//------------------------------// // The Outing // Story: Your Little Butterfly // by Mickey Dubs //------------------------------// ~~~~~ It had been just as peaceful, just as quiet and serene. The sun had just then poked through the forest canopy as the two ponies walked side-by-side, Macintosh lagging behind slightly as he followed Fluttershy's implicit directions. His saddlebags brimmed with their essentials, and as they carried on with their hike they marveled at what wonders the spring had brought forth from the trees. Birds of myriad colors and species swirled through the air, brought to life by the midday sun and the presence of their favorite pegasus mare on the ground below. Fluttershy watched them as they spun and danced, the fluttering of their wings sending a few tumbling leaves to alight on the ground as soft as her advancing hoofsteps. "I'm surprised you invited me out here, Fluttershy,” Macintosh had said quietly, examining the forest and surrounding bushes for more signs of life. “I didn't expect you to have such a soft spot for my orchard!” His gruff voice slid through the silent veil which had lowered between them both, but it had been she who had finally slashed through it entirely. "I do love your orchard, Macintosh, but it’s this section I adore most of all," Fluttershy muttered to the air around her, still gazing in wonder as their environment bustled with activity. Remaining close to the stallion at her side as the two of them broke through the forest proper, she watched the darting of the dragonflies as they swarmed and played around the little pond which lay in the glen they had finally arrived at. As Big Macintosh cast aside his saddlebags on a patch of long grass nearby, his yellow companion trotted to the edge of the water and dipped her hooves in the shallows, savoring the frigidity of the pool and the comfort it gave her aching hooves. "I come here sometimes when I need to be someplace quiet," Fluttershy mused aloud, feeling the mud and little rocks beneath her hooves as she allowed her limbs some respite. "It lets me unwind and take a breather from working with my animals. I’ve always looked for somewhere away from Ponyville where I could relax, maybe have some tea and play with Angel, but nowhere has ever been as nice as this. I hope you don’t mind if I trespass a little into your farm, Macintosh. I wouldn’t want to make things difficult for you.” "You’re right, it is quite nice," Big Macintosh remarked to the surrounding trees, nodding his head in appreciation of her hidden glen before unclasping his saddlebags to retrieve their lunch. "I don't get out this far, and I don't even think we own this section of the forest. We might be in the Everfree right now, so don’t you worry about causing a fuss. No reason to apologize." Giving his head a little flick, the blanket he had extracted from his bags gave an idle whip as the edges lashed out. Then, bowing to the ground, he ushered the blanket softly towards the grass below. It gave a little ruffle as it slowly draped over the blades of grass and the various weeds, hiding them from view beneath a layer of wool. As Big Macintosh unpacked their picnic and straightened out the edges of their groundcloth, Fluttershy splashed more water on her hooves to clean herself of any lingering sweat and dust from their walk. Then, using a patch of tall grass, she wiped the water and detritus away before drying her hooves on her blanket, allowing herself a few moments to stamp herself a nice seat on the ground near her partner. Big Macintosh had really outdone himself this time: from his saddlebags came a wicker basket laden with two-bite apple pies, a broad paisley bandana full of apple fritters, a large flask of apple cider, and a smattering of apple slices with small containers of assorted dipping sauces. It was standard fare for him, but compared to all their hikes before it was a veritable feast, especially given how tired she was. Their hike had been enough to wipe them both out, but decorum still dictated that Fluttershy eat first despite their famished state. It was a cordiality which she followed by picking up one of his apple fritters, allowing him to do the same. They sat for a while, alone in the glen with nothing but the antics of the birds and the various adventures of her woodland friends to entertain them. Fluttershy had known Macintosh was far hungrier than she as he was taking his bites very slowly, watching her mouth to ensure he wasn’t eating too much. Nudging the plate closer to her partner, her smile alleviated any responsibility for the maintenance of their etiquette. It was unnecessary, given the status of their friendship. “You never did tell me why you named him Angel,” Macintosh commented offhandedly as he scooped some cream with an apple slice and gave a little taste. Finding it palatable, he prepared a few more as she answered his question, watching his face for what she knew would come. She hoped it wouldn’t be too extreme. “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you, but I almost set him on fire!” Just as she predicted, Big Macintosh choked on his apple slice, gagging and coughing to eject the offending fruit from his windpipe as Fluttershy released her first ever belly-laugh at his surprise. She rolled on her back with mirth, laughing to the canopy above as he, with a few thumps on his chest, evacuated his treacherous apple and wrangled himself back to normal. Macintosh fought to control his breathing as he got back to the subject at hoof, his partner brushing