//------------------------------// // Chapter Three- "The Quiet Ones, One And Lonely" // Story: All Things Come To Be Loved And Lost // by TLC //------------------------------// The sun peered over the horizon, casting its afternoon glow over Ponyville as Fluttershy had readied to depart from Twilight's home. The two stood in the doorway, both in the midst of their previous conversation, in which delaying them saying their goodbyes. Without them realizing it, the two mares had taken it to walking together from the library. This ended with them standing besides one another a ways from Twilight's home, and finding themselves already half way to Fluttershy's home by the Everfree, standing besides the creek which lead from the forest. Realizing this, Twilight and Fluttershy shared a laugh. "I want to thank you, Fluttershy." Twilight said, earning a look from the timid pegasus. "Me?" Fluttershy replied, her heart slowly making itself known. Twilight smiled and ceased in her walk, standing in the middle of Ponyville's small park and gazing off towards the setting sun. "I'll admit, I've been a wreck as of late. Reeking havoc on my mind and having trouble assessing my feelings with everything." She turned to her friend, smiling. "But you and Applejack have been so patient with me. I honestly don't know how you can sit through me ranting and raving for so long." Fluttershy's lips struggled, her hooves lightly tapping the ground. "Well, uh...I mean, it's what friends do for each other." She said, looking up to Twilight. "I understand struggling with how you feel, not specifically in your case but close. Like I said earlier, me and my father had disagreements after I left Cloudsdale..." Twilight nodded, both mares letting an easy silence fill in for the words left hanging by Fluttershy like an instrumental. "Fluttershy?" Fluttershy looked towards Twilight, who stared back with sincerity. "If you ever want to talk, just like you have with me." Twilight held a hoof to her own chest. "I am always ready to listen." Fluttershy's mouth opened slightly, not a single word that approached her lips were right to describe how deeply she appreciated Twilight's statement. Instead, she smiled and nodded. "Good." Twilight grinned. "It's getting pretty late. I think I've kept you long enough for today." She giggled, turning back to the sun. "Are you sure you don't need anything, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight nodded, smiling at the pegasus. "I'm alright Fluttershy, really." She said, laying a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "After all this time you've spent with me, I would be more concerned about your animals. Thank you for everything, both you and Applejack." Fluttershy's face lit up, her cheeks tinting a light fuchsia as Twilight wrapped her hooves around her in a hug. She could feel the warmth of Twilight's fur, her own hooves meeting around the librarian's shoulders. The two then parted and Fluttershy nodded. "Goodnight, Twilight." "Goodnight, Fluttershy." Twilight said, waving as her friend flapped her wings and took off in the direction of the Everfree. She stood there, basking in the silence as the afternoon air chilled her coat and in the flaming orange atmosphere before turning back and making her way back towards her library home. ---- Fluttershy would be floating, if of course she wasn't already flying. A bright smile plastered on her lips, her inner thoughts squeaking. Had imagination been strong and magical enough in the universe, Discord forbid, tiny hearts were left in tracks behind her as she flew to her home by the Everfree Forest. Her eyes sparkling the star shaped cutie marks of her friend. She landed softly before her cottage, immediately greeted by her pet bunny, Angel, whom began squeaking angrily at the pegasus. "Oh I know Angel, I'm sorry." Fluttershy told the bunny, lifting him up into her hooves. "I was just spending sometime with Twilight today." Angel raised furrowed his brow, squeaking once. "...Yes, again." Fluttershy admitted, turning away from the bunny who continued squeaking and waving his tiny paws at the shying pegasus. "I know, I know." Angel crossed his arms, turning away from Fluttershy as they reached the living room. Fluttershy sat Angel down on the small green couch in the center of the room, sitting before him on the floor. "Don't give me that look." She pouted. "I'm just...I want to help her, Angel. She's been hurting and lonely since Spike started seeing Rarity. I'm worried about her, she rarely eats unless Applejack or I are with her..." After a few moments, Angel turned back seeing the now sad pegasus stare down to the carpet. With a sigh, he stood up and laid a paw on Fluttershy's head, patting it lightly as she look up, the corner of her eyes barring small bitter tears daring escape from their shimmering prisons. Angel waved a paw before them, shaking his head and squeaking softly comforting his winged companion. Fluttershy blinked back those sorrow droplets, reaching out and pulling Angel into a hug, the bunny rolling his eyes as he returned it. "Oh, Angel." Fluttershy said. "I'm so glad to have you when I need you..." She sighed, realizing the weight of those lines held of her friend's dismay. "How about I make some carrot soup?" Angel bounced in please, paws up towards the sky as he squeaked out in a thankful tone. Fluttershy giggled, making her way to the kitchen with her furry companion bouncing behind her. ---- A sigh sounded in the darkness. After the sun's daily retirement, with the sky darkening, stars blinking into existence with the oncoming night, Twilight laid in bed alone. A few moments later and a second one followed, laced with agitation. Turning over on her back, she turned to light the single candle on her nightstand. Her eyes squinted due to the sudden brightness, she watched as it flickered and danced alone the wick, a drop of wax frozen against the candle melted and slowly made its journey down and vanishing below into the thick puddle at the bottom. She gritted her teeth, kicking out once from under the covers and sending them to the floor. She sat up, staring towards the opposite side of the room, a wall of books lining from one side of the room to the other. She scanned each cover with her magic, searching each shelf for it. If only she hadn't place it out of order. Aha! One book, thick and hard covered with a golden spine and coated in Twilight's lavender magic slid from its snug home between two other of its kind. It made its way over to the bed and landed with a soft pat in Twilight's lap. She held it in her hooves, a small smile growing on her lips as a hoof slide over the surface of the book. A golden insignia of a heart baring a small sun on its front cover, twinkling in the candle light. Twilight held the book up to her chest as she laid back down, resting her head back down onto her pillow as her covers kicked to the floor and dawning the same magical aura the book had crawled up the bed and rested over her. With a soft sigh and a tight hug of the book, Twilight slept.