//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8 
// Story: Fluttershy Blooms (A Flutterpie Tale) 
// by Mocha Star 
//------------------------------//

Fluttershy sang as she went about giving specialized food to the nearby animals in their respective homes around her cottage, inside and out. The melody was soft enough that it was almost angelic, yet she could have put words to it without effort while her heart fluttered at the end of each bar.

"Here you go, Missus Squeakers, remember to stay off the table from now on, so you don't fall again. I've spoken with a friend of mine and she told me," she sighed, "that your eyesight is only going to get worse, not better. I'm so sorry, but we'll all be here with you until the end," she leaned closer and nuzzled the mouse. "Now, eat up and stay as healthy as you can for as long as you can."

With a reply that befit her name, the rodent scurried away into a hole in the wall and left Fluttershy finished with all her creatures save for one. "Angel, I understand you're not in the mood for what I have to offer, but it's later than usual today and you have to eat this salad I made for you."

She placed a small bowl filled with what could essentially be described as trail mix by the plush pillow that Angel claimed as an afternoon resting place. He hopped onto the pillow and walked to the end, sniffed the bowl, frowned, then tipped it over with his right paw and upturned his nose.

"Wha- what's wrong with this meal, Angel?"

He glared daggers at her.

She pouted and hung her head, but before she could apologize she felt her heart beat heavily in her chest. A rare feeling rose and her upper lip tugged slightly showing her upper teeth. "Mr. Bunny," she said as her head rose, "you will eat what I gave you."

He turned on his pillow and lifted his tail in defiance, looking over his shoulder with a smirk. Fluttershy growled in the back of her throat and looked pointedly at the spilled food on the floor, ignoring the insult the rabbit had flashed her. "Angel, please eat. I'm not in the mood, nor do I have time to make you something else."

He hopped to the opposite end of the pillow and turned to face her, crossed his arms, and scowled as she shook his head.

With a quick leap, she landed by the pillow and slapped the bowl and food across the floor and stomped her hoof to the floor once the display was done. "Angel, you are a... a... meanie bunny, and I won't feed you again until," she gulped, "you eat all of the food I made you right here," she picked up a hoof and stomped on a pretzel, "every last crumb. And no one will help you either, right?" she asked, looking around the room at many creatures that were watching the sudden display and nodded with encouragement.

Angel looked at Fluttershy and broke, nodded in defeat, and turned to leave. "Angel, where are you going?" he didn't answer as he began to hop quickly away. In a blink he entered a full panicked sprint and left the cottage before she could stop him. "Oh... Flutterstorm, what've you done?" she whimpered. She looked at the mess and steeled her gaze. "I'm turning into a bully, and it's probably because I took back my old name. But, Angel was a meanie, and more of a bully," she spent a moment rationalizing before she smirked. "No, I was being defensive against a bully bunny. When he comes back my punishment will have to stand, or he'll hop all over me again."

She bent down and picked up the pillow in her teeth and trotted to the couch where she placed it where it belonged, brushed some fur off of it, then turned to the main room again. Save for the spilled snack, it was tidy enough and she nodded to herself as she left the cottage and began to prance towards the woods to meet the raccoon family.





"And... there we are, all wrapped up tight. Now, I have to caution you again about going near unknown burrows. You can be hurt worse than a couple quills in your side. There are very dangerous animals, predators, that live in burrows. So please, don't play hide and seek in dangerous places, okay?"

With a family hug and squeaks of agreement, Fluttershy smiled at the two young ones she'd helped and bid a heartfelt goodbye as she took flight over the canopy and made her way back toward Ponyville. A warmth spread through her body as the wind softly caressed her coat and skin beneath at the accomplishments she'd made over the past day. How she'd grown and what she'd done. How free she felt for the first time in a long time, and the future was before her. Unknown and scary, but full of endearing hope.