It was another day in Ponyville, and Twilight Sparkle was learning once more about love.
She was on her bed, lying on her stomach with a dictionary in front of her as she tried to uncover the feelings she had for a while for somepony close to her – feelings she once thought were just friendship, but until recently it seemed they were more.
“Love. Noun: A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another pony,” she read aloud. She realised that’s how she felt for this pony. She always wanted to be close and embrace the pony, and had begun to feel like she wanted to be near her love for the rest of her life. She lifted her head away from the book and grinned. ‘I’m in love!’
She breathed a sigh of content and rolled on her back, squealing with joy and kicking her legs in the air as if she was sprinting. She always thought that she would never fall in love with somepony, or consider the chance of being with one. Now she couldn’t hide these feelings no matter how hard she tried, and felt like screaming the name of her crush out to the world.
Her eyes suddenly snapped open as she realised something. “Now that I know what love is, now what?” She got off her bed and raced downstairs into the library, looking for any books that could help express the love she had for this pony. Normally she would’ve called Spike to go and bring her the books she wanted, but he was out helping Rarity, so she was left alone.
Half an hour later, after practically destroying the section on romance, she found nothing that could be of any use to her. She sat on her haunches, looking crestfallen as she contemplated just walking up to her crush and telling how she felt. “Oh, that’ll work wonders,” she berated herself. Her horn lit up again and with a sudden white flash, all the books were cleared away and placed back on their shelves.
She began pacing around the room, her mind a hive of activity as she tried to think of a way to find help. After a minute of pacing she stopped suddenly and a wide grin appeared on her face as she came up with an idea. If books were not going to help her, her friends might. ‘But whom could I turn to?’ At first she thought of Rarity; the mare seemed to know a bit about love, but then again she fell in love with someone she never met before and he turned out to be a not very nice pony, to put it nicely. She ruled out Rarity.
Next came Rainbow; the moment she thought of her she immediately shoved the idea away. She loved Rainbow like a sister, but the brash and slightly arrogant pegasus only ever loved one pony: herself.
Next came Pinkie Pie; she might be a pony who would be everywhere and anywhere at any one time, but Twilight knew she was extremely intelligent, and might even know how to solve her little problem. Twilight got up from the floor and made her way to the door, but stopped and groaned when she remembered Pinkie was out of Ponyville visiting her parents and won’t be back until tonight. “I’ll just have to wait tomorrow,” she said to herself. She turned around and made her way up the stairs, then sat down on a pillow and began flicking through a book on Equestrian history.
An hour later and she groaned, her head falling into the book. She wanted, no, she needed help now, and felt like she couldn’t afford to wait for Pinkie to come home. All her life she had skimmed through, going through everything as if she was walking through a light breeze, and this lack of knowing how to admit one’s feelings seemed like a large obstacle in her thirst for knowledge that now barred her way. “A walk should clear my head,” she decided. Instead of walking out the door, her horn lit up and she teleported herself just below the balcony then made her way in a random direction around town.
As she walked, she considered each of her friends again on asking them for help, but again that little part in her brain told her it wasn’t a good idea. All her friends lacked knowledge on the subject of love, which was the main reason they had a trip in Canterlot on Hearts and Hooves Day. All, except for Applejack. She skidded to a halt and berated herself for forgetting her.
Applejack was an honest, loving pony that would help a friend in need, and she already said once she had a crush on a colt when she stayed in Manehatten. It sadly never worked out but she said they keep in touch as pen pals. Applejack was perfect. She broke into a trot and changed her direction towards Sweet Apple Acres. She stopped when she realised something – Applejack might know how to help her, but would she accept such a thing? She knew Equestria doesn’t think that way about those kind of relationships since the reign of Celestia and Luna began, but some traditions don’t die easily, and a few kept to those beliefs. So what if Applejack was one of them?
