//------------------------------// // 2 - > Shy // Story: Horse Drawn Omnibus // by Hazel Mee //------------------------------// Main characters: Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, OCs Themes & triggers: Social distress, alcohol A north wind tore over the Canterhorn before dropping down into Canterlot's streets where it curled up flurries from drift peaks and streaked down barren cobbled lanes. Winter in the capitol came with a greater share of frosty days, despite meticulously crafted weather systems. Wan yellow light dimmed as Princess Celestia pushed her sun below the horizon. Royal guards patrolled in pairs, but with most ponies sensibly staying inside where it was warm, they had little more to do than ensure nopony was left outside as the temperature fell. A hoofful of tardy ponies stumbled homeward, or sought refuge in a restaurant or pub. Fluttershy paused in the lee of a furnishings store and blew onto her numb hooves before tucking her frosty muzzle back into the many layers of scarf wrapped around her neck. She sat for a moment, shivering with her forelegs tucked against her sides and under her wings, before gingerly hopping over a knee-high drift and out into the teeth of the wind. She scurried across the street, squinting her eyes against the blown crystals, huffing and puffing little clouds that whipped away in an instant. She huddled for a moment behind a news stand to catch her breath. A-a-almost there, she thought. Her mind's voice stuttering with anxiety as much as the chill. A quick slither on slippery cobbles as wind whipping through her feathers and she ducked past a stallion trudging along, clutching a top hat to his head. She slid to a halt in front of Ortaggio. A Bitalian restaurant. For anypony else the golden light shining through its glass door would have been warm and welcoming, but she had to force herself the last few steps. She should go inside. Get out of the biting cold. Everypony was waiting for her. A couple of sharp breaths for courage and she pushed through the door into a very small hallway that was barely large enough for two ponies to stand. An overhead heater turned it into a blast furnace, and she shook rapidly melting snow from her feathers and tail. The abrupt warmth was painful to her numb muzzle, so she quickly stepped through a door on her left, and into the front room. It was cramped and narrow, with tables for parties of four or couples near the door. Space for about a dozen ponies. The 'restaurant' was dominated by a long bar down the left side, with stairs going down, smack in the middle of the room, towards the back, and a passage through to the kitchen on the right. Fluttershy loosened her scarf, ruffled her wings, and frowned at the bar. When they received Twilight's invitations, she'd asked Rarity if she knew anything about the Ortaggio. She had a magazine about luxurious places to dine in Canterlot, of course, and the pictures accompanying the article made it seems like this would be a family-friendly place to eat delicious, traditional Marediterranean food. The Ortaggio's theme was old Bitalian cinema, and, yes there were lots of black and white photos on the wood-panelled walls. But this was not the restaurant she'd hoped for. She disliked alcohol, because hating it would have been a little too aggressive. She never drank and didn't like being around ponies when they did because it made them louder, foolish, and sometimes un-nice. She'd lost count of the late nights that Zephyr Breeze had stumbled to her little cottage, reeking of liquor and salt, barely able to stand, raving happily one moment and in tears the next. At least it was pleasant to fix him a healthy brunch when he woke, and get him back on his hooves again with a heart-to-heart talk. She always hoped the terrible hangover would convince him to stop, but his absolute promises that this was the very last time never lasted long. It couldn't be good for him. She lingered by the entrance, standing a bit too close to a couple seated by the window. Ducking her head she gave them a weak, apologetic smile, and moved a few steps further in. "Ciao signorina. May I help you?" Fluttershy peered up through waves of pink tresses at a midnight-blue stallion who popped out a dark corner by the bar. He wore a tight black blazer, white shirt, red bow tie, and a gracious smile. "Oh! Umm… I'm… um…" She scuffed a hoof on the floor. It was a very, very interesting floor. Brown ceramic tiles. So very interesting. Not really. His voice oozed soothing charm. "Are you perhaps meeting somepony?" Fluttershy's lips creased tightly in what might be a smile. "Y-yes. I'm looking for T-Twilight?" He stepped back and waved a hoof for her to step further into the bar. Restaurant. Whatever. "Ah, sì“, the princess' party