//------------------------------// // Interlude: The temptation of Mares. // Story: The Second Year; Gravidity // by TwilightsmyMare //------------------------------// Another, lovely sunny day, I was on my way to the open market after Scootaloo headed off to school and Twilight began her studies after a little early morning fooling around. I did some shopping picking up a few things Twi had been 'craving' lately. Asparagus, celery and beets... Not separately either but served altogether or alternately liquefied into a drink she could enjoy while reading. It wasn't bad, a little strange to my taste but Scootaloo seemed to like it and it gave Twi a lot of energy. Which used up a lot of my energy! She knew exactly how to push my buttons and she seemed very amorous lately, granted all the increased attention I had been paying her and my not being able to keep my hands off her might have had something to do with it too. I was just finishing up and was about to head back home when out of the corner of my eye I noticed a mint green 'shadow' behind me. I took a quick step back being careful not too trod on her as I swung one bags of groceries out and around so my right arm was on the other side of her surprising and causing her to let out an adorable squeak. "Heya Lyra." I grinned. "Rick! You startled me!" She accused with a smile her eyes dancing merrily. "Haven't seen you in awhile, how are you?" "Good! We got Bon Bon's shop all fixed up... You know, after the Pinkie thing." "Yeah... I imagine her sweets were more then a little popular." "Oh yes, still not as bad as the Cake's..." She giggled. "You've reminded me though I should buy a bag of lemon sours from Bon Bon... Walk with me?" "Oh!" She trotted alongside me happily as I started towards Bon Bon's shop. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something else..." "Sure, did you need to know some more for your book?" "Ha! You know I could talk about that for hours... Days! But I'm taking it slow like Twilight suggested, trying to find my 'inner writer'..." She sighed with a small grin as we approached the shop. "But so far it seems my inner writer is on strike..." She giggled. She and Bon Bon talked while I got two bags of lemon sours, one for me and one for Scootaloo (she stole mine so often she had developed a taste for them.) As well as some peppermints for Twilight, she enjoyed sucking on one while she read occasionally. I paid and left surprised to find Lyra still by my side. "I thought you would be staying with Bon Bon?" "I'm going back, but I still haven’t told you what I need to though!" "Oh right! I'm sorry Lyra, I kept distracting you." "That’s ok! It's just... I know she's you friend and I just thought you should know..." That sounded a bit serious. "What’s going on?" "Well... I like to watch the train come in and all the passengers come off and get on, pony watching you know? But today I saw Fluttershy get off bawling and galloped off towards her home. I wanted to say something but I really don't know her that well... I haven’t seen her that upset since that griffon came to town to visit and was so mean to her! I thought I should tell one of her friends and naturally I thought of you first..." She blushed. I thought about it a second putting down my bags to give her a quick hug. "Thanks Lyra, I'll go check on her. I appreciate you letting me know." "Aww... Glad to, talk to you later ok?" She leaned against me a moment before smiling and prancing back to Bon Bon's. I picked up my bags and headed home, Twi was down in the study so I put everything away then made her up a glass of her special drink taking it and a few peppermints for later down. She was reading of course and as usual I watched her a few moments my eyes never able to get enough of her, my hands never able to touch her enough, my lips and tongue unable to resist her taste, my nose never sated of her scent, my... Well you know... No part of me could resist her. I sidled up to her sitting down and putting her drink and the peppermints on the table. I closed my eyes leaning against her and wrapping my arms around her gently trying not to disturb her too much just wanting to be near her. I rubbed her neck and back my wandering hands finding their way to her slightly expanded soft belly cupping it softly. I held her there breathing her in still amazed everyday at the life growing within, our son or daughter! "Mmmm... I love it when you hold me..." She whispered. I opened my eyes to find her beautiful purple ones gazing at me her book put aside as she put her forehooves over my hands. We both pressed forward to kiss softly then again with some heat. "Love you." "Love you." She looked over spying her drink and smiled. "You spoil me so, but I love it." "Nothings too good for you love, or Scootaloo and Starswirl..." I squeezed her