her tears of laughter from her eyes. “How did you... how did you... set him on fire?” Macintosh panted, clearing his throat with some of their apple cider. “ALMOST set him on fire!” Fluttershy giggled, giving him a little nudge on his shoulder. “Do you really think I’m that sadistic?” “You almost killed me with an apple slice!” Macintosh exclaimed, returning her little nudge with one of his own. “You waited for me to eat it! I could see it in those tricky little eyes of yours!” Her smile and his little wink got them both laughing for a few more seconds before Fluttershy poured herself some of his cider. “It was just before we met in the marketplace last year... you remember, the whole thing with Bramley?” His nod and slight grimace at the mention of his merchant rival’s name was more than she needed to verify he did indeed remember. Allowing herself a few seconds to savor the beverage he'd prepared for her, she snapped her lips to savor the slight tartness of her cider before continuing. “Well, I had gotten all my stuff unpacked and unloaded... except for my food of course! It took me the whole day to get everything squared away, and I was making a fire to heat the place up before settling down to get some sleep. My windows weren’t fixed at the time, so it was a little cold. Thank you for fixing them, by the way! I never thanked you for your help...” “No worries, Fluttershy," the stallion replied offhandedly, gesturing with his hoof for her to continue. "So, what happened next?” “Okay,” she said with a little mischievous smile, shifting her position to move herself closer as if indulging in some new secret. “I was getting all the kindling ready and was laying down some larger logs. I had everything ready, but as I went down to light my little firestarter I heard a sneeze! Turns out, the smoke from my firestarter was enough to wake him up from his little nap!” “He’d been living there?” Macintosh started, placing his glass on the ground to give her his full attention. With a quick nod she confirmed his suspicions, her excitement poking through her bright eyes. “He had! The poor thing was all snuggled up in the ashes! He might have been warmer there, I couldn't tell. Needless to say, I panicked and dug him out before he got burned. I got myself a little singed in the process, but it’s no big deal!” The look of concern which had lined his face died out with her reassurances, and as both slid back into their comfort zones Fluttershy allowed herself another apple slice with caramel sauce before continuing with her story. “I got him all cleaned up and you couldn't imagine just how dirty he was! I had to make at least three baths for him before the bathwater was clear enough to see through. He put up quite a fight too. He’s always been that feisty...” Looking up from her hooves where she imagined her bunny had been all that time ago, she found him awaiting her next words with an attentive ear. He was also far closer to her than she remembered him being but a few moments before. With a few breaths to calm herself down, she gave another glance at the dwindling space between them before continuing, glancing from her hooves to the gap between them and back. “He... umm... well, he was really dirty, so I... umm...” “Hey, no need to be nervous. Keep going! You were doing pretty well there!” With a light application of pressure, Fluttershy found that his hoof had drifted to gently stroke her shoulder, his hoof unbearably warm as it played with her hair and her yellow coat to bid her continue. She lingered there for a few moments, lost in that warmth before finding her courage from where she’d dropped it somewhere near her belly. “So... umm, he was really dirty... and I, well... I finally got him all nice and clean. He was wet, so I let him curl up by the fire to sleep it off and get himself all dried out. He took a few of my blankets, but I didn’t mind as long as he was cozy. He looked like such a little angel when he slept, even if he had been grouchy while I was cleaning him. I woke up the next morning and found him sleeping right here, right along my neck!” She stroked her hoof along the base of her neck and gave a little smile, lost in that fleeting memory of her newest friend and first pet. “Needless to say I couldn’t just leave him alone, with him being a baby and all. I took care of him... and then, eventually, he started taking care of me! And that’s how Angel got his name! It’s a little cheesy, I know...” “No no no,” Macintosh chuckled, shaking his head as her gave her shoulder another stroke. “It’s not cheesy at all, and now I finally understand it! I always wondered how a rabbit as... uhh... well, he’s a little... how do I say it..." "Go on, you can say it," Fluttershy stated simply, rolling her eyes. "He's a little grump, isn't he?" Gazing to the forest canopy and the sunshine above, Macintosh thought for a few moments before shrugging his shoulders, looking down at the mare by his side before allowing his voice to rumble out his trademark "eeyup!" His warm smile was enough to get her to giggle, and soon she found him joining in her laughter. He wasn't even afraid to laugh a little louder than normal as they shared in their happiness, content in the others' presence and the glory of the day. Content... was this contentment? Was this the elusive happiness she had always dreamed of finding? It wasn’t nearly as scary as she had thought it would be attain, and all it had taken her now was a smile and some laughter with her companion. Was that all it had ever required? Had she been