Have you ever had of those feelings where everything just feels lost? Like you’ve spent such a long time working towards something, only to have it crushed into a million pieces in the blink of an eye? …Just like your heart?
Because that’s how I felt right now.
I felt like my whole life was over. And all because of those harsh, harsh words.
“I DON'T LIKE MARES! I ONLY DATE STALLIONS AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE! NOT NOW, AND NOT EVER! I AM NOT ONE OF YOU SICK AND TWISTED MARE-LOVING FREAKS, AND I NEVER WILL BE!”
They sting. They really sting.
Every time I think about what she said, I feel another spear going into my heart, followed by another gallon of tears from my eyes.
I was in a dark place. And nopony could drag me out of it.
Or so I thought.
-KNOCK- -KNOCK-
“W-who’s there?”
“It’s me, Sweetie Belle! I have something to tell you!”
“And… you’re sure that that’s what she said?”
“Yup!” Sweetie Belle and I sat on the couch together as she told me about her conversation with Rarity. “She said, that if it was one of her closest friends, then she would go on a date with them.”
“And, you didn’t mention my name, did you?”
“Nope! She doesn’t suspect a thing. I just asked her what she would do if it was a close friend. And nopony’s a closer friend to her than you, right?”
“I… guess so.”
“So what are you worried about? She’s gotta say yes if you just ask her! And then while you’re on that date, maybe she’ll finally fall in love too!”
I wish it could be that simple.
“But I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because, I just don’t have the courage. I thought I did, but… when Rarity yelled like that at the speed dating thing, then— I don’t know. I just lost all my strength there. And I’m not sure I can ever make it come back…”
I heard a sniffle. But, the surprisingly thing was… it wasn’t me sniffling.
It was Sweetie Belle.
“It’s all my fault.”
“What? No, it’s not—“
“YES, IT IS!” She swung her head back around, and her eyes were getting teary. She was going to cry, and it was breaking my heart. “I’m the one who told you to go there, and get in line! You would’ve just gone home if it weren’t for me, and now because of me, you’ve lost all your courage and can’t confess to her anymore. Every time I try to help, I just ruin everything…”
“That’s not true, Sweetie Belle. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Thanks for lying to try to make me feel better… but it’s not working.”
I handed her my box of tissues to blow her nose with, as I turned around and glanced up at my clock. Now we were both feeling down, with no ideas left on how to keep going.
Except… there was one thing I hadn’t done yet.
“Hey, Sweetie Belle. Can I ask you a question?”
“Huh?”
“When you needed help on confessing your feelings to Spike, what did you do?”
I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before. Sweetie Belle was once in the same place I was, back when she had a crush on Spike and didn’t know what to do.
So I finally realized, that… maybe she could give me some ideas.
“Well, I-I don’t know. One of the first things I did was talk to you about it; that helped a little. But I was still stuck in… what does Rarity call it? ‘Stuck in a root’?”
“Rut.”
“Yeah. I was stuck in a rut, until… Rarity made me tell her what was wrong, and then she helped me figure out how to win Spike over. She and Pinkie even staged a whole set-up to get us together so I could finally tell him. You know what? I probably wouldn’t have been able to tell him how I feel without her help.”
I had to think about this for a minute. She had trouble figuring out what to do… until I, and then Rarity, helped her out. She was only able to open herself up after getting help from… from us.
And then it hit me.
“That’s it!”
“What’s it?”
“I’ve been trying so long to confess to Rarity, but I couldn’t get anywhere… because I was keeping it all a secret! But I finally told you about my feelings, and you were able to find out from Rarity that I might still have a chance!”
And then, it came to me even more, as I finally pieced together what I was going to do. I got up from my chair, as I started to get more and more excited.
“I’ve got it now! I need to tell my friends how I feel about Rarity first! Once I’ve told them, then they might be able to help me figure out what to do! You just gave me a great idea, Sweetie Belle!”
“You mean…” She got up too. “I actually did help?”
“Of course! I would still be on the couch crying and thinking it’s all hopeless if it wasn’t for you!” I picked her up and gave her a big hug to show her my thanks. “Oh thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you so much!”
“Agh! You’re… welcome! I’m so… happy for you, Fluttershy, but… can you please… let me go now? I can’t… breathe!”
I talked to Pinkie Pie first, and asked her if she could get the rest of our friends to come over to the Sugarcube Corner after-hours. Well, the rest of our friends except for Rarity, obviously, and Rainbow Dash, who was still with her mom in Cloudsdale.
So that just left Twilight, Applejack, Spike, and Pinkie herself to show up. Pinkie had us all sit down at a table in a corner of the store.
“So what is this all about, Pinkie?” said Applejack.
“Is it something important?” said Twilight.
“The reason I brought you all here…” Suddenly, she grabbed my shoulders. “…is because Fluttershy says she has something really super-duper important to tell us!”