“Don’t be so stupid, Twilight,” she scolded herself. “Applejack is a good friend and would help you out and accept who you are.” She walked a few more steps before stopping again. ‘What if I lose the courage to say what I wanted to say, and therefore waste my time and hers?’ Her horn lit up once more and she disappeared, startling some of the ponies around her.
She re-appeared outside the front door of her library. She raced inside, found a piece of scrap paper, and then wrote down the name of her crush. She placed it safely in her mane, and then continued on her way to Sweet Apple Acres, praying that the farm pony would accept her feelings for her crush.
Despite the hard work, the tiring long hours, and the lack of sleep, Applejack would easily say that applebuck season was the best part of the year. Rows and rows of apple trees have been nurtured throughout the spring and the Apple family have waited a long time for those apples. Now that the summer had come, they were fully ripe and ready to come down.
Applejack stood on the hill, overlooking the orchard that she’d been charged with to harvest. She smiled to herself at the responsibility she’d been given – this lot of apples were the most important on the entire farm, as they were the ones that would be used to make the cider for the cider season, and they needed to be done double time.
Applejack took her eyes off the orchard and walked up to the first tree. “Howdy there,” she greeted it. The tree didn’t reply. “You’ve got some mighty fine apples on yourself. Would ya mind if I took them down?”
Again the tree didn’t reply. “Thank ya kindly,” she smirked. She had learnt from Granny Smith it’s best to ask permission from the tree before taking down the apples, especially the ones used for the cider season. She turned around and stretched out her two hind legs, warming them up and getting them ready to buck. Suddenly she kicked out as hard as she could and with a cracking sound the legs hit the tree, the apples falling down into their appointed buckets.
“My, you’re a hard one, aren’t ya?” she said, giving her hind legs a little wiggle. Her hind legs felt like they had been through a marathon. “Still, pleasure doin’ business with ya.” She picked up an empty bucket and set it down on the next tree, ready to do the same.
“Applejack?” a voice rang out throughout the orchard. Applejack’s ears pinned upright to hear who it was. “Applejack?” the voice called out again, albeit this time much clearer and more recognisable.
“Twilight!” she called back. “Over here!”
A lavender unicorn pony emerged from the trees a moment later. “Good morning to ya, Twilight. How are ya?” Applejack greeted her with a smile. Her smile faded away into a look of concern when she saw Twilight’s face. It was laced with sweat, her breathing was quick and she looked ready to run for the hills. And all this she was hiding behind a big smile.
“Hey, Applejack. I’m good thanks. Yourself?” Twilight replied.
Applejack shook her head. She could easily tell what’s a lie and what’s not, and this, unfortunately, was the former. “Sugarcube, ya don’t look okay at all. Ya seem mighty nervous for some reason.” She gestured with a hoof for Twilight to sit under the shade of the tree. “Care to explain?”
Twilight shook her head. “Not if you’re busy. I’ll just come by later or not at all…” She was about to run away when Applejack caught her by her tail and dragged her into the shade of the tree.
“Nonsense, Twi, I have plenty of time for my friends, and ya look like you need it most,” she said comfortingly. “So tell me, what’s bothering ya?”
Twilight sat on her haunches and started playing with her hooves, not even looking at Applejack. “Well… um, well I… I wanted to ask you for some advice,” she blurted out. “Some honest advice.”
Applejack put a hoof to her chest and said, “Me? Well I’m mighty flattered ya came to me. So what kind of advice ya looking for?”
Twilight muttered something so quiet Applejack couldn’t make out. “Sorry, sugar, ya gonna have to speak louder than that.”
Twilight muttered a little louder, most of it she still couldn’t understand, but one word stuck out. Love. “You’re in love?” Twilight meekly nodded. Applejack gave her a wide grin and brought the unicorn into a bear hug. “Oh, I’m so happy for ya, sugar!” Twilight muttered something. “Sorry, Twi, what?”
“Can’t… breathe,” Twilight managed to get out.