panicking her entire life for something as simple, as warm, and as fulfilling as what she had just now found? Had all the reservations she had placed on her own life been shielding her from these wonderful feelings of joy and courage? Had she always been this lively, or was it his presence that brought out that side of her? Had his hoof been on her shoulder this entire time? As Macintosh followed the movements of an inquisitive dragonfly which darted and buzzed between them, he didn't notice when Fluttershy stared at his hoof and gazed at what profound novelty the limb possessed. How something as heavy and as scarred as his hoof was could ever be as gentle as it was now was a mystery to her, but there was one thing to which there remained no sliver of a doubt: Fluttershy wanted to feel it there forever. It didn't matter that the limb was scarred and beaten, torn and repaired so many times that the course of his entire life could almost be recorded in the miniscule lines of damaged skin which traced his hoof and became lost in his fetlocks. It was mesmerizing to know that something so beaten could be so soft, that something so hard and strong could ever be as gentle as it was now. Those scars couldn't even be felt as he offhandedly stroked her shoulder, the roughness of his skin in such stark contrast with the smoothness of hers. What had he done in all his long years to earn such marks? Had it solely been his work on the farm, his encounter with the foxes in her coop, and those tangible things which he had suffered to be where he was now? Those physical reminders of his past were worn proudly on his flesh so that all would know his life, so that she could revel in it as others had. He didn't hide them away like she did. But didn't she have scars too? Didn't she have wounds that had healed over the course of time to make her stronger? The taunts about her inability to fly and her memories of her crippling shyness and timidity... hadn't those been smoothed over by the actions of her new friends, by Macintosh and his confidence? No one could see those scars but her, and she suffered every day as a result. But Macintosh, he understood! He knew those wounds still laced her heart and drove her to her safest of places like the one she shared with him now! He saw and understood her limitations, incorporating them into his own worries and discomforts. He made the effort to understand her and not just know her, listening to her worries instead of just hearing them. He knew her history as she did his, and not only had he disregarded her failings for the things which she had no control over, but he had celebrated in her successes and taught her which things to cherish and remember above all others. Big Macintosh must have been just like her, just as timid and shy despite his scars and apparent strength, despite his rugged exterior and his laconic facade. He bore the weight of his world on his skin, allowing his armor to take the brunt of his worries to keep his heart intact. She had abandoned hers entirely, and for what? To become a pushover? To become weak and helpless? That had never been her desire, but in the actions of her youth she had slowly begun to avoid donning that weight to accept that responsibility. She had given up, and in the process she had left herself exposed as ponies created her image for her, dictated what she would become with their interpretations of her strength. She had no say for she couldn't find her voice, and now her life was not her own but was instead what other ponies expected it to be. He created his own image, his strength and his love for his family establishing his credentials in the absence of speech or interaction. He had created his power from his dedication to those things he loved, and that was what he was known for. His actions defined who he became, and in the end it was something so genuine and pure that all who knew him adored him, trusted him... loved him. And with his hoof, he had offered her his own strength. With his hoof, he had given her his confidence, his resolve, and his ability to shrug off the criticisms of others. He had given her the strength to love the mare she knew herself to be, and had given her the confidence to be that mare for herself. If he could do that... if he could face the world and still feel as strongly as he did with nothing but his own confidence in himself: Then why couldn't she do the same? In utter silence and without his permission, Fluttershy did something then which not only sent shivers of terror and unbearable excitement down her spine, but pulled her crimson companion from his distractions to face the reality of her actions. Looking from the pond, Macintosh found his hoof resting on the wool of the blanket on which he sat, the rough and irritating edges of the fabric far different from the supple yellow skin which he had slowly become lost in. The place on her shoulder where he had stroked offhandedly but seconds prior was no longer weighed down. The limb had been returned to him. And with his hoof came her own. Fluttershy stared silently at the space between her companion's shoulders, avoiding his gaze not through necessity or worry, but in utter shock as she held his hoof clasped between hers. Though his hoof tensed as it always had, he hadn't pulled away like she thought he would! He didn't say a word or make any sounds of discomfort or disapproval! He remained when she had expected him to recoil! He smiled when she thought he would chide her for her actions! She had done it! She had finally