Chapter 34: Wake of a Whisper
Mmm... that was good sleep. Wait, when did I fall asleep? Whisper cracked open his eyes, glanced at various objects around the room, and blinked a few times, making sure what he was seeing was real. This isn’t Applejack’s house. How’d I get back in the cottage? His vision still blurry, he rubbed his eyes and gave a cavernous yawn, feeling like he had slept for weeks and disappointed to find Fluttershy absent. He then looked at the clock, studied the funny markings without gleaning the slightest hint of information from them, and eased himself out of bed. Opening a window, he leaned his head out and looked around. The partly cloudy sky couldn’t hide the sun entirely, and he grew further confused as to how it could possibly be so late in the afternoon.
This doesn’t make any sense. I drank that amazing rainbow stuff, went back to the room, I sang, then... wait, I sang! One by one the memories started to come back, and he felt a fire ignite within his chest as he recalled the sheer elation he had shared with Fluttershy as their souls became one. “Flutter... shy...” Nothing happened? Wait, does this mean... “I can... talk? I can, I can talk! I can talk! Wait, that means I can... I can sing, too! I can talk and sing!” He reared in his excitement, smacking his head on the window sill, only to hit his chin as reflex yanked him back down, and next thing he knew he was on his back, holding his smarting head and pouting.
“Ouch, stupid window... that really hurt! Bad window! Fluttershy~!” he called out, laying on the floor. He tilted his head to the side so he could listen closer, but nopony came, and still lamenting his smarting face, he cracked open the door and looked around the cottage, finding it empty, save a bored looking Angel. It wasn’t likely that the furry critter would be of much help, but he trotted over and laid down before the bunny, eager enough to see Fluttershy to cater to the pampered pet’s ego. “I’m sorry to bother you, Angel. Do you know where Fluttershy went?” Sticking to his record of being little to no help, Angel simply pointed to the door and then waved the stallion away dismissively. “Well, I know she’s not here right now. Come on, tell me, please?” Again, he simply pointed to the door, giving the meddlesome stallion a glare. Ok, if that’s the way he wants to play, fine!
Whisper pulled out a piece of paper and sketched out a crude representation of himself carrying one devious furball in his mouth, showed it to Angel, and instantly achieved better results. Angel scampered over, grabbed some paper of his own, and drew a few market stalls, drawing an “X” in the center of them before high tailing it out of the room and into the relative safety of the surrounding woodlands. “Thanks, Angel! Good drawing!” He took a moment to recall the way to town, and proudly trotted out, noting the later hour and humming happily to himself. Ordinarily, he’d have been distracted by everything amazing along the way, but as memories of the previous evening came back, flashing before his eyes, his trot turned into a gallop as he became filled with thanksgiving towards the one who had given him the strength to break free.
“Whoa, Storm, look!” Rainbow Dash cried, hovering low to the ground as she got some much needed exercise and pointing towards the green streak rushing through town. “Hey, Whisper, what’s the rush? What’re you doing out here?”
“Gotta find Fluttershy!” he quipped, slowing to a stop and catching his breath.
“Your voice really is soft, just like hers...” Dash murmured, an affectionate smirk lighting her muzzle as she recalled just how elated Fluttershy was that evening, even given the fact that he had passed out immediately following his song due to magic exhaustion of simultaneously using two spells at once. “I never thought I’d feel safe letting her go, but with you, I know she’ll be happy, Whisper. Come on, follow me, she’s this way!” Rearing and letting out a whoop, Whisper charged after the rainbow maned pegasus and her husband, cutting the sky and heading straight towards the center of Ponyville. Dash stopped over Whisper’s mark and pointed down, and the timid pegasus found herself literally swept off her hooves as Whisper hoisted her up and spun a few circles, losing his balance and sending them both toppling into the dirt. Storm drew Rainbow Dash close with a wing as they landed, watching the tender scene unfold.
“Whisper, you’re awake? How do you feel, does anything hurt?” Fluttershy asked, lifting a hoof to his cheek. A short squeal escaped her lips as Whisper scrambled upright, romping in circles around her while he answered, and her heart leapt with every hoofbeat as he again graced her with his gentle voice.
