The sun rose over the hills of the nearby apple acres. Sunlight hit the second story of the Sugar Cube Corner, where a particularly flamboyant pink pony lived. Pinkie Pie, the corner’s most devoted customer and worker slowly stirred then woke, and went through her regular routine. First to stretch you have to be limber to jump everywhere you go and squeeze into bowls of sponges. Then to brush her teeth, and what better than sugar paste and sugar water to rinse.
As the pink mare looked into the mirror she thought to herself:
Ok Pinkie today is the day so don’t be a big bowl of jell-o you have to be strong you have to be a cookie.
Oh yes today was the day, the day when she would put it all on the line and either her heart will fly or break, like a cookie dropped from a hundred feet in the air to the hard gravel. But before we get to this special moment lets meet this other pony.
Far off from Ponyville on the edge of the Everfree Forest that same morning. A very different sort of pony lived. This one was very shy and very very beautiful, though she used her bangs to good effect to hide this fact. Her name was Fluttershy and when your name has the word shy in it you don’t have much choice to be anything but. Besides being shy she was a big scaredy-pony, and no sooner had she woken up than she proved this fact. The yellow pegasus sat up from her bed and heard a squeak then, almost instantly she let out a squeal and hid under her loft. This squeak turned out to be nothing more than her pet rabbit Angel. He was there to inform her of her get together with Pinkie Pie at the park. Of course rabbits can’t talk that’s completely silly. He merely pointed at a note that the pink pony hoof wrote herself:
Dear Fluttershy;
Can you meet me at the park for a little get together there’s going to be cake and balloons just you and me girlfriend. It’ll be great we can talk and eat, dance then eat and then there‘s the surprise I have in store for you I can’t wait see you there.
-Pinkie Pie
“Oh thank you Angel I nearly forgot thanks.”
Now as Fluttershy reached the park she noticed something odd about the pink pony. Not only was there an extreme lack of balloons but there was also the strangest expression on Pinkie’s face. It wasn’t its usual bubbly structure it was a face that almost seemed scared or maybe even sad if that was a possible expression the usually cheery pony could make. Fluttershy was officially worried she made a mental note to be extra tactful.
Seeing Fluttershy walking closer to her, Pinkie tried her best to put on a smile though she knew there was no hiding her true feeling to the likes of Fluttershy. She tried her best to set up the picnic area but in her love struck state she forgot to get the balloons and the cake, all she remembered was the blanket and some cupcakes hardly the norm when Pinkie Pie is planning a party.
Now that they were at the park Pinkie had Fluttershy all to herself. She was free to tell Fluttershy whatever she wanted without the risk of any pony overhearing.
“Hey Fluttershy glad you could make it, sorry I didn’t bring balloons or cake.”
The pegasus gave Pinkie Pie a gracious smile before answering.
“Oh its okay I don’t mind, just knowing that you have a surprise is enough for me.”
The curly mane pony gave a terrible shutter there was no way she could tell Fluttershy now, now that the whole picnic was ruined because of her forgetfulness. All her courage completely sank out of her stomach; just looking into Fluttershy’s tear-drop eyes with their lovely shade of blue-green made her voice quiver and mouth dry. The pink pony took a deep breath:
“Right the surprise…the surprise is that we get to hang out together just you and me. And we get to talk by ourselves and eat cupcakes and play together it’ll be great.”
Pinkie knew that the shy pony would be happy no matter what she said, but Pinkie was still sad that she was still too cowardly to tell the lovely yellow pony her feelings.
Maybe it’s for the best what if she doesn’t return my feelings what if she hates me for it and never talks to me again then I’ll be alone forever…Forever…FOREVER…why though… why. I just don’t want to rush this O’well …
“OOO lets play hide and seek you can hide and I’ll come find you just be sure to actually hide how can I seek if you don’t hide I mean duh it’s called hide and seek so you just have to hide by the time I count to ten okay.”
“Okay… I’ll hide um’ do you promise to find me?”
Fluttershy was terribly scared of hide and seek. Not the actual game itself but the chance that no one would find her.
“Ok scary pants I promise I’ll find you, cross my heart hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye.”
The frightened pony gave a sigh of relief, when Pinkie gave one of her famous Pinkie Pie swears there was no breaking it no matter what.
“Well now let’s begin: one, two, three…”
As Pinkie counted Fluttershy looked for somewhere to hide. Atop a tree? No, too high maybe in a nearby cave? No, too dark. Where can she hide and not be scared… of course! Behind a bush perfect, Pinkie Pie would never find her.
“Ready or not here I come!”
Where could she be?
Pinkie started looking around she didn’t take more than three hops before she saw a long pink tail growing out of a bush. She let out a sigh the bouncy pony was hoping to at least have some trouble finding that pink tail. The pink pony crouched down ready to strike.
