//------------------------------// // Perfect Surprise // Story: The One Where They All Turn Thirty // by Spike120812 //------------------------------// Perfect Surprise Luna's full moon hung in the dark blue sky, accompanied by hundreds of stars that shined their radiant light like tiny diamonds. The starry sky swirled in its hues of dark blue and purple, creating a canvas of lunar beauty, but it was a beauty outmatched only by the mare holding everypony's attention with her new husband. In a large, isolated garden in upper Canterlot, even as snow lightly fell, draping the still living flora in a veil of white, ponies stood around a dance floor to witness a beautiful site, a bride and groom sharing their first dance. Tables with a pristine white cloth draped atop covered the garden grounds. All around the greenery stood finely crafted and carefully placed torches that burned strong and bright green fire, radiating the warmth felt in its creator's heart. Hanging in the trees and above everypony's heads, spherical azure lanterns illuminated their light, shining bright like their inspiration's eyes. At the center of it all, the bride and groom danced together with lovestruck gazes spread across their faces as they stared lovingly into one another. As they danced their slow and graceful dance, the mare of honor, sister of the bride, Sweetie Belle, stood on a nearby stage accompanied by a small orchestra, drums, and a piano. The sound of her bell-like voice filled the dance floor as she sung for her sister and new brother-in-law to a slow, classic, and melodious song. "At last My love has come along.” Rarity, beauty like hers couldn't hope to be matched. Her dress flowed in an radiant and elegant white, accented in silver. Of course it was beautiful. She designed it. Her mane swirled in its signature style and shone a bright purple. Tenderly place around her neck rested the heart-shaped gemstone her love gave her so many years ago, probably the first real indication she had of the true feelings her new husband had for her. The bright red of the fire ruby, along with the purple of her mane, the white of her coat and dress, and the light shining off the diamond ring on her horn created an extravagant beauty nopony could hope to forget, but the one thing that shined brighter than anything else about Rarity, were her magnificent azure eyes as she looked into her new husband's emerald pools, Spike’s. Spike held onto Rarity like she was the most precious thing in Equestria as he danced with her in his night-black tux. Tied around his neck was something she gave him so many years ago, a bold red, jewel-encrusted bow tie. He was the dragon of the hour, dancing with the mare of the hour, and neither of them wanted it to stop. “I love you, Spike,” Rarity whispered lovingly as she dug her head further into Spike’s muscled chest. “I love you too, Rarity.” Few had dry eyes as they watched Spike and Rarity dance, Rainbow Dash automatically known to be one of those ponies. Her, Twilight and the girls, all dressed in their bridesmares dresses, the rest of the former CMC, Celestia, Luna, and everypony else important to the newlyweds all stood by and watched the two dance away. Next to Twilight, stood the rest of her and Spike’s family. Dressed in his best stallion’s tux, Shining Armor held his pink-coated wife close to him as he, her, and their two foals standing next to them watched the newlyweds share their first dance as a married couple. “My brother’s married,” Shining breathed, not out of surprise, but in a sense of wonder that only family could feel once they saw how much the ponies, or dragon in his case, they knew throughout their lives have grown. Seeing his new sister-in-law and Spike still dancing brought out a flood of memories to a similar occasion. Shining turned to his wife, her tri-colored mane once again jeweled out for a special occasion. “Takes you back, huh, Cadance?” Cadance looked up to meet Shining Armor’s moist eyes with her own damp ones. “Yeah,” she breathed with a nod and a wide smile. Cadance felt a tug on her dress and looked down to find the light-blue eyes of her youngest child, a young pegasus colt with a teal coat and jet black mane, Sky Dive. “Mama, is Uncle Spike gonna live happily ever after with Aunt Rarity?” “They sure are, Sky Dive,” Cadance simply answered. On her other side, her eldest child, a unicorn filly slightly older than Sky Dive with a pale-lavender coat and an updone bright pink mane, danced in place in her flower filly’s dress to Sweetie Belle’s song. “What are you thinking about, Heartfelt?” Heartfelt turned to face her mother with her bright purple eyes and a quivering smile. “Uncle Spike looks so happy.” Cadance really didn’t want to cry now, but her daughter’s words finally did it, so she made no point in fighting the joyous tears that came down her cheek. “He does, sweety. Him and Rarity.” Muffled sniffing sounds and small sobs were the only thing coming out of the grey-coated unicorn mare standing next to Shining Armor. Her mane was a striped pattern of white and light purple, and her crystal-blue eyes glistened behind a veil of tears. Beside the mare, her blue-coated unicorn husband with a perfectly quaffed dark-blue mane and gold-yellow eyes held her close as they watched their youngest child dance with their newest daughter-in-law. “Our son’s married, Night Light,” the mare sobbed again with a proud smile. Night Light brought his wife in closer as he stared at his son with proud eyes. “I know, Velvet. I know.” The next few minutes passed with joyous tears, wide smiles, and a few sobs from Twilight Velvet until the last few lines of Sweetie Belle’s song. “For you are mine… At last.” Strings, a piano, and light drums rang throughout the gardens for a few more seconds until coming to a hault. Their dance ended, and Spike took his chance to plant the second kiss of the night on Rarity’s lips. The crowd clapped hooves and stomped on the ground for the two lovebirds. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie cheered the loudest out of the crowd. Applejack busied herself with hoofing Twilight more tissues to wipe away her tears as Fluttershy tried her best to keep her own tears of untold happiness from falling. The cream-colored pegasus’s cerulean eyes never left her newly married friends, and her smile never faltered even by the slightest centimeter. Before she knew it, she felt a soft bump from a purple forelimb to her shoulder. Realizing she must have zoned out, Fluttershy snapped her attention to her side to meet Twilight’s partially dried eyes. The alicorn wore a grateful smile as her eyes tried to stay dry. “Thanks so much for giving them this, Fluttershy.” The princess’s forelimb left the pegasus’s shoulder, and Fluttershy returned her own smile. “Of course, Twilight. Those two deserve it.” When the wave of claps and stomps started to dissipate, Sweetie Belle brought the mic up to her muzzle. “The bride and groom, everypony,” she said with a gesture of her forelimb. “Rarity, sis, the moment I heard you and Spike had started dating, I knew he’d be the one you were gonna marry, and as I stand here, I can honestly say I’ve never been so happy for you in my whole life.” Tears strolled down Sweetie Belle’s face as she gave her speech. “I hope you and Spike live a long and happy life together, even though I already know you will. I also hope you two can make me an aunt in the next few years,” she continued, the last part followed by a light chuckle from her and the crowd of ponies. “So, before I start bawling my eyes out for you guys, I’m gonna turn the mic over to somepony else.” Sweetie looked over to one side of the dance floor and met eyes with Pinkie and Twilight, both knowing the plan behind the unicorn’s eyes. In a blur of pink, Pinkie zipped to the other side of the dance floor to the DJ station and pulled out a white unicorn mare with a dual-colored electric blue mane and purple shades from under the station. How exactly Pinkie summoned the pony from there was a mystery, but with how long her friends have known the pink pony, no one bothered to ask. The white unicorn placed a record on the machine, and a beat started to play. “Let’s get this party started!” Pinkie cheered from the DJ station. Across the floor, Sweetie Belle flung the mic to her side, for it to be caught in the familiar shade of Twilight’s magic. “Love is in bloom...” *** “Alright then. Sweetie Belle, get a little closer to Rarity and your ma. Mrs. Velvet, could you take a step back? Shining, Ah need you closer to Spike and Cadance. Heartfelt, get closer to your pa. Sky Dive, pretend to like your sister and get closer.” Applejack’s instructions piled onto the two families, now joined as one, in her attempt to get them into the perfect picture positions as she stood behind an old camera a few feet away. Spike and Rarity held onto each other in the center. Magnum, Pearl, and Sweetie Belle gathered together to Rarity’s right as Twilight, Twilight Velvet, Night Light, Shining Armor, Cadance, Sky Dive, and Heartfelt shuffled themselves around to Spike’s left. A few more adjustments and the group of twelve stood ready. “Perfect, y’all. Now, one… two… three!” A flash went off, and the resulting picture would later serve to be one of the two all of those in the pose would cherish forever. “There you guys go! The whole family in one pretty little picture,” Applejack beamed. “Not quite the whole family,” Spike corrected. Applejack’s confusion lasted only a second before the warm smiles of her friends connected the dots for her. Behind her, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash brushed past her to find a spot in the family picture. Twilight’s lavender aura surrounded the camera, releasing Applejack of her duty and free to find a spot in the picture. The group shuffled a few seconds more until they stood in their picture perfect pose. Twilight’s