//------------------------------// // Emerging Feelings // Story: The Party Breaker // by PonyXpress //------------------------------// "Oh hey there Pinkie" Twilight leaned herself forward with a smile "What brings you here?" Twilight's question fell upon deaf ears, Pinkie not even noticing her friend talking to her while she playfully looked around at the vast bookshelves of the library. Twilight looked at the pink earth pony slightly agitated. "Pinkie?" She repeated herself. Pinkie's head abruptly spun around, locking eye contact with the pony standing by her book pedestal. The pink mare's face remained blank for a few seconds but before anypony could blink her face exploded into a bright an bubbly smile. "Hey Twilight!" She greeted with high enthusiasm. Pinkie smiled awkwardly at her lavender coated friend, who simply attempted to return the gesture. Her face twisted and contorted into what looked like an unsure smile. Twilight's sheepish grin soon wore off as she turned her head away in slight discomfort. She attempted to continue her reading, however the bright blue eyes glaring at her seemed to pierce through the book and straight into Twilight's concentration. The thought became increasingly uncomfortable. "Umm...Pinkie?" Twilight stuttered with uncertainty. "Yes, Twilight?" Pinkie abruptly answered dashing forward. Twilight's body jerked back in shock of the pink pony's sudden movements. Her mind fumbled with her next sentence, trying not to choke. "Uh...Did you need something?" She managed to force out. Pinkie's head spun away taking a few steps out back into the open space of the library. She looked around at the various books that lined the shelves, all different colors. Each book had it's own story, she could pick one out at random and find something totally interesting. On the other hand she could just as easily pick something that would lead to boredom and regret. It was always a hit or miss, like many other choices she'd made throughout her life. The opportunity to take the chance was there, but she didn't dare take her luck for a spin this time around. "Well" Pinkie aimed her voice into the empty air of the room "I...was wondering if you had anything in the big old library about talking to that special somepony" Pinkie's voice toned itself down, surprisingly serious and natural. Twilight could tell she'd had something on her mind, it was probably the reason why she was so persistent in getting her to stop reading giving Pinkie her attention. "Well...I'm not exactly sure Pinkie, why? Did you find somepony that catches your eye?" Twilight tried not to tease, but she never was good and the social game. Pinkie didn't turn her head back to respond, instead she took a few more steps towards the bookshelves in front of her. "Yes, actually" Pinkie's voice was stern and calm, something she wasn't at all used to. Twilight snickered a little, bringing a hoof to her muzzle in an attempt to hide the laugh. "Oh? Who is it? If you don't mind me asking that is" Pinkie turned around, facing her unicorn friend lazing around on the couch with her book. The pink pony's face was dead straight, not a tweak of emotion could be seen at all. "Fluttershy" ------------------------ When Pinkie had first met Fluttershy wandering around Ponyville, she had taken her usual routine to make them become friends. She'd greeted her with a smile and even sung her a little song. It didn't take long for the pink mare to realize that Fluttershy was not the one for open conversation. Pinkie, soon decided that Fluttershy was one of those special cases, somepony who didn't like the noise of a real party too often. One of those ponies that preferred peace and quiet over loud and rowdy. That's not to say Fluttershy didn't enjoy a good Pinkie party once in a while. Even the quiet one's need a good chance to let loose and enjoy their wild side. Once Pinkie had discovered Fluttershy's introvert tendencies, she quickly adapted and before long, knew exactly how to please her new pegasus friend. With the arrival of Twilight, the friendship between the six ponies solidified into something fierce, not a force to be trifled with. Pinkie was't exactly sure about her feelings towards Fluttershy however. It confused her, at first she thought she just liked the shy pony a little bit more than her other friends. Pinkie worried about herself, she didn't like picking favorites, especially when it came to friends. It felt wrong. She wanted to like her friends equally, not put them on ranking pedestals. Her mind was set with that mentality for a long while, that is until she started to take notice of how attractive she was. Her mind became a labyrinth or thoughts, why did she keep admiring her looks