“No ouchies! I feel super good! See?” he exclaimed, leaping into the air and falling to the ground with a goofy grin pasted on his face. He wasn’t normally so clumsy, but his energy levels were at an all time high and actively being spurred to new limits as he beheld the joy of the mare of a pink mane holding a hoof to her chest as she watched. She again found herself on her back as Whisper launched himself at her, wrapping his hooves around her neck and nuzzling her profusely. “It’s all thanks to you, Fluttershy. Thank you. I love you so much!”
It doesn’t matter who’s watching... “Whisper, I...” His words, his embrace, means more to me than anything. “I love you too...” Everypony around, even those that had once viewed her with lewd desire and Whisper with jealousy, burst into polite stomping and cheers as they shared a passionate kiss; even Rainbow dash clapped her hooves, nearly crying herself. Whisper slowly pulled away and looked around, unable to describe the feelings of peace surrounding his heart like the warmth of a blanket.
“This is your home now, Whisper,” Fluttershy said softly, beaming up at him as his eyes began to water. “Um, welcome to the place you never have to leave.”
“Never ever?”
“Never ever,” she repeated, sitting up and kissing the tip of his snout before touching her nose to his, nuzzling him gently.
“It’s... so... beautiful!” Rainbow Dash managed before losing it completely, burying her face in Storm’s chest as he grinned down at her, sharing her excitement.
“All right, easy on the waterworks, Dashie,” Storm said cheerfully, doing a little nuzzling of his own. “Why don’t you go tell Cerulean and Crimson that Whisper is awake? I’m sure they’d love to know he’s... up,” Storm finished, not getting the last word out before she shrugged off his hoof and took off faster than he’d ever allow his pregnant mare, but given the circumstances, he could let it slide. No more than thirty seconds later, a lavender flash signaled the entrance of Twilight and her family. Cerulean trotted forwards, slowing to a stop and sitting a respectful distance away, closing his eyes and simply listening as Whisper spoke quietly to Fluttershy, kissing her tenderly every now and again. Twilight sat down next to Cerulean, placing her hoof gently over his as Dawn watched from her place atop her mother’s head.
“Ewww, mushies! No mushy, Whisper!” Simply regaining a voice hadn’t made the stallion any more “mature,” and he grew a fiendish grin as he made eye contact with the filly and peppered Fluttershy with a barrage of playful kisses, which she failed to fight off with weakly flailing hooves and jubilant giggles. “Mom, make ‘em not mushy! Gonna thump thump!”
“Dawn, hush,” Twilight urged, chuckling as she lifted her daughter and set her down. “Why don’t you go play a bit?” Needing no second bidding to escape the harrowing scene, Dawn contented herself with using her wit and wiles to con some vendors out of some fresh produce while the rest looked on. Most of the ponies that had originally watching went back about their business with smiles on their faces, and as a flushed pegasus mare with unfurled wings sat up with a green unicorn, plus one faintly glowing horn, Cerulean interrupted and wrapped his brother in massive hug.
“You did it, baby brother... I knew you could.”
“Thank you, big brother,” Whisper replied, his voice almost the same as Cerulean remembered it. Whisper’s hooves seemed to squeeze out the tears, and even though he had shed plenty the night he heard him sing, he refused to fight the relief, the comfort, the joy of having his brother fully restored. The fear that had strangled the wonder from his life had been fully beaten back, and Whisper’s body began to quake as soft, almost feminine laughter came bubbling from within the stallion. Cerulean wanted to ask what it was that was so funny, but little did anypony know, Whisper didn’t truly have mastery over his magic, and has he devolved into mirth, a ripple of magic flooded through all those nearby, producing a tingling sensation akin to being tickled, and everypony around found themselves suddenly gripped by a serious fit of giggles.
After a few minutes of laughter, another minute or two spent gasping for air, and a sea of smiles, everypony calmed down. Crimson showed up on scene a short time later, accompanied by Big Macintosh, curious as to why all her friends were red in the face and breathing hard, though she kept her mind clean in honor of her little brother’s innocence.