Applejack quickly let go. “Sorry about that, it’s just that… you’re in love! Oh my goodness! I honestly didn’t expect you to be the first in our group to fall in love with somepony.” Applejack leaned in with anticipating eyes. “So whose the guy you got ya eye on?”
Twilight seemed to shrink even lower under the earth pony’s expectant gaze. After a while she muttered something, but Applejack couldn’t make it out. “Ya gonna have to speak louder and clearer than that if ya want me to help ya?”
Twilight puffed out her cheeks and was ready to say it in one big breath, but in the end she sighed and looked to the ground. “I’m sorry, AJ, I can’t say it.” She took something out from her mane and held it in a shaking hoof. “So I wrote it instead.”
Applejack took the small piece of paper from the unicorn’s hoof and opened it up, revealing the name of Twilight’s crush. Upon reading it Applejack thought her eyes would roll out of their sockets, fall to the ground, and roll away. She looked back up at the unicorn who was now shaking with fear.
“You love… Fluttershy?”
Twilight yelped at Applejack’s tone and prostrated onto the ground. She covered her face with her hooves and whimpered, “Please don’t hate me.”
Applejack looked stunned at Twilight’s shivering form, and quickly realised why she was so nervous. “Hate ya?” she said in disbelief. She lowered herself onto the ground and moved Twilight’s hooves from the face. Upon seeing her friend’s teary-eyed face she felt her heart spilt into pieces. She looked at Twilight with a loving smile and said, “Why should I hate ya for following your heart?”
Twilight stopped shivering and whimpering and looked at Applejack dead in the eyes. “You’re… you’re okay with it?”
Applejack nodded. “Why shouldn’t I be?” She opened her mouth once more to speak but before she could say what was on her mind she was gripped in a bear hug from Twilight, who was grinning widely and spinning with the orange earth pony like they were dancing.
“Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!” Twilight cried, spilling tears of joy. She let go of Applejack, who had nearly forgotten to breathe. “Oh you don’t know how long I’ve kept that in. It just feels sooooooo good to just say it. Well, write it but you get the point. Oooooo I love Fluttershy, look, I can actually say it!” She squealed in joy.
Applejack found herself amused by her friend’s sheer joy. “I’m glad you’re happy, sugarcube. But I’ve got a few questions.”
“Of course, fire away.”
“Firstly, why Fluttershy?”
“Oh, Applejack, why not Fluttershy!” she replied. She began dancing around the earth pony with a large, stupid grin on her face. “She’s kind, naturally gorgeous, her mane and tail must feel like silk.”
Applejack shivered as she remembered when she and the pegasus met up in the early days. When they met Rarity for the first time, the unicorn had sent Fluttershy frozen in shock and embarrassment after stroking her tail in the middle of public. To this day Rarity regretted that action.
“Her movements are always graceful and effortless,” Twilight continued throughout Applejack’s reminiscence. “Her eyes always sparkle with love and kindness. And finally, her voice. Anything she says, and I honestly mean this with no offence intended, it just wouldn’t sound just as good if Princess Celestia herself said it. But most of all, I love her heart. It has room for all of Equestria, and it will still have room for more.”
An eyebrow on the earth pony’s forehead was raised far enough to disappear under Applejack’s hat. “Wow, you’re definitely smitten, that much I can see. Now, when did you realise ya love her?”
Twilight stopped moving and looked at the ground in thought. After a while of only listening to the birds sing, Twilight responded. “Do you remember Applebloom telling you about when she and the other cutie mark crusaders stayed at Fluttershy’s?”
Applejack nodded. “Yeah I do. What about it?”
“She saved my life, Applejack,” Twilight went on. “I was frozen in stone. In all aspects I was dead. But she came, like an angel, and saved your sister and me. After that, I felt something for her I had never felt before. At first I thought it was admiration, but it wasn’t until the wedding and seeing my brother smitten with Cadence that realised I wasn’t feeling admiration. So I looked it up and I realised it was love I was feeling all this time. I’m in love, Applejack, and I love it’s feeling.”