as well? She questioned herself thoroughly, day after day, night after night. She wanted to spend more and more time with her, and they did. Pinkie would commonly visit the cottage just outside of town just to see the timid pegasus. They'd talk about their days, sometimes Pinkie would give her some treats from the bakery. The two spent countless hours, talking, playing, spending a lot of their time together. The closeness between the two baffled the others. One one hand, there was Pinkie, the overly energetic party mare, capable of defying what anypony would call normal. On the opposite hand, there was exactly that. Fluttershy, the quiet, well mannered, animal caring mare. Of the two ponies to get so well acquainted, it was these two. None of them questioned it however, they were just pleased that two ponies with such differences were able to hit off so well. Eventually the feelings became too much for Pinkie to handle on her own. She began to talk about Fluttershy to Dash, who also happened to be one of her oldest friends. Dash was soon aware of Pinkie inclination, although it had never been made clear. Dash knew, she didn't have to be told. She acted as a release for Pinkie for quite some time. Pinkie would blab for hours about the shy pony that Rainbow knew all too well already. Soon Pinkie found herself desperate to ask her close friend how she felt about the two of them. Not too long ago, Fluttershy began to talk about another pony, a stallion in particular. Pinkie couldn't help but feel jealously slide into her mind. She'd try her best to shrug it off, worrying of slipping out something she shouldn't. Big Macintosh, Applejack's older brother seemed to catch Fluttershy's attention, in more ways than one. She'd talk about how she'd see him out in the orchids, bucking the trees, as she flew over Sweet Apple Acres. How she'd have a casual conversation wtih him every so often. Pinkie did an excellent job on hiding her irrefutable envy of the bulky red stallion. She figured it was time to make a move, before it was too late. ------------------------ "I see" Twilight tried to hide her excited giggle Pinkie gave Twilight a strange glance "What's wrong with you Twilight?" Twilight snickered "Nothing!" Pinkie narrowed her eyes, giving Twilight a suspicious look. "If you say so" Neither of them spoke for a moment, catching up with the conversation. "So you want to tell Fluttershy how you feel?" Pinkie nodded with agreement "Yup" "So who's stopping you?" Twilight asked "Nopony really...except me" Pinkie frowned, sheepishly digging at the ground "It's just..." Pinkie took a few moments to find the right words for what she wanted to say. "I'm not sure, I just can't say it, I get all nervous and stuff" Twilight's eyes widened with shock. Pinkie, nervous? Was confessing really so serious that even the loudest and most outgoing pony in all of Ponyville if not Equestria, trembled at the thought was telling Fluttershy how she felt? Twilight shuddered at the mere thought of having to make a decision like that in the future. "I'm sorry Pinkie, I can't help you" Twilight shook her head in shame "Just try it. Just say the words, I'm positive she won't change her opinion of you if you do" "I suppose..." Pinkie shied away heading for the library door. "Just let her know how you feel Pinkie, she won't hate you for it, this is Fluttershy we're talking about" "I know, I know" Pinkie waved her hoof in the air sarcastically "I guess I don't really have a choice then huh?" Twilight shrugged. "Well, I suppose..." Pinkie smiled as the words left her mouth "I should just let her know" She turned back to Twilight flashing a bright smile before busting out through the library door. "Thanks Twilight!" She called, almost out of ear shot. Twilight shook her head with a silly grin, looking back to her book on astronomy. Pinkie bounced through town, humming a rather familiar tune. The ponies all around town threw a series of 'hello's and 'hi's at the cheerful pink mare. It was rare to come across anypony that didn't know Pinkie and if they didn't know her, chances are they were new in town and were in for the greeting of a life time. Pinkie passed through the market wards in Ponyville, feeling herself drawn to her workplace. Sugarcube Corner was home, a home that also happened to contain her job and her favorite shop. Pinkie approached the sweet smelling store with greedy eyes. She stepped in through the front door, greeted by that well known wall of sweet scented, warm air. The aromas filled Pinkie's nostrils, her face devolving into a mess of hunger and watering lips. "Mmm" She murmured Taking a few moments to regain herself, she stepped towards the counter to ring the brass bell resting