//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Sugarcube Corner's Finest 
// by Bell 
//------------------------------//

Fluttershy stared in disbelief at the cold, lifeless body before her. He had died some time in the night and was already beginning to stiffen. A small smile was etched permanently upon his lips, as if he had passed in the middle of a pleasant dream, and overall, he looked very peaceful.

After the initial shock of finding him passed, Fluttershy thought to herself that she should have seen this coming. After all, bunnies didn't live nearly as long as ponies. This knowledge did nothing to stop the powerful sadness that was now penetrating her heart, however. Hot tears of grief began to flow from her teal eyes down her buttery yellow cheeks as she came to the realization that from now on, her life would be missing one little, white, somewhat bossy bunny. Angel, her Angel, was gone, and nopony could change that.

Small, shuddering, squeaky sobs emanated from her as she resigned herself to the fact that there was nothing more to do but prepare the bunny's corpse for burial. She leaned down to give Angel one final kiss, and her lips met the cold, hard remnants of the once warm and soft rabbit. Trembling slightly, she gathered up his favorite blanket and wrapped it around him, using it as a sort of makeshift shroud. She put the body on her back and started to make her way to her backyard. On the way, she took a small trowel in her teeth. The innocent tool, normally used for the benign, happy activity of gardening, would be re-purposed for the grim occasion.

Fluttershy went outside and immediately spotted the perfect location for Angel's final resting place: his favorite patch of clover. The lush carpet of green plants grew thick and sweet over there, and it had often been the site of Angel's afternoon snack. She was certain nothing would have made him happier than to be laid to rest there.

She then set about the manual work of the digging. She thrust the metal blade deeper and deeper into the ground, becoming enveloped in the damp, earthy scent of the soil. She excavated until she had a sufficiently bunny-sized hole, then gently placed Angel in it.

Taking one last look at her beloved pet, she said sadly, "Good-bye, Angel."

After filling in the grave, leaving a dark brown mound of fresh dirt, Fluttershy went back into her cottage and looked around. The usually warm, inviting space looked frigid and foreign. Angel's absence was all too real, all too palpable. The permanence of his death hit home once again, sparking a fresh wave of tears. Distraught and depressed, Fluttershy ran to her room and collapsed onto her bed.

She remained that way, barely moving, for the rest of that day and the entirety of the next. Heedless of her other animals, her own hunger or thirst, and even the passage of time itself, her world became grief and tear-stained sheets.

The thing to break this spell came in the form of a loud, insistent knock on her door. At first, she tried to ignore it, but whoever it was kept knocking, obviously intent on seeing Fluttershy right then and there.

Reluctantly, she got up and walked to the door. Opening it, she found none other than the exuberant Pinkie Pie grinning widely at her.

Pinkie's face quickly fell, however, when she saw the state Fluttershy was in. Her pale pink mane, normally smoothly coiffed, was disheveled and messy, and her eyes and cheeks were crusted with dry tears. "Fluttershy, what happened?" she gasped, concerned.

"Oh, Pinkie, um, well, Angel Bunny..."

"Yes?"

"He...um, died." Fluttershy blinked back tears as she said it.

Pinkie's mane flattened slightly when she heard this. "He did?"

Fluttershy nodded.

Pinkie Pie started to tear up at this confirmation, and pulled her friend into a tight hug. "Oh, Fluttershy," she said, "that's just so super sad. Are all your other animals okay?"

This question awakened Fluttershy's memory. "Oh my goodness!" she cried. "I forgot about my other animals! They haven't eaten in almost two days!"

"Oh! Oh! Don't worry," Pinkie said quickly. "I'll help you feed them."

"Oh, Pinkie, that would be so nice."

Pinkie Pie came inside and Fluttershy gave her quick instructions on the different animals' feeding procedures. "Did you understand all that?" she asked at the conclusion.

Pinkie nodded vigorously, her cotton candy mane bouncing violently with the motion. "Sure did!"

"And, Pinkie, one more thing," Fluttershy added. "Some of the animals are very timid, so try to be gentle."

"Don't worry, Flutters. Gentle is my middle name."

"I thought your middle name was Diane."

"Well, sure, if you're technical about it."

Pinkie Pie then set about getting the critters their food. Fluttershy noted just how gentle she was capable of being, surprisingly gentle for a pony whose reputation was based on in-your-face, hard-partying energy.

After Pinkie had finished, and all the animals were happily nibbling away at their food, she and Fluttershy sat down on the sofa. Fluttershy looked around at her cute, satisfied animal friends and felt a sense of peace come over her.

The two ponies sat in silence for a few moments, both smiling at the sight of the animals. This silence was broken by a loud growl from Fluttershy's stomach.

"Whoa!" said Pinkie. "Sounds like somepony's hungry!"

"I guess I might have forgotten to feed myself, too."

Pinkie stood up. "I know what you need," she remarked. "Sugarcube Corner's finest!"

Fluttershy hesitated. "Pinkie, I don't know. I mean, the animals--"

"They're fine!" Pinkie cut in. She grabbed Fluttershy by the hoof and pulled her up off the couch. "Come with me."

"Well, okay, then."

Pinkie Pie bounced out the door with Fluttershy close behind.

At the bakery, Pinkie ordered the two of them a pair of big vanilla cupcakes, dripping with pink frosting. Pinkie gobbled hers in a single bite, while Fluttershy took small, dainty mouthfuls.

When she finished, Fluttershy looked at Pinkie and said, "Thank you for everything today, Pinkie. You really helped cheer me up."

"Don't mention it. I'm just so sorry about Angel."

Fluttershy's head hung at the mention of her late pet. "It's okay. I knew he had to go eventually."

"Yeah, but it's still sad."

"I know," Fluttershy said sadly. "The only thing I still don't understand is why you even showed up at my house."

"Well, that's easy! Nopony saw you for a few days, and I was worried. I like you, Fluttershy, and I don't want to see anything happen to you."

Pinkie moved closer to Fluttershy and wrapped her in another hug. She shortened the distance even more and planted a little kiss on the shy pony's cheek.

Fluttershy had not been expecting this. Heat began to fill her face, radiating from the spot where the warm, soft, slightly sticky lips had made contact. "Oh...well...th-thanks, Pinkie," she stammered.

"Do you like me too?" Pinkie asked expectantly.

"Oh, of course I do." Fluttershy answered.

"Wanna prove it?" Pinkie turned her own cheek toward Fluttershy, gesturing to it with a hoof.

Fluttershy, taking the hint, moved in to return the kiss. Receiving a tickle from Pinkie's frizzy mane, and breathing in the sweet scent that came from her friend, she pressed her lips against the pink cheek. A flutter of joyful nervousness arose in her stomach, and she felt extremely close, both emotionally and physically, to Pinkie.

After she pulled back, the two friends grinned at each other, then hugged again. They sat, feeling a love for one another that was in a strange place between platonic and romantic, but warmed their hearts just the same.