//------------------------------// // 5. Shelter // Story: Quiet // by Koariangel //------------------------------// A "doozy," was the word Rainbow Dash had used to describe the storm for today. Looking out the window of her cottage and assessing the ever darkening sky, Fluttershy definitely agreed. While she wasn't a weather pony by trade, she could at least tell that each dark and heavy cloud that her pegasi brethren placed with as much care as a patchwork quilt bore the promise of a downpour to be reckoned with. "I wouldn't make any plans to go anywhere if I were you... at least not for the next two days," Rainbow had told her. That suited Fluttershy just fine; she'd spent a lovely day relaxing at home with her beloved animals. After her second choir practice, she made a point to spend as much time with her furry and feathery friends as she could. In only a few short weeks, they would be gone- either migrating or hibernating for the coming winter. She knew she'd miss them terribly, but this was nature and she'd long since devoted herself to it, good and bad. "Ouch!" Rubbing the back of her head, the pegasus turned to see what had bonked her so viciously. Her gaze went from the stray carrot that now lay on the floor, to who threw it. "What is it now, Angel?" The antagonizing white bunny glared at her, hopping up and down in agitation. He stood before his mate and six children, who all seemed perfectly content to nibble at the bowl of carrots she'd set out for the family. Angel, as usual, was being difficult. As the surrounding birds, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, and mice ate their respective dinners that their caretaker had painstakingly prepared, only her white bunny seemed to make a fuss. "I'm not sure what you want from me. I told you there weren't going to be any more apples," Fluttershy said apologetically, leaning down to match Angel's eye level. The day before, she'd gone to the market after her spa date to try and build up her stockpile for the coming winter, like her animal friends.The changing seasons affected what kind of crops were available and how much; Fluttershy got to experience this first-hoof. As Fluttershy made her way through the market, the Apple family's stand came into view. Okay, apples for Angel. That should be the last thing on the list... thank Celestia. With these thoughts, she pressed forward, ignoring the sweat on her brow. Fluttershy knew she wasn't the strongest pony around, but she figured she could at least handle a shopping trip. If my wings can support me in the air, they can hold these bags, she reasoned, though she knew it was slightly different. Her saddlebags were already filled to capacity, causing her to have to balance half of her groceries on her back and use her wings to hold them up. When she arrived at the apple stand, she was met by empty barrels. "Oh no! Sold out?" She looked at Big Mac with large eyes; the stallion pawed the ground with one hoof, as if he were somehow to blame for the lack of produce. "Sorry," he offered sincerely. She let out a silent sigh in response. "I-It's okay. It isn't your fault, after all. I should've gotten here sooner. Besides, there'll be more tomorrow, right?" She smiled wearily, but hopefully. The smile disappeared instantly as the stallion shifted his weight awkwardly and his ears flopped down. It was odd to see such a large pony so ill at ease. "Well, um, it's cider season so..." he muttered regretfully. Fluttershy instantly understood and dreaded what that meant. As winter approached, the Apple family put the remainder of their crop into their cider, which would be the last of the apples for the year. The pegasus lowered her head slightly in defeat. "Really sorry," Big Mac reiterated. "It's okay, it's not really that much of a big deal." Though Angel is going to kill me. "I'll be fine with what I have here." But if Angel get's in one of his moods he might not eat any of it. "Besides, I still have a few things left in my garden." Though not nearly enough to satisfy that stubborn little -" Fluttershy's thoughts were brought back to the present by the bunny crossing his paws over his chest and thumping his foot against the wooden floor in a ticked off rhythm. "Don't you take that tone with me, mister!" How in the world does Willow put up with you? she wondered exasperatedly. She glanced over at Angel's chocolate-colored mate, who seemed to look disapprovingly at him as she chewed her carrot with her brown and white spotted children. That bunny must've had the patience of all four alicorn princesses to deal with him. Knock knock knock. Fluttershy looked over her shoulder at the door. "Who in Equestria would be out now? It could start raining at any moment." Fluttershy quickly shot Angel one last chastising look before pointing her hoof at the bowl his family shared. "Carrots," she stated simply. To aid her cause, Willow hopped over and bopped her mate on the back of the head before mimicking Fluttershy's pointing. When the pegasus turned to answer her door, the white bunny had resigned to eating with his family, albeit with a wounded pride. When Fluttershy opened the door, the sky was dark enough to pass as night time, though she knew it was still too soon for the sun to set. The gray blanket of clouds couldn't have looked more ominous... not that she could see much with the large pony in her doorway. "Howdy." "Oh! Hello Big Mac," Fluttershy greeted politely, "What a surprise!" It truly was; though Fluttershy and the Apple family both lived near the Everfree Forest that straddled Ponyville, their homes