One, two, THREE!
Pinkie leaped forward straight into the bush. Then somehow she landed on top of Fluttershy. Pinkie was flustered to be this close to Fluttershy only an inch apart. Pinkie’s heart was racing she couldn’t move, her face turned as red as Big Mac. Then without thinking she drew here head close to the pegasus and nuzzled her neck affectionately.
Now it was the pegasus’ turn to be red she couldn’t believe what the earth pony was doing. She didn’t know how to feel, but somehow she liked to have the pink pony so close it made Fluttershy feel safe and protected. But she still didn’t know how to feel about this flamboyant pony, she just didn’t know if this was right.
“Um’ Pinkie why are you nuzzling me n-not that I’m telling you to stop, but why are you doing it?”
The earth pony froze she had been in complete bliss until she heard Fluttershy utter those words.
“Well… because I-I feel this tingling sensation whenever your near. I can’t think right I forget everything like the balloons and cake I forgot them because I couldn’t get you out of my head. Everything I eat has no flavor all the colors lost their gleam. You’re why I wake up in the morning, who I dream about at night. Fluttershy… I l-love you.”
All the pegasus could do was stare. Stare into Pinkie’s blue eyes. The yellow pony was breathing heavily then she took a breath and muttered only four words…
“I can’t love you.”
Pinkie was devastated her eyes began to get teary.
“Why not?”
Fluttershy gulped in a breath before answering.
“Because it’s wrong mares aren’t supposed to be with other mares. All my life I’ve only seen mares be with colts. I was told it was wrong for mares to be with mares.”
There were tears in the pegasus’ eyes. And it pained her to see Pinkie so hurt. But something else was bothering her deep inside herself she felt a sensation that she had never felt before it warmed her but at the same time frightened her. She knew she liked Pinkie, but did she love her? Fluttershy had this battle raging inside of her: Will she defy all her teachings of what is acceptable in the world and be with the pink pony or will she be too scared to take a chance at happiness and break Pinkies heart?
“Pinkie I love you too, b-but I can’t just disobey what I have been taught I’m sorry terribly sorry, but it’s w-wrong that you feel this way and wrong that you want us to be t-together.”
Pinkie began to get angry.
“Wrong or are you just too scared to be happy?!”
The upset pony turned around and stormed off leaving Fluttershy behind the bush to sob and think of Pinkie’s words. Whereas Pinkie went straight to Sugar Cube Corner, went to the counter and ordered:
“Get me a doughnut with extra sprinkles.”
Mr. Cake brought her the doughnut and walked away thinking that whatever was bothering the party pony it was better to leave her to her thoughts. And so it was, there was Pinkie Pie alone at the counter with her doughnut and her thoughts. Pinkie took a bite out of her baked good, but quickly spat it out sobbing as she did so. As she feared it had no taste what so ever it was as bland as white bread dipped in water.
It’s no use I can’t get her out of my mind I guess I just have to get used to it…
Back at the park Fluttershy was laying behind that bush for what seemed like forever then without thinking slowly got up to her hooves and made her way homeward. She walked slowly thinking of what had just accrued wondering if she truly felt as Pinkie did. She thought back to the moment when Pinkie Pie nuzzled her neck and how her warmth filled her. How Pinkie made her feel safe, how Pinkie’s smile always made things seem better, how infectious her laugh was. And her random singing was so adorable it always made Fluttershy smile. By the time Fluttershy reached her cottage the moon was rising. She entered her home and lied in her bed. Fluttershy dreamed of her and Pinkie sharing a house, living together and sleeping in the same bed. The sleeping pony woke with a start blushing terribly; she wanted to get her mind as far away from that bed as possible. But just thinking of how it would be to live with Pinkie Pie, she imagined that all there would be to eat was sweets and nothing to drink but chocolate milk. Which she didn’t mind at all, she loved all those things. It was Pinkie Pie she was worried about would the yellow pegasus be able to tolerate Pinkie’s constant talking or her instantaneous singing. But then she thought that it wasn’t a question of would she be able to tolerate it rather it was a question of would she be able to live without it.
Pinkie Pie stumbled up the stairs into her bed and passed out. She dreamed of darkness and loneliness only to wake up crying. She decided from that day on she would stop at nothing to be with Fluttershy. If that meant she had to break through the shy pegasus’ self restraining ways so be it. Though the hung over pony wasn’t sure how she would go about doing that perhaps just simple get-togethers until they were comfortable enough to go on actual dates, but whatever it was Pinkie was just glad that she would be able to see Fluttershy even if they had to remain friends for now. Pinkie went to work writing another note but before she even started writing it there was a note at the door:
Pinkie I’m sorry about what happened yesterday. Please you have to understand I was just shocked at what you did. Please come back to the park this afternoon so we can talk about what happened.
