A Glasshouse Butterfly

by littlerobotbird


4 ~ Bit o' the Bubbly

Fluttershy gave a start as water splashed heavily down around her hooves, sloshing over the side of the oversized washtub. With her soft snore interrupted by a panicked gasp, she lunged for the faucet and yanked it closed.

Alas, her lower half had already been thoroughly soaked with sudsy water, a few bubbles whipping into the air on the breeze of her self-calming sigh.

Chasing her changeling patient all about Ponyville had been a—rather unsurprisingly—taxing event for the pegasus. With a grimace, she trudged to the utility closet, on the hunt for her mop and bucket even as she wiped what sleep remained from her eyes—the soothing, bubbling waters lapping at the edges of the tub beckoning her gently.

Work first, she reminded herself curtly, relax later, Fluttershy. She gripped the mop handle in her forehooves, feathertips curling around the top for added accuracy in her artful swirls of the mop, beating back the suds’ steady advance.

She glanced out the window as she strained out the mop, the sun just beginning to peer beneath the top of it. There wouldn't be much time for relaxation as it was if she were to take care of the changeling's… overeagerness.

To say the least...

A few more swishes of the mop and the floor was reasonably dry, the sheen of wetness that clung to it already wicking away into the air.

I'll have to go by Sugarcube Corner first… definitely first. Then to Rarity's boutique to explain this away… somehow. Then… Fluttershy let out a little sigh as she set the mop and bucket back into their respective places in the closet. Oh, I don't even want to think about how many other ponies she roped in—

A crash shook her attentions, the pegasus whipping her gaze up to stare at the ceiling. Several thumps and a second crash—followed quickly by the rather distinct sound of panicked galloping—and then down the stairs they came.

Fluttershy nearly had to dive out of the way to avoid the half-pony, half-changeling as it bounced to a halt. She could hardly muster a squeak of surprise as the changeling grabbed onto one of her hind legs, shoving her between it and the source of its most immediate mortal peril.

"Angel Bunny!" Fluttershy nearly shouted as the rabbit skid by the bathroom entrance, claws scrabbling against the smooth wooden floor. "What do you think you’re doing?"

Angel righted himself and straightened up before Fluttershy. He thought on the question a moment before blowing a big, wet raspberry at the changeling, said changeling promptly returning the gesture with gusto.

"What has gotten into you two?" she demanded, eyes narrowed.

But Angel didn't waver, glaring at the changeling as it shrank fully behind its yellow-furred protector, raspberry fading to a quiet blueberry and finally a silent, drooping strawberry.

"Angel Bunny..." Fluttershy’s expectant hoof taps filled the room.

He finally looked up, a grimace firmly entrenched in his rabbity features as he let loose a series of plaintive squeals.

"Yes, I am well aware that you are now quite late for your twelve-forty-seven nap."

He growled before jabbing an accusative paw at the cowering lump of fur and chitin.

"Well, I am very sorry that we interrupted your nap time, Angel Bunny, but that is no reason to act like this. Especially not towards a guest in our home."

The rabbit let out a snort.

"Angel Bunny, I expected far better behavior from you. Much better. Perhaps we won’t be visiting the Canterlot Carroteers Convention and Centennial Celebration after all."

The rabbit's jaw dropped. Ears pressed against his skull, he hopped up and down before Fluttershy, tossing down squeaks of indignity and squeals of accusation upon the changeling as the pegasus kept him back with her splayed wings. Settling down a moment, he turned his back to them, ears held high with pride.

"I do expect you to apologize, Angel Bunny."

A squawk of confusion from behind the pegasus was quickly echoed in the bunny's own confused squeak.

"Yes, I am, but that is still no excuse. Now apologize, mister." Fluttershy leaned down towards the rabbit, putting them on the same level as her eyes burned into his.

Mouth still agape, a paw thrust towards the steadily emboldened changeling in exasperation, the rabbit protested as verbosely and passionately as any bunny could.

Fluttershy's gaze did not waver. The rabbit's pride, however, finally did and, with a drag of the selfsame paw down his face, he let out half-garbled, just barely recalcitrant squeak.

"There. That's better. Now, both of you, hug!”

Another pair of echoes, this time of joined disagreement.

“I said hug!” Fluttershy addressed the pair sternly as she stepped from between them.

