//------------------------------// // Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Plan // Story: The Lion and the Lamb // by CrazyChickenLady //------------------------------// Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Plan Fluttershy continued to flee, her wings pinned to her sides with both the book and box of pastries balanced unusually steady on her back for the speed she was going. She didn’t even notice as she left town, or as the road lead into an orchard of trees, all of which were filled with bright, shining ruby red, succulent green, and golden yellow apples. The pegasus risked a glance over her shoulder, curious if anyone was following her. It was highly unlikely someone would be tailing her, but she had that nagging paranoia eating at her. WHAM!! Groaning, the mare opened her eyes, pain lightly coursing through her body as she pulled herself to her hooves. The book and box she had been carrying were now located on the ground - the box having flown open with muffins and donuts dotted along the path, the book, open, crushing one of the muffins underneath its heavy spine. A number of apples laid scattered around as well. ‘Goodness. I didn’t know I could run that hard into a tree,’ she idly thought. “Well, lan’sakes, Fluttershy! What the hay’s gotten into you?” a familiar southern drawl called to her. Lifting her head, she noticed Applejack, also getting up, with an upturned basket, where the bulk of the apples rested. Gasping, realizing she hadn’t crashed into a tree, but into Applejack, she precipitated herself to her friend to help dust her off. “Ohmygosh, Applejack, I am so sorry! I didn’t mean to run into you!” Fluttershy blurted out, removing a patch of dirt from the other pony’s shoulder. “S’all right, sugarcube. Ah’ve been hit by worse. What in tarnation were you runnin’ from, anyway? Y’all looked like y’had the Pony Devil himself chasin’ after yeh!” “It’s a long story,” she responded, doodling a circle in the ground in front of her. Applejack upended the basket and proceeded to drop one of the misplaced apples inside. “Why don’t you help me pick up these apples and git ‘em, and y’can tell me all about it. Ah’ll bake up some fresh treats to replace the ones yew dropped here.” “Oh, that’s all right… They were free, anyway,” Fluttershy informed as she lowered her head to grasp onto the stem of an apple with her teeth. “Really? Wow you must be having a bad day if yew were able to finagle free treats out of Mrs. Cake.” The pegasus dropped the apple into the basket, turning her gaze to nothing in particular. “Uh - um - well--” “Don’t worry yer pretty little head over it, darlin’,” Applejack said as she transferred a red delicious into the basket with a flick of her tail. “Ah don’t mind none. Besides, you look like yew could use a little pick-me-up. Tell me how yer day’s been!” As the pair gathered up the apples and left the ruined donuts and muffins for the birds to eat, Fluttershy began to recant how her entire day up until that point had gone - from spending time at the spa with Rarity to Rainbow Dash’s advice, to Twilight Sparkle giving her the book, and finally Pinkie Pie’s enthusiastic proclamation in town, hence the reason why she had been running. Entering the house, Applejack set the basket on the kitchen countertop and tipped it to dump the apples into the sink. “Well, shoot. Sounds like yew had a big day!” “I did.” Fluttershy exhaled a heavy sigh. “But… I’m curious. What… what do you think, Applejack?” “What do Ah think of what?” “About me and Smokey?” “Heck, Ah don’t think anything of it.” The farmer gave a noncommittal shrug. “Ain’t my place.” “Really? But… what should I do?” Applejack turned fully to her friend, lifting a hoof to rest it on her shoulder. “Ah ain’t gonna lie t’ya. Ah don’t know what to tell ya. Ah wouldn’t even know where to begin. Ah’ve never felt anything like that for anypony, much less what Ah feel fer you girls and mah family. But what yew and Smokey got goin’ on between you… That’s… that’s different. It could be just a simple crush, it could be the start of something really beautiful. All Ah can say is that you gotta be careful. This is a first, fer both of you, and if y’ain’t careful, you might wind up gettin’ yerself hurt. “Havin’ said that, though, Ah don’t have qualms against it. Ah mean, you and Smokey? Hay, as far as Ah’m concerned, love - true love - knows no boundaries. Be it between two ponies, a pony and a dragon, a donkey and a mule, a bull and a goat… Love is love, Fluttershy.” The embarrassed tinge of red returned to the