//------------------------------// // Welfare Boy (Part 3) // Story: The Truth About Girls (Vol. 2) // by TheMareWhoSaysNi //------------------------------// Even behind the walls of the building, with closed doors and windows, it was impossible to escape the echoes of the party taking place in the main schoolyard. The activities offered by the clubs had probably come to an end, and the winning department was about to be announced, if it hadn’t already. After the Festival, some kind of fête was always organized. The school’s music bands performed on an improvised stage, it was possible to picnic on the grass, and games, adding money to the funds of the school, were launched by the teachers. It had seemed to Fluttershy she’d heard the girls say they could perform as Rainbooms… If they did, it meant Rarity had joined them. And here she was, missing all this… Of course, reviewing was important, and the opposite of a waste of time, but she couldn’t help wondering what she would have done if she were with them. She remembered last year was really fun. Although she insisted, she was unable to retain a single world of her Modern History lesson. In front of her eyes, the image of the girls always appeared, and they were laughing in front of skittles or of a distorting mirror. Or they were sipping on fizzy apple cider on the lawn, or on the stage singing and playing their instruments. Maybe Thunderlane would agree to take a break and go at the party… It would allow them to relax a little, and she suddenly felt like chatting. Or like hearing him speak, it didn’t matter. The most important thing was that the air outside was calling her, although she’d always been someone of inside, choosing the soft security of domesticity over the dangers of society. Also, what Twilight had told her was bothering her. Theoretically, it wasn’t a big deal, or something she didn’t already know. Girls had already told her she was welcome any time she wanted, and there had very few chances they would reject her, nevertheless, her desire to go back to them was stronger than ever since their conversation together. Fluttershy wasn’t sure why, but she couldn’t stop thinking about it. Not that she had thought about many other things all week long… She took a glimpse at her reviewing buddy, and jumped from surprised when she realized he already was staring at her. The way he looked at her was intense, and she could affirm without mistake that he never looked at her this way. “Do I… have something on my face, or…?” Thunderlane burst out laughing, and it resounded against the library’s walls. “No. You’re pretty, that’s all.” “Oh, thanks.” Fluttershy lowered her head, her cheeks colored with pink. It always felt strange to get compliments from someone, especially from boys. Of course, she didn’t think she was ugly, but didn’t think, neither, that she was so pretty a male representative would need to scrutinize her face. After all, although Big Macintosh already complimented her this way, he never had looked at her this way, even back when they were dating. Or were they still dating? She wasn’t quite sure. From the corner of her eye, she saw Thunderlane putting his pencil back, and put his hands on her hers, lying on her laps, and holding her uniform skirt. It made her jump from surprise again, and this time, her schoolmate only smiled tenderly at her. “I have to confess”, he started. “I lied. I lied about me.” “About you?” she repeated, blinking. She didn’t understand anything. “Yes. I didn’t come to you because you looked sad and I wanted to comfort you. Well, although I really wanted to comfort you… In fact, when I saw you alone, I knew if I wanted to try to approach you, it would be now or never, when you weren’t with your bunch of noisy friends.” Far from soothing the young woman’s heart, these first words increased her tension even more. Fluttershy thought she started to guess what would be coming next. And if he confessed to her what she thought he would confess, she would be stuck in an unpleasant situation. If only he stopped here, she would be saved… But he didn’t stop, much to her regrets. “In fact, from the moment I saw you, I had a crush on you, love at first sight, as they say. I really like you. You’re pretty, tactful, sweet, demure, kind… Everything I love and desire from a girl. I know you don’t know me that well, and that you don’t easily open your heart to those you don’t really know, but I’m going to try anyway… Would you accept to become my girlfriend?” Fluttershy swallowed. This was exactly what she had feared. She had longed for these words so much… Only from somebody else. And, in a way, she still longed for them today, though there were very little chances for things to get better between them. All that Big Macintosh had meant for her couldn’t be erased like white chalk on a blackboard. Although he had hurt her, breaking her heart in two, her feelings for him were still here, and jumping into another affair