“Sis! Listen, see? I can talk again!”
“That’s great, Whisper. And it seems Fluttershy is enjoying the change as well,” she remarked, matching her dainty friends smile with her own.
“Oh, very much so. His voice is just so cute, and, well, soft like mine. Even when he gets excited, he’s not very loud. He’s just... perfect!” Fluttershy exclaimed, pressing against Whisper and rubbing her face against his cheek.
“Hmmm, it shouldn’t be too much longer then, I shouldn’t wonder... You did seem pretty disappointed last night when he passed out after the song,” Crimson teased, her smile suddenly not seeming very sweet as Fluttershy blushed hard. It was true that she was very... aroused, both emotionally and physically after Whisper’s declaration of love and the magical bonding of their souls, and if it happened again, well, she couldn’t promise anypony anything. More than anything, she craved not the act itself, but simply the closeness, the absolute peace and safety that she felt when she was alone with Whisper, and it was for this reason that she brought a shocked hush to her friends.
“Yes, well, you’re probably right.”
“Fluttershy? What’re you talking about?” Whisper asked, tilting his head to the side and partially obscuring his face with his mane.
“Oh, um, nothing, really. Just, you know... stuff.”
“What kind of stuff?”
“You see, it, well... it’s kind of, um...”
“Erotic?” Crimson offered, drawing closer to Big Macintosh as she held a hoof to her face, the sweetness of her dainty laugh hoping to offset her quickly deteriorating line of thought.
“Crimson, don’t say things like that. He probably knows a lot more than you give him credit for,” Fluttershy urged. Wait, why am I trying to stop it? I don’t really mind if he thinks about it now... And if they’re all going to be mean, then I can stand up for myself too! I have Whisper with me, and together, we can handle anypony. “Actually, you can tell him.”
“Now that’s no fun,” she pouted, making a face.
“Fluttershy? What’s ‘erotic?’” Whisper asked, tapping her lightly on the shoulder.
“Oh, it’s a little hard to describe with words. I can show you, though. You know, if you’d like...”
“Yes, please! I love learning new things!” She took a few steps away, glancing around her to make sure she wouldn’t run into anything before rising to her hind hooves. “Oh, this is exciting! Look, ‘erotic’ means dancing!” In this case, it did, and Fluttershy fixed her gaze on Whisper, one that had moved from adoring to frighteningly alluring as she began to dance, her movements as provocative as the words to the song she sang.
“Grab my flanks,
I want to feel the pinch.
Flaunt what I got,
catching stallions is a cinch.
Stomp your hooves to the beat,
let me feel your body heat.
Yeah, right now, right now,
I’ve got my eyes on you.
So don’t be shy now,
here’s what we’re gonna do...
Let me hear you cry, put your hooves in the air,
I’m gonna shake my flank and toss my hair
I can’t hold it back, I wanna make ya stare
I think you and I would make a lovely pair...”
Lost in song, and fueled by the dance, Fluttershy drew up close to Whisper and pressed against him, running a hoof along the length of his body and stopping just short of his flanks. Her revery was broken as he took the words to heart and promptly grabbed her flank in the presence of all, and the sudden rush of pleasure and full knowledge of the fact she had an audience caused her to freeze completely, all save her wings which were simply not spread wide enough.
“My, my, Fluttershy. I see that passion is deeply ingrained in my family, and Whisper is no different,” Crimson tittered, her blush invisible against her red coat.
“Hey, Fluttershy, guess what?” Whisper said enthusiastically, withdrawing his hoof and bounding in front of her, too entirely focused on her to care about the myriad of stares directed at himself and his mare.
“W... w... w-what is it, W-Whisper?” she stammered, hiding behind her mane and fighting the urge to curl into a ball and wish for the world to disappear.
“Now that I got my voice back, and I don’t have to worry about blowing up your house when I go “woohoo!” we can have sex!” Rainbow Dash’s condition became worse than Fluttershy’s, and she sat down hard, teetered for a moment before flopping onto her back, her eyes unable to shut as the words seared themselves into her mind.
