Click.
The pegasus slid the bolt shut.
Click.
...and the second. She forced her hoof against yet another iron bolt.
Click
And finally, came the third. That one was always the most stubborn. It was coated with a thick red coat of rust, all three of them were actually. It was probably time to replace them. After all, it had been over three years since she had them installed.
Not yet! Going into town and buying those things would cause...too much attention. Oh no, no, no, I can't have that!
Fear grew in her heart. It wasn't exactly normal to have three bolt locks on one's door, especially in a town like Ponyville. There were never any robberies, murders, or other such things here - or at least, not for a long time. Maybe an Ursa incident here and there, but never on a daily basis. The pegasus was grateful for her proximity to the hazards of the Everfree Forest, though - it was a good excuse for her otherwise unusual over protection. When ponies would ask questions, she just cited living next door to the most dangerous forest in Equestria. Ponies didn't ask questions anymore.
The mare let out a nervous sigh and slumped down against the firm wooden door of the cottage.
Oh, why does it have to be like this? Why can't I tell anypony? I should've told them years ago! Oh Fluttershy, why are you such a worrywort?
An icy cold gripped her heart as the reality set in. She knew she couldn't tell anypony. There was a very good reason for that. No, too much time had passed, too many mistakes had been made. At this point, it was too late. Tears began to fall down her cheeks as the pegasus sobbed. Her sobs erupted into wailing as she began to bawl.
You're a monster.
No! Fluttershy denied.
Remember the red? Of course you do. It was everywhere.
Be quiet!
What? Are you going to kill me too? You'd like to, wouldn't you?
SHUT UP!!!
The pegasus' mental battle was interrupted by three tentative, wooden raps. Somepony was at the door. Her heart stopped.
"Um...Fluttershy? Dearest? Are you in there?" a quiet voice spoke.
The pegasus remained silent.
"I can...I can hear you dear. Please open the door?"
Fluttershy closed her eyes shut. Oh no...not now. Please Rarity, not now... She stole a glance at the clock.
8:15PM.
There was still time...
She sighed and slowly got up to her hooves. She unbolted the locks and opened the door a crack. A rush of cold air escaped into the cottage.
"Hi Rarity..." Fluttershy whispered, managing a weak smile. Rarity stood in the dark cold, a crimson red scarf hugging her neck. Her face had a look of concern.
"Good, I figured as much you'd be home at this hour. Fluttershy dear, would you let me in please? I'd like to talk to you." Rarity's teeth chattered. "It's been a long time since we've talked. You know, girl to girl, as it were?" She smiled.
Fluttershy's heart sank. As much as she wanted to deny the request, she couldn't leave her friend hanging in the cold. It wasn't her nature.
And there's still time...
Fluttershy opened the door and let the fashionista in.
"Brrr, it's positively frigid out there today. Have you been outside?"
"No..." Fluttershy took Rarity's scarf in her mouth and hung it on a hanger. "That's a very nice scarf, Rarity."
"Oh, why thank you, dearest. Designed and stitched it myself. Would you like one? I have a few more like that back at the boutique. It would be my pleasure!"
"Oh...yes...thank you Rarity. That would be wonderful." Fluttershy said as she gazed at the red scarf.
And gazed.
"Fluttershy? Darling? Well it's not the Pona Lisa, dear, but I appreciate your admiration!"
Fluttershy broke out of her fixation. "Sorry...I'll put some tea on."
"Oh don't worry yourself, dearest, I'll take care of it!"
_________________________________________________________________________________
Fluttershy plopped herself down on a pillow as Rarity prepared the tea.
"Camomile?" Rarity asked.
"Yes..."
An awkward silence fell.
"So...how have you been Fluttershy? I haven't seen you for nearly a week. I've come by quite a few times, but you never seem to be home. What's been keeping you so busy, hmm?"
"Oh, um...you know...just the usual...I lost a chicken this week...it was a long time before I found him..." Fluttershy lied.
"A whole week, dearest?" Rarity raised an eyebrow as she poured two cups of tea from the pot with her magic.
"Yes..."
Rarity set the tea cup on the table in front of Fluttershy and sat down across from her. She took a delicate sip from her own cup, levitated it down and sighed. "We're all a little bit worried about you dear."
Fluttershy's eyes became saucers. "What? Who...?"
Rarity gazed into her tea. "You know, the others and I...Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, even Pinkie Pie...none of them see you much anymore...they say you've become distant." Rarity looked up. "You have, dear."
"Oh, um...don't worry about me Rarity, please..."
"I've sent you countless invitations to the spa in the past few weeks! Surely you weren't too busy every time?"
Fluttershy hid behind her mane. "I'm sorry...I don't think I got -"
"And I know you got them. They disappeared from your mailbox each and every time! One time I saw you bring the invitation inside yourself!" Rarity looked guilty. "I'm sorry dear, I know it's not right for a lady to snoop. But I think it's alright sometimes...if a friend is in trouble."
"It's nothing Rarity...please...I'm fine..." the pegasus whispered, glancing up at the clock.