magic held the old camera and readied the button. “Okay, one… two… three!” Another flash went off, forever preserving the image of pure happiness felt by the group of sixteen. “Make sure to send that to us when it develops, okay, Spike,” Twilight Velvet nearly begged of her son. “Same with us, Rarity,” Pearl added in. Spike and Rarity gave their assurances, but it did little to stop the oncoming affection that came their way from the rest of the group. It was expected, being a wedding and all, but the force it came with was another story. Magnum, Pearl, and Sweetie Belle practically crushed the bride in their group embrace. Twilight, the girls, Cadance, her foals, Twilight Velvet, and Night Light had the awkward pleasure of watching Shining Armor try to give his bigger little brother a nudge on the top of his spinned head, but ultimately coming short of his goal, literally. Shining Armor was forced to rear on his hind legs just to even try his brotherly assault, but by then, Spike figured out what Shining was trying to get at. Spike wrapped an arm around Shining’s neck and rubbed his fist into his brother’s electric-blue mane. “Nice try, Shining.” “Aw, c’mon! It should be the other way around!” Shining’s protest only made the fist on his head rub harder and the eyes of his parents roll. “Our boys,” Twilight Velvet breathed. Cadance giggled and gave a slight nudge to Rarity. “Our guys.” Rarity playfully rolled her eyes and let out a small laugh. “When you guys are done,” Twilight cut in, “Spike, we still need you for that thing, remember?” Spike’s noogie ceased and he released Shining Armor from his grasp. Twilight and most of the girls all bore eager smiles for what they had planned, all except a very confused Fluttershy. “What thing?” the shy pegasus asked. “Oh you’ll see, just follow us,” Rainbow Dash ensured as she lead Fluttershy away to another area on the garden grounds as Pinkie followed the pegasi, bouncing. “You three comin’ or what?” Applejack called to Twilight and the newlyweds. “We’ll be there,” Twilight called back. Turning her attention back to her brothers, she gestured Spike to follow. “We’ll be back soon,” Rarity assured her parents and sister. “Us too,” Twilight and Spike said to their loved ones. “Don’t worry yourselves. Just tell Fluttershy thank you for us,” Pearl called out to her departing daughter. “Us too!” Velvet added in as she saw Spike and Twilight leave with Rarity. “We will!” Twilight called back, already a good distance away from her parents. The trio made their way through the garden area, past filled tables and ponies giving their congratulations to Spike and Rarity, to a large table set in the back of the garden beside a large willow tree far enough away from the epicenter of the wedding and its guests. Already sitting in the chairs, the rest of the girls centered around Fluttershy and made room for Twilight, Spike, and Rarity to join in. All Fluttershy saw were the barely contained smiles all her friends had plastered on their faces, and it was starting to weird her out. “Um, what is this all about?” Her friends faced each other and gave nods that signified a plan she knew nothing of. The next thing Fluttershy knew, Pinkie dove under the table and pulled out a tray yellow-frosted vanilla cupcakes, thirty to be exact. Each cupcake held its own candle and a small pink butterfly painted in frosting, the perfect treats for somepony’s birthday. Fluttershy looked up from the frosted treats to see Pinkie take a deep breath before she and the others started singing the birthday song to her. Toward the middle of the short song, Fluttershy picked up on a few more deeper voices joining in. She spun her head around to see most of the girls’ coltfriends come out from behind the willow tree with various-sized wrapped boxes in their hooves. Caramel, Soarin, and a bright-orange pegasus stallion with a windblown blue mane, Flash Sentry, all dressed in tuxes for the wedding, trotted to the table and laid their gifts on the table and took to each of their respective marefriends while singing to Fluttershy. “Happy birthday dear, Fluttershy. Happy birthday to you!” Normally, she would have shrunk to the size of a cell at the attention she was receiving, but knowing it was from her six best friends and their special someponies, Fluttershy beamed at the celebration they put on for her. “Wow, thanks guys. You really shouldn’t have done this.” “Oh, but we had to, darling,” Rarity gasped. “If it weren’t for you, this whole thing wouldn’t have happened!” she exclaimed with a gesture of her hoof that circled the wedding area. In all honesty, it was because of Fluttershy that Spike and Rarity’s wedding had a chance of happening that night. Planning for the wedding went into overdrive a few weeks after Rainbow Dash’s birthday a few months ago, and one major bump in the road impacted the plans like a freight train. Spike’s only major desires for the wedding were that Sky Dive got to be the ring bearer, Heartfelt, the flower filly, and Shining Armor, his best stallion, all of which Rarity agreed with without a second thought. Every other aspect of the wedding was all Rarity’s to play with. Spike never really had much else to say about where or when they could get married. Just as long as it meant he got to spend the rest of his life with the mare of his dreams, he would have gone with anything, but one thing him and Rarity both wanted was a night wedding. The idea of stars dancing in the sky, Luna’s full moon shining over them, it was enchanting to say the least. Rarity spent most of the time with Twilight and Pinkie in plans for the wedding. Rarity’s intricate details for the wedding, Twilight’s analytical and detail-oriented mind, and Pinkie’s questionable ability to set events up made the perfect wedding planning team, but all of their abilities put together couldn’t have prepared them for the major bump in the road they faced. Rarity, for a while then, knew exactly where she wanted to get married, the same place her parents did nearly thirty five years ago. It may not have been the royal wedding she used to fantasize about, but ever since meeting the stallion that brutally shattered those wild dreams, she quickly changed her dreams to ones that would have a more meaningful impact. And to wed in the same place that joined her parents for so long, who still remained happy together, it meant the world to her, but all that sentiment never stopped that garden from becoming a wedding hot spot. That one garden, that one beautiful garden in Canterlot with flora of unmentionable beauty gained popularity among soon-to-be-married couples over the years, and weddings became a normal occurrence. Bookings for couples’ special days grew to monstrous numbers, and only a few days were left before the greenery of the garden would begin to wilt from winter’s grasp. Spike and Rarity would’ve been perfectly fine waiting a few more months for the flowers to bloom again, but of course, fate pulled a cruel card on them. Couples had reserved dates long ago that booked the next Spring and deep into the year. The only dates that remained were the ones dangerously close to the very end of Winter, dates that would give them a wedding without half of their intended guests. It was either a tour date for Sweetie Belle, a pre-assigned royal duty for Twilight, a show for Rainbow Dash, and many other things that couldn’t have been rearranged. Rarity and Spike started to accept that their perfect day would just have to be farther down the road, at least until Fluttershy decided to step in. Without taking no for an answer, she offered the only day out of those few days in Winter available that would allow every potential guest to attend, her birthday. Spike’s words cut Fluttershy’s thoughts short and brought her attention on the groom. “Fluttershy, you gave me and Rarity our perfect day. There’s no way we could ever repay you.” “You know you don’t need to. You’re two of my best friends! Of course I want to see you guys get married. Plus, I’ll have more birthdays. You two only get one wedding.” “Yeah, but you only turn thirty once,” Spike pointed out, earning a gasp from Pinkie as her eyes widened at a realization. “Oh my gosh!” Pinkie gasped. “Fluttershy’s thirty! That’s four down, and three to go!” Fluttershy found herself grasped in a one-armed embrace from Applejack as she congratulated the pegasus. “Welcome to the club, Fluttershy.” Rarity and Rainbow Dash crowded the new newest member of the, now established, “Thirty Club”, in a group embrace with Rainbow Dash at the edge farthest edge of the group hug. It was no surprise she’d be the one to break the hug first and set ravenous, magenta eyes on the cupcakes on the table. “Well what are we waiting for? Let’s dig into these bad boys.” Hooves and claws reached out for the cupcakes that found their way into everyone’s mouths. Moans of delight sounded off from everyone, as expected from any dessert made by Pinkie. “I still don’t know how you can top yourself with every batch, Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash wondered aloud through large bites. “It’s easy when you do it for friends,” Pinkie replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Well, I must say, Pinkie,” Rarity begun after swallowing, “you also outdid yourself with the wedding cake. I’ve never tasted anything so magnificent!” “I just revamped the MMMM to be honest.” Pinkie’s eyes brightened all of a sudden before quickly turning her head to face Rainbow Dash and Soarin. “Oooh! Maybe I can try something new for your wedding, guys.” Soarin and Rainbow Dash exchanged nervous glances for a second before Soarin tried to explain. “Actually, Pinkie…” “We probably won’t need a cake,” Rainbow Dash finished. “Why ever not, Rainbow Dash?” Rarity couldn’t help but ask. “Weeeeell.” How was she going to say this, especially to Rarity. “Me and Soarin don’t really want a