done it! Those weeks spent waiting for him to act, those months spent slowly willing herself to take a stand: they had all led to this brief second! This wonderful infinity! Gazing in awe at what wonder she held in her hooves, she finally raised what courage she had to lift her head and smile at her companion. Big Macintosh gazed back, his mouth agape as he looked from hoof, to smile, and back before blinking a few times, his mouth still open. Then, without a word, the hoof Fluttershy held clasped in her own gave in completely as he allowed her to play with his limb. Fluttershy continued to feel and explore, weigh and stroke, examine and touch that wonderful hoof she had so longed to hold. She compared their hoofprints, rolling his hoof in her own as if it were the most tender thing in the world despite the apple-bucking scars and the remained gashes exacted by a vengeful vixen all those months ago. The two remained, side by side, together in joyous elation in their own hidden world. Big Macintosh beamed and remained utterly silent, watching as Fluttershy allowed herself to live and feel as she had never been allowed before... ...lost just as much as she was in their contact. ~~~~~ Fluttershy opened her eyes to find her time had come. The world had faded in her reverie and the sun had lost so much of its strength that now it relied on the tip of the furthest peak to remain upright. It was her marker, and though she loathed to relinquish her hold on that wonderful first moment when she had finally made her feelings known, she knew the one which awaited her was even warmer. It had been even more tense, so excruciatingly exciting, and infinitely more wonderful than she could ever have believed it would be. Wrapping her blanket closer, Fluttershy looked out once more as the wind rising from the cooling earth sent shimmering waves of dancing light in ripples across the interminable grassland. The edges of even the most faraway weeds and grasses all swept together in a long, rolling dance which caught the dying light and allowed it one last glorious moment of revelry before dying away. And thus it would be with her. Her final memory was soft and warm much unlike her present environment, but the sight she had seen right here on this very mountaintop, and the sensation following, was deserving of the sun's final glorious moments. That effortless smile of their brighter days returned as her glorious celestial partner released what beauty it had reserved and relinquished its hold on that faraway peak to descend into darkness. It had been but a single day... ~~~~~ The banks were empty, devoid of life or activity. The ripples of water-striders in the little pond by which he stood was the only movement besides the beating of his own breast as he panted and heaved, struggling to catch his breath. The setting sun broke through the trees and cast its shadows on the verdant glade, illuminating no yellow coat or voluminous pink hair. She was gone. Sitting himself down with a pained cry, he found no respite from the deferred terrors he had run from. Those images of her wonderful face had beckoned and haunted him as he ran both to his love and from the horrible promises of her letter. Now, when his limbs had come to a halt: they had finally caught up to him. Her safe place contained none of her beauty. The air wasn't graced by the sound of her voice or her whistlings as she chatted with the songbirds locked away in their nests. She wasn't here. She wasn't in the place she said she'd be, in the favorite place she had alluded to in her parting letter. There was nothing here by the tepid waters but the few pesky dragonflies which buzzed around him trying to suck the sweat from his brow. The only sounds which broke through the silence came from the various hoots and calls of the forest as the nocturnal beings arose from their diurnal slumber, broken only by the lingering flaps of the butterflies as they evacuated the waterside, hiding from the light to make their ways to their safe places. Their favorites places. Macintosh's eyes picked out one butterfly in particular, one which circled him and delicately flapped its way to rest on his hoof as if he and he alone would save it from what terrors came with the night's arrival. That insect's utter trust in him was something so novel that he couldn't help but watch in awe. It was almost as if he was not himself, but that yellow mare whom both souls loved and depended on. He watched as the butterfly paraded on his limb, seating itself upon his hoof, silent and still, not moving as the others had. Still here, despite what event Macintosh had shown his love on the uppermost peak of a local mountain. With a flash of understanding, her words forever inscribed on that parchment came to light and he found himself understanding everything. Fluttershy had cast off her shell on that mountain. She had thrown everything aside for the first time to take what she wanted and he, in his surprise, obliged her her desires. She had transformed before his very eyes to become so wonderful and dazzling that not even the passing of time or the fading light of his memories could diminish the glory of her metamorphosis. She could only have loved that place as much as he did, for she had become her true self on that summit. Big Macintosh slowly began to realize that she now, due to his actions, had two favorite places. And with the crushing weight of terror and a quick glance to the mountain which overshadowed the glen in which he sat: He found himself in the wrong one. ~~~~~