//------------------------------// // Four – Friendship is Solace // Story: Beauty, Books, and Butterflies // by Rough_Draft //------------------------------// Twilight knew it wasn’t a good sign when even the birds flying overhead went quiet. She sat on the picnic blanket with her legs folded beneath her, watching Fluttershy for a clear reaction. The pegasus hadn’t moved a muscle. She seemed frozen out of shock. The only thing that moved was the breeze blowing up strands of her mane across her eyes and ears. Though she was desperate to keep a gentle smile on her face, inside Twilight was starting to panic. I blew it, didn’t I? I just spilled my heart out to my best friend and she can’t even bear to look at me. Celestia, help me! What do I do? Do I say something? Should I leave? Maybe I’ll go a trip until the memory of this disaster fades away…? She was halfway through planning an emergency balloon ride back to Canterlot when she heard Fluttershy whisper, “It was you?” Twilight blushed. She crept back until she up against the picnic basket. Unfortunately, she wasn’t small enough to hop in and hide in the basket. “Yes,” she answered. The word rolled off her tongue like a bale of hay. “I-it’s me, Fluttershy. Rarity was trying to be subtle about it yesterday.” Twilight looked over at the other end of the meadow, wondering how fast she could make it back to the library without knocking over anypony in the way. “You see, she’s been trying to set me up with a special somepony and decided you might be my best match.” Twilight slowly faced the other pony with a hopeful expression. “And I think she’s right.” “Oh.” Such a delicate word coming out the mouth of a delicate pony. A lovely, delicate pony… who didn’t share Twilight’s feelings. “Just hear me out.” Twilight couldn’t keep still any longer. She got up and began to trot in a wide circle around the picnic blanket. It was easier to organize the chaotic stew of her thoughts that way. “When Rarity suggested you as a match, I was skeptical. But then she saw how much we have in common and how I was around you. You’re gentle and caring, and I love that about you.” And I think I love you, she added in her head. “But you’re… I don’t know. You’re just so nice. You’re the nicest, sweetest pony I’ve ever met and I guess that’s what I’m looking for right now. I don’t know if you like mares or stallions, but I wanted you to know that I… care for you…” Twilight paused. As she did, she noticed the faint groove she’d worn into the grass with all her trotting. She sighed and looked over at Fluttershy for a response. She saw a faint pink blush on Fluttershy’s cheeks. She watched as the pegasus slowly reached down and began to pack up her plates and napkin into the basket. Twilight shifted from hoof to hoof, waiting for something—anything—that could tell her what Fluttershy was feeling inside. But instead, when the pegasus turned around, she was frowning. “T-thank you for lunch,” she said quietly. “I-I need to go home now.” “Fluttershy, wait—” But before Twilight could stop her, Fluttershy pushed her away with her wings and bolted straight into the air. Twilight could only watch as the pegasus soared in a long, rapid arc away from the meadow and back toward her cottage. It would’ve been easy to fly after her, being an alicorn now. But Twilight didn’t have the heart to chase her. I blew it, she thought and sighed into her hooves. Rarity, you were wrong about us. I don’t deserve somepony as gentle as Fluttershy. It was a small comfort to Fluttershy that the grass beneath the shade of her tree was so soft and cool. She could focus on that. The robins that nested in her mane were tweeting sympathetically and a small family of squirrels had tried to cheer her up by bringing her a pile of acorns. It wasn’t much, but it was the only kind of comfort that squirrels could appreciate. Angel Bunny was sitting beside her, eating his carrot quietly for once. He hadn’t raised a fuss when she raced past her front door. She knew how much he would have rather had time to spend with her instead of letting go alone with Twilight. The dear little rabbit was sensitive like that. She was grateful he was by her side now. She needed all the friends she could get. No, Fluttershy thought tearfully, not all my friends… There were too many feelings to sort through inside