would be hurting the other the way she had been hurt. It would be a lie, and if her story with Big Macintosh had taught her something, it was that honesty always was the better choice, even if it wasn’t deprived of violent backwashes. It led to what was next. How could she tell Thunderlane this without breaking his heart as well? She could still remember the inner scalding her first reject had felt like, and the indelible mark it left on her soul. Her silence as an answer to his question, however, was enough to make the young man understand his request wouldn’t get him the expected result. He let go of her hands, and leaned against the back of his chair. “Phew! This is that they call a silence that speaks volume!” “No, that’s not the way it is…” Fluttershy started. “Well, it is actually… I’m sorry.” She let out a deep sigh. It would probably be a little trying, but she owed him the truth. Even if only because he had always been very nice with her. “You’re very kind and I’m sure I would’ve been happy with you, but it wouldn’t be a good thing. For now, my boyfriend and I aren’t really separated, and although it’s very complicated between us, I’m still in love with him. I don’t think I’ll be able to forget him so soon. He was my very first love, can you understand?” “Yes, I can understand”, Thunderlane answered with an odd half-smile, looking away. For all that, Fluttershy wasn’t completely convinced. The way he was acting now, an arm leant behind him, and his jaws clenched, didn’t let her know he was taking this graciously. Well, it was understandable, since being rejected never was an easy thing, yet, his behavior didn’t make her think about the pain she felt when Big Macintosh rejected her for the first time. No. Right now, Thunderlane made her think about Rainbow Dash when she lost a competition. And it never was a good thing to see. “I’m sorry”, she said, lowering her head. “You’re sorry? Do you think I even care about the fact that you’re sorry? I should have known you were like this!” Now, his tone of voice was straight out scornful, light years away from the softness and the benevolence he displayed until then. If she was shocked, Fluttershy reassured herself thinking it probably was because he was feeling sad, and it made him act aggressively, the way she acted with Pinkie Pie. The difference was that Pinkie Pie and she had known each other for more than one year, and during this short period of time, they had developed strong bonds of friendship. She really met Thunderlane a few days ago, and felt as if even patience wouldn’t change his attitude. What he confirmed on the next second. “Considering who you’re hanging out with!” “What’s the point with who I’m hanging out with?” she asked, suddenly on the defensive. He could reproach her anything he wanted, but Fluttershy couldn’t get what her friends had to do with that. As far as she knew, none of them really cared about Thunderlane, and even Twilight, in the same class than him, hadn’t said a word about him. “Those little friends of yours! I knew from the moment I saw them with you they would be a bad influence. Only Twilight Sparkle is worth a little something, and yet, her inclination to think she’s the smartest one in the room is a bit annoying. Let’s not even talk about the others… Sunset Shimmer: a real slut. Applejack: an illiterate hillbilly. Pinkie Pie: a big boobs butthead. And Rainbow Dash is the opposite of femininity. She thinks she’s it, but she’s a real horse. I wouldn’t even want to sleep with her if she had a bag on her head! What a gang… I thought you were superior, but now I see that I was wrong.” A monster. This boy was nothing but a monster. How could she be fooled by his smiles and his nice attitudes? Today he had revealed his true face. Deep inside, Fluttershy knew it wasn’t sadness nor disillusion speaking now. He meant every single words he had said. There had been signs, but she had chosen to ignore them. He probably thought he gave her a taste of her own medicine with this pathetic judgement. He was wrong. Although things were complicated with them, they were her best friends. Those who welcomed her with opened arms, without further questions, and who had put up with her fears, her shyness, her malevolent words… Who were ready to let her be back in the gang anytime she wanted, despite what she had done. No one could say such things about them. For once, Fluttershy let the part of her that scared her a little speak. She had to defend the honor of the most amazing persons she had ever met. Her soul sisters. Her second family. She got up and hit her two hands against the table. “How dare you say such things about my friends? You don’t even know them! They are at least a twenty times worthier than you’ll ever be. They’re the most open-minded, funny, kind and generous persons I’ve ever met. Of course, they have flaws, everybody has flaws, but in no way would they dare judging someone on physical traits only or based on