With a nervous creep of chitinous hooves, the changeling scooted forwards, the rabbit dragging its paws in an unenthusiastic shuffle. They glared at each a moment before, with a defeated sigh, Angel lept onto the changeling’s chest, paws clasping around the changeling’s neck, perhaps a little too tightly as Flammy gave out a soft, strangled cry.

“A real hug now. It isn’t nice to fake a hug.”

With a growl, Angel Bunny patted the changeling on the back in a steady, awkward cadance, Flammy returning the favor with an equally staccato beat.

“Okay, good. Now don’t you both feel better now?” Fluttershy smiled warmly as the pair quickly detached from one another. “Friends?”

With a roll of his eyes, Angel offered a paw to the changeling and, grinning happily, Flammy gave the rabbit’s paw a firm shake.

“Great!” Fluttershy chimed before grabbing the pair in a quick hug of her own. “Now, Angel Bunny, I'll be up soon enough to tuck you back in for your four-thirty-seven nap, okay?"

Angel muttered under his breath—sticking his tongue out at the still grinning changeling as soon as Fluttershy's back was turned to him—before hopping off.

The changeling returned the gesture readily, screwing her eyes closed as she thrust her tongue out at the rabbit with all her might.

"Flammy!”

Her tongue sucked right back into her mouth as she found herself sinking down before the pegasus with fearful churr.

 “Don't think I'm not still very, very disappointed in you, Flammy."

Eventually, Fluttershy relented her glare, going about the business of preparing. Opening the window, the pegasus darted outside a moment, returning with the business end of a green garden hose.

“Let’s get you cleaned off first.” Fluttershy motioned the changeling into the corner of the bathroom where wooden floor gave way to tile, an oversized drain having been installed for her less cuddle-sized animal companions. “Now, this will be a bit cold, but just think how nice and warm and relaxing the bath will be once you’re all ready”

Flammy hummed in satisfaction before letting out a startled squeak at the first blast of cold water from the hose. Slowly, but surely, Fluttershy sent the stream across the changeling, the green goo clinging to her beginning to clump and drop away beneath the onslaught, leaving behind a thin film still clinging to her black armor.

“Okay, I need you to keep your eyes shut for now.” Moving the hose to beneath a wing, the pegasus quickly grabbed a bottle of shampoo she usually reserved for the stickier animal situations—as well as the few results of crusader activities while foalsitting. She squeezed it over the changeling, scrubbing it into into a sudsy mess with her free hoof before shutting off the water a moment.

A frightened churr came from within the formless mountain of shivering suds.

“That just means it’s working,” Fluttershy assured her, counting off the seconds as the suds gradually took on a greenish hue as they leeched the strange concoction from her armor. She could hear the changeling’s impatient hooves scraping at the tile beneath the mass, her churrs becoming more and more impatient. “Just a few more seconds.” She raised the hose up with her hooves, gripping the nozzle.

Fluttershy’s eyes screwed shut as she opened the nozzle as wide as it would go, sending a torrent of water at the changeling. She kept the blast focused on the corner, her hooves scraping against the floor before, at the sound of splash behind her, she flipped the nozzle closed.

“Flammy!” Fluttershy tapped a hoof, a pair of blue-green orbs peering out from beneath the mound of bubbles.

Sighing, Fluttershy grabbed a towel and sponge from the nearby sink, setting them beside the tub before, with a quick flap of her wings she lifted herself into the air and settled into the tub opposite the changeling. She gasped the lingering heat of the water but relaxed into its liquid embrace soon enough.

Keeping three hooves firmly planted on the bottom of the tub, Fluttershy motioned with a hoof for Flammy to turn around, the changeling complying with hardly a chitter as Fluttershy set about the business of scrubbing away at what was left of the strange soot. Crystallized portions of it scraped away in chunks from her black armor.

A few minutes later, Fluttershy stepped back to admire her works, the sunlight glistening off the changeling's well-polished chitin.

"There we go. All clean." Fluttershy smiled as Flammy let out a happy little squawk and vanished a moment beneath the bubbly surface. The pegasus found herself forcing a smile as she reemerged beneath a mass of wet pink mane, the changeling's smiling, yellow-furred muzzle parting the long strands of hair as Fluttershy's stomach gave an uncomfortable twinge.

Flammy continued to smile blindly a moment, a pall of silence falling over the bathroom save the distant, unaware chirps of the summer birds. Her smile faded by degrees before she lifted the mane from her eyes to see the pegasus with a rather morose look on her face.

"Fluttershy?"

The pegasus remained silent.

