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// Fluttershy's POV 
// Story: Allergic Flutteritis 
// by kleec13 
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Today was the day. Rarity asked if she could make that outfit she thought would look so good on me when we were at her house after our math club meeting, and I said yes. We agreed to meet after my shift at the animal shelter since her house was so close to it. As I pulled up, I regretted my decision, but for a different reason than I expected.
The reason was my oversensitive immune system. Mild hay fever wasn’t new to me. And I took this job at the shelter knowing I was also mildly allergic to pet dander. But turns out dry, breezy fall weather and being around dozens of animals for a long Saturday shift didn’t give as mild of results. And as luck would have it, I didn’t take any nasal spray or antihistamines before I left or with me to the shelter. So needless to say, I was now pretty miserable.
“Fluttershy, you people pleasing idiot,” I muttered to myself. “You knew you had to work 7 hours today. Of all the days, you had to agree to meet with Rarity on this one?!”
I thought about texting Rarity so I could at least go home and take the allergy meds, but at that point, I might as well have just canceled entirely. And fortunately, I wasn’t in short supply of tissues, so I grabbed them, and dragged my fatigued, itchy, and stuffed up self to the front of Rarity’s house.
She greeted me, and though I could tell she was trying to hide her shock and concern, I could also tell she was feeling both at the sight of me. Couldn't blame her. 
“Hi Ra… aa… achoo!!! Oof. Excuse me,” I said, blushing a bit. If I wanted to pretend like nothing was wrong before, I certainly couldn’t now.
“You poor dear,” Rarity sympathized. “I'd ask how you are, but it seems like you’ve been better.”
“I’ve sneezed over 100 times today, my eyes are so itchy and watery, I want to rip them out, and I feel like I'm moving through molasses,” my exhaustion almost made me blurt out. “So yeah. I suppose you could say I've been better.”
But I remembered that this was a generous offer from a friend. And I thought the outfit she was making for me was really pretty.
“Oh, it’s just allergies,” I said. “I forgot to take anything before my shift at the shelter. But I’m looking forward to today.”
I wasn’t completely lying when I said it was just allergies. I didn’t feel great, but there were colds that were worse. At this, Rarity cocked her head slightly, but she opened the door wider to let me in.
“I am too,” she agreed.
Rarity led me to the basement as I did my best not to sniffle and sneeze all over my friend’s house.
“Alright then,” Rarity said. “I’ll just get a couple things and we can get started.”
I sat as I let out another embarrassing sneeze in the silence while I waited. But in a way, the embarrassment was a good thing because it made me realize I couldn't continue like this. I decided to speak up when she got all her things.
“Rarity, you know… perhaps we should do this another day. I’m so sorry. But I think this meeting will be more productive when I’m better.”
“Never be sorry for advocating for yourself,” Rarity insisted. “I should be sorry for not making you go home and rest.”
It was my turn to sigh from relief. And pride. I was proud of myself for stating my needs and I was proud of Rarity for making me feel safe to do so.
“I still am a bit embarrassed, though,” I admitted. “I hate having to cancel this over allergies.”
“It might be ‘just allergies,’ but you still feel like garbage, darling!” Rarity assured. “Trust me–my asthma was awful this time of year when I was a child. So I understand.”
Something about hearing Rarity say “feel like garbage” made me laugh.
“You have asthma?” I asked. Never heard that mentioned anywhere.
Rarity nodded.
“It's in our family. Things could change, but now I’ve mostly grown out of it,” Rarity explained. “But that's why our cat Opal is hypoallergenic.”
Interesting–I didn’t know you could grow out of asthma. 
“Though you must love animals a lot if you’re willing to work with them despite being allergic,” Rarity continued.
“I’ve been managing,” I said, with a giggle. “I started a month ago. I hope I’ll build up more of a resistance eventually.”
Rarity laughed along as she got up from her chair.
“Let’s get you home so you can take some medicine.”