Stocking up on veggies didn’t seem to take too long, especially considering the hurried crowd. Of course that may have been because most of the stalls had already sold close to everything before they’d arrived. Regardless of the small selection, Fluttershy was able to get enough to last the next few days and handed Angel a carrot before heading to the body shop with her market companions.
Discord had been pretty quiet while she picked things out, busying himself with the book he had taken from the Canterlot Library. It felt, not odd, but a tad awkward to have someone so openly trying to help. There was no secrecy in his actions as he walked beside her, book hovering and blocking his view. It was moving, in a way. His blatant actions didn’t give off the impression that he sought her acknowledgment, merely that this was something he was doing and there was no reason to hide it or make it a big deal. The way he read it was just as nonchalant as a pony would read a takeout menu, or glance at their watch. Of course he had been somewhat inconspicuous about it, masking the title so as to not draw unwanted questions.
But as they walked into the body shop and Fluttershy saw Rarity and Rainbow Dash, she felt a pang of guilt. She had been so open about her troubles with Discord, but hid them from all her other friends. Did she doubt their ability to understand?
Was she just scared to bring it up? She’d known Rainbow since flight school; shouldn’t she have been the first one to open up to? She’d already kept things from them far longer than she should have and worried that if she opened up now she may create a dent.
Fluttershy held her breath as she entered the body shop, trying to focus her attention on the new winter decorations instead of her nagging thoughts. She was grateful the staff ponies were busy with other customers and didn’t trouble her with more than a quick “Welcome” as she made her way to Rarity and Rainbow.
“Oh, excellent timing, Fluttershy. I’ve already narrowed down to three fragrances.” She hovered the shampoo bottles in front of her, pointing her hoof at the far left bottle. “I’m really leaning towards this one. Fairy toes take forever to grow and they always run out of this one halfway through the season, what with the short supply. But gold whisper flowers have such a soothing scent.” She turned her head to the second bottle, brows creased. “But I already bought this shampoo last year, but they also changed the formula.” Sighing, she placed her hoof back on the floor, “And frankly this last one just has me stumped. I barely smell anything, and the flower itself looks quite plain, but it’s marked up.” She threw her main back dejectedly, saying how Aloe and Lotus were so busy at the moment and she didn’t want to bother them.
Rainbow gave Fluttershy a deadpan look.
She clamped her mouth shut and looked away before she could laugh. “I, um. They’re all very lovely flowers, Rarity. I don’t think fairy toes would be good for this winter, though. They have a very… sad scent.” She looked down as her friends stared at her. “I mean, when it gets too cold, they, well…”
“Smell sad? How can a flower smell sad?” Rainbow reached for the bottle and gave a whiff. “It just smells cold.”
Rarity hovered the bottle back to her, taking another sniff for herself. “I suppose cold can be sad, but it smells quite dreamy to me. Is this one of those ‘eye of the beholder’ sort of things, Fluttershy?” She fought to keep her gaze from drifting to Discord, peeking over his book to look at the bottle. “Er, I mean, everypony has different tastes, yes?”
Fluttershy reached for the bottle, capping it before placing it with the others on the shelf. “Normally I’d say yes, but not in this weather. It’s warm inside, but in a cold environment, its scent enhances, and almost haunts those around it. I think it’s a defense mechanism, to protect itself until it’s warm enough for pollinators, but it makes you feel like wilting. And this winter is suppose to get cold enough for that. I just don’t want you to feel that way, Rarity.” Fluttershy couldn’t imagine why they had even stocked the fragrance in the first place. It must’ve been ordered before the plans for winter came out. She looked at her hooves, half embarrassed, half proud for saying more than just a few words.
Rarity’s voice was full of awe. “Fluttershy, I had no idea. You really know your flowers.” She seemed giddy, almost excited as she held the other bottles up to her. “What of these?”
Even Rainbow was leaning in, curious for once about the winter scents.
Discord had closed his book completely, knowing full well he wouldn’t be able to ignore her. It was so wonderful when Fluttershy talked about her interests, when she got so lost in them that she stopped stammering. He wasn’t able to look away as she smiled, held back a laugh, and continued with newfound confidence.
“Gold whispers have a stronger appearance than they do smell. But you said they changed the formula?” She turned over the bottle and scanned over the labels. “I think they mixed the petals in at the end. This’ll leave golden flecks in your mane.” She smiled at the small squeal Rarity made. “They also mixed in some of the roots, which have a numbing quality. Too much can be dangerous, but a small amount can help soothe your muscles. And the other-”
“Wait, what was that about being dangerous?” Rainbow grabbed the gold whisper shampoo, looking it over, unable to hold back her excitement. “This frilly flower is deadly?”
Fluttershy was practically beaming, being able to excite her friends with her little nature factoids. “Only the roots. Ponies use to grind them up for medicines, but too much can paralyze you for several days.”
“I want it.”
“Pardon?”
“You said you’d get me a bottle? I want this one!” Rainbow’s eyes were sparkling as she turned the shampoo over and over in her hooves.
Rarity’s eyes widened, her smile turning to a grin as she nodded at her dear friend before turning back to Fluttershy with a wondrous look before encouraging her to continue.
He cheeks were hurting from holding back her smile. “The last one I think you’ll really like, Rarity. Whisker flowers don’t have a strong scent or dazzling appearance, but they do a wonderful job conditioning fur. They’re the best at fluffing up your coat and softening your mane, and help prevent split ends. I really like this one, actually; it helps me stay warm in the winter.”
Rarity hummed as she moved it into her cart, grabbing another to join it. “You know, my mane always dries out from the autumn air. This sounds absolutely lovely, Fluttershy. You know I’ve always envied how soft yours is.” Rarity must’ve caught how surprised Fluttershy was at her comment and changed the subject before she could stammer herself into a corner. “I’ll go check these out for us. The register’s rather crowded, why don’t you wait here?” She wrapped her magic around the bottle in Rainbow’s hoof and brought it to her basket before trotting to the register.
Rainbow, brought out of her daze, focused on something behind the pegasus’ flushed face. Something odd. Fluttershy always got flustered at complements, so it didn’t stand out. What did stand out though, was--
“Hey, shouldn’t Angel be hibernating?”
Still flustered, Fluttershy was only able to get out a few syllables before Discord jumped in. “That would be my doing. Why sleep all winter when you can play in it?” He leaned over, attempting to pet the baby bunny before it grumbled at him and they stuck their tongues out at each other. “Still learning gratitude, though.”
Rainbow raised a brow and looked at Fluttershy for an explanation.
“I, he, um… I just missed Angel and Discord offered to, um, stabilize his temperature so he could stay with me…” She was about to feel guilty when Angel dove in her mane and snuggled up to her, chasing away the bad feelings before they could form. She turned to Discord then, eyes peeking out from her mane. “Thank you, again, for doing this.”