Applejack smiled and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “So one last thing, sugar, how exactly are ya goin to tell her?”
Twilight looked towards the ground. “That’s why I came to see you. I know I’m in love, but I don’t know how to say it. I’ve gone through every book I have about love, but nothing at all to help me express it appeared!”
Applejack gave her a wry smile. “To be honest, why am I not surprised? Love is something that cannot be discovered in a book… except for a romance novel but I wouldn’t recommend those. Love is something that needs to come from the heart, Twilight. But it needs to be done delicately, and since we’re talking about the world’s shyest pony, even more so.”
“That’s what I was thinking. So do you have any suggestions?”
“Hmm, how about you take her to a fancy restaurant? Do a proper date?”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Do you even know Fluttershy? A restaurant will be a bad idea; could create a big scene that I, or her, don’t want. And besides, I don’t think she would agree to it.”
“Okay, good point.” Applejack took a moment to think it over. “How about,” she said after a while, “you take her to the zoo? She loves animals so that would be great for her.”
Twilight shook her head. “I asked her to come with me once. It turned into a ten minute rant from Fluttershy about why zoos are cruel and horrible places for keeping animals locked in cages, and believe me Spike counted those minutes. So that’s a big no for that.”
“Hmm,” Applejack sat down and placed a hoof on her chin. “This is tricky.” She stayed silent for a moment, thinking it over, while Twilight stared at her with anticipating eyes. “How about,” she looked up again after a minute, “you take her somewhere.”
Twilight sighed. “But we’ve already agreed that a restaurant…”
“I didn’t mean like that, sugar. I mean somewhere like a holiday. Just ya’ll take a week or so somewhere to relax and let the days roll by. And when she’s comfortable with the place you pick, and has settled in with ya and such, then bam! Ya tell her how ya feel, and then it’s up to Fluttershy.”
“Hmm,” Twilight pondered, “that’s fine. That’s actually better than fine, that’s brilliant! The only question left really is: where to go?” The two ponies fell silent once again as the two thought about where the two could go. While Applejack put a hoof to her chin and thought, Twilight paced up and down in front of her. Suddenly Twilight’s head shot up and she had wide eyes as she thought about something – something she had read ages ago.
‘No, not that, would she really be interested? Really?’ Twilight thought. But a part of it was perfect. She and Fluttershy could spend some time together, they would be getting flowers, and they would be going out somewhere, together. It would be a date with a difference. It was perfect!
“I’ve got it!” Twilight exclaimed, stunning Applejack. “Thank you, Applejack, for your good advice. It has really helped me decide what to do.”
Twilight began trotting away, but didn’t get far when Applejack called out to her. “I’m glad I can be a help, Twi. Good luck getting her!”
“Thanks, AJ. Now if you excuse me, I’ve got to got home and plan out an adventure.” With that, Twilight galloped away from the earth pony, feeling relived that Applejack would accept her love for the pegasus, and above all be willing to help her get the girl.
“Yeah! Ya go and plan an ad-” She trailed off when she realised what Twilight had just said, and her eyes widened in horror. She moved to call Twilight back, but the unicorn was long gone. She sighed heavily and after a moment, returned to apple bucking.
The next day…
“Here you go, my little friends,” Fluttershy said cheerfully to the otters as she gave them the fish they loved so much. Once she threw them out of her mouth she spat out the foul taste of the fish, and then gave them a loving smile as she watched them eat their meals. “I hope you enjoy.”
She walked out from under the bridge, and with a little help from her wings, hopped onto the ground before the door of her cottage and walked up to where Angel bunny was relaxing, with a small carrot in his paws. “Okay, Angel, that’s the otters taken care of. What’s next?”
