Chapter 3
Dying Inside
Fluttershy sighed in contentment as the herbal tea calmed her nerves. The gentle wrap of the floral scented mud bath soothed her aching muscles. The cucumber slices that lined her eye lids shifted as she took another sip. Relax. The word itself even sounded peaceful.
"Miss Fluttershy? Would you like more of the floral scents?" asked Aloe, or Lotus... She never really could tell. Fluttershy never came to the spa very often, except for the monthly dates with Rarity. Weekly had been changed into monthly, due to the busy schedules of the mares. Fluttershy had opened up a clinic for the animals, and Rarity was making dresses almost everyday.
"Um... yes." Fluttershy sunk farther into the bath, meekly replying. Lotus/Aloe poured the powder in and stirred it. The scent was released and Fluttershy felt she was in heaven. The scent pushed her farther into relaxation, and straight into dream land. She shuddered and dipped herself farther into the warm, scented mud. Her chin was now a centimeter above the substance, relaxed on the mare's neck. Perfect. She snuggled herself and drifted off to the land of many impossibilities, even for Pinkie.
"Ah love ya, 'Shy." Mac grumbled in his deep, rich voice. They where in the barn, very little light coming in.She smiled slightly, nuzzled to his strong side and chest under a blanket. He had a wheat staff in his teeth, and a small package clutched in his fore hooves.
"What's in there, Bunny?" Fluttershy asked curiously, pushing a hoof through the hay to point at the tiny wrapped gift. Macintosh blushed and nervously moved around under his marefriend's gaze. He sighed and started to unwrap the present, revealing a white silk butterfly pin, carefully dotted with tiny silver peices and white diamonds. Her gaze widened at the beautiful pin, blushing and looking up at her stallion. "Is...Is that for me? Where...Where did you get this?" Fluttershy had started to cry with tears of joy, as Macintosh wiped her beatiful tear stained eyes.
"It's fer the most beautiful mare ah ever met... You. I...I got Rarity ta make it... But ah found the silver and tha diamonds." Macintosh stated, pride in his voice. He kissed her on the forehead, and put the pin in her hair, and nuzzled her beet red cheeks. "Promise we'll be tagether ferever, 'Shy."
"Forever and always. I will treasure this gift with my everything. Almost as much as I treasure you." She kissed the tip of his snout and layed her head down on his large chest.
"Fluttershy? HEEEEELLLLLOOOOOOO EARTH TO FLUTTERSHY! Well, it's not really earth 'cause that would be IMPOSSIBLE but you get the picture right?" A blue eyed Macintosh asked. Fluttershy gave the imposter a strange look as they began to grow curly pink hair. Fluttershy shook herself from her slumber and peeled off the cucumber slices from her tired, dehydrated eyes. Pinkie was right there in the bath, tip of her snout touching Fluttershy's. The pegasus screamed and flailed her hooves. Rarity by then had peeled the slices off too, and gave a questioning gaze to the pink party mare. Pinkie was bouncing around the frightened Fluttershy, wearing a party hat and smiling.
"HEY GUESS WHAT IM THROWING YOU A GET OVER YOUR HEARTBREAK PARTYYYYY!" screamed Pinkie.
"Right before Hearts and Hooves day Pinkie? That seems a bit... Unorthodox." Rarity put bluntly, staring at the eccentric and physics defying pony. Pinkie shrugged and pulled a cake out of nowhere. Fluttershy refused it.
"No thanks, Pinkie... I-I-I don't need a party..." Fluttershy told her. 'What I do need is Macintosh...' she thought to herself.
"PPPPPPPPPPFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTT NO PARTY! THAT JUST MAKES ME WANT TO THROW A PARTY EVEN MORE!" Pinkie yelled in the bizzare, high pitched way she always does. She cut a slice of the cake the size of her head and shoved it in her mouth. "Mmmmm! Raspberry chocolate mousse swirl! You wanna try?" Fluttershy shook her head profoundly, not wanting to bother Pinkie in her 'sugar bliss'.
"Well, I'm sure Flutterrshy is flattered Pinkie, but what the dear really needs is some relaxation. So, unless you want to stay here with us, and relax, I suggest you should go decorate a bit more for the party in a couple days, yes?" Rarity said, stepping into the rinse. Pinkie shrugged and bounced off into the lobby.
