//------------------------------// // Chapter 18: Fluttershy and the Blueblood Prince // Story: Green // by Steel Resolve //------------------------------// Turquoise considered himself a patient colt. He could (and frequently did) put up with screaming foals and drunken idiots for several hours on end. He gave impeccable service to anypony who could afford the restaurant’s prices. Tonight, however, that patience was wearing thin. The V.I.P. insisted on using the foulest language possible for even the simplest things. Turquoise could hardly believe royalty had fallen so far. “What exactly does a prince have to do to get a bucking drink in this squalid excuse for a restaurant? One of you useless peasants had better get me a new bottle now, or I swear to Auntie somepony is going to the dungeons for a fun weekend of hay and water.” And the jokes, the horrid jokes. “S-stop me if you’ve heard this one! How many zebras does it take to light a candle? Six; one to light it and five to dance and chant for no apparent reason!” On and on it went. His guests were all clearly sick of it, but nopony would say a word against ‘his majesty’. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, he stood (unsteadily). “I need to go relieve myself. When I return I’d better not find you’ve finished the wine without me. You’d do well to remember who is paying for this meal.” Everypony nodded gratefully, glad he would be gone for even a few moments. Turquoise watched for glasses that needed refilling, tracing the prince’s path through the nearly-empty restaurant. Oh Celestia, that can’t be good. He cast his gaze around and caught the attention of a busboy, beckoning the other employee over with a hoof. Somepony needs to get word to the manager. V.I.P. or not, if the prince starts accosting the other patrons, there’s going to be trouble.  Blueblood lumbered past them, stumbling into a chair on the way. Rarity was upset, but desperately trying to maintain composure. At least he didn’t insult Fluttershy. I can forgive anything but that. “I-I am sorry about that, my darling. I should have just kept silent and let him pass by without speaking, but I really did not like the way he was staring at your flank.” Fluttershy made what she hoped were reassuring motions with her hooves, but something seemed to be wrong with them. She looked at them, wondering what was missing, then in a fit of coherence realized that she had a cup right in front of her that would fit perfectly between them. She grasped it in both hooves and gulped down some more cider. All was right with the world again. “Shhhh, it’s okay. Um... why was that stallion saying those things, though? Do you know him?” “Well, it’s more that he knows of me. You stayed almost entirely in the garden at the Gala, but while you were out there trying to fulfill your dream, that oaf was supposed to have been mine. You must remember me describing my night with him. “I expected a Prince Charming right out of the storybooks. What I got was... that. Well, admittedly he wasn’t as drunk as he is tonight; he was more unpleasant than outright insulting. I think this little tiff is more because it upset him to have Fancy Pants foist me onto him at one of my recent Canterlot soirees. I was not thrilled either, but... it was a socially important event. Sometimes being a Very Important Pony means having to smile and laugh with somepony you’d rather never see again. To do otherwise would be unseemly.” Fluttershy followed along as best as she could, which at the moment was not well. “So wait... um... that was him? The him your dad said made you cry? Do you want me to make him cry?” She stomped a hoof down on the table in emphasis, causing a worrying vibration in the water glasses. “I know I said I wouldn’t do it any more, but I still remember how to make ponies cry. I-I could do that. Um... if you want me to?” That does sound rather fun... No! I will not stoop to such things! I will certainly not have my new fillyfriend calling on her horrible training just to take my own petty revenge. “Darling, much as I appreciate the thought, no. He didn’t make me cry; the loss of my dream did that. I will not hold him responsible for failing to be what I wanted him to be.” “Why was he talking about how you smell? He said he smelled... cheap perfume and shame? Rarity, I love your perfume. If I hadn’t smelled it on the letter you wrote, we might still be blushing at each other over tea! I needed that, I needed to know you loved me. I would never have been able to kiss you without knowing first! It’s why I could be brave for us both! He—he’s insulting the perfume that helped bring us together!” Her eyes were getting wider, her breath coming in angry little snorts. Rarity began to feel very cold, and more than a little afraid. She did not fear Fluttershy herself—never that!