Slowly, Flammy floated towards her, neck bowed and brow furrowed in worry. "You okay, Fluttershy?"

"No."

"No?" The changeling settled her hooves on the tub bottom, looking up into Fluttershy's stoic gaze.

"No, Flammy, I am not okay. I am angry. Very angry. With me, with you! I don't want to be, but I am. And... and more than that, I’m disappointed. I'm disappointed that you would risk yourself like this." Fluttershy let out a whoosh of air as if she'd been holding in a breath. "I…I almost wish I was even angrier with you. But I should be completely furious with you!"

"I'm... sorry?"

"Are you? I don’t know if you are."

"Y-yes? I mean, maybe?" the changeling sputtered, sitting down in the tub, ears flat like a naughty puppy caught with the well-chewed morning newspaper as her chin came to a rest at the water's surface. "I don't know? Am I?"

Fluttershy let out a choked, pained laugh, Flammy's expression turning dour as she blew bubbles in what remained of the suds.

"I didn't mean anything bad. Honest! I wouldn't want to have anything bad to happen to you. You've been so nice. I just wanted to see you happy."

"Flammy... I was perfectly content before," Fluttershy stated. “Besides all this, I’m perfectly content right now.”

"But you could be so much happier..."

Fluttershy let out a little sigh as her doppelganger sank slowly into the water until just her eyes and nostrils rested at its surface. "That just... that just isn't something that anypony can decide for somepony else. I’m sorry if I made you think otherwise. I let this go on longer than I should have."

A burble of curiosity rose from the waters as the changeling's eyes widened in expectation.

"A pony has to be able to choose for herself if she wants to pursue somepony else"—the changeling brightened up immediately—"or if she doesn’t."—before sagging again in defeat.

A burbled question breached the waters surface, the doppelganger's brow wrinkled and her eyes narrowed.

Fluttershy cocked an eyebrow, a nervous pink tinging her cheeks.

"But what if you never want to?" the changeling asked in earnest. "What if you never even try, even though you know you should? What if the whole, wide-wide, big, giant, enormous world says that you should try but you just... don't?" Flammy festered on it a moment further before adding, "Or can't?"

"I... that's just something that I will deal with, Flammy. And that will be nopony else's concern, but my own, okay? You understand, right?"

The changeling didn't move, just stared at Fluttershy, meeting her hopeful gaze with expressionless mask.

"Right?" Fluttershy reiterated with more than a note of desperation.

The changeling looked away, replying with a meek "...Maybe."

Fluttershy let out a groan of exasperation as her head settled into the soles of her forehooves.

"Sorry?" Immediately a pair of hooves found their way around her, clutching her tight in a confused, fumbling hug.

"What am I going to do with you?" the pegasus whispered to herself, caught somewhere halfway between laugh and sob. All the stress of running about Ponyville, all the worry and fear and elation of finally finding her had seemingly seeped into that one moment as the changeling awkwardly embraced her.

How had she let it get to this point? Sure, she’d indulged the changeling’s wont, but where along the had she let herself go along with it?

Fluttershy hardly listened as the changeling cooed softly to her in her own voice, the pegasus's breaths leaving in half-chuckles, half-sobs.

How was she even going to explain this to all her friends?

Sorry, cold hooves’? ‘Maybe another time’? ‘Feather flu season’? she wondered to herself. And if Flammy was going to such lengths after only a few weeks, how far will they be willing to go?

She truly wasn’t looking forward to those many conversations.

She sank gently into the still-warm waters, ears twitching at the sound of wind plying the thatched roof. It seemed the weather was starting to stir up—maybe a summer storm had been scheduled?—but gentle, soothing waters entrapped her.

How did I get myself into this?

She blew a few stray bubbles from the surface of the water, the soap tickling her nostrils as a gentle green glow settled over her.

Maybe I just need to relax for a bit before we sort all this out...

~o~0~o~

A steady thump-thump-thump shook the pegasus from her nap, a shiver running through her as the cooled water pressed down on her.

I wonder who that could be, her nap-addled mind wondered, hardly able to conjure more than the most cursory potentiality as she heard the door creak on its journey open.

"Well, howdy there, Angel. Fluttershy around?" Fluttershy heard a familiar twang and immediately the once warm bathwater felt very, very cold.

With a splash of water and an instinctive grab of her bathrobe, Fluttershy rushed into the living room. Stopping with a ripple of carpet, she halted her momentum just before crashing into Applejack, hood flinging up over her head as the earth pony was spattered with water.