“Oh gosh, Whisper... You broke Rainbow Dash,” Storm lamented, chuckling evilly as he placed a fond hoof over her stomach.
“Broke her? But, that doesn’t make sense. I didn’t wrestle her, that’d just be strange! I only want to roll in the hay with Fluttershy! Right, Fluttershy?” he exclaimed, turning back and seeing nopony at first, and he looked around utterly confused for a moment before Twilight’s hoof bid him look lower. “Wow, you’re good at hiding. Hey, it’s just like when I watched you shower! Oh boy, I bet we can take showers together now too! Isn’t this great? I wonder what it’s like? Fluttershy?”
I really like his voice, but now he talks about everything! This is so embarrassing... A gentle hoof pressed against her back, and she removed her hooves long enough to peek up at a stallion’s face that was full of concern. Fluttershy knew that there was no going back now that he had his voice, and she could either continue to worry about how she was perceived, or cherish the gift for what it was, in all the awkward sweetness that came with it. She slowly rose, pulled him into an admittedly deep kiss, the kind not commonly viewed as acceptable in public, before nuzzling her shocked stallion and pulling him close. “You’re probably right, Whisper. But, um, don’t jump to any conclusions just yet, ok? Let’s just see where things go.”
“Ok! Not until you want it, and we’re both ready, right?”
“Right!”
“Thank Celestia! Fluttershy is still... still Fluttershy! Sweet, innocent, quiet Fluttershy! Yes, that’s right. Hahaha!” Everypony turned to Rainbow Dash as she cackled maniacally, and Storm sheltered her from public view with one of his massive wings, tilting her chin towards him to force eye contact.
“Are you ok?”
“Ok? How can I be ok? Fluttershy just... in public, and... and the talking... no! Fluttershy has to stay Fluttershy! She can’t just... just...”
“Act like us?” Storm finished, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, exactly!" Dash exclaimed frantically. "It’s just too weird! I mean, it’s great to see her growing, but... no, my mind can’t handle that!”
“Oh, Rainbow Dash, it’ll be ok,” Fluttershy soothed, stopping in front of the couple and peering in as Storm removed his wing. “You really don’t have to worry. Whisper gives me a lot of confidence, but I’m still the same Fluttershy.” Visibly relieved, Rainbow Dash grabbed her longtime childhood friend and held her tight. “That’s right, let all the worry go. Oh, there is one thing I need to, um, ask you about,” Fluttershy mentioned, pulling away.
“Anything you need, Fluttershy. I’m here for you, one hundred twenty percent!”
“Can I, you know, have some of your, um... ‘pills?’”
“P... bu...” Sensing another neural gridlock, Storm flung out a wing to keep Dash from falling over as she reeled from the crushing blow to her image of Fluttershy. “It’s over! The world is collapsing!” she wailed, taking a page from Rarity’s book and sobbing dramatically. “First the pole dancing, and then the singing, and now she’s... she’s gonna...”
“Goodness, whatever is this dreadfully ungraceful bawling about?” Rarity inquired, trotting in on the gathering as if summoned by the drama.
“Um, it’s really nothing huge, I think. You see, I...”
“Nothing huge? Nothing huge?!?” Rainbow Dash cried, leaping to her hooves. “Rarity, you gotta talk some sense into her! You’re all old fashioned and stuff, right? You gotta save me! I mean her! She’s going off the deep end!”
“And just what is she talking about, Fluttershy?” Rarity inquired, skeptical but not entirely convinced there was cause for panic.
“She’s gonna have sex with me! At least, soon, I think,” Whisper explained, trotting up proudly beside his mare and beaming all the while.
“What? Not my sweet little Fluttershy!” Rarity exclaimed, recoiling in horror.
“I know, right? It’s the...” Rainbow Dash started.
“Worst...”
“Possible...”
“Thing!” they both wailed in unison, holding each other and shedding buckets of tears. Whisper met Fluttershy’s nonplussed glance with a frown, having no idea why everypony was so upset.
