//------------------------------//
// Episode 07: The Kindness of Others [3/9] 
// Story: Lost Legacies 
// by AkibaWhite 
//------------------------------//



[Ten Months Ago]
"I just can't believe it," sobbed a teary-eyed Fluttershy.  "I can't believe Angel Bunny's gone."  She'd meant to yell but, as usual, she just couldn't get her voice all the way to the desired volume.

The stocky mustachioed bartender across from her gazed at the far wall impassively, scrubbing a glass by way of unicorn magic.  However, the huge blue minotaur in the next seat over offered a sympathetic hoofkerchief.

"There, there now," said Iron Will in his ever-deep masculine voice.  "Critters are given to wanderin' sometimes.  Iron Will knows he'll turn up sooner or later—satisfaction guaranteed."

Fluttershy took the kerchief, sniffled, and dabbed at her cheeks.  Part of her couldn't believe that she'd even come to this basement-level bar in the first place, much less that she'd run into an old acquaintance like her former personality coach.  The other part wanted to explore the possibilities of drowning her sorrow in potent beverage.  Given that the dim multicolored lanterns hanging throughout the establishment had grown hazy in her vision, she believed herself to be at least part of the way there.  "He's been gone for a -hic- whole week already," she babbled.  "That's never happened before.  I just don't understand it."  A flash of anger crossed her delicate features.  She glared at the bartender and tapped the empty glass in front of her.  "More Roamin Milk, if it's not too -hic- much trouble."

The bartender raised a scruffy eyebrow.  "Don't you think you've had enough?"

Iron Will gave an easy smile.  "Don't you worry, barkeep.  Iron Will's got this well in hand, or your money back."

The bartender shrugged and redirected his magic aura to the taps.  Into a waiting vessel poured the infamous milk of the island-bound Roamin Ranch.  Brewed in the udders of rare Apollon cows and refined by the secret techniques of the reclusive Roamin family, the prized milk bore a flavor once described by its creator Roamin Round as "somethin’ like takin’ a sledgehammer to the gut n’ gettin’ a kiss on the cheek for yer trouble."  However, the milk had become a treasured beverage across Equestria not because of its flavor, but rather its potential for intoxication, unrivaled by any known form of alcohol.  

The bartender floated the dangerous milk over to Fluttershy, who downed it in an instant.  

Iron Will let out a low whistle.

"It doesn't make any -hic- sense," continued the inconsolable pegasus mare.  "I loved Angel Bunny more than any other critter I ever met.  He could be mean to me sometimes, but I always looked after everything he could possibly want."  She sniffed mightily to try and stop the oncoming tears.  It had no effect.  "Why did he go and leave me alo-ho-hone?!" she wailed quietly.  "What did I do wrong?"

Iron Will reached over with a blue-furred hand.  He hesitated for a moment, but chose to follow through and patted Fluttershy on the back.  "Come on now, it's not as bad as all that.  You said it yourself, right?  You did a bang-up job raisin' the little fella, and I'm sure he appreciates it.  Besides, you're not really alone, are you?"

Fluttershy brought the kerchief to her nose and blew so softly into it that her sinuses couldn't have even budged.  She looked up at Iron Will with wide eyes, almost as if what he'd said had really hit home.  However, not a second passed before her gaze waxed angry and turned on a passing stranger.  "And what are you looking at, buster?" she squeaked.

"Fluttershy," said Iron Will as he snapped his fingers next to her face.  "Front n' center."

Fluttershy whirled back to him, looking for all the world as if she'd gotten caught passing a note in class.  "Uh-huh?"

Iron Will put his smile back on.  "Iron Will says you're not alone.  You've still got the rest of your woodland pals, right?"

Fluttershy nodded slowly and hiccuped.  "Yeah."

"And what about your friends Pinkie Pie and Rarity?  Aren't you three still a collector's set?"

"Yeah.  -hic-"

Iron Will put a thumb to his chiseled chest.  "And hey, for a limited time only, you've even got Iron Will by your side."