"Well, I didn't think I needed a bath, but alright," Applejack stated, drawing back from the sudden spray of moisture. "Catch y'all at a bad time?"

"NO!" Fluttershy shouted, muffled by the absorbent fabric clinging to her face, before ripping away the hood with a smile as wide as she could manage. "I MEAN YES!"

"Well..." Applejack lingered a moment before stepping by the pegasus and towards the stovetop. "I figured I could get an early start on that cake recipe early seeing how it looks like it takes a few hours fer it t'set up good and nice."

"Cake?"

"Yeah, that Slice a' Love cake," Applejack replied, flipping down her hat to draw out the torn bit of paper. "Couple of the ingredients were a little bit harder t'find than I'd thought, but Pinkie’s got herself quite the collection in the Cake’s pantry."

"Pinkie?" Fluttershy echoed, turning slowly to follow the earth pony towards the kitchen.

"Yeah—um, 'Shy, y'need to sit down for a spell? Lookin' a bit paler than usual."

"N-no…I-I'm fine... just fine…" Fluttershy croaked out as she sank to the floor, watching the long shadows beyond outside the kitchen windows. “Just… still waking up a little.”

There came a squawk from behind her and as she looked, her blood swirled into a cocktail of chilled fear steeping atop a bubbling pot of infuriation.

“Apparently I dozed off in the tub…” she muttered, shooting an uncertain glare at the bird, but the flamingo just smiled its beaky grin before hop-skipping its way to the right of the doorway’s path just in time for the door to burst inward, a well and frazzled fashionista riding the back of a garment trolley that slowed before clanging to a stop against the stairs.

"Fluttershy! You're hardly even out of the bath?!" Rarity cried out in horror as she lept from the rack to the pegasus's side, grabbing her in her hooves. “Oh dear! Oh dear! And you’re all pruney!”

The pegasus let out a squeak of complaint as thread, needles, combs, brushes, scissors and all manner of beautification supplies levitated into view from behind the unicorn.

Setting the pegasus down, Rarity pressed a hoof to her chest solemnly. "Now is the time, Fluttershy, that separates beauty from beast." Rarity pressed her muzzle to Fluttershy's. "Let us finish what we have started."

"Gah, give the crazy a rest already, Rares."

Fluttershy peered over the unicorn's shoulder to find Rainbow Dash hauling in another pair of racks into the cottage.

"Well, if'n we don't have a party goin' on here," Applejack snickered. "Mighty brave of ya to get Rarity to help you out."

"I don't care much for that tone, Applejack."

"Tone nothin’. It sure is mighty brave... if a lil’ bit foolhardy." The earth pony snickered at her own words.

"Foolhardy?" Rarity gasped, indignant, though the tools surrounding her did levitate a few inches lower as the unicorn's ears drooped ever so slightly.

"Hey, Rainbow!"

"Yeah?" Rainbow replied as she hauled in a third and fourth rack of clothing into the increasingly cramped cottage.

"Y'all remember your last time out on the town?"

Out on the town? Fluttershy wondered to herself. But she hasn't gone a date in years...

"Uh..." The cyan pegasus turned a fair bit green.

"Heh, yeah, she remembers." Applejack waggled an eyebrow at Rarity as she leaned against the stove.

"That… that was simply an amateur's miscalculation… and I do believe we—all of us—agreed to consider that solidly in the past, Applejack," Rarity hissed, waggling a comb threateningly in the earth pony's direction. "Where it belongs… never to be spoken of again. Ever. Again."

"I’mma make this simple and honest as I can, Rares.” Applejack stated nonchalantly, shrugging off the verbal daggers. “This is for Fluttershy, right? And y'all is scarin' the bejiminies outta her for the moment."

Rarity straightened up, looking hurt for a moment before suddenly, the swirl of weapons in the war of beautification formed into neat rows beside her.

"You are indeed correct, Applejack. Eye on the prize, as it were." Rarity took a deep, settling breath before setting. "My apologies, Fluttershy. I should be aware of your particular proclivities towards such... rudeness on my part."

"S’okay..." the pegasus croaked out, having long since taken the opportunity to retreat into the protective cavern of her bathrobe.

Clearing her throat nervously as Rainbow and Applejack looked on, Rarity levitated Fluttershy down carefully and gently onto the nearby couch.

"And now that we all have our heads firmly in place, we may begin," Rarity chirped with a grin.