stupid gossips. And I’d rather be with them than with a boy who thinks he can wipe his feet on the others just to get what he wants and who doesn’t have a single hint of integrity. If it makes me someone vulgar or not worth it, I don’t care. At least, I don’t pretend I am someone that I’m not!” After this, she gathered her stuff hurriedly, and left without looking back, putting everything inside her bag as she walked, her hands shaking from nervousness, but her chin up. She didn’t hear what Thunderlane said behind her back and whether it were apologies or insults. To be honest, she couldn’t care less about anything he could say. Because Fluttershy had just realized something essential, in the gap of a few seconds. Blinded by her pain, shame and fears, she had been unable to realize that, under her six friend’s influence, she had changed a lot, in the right direction. Before she arrived at CHS, she would never get the courage to confront someone like Thunderlane. She would have curled up, cried and do her best to be in the young man’s good books. In front of her friends, she was free to be herself, the real Fluttershy, without disguise or pretense. She could be jittery, too polite, she could hide behind others when fights started, she could cry, she could be aggressive, even. She was accepted for who she was, with her flaws, her habits, her qualities, her inner resources. Even when she made mistakes, even when she failed, even when she fell, her friends were here to take her hand. Yes, she had been through ordeals, but she wasn’t weak. As a proof, she was still here, standing on her two feet. It was by their side she had learned what real courage was, and she needed them. Like they probably needed her. Now, Fluttershy just couldn’t wait: finding them and tell them everything. Tell them how wrong she was, and how much she wanted to come back. Out of breath, she pushed the library’s door, expecting to be face to face with a hundreds of students in civilian clothes, a glass of cider in their hands, chatting cheerfully while going from stands to stands… But she met face to face with a desperately empty yard. Streamers were scattered around the ground, stands were in the middle of deconstruction, there were no more music, and on the stage, around the back of the field, students of ninth grade were busy taking off the musical supplies. Over. The Clubs Festival was over, and she had missed it all. Her friends no longer were here, which meant she had missed another opportunity to create new memories by their side. Fluttershy was more deceived than ever. All of her good resolutions melted down like an ice cube in a warm beverage, and she felt like crying. But suddenly, seeing The Crusaders busy stripping down Rainbow Dash’s, Applejack’s and Sunset Shimmer’s stands, disillusion let way to hope. Nothing was lost. She still could make it up to them. --------------------------------------------- Pinkie Pie let a streamer burst out and, standing on her chair, put her fist in the air, claiming: “Best Clubs Festival ever!” Very few of the costumers around had a reaction. Since she was living in the bedroom right above the tearoom, most of the regulars were used to the young baker’s eccentricities. Some were amused, others were embarrassed and the ones left were irritated… But for none of them, what was happening right under their eyes had something awkward. Rainbow Dash let out a short laugh, then pulled on a tail of her jacket to recommend her to sit back. In-between, Soarin had joined them, just like Rarity who played on the CHS stage with them. It had been a while since the Rainbooms hadn’t performed, and the four friends had forgotten how much they enjoyed being together to play music. So they promised each other they’d do this as soon as possible – this time integrating Sunset Shimmer, who also could play electric guitar. After Pinkie Pie’s declaration, they all toasted to their very last Clubs Festival, trying to keep all the good things and memories, and not to be caught up by some kind of nostalgia. When Rainbow Dash put down her raspberry milkshake, she couldn’t help but noticing how attentively Soarin was staring at her white gold and fake diamonds cup, that she’d put on the table. “Isn’t my cup beautiful?” she said with a wink. “Yar cup?” Applejack intervened. “Seemed to me we were three to win it.” “Come on, don’t be picky over a detail of possessive pronoun!” “That’s cuz Ah know ya, ya show-off.” “I was only thinking it took a bit too much room on the table”, Soarin said, sheepish. Then, they all burst out laughing, even those who didn’t participate in this micro-quarrel. It was the first time since Fluttershy had decided to get away for a while that they were able to be themselves completely. The festival’s success made them too happy to torture their minds. And so they had decided to wait for the return of their lost member with philosophy. “I don’t care”, Pinkie Pie claimed proudly. “We made the