//------------------------------// // Buttery Yellow // Story: Flash Colored // by MythrilMoth //------------------------------// A grey, sleepy Sunday morning found Flash Sentry at the local animal shelter, helping Fluttershy wrestle immensely heavy bags of pet food and boxy wire cages around. "I'm sorry if I'm keeping you from doing something else," Fluttershy said as she set down a feed bag. A small ring-tailed lemur was climbing all over her long, luxurious cherry-blossom pink hair, chittering away as it watched them work. Despite the hard work, not a single bead of sweat slicked her smooth, buttery yellow skin. Flash caught himself staring at her graceful golden neck, then turned to busy himself with a cage. "It's no problem," he said roughly. "I wasn't doing anything, and I'm...y'know...always happy to help out and stuff." Fluttershy stood up slowly, elegantly, dusting her dainty buttery palms on her jeans. She wore a thick fleece sweatshirt that was frayed in places, with loose threads all over and the scars of old stains that repeated washings had failed to completely remove. Her geode swayed gently against her throat as she straightened something on a shelf, then reached up to give the chittering lemur a scratch. "I know you're bored, Radar," she said. "I promise we'll play as soon as we're finished up here." The lemur responded by batting at her hair with its little primate paws and bobbing its head, making a rapid barking sound before climbing up onto a shelf and perching. Fluttershy giggled. "So what's with the lemur?" Flash asked curiously. Fluttershy sighed. "Somebody imported him illegally to keep as a pet, but that person passed away suddenly recently. The police brought him here because the zoo is over capacity, but the director here has no idea what to do with him either, so..." She shrugged. "I'm looking after him until they can find a place to send him, since he likes me and is a very good boy for me, yes you are, yes you are!" The last, she cooed to Radar, who basked in the attention, standing straight and proud and swishing his tail. Flash chuckled. "Well, you've always been good with animals," he said. After two hours of moving heavy stuff around and cleaning disgusting animal cages full of piss and shit and vomit, Flash went home and scrubbed up, then plopped down heavily on his bed and picked up his guitar, tuning it before idly, aimlessly strumming something soft, sweet, and beautiful. As he played, he closed his eyes and thought of Fluttershy... No... He thought of yellow. Buttery yellow and soft, warm pink, like spring flowers in a grassy green meadow. The bright spring sun shone down overhead from a cloudless sky, and Flash sat upon a gently sloping hill covered in bright green grass and springy green clover. He wore forest green shorts and a white tank top, and his skin was buttery yellow like fluffy scrambled eggs. His short, spiky hair was a brilliant blossom pink. Animals of all stripes cavorted and frolicked around him—bunnies, squirrels, kittens, butterflies, colorful little chirping birds. He hummed a melody as he tied chains of wildflowers together into little crowns and necklaces and bestowed them upon all the little creatures, who lined up eagerly to receive his fragrant spring gifts and gentle pats from soft yellow hands.