//------------------------------// // Basket Case // Story: Prosopoanothenphobia // by TheTalentlessPony //------------------------------// "Mmmm...nnn?" Opening her eyes somewhat as she awoke, Fluttershy sat up and took note of her surroundings, the blanket that had warmed her slowly sliding down her body as she did so. "Hm? Where..." "Mornin', sugarcube!" Applejack called from the kitchen, wheeling in a small cart to the yellow pegasus afterwards. "Apple...jack? What's... oh, right..." Fluttershy blushed slightly as she ran a hoof through her mane, taking a moment to rub her head and yawn. The memories of the day before then steadily returned to her as she surveyed the cart that rested before her; a plate of apple turnovers laid on it, along with a bowl of apple muesli, an apple streusel bar, and a cup of tea with... you guessed it: an apple slice inside. "Ohh... you didn't have to," she told the orange mare, feeling rather guilty that her friend went through all the trouble of making her breakfast. "Think nothin' of it, Fluttershy." Taking a seat next to the yellow pegasus, Applejack then leaned over and grinned. "Just think of it as a thanks for makin' a sweet apple picnic for mah big brother." Fluttershy smiled sheepishly, feeling rather overwhelmed by her friend's hospitality, then shyly picked up a turnover and began to eat. "...I can't possibly eat this all by myself though... would you maybe like some?" she asked in-between bites; that turnover was just too darn good to put down. The orange mare simply nodded in reply, happily taking the other turnover and digging in as well. "So, ya got any plans for afterwards?" "...Afterwards?" "Ya know; after the picnic. What're ya gonna do then?" Applejack asked, smiling slightly at how much her friend was enjoying the meal. "Oh! Well... I... I guess I didn't really plan too much..." Fluttershy admitted, blushing slightly in embarrassment. "That's alright. Too strict a schedule's no good." Swallowing the rest of her turnover with a bit of nervousness, the orange mare then looked away and smiled sheepishly. "Had to learn that one the hard way actually." "Oh yeah?" The yellow pegasus asked as she offered the apple streusal bar to her friend, which was happily taken and bitten into. "Either way, I really don't have much planned. I was just hoping to... ur..." Pausing to finish her turnover and move onto the muesli, her blush increased as she recalled the crimson stallion. "...talk." "Talk, eh?" Applejack asked, unable to hold back a giggle at her friend's timidness. "Gonna tell him anythin' important?" "...Possibly." Fluttershy replied nervously, making the orange mare chuckle even further. "Don't you worry, sugarcube. Everything's gonna be just fine." "I sure hope so..." As the yellow pegasus glanced back down at her empty bowl, she smiled slightly and removed the apple slice from her tea, offering it to Applejack with a smile. "You... need to make everything with apples, don't you?" "...Eeyup." The two then shared a laugh as they finished up the rest of their meal, with Applejack completing her end of the food first; though Fluttershy wasn't too far behind. "Alright, now ya better be goin' on your way now. Today's the day-off for us Apples, an' Big Macintosh usually goes on some real long walks then; better go catch him 'fore he does," the orange mare warned. "W-what!?" Frantically, the yellow pegasus scrambled off the couch and grabbed the basket handle in her mouth, rushing out the door as quickly as she could without spilling anything inside. "G-good luck!" her friend called from behind. SCREEEEEECH! Fluttershy was forced to halt her gallop as an animal charged out in front of her. Looking down at it however, she noticed that it wasn't just any animal. It was a bunny. ...A very familiar-looking bunny. ...Uh oh... Placing her basket down, she trotted up to her pet bunny Angel, who tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for an explanation as to where his owner had been. "L-look Angel bunny. I... I'm terribly sorry that I couldn't get back home yesterday..." The bunny continued to glare at her... "...a-and I promise that I'll make you your special veggie breakfast as soon as I get back, but I really, really don't think I can at the moment." Angel just continued to scowl at the yellow pegasus, not looking swayed at all by her plea. "Y-you'll forgive me... r-right?" The bunny was silent for a moment, staring at the basket at first, then gazing back at Fluttershy. And... unfortunately, forgiveness was the last thing on Angel's mind, as the angry animal suddenly rushed forward and slammed into the basket, causing it to slowly tip over until- "N-NO!" The yellow pegasus acted quickly, jumping at the woven object and managing to salvage it just before it ended up upside-down. "A-Angel, I-" Fluttershy paused for a moment as she turned her head, then sighed. He ran off...probably to tell all the other animals how much of a 'meanie-head' I am, just like last time... Placing the basket back in its original position, she then took a look around, trying to focus back on her earlier task. Alright...now, before Angel came by and almost tipped the basket over, I was searching for- Freezing in place, her thoughts suddenly caught up to her. The basket. It hadn't tipped over, but... It had still been rustled to a great extent. ...No no no no no... Turning her attention back to her hard work, she hesitantly reached for the lid and opened it up, wavering for a split-second before looking inside. "..." Saddening, the yellow pegasus slowly closed the lid back up and sat down, looking to the ground with a rather somber expression. Her specially-made desserts had all been squished by the bowls and pie, and even said-pie had been deeply impaled by one of the plates. "...All of it... all of it ruined... just like that..." she mumbled, recalling the appearance of her destroyed work with small tears in her eyes. I just wanted it all to be perfect... ... "...'Shy?" Her ears shooting up immediately, Fluttershy winced as she backed away from the voice, hiding her face behind her pink mane. "M-Mac..." "What're you still doin' here?" After a moment, the smallest of gasps escaped the crimson stallion's mouth as he stepped closer to the yellow pegasus. "...Somethin' wrong?" Taking one last look at the basket, Fluttershy quickly shook her head in distress. "I... I'm sorry!" She then turned away and galloped off, this time hoping to leave Big Macintosh behind; she didn't want him to see her cry, nor how much of a disappointment she was currently being. Running as fast as she could down the dirt path, Fluttershy held back tears as birds and other critters began to surround her, seeming to feel her concern; they didn't help her mood in the slightest however. To make matters worse, her fur began to get wet as the clouds above began pouring rain down to the ground below. The leaves of trees began to dip slightly from the water, and the dirt beneath the yellow mare began to become wet and muddy, coating her hooves in brown slop. Trying not to let it get to her though, Fluttershy made a quick dash into a nearby cave for shelter, shivering and shaking herself of water before laying down against one of the walls. And then... she finally let the tears flow. She cried. She bawled. She absolutely lost it. She was partially dry from her earlier quivering, but it did no good for the mare's sadness as she sobbed for her wasted hard work. And even with all of the cute little creatures surrounding her... She felt all alone... left by herself to lament her failure.