“Um, I hate to interrupt, but is it really that big of a problem that I’d like to, you know...”
“That big of a... Fluttershy, of course it is!” Rarity asserted, still holding Rainbow Dash as the mare hyperventilated.
“Listen, I love Whisper, and I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t show it if I’m ready. I mean, if you had your special somepony, wouldn’t you, Rarity?”
“That’s quite beside the point,” she said dismissively, waving a hoof. “You are Fluttershy! A pinnacle of innocence that, while you may have deviated on some points, have a chance to be the first mare among your friends to actually make it to marriage before engaging in the utterly stimulating euphoria of intercourse!” Fluttershy blinked once, nodding slowly. “I’m not helping my case, it seems,” she chuckled nervously, cursing herself for so readily displaying her fascination with the subject.
“Nnnope,” Big Mac chuckled, whispering something to Crimson about needing to get back to the farm, and she gave Whisper a wink as she left with her farm pony, confident that whatever happened, Fluttershy was in the right hooves.
“Um, Whisper?” Fluttershy began, turning to face him. “What do you think we should do? It shouldn’t just be up to me.”
“Well...” He scuffed at the ground a little, giving it due thought. “I don’t mind waiting a little more, I guess.” There was an audible sigh of relief from Rarity and a gasp from Rainbow Dash as she returned to life. “I mean, I’m really, really curious about it, and I love being close to you, but we shouldn’t just think about ourselves, right? If there’s one thing you’ve taught me, it’s that I should always try my very best to be kind to everypony.”
“You’re right, Whisper. But, well, don’t keep me waiting too long, ok?”
“Of course not,” he murmured, kissing her on the tip of her nose and grinning ear to ear. “I just have to figure out what marriage is so I can do that.”
“Planning time! Fluttershy, come with me,” Rarity demanded, tugging at her with magic. “I’m going to need measurements so I can make you look even more marvelous than you already do.”
“Um, I... Bye, Whisper! I’ll see you at the cottage, I think?”
“Okay~!” he called after her, waving as she quit resisting and matched Rarity’s brisk trot.
“Well then, baby brother. It seems you’re just about ready to take the next step,” Cerulean laughed, beaming with pride. “Come on, I’ll tell you everything you need to know. Marriage is... special.”
Whisper glanced at the wall clock for the umpteenth time, each tick tock marking another second spent wondering about when Fluttershy was due to return home. The early evening sky was moving from deep violet to dark blue, and he turned his eyes back to the picture he was crafting. Setting down his yellow crayon, he shifted around for a pink one and continued his work, his mind mulling over everything his brother had told him about marriage.
The ceremony, the ponies, the dress, and the super important words we say to each other... I don’t get it. He paused for a moment, unsure of how long to make Fluttershy’s mane. I mean, sure, it sounds kind of like a big party, which would be fun, but I just want to be with Fluttershy. Ponies are strange. Still... He grinned wide, accidentally crunching through the wax and sputtering a bit to clear the bland taste from his lips. Being able to promise Fluttershy that I’ll be with her forever and ever, no matter what, in front of everypony sounds really nice. And she’s gonna wear a dress! “Wait, I don’t even really know what a dress is... Oh well! Guess I’ll just have to propose or whatever so I can see!”
That’s right, the proposal. I better start making plans. Brother said he’d help plan everything, and there’s even a place right here in town to get a ring! Grabbing a new page, he stared blankly, unsure of what it was he was yearning to draw. Will I really know the right time? What if I mess it up? “Ugh, why is this so complicated?” Heaving a sigh, he flopped onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. Upon hearing the door open, he adopted an appropriate pouting face and waited eagerly for some pampering as Fluttershy walked over and delivered.
“Sorry I was out so long. Rarity had a lot to talk about and, well, we kind of got carried away. Are you...” she started, stifling a giggle as he made the most ridiculously grumpy, adorable frowny face she’d ever had the pleasure of witnessing as he leaned his head back and looked at her with pleading eyes. “Awww, come on now,” she soothed, laying down in front of him and bestowing her sullen stallion a delicate kiss. “No need to look like that.”
