps into a bush. She emerges a second later with a ball in hoof. She aims and throws at a second story window. The balls crashes through the window. A sharp shriek is heard. Pinkie growls and looks for a way into the house.
Fluttershy cowers on the floor of her bedroom after the sudden ball intrusion. The stomping on the stairs makes her shake even more.
‘I know you’re in there!’ Pinkie shouts as she charges into the room.
There is a loud crash, and Pinkie is sent tumbling backwards as she hits something very dense. Rei shakes her head as she raises it from headbutt position.
‘You were going to hurt mommy,’ the filly growls.
‘She was tricking us about being missing!’ Pinkie shouts back.
‘No, we weren’t!’ Rei yells, electrical energies crackling around her. ‘You just showed up as we were getting the last of our supplies we needed for our trip.’
‘Why do you keep saying “we”?’
‘Because no matter what anypony says, I am going with her.’ Rei frowns. ‘Nopony is taking mommy away from me again.’
Fluttershy sighs. ‘That is enough, Rei.’ She trots past the filly and helps Pinkie up. ‘I am really sorry about this. I haven’t been able to shake her since I saw you last.’
‘If she is with you, then...’
‘I convinced daddy’s magic box to go into hiding for a bit. He is busy looking for it (and me) with The Doctor.’
‘Why are you running too?’
‘Actually, I am the also-running one,’ Fluttershy replies. ‘I saw her leaving the shop after we talked. She asked why I was upset. She kept saying that we should run away together.’ She sighs. ‘I was going to keep tabs on her and report back once I had a free moment.’
‘Mom!’
‘What about that note you left? The one that said you were running away?’
Fluttershy turns to Rei. ‘What note, Rei?’
The filly shrinks away. ‘I sorta copied your writing and left a note maybe implying you were leaving.’
‘Pinkie, do you have anything in case of lasso emergencies?’
Pinkie dashes out of the room and returns with a length of rope.
‘Rei, what do we do when you hurt somepony’s feelings?’
‘Beg for forgiveness.’
‘Right. Now, are you going to come with us peacefully or do we have to drag you?’
‘I’ll be good, mommy.’
Fluttershy sighs and shakes her head. ‘Let’s tell the others to stop worrying. Where’s my..?’
Rei gets Fluttershy’s mobile from under a chest of drawers. The older pegasus scowls at the younger one. Pinkie looks between the two pegasi as Fluttershy starts calling her friends.
The friends have gathered back at the library. Rei sits in the middle of the room with her head down. Her father paces in front of her.
‘Rei, what the hell?’ James shouts.
‘Time machines are not toys,’ the scared filly squeaks.
‘Damn right they are not! Do you know how scared I was? I thought something bad happened to you; then, of course, you are just acting out again. Thankfully, Fluttershy was there to keep an eye on you. And if you went the other way, Pinkie Pie would have stopped you. It is good to know somepony was acting responsibly today.’
Pinkie looks at Fluttershy, who also shares James’ upset expression.
‘Your trick had everyone here worried that something had happened to Fluttershy. You made a lot of ponies upset.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Rei mumbles.
Rainbow Dash steps up. ‘Listen, shrimp. I don’t know what punishment your dad is gonna give you, but you earned at least a week of dawn-to-dusk service to make up for getting us all worked up.’
‘Hai, Dash-sempai.’
‘Y’all are gonna have t’ help out on the farm fer gettin’ all us riled up, too.’
‘Hai, Ringo-oneesama.’
‘Settle down, everypony,’ Twilight calms. ‘There will be time to deal with her later. The important thing is that she was caught before she could run away. Thank you, Fluttershy, for being there at the right time.’
Fluttershy looks away. ‘I didn’t do anything special. Besides, it is all because of me anyway. Me and my stupid trick.’
‘Fluttershy, you know we are all still upset, but it will take time for us to forgive everything,’ Twilight reminds her friend.
‘That is why I was going to stay in my cottage,’ the pegasus sighs. ‘I wanted to be out of everypony’s manes until things between us settle.’
‘Darling, not all of us are mad at you,’ Rarity assures. ‘You don’t have to avoid us all.’
‘Yeah,’ James agrees. ‘I was more mad at myself for letting Rei get used by us, but now I have other things to be mad about.’
Rei squeaks.
‘Right. I’m sorry,’ Fluttershy whimpers.
‘Confidence!’ is loudly coughed by somepony in the room. Twilight turns and glares at the stallion next to her. Fluttershy giggles at the pair.
James makes his way to the door. ‘Come on, Rei. We should get home. You’re going to need a lot of rest if you are going to survive everypony’s punishments.’
Rei groans and follows her father away. The other ponies start milling out as well. Pinkie stops Fluttershy as they trot away.
‘Flutters...’
‘Yes, Pinkie?’
‘I am still really, really mad at you for lying to us, but I am also ready to begin forgiving you. I’m sorry for saying you weren’t my friend.’
Fluttershy smiles. ‘It is okay, Pinkie. We were all really upset today. And I already told you, I was going to give you all the time you needed. There is no need to be sorry.’
Pinkie smiles, some poof returning to her mane. ‘Thank you. Auntie Pinkie Pie needs to hear that.’
The pink pony prances away, feeling better about herself and her friendships.
Fluttershy huffs, ‘I’m a year older than you.’