—but rather what this angry little pegasus might do. She’d seen this look on several occasions, the most terrible of all being the day Fluttershy had disparaged her life’s work as frivolous. “I can't believe that the two most frivolous ponies in Ponyville are trying to tell new Fluttershy how to live her life when they are throwing their own lives away on pointless pursuits that nopony else gives a flying feather about!” Rarity looked about her in disgust. Fabric, patterns... it’s all pointless, isn't it? I am a petty, selfish, vain thing. It had been three days now and the words still hung over her like a vulture, waiting for her to lie down and die. Fluttershy had stood up to that monster, and had learned from her experience; but Rarity had learned too, and her lesson was far more harsh. Meaningless, petty, frivolous. You’re the very spirit of Generosity, and you give what exactly? Fashion, to a town where almost everypony goes without clothing for most of their lives. The revelation was bad enough, but the source of the lesson hurt even more. Who better than your closest friend to know you? Rarity needed something, though, some reason to keep going. Maybe the effort I put into my creations makes it worthwhile? The calendar leered at her. It was the day again, their day, and for the first time, she considered not going. She’d tried yesterday to go without her, but it had felt hollow, lonely, pointless. Yet how could she relax around Fluttershy now? How am I supposed to maintain composure around her after her words shattered my world? A gentle knock on her door interrupted her train of thought; she trotted downstairs to turn the caller away. “The Boutique is closed for the moment. Please, come again some other time,” she called softly through the door. “Rarity, will you please open the door?” Fluttershy! “Yes, of course, my dear, one moment!” Locks opened, the pegasus stepped inside. “You’re late,” Fluttershy accused. “You’re never late. Why weren’t you waiting at the spa? What’s wrong?” She glanced around the room; a layer of dust had settled over the designing table and the elegantly-proportioned equinniquins. Rarity looked as if she was wilting—her mane did not have its normal bounce and sheen, and her makeup seemed caked-on, with no real effort made to accentuate her best features.   “Why is the shop closed?” Rarity looked away, not wanting to address the question. Instead, she asked one of her own. “Do you really think I am... petty and frivolous?” Fluttershy stared at her, shame warring with something like anger in her eyes .“I knew it... you said it didn’t bother you, you lied to my face, you hugged me. You pulled me out of my home where I couldn’t hurt anypony else. But it was already too late, wasn’t it? ‘We all said things we didn’t mean’, you said. Why didn’t you tell me you felt this way? Was I too fragile to know I had hurt my best friend?” She tried to hug her, but Rarity pulled away. “It’s not your fault you said what you did, but... did you mean it when you said it? You,” she pushed a hoof at Fluttershy, “hurt me. I am not Pinkie Pie... she recovered within moments. It took three renditions of the ‘Smile Song’ to get me to stop crying. She held me, she helped me, because we needed to try to help you... I need to know, did you mean it? Do you feel I am frivolous and petty? Is my work worthless to you? Or were you just trying to hurt me?” “Which answer would be worse? That I said it to hurt or that I meant it? I was trying to get you two to back off; I did say it to hurt you. But I didn’t mean... You make beautiful things, Rarity. They make you happy and they make other ponies happy. That’s not petty, that means something to everypony. I-I need us—“ she began to cry a bit, ”—to be okay. I need you; please...” Rarity smiled sadly. “Thank you, for being honest about it, at least.” She looked away. “I-I was hurt—you made me cry my eyes out. I wanted so badly to hate you, but I could not lay the blame on you. Yet the words still hurt me! You were given bad advice and you used it to hurt other ponies.” She turned back to her friend, looking her in the eyes once more. “Do you understand that?” Fluttershy flinched at the sad gaze, but did not look away. “I know, I went too far. Please, can I make it up to you? I just want us to be okay.” The fashionista snorted derisively. “I’m not sure how we can be okay. You asked why I wasn’t at the spa? I didn’t go because I couldn’t face you, Fluttershy. I even tried switching my spa day, but then I found I couldn’t relax without you there!” Fluttershy nodded slowly, “I wouldn’t like that very much either. That’s our day together. I love that.” She was silent for a time. “Please, how—” She sobbed, and scrubbed a hoof across her eyes quickly to clear them.  “—how can I make things right with you again?” “You can’t.” Rarity looked away from her friend, unable to face her. “You can’t fix this. I have to get over it on my own, I have to try to forgive you. But it’s hard!” She stamped a hoof in frustration, and looked back at Fluttershy. “And yet if I don’t forgive you, I will lose my best friend. No, more than that... so much more than that. ” “Please, isn’t there something I can do? Something to make it easier?” “Nothing! Everything! Promise me you won’t do this to me again!” Fluttershy spoke in a low, barely audible voice. She approached Rarity again, badly wanting to comfort her, to do anything that would somehow undo the hurt she had caused with those words. “You want me to make a hollow promise not to do something I had never planned to do in the first place? That will fix things? Please Rarity... I-I'll do anything if it will make us all right again. I won't lose you!” “No!” Rarity pushed her back, not wanting comfort, needing to somehow convey just how badly she had been affected. The look in Fluttershy's eyes made her burst into tears. There was pain in those eyes, and deep remorse. “You hurt me!” Fluttershy nodded sadly, “I-I’m sorry. I’ll go now.” She turned away then, walking to the door. Rarity watched her go, some small, petty part of her actually glad. Then she desperately lunged after her and hugged the mare, unable to do anything else. Fluttershy turned in her embrace, a bit alarmed, but quickly returning it. “Don’t—” Rarity squeezed Fluttershy harder, causing her to briefly squeak in the embrace. “Don’t do it again. My heart couldn’t bear it.” Fluttershy just held her, letting her cry. Something very primal had been unleashed within her friend, something dangerous and cruel. Rarity had never seen her deliberately attempt to hurt another pony since that day, but now... She had to do something or she might be witness to the assault of a noble, at the very least. “Please, darling, don’t get upset with him for that either. He’s a drunken stuck-up noblepony poking fun at somepony who annoyed him once. Come, let’s just go home, I’ll get the check.” She motioned for the kind pony who had been so discreet earlier to bring them their bill. He seemed, however, to be occupied with the large party Blueblood was hosting. Her eyes cast about for some other means of escape. “Let’s just pay the maître d’ directly; he’ll be able to give me an estimate, I’ll double it and any difference will go to our waiter.” She stood, walking in the direction of the maître d’. Their discussion, however, had taken long enough for his Majesty to finish his ablutions and re-emerge. He was smiling, his charm turned up to eleven as he approached the unguarded pegasus at the table, little realizing he was bringing about his own doom. Rarity rushed back to the table. All thought of mocking Blueblood was set aside now, as she addressed him as respectfully as she might if he were a proper example of nobility. It wasn’t his life she was trying to save; it was Fluttershy’s. Bastard though he may be, murdering him would definitely have some repercussions for her fillyfriend. “Your Highness, let me escort you back to your group.” He looked up in annoyance, “You again? I wanted to talk to your companion, I don’t have time to worry about you any more! Be a good wing-mare and introduce me, won’t you? She seems quite lovely.” “Your Highness really shouldn’t worry about her, she is a commoner as I am, and quite unworthy of your time. Come, your group must miss you by now.” She gently steered the drunken prince away from her fillyfriend. “Molest me not, peasant! I will decide who is worthy of my notice.” He sat down next to Fluttershy, curling his foreleg around the back of her chair as he leaned in towards her. “Hello, you delectable creature. Would you care to attempt to court royalty?” Fluttershy’s answering voice was low and melodious, and her gaze intent. The hazy, unfocused look of inebriation was suddenly gone from her eyes. Any animal caught up in that gaze would either flee or be paralyzed in terror. Her words were terrible in their portent, her tone dangerously pleasant, the kind of conversational tone a predator might employ during an idle, pre-devouring chat with its prey. “Why did you insult Rarity’s perfume?” ”Because I’ve passed pigsties that reeked less!” came the aggressive, slightly slurred answer. Blueblood seemed to lack the sense to see his own end reflected in those gorgeous blue eyes, or was, perhaps, too heavily intoxicated for the proper fight-or-flight instinct to kick in. The fact that a large portion of his alcoholized blood supply actually resided elsewhere than in his brain, courtesy of Fluttershy’s shapely flank, probably also had something to do with it. “Come, sweet cheeks, shall we ditch your smelly, wrinkly old... aunt?” Blueblood looked at Rarity with visible distaste, then winked at Fluttershy in the most unsubtly suggestive