her heart. She was afraid of what Twilight was offering; how could Fluttershy possibly let romance get in the way of their beautiful friendship? And now she was sad—sad for not giving Twilight a clear answer. Sad for rudely leaving her behind. Fluttershy kept checking over her shoulder, but she didn’t see Twilight anywhere. “I’m such a fool,” she murmured and pressed her face into her hooves. “I’m sorry, Twilight. I’m so sorry…” A gentle gust of wind brushed through her mane. Fluttershy lifted her head, briefly spotting a faint rainbow trail in the sky. One second later, she heard—and felt—a tremendous crash from the top of the tree. Leaping to her hooves, Fluttershy pedaled back into Angel Bunny. The rabbit growled as she peeked up at the treetop. When she spotted a sky blue wing sticking out, she gasped. “Oh my goodness!” “Ugh…” Slowly, Rainbow Dash pulled herself free from the branches. With a ferocious shake of her mane, she scattered a small cloud of leaves and twigs into the air. “Oh. Hey, Fluttershy. Gimme a second, would ya?” Fluttershy waited as her friend gingerly spread her wings and glided down to the ground. As she landed on her hooves, Rainbow Dash grinned. “Whew! Well that was fun!” “What happened? Are you all right?” “Oh, you know me—always awesome!” Rainbow Dash paused to turn and yank out one last twig from her tail using her teeth. “I was just leading the weather team on our last drill for the day. There’s some kinda magic storm brewing in the Everfree Forest. Don’t know how, but it means we’re gonna get some nasty rain in a few days.” She blushed. “I, uh, thought I could fly up to the storm and see it for myself. Guess it’s stronger than I realized.” The idea of a magic storm—or anything to do with the Everfree Forest—wasn’t something that Fluttershy wanted to hear. She fought a shiver running along her tail. “Oh, dear.” “Yeah, it is pretty epic. Anyway, I was gonna go see if Twilight knows anything about magic storms. Do you know if she’s still at the library?” “Um…” Now the shiver had passed up her spine. Fluttershy couldn’t find the strength to stay on her hooves. She dropped to the ground with a whimper. “I… I don’t…” Rainbow Dash tilted her head. “Hey, what’s wrong?” “D-don’t ask…” The other pegasus lowered herself into a crouch beside Fluttershy. “C’mon, talk to me. Did something happen with Twilight?” Fluttershy squeezed her eyes shut. Now all she could picture was Twilight’s face. So anxious when she’d confessed her feelings. So shocked when Fluttershy had flown away. “It’s a long story,” she finally said. “That’s okay,” Rainbow Dash replied. “My work’s done for today.” As she shifted closer, she reached out and patted Fluttershy on the head. “Just let it all out.” “Okay. Here goes…” Rainbow Dash fell back onto her haunches. “Whoa. And then you just took off?” “What else could I do?” Fluttershy had wrapped herself deeper into her mane while she’d told her story. Now she only had a tiny glimpse of her friend through a sea of pink hair. “I don’t know what to say to that! I don’t even know how I feel!” She had hoped it’d be good to talk it out, but now she wasn’t so sure. All she could picture now was Twilight’s stricken face. And when Fluttershy thought about it, her face was beautiful… “Don’t worry about it. It’s natural.” Rainbow Dash flicked her tail back and forth. “Did I ever tell you about how Applejack and I first started?” Fluttershy let her mane unfurl. “Um, I don’t think so…” “It was after last year’s Iron Pony contest. You remember, the one that Braeburn and the other Apple ponies showed up for?” Rainbow Dash’s eyes went distant. She allowed herself a tiny smile as she got lost in her memories. “We were racing each other back to Sweet Apple Acres. First one back by sundown got the first slice of Grannie’s apple pie. Anyway, we were running so fast and I was looking down at AJ… and I kept thinking how good she looked…” “And then what happened?” Rainbow Dash grinned. “Well, I got so caught up in my thoughts that I crashed right into her. We went tumbling down a slope and she landed right on top of me when we hit the bottom. We were laughing so hard, and then the next thing I know, she gives me a little peck on the cheek.” It was rare to see Rainbow Dash blushing, but Fluttershy always liked seeing it. “The rest, as they say, is