light yellow mare’s face again. “But we’re not--” “Well, no. Maybe not now, but who’s ta say ya both won’t?” the orange equine questioned as she returned her attention to the apples in the sink, fiddling with the tabs to rinse them off. “If it was meant ta happen, then it’ll happen. If it wasn’t, then it won’t. But only yer heart will know that when it comes down to the wire.” She twisted her neck to glance back at the rose pink-haired pony. “And not me, and not Rarity, and certainly not Pinkie nor any other one of us can tell ya otherwise.” Fluttershy was silent for a moment before she opened her mouth to speak, “I… understand. Thanks.” “Not a problem!” “… But that wasn’t really what I was asking.” “Say what now?” the blonde pony ventured, raising her brow. “I wanted to ask you what suggestions you had for Smokey and I to do… During our time together.” “Well… why didn’t yew just ask?” The pegasus lowered her eyelids, giving off an expression that was both irritated and exasperated. “Nothing really comes to mind,” Applejack said, rotating the fruit around in the sink. “Y’all said you wanted to go to a dinner and a movie, right? What’s wrong with that?” “Because we’re afraid we’re gonna scare everypony else when we head into town,” she reasserted. “We - I just… wondered if there was anything you could think of that… well…” “Ah’m sorry, Fluttershy. Only thing Ah can think of that Ah like ta do outside of workin’ is just spendin’ time with my family or you girls, but…” “… But?” Applejack paused, placing her hooves on the sink counter as her eyes traveled out the window. “… Sometimes, Ah just like laying on mah back on the hillside, at night. Ah like ta stare at the stars.” “… The stars? Why’s that?” Fluttershy queried. “Heh,” the earth pony chuckled, a sad smile adorning her visage as she met her friend’s eyes again. “… This may sound kinda silly, but… when Ah was a filly, Ah heard a story. When somepony moves on from this world, and they cross over - Ah heard that… they become a star in the sky.” Realization of what she had been referring to dawned in Fluttershy’s eyes, this time resting a hoof on her back in comfort. “And Ah’d just lay there, in the fields, or on the grassy hill and Ah’d stare up at the sky for hours. Just… wondering. If they were up there. Lookin’ down on me. Watchin’. Trying ta figure out which stars they were up there…” “Oh, Applejack…” Fluttershy whispered, resting her head on her shoulder. “… Welp, y’don’t need ta hear mah sob story.” Applejack’s front hooves joined the floor and turned to Fluttershy, tears budding. Wiping her face with a foreleg, she released another chuckle. “Seriously, though. You two do what y’all want. And personally? Ah say buck what anypony else thinks.” A smile tipped the feathered equine’s lips. “Really?” “Eeyup.” Her friend nodded. “Say, you busy? Would ya mind helping me slice these apples up and bake a couple of pies? Ah’ll let ya take one back at Smokey and Chenoa.” “Oh, sure,” Fluttershy agreed, positioning herself beside at Applejack’s side to proceed to assist her. *** A couple of hours later saw Fluttershy back home with Chenoa and Smokey joining them, eating the last of her slice of pie that Applejack had baked with her help. Daintily setting the fork on her empty plate, she gazed up at the dragon across from her. “… And that’s been my entire day thus far,” she finished, sighing and shaking her head. “It’s certainly been… interesting.” Smokey let out a huff of a laugh, his cheeks flushed with a prominent shade of pink. He cast a quick glance over at the griffon seated in her high chair to check on how she was doing on her mashed up portion of pie. She was still working on it, but the expression of joy conveyed she was thoroughly enjoying it. “So… Miss Rarity thinks we’re going to start dating… That’s unexpected.” “It’s not just Rarity… Nearly everypony thinks we’re going to do that. They think… we’re an item.” She sighed again. “I… tried telling them it wasn’t like that, but…” The mare’s words died in her throat as a knock at the door startled her. Collecting her nerves, she slid out of her chair and went to answer it. “Hello--” she greeted, only to have Rarity shove the door open with a large smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. There was also a tape measure dangling from her neck and a notebook and pencil surrounded by a cloud of light blue magic above her head. “Fluttershy! I’m so glad you’re home. I’m sorry to be so forceful - am I interrupting anything?” “Um, well--” “Good! You see, darling, I was going into the details