"Don't worry," Rainbow Dash whispered to Fluttershy, the cyan mare on her way past with the eighth and thankfully last rack, "AJ'll keep her in line. She’s good at that."

Fluttershy just nodded dumbly.

"No backing out now," Rainbow chimed with a rather morbid tone as the cottage door slammed shut. "Just relax and enjoy the ride."

~o~0~o~

“Ugh. We’ve already done this, Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo complained over her shoulder. “I thought we were sticking to doing new things.”

“I know we were,” Apple Bloom replied loudly from the wagon, eyes half-shut against the winds Scootaloo’s wings we’re buffeting them with, “but Fluttershy’s got me thinkin’ that maybe we gave up a bit quick on somethings.”

“Like what?!” Sweetie Belle yelled from the very back of the wagon, forehooves gripping the sides of it a bit harder than necessary as they bounced and lurched their way down the path towards the Everfree.

“I’m thinkin’ we ought to give Creature Capturers another try.”

“Really? That was, like, one of our very first ideas. And I’m pretty sure my Mom’ll kill me if she finds out I was in the Everfree Forest again. Besides, we haven’t even tried out being stuntmares yet.”

“I dunno, Scoots, that seems pretty dangerous too!”

“Only if you do it wrong,” Scootaloo said with a glare at Sweetie Belle.

“We can just put a pin in that’un for now. But c’mon. Think, Scoot. What if we’ve already tried something that was our special talent and jus’ didn’t give it a fair shake?” Apple Bloom argued in earnest. “What if we’re still blank flanks because we weren’t tryin’ hard enough?”

“Speak for yourself. Scootaloo always goes one-hundred percent!” the pegasus declared with a devil-may-care grin and triumphant double-hoof pump before a rather large bump in the road sent them swerving.

“Handlebars! Handlebars!” chorused Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle as Scootaloo gripped the handlebars of her scooter tight, jerking them back onto the path proper.

“Got it, I got it!” she declared, wings flared to the sides as she tried to slow their skidding momentum.

The trio skidded slowly to a stop, Scootaloo breathing heavily with the handlebars clutched in a deathgrip as Apple Bloom and Sweetie cautiously hefted themselves out of the wagon.

“See, we’re fine! Everything’s fine!”

“Yeah, well, maybe ya ought to give a hundred-percent to watchin’ where you’re goin’, Scoots,” Apple Bloom stated, brushing the dust from her coat. “Jimminies.”

“Hey, we didn’t crash this time at least. Besides, you two were distracting me.” Scootaloo rounded on her earth pony friend, pitching her helmet and goggles into the wagon where they hit with a frustrated clang.

“Girls.”

“Distractin’ you? What, the great n’ mighty Scootaloo can’t talk and ride at the same time?”

“Feel free to hoof it yourself next time.”

“Girls!”

“What?” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo asked together, looking to Sweetie Belle in confusion.

“We’re here. Stop arguing.” Sweetie motioned to the path, a humble cottage sitting at the end out it.

“We ain’t arguing.”

“We’re just having a discussion.”

“Yeah, like big ponies.”

Sweetie just rolled her eyes as she slipped off her own helmet, setting it gently into the wagon before Apple Bloom’s clacked off of Scootaloo’s, giving her a start. Sweetie turned to glare at the pair, but they were already headed up the path, the rather large bag that had sat between herself and Apple Bloom in the wagon slung over Scootaloo’s shoulders.

Gah, those two are made for each other, Sweetie thought angrily as she trotted to catch up with the pair.

“...so I figure we kin practice right here. Don’t even need to go into the forest.”

“Won’t that bother Fluttershy?” Scootaloo asked, looking towards the windows of the cottage. “I mean, they’re her animals. I think she’d have something to say about this plan.”

“Shoot no! Come on. Ain’t like we’re gonna hurt them or anythin’.”

“Wait, what are we doing now?” Sweetie broke in as they strayed from the cottage’s main path, heading for the paddock to the west of it.

“Figured we could just round a few of them up. AJ’s always havin’ t’round up them critters. Heck, cousin Apple Honey’s got himself a trappin’ cutie mark, so why not one of us?”

Sweetie frowned at the prospect of a trapping cutie mark, the idea of a cage adorning her flanks not the most appealing. But if it were one of their talents, it was her duty as a Cutie Mark Crusader to see the task through to the finish. Thus said the Cutie Mark Crusader credo.