history.” “But how did you know?” Fluttershy demanded softly, trying not to shout. “I mean, when did you know that… she was the one?” The other pegasus shrugged. “It just happened. We started seeing each other more and then we decided that we were good for each other, you know? It’s not something you can explain. You just have to go for it.” Fluttershy chewed on her lip, trying to picture herself with Twilight. She could imagine the two of them holding hooves as they walked—no, as they flew together over Ponyville. It was a pleasant image in her mind, but she couldn’t tell if it what she really wanted. But Rainbow Dash wasn’t done talking. “Although, now that I think about it… I mean, Twilight?” Her muzzle twisted into a frown. “I just don’t see it. I never even pegged her for a mare lover. Unless this is another one of those experiments…” “I still don’t know what to do,” Fluttershy interrupted. She was shaking as she got onto her hooves. “Should I apologize to her? M-maybe give her a second chance?” “That’s up to you, Shy.” Rainbow Dash got up as well and nudged her wing into Fluttershy’s flank. “Just know that, whatever you decide, I’ll always be your wing mate.” Fluttershy smiled. Then, she knelt down and bumped her wing against Rainbow Dash’s. “Thanks, RD.” “Anytime, Shy.” Rainbow Dash paused to pop her neck muscles and stretch her wings. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a nice farm pony waiting to have dinner with me. I’ll see you later.” Fluttershy waved as she got a running start and took flight. “Goodbye. And thank you!” She waited until Rainbow Dash was just a blip on the early evening sky. Then, Fluttershy turned and headed back toward her cottage. There was a lot she needed to consider. She supposed it was time she allowed herself to think about romance a little. Everypony gets their cutie mark sooner or later, she reminded herself. Maybe I’m lucky enough to have my first special somepony, too. “Darling, please.” Rarity gestured to the table. “You don’t want your tea to get cold, do you?” Twilight didn’t have a response for that. She’d hardly said a word since she slowly trotted her way back into town. Instead of going to talk to Spike at the library, she’d found herself knocking on the door of the Carousel Boutique. Rarity didn’t have to say a word. She could tell just by looking at Twilight’s face. So Twilight found herself being treated to a cup of jasmine tea and a spot on Rarity’s sofa. She’d barely noticed when the unicorn drifted back into her workshop for a few minutes. It was impossible to get the image out of her head. Fluttershy’s confused expression. It was still there when she pictured the pegasus racing away, leaving her behind. Could they still be friends after this? What was the protocol for these situations? Twilight was certain she didn’t have any books in her library on the subject of staying friends after confessing romantic feelings for each other. But it was possible Rarity did. She opened her mouth to ask when a blue-glowing teacup was suddenly forced to her lips. “Drink,” Rarity commanded. The dark fire in her eyes brooked no argument. Twilight took a long sip, a little surprised at how rich and tasteful the jasmine brew was. It didn’t dispel the images in her head, but it calmed her nerves a little. “Believe me, darling, I know what it’s like to have your hopes dashed.” Rarity settled down on the couch beside her. “You remember that walking faux pas Prince Blueblood, don’t you?” “I do.” Twilight had actually seen Blueblood not that long ago. As a new Princess of Equestria, she’d been obligated to attend a formal ball after her coronation. All the finest ponies of Canterlot and extended members of the royal family had been in attendance—including Celestia’s rather snotty nephew. It was a small comfort that he’d been a little more considerate to her than he had to Rarity, though Twilight had no idea if he was only being nice because she was now a princess or because he remembered how ferocious Rarity had been. “You’re going to feel bad now, but don’t let it control you.” Rarity smiled as she moved the teacup back to her table. “Take some time. Do something you’d enjoy like…” She frowned and put a hoof to her chin. “Er, whatever you would enjoy. Reorganizing the library, perhaps?” “I already did that twice this week.” “How