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// I Remember (AppleShy, Tragedy/Sad) 
// Story: Bombastic Bookpony's Bazaar of Oneshots 
// by Bombastic Bookpony 
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	I remember. I remember so much. I remember her pink mane, perfectly positioned to hide those beautiful eyes. I remember the fire that would light up in those eyes whenever a friend or animal was in danger. Some ponies thought I was intimidating; I’d like to see what they’d think if they caught Fluttershy’s ire.

I remember that first date. Where she bumbled her way through giving me flowers(she forgot to tell the bees to get out of em). The dinner, where she laid herself bare, babbling about such and such, always ending in some embarrassing detail of herself and an adorable blush and squeak. I remember that shy kiss on my cheek, so cautious and light yet felt more passionate and real than any makeout I’ve ever had. I remember going through that date and thinking that she was the most honest pony I had ever seen.

I remember the marriage. Run of the mill in all the right ways. She chose Rarity as her best mare and me, I chose Dash. It was small; we didn’t need any strangers or acquaintances judging us. Her birds sang a beautiful song, or so I was told. I couldn’t hear them over her walking down that aisle in one of Rare’s beautiful dresses and seeing the sheer love in her eyes. The thought that from that day I would get that love all for myself was the most awe inspiring feeling, I tell ya. 

I remember her vows, thanking me for always supporting her and for carrying her above the rocky road. And I sure as sugar remember that kiss. Was the wildest one I’ve ever had. I guess-I guess she decided to forget about being shy for just one day, just to show everypony there just how much she loved me.

Now I suppose you’re expecting a happily ever after fairy tale, huh? Think we adopted plenty of kids, saw the apple farm grow to new heights together, and died at the same time like a buckin’ romance novel, huh? Life don’t turn out that way, my little pony. Life takes and takes and doesn’t give a damn what you want to keep. You learn that well. Just a few months after, Sweet Apple Acres was under attack by Timber Wolves. Twi said it was because their usual prey was growing sparser, I didn’t know and I didn’t care. They were tearing apart my farm and I wasn’t going to stand for it. Fluttershy begged me not to go, to wait for help, but the farm was on tough times. If those apples were destroyed, we might’ve gone under. I told her to stay inside while I dealt with em.

Not a day goes by where I don’t wish I had listened to her. I bucked those Timberwolves as if they were just another batch of apple trees. Most of em scattered, but one had snuck up on me and was about to get her deadly claws in me. But Shy? Shy didn’t listen to my order from before. She followed me and jumped right in front of that beast and took the hit. The next few moments were a blur, but I’m pretty sure I smashed its skull in. I checked on my gal and- and she was bleeding out. She wasn’t gonna make it. I yelled at her, told she shouldn’t have left, that she should’ve listened.

And she just said “I guess your stubbornness just rubbed off on me.” A weak smile and she was gone. Just like that.

That’s life. I remember. I remember because memories? Memories are all you’ve got in the end.