beside a stack of various sweets. Mrs Cake appeared from behind the kitchen doors before Pinkie had a chance to ring. "Oh, hello there Pinkie Pie" Mrs Cake smiled slowly trotting over to the counter "Was there anything you needed?" "Yes! Um, could I pretty please have one of those peach slices, you know, the ones Fluttershy likes?" Pinkie pointed her hoof at the orange looking slice of cake through the glass of the counter, her face grinning foolishly. "Sure!" Mrs Cake happily responded. She reached down, opening the sliding door to pull the slice out from the display. She carefully placed it into a small box, dropping it on the surface in front of Pinkie with caution. "No need to pay for this one dearie, I know what it's for" Mrs Cake gave Pinkie a quick wink and a giggle. Pinkie's face blushed ever so slightly as she reached her head forward to gasp the ribbon tied around the box in her mouth. "Okay then, thanks a lot Mrs Cake!" Pinkie called rushing out of the bakery in a hurry. Pinkie hopped through town once again, en route to Fluttershy's cottage, until she noticed something familiar out of the corner of her eye. Her hopping came to quick stop as she turned her head to look at a blue pegasus lounging on a cloud. "Rainbow!" She called through her clenched teeth looking up at a cloud nearby. The cyan pegasus twisted her head back at the ground. "Pinkie!" Rainbow called back as she rolled herself over, looking down at her pink coated friend "What's up?" "I was just on my way to Fluttershy's place" Pinkie smiled "I got her a slice of her favorite cake too!" "Ohhh...I see where you're going" Rainbow snickered "You're gonna let her know this time?" Rainbows eyes narrowed, as if to taunt Pinkie with her comment "It's getting to be a huge pain not to tell her myself you know" Pinkie's head bobbed up and down furiously. "Awesome! Want me to tag along?" Pinkie raised a hoof to her chin for a moment. She shook her head. "Nah, I think I can handle this one on my own, but thanks anyways Dashie!" "If you say so, I'll catch you later then...after you tell her" Pinkie nodded again, waving her hoof before continuing her trip to the cottage. The sun had begun to set low in the sky as Pinkie bounded her way through the dirt paths just outside of town. The noises out here were different from the noises she heard in town. There were animals that she couldn't even recognize half the time and strange plants the looked different from the ones seen in Ponyville. It was like stepping into some kind of portal, into an unknown, yet calming land. The tranquility was perfect, Pinkie thought to herself cheerfully. She began to make out the faint figure of Fluttershy's cottage in the distance, dancing just over the horizon of the orange blur. She felt her heart begin to race, her bouncing became shaky, soon forcing her to slow to a trot. She felt her face warm up with the cottage getting larger and larger. "You got this Pinkie, Fluttershy's your friend. She won't hate you if she doesn't feel the same way" Pinkie pepped herself up "Hello Pinkie" Pinkie jumped right out of her skin for a moment, fumbling with the box of cake. She panted for a second, gently placing the box down on the ground before she ruined the gift inside. She turned her head to the yellow pegasus hovering just above her. "Yeesh, Fluttershy, you surprised the candy outta me" "Oh my, I'm sorry Pinkie, I didn't mean to startle you" Pinkie snickered "It's fine" "I just saw you coming and, well, I thought I'd come meet you instead of waiting for you to come to me" Fluttershy said lowering herself to the ground with a pat "Is that ok?" Pinkie snickered once again with sarcasm "Of course it's ok silly" Pinkie leaned down and picked up the box at her hooves and slowly trotted over to Fluttershy. "Do you mind if we go to our place? There was something I wanted to tell you" Pinkie asked her mouth grasping on the ribbon of the box. "Sure" The two ponies continued down the dirt part through the woods towards a small hill just beside Fluttershy's cottage. The pair would often spend all their time together on that hill, simply talking and enjoying one another's company. It had become more or less of a place of solitude, somewhere the two of them could be alone, without being judged, watched or interrupted. The hill was out in the open, there was often a gentle breeze flowing across the light grassy mound of earth. The pair sat themselves on the soft grass atop the hill, gazing out at the sunset before them. They sat, silently for a few moments, Pinkie gathering every last ounce of courage she could muster before saying what had been on her mind for far too long. "It's beautiful...isn't it Pinkie?" Fluttershy gently broke