of the finer points of your outfits. I was in the zone as it were, but I was mulling over that small, teensy problem you mentioned to me when I was hit by sudden inspiration! Oh, I was so excited, I just had to come over and tell it to you right away!” She levitated the tape measure from her neck. “Oh, and to get Smokey’s measurements. Is he around, by any chance?” “Yes. I’m right over here, Miss Rarity,” the draconian called over to the unicorn with a welcoming grin. Turning over, the white mare’s smile broadened. “Oh! Hello, Smokey! I’m so incredibly glad you’re here. I just came up with the BEST. POSSIBLE! THING!” Fluttershy blinked at her friend’s enthusiasm. “So… what… exactly is this idea of yours, Rarity?” “I got to thinking. You remember the story of when I went with Twilight and Rainbow Dash after Spikey-wikey when he went to join the dragon migration?” “Yes…?” “Well, I had come to a similar idea! Why don’t we go down that route again?” Rarity shifted her attention to Smokey. “Instead of just making you a suit, I’ll make you a whole costume! You’ll be able to blend right in with the populace! Incognito, if you will. Nopony would ever know!” As his mind absorbed the idea, Smokey broke out into a grin as an obvious sign that he liked it. No one would have to be frightened by his draconian appearance. “I must say… that is a clever idea.” He turned to Fluttershy, his eyes shimmering with mirth. “We can go anywhere we want and nopony will know what I really am!” “I… don’t quite know about this, Rarity,” Fluttershy said with a heavy dosage of uncertainty. “I think your cunning plan might have a few flaws in it.” “Whatever do you mean, darling?” Fluttershy arched an eyebrow, tilting her head at Rarity, before looking at Smokey and then back to her. As she plodded over to stand directly beside the tall reptilian, it didn’t take the unicorn very long to comprehend that the pegasus was accounting for the size difference, as well as the fact he stood in a bipedal stance as opposed to the quadrupeds they were. “Oh… oh, I… get what you mean.” Rarity’s expression fell, only to be steeled with determination. “No matter. Mere details. You just let little ol’ moi handle that.” “What? What’s wrong?” Smokey inquired, not understanding what the mares were hinting at at first until a few moments elapsed. “Oh! I can walk on all fours. That won’t be an issue. I just prefer to walk on two.” “Really?” The winged equine gazed up at him. She had never known this. “Oh, perfect! That’ll be splendid then! Sure you might look a little big, but you’ll just be an unusually large one. I don’t think you’ll stand out very much. Alright, then, well, if you don’t mind, Smokey, could I get some quick measurements?” “Certainly.” Sliding out of the chair, he got down on all fours in order to allow Rarity to acquire the proper measurements she needed of his body. As the unicorn worked, he turned his head to Fluttershy, an even wider smile gracing his scaly features. Fluttershy returned the smile, her tail giving an excited swish. “Oh, this is wonderful! I never even would‘ve thought of this!” “Well, I have to admit I didn’t think of it myself until just a little while ago,” Rarity stated. She didn’t take long, measuring Smokey’s ear frills, neck, sides, arms, legs, inseams, and even his tail and wings to make sure the costume would be able to accommodate for the bulk. Humming, she stepped back, having written the measurements down on her notepad. “Alright, dear, I’m done!” “Thank you, Miss Rarity! I really do appreciate you going out of your way to… well, to make me look like a pony! For once… I won’t have to worry about scaring anypony.” “Not a problem at all!” the snow-pelted mare gushed. “It’s my pleasure. I shall make you into an absolutely splendid stallion! Oh, but… Whatever fabric should I use, though…?” She shook her head after a moment of contemplation. “It will come to me, I’m sure. Anyway, I must be off.” “Alright.” Fluttershy nodded. “Thanks again, Rarity.” “Yes, I almost forgot. Fluttershy, could you be a dear and stop by tomorrow afternoon? I simply must have you for your dressing.” “Hmm? Oh, alright. Will two o’clock be fine?” “Smashing! It’s settled then. I’ll see you at Carousel Boutique around two!” With that, she turned to leave. “Tootle-oo!” “Goodbye, Miss Rarity.” Smokey waved to her after rising back on his feet again as she disappeared out the door. Flashing a quick grin at Fluttershy, he shifted to Chenoa. “Isn’t this great, Chenoa? Daddy’s going to look like a pony!” The baby griffon responded with a belch.