big wedding.” As expected, Rarity gasped like she heard the dirtiest bit of gossip. “We were just gonna head down to Las Pegasus, have a quick wedding, then hit the casinos and hope all of you guys would come.” “But, Rainbow Dash! Las Pegasus?!?” “What? You should know by now I’m not into all that. Plus, the whole big wedding thing really isn’t for us, right, Soarin?” “Yeah. I just never really got the whole wedding blowout thing,” he answered truthfully. “Plus, we figured we’d have some fun right after, and a just married couple at the slots… gotta have some luck right?” Nods and affirming murmurs spread around the group at Soarin’s logic, for lack of a better word. “Well, as long as we get to see you two get married,” Rarity sighed out. “And that you get to see Spike and I win every game and machine you two try.” “That a challenge?” Rainbow Dash taunted playfully. “Won’t be much of a challenge,” the fashionista playfully smirked. “Okay, you’re on, Rares. Soarin, make sure we whoop these two when we go to Las Pegasus.” “Speakin’ of which,” Applejack cut in, “when do you two wanna head over there?” “We were thinking next month actually,” Soarin answered. “Okay. Count all of us in, right guys?” The table roared with cheers and hopes for the next couple in the group to get married. “While we’re talkin’ of ponies gettin’ hitched, Twilight? Flash?” The ponies in question could’ve sworn their hearts stopped a second when they picked up on where Applejack was going with her words. “When are you guys finally gonna tie the knot?” Her tone may have been teasing, but it was a genuine question. Twilight and Flash Sentry shuffled around on their hooves as they mumbled incoherently. “We’re just trying to—” “I don’t want her to feel—” “I don’t want to ru—” “I don’t want a repeat of—” “It’s not like we won’t, but—” “We just need to—” They knew it was a little mean to find humor in it, but seeing the two stumble over their words like they did brought out some muffled giggles to everypony at the table. Spike and the girls knew perfectly well why Twilight was ringless. All of them were present for more than half of the trainwrecks of proposals Flash had tried to dish out. Once Twilight and Flash truly started dating almost five years ago, after he got promoted to the Canterlot Royal Guard after five years of guarding the Crystal Empire palace, and after two years of awkward back and forth attempts on both their parts to try something before that, it wasn’t long before the group really got to see Flash Sentry’s true self come out. The calm and collected persona he painted for himself quickly fell away to reveal a more nervous, but still kind-hearted pony underneath. For some reason, Twilight managed to make him trip up a lot, and he the same with her, but after those five years of dating, and after professing love to one another, marriage became a topic on both their minds, and Flash wanted his proposal to be perfect for his dream mare. Unfortunately, every attempt ended in ways he wished he could forget. It was either she swallowed the ring that was in the wine glass, the waiter accidentally spilling their dinner over them, an unnoticed alligator in the lake, or the really weird one, a pot, anvil, piano, and cart crashing down on them from the sky. It had gotten to the point where Twilight even tried to propose. Her way though… well… there was a reason Spike was always the one that cooked when they lived in Ponyville. “Guys, Ah’m just messin’ with you, but tell us when it happens, okay?” Twilight and Flash simply shuffled around a little bit more before finally agreeing with Applejack. Deep down, they knew it would happen, they just didn’t know how. Rainbow Dash, after calming down from her fits of laughter, checked around the table to find someone was missing. Her and everypony else that had one stood by their special someponies, except one. “Hey, Pinkie, where’s your guy? I saw him standing with our guys at the ceremony.” “Oh, Fluttershy asked him to pop back to Ponyville real quick to check on Angel Jr. and the other animals at her cottage. He’ll be back in a few minutes… Actually, if he pops back, can one of you tell him I went to the bathroom.” It was then that Rainbow Dash noticed Pinkie’s crossed limbs and the in-place bounces. “Will do, Pinkie.” “Thanks!” Pinkie sprinted towards the bathroom at the entrance of the gardens and left the group to gawk at the speed Pinkie put in and the pink trail she left behind. “Never a dull moment with her is there?” Caramel joked, already familiar with Pinkie’s tendencies. “Eenope, and Ah think that’s why Discord likes her so much,” Applejack answered with a chuckle. “Wonder what their kids are gonna look like,” Spike threw in slyly. “What are your kids gonna look like?” Applejack retorted, forcing the group to go into their own fits of laughter. When the laughs settled down, Spike and Rarity shuffled around a bit. “That’s at least a good few years from now,” Rarity answered. “But it is going to happen. Plus, my mother would just have a heart attack if I told her she would never get to be a grandmother.” “Oh, your mom would have a heart attack?” Twilight interjected. “Shining’s already in the clear, but if either me or Spike don’t have kids of our own, she’d have a heart attack, die, and her spirit would skin the one that doesn’t have kids alive.” “And then squish what ever was skinned like ants,” Spike added in fearfully. The younger two of the Sparkle kids shuddered in horror as the thoughts of Twilight Velvet’s spirit disemboweling them strutted across their minds. They knew their mother exaggerated what she’d do if she didn’t get to be a grandmother to all three of her children’s kids, but the fear still remained. The talk of their mothers brought something back to Twilight, Spike, and Rarity’s minds… they promised to check back with them. “Oh my, we forgot about our parents!” Rarity gasped. “Do you wanna head back real quick?” Fluttershy spoke up to the best of her ability. “We should…” Twilight hesitated to answer as something beautiful hit her eardrums. The music from the dancefloor slowed down and the torches and lanterns dimmed to set a more intimate mood. A song started as the notes of chimes and a piano echoed throughout the gardens, simply beautiful. “... buuuuut,” Twilight continued as she started to sway to the gentle rhythm. “I really like this song.” Twilight’s gaze turned to the orange pegasus standing next to her. He got the message and offered his hoof. “May I have this dance?” Flash asked with a bow. With a giggle, Twilight took her coltfriend’s hoof and followed him to the dance floor. Following Flash’s example, Spike offered a claw to his wife and bowed. “Shall we… Mrs. Dragon?” Rarity’s cheeks reddened slightly at the name. The reality of her dream coming true was still finding her, but it didn’t stop her from taking Spike’s offer to dance. “Let’s.” The rest of the group at the table looked onto the newlyweds and couldn’t help but smile for them. Upon closer inspection of her friends, Fluttershy noticed that their eyes never left the two couples dancing. She could see the hidden desire in their eyes to dance with their special someponies. Even Rainbow Dash had a miniscule trace of desire for time on the floor. “You know you guys can go out there if you like.” Surprised that Fluttershy could see right through them, Applejack swung her head towards the shy pegasus. “Are you sure, Fluttershy? We’re fine right here.” “I know you guys want to,” Fluttershy pressed on. “Just because I don’t have anypony to dance with doesn’t mean you guys shouldn’t. Besides, somepony should stay back in case Discord pops up and can’t find Pinkie.” Applejack and Rainbow Dash exchanged a few glances with each other and their coltfriends before taking Fluttershy's offer with some hesitance on leaving her alone. “Well, alright. Thanks, Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said before Soarin took her hoof and lead her to the dancefloor with Applejack and Caramel following behind. Seeing all her friends with their special someponies dancing together brought a warm smile to Fluttershy’s muzzle. Even from her viewpoint, she could still see the smiles on each of their faces as they danced along to the soft melody that filled the garden. She was happy for them, she truly was, but it wasn’t until about two minutes of looking on at them that she really noticed one painfully obvious truth… she was alone. Yes, she offered, but it wasn’t that she was physically alone at the table that started to turn her warm smile bittersweet. Spike had Rarity, Twilight had Flash, Applejack had Caramel, Rainbow Dash had Soarin, even Pinkie had someone for herself, but her… nopony. She never normally thought of such things like that, but at a wedding for two of her best friends, surrounded by her other friends and their coltfriends, certain things began to stand out as she watched everypony she cherished dance to the love song playing like it was made just for them, specifically her lack of a stallion to call her own. She didn't mind, she really didn't, but it stood out to her like a bear drinking from a tea cup. Fluttershy kept her gaze on her friends, again, truly happy for them, but longing to have something they had to some degree, but more than anything, something from a stallion she had wanted since she was a filly. “You know, I never quite understood how out of all of them, you managed to be the last single pony.” Had it not been from over ten years of dealing with the surprise that one voice always brought, Fluttershy’s tiny litlle *Eep! would’ve been much louder. Thankfully, with the surprise of that one playful voice, always came its owner in an always unpredictable manner. “Oh, hi, Discord,” Fluttershy greeted in no particular direction, waiting to see how the redeemed spirit of chaos would enter this time. “Not there, dear, Fluttershy.” Fluttershy spun