//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Out and About // Story: How to be Happy // by Leafdoggy //------------------------------// The sound of running water filled the air as Fluttershy cleaned off her plate. Pinkamena was still in her seat, half-pouting with her head on the table, and Pinkie was stretched out on the sofa in the living room. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful, entirely the opposite of the night before, and they were all glad for it. “So, uh…” Pinkamena talked without sitting up. “Now what?” “Well,” Fluttershy replied, “what do you want to do?” “Oh, I don’t wanna make you guys do whatever I want,” Pinkamena said. “I’m fine with whatever.” Fluttershy quietly stopped the water, put away the plate and dried her hooves. Then she trotted back to the table with a gentle smile on her face and sat across from Pinkamena. “Sweetie, you’re allowed to want things,” she said finally. Pinkamena winced at the pet name, but for the moment chose not to press it. “I know, it’s just… It’s your vacation.” “It’s all of ours,” Fluttershy told her, “and I want you to feel better. Surely there must be something you’d like to do?” “Mm…” Pinkamena looked down at the table, away from Fluttershy. “I don’t know, I can’t think of anything.” “Well, if you think of something later, tell us, alright?” “Yeah, okay.” Fluttershy reached out and stroked Pinkamena’s cheek. “How are you feeling?” Pinkamena shrugged. “I don’t know what that means, dear.” Pinkamena shifted and looked up into Fluttershy’s eyes. “Are you still scared of me?” “Scared?” Fluttershy wrinkled her brow in confusion. “Why would I be scared of you?” “Because I…” Pinkamena let out a tiny whine. “Because you’re not supposed to love me.” Fluttershy tilted her head. “I… Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were still thinking about that.” She turned towards the living room and raised her voice. “Pinkie? Could you come here?” A moment later, Pinkie hopped into the room. “What’s up?” “We need to, um…” Fluttershy paused awkwardly and pursed her lips. “We need to figure out our… Situation.” “We have a situation?” “Our…” Fluttershy sighed. “Pinkie, I don’t know what you’re supposed to do when your girlfriend turns into two ponies.” “Ohh.” Pinkie nodded. “I get it. I don’t care if you date other ponies, Fluttershy. Just, you know, run them by me first. It’s gotta be somepony I can at least be besties with.” Fluttershy nodded. “I thought you’d say that, but… Well, isn’t this more complicated? I mean, I wouldn’t date Marble, that would be weird!” Pinkie made a grossed-out face. “Yeah, that’d be super weird. Don’t do that. I mean, I know Marble’s great, but…” She shivered and shook her head. “Bleaugh.” “Yeah,” Fluttershy said, “so… Well, what about Pinkamena?” Pinkie looked at Pinkamena, then back at Fluttershy and shrugged. “She’s not my sister.” Fluttershy tilted her head and looked at Pinkamena. “Do you not see Pinkie as your sister, either?” Pinkamena shook her head. “Nope. I mean, I’m not my own sister.” “Yeah, exactly,” Pinkie agreed. “She’s just a different me. Marble’s not me, cuz she’s my sister, and Pinkamena’s not my sister cuz she’s me.” “I… Sure,” Fluttershy said. “I guess. So, you’re okay with it?” “Yup!” Pinkie wrapped a leg around Pinkamena’s shoulders and squeezed her. “I mean, really, how can I say no to you wanting more me?” Fluttershy laughed softly. “So you’re both okay with it?” “Yup!” Pinkie said, and Pinkamena nodded. “Great.” Fluttershy leaned over the table and gave them each a quick kiss on the nose. “I’m glad that’s sorted out.” Pinkie giggled and bounced back out of the room, while Pinkamena blushed and turned her head away bashfully. “I… Thank you,” Pinkamena said quietly. “Of course,” Fluttershy said. “After all, I do love you.” Pinkamena smiled. “I… I love you too.” “You have a cute smile,” Fluttershy told her. “It’s nice to see.” Pinkamena quickly folded her legs in front of her on the table and hid her mouth behind them. “I-I…” She stuttered, but couldn’t find any words. Fluttershy frowned. “I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?” Pinkamena shook her head. “No, I just… I don’t wanna make you think I’m not sad anymore and end up disappointing you.” “I wouldn’t be disappointed,” Fluttershy said. “I understand, though. You don’t have to hide your smiles from me, but I’m not upset with you if you feel like you need to.” “Sorry…” Fluttershy stroked Pinkamena’s leg quietly for a moment before moving on. “We should get some fresh air. Are you sure there’s nowhere in particular you’d like to go?” “I can’t think of anything.” “Well,” Fluttershy said, “I still need to find somepony to take over for me here. You could join me on that.” Pinkamena thought for a moment, then nodded. “Sure.” Fluttershy grinned and got up from the table, and Pinkamena joined her as she went into the living room. They found Pinkie there, lying on her back on the floor with her eyes shut. “Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked. “Mm?” Pinkie pried one eye open sleepily. “We’re going out, would you like to come along?” “Mm… Where to?” “I thought we’d start at the farm,” Fluttershy said, “and after that maybe check the market.” Pinkie hummed in thought for a moment, then shook her head. “Nah. I kinda just wanna hang out here.” “Alright, well, you can always come to find us later. Love you.” “Love you,” Pinkie mumbled back. With nothing more holding them back, Fluttershy and Pinkamena stepped out into the world. The sunlight seared down on them, and Fluttershy had to take a moment to compose herself beneath