You feel yourself already regretting the decision to move as the countryside pases you idly by.
“How much farther to Ponyville?” you ask the carriage driver.
The sky blue stallion looks over his shoulder and simply shrugs. “About half an hour, still.”
Sighing heavily, you fall back into your seat and grope around your suitcase for the telegram again, still in disbelief about the whole situation.
THIS IS TRUMP CARD STOP COULD NOT FIND HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS IN PONYVILLE STOP SOMETHING ABOUT AN INVESTIGATION STOP DID SOME HUNTING AROUND AND FOUND A LOCAL WHO IS RENTING OUT A ROOM STOP SORRY BUT THIS IS THE BEST I CAN DO GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES STOP INSTRUCTED YOU TO MEET THEM IN THE PONYVILLE LIBRARY STOP DID NOT TELL THEM WHY YOU’RE IN TOWN STOP FIGURED YOU WANTED SOME PRIVACY STOP LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU AS SOON AS YOU SETTLE DOWN STOP
Throwing the telegram back into your suitcase, you look back out at the countryside and shake your head.
Great, and here I thought I might get some time alone... you think as you blow some hair out of your eyes.
Shifting your thoughts towards to your current story, you try to find that little muse that was stopping you from really writing it.
Carmella is really in a tough situation... I mean, she wants to move on with her life and get out of the little preplanned life her parents have for her, but she just doesn’t have the courage to do it... Pulling your glasses off, you rub at your eyes before letting out a deep breath. It’ll be kind of obvious if I introduce an outside love interest that spurs her... What if... Hm...
“A childhood friend?” you ask aloud.
“What was that?” the carriage driver asks.
“Nothing,” you say as you shake your head. “Just talking to myself.”
“As long as you don’t start answering yourself, then fine,” the carriage driver asks with a chuckle. “Ponyville’s not too far away now, we’ll be there soon.”
You give the driver a little nod before turning back inwards to your thoughts.
What about a childhood friend? Someone Carmella looks to for support... Someone that likes her and is willing to help her.
Something clicks in your head and you could feel a large smile grew across your face. “Ooooh, that is good,” you say as you give yourself a mental pat on the back. “Breeze.”
Could already imagine the conversation between the two.
Breeze, I just don’t know what to do! I wanna go to the city, but my mama and papa are tying me down here! Why can’t they see I’m a grown mare now?
They’re just worried about you, Carmella, anypony would be. The city can be a mighty dangerous place if ya ain’t careful or-
I know that Breeze, I-
I ain’t finished. It can be mighty dangerous if ya ain’t careful OR have somepony to watch yer back.
B...Breeze... Does this mean...?
Sure as sugar, hun. I’m comin’ with ya.
Oh, thank you Breeze! You’re the best friend a mare can ask for! I lo-
“Ponyville’s right on the horizon, if you’re interested,” the carriage driver says, stirring you from your thoughts. Looking ahead, you feel your jaw drop at the sight.
“Wow...” you say, completely starstruck. “Perfect.”
The carriage driver chuckles under his breath. “Yeah, Ponyville is a perfect little town... The springs are cool, the summers are lazy, the autumns are lovely, and the winters...” The carriage driver lets out a long sigh and stops the carriage. “The winters are beautiful. There’s no other word for it, it’s just... Beautiful.”
Looking all around you, you can’t help but smile. I meant the town was a perfect setting, but I can see what he means.
“The sledding any good?” your inner child asks as you gaze out at the rolling hillsides.
“Oh, there's no better sledding anywhere in Equestria...” he says with a hint of camaraderie in his voice. “There are these hills just outside of town that the kids are always sledding on and for good reason. It’s real fast with a whole bunch of jumps.”
“Sounds like fun,” you muse. “I’ll have to pick myself a sled.”
“You really should,” he says with a chuckle. “Especially if you have yourself a girlfriend. They hold onto you real tight you as you soar down those hills.”
Letting out a deep sigh, you sink back in your seat a bit. “Sorry, don’t have a girlfriend...”
“Boyfriend?”
You feel yourself blush a bit. “No, I don’t have a boyfriend, either. I don’t have anybody.”
That last sentence leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.
“Well, why not?” he asks in confusion. “Everypony needs a special someone.”
“Well... It’s not for lack of trying, it’s just I don’t have the time to really go out and see anypony”
“Oh horse feathers,” the carriage driver says in spite. “If you don't have the time to see anypony, then make some time... Tell me, what do you do for a living?”
“I’m a writer,” you say plainly.
The carriage driver is silent for a few moments. “Writer, eh? I gotta ask... How do you do it? How do you write?”
Recalling something said by favorite author, you manage a smile. “One word at a time.”
The carriage driver coughs and mumbles something under his breath. “You okay?” you ask as you lean forward.
The Carriage driver adjusts the straps around his waist a bit before nodding. “Yeah, yeah... Read a lot?”
You nod. “I make sure to pick up a new book every week.”
“Great. If you want to be a good writer, then read. You’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t read. But the same can be said if you want to find love. Lemme guess, you spend your days writing until the wee hours of the morning?”
“Y...Yeah. I’ve got to keep a pretty tight schedule," you say with a forced smile. "But I love my work.”
The carriage driver shakes his head. "You say that now, but you gotta find some time for yourself and a special somepony or your gonna work yourself into a hole.”
"No, I don’t think-”
“Ask yourself this,” he says abruptly. “When’s the last time you’ve been happy?”
You open your mouth to say something, but nothing comes to mind. “I... I don’t...”
“Exactly. Let me lay it all out for you,” he says with a bit of kick in his step. “You love your work, but your work won’t love you back. It’s not gonna hold you at night or not or say how much it loves you. You gotta find yourself somepony you can do that with.”