“You're right, all better!” he snickered, pleased with the successful execution of his dastardly ploy. He rolled over onto his stomach and edged a little closer, just excited to have his Fluttershy back.
“So, um, what would you like to do tonight?”
“Be with my Fluttershy!”
“Whisper, you’re really sweet,” she murmured, feeling the faintest tinge of a blush but refusing to hide behind her hair. “But I’m sure you’re all energetic and, you know, would rather find something to do. Isn’t there anything you’d like? You know, something that the two of us could do together?”
“I don’t know. I just... feel really close to you after last night. Hey! Why don’t we go to the tavern? See, I was sitting here thinking, and then I remembered you said that you looked like you missed being able to go when we were peeking in, but I was too scared back then... But now I’m not!”
“Oh, um, are you sure you’re ready?”
“As long as you’re with me, I’m ready,” he declared, reaching over and nuzzling her gently. She returned the motion, bringing a hoof around and pressing it softly to his other cheek, and they both had a moment of silence, their actions speaking volumes. They had each other, and that was more than enough for two ponies of simple pleasures.
“Well, let’s get going then. I’ll warn you now, I may get a little... loud if I get into the mead. Is that, um, ok? You know, if I have some?”
“You mean that stuff you had at dinner?” Whisper inquired, standing up and stretching. “I don’t mind. You were really kinda funny, and more talkative like me! But...” he started, helping her to her hooves. “I like quiet Fluttershy, too. You’re you, and I love you, so you should always be you... right?”
“That’s right,” she affirmed, beaming as he shut down her worries before they could even begin. Had he simply lauded her rambunctious side, she would have had to wonder if she would need to drink more often to gain his affection, but as they trotted through the night, taking in the beauty of nature and making small talk, she knew it was already hers. Remembering seeing another stallion do the same, he dashed ahead of her and held open the door, standing up straight and chuckling as she brushed against him on the way in. They mulled over the menu, ordered dinner, and looked around for a decent place to sit.
Silver was the only one of their friends present, so they opted to sit in the dining area rather than the bar. It struck Fluttershy as odd, since more often than not at least one or two of her other friends were enjoying Silver’s ample supply of booze, but that just made it more like a date for Fluttershy, and she scooted closer to Whisper on the bench, savoring the peaceful atmosphere. Whisper’s dinner didn’t last long, nor did table manners, and Fluttershy looked over halfway through her meal only to wonder if he had simply used half of his as face paint. She gingerly cleaned his face, even daring to lick a little off, and as she finished her portion, she rose and bid him follow her over to the bar side. Silver himself set down the glass he was polishing and took a seat across from them.
“Welcome, you two. It’s great t’ ‘ave ya here, finally,” he said with a welcoming grin and a notable drawl, courtesy of his wife, no doubt. “Ain’t been the same without yer singin’ Fluttershy, but Sweetie Belle carries that mantle well enough.”
“Yeah, Fluttershy’s singing is really great, and so is her dancing!”
“It’s somethin’ else, that’s fer sure,” he chuckled, applying a little more effort to controlling his developing accent and shooting Fluttershy an apologetic glance for bringing it up. “Now then, what can I get for the two of you? Mead for Fluttershy? Soda for Whisper?”
“Well...” she began, glancing at Whisper. He can talk now, so it should be ok if he had just a little. What would he like, though? “Um, I’ll take some chocolate mead, but could you bring a couple of smaller servings of things for Whisper to try?” Silver raised an eyebrow, a slow grin spreading across his muzzle.
“So, the real stuff for Whisper, then? Coming right up.” Silver returned a short time later, setting a chilled mug down in front of Fluttershy and three much smaller glasses in front of Whisper, who tapped his hooves excitedly on the table as anticipation built. “So, here we have what Fluttershy is sip... well, chugging, it seems,” he started, chuckling as she slowed herself to a more appropriate pace. “Chocolate mead. Quite sweet, almost like drinking candy. Over here is your brother’s favorite, Everfrost Brandy. And this pink one here is one I’m sure you’ll find most interesting. Breezy Blush, a close second for your fillyfriend.”
