//------------------------------// // Rumors I // Story: A Happy Accident // by ScriptScrolls //------------------------------// Rumors I ~~~~~~~~~~ A Happy Accident by ScriptScrolls ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Well, our best bet at this point would be to gather what knowledge we can. Perhaps reading up on romance and rela--” Twilight began eagerly before being cut off by the stallion’s voice. “Uh, Ah don’t think books will be of much use here, Twilight,” Braeburn dissented, shaking his head. “Hmm, perhaps you’re right,” she admitted. Twilight put her hoof to her chin and concentrated for a few seconds before her eyes shot wide and a smile began to creep onto her face. “I’ve got a plan.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rarity cantered briskly towards Fluttershy’s cottage, eager to put her element of Twilight’s plan into motion. She even allowed herself to giggle slightly after checking that nopony was around to see. ‘This is the most fun I’ve had in such a while!’ she thought to herself. While certainly a subscriber to gossip, Rarity had never been given the opportunity to collect intelligence herself. The adrenaline of having to perform a covert operation was giving the mare goosebumps. ‘I should have been a spy!’ Making her way across the bridge, Rarity caught a glimpse of her target entering the modest house. She grinned deviously and quickened her pace to follow after the pegasus. Fluttershy closed the door behind her and trotted glumly over to the couch. She buried her face in the plush sofa as she plopped the rest of her body onto it. She groaned into the pillow, physical and emotional ache bearing down on her. “Why?” she whispered to herself. “Why did he say that?” Tears slowly filled the pillow under Fluttershy’s face as her sobs grew louder. Four knocks from the door caused the distraught mare to gasp and jump off the couch. She had completely forgotten about her weekly spa visit with Rarity. Fluttershy hopped off the couch and rushed to open the door for her friend. Rarity gasped at the sight before her and nearly fainted. Fluttershy’s mane was an absolute crow’s nest, and her eyes looked red and puffy. The bags under them were well complemented by the disheveled wings on her back, which had feathers pointing in every direction. If Rarity were the captain of a ship, she would have turned on every siren and emergency light she could, screaming “Code Red! Code Red!” throughout the bridge. Alas, being a humble unicorn somewhat limited her dramatic abilities, and she settled for frantic, nosy questioning. “Fluttershy, my dear! What in Equestria happened?! I know you had a bit of an accident, but I didn’t think it was this bad! Are you feeling alright? Why did you crash into a barn in the first place? What were you thinking?!” “I-I um... I don’t, u-uh, really know,” Fluttershy whispered, very embarrassed with her appearance. “Oh, I’m sorry, dear! Never mind my rambling; we must be prompt if we are to make it to our appointment on schedule,” Rarity turned to begin walking back towards town, but Fluttershy stepped back into the cottage. “Oh, sorry Rarity,” she apologized softly, “but I forgot to feed my animals breakfast. It should only take a minute.” “Don’t fret, my dear; take all the time you require. I’m sure Aloe and Lotus won’t mind if we’re a tad late, anyway,” Rarity assured her. “Especially considering how much business I give them,” she muttered under her breath. The unicorn was nonetheless convinced that her pulchritude and health justified every bit. Fluttershy ducked back inside quickly and made her way towards the kitchen. She opened the cabinet under the sink only to find that the animals’ food bowls were missing. The pegasus scratched her head with a hoof, swearing mentally that she had put them there the night before. It was then that her eye caught the circular shape of a food bowl in the corner of the kitchen. ‘Strange,’ She thought to herself. ‘I specifically remember putting them back in the cabinet.’ As Fluttershy bent to pick up the bowl, two things become apparent to her.  One; there was a bit more food left over than usual, and two; that which remained smelled fresh--not stale as it should after so many hours lying about. It suddenly occurred to her that Caramel must have fed them before leaving in the morning. Fluttershy smiled slightly at the thought of him dishing out food, giving it to each animal with the same kindness she would have shown herself. She sighed and trotted slowly back to the door. “Well that was quick!” Rarity exclaimed, surprised to see her friend back so quickly. “Yes, it appears they’ve eaten already,” Fluttershy said as if she weren’t really speaking to Rarity at all. She could not distract her mind from thoughts of the warm-colored, gentle earth pony. The yellow mare sighed lightly and allowed a small grin to grace her lips. When she once again glanced over to Rarity, Fluttershy realized the unicorn was practically beaming. “So... who is he?” Rarity inquired with a smile that could have disturbed Pinkie. “I, um... what are you talking about?” Fluttershy asked in a vain attempt to bury her feelings. “Honestly Fluttershy, you’re a worse liar than Applejack. For one, you never should answer a question with another question; it shows you are trying to be evasive. Secondly, you had that look on your face.” Rarity’s smirk certainly spoke for her, saying, “I’m really enjoying this!” “W-what look?” “You were staring into empty space, my dear. I doubt you would have noticed if a dragon set your house on fire!” she said giggling. Fluttershy merely blushed and stared down at her hooves. Oddly enough, the pegasus was grinning--something she rarely did when feeling so abashed, but she couldn’t take Caramel off her mind. “... W-well, I did l-like him,” she admitted coyly. Rarity laughed at her response, and after a while so did Fluttershy. “Come, dear. We’ll speak more about this at the spa. I’m sure the relaxation will help you tell me all about this stallion of yours.” Fluttershy nodded, and both ponies began cantering towards town. While glad to get some relaxing treatment after such a strenuous week, Rarity remained focused on her mission. She must find out the truth. ‘Okay Twilight,’ she thought to herself. ‘Stage one is complete.’ ~ ~ ~ Rarity and Fluttershy pushed open the door to the Ponyville Day Spa and trotted into the lobby. Both ponies could smell the flowery incense rush over them as the warm air of the spa replaced the bitter cold from outside. Rarity sighed joyfully and placed her scarf on the clothing stand, and the other mare followed suit. Aloe and Lotus came up to greet their regular patrons with open arms. “Rarity, Fluttershy, meh dearz! You boths look dazzling! Come, come! We have your sauna vaiting for you!” Aloe released her hold on Fluttershy and pointed down the hall, beckoning her customers to follow. Lotus, after kissing Rarity on each cheek (a customary greeting in their hometown Stalliongrad), also pointed them towards the steam room. Both ponies had learned quickly--after a few eeps--that Fluttershy was not one for such affectionate behaviour and limited themselves to offering her a small hug in greeting. As Fluttershy’s longest friend aside from Rainbow, Rarity wondered what had made her so hyper-sensitive. She resolved to ask this today; there would be plenty of time in their visit to find the information Twilight needed. The two mares stepped into the steam room and sat on opposite corners of a short, three-sided bench. Aloe trotted over to the red-hot stones in the corner with a bucket of water. After pouring a good deal over the smooth rocks, she trotted happily out and left her customers to their gossip. Steam arose from the sizzling liquid and dispersed itself around the room, shrouding both ponies in warm vapor. The two lay silent for a short time, but then Rarity decided now would suffice. “Fluttershy, I don’t mean to intrude, but... why are you so uncomfortable with affectionate contact? I always see you snuggle your rabbits, and you even let that manticore lick you! Yet, even when Aloe gave you a hug, you seemed tense... I’m just worried is all.” Rarity truly felt concern for the pegasus sitting next to her. Physical contact with other ponies had been proven as a psychological need. She had even read that newborn foals die if not stroked a bit. Fluttershy’s constant shirking from any physical connection couldn’t be healthy. Fluttershy sighed, knowing there would come a time somepony would have the courage, not to just point it out (as many had done before), but to question why she behaved so timidly. Fluttershy even had a bogus tale prepared for such an occasion--one she had rehearsed multiple times in front of a mirror. Yet she could not bear to lie to Rarity, one of her best friends and quite easily the one she could relate to the most. The pegasus took a deep breath and prepared to reveal a secret she had kept from everypony besides one over the years. “... When I was a little filly, the bullies at flight school used to pick on me. They would call me weak and useless, and sometimes they would even go as far as throwing things at me. Of course, Rainbow Dash was always there to defend me.” Fluttershy smiled a bit, remembering Rainbow--a filly even smaller than her--ferociously shouting at her assailants. “I’ve already heard this, Fluttershy. You fell off the cloud and lived in Ponyville ever since.” Fluttershy nervously looked away. “That’s not entirely true... I stayed about a day, but I knew I had to go back up at some point. My parents would have worried and probably sent the Cloudsdale Guard out to find me. I wouldn’t want to cause any trouble.” Rarity rolled her eyes. How typical of Fluttershy to only concern herself with the feelings of other ponies, even after almost falling to her death as an indirect result of her abuse. Rarity continued to listen to the mare, however, and noticed she was beginning to stammer. “A few d-days after I got back...” ~ Flashback ~ Fluttershy stepped out of the flight school, the cold night air embracing her like an old friend. Although she loved staying to talk with the chorus teacher after practice, she knew she couldn’t let it get completely dark before she flew home. Fluttershy saw the four bullies on a nearby cloud, goofing around. The colts had left her alone during that week, mostly because she stuck near Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy hopped from cloud to cloud, trying to keep her distance by flying around them. She tried her best to not look at them and pretend they weren’t there, but the bullies spotted her and flew over to block her path. Once they reached her, the pegasi surrounded their prey, making the poor filly whimper in fear. “Hey, come look guys! Fluttershy’s got her cutie mark!” one bully said to the rest. The others chuckled and made similar remarks. “Yeah, it’s almost as cute as her little flank!” Fluttershy blushed, not accustomed to the type of attention she was currently