the silence with her quiet voice. Pinkie nodded in agreement, looking out at the bright orange sky. "It is" "Pinkie?" Pinkie's head turned to look at her companion's face. "Hm?" "There's something I've been meaning to tell you" She continued Pinkie's ears perked up suddenly, her mind fuzzed out for a moment. Her thoughts swam with wishful thinking, did she feel the same way? What else could she be talking about at a time like this? Pinkie held her breath for a moment in anticipation of Fluttershy's next words. Pinkie could feel time slow, everything seemed to freeze. Her own heat beat could be heard as clear as day. Her eyes grew wide as she tried to hide the sudden jolt of her muscles. "You promise not to tell anyone?" Fluttershy muttered, her face was tinted with a faint blush. Pinkie was unable to speak, instead she turned to her pegasus friend with complete attention, her mouth forming a small 'o' shape. "Big Macintosh and I had a talk the other day, and well" Fluttershy blushed turning her attention to the ground "we decided to...you know...get together" Pinkie froze solid. Her brain seemed to burn out, throwing accusations and thoughts back and forth. She felt her heart sink, slowly, comprehending what she'd just heard. It took her a while to come to terms with the statement but when she did, she felt her chest explode, her heart tore itself in half, leaving a mess of confusion and self blame. She wanted to ask why, she wanted to tell her how she felt...but she didn't, she couldn't. The split moment after everything inside her shattered into pieces, it was soon put back together, by false emotions and lies gluing the pieces of Pinkie's broken mentality back only this time forming a shell. A shell that merely hid her true feelings. "Oh? That's nice" Pinkie giggled "I hope he's as nice as you say he is" Fluttershy nodded in approval "Oh yes, he's very kind" "That's good" Pinkie grinned once again. The silence from there on was gut wrenching. Pinkie felt her sadness slowly wave over her, consuming every last ounce of happiness she had left. The silence needed to be broken, before she broke down in front of the pony she cared so much about. She remembered the slice of peach cake. "Hey Fluttershy, I brought you some of your favorite cake from the store today!" Pinkie leaned down pushing the small box with the ribbon across the grass towards the pegasus with her nose. "Is that what that is?" Fluttershy said curiously, looking at the box presented to her "Thank you, Pinkie" Pinkie bobbed her head with a silly grin as she turned her head away. "The sun's gone now" Pinkie said "Mhmm" Fluttershy hummed in compliance Silence once again took hold between the pair making both of them feel uncomfortable. It was never usually this quiet between the two of them. Pinkie writhed in her own busted pieces of hope and love. "I think I should head home now, I'm feeling kind of tired" Pinkie said "Already?" Fluttershy asked with a saddened frown "Yeah, I'm sorry, I think for once I just need to relax" Pinkie laughed heartily "Oh, well if you need to, you can stay in my cottage" Fluttershy offered, leaning her head towards her pink friend. "Nah, thanks for the offer though Flutters" "Okay then, I'll see you later then Pinkie?" Fluttershy reassured both herself and Pinkie Pinkie stood herself up, the breeze brushing against her face. The dull sunlight hid the single tear beginning to break away from the pink pony's eye. "Sure Fluttershy, I'll see you later" Pinkie gave Fluttershy a false smile once again, masking her real feelings hidden behind her bubbly attitude. Pinkie turned her head to trot away until she heard Fluttershy's voice again. "Wait!" She called Pinkie spun her head around, her eyes locked on the yellow pegasus still seated on the grass of the hill. "Didn't you say you had something to tell me?" Fluttershy asked, tilting her head to one side. Pinkie giggled, bringing a hoof up to scratch her head. "Oh yeah...I must have forgotten it" She lied "Oh well, if I forgot it mustn't have been important" She finished her sentence trying not to falter. "Oh...okay then" "I'll see you later Fluttershy" Pinkie waved goodbye one last time, turning back to trot on home. Pinkie hung her head in sheer disappointment and brokenness. She walked down the dirt path she had been hopping along not too long ago. For a moment she wished she could go back to that time, change what had happened that afternoon. Soon she realized that it would change a thing, Fluttershy would still be with Big Macintosh and that didn't look as though it were about to change. The single tear broke free trailing down her cheek, falling down on to the cold dirt path below her as she slowly made her way home.