is downstairs." Fluttershy hid in her mane and couldn't force a 'thank you' past the growing lump in her throat. Downstairs. That's where the chatter and laughter was coming from! She took a few hesitant steps and nearly jumped out of her feathers as another pony, a young unicorn stallion, green of hide and wearing a red waistcoat, trotted briskly out from behind the bar. Several dark wine bottles floated in his yellow aura. "Just follow the guy with the wine!" he called out cheerfully over his shoulder as he galloped downstairs. "That's really not reassuring", Fluttershy muttered, angrily half-hoping that he heard her over the din. She screwed up her courage and trotted down after him. It was as bad as she'd imagined… A second, smaller bar filled the left side of the narrow room, taking up what space the stairs didn't. The right side was crammed with a long row of small tables, pushed together to make one long one. It ran along what might be generously described as a dark subterranean corridor. Plates, glasses, glittering silver utensils, and white napkins were crowded in a jumble at each shoulder-to-shoulder seat. Which were, as yet, unoccupied. A dozen or so ponies stood in happily chatting groups, mostly clustered at either end of the room. With ears clamped tight to her skull, Fluttershy raised her head high to peer around as she stepped into the small open space remaining. She knew some of the attendees, at least knew of them. Over there was Pokey Pierce, mouth wide and teeth bared as he brayed over something Dr Fauna must have shouted to their group. Dr Fauna waved and Fluttershy squashed the urge to cringe and run away. She nodded a 'hello' and kept looking through the half-familiar crowd for- Twilight! Fluttershy smiled for real and waved as Twilight noticed her and waved back. She was engaged in a loud conversation with Rarity, Princess Luna, and a few important-looking ponies judging by their fancy and expensive clothing. Rarity was, of course, stunning in a sleek black dress that glittered with obsidian beads. Stalled from rushing over to her friends, Fluttershy stood in the small open space and glanced around, avoiding everypony's eyes. But there was nowhere to go that wasn't already occupied. "Can I get you something to drink?!" The waiter had exchanged wine bottles for a silver serving tray, which was loaded with a few emptied glasses. She couldn't avoid cringing at his sudden yell right into her poor ear. "W-water please." She hoped he'd hear her over the shouted conversation and laughter that sloshed back and forth through the room like an all-consuming tide. He did. His obsequious smile curdled into a sneer. "There's water on the table. Sparkling and ice." He brushed past her and adroitly wove through the gathering, heading to the bar to fetch somepony else's order. Fluttershy glanced at the carafes and glasses on the tables, but, nopony was sitting so how would she know which glass to take? She licked her lips. She wasn't thirsty, anyway. Not really. Holding and sipping a drink would help her fit in and give her something to do. Everypony was drinking. By the sour smell in the air and how they were behaving it seemed like they'd all had a glass or two already. "…should've seen his face!" "…an appointment to see if…!" "You're kidding?! What…!" "…insisted that…!" "Ha! Ha! Ha!" "…merlot is simpey divine!" She wished she dared to clap her hooves over her poor ears as the laughter and conversation rolled over her! "Drop by any time, really, I'd love…!" "Hee hee! That's so Twilight! Did I tell you…!?" Could "…rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb." "…be waiting too marsh…!" you "…is that who eye…!" "…get another…!?" "Hah! Hah! Aaah!!" "…thou frest…" "…weird…!" "Ha!" "…ewe!" please "Abra fars…!" "…those skirts somepony ant…!" "Hah, hah, awhyeah." "…napkins farst mrem?!" be "Where's the…?" "…who will great, what about kill both of you if you… Why are I'm doing you laughing? …you? Add some think say we garlic and fry… …if you want class, you gotta pay for it! What makes you order the same… …fit into one of…" quiet? Stairs. Just a few more steps and she was up. Fluttershy stopped by the entrance, panting and sweaty, like she'd galloped uphill under a hot sun. Should she take her scarf off? Or go outside? Not sure what to do, she fidgeted and tucked it tighter around her neck. It was comforting even if it was too warm. The nice couple by the window glanced at her with puzzled expressions. She winced a smile at them and- Photos. The photos that decorated the walls like a gallery. Yes. Yes, they were all black and white after all, and that's the kind of photo that was most especially artistic, wasn't it? Stars of the early decades of Bitallian cinema gazed back with confidant smiles. She didn't