receiving. The hairs of her mane began to stand on end as anxiety sharpened her senses. “Dat plot!” another interjected. The rest laughed boisterously at his vulgar remark. The largest colt, unsurprisingly the leader of the group, spoke up. “You know what they say about fillies, right? ... Old enough to be marked: old enough to be mounted!” Fluttershy gasped. She glanced around, hoping the others would just laugh--that it would all be a joke, but they weren’t laughing. They weren’t joking. Every one of their faces portrayed a deadly serious expression. The large pegasus flapped his wings and started to hover a few hooves above Fluttershy, a wild smirk plastered on his face and eyes glinting with malice. The three other ponies began circling her, smiling in the same nefarious manner. They began closing in on her, crowding her so much she had to sit on her haunches to avoid being knocked over. The colts started sticking their snouts into her mane and tail, inhaling her flowery scent, and rubbing their hooves on her neck and shoulders. Fluttershy shuddered with squinted eyes, trying to convince herself she was having a nightmare. ‘Don’t resist,’ she thought to herself. ‘They’ll leave you alone soon, just don’t try to fight them; it’ll only make things worse.’ Fluttershy gulped; nopony had ever told her what to do in this situation. Her fear was further exacerbated as the colts became increasingly daring in their endeavors. They moved their hoofs all around her, occasionally grabbing at her flanks, but instead of reacting, Fluttershy remained frozen to the spot with tears pouring down her face. Her young predators then began kissing her neck and stroking her wings, causing the yellow pegasus to tremble. Fluttershy barely managed to keep still; every cell in her body screamed for her to flee. The boldest of the colts circling her then decided to kiss the frightened filly on her lips. The young stallion’s lips tasted vile, like burned vinegar, and his breath almost knocked Fluttershy unconscious. She tried as she could to sit there and take it, but what little instinct she possessed would have no more of it. Faster than lightening, the pegasus snapped up her wings in preparation to launch. The colts around her instinctively flinched and backed away in fear. Fluttershy gave a powerful downstroke with her wings, propelling her straight up at a rate of knots. She did not think; she did not pause; she only flew. The yellow filly flapped her wings as hard as she could, trying desperately to put as much distance between her and the now astonished colts. She could feel the wind rushing through her mane and coat, washing out the stench left by the intrusive barbarians. She could feel the freedom, taste it all around her in the frigid air. She could feel... a tugging sensation on her hind hooves. Fluttershy’s heart throttled itself into her throat as she turned her head. Behind her floated two of the bullies, both of whom had a firm hold of her legs. She tried everything she could to loosen their grip: kicking, bucking, flapping, and spinning. In the end, the two colts managed to overpower her and drag her back onto the cloud. The young stallion to her left held down both of her left hooves while his companion pinned the right ones to the cloud. Fluttershy began to squirm and write, but to little avail. A third colt who had been watching with only a smirk on his face now trotted over towards Fluttershy’s head. Before she could react, he shoved his hoof forcefully into her mouth, eliciting a muffled cry from the pegasus. Fluttershy was experiencing a complete adrenal reaction; her heart beat frantically, and sweat poured from every inch of her body. Yet even with the added adrenaline, she lacked the strength to throw off her captors. Her eyes went wide with horror as her pupils chased the circles the fourth colt was making above her as he descended closer and closer. The large colt landed to the left of her, trotting very slowly in her direction. ‘It’s over,’ Fluttershy thought to herself. She stopped her movement, her urge to resist now nullified by the inevitability of what was to come. The yellow filly now surveyed her surroundings; these were the colts who were about to steal from her something she could never regain. She looked to each of them in turn: the young stallion on her right, the one with his hoof in her now silent mouth, and the one on her left who appeared to be... frowning. The colt glanced back into Fluttershy’s eyes. He could feel the soft gaze which showed no hatred in its gleam, but rather pity and fear. As a tear left the filly’s eye, the young pegasus shook his head and released her. “What do you think you’re doing?” the large colt calmly inquired, his voice flat, but low. “This isn’t right!” the smaller protested. “Let’s just... leave her alone. She won’t talk.” The group’s leader began to laugh, followed closely by the other two minions who still held firmly onto Fluttershy. He stepped towards the smaller colt and stared at him for a moment or two before delivering a quick blow to his head, knocking him instantly unconscious. Fluttershy tried to let loose a scream, but like previous outbursts it was suppressed by the other colt’s hoof. The young stallion trotted over to Fluttershy and positioned himself above her, using his right hooves to pin her now free left ones. With his free front hoof, the colt began rubbing her wings, feeling her soft plumage rub against his limb. He began moving his hind hoof up the inside of her