"I'LL SEE YOU GUYS TOMORROW~!" Pinkie yelled from the front. Fluttershy leaned from her position and waved good bye to her sugar fueled friend. She gently put the cucumber slices down on the platter by her tea. She stepped out of the tub and walked into the rinse beside Rarity's.
"So, I have the ensembles ready for tomorrow, darling! They look amazing!" Rarity said gleefully as she stepped out of the rinse and into a housecoat with towels. Fluttershy, moments later, came out to do the exact thing. Rarity smiled at her friend. "Fluttershy, you'll get through this. I'll be there every step of the way. Believe me, friends like ours would never let us fall into depression. Or stay in it, for that matter." Rarity turned her head towards the sauna and waved her shy friend over. Fluttershy hovered softly and opened the door for Rarity. "Why, thank you, dear."
"Think nothing of it, Rarity." Fluttershy squeaked at a barely audible tone as she stepped into the sauna. The noise of the spa door bell rang out. Suddenly, an all to familiar voice rang out.
"Yes, I'm here for the two o'clock sharp. Thank you. Yes, I'll start with the sauna treatment." Twilight Sparkle, magic prodigy, student of Princess Celestia, Apparent lover of Big Macintosh, and one of the last people Fluttershy wanted to see at the moment. Soon, Twilight walked into the room and sat down beside them.
"Oh, hello girls! Did you hear? Macintosh is taking me to the Hearts and hooves party tomorrow!" Twilight said quickly, very happy, obviously. Fluttershy started to tear up. She thanked Rarity that they where in the sauna.
"News that we know all to well..." Rarity said through gritted teeth. "Oh, that's great darling! You'll look smashing with that hunk of stallion that you managed to... Pick up..." faking a smile, she turned to Fluttershy. "Darling, you'll have to tell her." Fluttershy shook her head vigorously. "Puh-leh-eh-ehseeeee! Do it for me?" Rarity batted her eyelashes and Fluttershy gave in. She was the element of Kindness after all, and she would be doing a kind act for a friend, right?
"U-um...T-Twilight? I have to tell you something... If that's alright with you..." Fluttershy tried to ask casually, but she failed. Twilight nodded her head.
"Go on?" Twilight said, obviously dying to know what she had to say.
"U-um... I kinda like Big Macintosh too..." Fluttershy stumbled over words, trying not to make Twilight hear her.
"Didn't quite catch that?" Twilight said, curiosity overwhelming. Fluttershy averted her gaze, trying, hoping, for Twilight not to find out. Fluttershy paused. She sighed. Oh well, here comes the truth.
"I.. Um... SORTALIKEDBIGMACINTOSHSINCEIMETHIM..." Fluttershy paused and started to take really deep breaths. Almost hyperventilating.
Twilight looked at her curiously.
"Oh, I see how it is. Your not happy for our happiness, are you, Fluttershy? You just want to prance off with my boyfriend, and leave me depressed and lonely, don't you?" Twilight yelled, rage-filled.
"N-no, you don't underst-" Fluttershy was interrupted by Twilght.
"No. I do. I see everything. Some element of kindness you are," Twilight paused for effect. 'Oh, no, here it goes...' thought Rarity, waiting for the dreaded word. "Motherbucker!Oh my gosh that's the first time I said that!" twilight stormed around the room before opening the door and standing there.
"I'm sorry, Twilight, I just want you and Mac to be..." Fluttershy looked up, only to see her friend was gone. Fluttershy broke into tears, for the second time that afternoon. She leaned over onto the bench and weeped. Rarity tried to comfort the mare, but this was no use.
"Darling, oh goodness... Do- do you need anything? Here, lets go to the lounge okay? Hmmm?" Rarity tried to sound cheerful, but how could you after seeing your best friend cry?
"O-okay *sniffle*" Fluttershy said within heartbreaking chokes. How could this have happened... 'Maybe I'm just a terrible friend... No! No your not! Y-yes I AAAAAAAAMMMM!'
She was crying harder than ever before, and nothing, and no one could stop those tears other than hearing a caring tone from the mare that had put her down moments ago.