gently. "Hmm..." She kissed me again shifting over so she could lie against me. "I'm sure the spoiling Scootaloo and I receive is going to be nothing compared to what Starswirl is going to get..." She giggled playfully. "You’re probably right." I laughed. We held each other for awhile as I told her about Fluttershy and how she wanted to go see Trixie and what Lyra had told me she saw. "Poor Fluttershy, do you think she lost her nerve before she made it to see Trixie?" "Seems likely knowing her... But she made the effort and that’s something for her especially." "Very true... Are you going to go see her? Should I come too?" She moved as if to get up but I held her close gently. "You keep studying love; I'll go see if I can cheer her up. We're all getting together tomorrow night and we'll hear the whole story then I'm sure." "You're right." She settled back down with a smile. "I hope she's ok, see you later." "I'll let you know what’s happening." I pulled myself away kissing her again then kissing her belly. As I climbed the stairs I looked back to see her en engrossed back into her book sipping her drink. I took one of the bags of lemon sours with me as I headed to Fluttershy’s cottage detouring slightly to stop at the school just catching the end of my Angels lunch hour she her friends and classmates were out playing and I made sure to divvy up the candy one for each of them... (Well maybe two for Angel.) I didn't have many left when the bell rang but that’s why I bought two bags. I came up to Fluttershy’s cottage and tapped on the door but got no answer. "Fluttershy?" Nothing, I pushed and the door surprisingly it opened right up. Her living room was empty though and even the little critters that usually made her home their home were absent. "Fluttershy?!" I called out again as I quickly searched from room to room finding nothing. I left the cottage looking around confused and worried when I felt a tug on my pant leg, looking down I found Angel bunny pulling and pointing back behind the cottage. "Ok, ok. Lead on..." I just hoped he wasn't leading me into some sort of trap... Maybe a hundred meters behind the cottage was a small thorny thicket which he led me straight into down a small bunny trail. I was too busy covering my face and pushing branches aside trying to make my way through to curse at him or wonder where he was leading me but I swear if we get to where we're going and there’s a thorn free trail...! Finally we broke through to a small dark clearing, luckily for Angel bunny there were no other trails but strangely he darted right back down the path as soon as we broke through leaving me. Looking around it wasn't difficult to find Fluttershy her bright pink mane and tail as well as her light yellow coat stood out even in the shadows. All around her were small gifts left, acorns, walnuts and fruit. Small leaves filled with water, her animal friends had clearly been here trying to cheer her up already. Her head was buried in her forehooves while her chest was wracked with sobs. I walked over quietly kneeling down hugging her gently. "Fluttershy what’s...?" She jumped as I touched pulling and turning away. "Don't look at me! I'm so useless...!" The anguish in her voice broke my heart; I grabbed her again gently pulling her to my chest soothing her mane as I held her. "What happened? I'll help if I can..." She looked up at me her eyes red rimmed with tears still falling. "I... I..." She couldn't continue and buried her head in my chest bawling I just held her tight murmuring to her and stoking her long mane. Long minutes passed and she calmed down a bit, my shirt was a bit wet but that didn't matter. "What’s wrong Fluttershy? Did something happen on your trip? Is Trixie ok?" At the mention of Trixies name she stiffened looking up at me with her big green eyes. "Yes...!" And broke out crying again, between her sniffles and sobs I could kind of make out what she was saying. "I... I went to surprise... Trixie!!!" She burst out again burying her face in my chest wailing. I was definitely concerned, something bad had happened for sure but I wasn't going to rush her. "I remember Fluttershy..." "It... It took me awhile to build up my nerve enough to even stand in line for a ticket and then to go into the concert hall at all! When I finally got in the concert was underway, I stayed in the back. It's not really my kind of music but I still enjoyed it and... Trixies light show..." She sobbed. "Take your time Shy..." That made her sob even harder and I remembered that was Trixies pet name for her. "Sorry..." She sniffed and continued. "The concert was fine but I knew she couldn't see me from where she was, I could have flown up but they had security around to keep that from happening and that would have been so embarrassing and far too many ponies looking at