“This one!” Reaching over, he pulled the mead over and took a taste before draining the rest of the cup. Grabbing the brandy and noticing that the cup was particularly cold, he downed it next and, while the flavor was good, he grew a terrible case of the shivers. Fluttershy immediately wrapped her hooves around him, blushing lightly as the alcohol hit her system. “I think I see why brother likes this so much,” he chuckled as Fluttershy’s body heat restored him to normal.
“I’d say you’re pretty close on that point. Hold up just a moment, let me get a mirror before you drink this last one,” Silver urged, disappearing into the back room and returning with a small circular hoof mirror. “All right, go ahead.” Fluttershy watched with anticipation as he gulped down the wine, and he was just about to comment on the delightful taste when he looked into the mirror and had his mind blown. His mane took on the appearance of fern leaves while maintaining their length, fluttering on an unseen wind. Even being able to speak, no words came. “Fluttershy, your stallion is a shameless flatterer.”
“Yes, he’s very sweet, aren’t you? Yes, you are,” she cooed, closing his mouth gently with a hoof and kissing him playfully.
“Well, it looks like two more rounds of mead, on the house,” Silver declared, rising to his hooves. “It’s great to see you well, Whisper.” Fluttershy became quite enamored with Whisper, and kissed and cuddled and didn’t particularly care what anypony else thought about it. Silver broke their love-locked gaze as he set two mugs down with a thump, returning to the counter to tend his customers.
“Teehee! Drink up, Whisper. I wanna see what you’re like when you have a little more in you.” Whisper nodded, and they both tilted their glasses back, quaffing half of their servings before bringing the mug back down and letting slip a mutual sigh as the warmth of dissipation filled their limbs, and the clouded judgement to go with it. Whisper became suddenly very giggly, and for whatever reason, Fluttershy seemed a bit different. Almost... stallionly?
“Hehehe, Fluttershy~! You look like a colt!”
“Whisper, now that’s not very nice...”
“No, really! Look!” he chortled, holding up the mirror. He was right. She did. She glanced down between her legs and let out a squeal as she found out her change went deeper than facial features. No amount of hiding made her feel any less mortified, and she lowered her head to the table and hid as best she could. A yelp from Whisper bid her cast an eye at her stallion who was quite openly scouring his body for what was no longer present.
“No, wait, it’s gone! My... my parts are gone! That’s not fair, I didn’t even get to use them, I... wait a second... You’re a colt now, and I’m... Fluttershy, you stole my parts!” Whisper shouted, drawing a host of eyes.
“Whisper, I never...”
“Yes you did, see?” he urged, lifting his tail and bending over. “I don’t have it anymore, and I want it back!” he demanded, standing upright and marching over to her where she stood. Trotting past her, she was about to speak further when she went ramrod stiff, a snout poking where it had no business being, not while she was a colt and definitely not in public. “Aha! I found my parts! How do I get them off, I wonder?”
“Whisper, no! Don’t touch... touch them...” she begged, backing away and barely maintaining consciousness as the sheer embarrassment threatened a total mental shut down.
“But... wait...” If I have her parts, and she has mine, then if I touch hers on my body, then it’ll make her...
“Whisper, I don’t like that look on your face. Um, whatever you’re thinking, please don’t, ok?”
“Give me back my parts, or I’ll touch it!” he threatened, sitting down and pausing with a hoof poised over what he perceived to be Fluttershy’s marehood somehow wrongfully transferred to him.
“No, wait, you don’t understand!” she urged as his hoof dropped lower. “Whisper, you really, really shouldn’t do that.”
“Last chance, Fluttershy.”
“...fine, if you won’t listen, go ahead and touch it. See if I care.” They took a moment or two to glare at each other, a first time occurance, before Whisper defiantly thrust his hoof into his marehood. His eyes grew wide and his ears shot straight up as Fluttershy remained unaffected and the strangest of sensations shot through his body.