Well, part of it at least. She knew it was somewhere between the headquarter visitation and alternative use regulations, and the section dedicated to the proper format for their meeting notes.

Scootaloo had turned out to be quite the stickler when it came to those. Sweetie supposed that if they were going to do something they may as well do it right... but did it really matter if the margins were quarter-hoof or an eighth-hoof spaced? Did it really matter? Honest to Celestia, did it?

“Sweetie? Equestria to Sweetie?”

“Huh-whuh?”

“You were all zonked out there fer a second,” Apple Bloom stated from her place sitting up on the paddock fence, looking down at the unicorn with concern.

“Yeah, we were just asking what you thought of our idea?”

“Oh, um, what was it again?”

“Ugh... Sweeeetie! This doesn’t work unless we’re all on board with the plan.”

“Sorry, sorry! Just tell it again.”

“Okay, so what do you reckon is the hardest thing t’catch outta all Fluttershy’s critters?”

“Um… I don’t know. Chicken catching wasn’t so easy,” Sweetie offered.

“Close, but we were thinking something a bit quicker. Something even Applejack’s had trouble with. And Bloom brought the perfect thing for it too,” Scootaloo stated with a grin, unzipping her bag to reveal—

You have to be kidding.

~o~0~o~

Fluttershy could but witness the commotion around her, ever the detaching observer as she watched Rarity work her magic, both horn-derived and metaphorical. The pegasus could only stare as she was jostled this way and that.  Her hooves had to be polished, hoof tips taking on a mirror-like sheen. Her eyebrows had to be plucked and shaped to accentuate her eyes. The fur on her muzzle even had to combed as to minimize her nostrils, as Rarity put it, “decimation of her facial curvature.”

“And just a bit less length so the braid will set properly about the shoulders,” the unicorn went on to explain carefully, the ever watchful eye of Applejack upon her as she tugged, pulled and twisted Fluttershy hair behind her, curlers and bits of tinfoil clinging to the pink mane as it fell in front of her in limp, silvery clumps. It almost felt as though she were being prepped for take-home at a Dine-n-Gallop.

All the while, Rainbow Dash zipped between the racks of clothes and several trunks stuffed full of clothier’s supplies. Needles, thread, sequins, buttons, lace and all other manner of fabric and bindings were tossed from the cyan pegasus’s hooves into the maelstrom of magic Rarity had swirling about Fluttershy.

“No, no, these are simply the wrong color sequins for evening…” she muttered to herself constantly when she were not being interrupted by some vague assurance or explanation aimed at her nearly rigamortized pegasus subject. “Oh, this lace with blend wonderfully with your feathers! And with the moon tonight... Le magnifique!”

From the kitchen, a sweet, sugary odor had begun to permeate the cottage as Applejack worked feverishly—at least when she wasn’t ‘checking in’ on Fluttershy.

“An’ how’s our girl?”

“Fine and possibly more fine if we weren’t graced with these constant interruptions of my concentration.”

“Eh, she’s good, AJ,” Dash translated, earning a scornful look of her own from the unicorn.

“Good, good.”

And so Applejack returned to her cooking, Rainbow to her assisting and Rarity to her beautifying, the balance maintained.

“So, dear, you’ve told us little of your beau-to-be…” Rarity whispered audibly, Rainbow rolling her eyes as she tossed a curling iron into the unicorn’s magical field.

“Oh, well, I don’t know about beau-to-be…”’

For a few different reasons…

“Well, a little hint wouldn’t hurt. You know you can trust me not to gossip it all over Ponyville.” Rarity halted her work on the pegasus’s hair a moment, splaying a hoof wielding a curry comb across her chest with a sense of consequence. “Fashionista’s honor!”

“Rarity! If she wants to tell, she will! Don’t be trying to force it out of her!” came Applejack’s voice from the kitchen.

Rarity’s cheeks puffed at the indignity of the accusation, but she quickly recollected herself and continued on.

Fluttershy, thankfully spared a sudden interrogation at the unicorn’s hooves, just watched as the minutes ticked by the dozen, eyes glazing over before a jarring squawk snapped her from her trance-like state.

“What is it... Flammy?” Fluttershy asked, a sharp edge to her normally kind tone.

But the bird didn’t answer, just looked back with its hooked beak grinning and a happy honk for good measure.

“She’s going to look positively brilliant, isn’t she?” Rarity replied seemingly, although the range of the unicorn’s attention being what it was—she was a focused mare when it came to her work if nothing else—made to discount that possibility.