A tiny smile arose on Fluttershy's face.  "Really?"  She turned back to her empty glass and cupped it with both hooves.  After staring into it for a moment, she said, "You're right.  You're one-hundred-percent absolutely positively undeniably . . ."  She squinted.  "Uh . . . completely . . ."  She'd lost whatever it was she was trying to say and simply smiled a fragile smile.  "Still hurts though."  She tapped the glass.  "I need more of this stuff."

Iron Will grinned and waggled his eyebrows.  "Iron Will is right there with you, Flutterhoney."  He failed to notice Fluttershy blushing at the random nickname and stuck out two fingers toward the bartender.  "Hey, barkeep?"

The bartender looked up from his duties.

Iron Will scrunched his fingers like a pair of bunny-ears.  "Dos mas, por favor."


~


It was some time later that a pair of mismatched figures stumbled down the narrow dirt path to Fluttershy's cottage under a starlit sky.

"Thank you so much for walking me home," said Fluttershy as she leaned against Iron Will for support.  Despite her apologetic words, her voice remained giddy from what had escalated into a full-blown pub crawl.  "I swear I've never done anything like this before."  A wave of mild nausea washed over her.  "Ooh.  I probably shouldn't have."

Iron Will chuckled and patted Fluttershy's side with the same arm he was using to hold them both steady.  "Well Miss Fluttershy, Iron Will is honored to be your partner in crime.  Just—"  He brought a closed left fist to his mouth to suppress a burp.  "Just take along a friend first next time.  You can't count on running into mean old minotaurs who owe you a free trial.  You've only got one of those, far as I know."

Fluttershy gave Iron Will her idea of a playful shove.  He barely felt it.  "You are not old!" she squeaked.  "And you're not mean either."  She paused to think on that last bit.  "Actually, you're a lot nicer than I remember."  That thought quickly lead to another.  She looked up at her companion with wide eyes.  "Wait, what free trial?  I don't think I did anything for you before."

"Is that so?" replied Iron Will as they drew near to the cottage.  "You think that anypony ever had the guts to tell Iron Will how full of it he was before you came along?"

"Oh," Fluttershy answered meekly.  "Um, was that a good thing?"

Iron Will put a hand to his chin in mock thoughtfulness.  "Let's see now.  Is it a good thing when the prettiest mare you ever met gives you a bad review and sends you off to rethink your life?"  He let the question sit for a moment, taking notice of the trepidation on Fluttershy's face.  He smiled.  "Iron Will thinks so.  Either way, you sure made an impression—I haven't stopped thinkin' about you ever since."  The redness on his cheeks, due mostly to mild inebriation, deepened.  "That's why Iron Will's here, really.  Just thought I'd see how you were doin'."

Fluttershy gave a bashful smile, but couldn't think of anything to say.  At the very hour when she'd felt her life of kindness most futile, along came this hunk of a minotaur—a man she'd admired but always thought unreachable—to let her know that she'd made a difference in his life.  He thinks you're pretty too, her brain reminded her.  Fluttershy wanted to say something back, to tell him how much she appreciated his visit.  However, none of the pleasantries that came to mind seemed adequate, not for expressing the curious warmth spreading through her, entirely separate from the effects of strong drink.  

At last they arrived at Fluttershy's doorstep.  Iron Will knelt down to her face level and gestured toward the door.  "Here we are, princess.  Feel up to goin' it alone from here?"

Fluttershy did feel up to the task of getting herself to bed, but she did not want to be alone.  A strange idea occurred to her, a technique Rarity had once pontificated on.  The usual dread of possible consequences assailed her, but she found the feeling easier to slip past than ever before.  "I t-think I'll be okay," she stuttered.  Fluttershy took one step forward, shook intentionally, took another, and finally allowed her legs to buckle completely.

Iron Will caught her easily with a steady hand across her chest.  "Whoa now," he exclaimed.  "Looks like you could use some shipping n' handling after all."

Fluttershy looked back at him sheepishly.  "Um, if you don't mind."  Her heart raced at her successful deception, but she'd failed to anticipate what happened next.  A stallion might have thrown a foreleg about her and awkwardly helped her inside.  Iron Will, however, pushed up on her chest, slid his right hand around her hip, and bore her aloft.  In an instant, she was cradled in his arms, staring up into his handsome smile and gentle eyes.  "Oh goodness," she gasped.  It was sudden, unusual, and possibly inappropriate—all things that might normally have sent her reeling.  Instead, she drew her forelegs close to her chest and locked her gaze on his.  Her mind warned her of danger, but her heart felt as safe as it did with any of her friends.