around a few times until her eyes landed on the large willow tree. Where a hole in the trunk should’ve been, a circle of yellow with an inner red circle in the middle stood out amongst the brown of the trunk. The yellow circle blinked, and Fluttershy just gave a smile. “Hi, Discord.” Discord’s yellow-irised eye blinked again as his red pupil looked on at Fluttershy. A long piece of bark started to move away from the tree, peeling off like tape, but instead of bark, a slithery brown body peeled away from the tree. The body of Discord then sprouted his mismatched animal limbs and wings, but his head still hadn’t sprouted. “Oh dear, now where did I put that darned thing?” the voice of Discord asked nopony as his lion arm scratched the top of his body like it was his head. The slithery brown body turned around towards the yellow eyed tree hole. The red pupil in the middle made movements pointing towards inside the tree before the entire eye rolled like a billiard ball into the hole of the tree. “Oh right, I remember.” Discord’s body hovered over to the tree and stuck it’s neck into the hole. A few seconds passed before the serpent-like body pulled with it’s might. After some struggle, the mismatched-horned grey head and neck of Discord, complete with now two eyes and a single fanged smile, popped out of the willow tree with the rest of his neck. “Ahhhh, much better. Oops! Almost forgot something.” Discord raised his chicken-clawed hand and gave them a snap. A striped orange and blue tux appeared on his body in a flash of white. Not exactly a traditional choice of style for a wedding, but then again, most ponies aren’t Discord. “You look good, Discord,” Fluttershy said in all honesty. Few beings could pull off a chaotic look, but Discord managed to make chaos work perfectly for him, naturally. “Why thank you, Fluttershy. Have to look my best for friends getting married, and for my first friend’s birthday.” An honest smile crossed Discords lips before he raised his claws up again and snapped. This time, a medium-sized, pyramid-shaped box, tied off in pink and yellow ribbon appeared in front of Fluttershy. “For you.” Fluttershy took the box, and after a few seconds of finding out how to open the awkwardly shaped box, she saw a gift that made her eyes widen and her voice crack in glee. “Oh my goodness! You got him to wear it! You got him to wear it!” Standing in the box, and struggling to smile, a white rabbit with long, floppy ears, and beady black eyes that could pierce through a pony’s soul opened his stubby arms like he just performed a trick. “Oh my gosh! Angel Jr.! You’re actually wearing it!” The little rabbit in the box cringed a bit, but kept his false smile as he was reminded of the critter-sized red and green patterned Hearth’s Warming sweater that covered his body, but that wasn’t the only surprise Discord had for Fluttershy. Discord eyed Angel Jr. for a few seconds. A message exchanged between the two, and with reluctance, the rabbit hopped out of the awkward box onto Fluttershy’s back. He came up to her head and extended his arms. Next thing Fluttershy knew, she was wrapped in a small embrace from the rabbit. “Awwwwww, my little Angel does have a soul!” Fluttershy cooed as she nuzzled the small rabbit. If Angel Jr. is anything like his father, and he is, every fiber of his being screamed for him to push the pegasus mare away and demand a complicated salad, but with Discord looming over him with those seemingly crazy red eyes, and the fact that it was a wedding and Fluttershy’s birthday, he opted to take the nuzzle. Discord watched on with a smug grin plastered on his face. “I’m guessing you like your gift?” “So so much! Thanks, Discord!” Fluttershy’s nuzzle on Angel Jr. continued on as she talked to the draconequus. “Oh, it was nothing.” Taking a check around the area, Discord hovered in the air, on the lookout for one pony in particular. “Now, Fluttershy, do you happen to know where Pinkie is?” “She went to the bathroom a few minutes before you came. How are things with you guys anyway?” Discord’s smug smile turned to one of bliss and fondness as his lengthy body curled up a bit in delight. “Oh, just wonderful, Fluttershy. Her laugh, her randomness, her smile, the way we get each other, the way she doesn’t freak out if suddenly and cotton candy cloud engulfed a building! She’s everything a being of chaos could want.” Discord’s reminiscences of the party mare the stole his heart had him oozing love and admiration, literally. Hearts started to dance around Discord’s mismatched horns before falling onto the grass like an endless stream. “Aww, I’m so happy for you two.” “Thanks, Fluttershy, and that also brings me back to what I said earlier.” Discord uncurled his body as he floated over to Fluttershy with curious eyes. “How is it that you’re the single one in your group? Anytime I drop by for a visit and we do something in town, I see some stallions give you a few look overs. Obviously there are some stallions interested in you.” Words didn't come at first as Fluttershy struggled to find a somewhat right answer. She shuffled around a bit and averted her gaze from Discord's partially taunting eyes. The grin on Discord's lips only widened at Fluttershy's nervous attempt to answer. Finally, she had one. "I guess I just haven't found the one yet," she answered with a shrug. "I mean, it's not like I haven’t tried." True as her words were, she hid numerous details and her true annoyance from Discord's curious, but honest eyes. It was expected that when Fluttershy started dating, her shyness would be the thing that kept her from really connecting with stallions on an intimate, and even casual level. In the beginning it did, but with a desire to have something like her friends had with their special someponies, and some help from said friends, she was able to at least talk to a stallion without retreating into a bush after stumbling on one word… most of the time. Not the full on result, but it was progress. However, even with the slightly more fearless Fluttershy, her luck with love ran out before it began. It varied around reasons. Either he just wasn't right, he wanted to move too fast, he only wanted one thing, she wasn't right for him, he was gay, or the occasional relapses of nervous retreats into shrubbery. Fluttershy didn't bother Discord with the details, especially the stallions that wanted only one thing. She always feared Discord would hunt down those ponies out and do something inexplicably horrible to them for thinking of using his first friend like that. "Ah, the old dry spell?" Discord suggested, pulling a fan out from nowhere and fanning himself with it. "Well you're a cute mare. You'll pull right out of it soon enough. In fact!” Discord piped up, "I think I might know a certain stallion that—" "Oh, that's alright, really," Fluttershy quickly declined, afraid of yet another potential set up from another of her friends. “I really am alright not having anypony right now… it’s just that…” her eyes fell on the dance floor once again. With the first slow song long and over with, more had played throughout her and Discord’s chat. “Being here at a wedding, and seeing all my friends with ponies of their own… well, you know.” Discord’s eyes softened a little, fully understanding his friend’s mixed emotions. “Plus, you haven’t gotten that thing you hoped you could get before tonight. Am I right?” Yellow turned red on Fluttershy’s face as her eyes widened and began to sweat just slightly. “I-I-I d-d-don’t know w-w-wh-what you mean,” she stammered, looking around no particular direction. “Oh, don’t pretend like you don’t know,” Discord taunted, arching his slithery form so his face was inches away from the pegasus. “That one thing one your list you hoped to get before tonight.” Reaching into his oddly-colored tux, Discord pulled out a bright and aged yellow and pink piece of paper that made Fluttershy’s already wide eyes go wider. “H-H-H-How did you know about that? I only told Rainbow Dash about it back in flight school.” “Oh, a little bunny told me,” Discord answered, casting a sly glance at the bunny that still stood on Fluttershy’s back. Angel Jr. took to cowering when Fluttershy’s intense stare met his beady eyes. “I caught the little guy going through your stuff a while ago, and he pulled out a little list from a glittered box. Sorry, Fluttershy, but once I got it back from him, I couldn’t help but look. I don’t get why you're embarrassed. It’s actually kind of cute.” Again, red spread across Fluttershy’s face, and her stare at Angel Jr. lost its intensity. “Because it’s foalish. I made it right after me and Rainbow got our cutie marks.” “But you kept it with you since then,” Discord lightly taunted before giving it to Fluttershy. She tucked the old piece of paper into some of her deeper feathers before Discord continued on. “And it really is full of sweet little dreams. You got most of them done… all except that one little thing.” “I know,” Fluttershy admitted with a small sigh. “It would’ve been nice to have that before tonight, but like I said before, it was just a dream I had when I was a filly.” “Maybe, but the night’s not over yet,” Discord threw in in a sing-song tone. “Yeah, but tonight’s not for me, it’s for Spike and Rarity.” Discord pulled out an empty chair and sunk into it’s cushion right beside Fluttershy. “I guess you’re right.” The two looked onto the still dancing couples, the bride and groom in particular. “It really was nice of you to offer your birthday as the wedding date, but I can’t help but feel like you had another motive up your sleeve,” he proposed, pulling out a playing card with the word “Motive” out of the sleeve of his tux. “Weeeell,” Fluttershy began with a smug smile, “the fact that everypony’s paying attention to Spike and Rarity instead of me is a nice add in.” “There it is!” Discord exclaimed, tossing his playing card in the