way imaginable. ”You can ride in the Royal Carriage with me, and perhaps if you’re a good girl, you can ride me in the Royal Carriage afterwards!” He laughed raucously at his own joke. The way he flicked his tongue across his lips while he pulled Fluttershy’s tail aside with his eyes disgusted Rarity, and angered her far more than the crude, ill-conceived insults. She opened her mouth to accost the infuriating clod of a prince some more, but was stopped cold by a simple hoof-gesture from her date. Fluttershy smiled demurely. She seemed unfazed by the prince’s unsavory suggestions, but Rarity felt the fine little hairs of her coat stand on end at the sight of her love’s superficially ingratiating expression, thinking that, if looks that could kill truly existed, that smile could have wiped out entire cities. “She is actually my fillyfriend,” Fluttershy explained with infinite patience. “Oh?” Blueblood said with a frown, trying to keep the bitter jealousy out of his voice. He quickly recovered from this minor setback, however, regaining his former bravado and continuing to gleefully dig his own grave. “Well, while your taste in mares is debatable, cutie-flank, I can put your mind at ease, my tasty little morsel: a bit of filly-fooling generally doesn’t offend His Royal Highness. As long as he is able to watch, of course!” More laughter followed that incredibly offensive statement, with Fluttershy actually laughing along this time, encouraging Blueblood to add, with a wink, “Or join in. I do hope you’re not one of those sad, misguided fillies who has convinced themselves that they can only get off with other females, at least.” He snorted dismissively. ”But no, of course not, you’re quite attractive for a commoner, unlike your friend here. Lovely piece of tail like yourself, it is highly unlikely you would ever grow desperate enough for romantic attention to sink quite that low.” “Oh, I’m nothing special. You flatter me!” Fluttershy tittered fillyishly, pressing an unsteady hoof to her muzzle. She was suddenly acting quite drunk again and, strangely, more like her shy, modest self. But she wasn’t blushing, Rarity noted. She desperately tried to make eye contact with her lover, struggling to understand where Fluttershy was going with this act. She looked urgently around the room, looking for anypony who could provide support if things turned violent. The other patrons were all occupied with their own meals, however. Oh please, my beloved, don’t do anything foalish. “Now now, do not gainsay your lord and sovereign, little filly,” Blueblood said with a roguish grin, pleased that his mastery of the art of seduction was having the expected effect, and put at ease by the comfortingly familiar and air-headed reactions the previously inscrutable mare was providing him with. “When I say you are supremely ruttable, I mean it! So, what say you, my dear? Will you accompany me tonight, so that you get finally get tended to properly and be cured of your unhealthy attraction to the same sex? Satisfaction is guaranteed.” “Oh, I simply cannot wait, my lord!” Fluttershy cried softly and submissively. “I crave the, um, ‘royal sceptre’ so very badly. Perhaps I could accompany you to the gentlecolt’s room, instead? Right now?” Her convincing performance slipped a bit during those last two words, which had sounded colder than absolute zero, and sent shivers down Rarity’s spine. She couldn’t believe Fluttershy had managed to utter those words without throwing up in her muzzle a little. What was she plotting? Suddenly, Rarity’s eyes widened in shock. Surely she wasn’t going to...? “My, aren’t we in a hurry,” Blueblood said, a little taken aback by this eagerness. He recovered quickly though, his over-inflated ego puffing up a little more. He licked his lips again, grinning lasciviously, his sluggish brain overflowing with all the lewd things he could do to this obviously willing, delectable and naive little pegasus. And as an added bonus, he’d be doing it all right under that insufferable, uppity commoner’s snooty white nose! The table the stallion was seated at would have lifted an inch or so, if he hadn’t been at the back of the line when nature had been handing out certain endowments. “Your urgent desire is perfectly understandable, though. I could tell you were simply gagging for what I had to offer the moment I saw you. And you will be, quite literally, momentarily.” Blueblood got up and staggered unsteadily towards the door for the bathrooms again, not even bothering to look over his shoulder. ”Come along then, er... what was your name again? Ah, it doesn’t really matter, I suppose...” “Fluttershy, darling, what on earth are you—” Rarity hissed the moment the doors closed. “I’ll be riiiiight back,” Fluttershy cut her off in an adorable, sing-songy voice. She sashayed over to the door with the