were complete opposite directions from each other on opposite sides of town. Consequentially, she didn't get many visits from her Apple neighbors. "Eeyup." "Um, to what do I owe the pleasure?" The stallion turned to his side, revealing the small bucket balanced on his back filled with golden orbs. "Apples," he declared simply. Fluttershy blinked dumbly at him for a moment, before she felt familiar pawsteps creep over her back and end up on her head. Angel knew. "Wow, really? Why? I mean, you didn't have to do that. I mean I'm glad you did do it. Don't think I'm not appreciative! But what about the cider?" Fluttershy, either learn to speak or don't speak at all. "Found some to spare." "But... how- ouch!" Fluttershy glared up at the bunny on her head that pinched her ear at her inquiries. "Angel..." her warning tone seemed to have no effect as he began leaping up and down on her skull, relentlessly. The scene drew a chuckle from Big Mac, and she wondered what he possibly could be thinking: The great animal expert Fluttershy that can befriend any animal and tame wild beasts- the pony that got her cutie mark for connecting so well with different creatures- can't even rein in a temperamental bunny. Wonderful... Her cheeks burned at the potential thoughts that her neighbor could be having. "Customer satisfaction," he said at last, as his reason for the impromptu delivery. Well, he is a salespony after all. Besides, it'd be rude to say no...not to mention Angel... "In that case, thank you," she replied, smiling graciously. "Eeyup." CRASH!!! Fluttershy pressed her ears tightly against her head as the first boom of thunder struck. With wide eyes, Big Mac flinched so hard that one hind leg jerked upwards. The bucket that he'd expertly balanced fell to the ground, spilling the golden apples. The two stared at the overturned bucket for an awkward moment. "Ooops," Big Mac replied bashfully, his ears flopping in embarrassment as he smiled apologetically. The change in demeanor made Fluttershy giggle. "Oh it's alright. But you should probably head home. This storm is going to be quite a doozy, to put it in Rainbow Dash's words." "Eeyup," he agreed, quickly trying to gather up the spilled cargo. Just as he'd gotten the apples back into the bucket, one more roll of thunder preluded the heavens releasing their full power. There was no preliminary drizzle; the rain immediately hammered down hard and relentlessly. The wind didn't hesitate to join in, making whistling and creaking noises in the surrounding trees and tossing Fluttershy's long mane to and fro like it was made of tissue paper. She stumbled in her doorway, forgetting the tiny charge on her head. Angel was knocked back into the house, and she felt him tumble down her back and slide clumsily down her tail. Being of a bigger build, Big Mac stood sturdier, but raised a hoof to protect his eyes against the sting of the wind-propelled rain. Fluttershy realized there was no way he was going to make it home now, at least not in one piece. "You've got to come inside, quickly!" She yelled above the roar of the storm, barely piercing the cacophony nature created. Somehow the earth pony heard her, but hesitated. Fluttershy backed further into the shelter of her cottage. "Uhh..." "Hurry!" The punctuating thunder strike made up his mind for him as he quickly grabbed the bucket in his mouth and leaped through the doorway. Fluttershy quickly shut and secured the door, sealing out the elements. She and her new guest let out a simultaneous sigh. The storm raged, knocking against but unable to enter the cottage's domain. "Phew, sorry about this Big Mac." She flicked some of her water-logged mane out of her face; it now felt uncomfortably heavy. "Nah. Thanks, actually," he replied once he'd set down the bucket. He too stood soaked and dripping, more saturated than the pegasus beside him. Seeing the dripping water from his frame, mimicking the falling water outside, Rainbow Dash's words quickly flooded Fluttershy's mind: I wouldn't make any plans to go anywhere if I were you... at least not for the next two days. Her eyes widened to twice their size. "Oh no! This storm isn't going to let up for a couple days. I hope your family will now you're okay," she worried out loud. "Me too." Both knew that they had no way to communicate with anypony with the storm raging, and Sweet Apple Acres wasn't exactly a short walk away. The two didn't even need to state the obvious fact: Big Macintosh would have to stay until the weather cleared. "But, ah couldn't," he began. Fluttershy looked at him incredulously. "What? Why not?" "Don't wanna impose..." "And I don't want you to go back out there; it's too dangerous! What kind of friend would I be if I let you go back out in that storm?" Fluttershy blinked rapidly as she realized what she said. "I-I mean, we are friends...right?" She suddenly felt very self-conscious and foolish at her assumption. She had to admit to herself that she knew very little about the pony that she had volunteered to shelter. He'd always been around: an acquaintance, a sibling of her close friend. But could she call him a friend? He was nice an all but, "friend" was a gutsy title. And did he even know anything about her? Even her close friends didn't understand her entirely... she barely even understood herself entirely! Plus the two never really had much interaction. They sang together, but rarely: only during a past emergency and a current trial of her courage. They were neighbors, but still stayed on their respective ends of their mutual town. Can you be friends with somepony