air as it burst into flames. “But I did offer today mostly for them, but with the attention off me and on them… it’s a nice bonus. Knowing Pinkie, if today had been for me, she would’ve thrown a huge party for me… and everypony would have their eyes on me!” she finished off with a shudder. “Oh, same old Fluttershy,” Discord chuckled as he brought the pegasus to his side in a one armed hug. Fluttershy happily returned Discord’s embrace. “I’m not completely the same. I can talk to stallions… somewhat.” “I’ve seen. Just keep working on it.” “I will, but first…” Fluttershy spun her head around and her eyes met the rabbit that started to shake upon the fierce eye contact. “... I need to have another talk with a certain rabbit about going through my things again.” She broke the embrace and walked off, Angel Jr. all the while glaring at Discord like he sent him death. The draconequus waved off maliciously at Angel Jr. like he was ready for whatever he could possibly throw at him. When they were out of sight, Discord looked at the ground below him and tapped his dragon-clawed foot onto the ground. “He really is your son, Angel.” Once his short round of laughter ceased, Discord look up from the floor and to the starry sky. “I’m just joking with you. And don’t worry, we’ll look after Jr.” “Psssst! Cordy! Psssst!” The poor excuse for a whisper drew Discord’s attention under the table. Once he lifted the cloth, he was met with a familiar pink mane and body that made him smile from ear to ear. “Pinkie, my dear!” “Hey, Cordy!” “Cordy” The cute little nickname Pinkie came up with for Discord always left a pleasant ring in his ears every time he heard it. “Looks like Fluttershy isn’t gonna try to get that last thing on her list tonight,” Pinkie stated as she got up from under the table. “No, it appears not, but I get the feeling that’s not gonna stop you is it, my dear?” Discord inquired with a raise of his eyebrows. “You betcha. Operation: Perfect Surprise is a go, and I’m gonna need your help.” Discord snapped his chicken claws once again, and replacing him was a floating lamp that he appeared out of in a shroud of smoke. Out he came, wearing a turban. “You’re wish is my command.” “Thanks, Cordy. BUT FIRST!!!” A snap of Discord’s claws told Pinkie he knew exactly what she was thinking. The curly, fake black moustache that flashed onto her muzzle confirmed this, and she took to rubbing her hooves together like a mad doctor. Discord watched his questionably-sane marefriend rub her hooves together and couldn’t help but smile at her antics. “Ah, this is why I love you, my dear.” *** Canterlot Castle. The pinnacle of architecture in Canterlot and maybe all of Equestria, and tonight, the place of stay for numerous ponies. With the wedding in Canterlot, Twilight, Luna, and Celestia had offered every guest a room in the castle for the night, all of which took with great appreciation. With the reception over with and the bride and groom already on their way to their honeymoon, everypony was headed to their rooms. One guest in particular was making her way to one of the finer suites saved just for her, and now, her deep-in-trouble rabbit. “And if you go around peeking at things that aren’t yours again, just remember what will happen. Understand?” Angel Jr. nodded if only just to satisfy Fluttershy and get her off his back. Odds were, he’d be back to doing whatever he pleased the minute they got back home. The two arrived in front of a magnificent door that lead inside to their suite and a castle guard that stood to the side. “Ah, Ms. Fluttershy. Princess Twilight informed me this is where you’ll be staying for the night.” The unicorn guard’s horn glowed a golden light, and he unlocked the door. “Enjoy your suite,” he said with a bow. “Thank you,” she returned, brushing past the guard as he started to close the door once she past through. The room was as could be expected of a suite in a castle, absolutely stunning. All the stories Rarity had told her about the castle rooms and their beauty were proved all true at that one instant. Not that she’s never been in a suite before, but she just hadn’t really taken it in, nor had the chance to actually sleep in one. As soon as he saw the over-sized bed full of pillows looking like they were ready to explode fluff and feathers, Angel Jr. leaped off of Fluttershy’s back and dived onto the bed, greedily taking as much space as his tiny form could. Though she was still upset with him, Fluttershy couldn’t help but smile at the rabbit’s dreamy gaze as he sunk into the bed. Even though he was tuckered out, Fluttershy was still wide awake. The excitement of the night still had trouble subsiding, and her chat with Discord left her thinking about a few things that refused to let her sleep soundly. She needed to do something. If she stayed inside the room, her thoughts would leave her staring at the ceiling until the morning. “Maybe the girls are still up.” With that glimmer of hope in mind, Fluttershy trotted to the door with the thought of who to see first on her mind. She reached for the door and turned the knob. “Hey, Fluttershy!” On the other side of the door, next to the guard, Pinkie stood with her hoof raised, ready to knock on the door. Behind her, stood the rest of her friends, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Twilight, and… “Spike?!? Rarity?!?” The unicorn and dragon in the back of the group nodded to their shocked friend. “B-B-But your train. Your honeymoon! I saw it leave!” “Our stuff is on the train, darling,” Rarity explained, “Spike is going to fly us to Neighagra Falls later on.” “Okay,” Fluttershy nodded slowly, still confused as to why the supposed-to-be honeymooners weren’t far away from here. “But why?” “Darling, did you honestly think we’d let your birthday go uncelebrated? If it weren’t for you, none of this would have been possible!” Fluttershy quickly tried to push the matter side and say it was nothing, but Rarity cut her off. “And don’t try and say it was nothing because it was something.” Rarity’s eyes started to gleam, reflecting the moonlight as she bore a thankful smile. “If it weren’t for you, who knows how long Spike and I would have waited until we could get married. The least we could do is make sure the pony that did this for us doesn’t spend the rest of her birthday alone, especially when most of us are just a few rooms away.” Once Rarity finished, Fluttershy took the time to look at the rest of her friends and their hopeful and warm eyes. Seeing them all there, just for her, normally would make her feel like she was troubling them, but now, all it did was warm her heart and broaden her smile. “We also brought cake,” Pinkie added in, sliding closer to Fluttershy and pulling out a large yellow and pink frosted cake from out of nowhere. “It’s your favorite, vanilla,” she poorly whispered. “And it’ll be just us, no huge surprise party, just us,” Applejack threw in, earning a surprised expression from Fluttershy. “Discord told us you’re little fear,” the farm mare answered the pegasus’s unspoken question. “D-Did he plan this?” Fluttershy couldn’t help but ask after a few seconds of silence. “Part of it,” Pinkie answered. Fluttershy rolled her eyes. “I should thank him later then.” “Sooooo does that mean we can party with you?” Pinkie asked hopefully, pushing the cake closer to Fluttershy’s face as if it were a bribe. The sidestep and gesture to come in was all Pinkie needed to nearly explode in excitement and dash inside. The others followed suit before Fluttershy stepped back into her suite where she came to a little surprise. Balloons hung around the large room, streamers adorned the windows, presents from nowhere lined the table in the corner, and sprawled across a floating cotton candy cloud, Discord blew the party horn in his mouth as confetti exploded around the room like bombs. “Happy birthday, Fluttershy!” *** Canterlot has been, is, and will be known for its aristocratic atmosphere and high-class style of living. It’s a city unlike most, where snobbishness runs rampant, and anything “unrefined” is looked down upon, and should any activity deemed “unrefined” be practiced, it is met with dry cynicism, a nose in the air, and an attitude that would make one sick. It is the way of Canterlot, and its unspoken code to keep the city “refined”. But at a certain party in Canterlot, in Canterlot Castle… all images and thoughts one would think of when they thought of Canterlot would be delightfully shattered. True to their word, Spike and the girls had kept the party to just them and Discord, but even at that, and honestly expected, pleasant chaos reigned in Fluttershy’s suite. For the last couple of hours, Spike, Discord, and the girls partied Ponyville style. With a soundproofing spell around the suite, compliments of Twilight, music blared from speakers that Discord poofed up. Everypony had danced to heavy beats. Twilight danced like a sporadic, three-legged camel with a twitch, the cake Pinkie brought had massive bit marks, and Discord’s party decorations danced along with Fluttershy and her guests, literally. A simple snap of his claws and Discord had himself animated party decor. Other than the dancing decorations and the cotton candy clouds that would puke out confetti, it was your regular Ponyville party. Now, however, chaos, for the most part, had died down for Fluttershy’s gift opening, and so far, her haul was amazing. Her friends spared no expense for her, and while it made her feel a little guilty, Fluttershy still couldn’t help but gawk at the amazing things she was receiving. Next to be opened, Pinkie’s gift stood big and tall on the table the gang occupied. With tender hooves, Fluttershy unwrapped the large gift, and after the expected mini-bomb of confetti, a large, chrome, futuristic looking machine revealed itself. “It’s an ice cream machine!” Pinkie informed, clearing away the confusion the other