- Fluttershy
The nervous pony’s hooves where shaking while she read this letter. She panicked:
What could Fluttershy want to talk about what if she doesn’t want to be friends anymore…
Pinkie’s mind began to wonder and she came dangerously close to going crazy again. But she stopped herself in time to put on a smile; she gave Fluttershy the benefit of the doubt.
As Pinkie reached the park she couldn’t believe her eyes. There was Fluttershy sitting on a bench with a pink cake in her hooves. Pinkie just stared into Fluttershy’s eyes and the yellow pony returned a smile:
“Hi Pinkie I’m glad that you could make it”
Pinkie was speechless, all the fear she had stored in her had all but disappeared. There were tears in her eyes when she answered:
“Oh it was nothing I was going to suggest we do the same but you beat me to it. So what do you want to talk about?”
Fluttershy quickly looked to the ground and began to blush. Her voice began quiver:
“W-well um’ when you nuzzled my neck I-I felt a um’ sensation I’ve never felt before. When you were so close to me I-I felt so safe and protected.”
Pinkie couldn’t believe what she was hearing it was as if this were all a dream. Tears started flooding her eyes and she ran to Fluttershy’s side and leaned against her. But the blushing pony had more to say:
“But… I’m still not sure if I want to be with you I-I mean I’m not sure if this is right or not”
Pinkie had just about had it. She was about to explode:
“Now that is enough what’s so wrong about it huh what’s so wrong about two fillies in love; love is love it doesn’t matter if I love a colt or a filly. All that matters is that we’re happy together and that’s, that.”
Pinkie was gasping for air that speech came from the heart and Fluttershy knew it. Fluttershy offered a slice of cake, but Pinkie turned it down only to stand up and glare into Fluttershy’s eyes.
“Now tell me how can it be bad if we’re happy why can’t you just trust me on this let’s just go on one date and you’ll see that it isn’t so bad, ok?”
Fluttershy turned her head to the ground and whispered.
“Ok.”
Pinkie Pie was now ecstatic she couldn’t believe her ears. She was hopping in circles laughing and crying at the same time.
“OH goodie goodie goodie! I have just the place ok ok so you go home and rest and get prettied up and I’ll let you know where and when we’re going I’ll get dressed up and you’ll get dressed up and we’ll go somewhere really fancy it’ll be perfect”
Pinkie was full on galloping now. Her speech was sped up so fast that all her words were slurred together it was a flood of nonsense. Then Pinkie stopped in her tracks and looked into Fluttershy’s eyes and gave her an affectionate hug and whispered.
“I promise I won’t be overbearing I’ll be as gentle as you in every way I won’t do anything that would make you uncomfortable.”
Then Pinkie let go and kissed Fluttershy on the cheek and walked away only to look back and give Fluttershy a smile from ear to ear. Fluttershy just sat and touched her cheek and smiled. It was as if she never felt this kind of love before as if all her problems melted away and all that was left was warmth. And again she made her way homeward, to wait for Pinkie’s dinner plans.
There was so much for Pinkie to plan in so little time. First she had to find out where to eat and what to wear not to mention what time to pick up Fluttershy. Pinkie decided it was best to go to the Cube and just plan there. Now in her room Pinkie went to her desk pulled out paper and a quill and wrote down her preparations, after an hour of busy writing Pinkie finally finished her plan. It was decided that Mr. and Mrs. Cake would help cater for the evening and she would decorate the Sugar Cube Corner which meant that she would put up curtains, place silk table cloths on the tables, and put up a beautiful crystal chandelier that Rarity made for her. When they were done the sun was setting and the Cube looked like a five star restaurant. Pinkie quickly went upstairs to shower and change. She put on a silk tuxedo with a coattail that covered her flank and top hat. She winked at herself in the mirror and went out the door to pick up Fluttershy.
As Pinkie reached the little cottage she saw a shadow against the curtains of Fluttershy’s bedroom window. This shadow was taking off an article of clothing, Pinkie looked away afraid she was watching something she wasn’t supposed to. So she turned her head towards the stars and gazed at them for a while before turning back to the cottage. Seeing that the shadow was gone she knocked on the door three times, and waited for some time before the yellow pegasus came from out the door wearing a golden dress with dark yellow lace around its edge the entire dress seemed to make Fluttershy sparkle. Pinkie’s jaw dropped she didn’t believe that Fluttershy could look more beautiful than she did now.
Fluttershy looked down to the floor and blushed.
“Shall we go?”
Pinkie couldn’t hide her excitement it took all her will power to keep from singing.
“Of course. Next stop Sugar Cube Corner.”
Fluttershy merely nodded and started walking alongside Pinkie
Pie looking to the ground as she did so.