“I— Um…”
“What is it?” asked Spike.
“Okay…” I gulped. “Do you guys promise not to laugh at me or… hate me, or anything?”
“Of course!” said Twilight.
“Sure!” said Spike.
“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”
“Aw shucks Sugarcube, why in tarnation would we do that?”
“Okay, well you see… the truth is, I— I—” I took a really big breath, closed my eyes, and flinched away. “I have a crush on Rarity.”
“...What?”
“Beg pardon?”
“I said I have a crush on Rarity.”
“Can y’all speak a little louder, pumpkin?”
“I HAVE A CRUSH ON RARITY!”
I looked at my friends again, panting. They all looked at each other, and then, to my surprise… all sighed and smiled.
“Well, it’s about time you said something!” said Spike.
“Yeah, really? I was beginnin’ to think y’all were just gonna keep it a secret the rest of yer life!”
“Oh my gosh! Me too!”
I was… not expecting that.
“You mean… you all knew?” I said.
“Well, of course!” said Applejack. “Ya never were all that subtle about it.”
“Pretty much everyone around here could tell,” said Spike.
“Yeah! I thought for sure everypony knew about it by now!” said Pinkie Pie.
Twilight looked a little sad, though. “I have to be honest… I actually didn’t know. Spike was the one who told me… I’m so happy for you, though!”
“Uh-huh!” Just then, Pinkie Pie came over and gave me a really tight hug. “Our little Fluttershy is in love, and now she’s about to have her own special somepony!”
“Thank you. You girls don’t know how much it means to me to get that off my chest.”
“I got a question,” said Applejack. “Does Rarity know?”
“I haven’t told her yet,” I admitted.
“Probably not, then,” said Twilight. “When Spike had a crush on R—”
“TWILIGHT!” Pinkie suddenly screamed. “You can’t break a Pinkie promise!”
Spike started scratching his head. “But, it’s not much of a secret anymore, since I don’t—”
“SSSHHH!”
“That’s why I told you guys,” I explained. “I was hoping… you could help me out with how to tell her.”
“I see what you mean. After that… outburst Rarity made, I can see why you’d be a little afraid to just tell her straight out.”
“Huh? Outburst? What outburst?” asked Pinkie.
“Rarity got really mad at a mare who was asking her out on a date when I was helping her on a speed dating experiment. She got so mad that… Rarity kicked and started yelling about, well—”
“…about how she doesn’t like other mares, and thinks a mare who does is a freak,” I finished.
Pinkie gasped loudly. “You mean, she actually said that? How could she be so mean? That doesn’t sound like Rarity to me!”
“Yeah, of all the nerve!” said Applejack. “We should go over to the Boutique right now and give her a stern talking to about hurtin' other ponies’ feelings!”
“No, please!” I pleaded. “Please don’t. I don’t— Rarity doesn’t deserve all that.”
“I understand ya love her and all, Sugarcube, but—”
“Just… let’s not. I just want to confess my feelings towards her. I feel like, if I do that… maybe she’ll change her mind.”
“I got it!” said Twilight. “What if we all followed you over there and cheered you on from the side? Then, that might give you all the confidence you need to finally tell her!”
“Hey, that’s a great idea!” She grabbed Twilight by the neck and started rubbing her head. “Isn’t our Twilight Sparkle just the smartest, most clever pony in the whole entire world?”
“Um… thanks… Pinkie?”
“Okay. Let’s do it, then.” I took another sigh, and put on my game face. “I’m ready.”
The next thing I know, I’m marching down Ponyville square, towards the Carousel Boutique. Towards Rarity’s house.
Because I’m going to do it this time.
No going back.
Finally going to tell her.
I’m going to tell Rarity that I love her.
My friends all followed behind me. Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Spike were all there. And they were with me every step of the way.
“Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie started cheering. “Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Fluttershy!”
Soon enough, I started to cheer the rest of my friends cheering too. First, Twilight. And then Spike. Then, Applejack.
“Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Fluttershy!”
On my way there, I saw Sweetie Belle and waved over to her. She smiled at me, went up to Spike, and gave him a kiss on the cheek before cheering alongside my friends.
“Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Fluttershy!”
Soon enough, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo came up and cheered too. Then, Bon Bon and Heartstr— I mean, Lyra cheered too as they passed by. Then, Cheerilee. Then Golden Harvest and Berryshine. Then the mayor. Then Roseluck, Lily Valley, and Daisy Wishes.
Before I knew it, it seemed like everypony in the square was cheering my name, and some are now even walking alongside my friends.
“FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY!”
With a whole army of friends cheering me on, I’ve begun to feel empowered. I really think I can finally do it. With all my friends supporting me, yes.
I CAN DO THIS!
Coming up on the boutique now! Almost there!
Up the driveway… To the door…
“FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! YEEAAHHH!”
“RARITY! Are you home?”
“F-Fluttershy!?”