clearly held. “All you gotta do is put in the ingredients that come with it, aaaaaaand BAM! Delicious… sweet, creamy ice cream pops right out.” Saliva began to droop out of the pink mare’s mouth as her eyes glazed with a dreamy expression. “Creamy, creamy ice cream.” Taking a few napkins from the table with her wing, Fluttershy dabbed Pinkie’s mouth to keep droll from spilling over, a task she somehow silently received over the years. “Thanks, Pinkie. I’m sure it’ll taste wonderful.” Fluttershy gave another curious glance at the machine, unsure of so many things about the weird looking device. “I’ve never seen an ice cream machine like this before to be honest.” “That’s because I built it last week. It’s animal friendly!” Without giving her friends a chance to ask, Pinkie scooted closer to Fluttershy’s gift with a carrot now in her hoof. Where and how she got it, it hurt for anyone to really think about it. “I’ll show you. Okay… take something one of your animals like, like a carrot.” Pinkie dangled the carrot in the air for emphasis before continuing with her demonstration. The others watched on as Pinkie shoved the carrot in one end of her machine, added a few of the ingredients that she packed into the gift, and fired her invention up. Pinkie’s gift bounced up and down in a cartoonish fashion as parts shifted and turned, slightly scaring all but Discord as they watched the little contraption have its moment. A few moments of sporadic movement later, the machine settled down to a light buzz before a holed tray popped out on the other side of the machine. In one of the holes, a single scooped ice cream cone sat in its holder, looking ready to eat. “Wow, Pinkie. That’s amazing!” Fluttershy exhaled in awe at the picture perfect treat that popped out of her gift. “But what did you mean by ‘Animal Friendly’?” “Weeeell,” Pinkie chirped, “since some animals can’t have regular ice cream, I packed ingredients that won’t upset their stomachs. That way they can have super delicious ice cream with you whenever!” “And the carrot?” “Carrot flavored ice cream for the only rabbit in the room, duh!” Pinkie explained with a hoof pointed at Angel Jr., who now decided to make an appearance at his owner’s gift opening. “And you’re sure nothing will happen to the animals that eat it?” Fluttershy asked nervously. “Extra sure,” Pinkie assured. “I dropped by Dash and Soarin’s place, and Tank gave it a shot before I wrapped it.” Fluttershy’s attention switched to Rainbow Dash, who gave her a simple, “Don’t worry, Fluttershy, it works fine.” Taking her friends’ words, she grabbed the ice cream cone out of its tray and held it in front of Angel Jr. “Hi, Angel. Do you want to taste Pinkie’s carrot ice cream cone?” The last thing she expected was for the rabbit to slap the treat right out of her hoof with an irritated look plastered on his face, then point at the door demandingly. With a speech on rudeness ready for the rabbit, Rarity was about to unleash it until she and the others saw Angel Jr.’s leg thumping on the table, his slight dancing in place, and the strained expression under the irritation. All those signs with the now desperate pointing towards the door, it only meant one thing. “Oh my goodness! You need to go out, don’t you, Angel?” More thumping and more exaggerated pointing from the rabbit answered Fluttershy’s question and added to Angel Jr.’s impatience. “Okay, okay, I’ll take you outside.” “Oh, darling, it’s your birthday. Let one of us take Angel out for you,” Rarity offered, only to be met with the scared faces on each of her friends. “Rarity, honey,” Spike began from next to her, “do you really think it’s the best idea for any one of us other than Fluttershy to be alone with Angel Jr.? The son of the Angel Bunny?” Rarity’s eyes turned to the little rabbit on the table. Angel Jr. eyed her as his usual frown remained on his lips. Those black eyes just stared at her, menacingly, like soulless pools ready for her to drown in. That bunny may as well have been the son of evil with eyes like that, and he was close to it. “On second thought…” Rarity trailed off, clinging to her husband for comfort. Fluttershy stood up with a blush on her cheeks and a nervous smile, like she was apologizing for anything her rabbit and his father may have done to them. “I’ll just take him out myself. I’ll be back in a little while, okay.” Her friends waved her and Angel Jr. off as they broke for the door and headed out of the suite, Angel Jr. trying his hardest not to leak all over the castle stairways as he went. *** It was cold. Pain and simple. Unlike the wedding reception at the gardens, the outside of Canterlot Castle wasn’t bathed in the warmth of green torches. Instead, Fluttershy and Angel Jr. were left to December’s strong and icy grip. Fluttershy was surprised that whatever Angel Jr. had to do didn’t freeze midway. They were only out for a minute, and both felt like they were about to freeze. It only made them more thankful for the warm and inviting fireplace in one of the castle’s lower living areas. Fluttershy remembered the open area well. When Twilight and Spike moved in more than a decade ago, both had made renovations to certain areas of the castle for any visit from their friends. “I should thank them later, right, Angel?” Angel Jr. either didn’t hear, or flat out ignored Fluttershy as he huddled closer to the open fire, warming every hair follicle on his snow-white coat much to the rabbit’s pleasure. Fluttershy ignored being ignored and settled deeper into the deep red couch she sat herself in by the fire. She could feel the fire’s dancing embers radiate their warmth throughout her fur and feathers. It was bliss. “We’ll go back up in a few more minutes, okay Angel?” The rabbit just waved a stubby little arm as a sign to leave him be, which Fluttershy obliged. She settled even deeper into the plush couch. It was like a cloud, a cloud with a weird crunching sound to it. Moving around a little more, Fluttershy sourced the sound out as coming from her feathers. She unfurled them to see an old piece of paper drop to the ground, that list. Written in elementary, pink legibility, “Things To Do Before I Turn 30”. The paper it was written on was stained, old, and a little crumbled, but still remained if not just to serve its purpose; to be entirely checked off, but one unchecked box left the list unfulfilled, and left Fluttershy to recall everything that happened that night and her forgotten troubles that now resurfaced. All her friends, their special someponies, that’s not what brought her down. It was something they probably already had with their significant other that she didn’t. She wanted to talk about a little more. Discord only scratched the surface when he talked with her, but then came the party. She was thankful to at least not have the topic hovering over her with the chaos that reigned in her room, but with this list now on the couch, all hope of forgetting was abandoned. She wouldn’t bring it up again, not tonight, at least she couldn’t now. Her friends went out of their way to just make her happy on her birthday, and she wasn’t about to ruin a party with her own personal problems even though she really wanted to talk to someone about it. She enjoyed the party, she really did, and it got her mind off her list, but one moment to remember was all it took to bring her back to square one. “Maybe tomorrow on the train ride back,” she whispered aloud as she folded the piece of paper in her hooves. “Sorry, sir, I just started my shift. I haven’t seen anypony roaming around.” “Ugh, she’s an orange mare, cowpony hat, might be with five other mares and a dragon. She’s friends with the princess.” Fluttershy poked her head over the couch to see a royal guard and a familiar red stallion with a light orange mane and tail. “Well I know where Princess Twilight Sparkle’s chamber is, but I’m not allowed to give that information to—” “Fluttershy?” The mention of her name elicited the tiniest squeak from her that would’ve been louder had not the speaker been a familiar face. “H-H-H-Hi, Big Macintosh.” Big Macintosh returned his attention to the guard in front of him. “That’s alright, sir. Ah found somepony that might know where she is.” “Very good, sir.” The guard spun around to continue his patrol as Big Macintosh trotted towards the living area Fluttershy sat herself in. “Hi, Fluttershy.” Had it not been for the years she’s known the hulking red stallion, Fluttershy would’ve found a way to duck under the cushions of the couch at Big Mac’s presence. “Hi, Big Mac. What’s that on your back?” Looking to where Fluttershy was looking, Big Mac slided the large box on his back onto the couch. “It’s your gift actually, from Applejack. Ah coulda swore she took it with her when she went to go see you, but Ah found it in mah room. No idea how it got there.” “Oh, well, thank you for bringing it,” Fluttershy said, taking the box and moving it to clear some space. “Do you want to sit down?” Mac simply nodded and took a seat next to the smaller pegasus. “By the way, happy birthday, Fluttershy.” “Oh, thank you.” “It was really nice of you, what you did for Spike and Rarity.” Fluttershy found her cheeks tinting a light red as yet another pony brought up her action. “It was nothing, really. I’m just happy to see those two finally together like that. They’ve been waiting since Rarity’s birthday to get married, probably even longer than that.” Mac chuckled lightly. “Ah bet. Ah still remember when Spike used to follow her around like a puppy. Come to think of it, Ah’m pretty sure Ah’ve seen him float on little hearts before.” Fluttershy couldn’t help but let out a few small laughs of her own. “You right, he did. But that’s nothing compared to how Rarity feels about him. You should’ve seen Rarity when they started dating. Anytime she came over to Ponyville, or I went over to Canterlot, she couldn’t stop talking about