//------------------------------//
// Flashback 2 
// Story: Reconciling Annabelle Smith 
// by Crowley 
//------------------------------//

Ponyville’s Local Park
62 years ago

“And look at that one, Annie! It looks like a donkey with three ears and no tail!”

“Which one? Oh yeah, I see it now!”

The pale green mare’s hind legs kicked the air with mirth as she chuckled at the funnily-shaped cloud drifting by on the late summer breeze. You were both lying on your backs, lounging on the soft, green grass that covers a gently-sloping hill. The yellow-maned beauty shuffled ever-so-slightly closer to you. In response, you draped your foreleg over her shoulder in assurance.

“D’aw, look at the one over there!” she jabbed a hoof skyward. “Looks like a li’l bunny rabbit! I wish I could just give that cloud a cuddle.”

“Well, why don’t you?” you playfully nudged her as you picked yourself up and stretched your six limbs. “Gimme a second…”

“Huh? What do you think you’re doing..?”

The way you flexed your wings - in the same warm-up exercise your favourite flight team, the Scarlet Wings, had made mandatory for all hopefuls in training - made it obvious, you thought.

Bending your youthful knees, you bounded off the hillside, and into the crisp, spring air. A few flaps later, and you were face to… er, face with the bunny-rabbit shaped cloud Annie had pointed out.

The look on her face when you simply plucked that cloud from the sky - both fore hooves wrapped around the giant cluster of vapour - and bought it back just for her…

“There!” you triumphantly placed the cloud down, taking care not to disperse it upon the dry grass, by your friend’s side. “For you, Annie Smith, I’d do anything.”

Her pretty face lit up at the gesture, and she made no attempt to cover her modest red blush. “D’aw, ya shouldn’t’ve!”

She edged herself closer to the vaporous, bunny-shaped gift. A pale-green hoof reached out and tried to touch the cloud. The white wisps of weather just drifted around her earth pony touch. At least she seemed undeterred.

“Sure is pretty to look at, either way.” She leaned back into the grass, her hoof propping her head up as her smile betrays her thanks.

“Not as pretty as you, Annie.” In truth, you weren’t thinking when you said that. In honesty, you didn’t care who heard it.

She softly chuckled at your straight-up accolade, and playfully hoisted a hoof over your shoulder. “Shucks, we’re already datin’, you don’t need to shower me with compliments.”

You folded one of your strong, downy wings around her, pulling her into your feathery embrace. “Just letting you know.”

The two of you remained on that very hillside, watching Celestia’s sun pass by, until you both decided it was time to leave. A bite to eat. A nice dinner. Her choice of restaurant. Anywhere, so long as she was with you.