I finished the last of my math homework and checked the time. 3:55. Perfect timing–Fluttershy was coming for her fitting at 4. I hoped she didn’t think I was pitying her too much by doing this for her. I truly wasn’t. I had a vision and I wanted to make it a reality for someone who seemed very nice.
And what a vision it was! As I told Fluttershy that day, the outfit just seemed so HER. The pastels, the pink to match her hair, the butterflies to match her sweet demeanor–it just seemed so right. And though she didn’t outright say it, I had to deduce that at least one reason she accepted my offer was because she felt the same.
As such, I was very excited to see and work with my new friend. The clock struck 4, and I heard the doorbell ring not too long afterward. I answered the door eagerly, but to my shock, Fluttershy’s eyes weren’t also filled with eagerness, but instead were red, puffy, and sore. What on earth happened? I only saw her a bit, but she seemed alright at school just yesterday.
“Hi Ra… aa… achoo!!! Oof. Excuse me,” Fluttershy said.
“You poor dear,” I sympathized. “I'd ask how you are, but it seems like you’ve been better.”
Being firm and honest while also being tactful was definitely possible, I learned.
“Oh, it’s just allergies,” Fluttershy tried to assure me. “I forgot to take anything before my shift at the shelter this morning. But I am looking forward to today.”
Part of me wanted to believe the “just allergies” thing. She was right–out of all the maladies in the world, hay fever was far from the worst one. But did that matter when it seemed like Fluttershy was using up all her energy and then some just to be here? What good would it do either of us to have this meeting while Fluttershy was in this state? But I also knew that we were both excited to work on this and to get to know each other better.
I let Fluttershy in and led her to the basement and asked her to wait a moment while I got my things before we began. Poor Fluttershy let out another sneeze as I got my pencils and sketch pad. Bless her, I could tell those few moments from the door to now probably felt like an eternity to her as she tried to save at least some dignity. I again wondered if I should say something. But before I could think much further, Fluttershy spoke first.
“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,” I said firmly. “I should be sorry for not making you go home and rest.”
I did feel bad that Fluttershy had to be the one to speak up, but in a way I was glad that Fluttershy had the courage and opportunity to do it, as that probably wasn’t something that came super naturally to her.
“I still am a bit embarrassed, though,” Fluttershy said sheepishly. “I hate having to cancel this over allergies.”
I thought of Princess Twilight in Equestria and how her friends initially brushed off her anxiety when she didn’t have a friendship problem to write about as nothing.
“It might be ‘just allergies,’ but you still feel like garbage, darling!” I assured my friend. “Trust me–my asthma was awful this time of year when I was a child. So I understand.”
“You have asthma?” Fluttershy asked.
I got that question a lot once people found out about my asthma these days. I still owned an emergency inhaler and needed it every so often, but I didn’t need daily medicine anymore and I hadn’t for years.
“It's in our family. Things could change, but now I've mostly grown out of it,” I explained. “But that's why our cat Opal is hypoallergenic. Though you must love animals a lot if you’re willing to work with them despite being allergic."
I definitely understood Fluttershy’s struggle. Our family felt so lucky to have found Opal.
“I’ve been managing,” she said with a giggle. “I started a month ago. I hope I’ll build up more of a resistance eventually.”
I laughed along as I got up from my desk.
“Let’s get you home so you can take some medicine."