tallest Wedding Cake I’ve ever seen and beat the record of the number of cupcakes ever given away. I know this is going to make me famous.” “Weren’t you already supposed to be famous thanks to your candy omelet?” Sunset Shimmer questioned. “Mah, my time will come.” “What’s a candy omelet?” Soarin asked, obviously off track tonight. “That’s just like a regular omelet, but with sugar instead of salt, and jelly beans inside.” “One hundred percent carious guaranteed”, his girlfriend confessed. “I’d like to taste it”, Muffin said. “Oh, I don’t recommend it” Rarity added, suppressing a chill. “Only our dearest Pinkie can stand something that sweet.” “Not true!! Your little sister Sweetie Belle’s really fond of it. And so is Apple Bloom, in fact.” They still were in the middle of a debate about one of Pinkie Pie’s finest culinary creation when someone they knew very well pushed Sugarcube Corner’s door. Dressed in her uniform, a part of her jacket low on her shoulder, her cheeks on fire and breathless, Fluttershy made a noticeable entrance, and for once, she seemed not to care much. The whole table turned to her and immediately turned silent. To be honest, except Twilight, they all thought the young woman was home. None saw her waiting for Thunderlane in front of the library, busy as they were with their stands’ activities. So it was a great surprise to see her coming in this way. “I’ve been wrong!!” she screamed from the door, apprising costumers who, this time, weren’t used to it at all. After a short astonishment that let the table even more silent – if this was possible – they all started to laugh, arguing this was the less Fluttershyesque introduction they’d ever heard. Far from taking offense, the teenage girl laughed as well, glad to note that things seemed to be on the right path. Now she was the person who had to walk the rest of the road. She came nearer, but didn’t try to find a seat next to her friends. It was a good thing to say she had been wrong but she didn’t want to get her place back without the least of efforts. “Sorry. About everything. I never should have get away from you girls. I haven’t realized I’ve made so many progresses and that it was thanks to you. I was jealous of Pinkie although I knew perfectly she wasn’t the blame and I should never had said the things that I’ve said. I could see nothing but my own pain and anger, and I couldn’t realize all the good things your presence brought to me every day. I wish I could swallow back all the mean words I could have said. I know that’s impossible, so I promise… I’ll do my best to make it up to you all and to be worth of your friendship. Pinkie Promise!” When she heard her say the catchphrase that had become the emblem of their group, Pinkie Pie winked at her. And so, Fluttershy felt a weight leaving her shoulders… For she also let bitterness taking over everything else in the past, and turning her into someone completely different, Pinkie Pie understood and was ready to forgive her, the way she had been forgiven for her misdeeds. Plus, if she ever learned the boy she loved was in love with one of her best friends, she would be in trouble with her own feelings as well. Well, she was in love with no one but this was another detail for another conversation. “I want to go back home…” This last sentence widened the smiles her other friends displayed (as well as Soarin). Home was a protective place for Fluttershy and everyone knew it. She liked to take refuge there when she was too scared or when she was too sad. Her to consider their group as a second home meant a lot… Rarity, as the eldest of the group, positioned herself as the leader, without further question. In any other moment, it would have let way to another debate but tonight they all were so happy of the unfolding of events that none of them noted. “What do you think, girls?” “What a question!” “Welcome back”, Twilight said to cut short to the discussion on the horizon. She took a glimpse at Rainbow Dash and she answered by nodding. The young woman grabbed something inside her bag and got up to walk to Fluttershy. “I think you’ve lost this…” In her hands laid the bracelet their friends gave them when she decided to get away for some time. Each of the girls had kept it successively, in the event of Fluttershy’s return. And it was officially done when Rainbow Dash tied the clasp around the young woman’s frail wrist. Immediately, all the girls got off their chairs and gathered around her for a group hug. It was hard for Fluttershy not to cry. She felt as if she was going back to life after a long sleep and that this day was the beginning of a radiant future. The trip had been long and winding but it was worth the sacrifice. This time, she would never go back. And if sometimes, she was afraid, she knew all she had to do was to stretch out her hand and her friends, the most wonderful (and craziest) girl she ever met, would run to help her and to comfort her through thick and thin.