that you hardly ever see? Oh my gosh, of course not! How could you be so clueless, Fluttershy? Now he probably thinks that you're some desperate little pony that doesn't have enough friends of her own. Through her mental tirade, Fluttershy was putting a conscious effort into keeping her wings stationary, so as not to rise off the ground when she heard, "Eeyup." The break in the silence took the pegasus by surprise, to the point that she temporarily forgot what her guest's statement was even a response to. "Huh, wha?" She shook her head quickly. " Oh! You mean...we're friends?" She wondered briefly if this was how Discord felt when she'd revealed her friendship to him. Granted she was more familiar with making friends than the draconaquus, but she still reveled in the warm, fuzzy feeling of gaining a new one. "Eeyup," Big Mac replied again, his kind smile pulling a big, goofy smile from his host as she gazed up at her newfound friend. Said friend broke the eye contact by letting out a sudden sneeze that he muffled with his hoof. "Pardon," he said as he began to shiver slightly. "Gesundhoof. Goodness, you're freezing! I'm so sorry!" Good job Fluttershy. You ask if you're friends, and then stand by while he catches pneumonia. You sure have this friendship thing mastered. "'S nuthin," he replied, but was ignored as the pegasus flew over to her dormant fireplace. She grabbed her flint and quickly struck a light onto the waiting log. As the fire grew in size, she turned and waved him over. "Come and warm up while I go fetch you a towel," she instructed. He hesitated but obeyed, aware of the trail of water he was leaving behind. As he lay on the rug before the hearth, his host was already flying upstairs, fetching towels from her linen closet. She used one to wrap up her damp mane and held the other two as she returned back downstairs and handed them to her guest. "Much obliged," he replied as he started drying off his mane and body. "Don't mention it. Besides, you pretty much saved me by bringing those apples," she pointed to the bucket that Angel had already dived into. "You'd be surprised how much apples can affect a bunny's attitude." They shared a good-natured laugh. "Speaking of food, you came at a good time; I was about to have dinner. Would you like something to eat?" "Eeyup." With that, his host fluttered over to the kitchen and began to serve the soup that she had cooling on the stove. She returned with one bowl in each hoof and placed one in front of Big Mac. "Hay noodle soup, for a rainy day," she said as she sat next to him in front of the fire. Having set his towels aside, Big Mac sniffed the soup before him and licked his lips in response. He closed his eyes as he took another whiff, apparently entranced by the fragrance. Fluttershy found herself watching him, wondering what was going through his mind. He blew gently on the soup and took a bold sip, holding it in his mouth for a moment before swallowing the warm liquid with an audible, "Ahhh." "Do... do you like it?" Fluttershy wondered timidly. Few ponies had actually eaten her cooking; even her friends rarely got to sample anything beyond tea biscuits. Her animal friends always appreciated what she prepared, but she suddenly felt the desire for a different opinion. "Mmmmm eeyup," he stated before licking his lips again and taking another sip. His approval made her feel warm and fuzzy, but it could've easily been the cozy fire that warmed her tiny house. She too took to sipping her dinner, and the two ponies sat in a comfortable, companionable silence as they ate together. Fluttershy was used to her house being somewhat quiet, except for the occasional chattering of her animals, but this silence seemed different. It was like an, invisible blanket in a way: there but not at the same time, and comforting. Hmm, maybe I should have guests over more often, the pegasus mused, but as soon as the thought crossed her mind, it didn't seem quite right. After all, it wasn't as if she never had guests. Rarity came over often enough for their tea parties, and Twilight occasionally came by to share books she'd found on wildlife- when she wasn't too busy with royal duties that is. Rainbow Dash, being a longtime childhood friend, dropped in pretty frequently, and Pinkie Pie....was Pinkie Pie. She had a tendency of popping up out of nowhere. Even Apple Jack, living on the other side of town dropped by every once in a while, though rarely. So, it wasn't as if Fluttershy didn't have enough friends coming over, and it wasn't as if she didn't enjoy their company. Fluttershy looked up from her bowl to look at her guest. Now that her animals had finished their dinners, they crept over over to investigate the large, new visitor. The squirrels gathered around and began sniffing at the newcomer's hooves. The bunnies, including Angel's family seemed to decide that he was trustworthy enough to snuggle close to, using him as a large furnace. Some of the mice took to playing hide and seek in his mane, while the birds chirped happily at him from the mantle. He whistled cheerily back at them in return. Fluttershy found herself smiling at how easily her animals took to him, and how he seemed to accept them as well. It made her happy in a way that she didn't really understand. Big Mac had finished his soup and was laying with his hooves tucked under him, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the warmth both inside and out. He seemed entirely at ease, sitting there covered in her beloved animals, and his silent, gentle demeanor was contagious. So... why is this different?