“We almost done?” Dash asked as she lay across the fireplace mantle—one of the few surfaces left uncovered by beautification or clothier supplies—her services having been in decline for the past half-hour as the maelstrom wore down.

“We do not rush perfection, Rainbow…” Rarity murmured, lifting the mane from Fluttershy’s eyes.

She could feel her hair being gently pulled backwards, the tingle of magic turning, twisting and weaving individual strands as Rarity’s gaze bore through her pink locks.

“But… Almost...” Rarity looked satisfied as she brought up a brush coated in pink blush, dabbing at Fluttershy’s cheeks before backing away, the swirl of scissors, shampoo, makeup, thread, dryers and even a portable sink settled to the ground as a mirror slid before them, covered in the thick quilt from Angel’s couch. “And I present to you… the refined, the elegant”—she slipped the blanket off the mirror—“Fluttershy.”

“Huh,” Rainbow intoned from the mantle, eyebrow raised as Rarity grinned smugly. “That is pretty good, Rares.”

“‘Pretty good’ nothin’... that’s a dang fine job you done there, Rarity.”

“Ah, the finest for a deserving client,” Rarity brushed their words aside, but the flush of her cheeks spoke otherwise as Fluttershy simply stared at her reflection.

“It’s… wonderful,” Fluttershy whispered as she turned this way and that, awestruck. “Thank you.”

“A pleasure, darling,” Rarity returned with a humble curtsy.

“Well, cake’s all done an’ I’ve got a right fine banquet all packed for you,” Applejack stated. “Dress’s done. Only one thing left t’get ready.”

“Well, two things. Rainbow, dear.”

Rainbow Dash nodded, flying up the stairs where Fluttershy could hear the squeak of her bedroom window opening and closing.

“Now, Fluttershy,” Rarity began, lifting Fluttershy’s head so that they were looking eye to eye. “Confidence and grace.”

“Confidence and grace,”Fluttershy repeated weakly.

“This your first go-round, sugar?” Applejack asked from behind the unicorn, much to her chagrin.

“Kind of?”

“Well, don’t think nothin’ of it,” the farm pony advised. “Whoever they are. They’re a pony just like you. Like Rarity’s saying, just keep your head high.”

“Indeed. Just think ‘I deserve this.’”

A squawk drew the trio’s attention, the flamingo in the corner nodding vigorously along.

“See, we’re all in agreement here. Smile, darling. Just see where things take you this night.” Rarity idly began to adjust the lay of Fluttershy’s mane, brushing off the odd mote of dust that had settled here and there in the less than adequate conditions of the cottage. “Be open with your heart, but not too open. Confident, but not brash. Strong, but grace—”

“Y’all gonna overload the poor girl,” Applejack intoned, pulling the unicorn back gently as she could. “Jus’ be true, Flutters, an’ you’ll do alright. C’mon, Rares, let’s get everythin’ out of here.”

“Oooooh!” Rarity trotting in place a moment, seemingly unsure of herself before grabbing Fluttershy in an unexpectedly strong hug. “Best of luck, dear, I mean that!” She broke away, smiling brightly at the pegasus and Fluttershy couldn’t help but return the gesture.

“Thank you. Thank both of you,” Fluttershy murmured as Applejack and Rarity began the task of clearing up everything their preparation had wrought upon the cottage. “And please thank Rainbow Dash too when you see her.”

“I will make she she receives your regards,” Rarity said with a schoolfilly’s skip in her step as the dress trains pressed through the doorway with Applejack bringing up the rear, sweat dotting her brow as she had clearly been unexpectedly left the bulk of the hoofwork.

“I’ll be wantin’ news in the morning, ‘Shy,” Applejack said with a playful grin.

Fluttershy simply blushed as the two disappeared out the door.

Maybe… maybe I will give this another try, she thought to herself as she did a little twirl in front of the mirror, her dress swaying elegantly, the rays of the setting sun giving it a wonderful shimmer.

A squawk and a soft poke in the flank got her attention. She looked over her shoulder to find her ‘flamingo’ friend stepping back, gesturing to a gently steaming cup of tea left on the table.

“Okay, okay. Since you’ve obviously worked so hard… we’ll try,” Fluttershy admitted, unable to rid herself of the soft smile adorning her lips as the bird let out an excited trill, hopping happily from foot to foot.

Maybe this will all work out for the best. Somehow…