The bunny saluted, then brought out a clipboard from his back. He eyed it closely before shaking his head and shrugging. “You mean there’s nothing left to do? Again?” Angel nodded and then disappeared into his hutch, glad that everything was done for the day.
Fluttershy sighed sadly, and slowly walked back into her cottage, her head low and her ears flat. As she opened the door she wanted to be greeted by the birds that lived in the birdhouses, the mouse family waving hello to their carer, and the sound of the other little animals that would sometimes be here.
She sighed sadly when she saw noone. The mice had moved away when they found a massive place they could live in, Fluttershy even helped them move in. She was sad about their leaving but she knew they didn’t want to stay cooped up here forever. The birds had flown away to start their own families in nests outside of her home. The other animals had all left to raise their families also, and the otters will soon be leaving once they were back at full strength.
She hopped onto her couch and collapsed on top of it, with a heavy sigh escaping her lips. The fact her animal friends had left to start their own families, and go on adventures of their own, hadn’t left her depressed at all. In fact, she was bored – really, really bored.
With the animals all outside taking care of themselves, it left her with far less to do, and with her pony friends busy during the summer, even less. She raised herself up into a sitting position and rested her head on the windowsill, looking towards the Everfree forest.
For the past few weeks she was getting tired of the same routine that had been drilled into her for a long time. Every day ran like this: get up, feed the chickens, feed Angel, get more food, lunchtime, sit around, feed the animals, eat dinner, brush teeth and go to bed. That was what it had been like for her for the past three or so weeks, and she had had enough.
She looked to her bookcase on her left and saw the first book of the Daring Do series, while next to it where the others that Rainbow had finished and had leant to her, with Twilight’s consent, of course.
Rainbow had been the one who showed her the Daring Do series, and once Fluttershy had picked up the first book she couldn’t put it down. Once she had stopped reading and went to sleep she would dream she was on one of Daring’s adventures, or even an adventurer like Daring.
Now she just wished she could just go out there and see the world like the explorer. See incredible sights and listen to amazing sounds. Find exotic animals and become their friends, and just do something rather than being cooped up in the cottage all the time.
She felt the slight tap of a bunny’s paw on her left flank, which brought her out of her brooding. She turned around and faced Angel, who looked at her with concerned eyes. The rabbit pointed to the door, and made a swinging motion with his paws. Angel knew what Fluttershy wanted to do, and wanted her to do it, to make her happy. But what was holding her back? The animals that were left could more or less look after themselves for a while, and the cottage could cope without her for a bit. So what was really, holding her here?
It was simple. Because she was afraid to.
Fluttershy smiled at Angel and gave him a gentle stroke on the head. “Oh, Angel, it’s not as easy as that. I can’t just go wandering off into the blue. I’m a pony, of Ponyville.” She emphasised this with a raised hoof. “And as such I’ve got important matters to deal with.” She looked away from her pet bunny and looked back outside. “Besides, it’s not like an adventure is going to come knocking on my door.”
As if fate was listening, the door banged suddenly three times. Fluttershy screamed and jumped in the air. When she opened her eyes she found herself upside down, clinging onto the ceiling with her hooves. “Wh-who is it?” she called.
“It’s me. Twilight,” came the reply. At once, Fluttershy fell from the ceiling and landed on her back with a thump. She quickly got up, shook her head to rid herself of her dizziness and walked to the door.
She opened it to find Twilight standing there with a small, nervous smile on her face. “Hi, Fluttershy,” Twilight greeted her.
“Hello, Twilight,” Fluttershy replied with a welcoming smile. She cocked her head slightly to the side. “Are you alright?”
“Oh yes, I’m fine. Why do you ask? Is it my mane! Does it look untidy?”
Fluttershy shook her head. “It looks… fine. It’s just you seem nervous about something, that’s all. Do you want a cup of tea? It’s your favourite.”
Twilight nodded. “Oh I would love you- love that, thank you,” she blurted out. Fluttershy didn’t notice the slip up as she trotted away from the door and made her way to the kitchen to put on the kettle.