recognise any of them but she moved closer, squeezing between unoccupied seats to practically press her muzzle against the picture frames. The panting and sweating, and loud voices and laughter, the eyes of the couple judging her, all faded as she focused on one: the whole cast of a movie or play, gathered together wearing their costumes for a publicity shot. She couldn't tell if it was supposed to be a drama or a comedy. One of the mares had that classic 'black widow' sort of look, but a short, overweight stallion crouching in the front had the most ridiculous little hat and a mischievous grin that- "Are you alright, signorina?" Fluttershy started and jerked back from the photo. It was the same stallion who'd greeted her when she arrived. "Oh, um, I'm f-fine. Thank you." He didn't look convinced, so she swallowed the lump in her throat and said, "I-it's just too crowded and loud down there for me, so, I…" She trailed off and looked away from his pitying gaze. Concerned, he said, "It's only going to get worse." "Oh." She should leave. She had to. Twilight and the others would understand. Right? She turned to go and bumped into soft pink cotton candy! Fluttershy gasped, stumbled back a step, and plunked down onto her rump as Pinkie Pie grinned wide, raised her forelegs into the air, and inhaled a great big breath! "Pinkie! Get out of the way!" Rainbow Dash rasped as she crowded in behind Pinkie. "Hhhhhhhhhhhhey, Dashie", Pinkie said quietly as she deflated and settled back to her hooves. "Why don't you head on down and we'll join you in two shakes of a puppy's tail?" "What? Oh, hey, Shy." Rainbow Dash frowned and asked, "You alright?" "Mmmhmmm…" A non-committal hum through her tight throat. Fluttershy could not deal with Rainbow pushing her 'comfort zone' right now. She just couldn't! "Cool, uh, see you down there?" "Mmm…" Dash hesitated and Fluttershy was sure she was going to ask if she was really okay, but a nudge, and a smile, and a wink, and a nod from Pinkie sent her on her way. With a quick flap of her wings she recklessly swooped down the stairs! There was a muted crash as she ran into something, or somepony, possibly both. Rainbow Dash shouted, "I'm here!" just in case anypony had missed her entrance. "Let's this par-tay star-ted!" Fluttershy slumped where she sat and gazed at the extremely interesting brown tiles. Patterns worn into them from many hooves were kind of pretty, almost organic. Trapped between Pinkie and the friendly stallion she wasn't sure what to do. He was right. It was worse with Rainbow and Pinkie here… Fluttershy loved her friends, but even when it was just the six of them (seven, if Spike tagged along) she struggled. She couldn't stay and now it was impossible to leave. She closed her eyes as conversation and laughter, briefly interrupted by Rainbow's dramatic entrance, rose again, louder, and rolled over her like a heavy tide. She felt Pinkie scoot close and lean against her shoulder. Pinkie Pie smiled at the friendly stallion and asked, "Maybe you could open up the back room too, signore Cavalleri? "Sorry but it's-" "Pleeeease?" She stuck a hoof into her mane and yanked out a cardboard box with Shugarcube Corner's logo blazoned on it. "I baked you and the waitrons cuuupcaaakes!" "Le tue piccole torte?!" He grinned as she hoofed him the box. "Grazie mille, signora Pie. For you, of course we will open the back room." "Graaaziiie!" Pinkie sang cheerfully in soprano as he left to make it so. She leaned against Fluttershy and hummed a bouncy tune, mostly to herself. "Hmmm hm hm hmm hmmmmm…" The sound of chatter from downstairs was interrupted again as the restaurant staff opened up the back room and guests shuffled out of the way and went back to their conversations. "Hmmm hm hmmm hm hmmmmm... Do you want to go?" Pinkie pie asked quietly. "'Cause it's okay if you do, nopony will mind, I promise." Fluttershy sighed. "That back room is pretty quiet, y'know. That's where they keep sacks of flour, cans of olives and oil, big round things of cheese, and strings of garlic, and cans of tomatoes, and a kitty. His name is Morty." "Morty?" Fluttershy perked up a little. "Yuppers! He's super-adorable in a one-eyed, scruffy, ah'm-so-gonna-take-a-chunk-outta-yew kinda way. You gotta hear him purr when you rub his tummy! He bites and kicks and scratches, but the purring is totes worth it." "T-that does sound nice." "Mmmhmm, and I'm sure Twilight invited other ponies who'd like a quieter place to hang out and chat too. Liiike… Twilight, for example." Fluttershy smiled slightly and nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Pinkie." "Non c'è problema!" Pinkie chirped and hugged her. The corners of Fluttershy's lips curled up a little as she followed Pinkie downstairs. It might be a nice evening after all.