//------------------------------//
// Cheerilee's Thousand - The Lost Chapters - Chapter Six (Random, Comedy, Slice-of-Life) 
// Story: xjuggerscrapsx 
// by xjuggernaughtx 
//------------------------------//

Taking a few deep breaths, Cheerilee tried to get her pounding heart under control.  It’s certainly different when the horseshoe is on the other hoof, isn’t it? she thought.  Raising her hoof, she tried to knock on the cottage door before, dropping it to the ground again.  Dropping her head, she bit her lip.  How do the stallions do it? she thought.

“Oh, hello, Cheerilee,” Fluttershy said quietly from somewhere behind her.

Startled, the teacher jumped, a small scream escaping as she whirled.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Fluttershy said, cringing.  “I-I didn’t mean to scare you!  I’ve never wanted to startle, and I don’t want to start startling now.” The pegasus reached out with a tentative hoof, almost touching Cheerilee before pulling it back.  “Can we start over?”

“Oh, Fluttershy, it’s okay,” Cheerilee said, laughing weakly.  “I just thought you were inside.  The lights are all on.”

“That’s for the critters,” the pegasus said, smiling.  “I’ve been encouraging them to experience the great works of pony literature for self-enrichment, but they keep saying that it’s too dark this time of year.  When I go out, I leave the lights on so that they can read.”

“Does that actually work?” Cheerilee said, cocking her eyebrow.

“Well, the ferrets have made a nice burrow lining with some of the pages from Of Mice and Ponies,” Fluttershy replied, fishing her key from her saddlebags.  “And I think that’s a pretty good start for them.  And Angel only refused to give any of the books ten times this week.  He actually flipped through Warren Peace!”  Fluttershy stepped inside the warm cottage, and the animals surrounded her, chattering and pawing at her legs.  “Won’t you come inside, Cheerilee?”

The teacher took a deep breath, trying to relieve the tightness in her chest.  “Y-yes, I’d like that.”  Carefully avoiding the scampering animals, Cheerilee smiled at the cozy, homey feel the cottage exuded.  I could only dream of my apartment being like this.

“I must say, the pleasure is all mine, but what brings you all the way out here so late, Cheeriee?”  The pegasus perked up, her eyes growing wide with alarm.  “Oh, no!” she squealed.  “You have a pet, don’t you?!  A hurt, sick pet that I didn’t know about!”  Fluttershy dove for a closet, wrenching the door open and rummaging through several bags, throwing medical supplies over her shoulder.  “I’m horrible!  I never took the time to notice!  What is it?  A cat?  A goat?  Some sort of cat-goat?”

“No, no!” Cheerilee said, ducking as a package of gauze flew by her head.  “Nothing like that.  I don’t even have a pet.”

“You don’t?” Fluttershy said, whirling, and Cheerilee took a step as the pegasus advanced on her, a strange gleam in her eyes.  “We can fix that!” she said, inhaling. Now, Cheerilee, dear, I cannot express my delight—

“NO!” Cheerilee cut in, waving her hooves, cringing as Fluttershy’s face fell.  “Ah, no!  Sorry, I heard about this from Rainbow.  I-I have the schoolfoals, and they’re all I can handle.”

“Are you sure?” Fluttershy said, as animals leaned into the room from all around her.  Together, their eyes swelled and shimmered with the unshed tears of the lonely.  “I have so many…”