Twilight walked in and shut the door gently behind her. She walked over to the couch and made herself comfortable. As she waited for Fluttershy to return she looked around the house. Even though she had been here about a hundred times she still loved the tranquillity of her friend’s home, but this time there was something missing. It took a while but it soon clicked. It was too quiet. No birds, no animals scurrying about. Nothing.
“Hey, Fluttershy, where’s all your little animal friends?” she called into the kitchen.
Fluttershy emerged a few seconds later with a tray in her hooves, filled with two cups and a large teapot with Fluttershy’s cutie mark on it. “I can never understand how you can do that. Hold trays or anything for that matter without a horn, I mean,” Twilight said, impressed by Fluttershy’s skill.
“Oh, it takes a while but you get used to it,” Fluttershy replied.
‘Oh darn her voice is so sweet,’ Twilight thought. ‘Sweet music to my ears it is. Why she can blather on about anything and I won’t ever get bored of listening to her.’
She came back into focus when Fluttershy spoke again. “And all the animals have left to start their own families, or go out in the world. It’s just me and Angel now, most of the time anyway.”
Fluttershy set the tray down and sat on the chair next to the couch. “Why haven’t you come over and visit then?” Twilight asked.
Fluttershy squeaked and hid behind her mane. ‘Darn that gorgeous mane of hers,’ Twilight thought, smiling dreamingly at her. ‘You can’t imagine her without it.’
“I’m sorry but I didn’t want to disturb you. I thought you might be busy with studies and I was worried I might get in the way,” Fluttershy replied.
Twilight smiled warmly. “You never disturb me, Fluttershy. And you certainly never get in the way.” Twilight picked up a cup and the teapot and poured out some tea for herself. She then put down hers and picked up Fluttershy’s and poured out her tea.
“Oh, thank you,” Fluttershy said as the cup of tea hovered in front of her. She caught it in her hooves and took a sip. “So what brings you here, Twilight? Not that I don’t mind you just coming over for a visit, of course.”
Twilight nearly spilled her tea. She was so focused on looking at Fluttershy and listening to her that she forgot what she was here for. “Oh yes, of course. Well…” she trailed off, unsure of how to say it.
Fluttershy leaned over and took her hoof in her own. “It’s okay, Twilight, you can say anything to me.”
‘Yeah, I wish I could say three words to you. And she’s touching my hoof, she’s touching my hoof, she’s touching my hoof!’ Twilight squealed joyously in thought. ‘Focus, Twilight, focus!’
She went back into focus upon realising that she should say something. “Well… the thing is… I’m looking for somepony to share in an adventure.”
Fluttershy tilted her head slightly in interest. It seemed as if somepony had smiled on her after all. “Um… where to, if it’s okay to ask?”
Twilight got out from behind her a small scroll and unwrapped it for Fluttershy to look at. On the scroll was a single picture of a flower, a flower that the pegasus had never seen before. Its petals were bright silver, the stem was purple, and its pedicel was blood red.
“This flower was once discovered by a explorer many years ago. But before he could catalogue it, he had a terrible accident and lost his memory. Therefore, his assistants had to take his bearings and write out where they were. However, the records were slightly jumbled and nopony has been able to truly find their actual location,” Twilight explained.
Fluttershy nodded. “Okay, so what do you propose?”
“Well, I thought we could go and find the map, then use it to figure out the flower’s location. How does that sound?” Twilight knew she was taking a big chance at this. Fluttershy was a shy, reclusive pony who usually stayed indoors. Although she loved that about her, just this once she wanted her to say…
“Yes,” Fluttershy said. “It sounds lovely.” Twilight wanted to bite herself to see of she wasn’t dreaming. There was nothing about what Fluttershy just said that sounded like she was just saying it so not to offend her, or seemed not too keen. In fact, it was the complete opposite. “Have you asked any of our other friends about this?” Fluttershy asked with a small smile.