“I don’t know what’s happening~!” Whisper cried, tearing out the door and into the night. Fluttershy raised a hoof but couldn’t get the words out in time to keep him from bolting. Silver had long since realized his little prank had likely gone over much more poorly than he would have guessed, but he didn’t realize that, were it not for the alcohol, he’d have been on the poor end of a full blown Fluttershy rant. Instead, her voice was eerily calm, a fact that frightened him even more.
“Silver... Two antidotes for the gender bender, please.” Pulling out two vials from under the counter, she downed one, discretely ascertained that she was once again female, and then took the other vial without a word, sauntering out the door. Silver blinked a few times as multiple ponies looked down at their drinks, back at him, then to their cups before tentatively continuing their revelry. Lamenting his self-inflicted fate, Silver heaved a sigh, smiling ruefully at the cup he was cleaning.
“I’m sleeping in the barn tonight for that one...”
Whisper, you never get any less adorable, you know that? It had been quite some time, it seemed, since Fluttershy had found Whisper under the bed, his tail betraying his whereabouts by trailing out behind him. A gentle tug led a thoroughly disgruntled Whisper, still in mare, to slowly reach out and pull his tail in, too ashamed to be seen. “Come on out, Whisper. Please? I have something that will, um... give it back.” There was a moment of hesitant silence before a green head popped out of the other side, looking around.
“Fluttershy?” Leaping onto the bed, she crawled over and peeked over the edge at him, her merry gaze dispelling a portion of his shame, though it was quickly replaced with the odd sensation of being flustered, grateful, and utterly confounded at the same time. Whisper’s eyes grew wide as the mare leaned down and kissed the tip of his nose. “No, don’t do that... I’m not a stallion right now, it’s too strange!”
“Whisper, it doesn’t matter what you are to me. You’re you, and I love you for you, not whether you’re a stallion or a mare. Although,” she giggle, blushing a little, “I think I prefer you normal. Here, drink this.” Upon swallowing, he gave a shudder as a strange sensation swept over him, and Fluttershy stifled her laughter as he ascertained that he was back to normal with a hoof.
“Whew, that had me worried,” Whisper sighed, beaming up at Fluttershy as he crawled out from the bed and sat down next to her. “Is Silver always like that?”
“No, not normally. I was actually very surprised he’d do something like that, and on your first night even. I wonder... Whisper, why are you, um, looking at me like that?”
“Can you kiss me?”
“Well, sure, but, why?”
“I wanna make sure it works!”
I’m sure there are other ways to find out other than just a kiss, Whisper. Oooh, Rarity... why’d you have to make me promise that? “Whisper... how long do you think...” No, I shouldn’t ask... I don’t want to pressure him about something like that. He’ll ask when he’s ready.
“Fluttershy? I don’t want to keep you waiting, either.” She turned to find him blushing lightly, horn glowing faintly and bringing her relief that she wasn’t the only one pondering intimacy. “And... it’s not just, you know, so we can wrestle, either. Cerulean said it’s the biggest, best promise you can make a pony ever. That’s why I want to ask you that one question.”
“I’ll wait for as long as it takes, Whisper. This isn’t about me, or you...”
“It’s about us,” he whispered, leaning in close. He got his kiss, no longer concerned with the functionality of anatomy that wasn’t ready to be used just yet, but with displaying an ounce of the passion he held for the mare within his hooves. “I don’t think waiting will be too hard, really,” he murmured, pulling away and touching his nose to hers, looking deeply into her soft, green eyes.
“Oh, really? Why is that?”
“Because every day with you is the best day of my life.”
“Did you get that from a movie?” Regardless of his answer, it was still touching to hear.
“What? No! I came up with that all by myself, ‘cause it’s true!” he asserted, hurt that she’d accuse him of such a thing. His tensions eased as she switched off the light and climbed into bed, holding out her hoof for him to join her.
“You know...” she began, running an affectionate hoof over his downy chest as he lay down beside her, “I feel the very same way, Whisper. Thank you for making life an adventure.” Gentle hooves wrapped around her, drawing her to his comforting warmth as he brought his muzzle to her ears, gently offering thanks of his own.
“Thank you... for giving me life to live.”