Without another word, Iron Will pushed through the door and into the darkened cottage.  Sleeping animals rested all about, but the minotaur avoided them deftly as he wove a slow path to the master bedroom.  Of all the rooms in Fluttershy's cottage, only this one was devoid of critters.  Iron Will walked up to the side of a bed, cast an uncertain glance at her borderline-obsessive collection of pillows, then smiled mischievously.

"And so ends the adventure of the pub-conquering heroine," he whispered.  

Fluttershy did not want it to end.  The impulse ran through her like an electric shock, and she offered no resistance.  In one quick motion, she turned her muzzle up and pressed her lips to those of Iron Will.  The kiss was dainty at first, both inexperienced and a bit uncertain.  However, when Iron Will brought his free hand up to caress her cheek, Fluttershy left all hesitation behind.  Her kisses became forceful, almost hungry, evocative of a deep and terrible loneliness inside her that friendship had never reached.  It was not long before her tongue dove between his lips.  They parted easily before her advance, and she tasted the bittersweet flavor of the drinks they'd shared.  The action was not playful, but needy.  She wanted him, and she wanted him to know that without a shadow of a doubt.

The time for which the kiss endured seemed like an eternity to Fluttershy, one that she felt happy to lose herself in.  Eventually though, the strain on her neck became too great and she pulled back with a slowness that spoke of her wish to continue.  She pushed on his upper lip as she withdrew her tongue and planted one last kiss, light as a feather, on the corner of his mouth before settling back into his arms.  Every shallow breath still carried the taste of Iron Will.  She looked up at him with half-lidded eyes, completely lost in surging emotion.  "I'm sorry," she lied.  "Um, I didn't mean to be so . . . so . ."

Iron Will looked very much surprised, but it wasn't long before a confident and happy smile adorned his face.  "That'd be a cryin' shame, Flutterhoney.  Somethin' that feels that good shouldn't be no accident."

As he laid her down amidst the pillows and reached for the edge of the comforter, Fluttershy unfolded her wings and did her level best to look inviting.  "D-do you want to stay?"

"I do," said Iron Will, though he pulled the covers up and began to tuck her in.  "But Iron Will never takes advantage of a mare, especially one he cares about."  Noting Fluttershy's look of disappointment, he added, "Still, Iron Will might be in town for a few days longer than expected."  He leaned down and gave her a kiss of his own, controlled but affectionate.  "Good night, sunshine."




Derpy Hooves recoiled from Fluttershy and thudded against the headboard.

"Oh goodness," gasped Fluttershy.  "Is something wrong?"

Derpy felt a sweat coming on.  Her headache pounded, her mouth panted, and her mind reeled at what she'd just seen—what she'd just felt.  "Get away from me," she whispered.

"What?" asked Fluttershy, utterly surprised.  "What did I do?"

"Nothing!" Derpy shot back.  The pain in her head was nearly unbearable.  "You just sat there and cried about your problems until the guy of your dreams came along and fixed everything!  You're a failure just like me.  The only difference is that you got lucky."

Fluttershy's mouth fell open and her brow furrowed.  "N-now just hold on a minute.  That's not fair!"

Derpy groaned in frustration and pushed her head into a nearby pillow.  "I don't care!  Just go away!  Whatever it is that I need to do, you wouldn't know the first thing about it!"


~


A few moments later, Fluttershy stepped into the upstairs hallway and shut the door behind her.  "Oh fiddlefeathers," she exclaimed in an emphatic whisper.  "This isn't working at all, not one bit."

Iron Will leaned against a nearby wall with a knowing smile.  "Sounds like it's time for Plan B."

Fluttershy looked up at her husband, aghast at his suggestion.  "Oh dear, are you sure?  I've never used that on a pony before."

Iron Will leaned out from the wall and began to walk downstairs, causing the tiny bell on his left ear to ring its melodious tune.  "There's a first time for everything, honeybunch."


~