“Um…” Twilight began. ‘Well no I didn’t because I love you and I wanted this to be just you and me,’ she wanted to say. Instead she said, “I have, and they said they couldn’t make it. So if you want to come along then that would be great.”
Fluttershy looked away in thought. Sure she wanted something like this, but what about her responsibilities here, in Ponyville? “Oh don’t worry about your animal friends. Spike already said he would take care of them while we’re away.”
Fluttershy looked at Twilight in surprise. ‘Wow, it’s like she can read my thoughts. Almost like we’re connected in some way,’ she thought. Even with that matter dealt with, there was still the one about the company.
Although she loved Twilight like a sister, Fluttershy would’ve preferred it if the others would come, to help them both if they got into trouble, which according to most adventure stories was most likely. She felt herself tremble as the seconds turned into minutes. She had wanted this for a long time, but now it was here, why was she hesitating? She looked at Twilight and saw the pleading yet loving eyes coming from the unicorn, and suddenly felt more at ease. She then realised that Twilight would protect her, if it came to it, and be a comfort for her, like she always has been. She eyed Angel quickly, who was nodding his head furiously, goading her to go for it. She suddenly had her answer.
“Don’t worry about giving me an answer yet, if you want,” Twilight said, getting off the couch. “You know where I live so drop on by later. Thanks for the tea.” She turned around and made her way to the front door.
“Wait!” Fluttershy called. Twilight stopped, and quickly turned back to face her. “Let’s do this,” she whispered, barely audible to the unicorn.
Twilight spun around and walked a step towards her. “Sorry?”
She looked up and nodded her head, confidence plain in the pegasus’s eyes. “Okay, Twilight, let’s do this.”
Twilight put on a huge grin, which Fluttershy could’ve sworn made an squee sound when she did it. Twilight let out a “yay” then leapt onto Fluttershy like a predator and brought her in a big hug. After recovering from the surprise hug Fluttershy returned the gesture. ‘Oh she just wrapped her forelegs around me!’ Twilight giggled.
“What are you giggling about?” Fluttershy asked.
“Oh, just a joke Pinkie Pie told me a while ago,” she smirked. ‘She’ll never know, until she knows.’
They stayed in each other’s embrace for a long time, to which Fluttershy was starting to feel a little awkward, and she needed to go to the bathroom. “Um… Twilight… I’m sorry about this but would you mind letting go? I kind of need the bathroom.”
Twilight instantly let go and backed away, a small pink blush on her cheeks. ‘She looks quite cute with a blush,’ Fluttershy thought. Her eyes widened in surprise as she thought that.
“Sorry about that. I just couldn’t believe it. Well, I’ll let you get on. I’ll meet you here tomorrow and together we’ll set off for Canterlot,” Twilight said as she walked towards the door, with Fluttershy close behind to see her out.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Fluttershy said sincerely with a smile. Fluttershy opened the door, allowing Twilight to leave.
“So am I,” Twilight said. “I better get started packing. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“See you tomorrow, Twilight. Take care going home!” She gave Twilight a little wave as she watched her friend cross the bridge and make her way back into Ponyville, seemingly prancing in glee. Once Twilight was out of sight she closed the door and pressed her back against it, a small goofy grin on her face.
She noticed Angel looking at her and smiled. “Will you be alright if I go away for a while?” Angel nodded furiously, almost as if he was eager about it. “I thought you would.” She made her towards the stairs and to the bathroom. As she walked she couldn’t help thinking about why she thought about Twilight as cute. She had never thought about her like that, or any of her friends for that matter, nor did she want to.
She shook her head, clearing such thoughts, and made her way up the stairs two at a time. “After the bathroom,” she said to herself, “I’ll start getting packed and leave out instructions for Angel and Spike to follow.” She squealed in joy. “Oh, this is gonna be fun!”