about a nice trip to Manehattan?” “So you’re saying I just leave town and forget about Fluttershy?” “No, no!” Rarity’s grimace didn’t do much to mar her natural beauty, though it still hurt Twilight to see it. “Oh, dear. This isn’t going very well, is it?” Somepony cleared her throat. “Hey, Rare? Did you forget something?” Twilight turned in surprise. She watched Applejack trot out from the workshop, wearing one of the frilliest blue-and-pink dresses she’d ever seen. The only thing that seemed appropriate to the farm pony was the battered Stetson hat firmly planted on top of her head. It defiantly clashed with the rest of her elegant attire. “Applejack?” Twilight tilted her head. “I didn’t know you were—” “Before you say another word, Twi, I’m doing Rarity a favor.” Applejack tugged impatiently on the hem of her dress with her teeth. “So can we hurry up, please? I gotta get home for dinner.” “Yes, of course! I just need to make a few more adjustments!” Rarity flashed a proud smile at Twilight. “I asked her to help model my new Princesse Poney series. It’s going to be quite a hit next spring, I just know it!” Applejack rolled her eyes, but when she looked over at Twilight, her face softened. “How you holding up, Twilight?” Twilight exchanged a glance with Rarity. “You told her?” “I’m sorry, dear. I tried to hold it in.” “No, it’s fine.” As she looked back at Applejack, Twilight felt a thrill deep in her belly. Applejack was the most honest pony she knew. If there was anypony who could give her a straightforward opinion, it’d be have to be her. “So,” she asked quietly, “what do you think I should do?” “Well, I’m mighty stumped.” Applejack tugged again at her dress, loosening it up around the neck despite Rarity’s silent protests. After fixing her friend with a glare, she added, “I reckon you and Fluttershy would be quite a match. But then I figure she’s so nervous and you’re so…” Twilight’s heart sank. “So what, AJ?” The farm pony had the decency to grin sheepishly. “Shucks, Twi. You know how you can get when you’re all wound up. Apple Bloom still has nightmares about that day you caused a big ol’ fight across town over Smarty Pants.” “That’s… I’m not that bad!” But when she saw Rarity and Applejack shaking their heads, she knew she couldn’t argue. It was her nature. She cared so much about perfection, it was practically a curse. Even now, she wondered how somepony like Spike could put up with her on a daily basis. Slowly, Twilight got off the couch and trotted over to Applejack. “You think we’d be too traumatic for each other?” “Could be,” said Applejack. “And you’d have to be mighty careful. If you hurt Fluttershy, I know fer sure Rainbow Dash’s gonna come running for your hide.” She reached out and put a calming hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “But what the hay do I know? I never would’ve guessed me and Dashie would hit it off like we did. I figure you’ve just gotta be honest with the poor little nelly.” “She’s right,” Rarity chimed in with a bright smile. “If Fluttershy’s scared, then you have to be brave. If she’s hurt, then be gentle. Mix and match, darling. It’s the best way to go.” Twilight stared at Rarity, feeling the gears turning in the back of her head. She kept playing the scene over in her head. Fluttershy panicked. Fluttershy clamped down on her feelings. Fluttershy flew away before Twilight could press her for an answer. Too much pressure. Too vulnerable. She needed to feel safe before she could answer. “I just have to make her feel safe,” Twilight said out loud. “She got embarrassed at the picnic because she thought Rarity had a crush on her instead of me—” “She did?” Rarity exclaimed, her eyes bulging. “But now I see what the problem was.” Twilight grinned. “I know how to fix this!” “Atta girl, Twilight!” Applejack pumped her hoof into the air. Twilight savored the pride in her heart for just a moment. When she began to think about what she had in mind, her spirits sank. “There’s just one problem.” “What’s that?” “I’m gonna have to wait about a month before I can do anything—” “Yes, fascinating, I’m sure.” Rarity suddenly grabbed Twilight from the side and spun her around. “Now, darling. What’s this about Fluttershy thinking I have a crush on her?” Twilight grinned bashfully. “Oh, right! Well, it’s kind of a funny story. You see…”