"Then why were you crying?"
Fluttershy bit her lip.
"You were crying just now, I could hear you from outside, dear. Your eyes are still red."
"It's none of your business Rarity!" Fluttershy spat, slamming her hoof onto the table. Tea soaked the table mat. Fluttershy started shaking and began to cry. "I'm...I'm so sorry Rarity....please forgive me, I didn't mean - "
"I'm your friend, dear. I think it is my business." Rarity spoke calmly. "And it is my duty to help out a friend in need." Rarity took a cloth and began to clean up the spilled camomile.
Fluttershy hid behind her mane again.
"You can tell me what's been bothering you, dear. I won't tell anypony, I promise. I know I may have been a little...well, loose lipped on one or two occasions in the past, but personal things like this I wouldn't dare say a word about. You know that as well as I, Fluttershy." Rarity levitated her own teacup across the table and poured some tea into Fluttershy's now depleted cup. She sighed. "I know things have been stressful these last few years, with...the disappearances. How do you think Applejack's been handling it? Quite well actually, to tell you the truth. We've all been hurt by what happened, dear."
Fluttershy quickly glanced at the clock.
8:40PM
Rarity swirled her spoon around, absentmindedly. "You know, there isn't a night that goes by that I don't think of....well what happened. One month...five ponies...gone. Extinguished from Equestria...just like that."
Fluttershy winced.
"I was so worried for Sweetie Belle after that. I slept with her for months, and barely ever let her go anywhere by herself. I didn't get much sleep that year...but of course it was worth it. Anything to keep her safe from whatever it was that was committing those horrid, horrid atrocities. Whoever would do such a thing? I really can't imagine..."
"Rarity, I -"
"I mean, after this much time...the fear isn't what it used to be." Rarity was still lost in her thoughts. "The memories, of course...will be with me forever, but it's been so long now...things have gone back to normal. Ponies go about their daily lives again, and have been doing so for so long...they've moved on. We all have. It wasn't easy, not in the slightest...but we've moved on. So why haven't you?"
Fluttershy's eyes darted to the clock again. Rarity followed Fluttershy's gaze and looked back at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Why do you keep looking at the clock, dear? You're expecting something to happen, aren't you? Something....you don't want me to see."
Fluttershy gasped. "What? Was I looking at the clock? I wasn't looking at the clock, I was just looking at..." The pegasus' eyes scanned the living room. "...your beautiful scarf! So...red and...warm...and...tasty."
"Tasty?" Rarity blinked. "Are you all right dear? You look a bit...pale."
"Toasty! I said toasty! Red and warm and toasty!" Fluttershy faked a toothy smile, but soon realized her mistake, and quickly slammed her mouth shut, praying to Celestia Rarity hadn't seen too much.
"I see..." Rarity closed her eyes and took a sip of camomile. "Well, you don't even have to tell me what's going on dear."
"I...I don't?"
"Nope." Rarity's eyes fluttered open. "I know."
Fluttershy's heart stopped.
"You've been hiding this for quite some time, haven't you?"
"No...please..."
"I'm surprised you've kept the facade up for this long. But it's obvious, Fluttershy, I'm on to you." Rarity leaned in across the table, her gaze piercing through the terrified pegasus. Fluttershy folded her expanding ears back under her mane. "Your standoffish and elusive manner, the way you bolt your doors every night, the crying...even your sudden interest in my fabulous crimson red scarf? It all makes sense now..."
Fluttershy was bawling her eyes out again. "I'm s-so sorry Rarity, you don't understand, p-please give me a cha -"
"So who's the lucky stallion?" Rarity sat back with a smug grin.
Fluttershy froze. "Uh....um....what?"
Rarity took another sip of tea. "You're in love, darling! I can't believe I didn't see this before, but it's quite transparent!"
Fluttershy stared, flabbergasted.
Rarity giggled. "It's quite alright, darling, no need to be embarrassed! I'm happy for you!" Rarity leaned in across the table, her head in her hooves, wide-eyed like a little school-filly. "So what's his name, hmm? You don't have to hide him from us, I'm sure he's an absolute gentlecolt!"
"Oh...yes...very nice..." Fluttershy retreated further into her mane, looking at the clock with her exposed eye.
9:00PM
"Oh, this is wonderful, dear!" Rarity brought her teacup down hard onto the table. Shards of porcelain went everywhere. "Ouch! Oh dear. I'm so sorry darling...I guess I got carried away...with the excitement and all. I'll replace it, I promise. Would you bring me a bandage dear? I'm afraid I cut my hoof."
Fluttershy looked at Rarity's foreleg, crimson red now slowly ebbing from it. "Oh.....Rarity....."
"It's just a scratch dear, don't worry. I apologize for the mess I've made, you must be expecting your special somepony soon, I imagine? Certainly judging by the way you've been eying that clock."
"Um...oh...right..."
Fluttershy licked her lips as the crimson red reflected in her eyes.
"Actually...he's already here."