larger, more angular stallion silhouette depicted on it and, without a word, went inside. Rarity could feel a bead of cold sweat trickle down her forehead. Her imagination ran wild with the horrible, unspeakable things Fluttershy could be doing to Blueblood right now. She had thought that seeing the meek pony angry had been scary, but this new, unsettlingly calm, lethally mild-mannered, polite, calculatingly seductive Fluttershy was much more frightening still. Her friend was obviously beyond anger right now, filled with such seething stillness and tranquil fury that Rarity honestly feared for Blueblood’s life. Any second now, the blood-curdling, agonized screams would begin... Would there be anything left to identify the mutilated remains, after he had been torn limb-from-limb? Wild plans to escape to the border together in a stolen carriage popped into Rarity’s brain; morbid visions of being chased down by the Canterlot Guard and having to drive the carriage over the lip of Ghastly Gorge, hoof in hoof, flashed through her imagination. There was only sustained silence, however, which was somehow scarier. It only took a few minutes before the door swung open again and Fluttershy emerged. Oddly, her fur was still pristinely yellow and as well-groomed as ever, rather than caked and matted with the blood of her slaughtered victim. It was several minutes after this before Blueblood, too, returned to the restaurant. He seemed a shell of his former self, a broken pony; his swollen ego not merely popped and deflated but actually reduced to nothingness, crushed into a singularity and utterly erased from existence. He dragged himself over to Rarity and, with hanging head and teary eyes, whimpered, “Please excuse my abhorrent behavior this evening, and any past misdeeds I have done to you or your friends. I have been shown some terrible things about myself, and have much to consider. Enjoy your evening, and consider your tab paid for. I wish you two all the happiness in the world... Oh, and your p-perfume smells wonderful.” Rarity watched him stagger back to his guests, her eyes and mouth wide with disbelief. “What did you do to him?” “Me? Oh, nothing...” Fluttershy said nonchalantly. ”We just had a little chat, that’s all.” “No, seriously darling, what—” “You don’t want to know.” They bid the maître d’ good night; it was late and they both needed to get home to their beds. The pegasus had her animals to tend to and Rarity still had dresses to sew, a task Fluttershy would help with later in the day. Both were quite sober by now, the incident with Blueblood having spoiled everything. I wanted so much more for you, my love, Rarity thought as they walked the route leading to the outskirts of Ponyvillle. She intended to walk Fluttershy to her cottage and then return home herself. Fluttershy nuzzled her gently, reassuringly. She needed that. They had gotten past what could have been a bad situation tonight, and somehow did so unscathed and in a way Rarity still did not understand. But Fluttershy had not hurt anypony, or at least, had not done so physically. “Rarity... I’m sorry,” Fluttershy murmured. They were nearly to her door now, trotting up the path to her cottage. “I had to do something to help him see what—” A white hoof stopped her. “I don’t want to know. You didn’t hurt him, that’s enough.” A storm broke overhead, showering them with unexpected rain. NonoNO, my mane! “This wasn’t on the schedule for the week!” Fluttershy nodded. “It’s from the Everfree. Let’s get inside before you get soaked!” They rushed up to the cottage, quickly becoming thoroughly drenched in the downpour. Rarity looked enviously at Fluttershy’s mane. Mine should look so good wet, she pouted. Safely inside, Rarity looked out through the small window. The storm showed no signs of letting up, and attempting to leave now would just have her walking home in the rain. “Don’t even think about it, Rarity. You’re staying here.” Fluttershy pointed upstairs. “You’ll take the bed. Go run a shower to warm up. I’ll be right there.” Rarity trotted up the stairs, noting a lack of white bunny in the house. Stuck out in the rain in his hutch, I suppose. She began the shower, feeling the hot water washing away the weariness and tension of the evening. Her mane and tail had lost their normal bounce, flowing from her in pretty purple streams as the water washed through them. She reached for the shampoo, only to find it was being poured over her. Looking up in surprise she found yellow hooves massaging the shampoo into her mane. “Oh hello, darling, I didn’t realize you wanted to join me again. Could you get my back, please?” Fluttershy began to massage her shoulders and back, lathering her coat and tail. Her voice was low, and her breath hot against Rarity's ear. “Rarity... um... voulez-vous... coucher avec moi, ce soir... uhm... ma chérie?”