it, but she had a smile again soon enough and they set off. The couple walked shoulder to shoulder down the narrow dirt path towards Ponyville. Every so often a breeze would pass them and blow their manes together into a tangled mess, but neither of them seemed to mind. They kept to the outskirts of town, only using it as a go-between from the cottage to Sweet Apple Acres. The less-traveled streets still had puddles scattered about that they needed to dodge, along with a few branches and other debris that had been blown there by the winds. With their condition and lack of ponies, the streets looked almost abandoned as they walked through them. Fluttershy knew these streets well. Ponies only lived so far out by choice, and so there were almost no houses, and even fewer ponies to be seen. Rarely did she pass by another pony as she walked, and that gave her plenty of time alone whenever she wanted it. She did break the silence at one point, though. “You don’t have to stay quiet just because I am, you know.” Pinkamena looked at her strangely. “Sorry, I… Did you want me to talk?” “Well, you don’t have to,” Fluttershy said. “It’s just, Pinkie usually never stops talking on walks like this.” “Well, I’m not Pinkie.” “Yeah…” Fluttershy bumped into Pinkamena playfully. “Sorry. I keep expecting you to act just like her.” “It’s okay. I mean, there’s not really anything else to expect.” “Sure, but I don’t expect every new pony I ever meet to be like Pinkie.” Pinkamena just hummed in response, and as the conversation lulled the sign for Sweet Apple Acres came into view. “So, who are we looking for?” Pinkamena asked. “I’m not sure,” Fluttershy said. “Anypony who’s good with animals. Ideally, it’d be somepony like me, who’s quiet and kind and—” “Get back here!” Suddenly the bushes at the side of the road started to rustle, and they both flinched back as something leaped out at them.  The fuzzy brown mass flew through the air and skidded to a stop in front of them. “Winona?” Fluttershy asked. The little dog wagged her tail and looked up at Fluttershy excitedly. She would have barked, but her jaw was firmly clamped around some pointy silver object. “What are you holding?” Fluttershy asked. She reached out a hoof to try and take it, but as she did the bushes rustled again and Winona took off sprinting towards the farmhouse. This time what emerged from the brush was a little pink pony, covered in twigs and leaves and fuming mad. “Winona!” She yelled futilely at the dog as it ran off. “Drop it now!” Fluttershy looked sideways at the pony, only getting more confused. “Diamond Tiara?” Diamond Tiara turned sharply towards them, then gasped and smiled when she saw who it was. “Fluttershy! You can help!” “I can?” “Yes!” She pointed down the path. “The dog stole my tiara! You can make her give it back, right?” Fluttershy smiled softly down at the little filly. Beside her, Pinkamena stifled a giggle. “It’s not funny!” Diamond Tiara pouted. “I need it! How can I be Diamond Tiara without a tiara? Now I’m just… Just Diamond. Who cares about just diamonds?” “Aww,” Fluttershy cooed. “Well, I suppose I have time to help you out.” “Why can’t you get it back yourself, though?” Pinkamena asked. Diamond Tiara huffed. “Don’t you think I’ve been trying? She won’t listen, no matter how loud I yell!” Fluttershy put a hoof to her mouth to hide a chuckle. “Well, of course not. She thinks you’re playing with her.” “Well, I’m not!” “Sure, we know that,” Fluttershy said, “but to her, you’re just getting louder and rowdier. She sees the excitement and thinks you’re just playing along.” “Okay, well, tell her she’s wrong!” “Well, I bet you could do it if you know what you’re doing,” Fluttershy said. “Just walk up to her slowly and calmly, and she’ll see that the game is over.” “There’s no way that’ll work,” Diamond Tiara said. Fluttershy grinned. “Well, why don’t we find out?” Together, they walked up to the farmhouse and looked around, although it wasn’t hard to find Winona. She was sitting patiently to the side of the house, waiting with a wagging tail for Diamond Tiara to show back up. “There!” Diamond Tiara almost ran at her, but Fluttershy stretched out a wing and caught her. “Slowly,” Fluttershy reminded her. “Ugh, fine.” She started to walk, very deliberately and as slowly as possible, towards Winona. She tried very hard not to make any noise, and as she approached Winona just watched her happily.  As she got closer, Diamond Tiara realized that it was working, and her breathing sped up as she got more excited. She started walking faster and was just about to start running again when Winona stood up and she stopped in her tracks. As she froze, so did Winona. Diamond Tiara took several deep breaths to slow her breathing, then picked up her achingly slow pace towards the dog. A few steps later, she was there, and she gingerly reached out and plucked the tiara from Winona’s mouth. Just like that, she’d done it. A smile grew on her face, and she raised the tiara high into the air. “Fluttershy look!” She shouted back and jumped excitedly. “I did it! I actually did it, I got it back from—” Behind her, Winona saw her cheering and got worked up as well, and as she was yelling out to Fluttershy Winona jumped up and snatched the tiara back out of her grasp. Then, as soon as her paws hit the ground, she twisted around and sprinted away. “Wh—” Diamond Tiara took a second to process what happened, then frowned deeply. “Hey! That’s not fair!” Fluttershy and Pinkamena both laughed quietly as Diamond Tiara sped off, once again giving chase.  “Well,” Fluttershy said, “she almost got it.”