leg, causing the filly to tremble. Fluttershy squinted her eyes and prepared for the inevitable. Her ears caught the sound of a strident whistle which slowly grew louder. She opened one eye to see a bright rainbow-colored streak arcing towards her in the sky. “...sssssSSSSSSSSSS THWACK!” Now beside her lay the same oversized colt, motionless aside from the stream of blood trickling from the hoof-shaped impression in his skull. Scared out of their wits, the two other colts jumped off Fluttershy. “Fly!” Rainbow dash yelled, clutching her hoof in agony. “FLY!” ~ Return (Music Stops) ~ Rarity felt completely astounded. “Rainbow Dash saved you?!” Fluttershy nodded slowly. “If it hadn’t been for her, I w-wouldn...” She went silent. Having to relive and recite what had actually occurred was terrible enough for the mare. She desired nothing less than to imagine what might have happened. “Fluttershy, my dear, why haven’t you told anypony else about this before? We’re your friends, and this is a matter we can help you with. I understand it’s painful to recall, but you mustn’t keep such things contained. Even if you only tell one of us, it’s far better than staying silent, dear.” Rarity placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. While she could still barely digest Fluttershy’s narrative, Rarity made her best attempts to calm the pegasus. “I know, I know...” Fluttershy whispered. “... I think we should switch to a less depressing topic. Hmm, you still haven’t told me about your new stallion fancy,” Rarity said saucily. Fluttershy blushed immediately, but the grin she wore displayed no shame with her attraction. “You, um, remember Caramel?” “Why yes, I believe I do. He is that café-colored stallion, is he not? I do recall him being quite... clumsy.” The yellow mare frowned at Rarity as her defensive attitude regarding Caramel bubbled to the surface. “It’s not his fault! Besides I-I... find it kinda cute,” Fluttershy timidly admitted, her cheeks now a deeper pink than her hair. Rarity saw the rosy color through the steam surrounding them and squealed like a giddy schoolfilly. “So the rumors are true!” “Rumors?!” the yellow mare yelped. “W-what rumors?” Rarity giggled at the yellow mare’s reaction. “I was kidding, dear. Please, just try to relax.” Rarity sighed lightly and closed her eyes. Fluttershy followed suit and allowed herself to drift off into somewhat of a half-dormant state, held awake only by the hissing of the boiling water. After a short while, the previously red-hot stones had lost their glow and the sizzling of the water subsided. The two mares stood from the bench and stretched. They opened the thatch door and stepped out, the steam billowing out behind them. Lotus stood outside, ready to direct them both to the next stage of their treatment. “Ah, I see the steam haz done you both many goods! If you vill follow me, I vill take you you for your facials!” The blue pony led her customers down the hallway, occasionally glancing back to ensure they were following. She lead them into the treatment room where Aloe awaited them, cream in hoof and cucumbers close by. “Here you are meh dearz! I vill be back later with the massage oils. Oivua!” Fluttershy smiled at Rarity. This treatment was proving a refreshment in more ways than one. Before long, both hosts had returned with the oils and were already applying them to the two customers. “Mmm... isn’t this wonderful, Fluttershy? I always love a nice massage to relieve my stress.” The timid pegasus emitted a muffled hum in agreement. While not acclimated to such contact, Fluttershy convinced herself to relax into it, allowing Aloe’s hooves to press deeply into her coat. She closed her eyes and permitted her mind to wander into a half-dream state. In her light slumber, Fluttershy glanced up at the hooves that were pressing into her back. Their light brown shade both calmed and aroused the pegasus. “Mmmm... Caramel,” she moaned softly. Rarity’s uncontrollable giggling brought the dream-swept mare out of her hallucination and into complete embarrassment. Fluttershy was blushing so much that her coat color more closely resembled that of Applejack. “Having a nice time, my dear?” Rarity teased through her chuckles. Unable to blush more for risk of bursting a blood vessel, Fluttershy smiled sheepishly. Aloe and Lotus smiled widely, nearly as interested in gossip themselves as their most loyal customer, and recent romantic developments were always top priority. “Mizz Fluttershy!” Lotus exclaimed, still vigorously massaging Rarity’s back. “You havez not told us about diz new stallion of yourz!” Aloe nodded in agreement as she slowed her pressing. “Yes, pleaze do tell us about your new coltfriend,” she pleaded with overjoyed eyes. Fluttershy’s smile became more of a grimace with the added attention. Rarity could see the distress in the pegasus’ facial expression and quickly ended the inquisition. “Now, now,” she said in a slightly patronizing tone, “Fluttershy’s interest in this stallion is still just that: an interest. We should make this easier for her by not overwhelming her with questions.” The two spa ponies nodded and apologized for intruding on the other mare’s privacy. Fluttershy smiled and mouthed a “Thank you,” to Rarity when both masseuses weren’t looking. The unicorn grinned widely, thinking to herself, ‘Of course that doesn’t mean I won’t be asking questions later. I am, after all, one of her best friends.’ For now, however, she was content to allow Fluttershy the relaxation she deserved.