him.” A glimmer started in Fluttershy’s eyes. “And now here we are.” Fluttershy didn’t notice that she went staring off right in front of her. All she could think of was Spike and Rarity, and the love they had for one another. The thought of them lead to her other friends and their special someponies. All of them, either just starting out, or in love for quite a while. She kept telling herself she was happy for them, and she was, she really was, but the piece of crumpled up paper sitting beside her didn’t exactly put her in a celebrating mood. ‘They’ve all probably had it.’ she thought to herself, her gaze never changing from the fire still blazing in front of her. “Fluttershy?” Big Mac’s voice brought her out of her thousand yard stare and back to Equestria. “Sorry, what?” she asked with a shake of her head. “Nothin’, you just, sorta went off somewhere.” “I did?” Fluttershy fidgeted a bit in her seat as she tried to avoid Mac’s worried eyes. “Are you alright?” Mac asked with genuine concern. “Yeah, fine,” she answered a little too quickly to be true, and Big Mac could tell. “Fluttershy. Ah’m an Apple. Ah know when ponies ain’t tellin’ the story right.” The shuffling Fluttershy found herself doing in her seat only further proved Big Mac’s hunch that something was on the pegasus’s mind. “Are you sure you’re alright?” This time, Fluttershy could almost absorb the stallions concern for her. Leave it to an Apple to be this concerned for a friend. Fluttershy considered her options. Big Mac was like her in some ways. He wouldn’t push for something if it made somepony uncomfortable, unless it was of dire importance, and a simple “I don’t want to talk about it” would’ve easily stopped Big Mac from asking on. However, the crumbled piece of paper next to her brought back all the initial plans of talking her problem out, and only made her want to confide in somepony about it, somepony that wasn’t on a party high like the rest of her friends upstairs. Somepony who wouldn’t be brought down was right next to her, honestly concerned for her. Finally, after a few moments, she felt it was safe to let Big Mac know her answer. “Not entirely,” she sighed out almost inaudibly, letting her bubble-gum pink mane drop over her shoulder and cover an eye. The crackling of flames reigned as the only sound in the open room for a few seconds before Big Mac spoke up again. “What do you mean?” “Well, have you ever told yourself, or at least dreamed of doing something that hasn’t happened yet?” Mac’s put a hoof to his chin as he racked his mind for an answer. “Ah guess Ah still haven't seen Equestria’s largest cider mug yet. Told mahself to go see it before Applebuck season… two years ago.” Fluttershy gave him a curious look. “To go see a cider mug?” Mac simply shrugged. “Ah’m a simple stallion. Ah don’t need big ol’ extravagant dreams or that sort to make me happy.” Fluttershy’s muzzle grew into a tender smile. “I know what you mean.” “So,” Mac continued, “what is it that you told yourself you were gonna do?” Once again, Fluttershy felt her list’s presence, and it only prompted her to get this thing off her chest quickly. Reaching her forelimb to the old piece of paper, she brought it to her face and gave it another lookover. “It’s a little silly, but back then, I really thought I could have this.” “What?” Mac pressed on. “Well…” Fluttershy couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud. Was her mini-dream really as silly as she thought? Failing with her nerves, she resigned to hoofing her list to Big Mac. He took it and saw what was written, as well as the check marks next to most lines of writing. “Make a best friend Help a lot of animals Fly better” “Meet Sapphire Shores?” Big Mac read off with a small chuckle. “What happened to nothing too extravagant?” “I wrote that back when Rainbow Dash and I were still in flight school after we got our cutie marks, and she was my favorite singer back then. I couldn’t help myself,” she answered, blushing brighter than Mac’s coat. “S’okay, Ah liked her a lot too. Truth be told, Applejack caught me dancin’ along to a few of her songs alone in mah room when we were little… more than once.” Fluttershy just couldn’t hold it in. The thought of somepony like Big Mac, even as a colt, dancing along to Sapphire Shores was too much for her to not laugh out. She was just thankful even Big Mac found it just as hilarious. “Funny thing is, I still managed to meet her. Rarity designed for her a lot, and I got to meet her more than once.” “And Ah see you got to cross that off your list,” Mac added with a smile that faltered slightly when the mention of the list made Fluttershy’s smile drop a little. “Yeah, and I almost got to cross everything off.” Mac took that as a signal that he hadn’t finished reading through. When he looked back at the little list, he resumed reading through the pegasus’s hopes and dreams. All off them after the Sapphire Shores dream were pretty simple dreams and goals; ones that could easily be accomplished through life. But one at the bottom, one hope, dream, or goal, whatever it could be called, remained unchecked, and it brought out a shocked expression he wished didn’t make itself obvious. Fluttershy saw Big Mac’s stunned expression and couldn’t make out if that was a good or bad thing. “I know, it’s a silly thing to get upset about, but…” She shrugged her shoulders. “... I really thought it would’ve happened by now.” Her mane dropped further over her eye, like she wanted to hide from everything around her for bringing up something that she really thought was silly. A rough unfurred hoof touched her shoulder with a surprising softness and brought her to the smiling face of Big Mac. “Fluttershy, it ain’t silly, what you want. It’s really sweet. Only reason Ah’m surprised is because Ah honestly thought you would’ve gotten it a long time ago.” Now that got her attention. “You don’t think it’s—” “Eenope, not at all. It’s actually really sweet.” “And you thought I already—” “Eeyup.” Red flushed again on Fluttershy’s cheeks. “Why?” Now it was Big Mac’s turn to blush. He thanked Celestia and Luna that his coat hid his blush well, but it didn’t stop his eyes from darting. “Well, it’s just that…” He reached a forelimb over his head and began to rub. “... you’re a nice, caring, pretty mare. Plus Ah’ve heard Applejack talk about a few of the stallions you dated. It’s just, ugh, surprising to me Ah guess.” If Fluttershy could blush brighter, one would think she was an oven about to blow. A stallion was giving her all these compliments, and she’d be lying is she said she didn’t find the slightest pleasure in it. “Well, thank you for thinking that of me, but even at that, I’m still one goal shy on that list.” “Maybe you’re just lookin’ in all the wrong places.” “Maybe,” Fluttershy sighed at the possible answer. “Is it weird that I haven’t been able to connect with somepony like that to feel that way by now?” “Ah don’t think so. Different things come to ponies at different times. Can’t really control how you feel about somepony. Besides, best to know you don’t feel that way and have it end rather than try and force it.” Mac’s words held a truth that Fluttershy couldn’t believe could come from the large farmer. “Ah’ve lived in a house with three other mares most of mah life. These kinda things pop up at the dinner table,” Mac explained the question that didn’t come after seeing the surprised pegasus. “Oh, right. Sorry, and I guess you’re right about not forcing it.” “Just sayin’ what Ah’ve been told before.” “Well, it really helped. Thanks, Big Mac.” Big Mac found his face rising with heat as he felt a set of yellow forelimbs wrap themselves around his body in a small embrace. “A-A-Any time,” Mac stuttered out, hesitating to return the hug, but missed his chance once Fluttershy broke away after a few seconds. “So, ugh, feelin’ better?” “Yeah, a lot actually. This was kind of bothering me throughout the night, and I guess I just needed someone to talk to about it with.” “Did you try talkin’ with Spike or one of the girls?” “I was going to, but they surprised me with a party back up in my suite.” “You didn’t pepper spray them again, did you?” “No, they haven’t tried to surprise me like that since that night,” Fluttershy quickly answered with a small wince at the memory. “They were just outside my door and wanted to celebrate with me, so Discord poofed up a party. I just came down here because Angel Jr. needed to go outside. Besides, I really didn’t want to bring it up since they set a party up for me.” Mac nodded understandingly. “Well, glad Ah could help.” The night he originally thought he would have had involved just going to a wedding and calling it a night. He didn’t expect to be cheering a friend up tonight, and after he thought he did, he expected to see a wide smile on Fluttershy’s face. He only saw half of what he wanted to see. Fluttershy was smiling, but there was something about her eyes that spoke out that she wasn’t entirely fine. She only wished she could have hidden it better to not feel like she was bothering Big Mac when he began to speak again. “You still wish you coulda had it, don’t you?” She didn’t fight the nod that came. “Yeah. I really, really thought I could’ve gotten it by now. When you set a hope like that and never do it, it can be a little upsetting.” Her teal eyes met Big Mac’s green ones, and she did her best to make her small smile seem larger. “But hey, I can try and make that a ‘Things To Do Before I Turn 31’ goal.” Big Mac couldn’t decide on whether to go along with her obvious attempt at self-comfort, or try and do something more. She said she was feeling better, and Big Mac could tell that was the honest truth, but seeing that struggled smile, slumped position, and her mane threatening to try and cover her face up even more, Mac felt like he witnessed a puppy get kicked. How could somepony like Fluttershy not have gotten what she always wanted since she was little? She deserved it, and Big Mac truly believed that. He couldn’t help but feel like he should try something. Somewhere in a span of a few seconds, an idea hit Big Mac, a crazy idea, and he didn’t know how Fluttershy would take it, nor if she would even want it. “Fluttershy?” The pegasus looked back into Mac’s vivid green eyes and his hard-to-make-out expression stretched across his face. “Ah don’t know if it’ll help, but Ah got you a gift too.” “Big Mac, you know you didn’t need to get me anything,” Fluttershy said as a little more of her mane dropped over one of her eyes. “Ah still wanna give it to you, but first Ah need you to close your eyes.” With a little hesitence, Fluttershy closed her eyes just enough to block everything out, but not strain her eyelids. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Big Mac, but her and surprises just didn’t mix too well, and Mac hoped that this would be something that wouldn’t scare the mare off. “Got ‘em closed?” She nodded, and then she waited. The next thing Fluttershy felt were rough, yet gentle on her, unfurred hooves hold her forelimbs lightly. Mac took a breath, closed his eyes, and closed the distance between the two in what probably was the biggest surprise Fluttershy ever experienced. Mac’s lips met Fluttershy’s own in a tender kiss that mixed her soft lips with his more rugged ones. Why her eyes didn’t shoot open and why she didn’t back away the instant his lips touched hers, Fluttershy knew the answer perfectly. It felt wonderful. Right when she felt Mac ready to pull away, she quickly wrapped one forelimb around the back of his head to keep him where he was and she started to kiss back. Both Big Mac and Fluttershy weren’t strangers to getting kissed. Old flames and dates gave them experience, but this, this bold surprise was something neither of the two ever felt before. That old cliche of sparks flying and feeling like they were the only two ponies in Equestria, Fluttershy shamelessly let those feeling flood over her as she savored the moment. After a few more seconds, Big Mac pulled away and Fluttershy let her hoof drop. Their now open eyes met, and blissful smiles crossed their faces. Again, Mac thanked the goddesses for his coat color. Fluttershy on the other hoof was blushing like mad, but her smile never faltered. “Wow.” The barely audible whisper was heard loud and clear by the red stallion next to her, and though he found himself unable to voice it out, his eyes were all it took for Fluttershy to know he felt the same. “Do… Do you, ugh…” So much for not flopping afterwards. “You think you can cross that last thing off your list?” Fluttershy’s cheeks glowed ever more, nearly matching Mac’s coat. “Oh yeah.” In the room hung a painting, like most rooms in Canterlot Castle. It was a good distance away from the two ponies on the couch, and its patterns were a swirl of magnificent colors and its images were painted like fragments, but on a closer look, one could make out bright pink in the painting, and a long slithery form of another in the painting with mismatched horns at the top of its head. Had Fluttershy and Big Mac been paying any attention to the painting, they would’ve seen the two forms in the painting actually move their forelimbs and collide them in a bump. Mac was still reeling in from what he did. He had no idea where that idea came from, and why he of all stallions decided to do it, but a big part of him was ecstatic he did, and he didn’t want it to end there. “Ugh, Fluttershy? Ah was wonderin’, if you’re not too busy, would you like to go out sometime?” “A lady never flips out.” Rarity’s voice reminded Fluttershy in her head, keeping the pegasus from breaking her composure, limited as it was at that moment. “I’d love to.” Fluttershy answered with a wide grin, grateful she remained calm, exteriorly. “How ‘bout next Friday?” Fluttershy just nodded, scared that if she spoke, she’d break her struggling composure. “Great! 8:00 good? I can come pick you up at your cottage.” Fluttershy just nodded again and beamed even brighter as her blush started to lessen its intensity. Mac wished he could continue on, he really did, but something kept catching his tongue as he tried to speak. His own actions surprised himself, and now he had a date with Fluttershy. All that left him in a joined silence with the mare next to him. They stayed that way awkwardly for a minute or so until, surprisingly, Fluttershy was the one to break the silence when her mind reminded her of her friends waiting for her upstairs. “Oh, would you like to come upstairs? Everypony’s probably still waiting for me and Angel Jr.” “Sure,” Mac answered a little more eagerly than he liked. Fluttershy brushed it off and shot him another smile before getting off the couch and calling to her rabbit. Mac hopped off the couch and settled the gift he came with on his back. Angel Jr. hopped towards Fluttershy and held out ash-covered paw. “Angel, how did you get your paw all dirty?” Fluttershy asked the rabbit. He answered by taking one of her hooves and wiping all the ash on her hoof. “Angel!” she gasped at the rabbit, ready to give him either a stare or another severe talk, but when she locked eyes with the rabbit again, he held out the list. Throughout the night, that list had been hanging over her, and now, with one empty checkmark, and the perfect material to make a mark, Fluttershy gladly took the list with one of her wings. In two strokes, she finally marked off the last thing she had always wanted before tonight. “Have a perfect kiss.” The ashy check mark became the last thing the list felt before it was chucked into the the open fireplace. A list lived to be checked, and this one finally completed its long journey. It went up in flames, complete. With a new stride in her step, Fluttershy took her place next to Big Mac. “C’mon, the others are probably waiting for me, and we still have a lot of cake.” “Sounds great,” Mac replied. With Angel Jr. now atop Fluttershy’s back, the trio proceeded to make their way out of the living area and towards Fluttershy’s suite. Had they been a little faster exiting, they would’ve seen and heard the shuffling of hooves and claws followed by the flash and pop of lavender magic. Back in the living area, the strange painting of the slithery creature in the painting smiled over to the swirls of pink next to it. “Whoo! That was a close one wasn’t it, Pinkie, my dear.” The swirls of pink moved around to reveal the familiar shape of Ponyville’s party mare. “You’re telling me. Thanks for helping me out, Cordy.” “Oh, all I did was poof Applejack’s present from the table to the Apple’s room. It was nothing.” “But it did get Big Mac down here,” Pinkie chirped merrily. “That’s something I’ve wanted to ask you. How did you know Big Mac would do that?” “Simple. I got an ear flop, stomach growl, pinch in my back legs, and the urge to scream. That means one of my friends is gonna get kissed by an Apple. Plus, I’ve seen how Big Mac looks at Fluttershy over the last couple of years.” Pinkie’s wide definition for a plan was just so full of Pinkiness that Discord couldn’t help but shudder with delight. “Oh, Pinkie, my dear, this is why I love you so.” “Love you too, Cordy. Operation: Perfect Surprise… complete!” Pinkie turned her eyes to Discord’s mad red ones with a sultry smile on her face. “Speaking of which, why don’t you give my lips something perfect and sweet real quick,” Pinkie cooed, puckering her lips ever so slightly. Discord craned his neck down to his marefriend with an equally teasing smile. “Glady.” *** Present Day *** All eyes were on Fluttershy, and even though she wished they weren’t, her smile betrayed her worry when the story of her and her husband’s first kiss finished. “And four or so years after that, me and Apple Bloom got ourselves another sister,” Applejack said as she came up to Fluttershy and gave her a one-limbed hug. “Oh my, you guys have had some interesting birthdays in the past, haven’t you?” Pearl commented, earning the attention of all the party guests. “You should’ve seen… wait, were you two at Twilight’s birthday party when she turned thirty?” Rainbow asked with a hoof pointed at Pearl and Magnum. “I don’t think so,” Magnum answered unsurely. “You guys weren’t,” Sweetie Belle assured. “That was when you and mom took that three month-long trip to see the seven wonders of Equestria.” “Oh yeah!” It all came back to Magnum. “That was the largest cider mug I’ve ever seen.” Pearl rolled her eyes before turning back to her youngest child. “So what did happen then?” “Oh nothing much, really,” Twilight quickly answered before putting on an awkward smile. “Oh, c’mon, Twilight. You know a lot happened that day,” Scootaloo teased with a smirk and Apple Bloom next to her, who was trying her best not to laugh at the memory of that particular day. “No. Nothing. Nothing at all.” “C’mon, Twilight. It wasn’t that bad,” Pinkie tried, but Twilight could see the quivering in her lips. “Seriously, darling, not all went horrible,” Rarity tried, failing to turn Twilight’s frown upside-down. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” There was no getting Twilight to spill, that much was obvious to her friends, and it only made it all the sweeter for everypony except Twilight that Spike took it upon himself to lay the story out. “Okay, it was in Canterlot at the palace…” “Spike!” Twilight gasped. “I’m tellin’ it, Twi.” “No you’re not.” “C’mon, it’s hilarious.” “Don’t.” “Anyway, it was at the palace…” “Spike!” “... me and the girls were getting everything ready…” “Spike! You’re princess commands you to stop telling this story!” For just a few seconds, Spike locked eyes with his sister and didn’t say a word, but he knew Twilight better than anypony. Her threat was empty. Her story was getting out today, and it was her turn to go. “Anyway, it was at the palace…” “UGH!”