me! So I waited, when the concert was over they stayed signing autographs for awhile but I... I was still too nervous to get anywhere near them. There were so many ponies still milling around, leaving and partying it was all I could do to keep from running away! I kept to myself trying to avoid everyone until things calmed down..." "And then...?" "After about an hour almost everyone was gone, just a few cleaners around. I had been so busy avoiding everyone I hadn't noticed Sapphire and T... T... Trix..." I squeezed her again comforting her as her tears started to flow. "It's ok." "Thank you. They were gone! I rushed back behind the stage and found their dressing rooms, Sapphires was dark even her bodyguards were gone so I was sure she was too. But a little ways down there was... Hers... The light was on! I was so excited to have caught her and be able to surprise her! Turns out I was the surprised one... I quietly opened the door hoping to sneak up on her but..." "What happened...?" "She... She wasn't alone... A stallion and two other mares... They were... Were..." I could see where this was going. "How could she do that to me?! Why?!" "I'm so sorry Fluttershy, people... Ponies make mistakes... Get overwhelmed by the situations their in, influenced... Did she explain... I mean, apologise? Something?" "I... I was frozen peeking through that crack for a minute watching them... Watching my life fall apart... My mind raced, I fantasised about kicking that door open and denouncing her...! Her begging for my forgiveness... But I could never do something like that... I closed the door and found a washroom to cry in, for hours I cried, tried to reason it out. Come to terms with it, I still loved her... I still love her, but... I can't accept that betrayal was this the first time? Had she always been…? I steadied myself slinking back to her room; they were all asleep together... I looked around hoping to find she was drunk maybe... Drugs? Something to prove she wouldn't have done this on her own! But no..." "Fluttershy you don't have to..." "I need to tell someone; usually I would go to Rarity... But not for this..." "Ok..." "I couldn't confront her, as mad as I was... I am, I just... Can't. I took one of her autograph pictures and wrote her a letter... Telling her what I saw, and how it was over between us... I told her not to come back; I've got her stuff ready to send away I... I can't see her... Can't forgive... If I talked to her, I think she could convince me... I don't want to be that... A cuckold... I looked through her drawers and found the ring I gave her..." She gestured over to the side and I noticed it there broken in two. "You worked so hard on that..." "Doesn't matter... Nothing matters... What’s wrong with me?! What did I do wrong?! I tried! I tried so hard... I wanted to be with her so badly..." She broke down again letting me hold her as she let it all out; finally she seemed cried out slumped against me. "Why am I so useless Rick?" She whispered. "Why can't I do anything right? Why?" I stopped her lifting her up to look her in her sad eyes giving her a gentle shake. "Don't say that Shy. There’s nothing! Nothing wrong with you. You work hard; you’re so kind to the animals... To everyone! Even me. When you didn’t even know me you stood up for me. You may be shy but it’s adorable, you’re beautiful, graceful..." I was interrupted suddenly by a pair of soft sweet lips pressed against mine; I could feel a breeze from her flapping wings. I held her a moment trying not to enjoy the kiss and think of a way not to hurt her already devastated feelings... I pushed her away gently and her eyes fluttered open as she blushed heavily. "I'm sorry..." She whispered hanging her head. I lifted her head up gently smiling to her leaning forward to kiss her soft nose. "Fluttershy, you are a beautiful, wonderful, amazing mare. Any stallion, any mare... Any man. Would be lucky to have you, in another world... If things had gone differently... But..." "But you won't make that mistake..." "I won't, I'm sorry." "Don't be, I... I was just being silly, I just needed... Something. You and Twilight are so perfect together, and with a little foal on the way... You should never talk to me again..." She hung her head again. "Fluttershy..." I lifted up her head again and hugged her tightly which she returned. "You’re our friend and you always will be. Trixie... Sorry..." "It's ok..." "She made a bad mistake, but it’s not a mistake you'd ever make. And that means a lot, maybe you'll forgive her someday I don't know. But please, forgive yourself. You did everything right. Ok?" "Ok..." She sniffed. "Thank you." I squeezed her again as we got up searching for the best way to get me out of this briar patch while she flew out. "That’s what friends are for." That’s what friends are for...