You mull over his words and nod dumbly. “Okay, I get’chya...”
Running a hoof through your mane, you slump back a bit farther in your seat. Easier said than done...
“Anything fun to do in Ponyville?” you ask idly.
The carriage driver looks back at you through his horn rimmed glasses and smiles. “Does a bear shit in the woods?”
You blink a few times in surprise before mouthing a single word. “Bachcolt?” you ask in disbelief. “Richard Bachcolt?”
The stallion laughs under his breath. “Please, call me King. I’d rather you not announce my nom de plume to all of Equestria.”
“Yeah, yeah, sure... It’s just... Wow, it’s been ages since I last saw you in the flesh,” you say say with a growing smile. "I barely recognized you! When's the last time-"
“At the Equestrian Writer’s Convention, if I recall correctly,” he says as he resumes a brisk pace. “You had the table next to me.”
You rub at the back of your head bashfully. “Y-Yeah, that was me... But King, I gotta ask... What are you doing here? Why are you a carriage driver?”
King simply shrugs his shoulders. “I like going for long walks. I figure as long as I am, I can meet interesting ponies and make a few bits on the side while I work on my latest stories.”
“Oooh, speaking of which, how’s your next installment in The Dark Tower series coming, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“It’s coming along fine,” he answers sharply. “I’ve got a bit of a... Writer’s block, but it’s coming along.”
“Well, that’s great to hear!” you say with a bit of giddiness. “I can’t wait to get my hooves on it... I gotta say, if anyone deserved the Pulitzer Prize it was you. You’ve got such a talent for writing, it’s unreal.”
“Talent is cheaper than table salt,” King says with a bit of flair in his voice. “What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work... And don’t sell yourself short, from the sound of it, you’re in the latter category. Didn’t you get nominated for an award at the last WriCon Award Ceremony?”
Letting out a heavy sigh, you feel your heart sink a bit at the mere mention of the ceremony. “Yeah, nominated. I didn’t win. Hearts and Hopes got an honorable mention at the start of the whole thing, then I spent the next three hours in my seat, watching the same ponies get award after award... Kinda disheartening to see drivel like Dusk and Full Moon get the reader’s choice award.”
King nods grimly. “Yeah, that really was a shame... I seriously thought you were going to get that one.”
Your heart perks up at those words. “Really? Why?”
“Like I said, you’ve got talent... And your line at the book signing was almost as long as mine. It’s amazing how ponies just eat up those romance stories.”
Letting out a heavy sigh, you nod slowly. “Yeah...”
King looks back and gives you an odd look. “Why so glum?”
Shaking your head slowly, you feel yourself breakdown. “I don’t know, it’s just... Have you ever wanted to write something other than horror?”
“I write whatever I feel like,” he says with a shrug.
“But what if you couldn’t? Like, what if someone was stopping you?”
King slows down a bit and looks back to you with a cocked eyebrow. “Who’s stopping you?”
“My publisher...” you say with a ragged sigh. “He’s roped me into my latest story and promised a sequel behind my back... And the thing is, even though I threatened to leave him and find another agent, I can't."
"Why? Got a soft spot for him?"
You shake your head quickly while making a gagging sound. "For that worm? No. I just can't find another agent. And it's not for a lack of trying. It's like they don't want anything to do with me."
King stays quiet for a few moments before laughing under his breath. “You know, my publisher is always on the look out for up and coming authors. I can put you in touch with her.”
You nearly jump out of your seat, smiling so hard that it was starting to hurt. “You can?!? Really?!?”
“Sure, why not? Just remind me to give you her number when we get to Ponyville. It’s in my side saddle.”
“Sure, sure!” you say in high spirits. As you settle back down into your seat, you can’t help but feel just a little happier and more eager to get to Ponyville. “So tell me King, can you tell me a bit more about Ponyville?”
King looks back and gives you a smile. “With pleasure.”
______________________
“This is the place!” King says as he stops in front of what he said was the Ponyville Library. You look to him, then to the sign out front, and then back to him.
“Seriously?” you ask in half disbelief. “It’s built into a tree?”
“That it is, friend,” he says as you hop down off of the carriage. “The unicorn running it is pretty nice, you should get to know her.”
Grabbing your bags out of the carriage, you give King a smile as he walks away. “I will! And thanks for the ride!”
“Anytime!” he calls out as he makes his way down the road. “Been nice talking to you!”
You wave him off as he disappears out of sight, it suddenly occurs to you.
“Oh, hell! I forget to get his publisher’s number!” you cry out in anger. Running your hooves down your face, you curse yourself before taking a deep breath and turning your attention to the library. Hmm... This might not be so bad, living in a library and all.
With a little kick in your step, you enter the library and look around. “Hello?” you call it.
“Just a minute!” a mare yells from the back of the room. After a few moments, a purple unicorn trots out from a nearby hallway and lets out a little sigh.
“Hi and welcome to the Ponyville Library,” she says with a smile. “How can I help you?”
Walking over to one of the bookshelves, you scan over the collection. “Really nice place you have here, miss...?”
“Twilight, Twilight Sparkle,” the mare says with a bit of pep. “Now, is there-”
“Wait, you mean Celestia’s pupil? That Twilight?” you ask with a growing smile.
Twilight blushes a bit as she gives you a sheepish nod. “Y-Yes, that’s me. But is there anything I can-”
“Color me impressed,” you say as you look over the large collection of books. “I’m actually looking forward to setting up here and really getting some writing done.” Twilight gives you an odd look as you start pulling books off the shelf and paw through them. “How do you organize your books? By author or title?”
“Wait, write? Set up? What are you talking about?” she asks in confusion. “And it's by title, but who are you? What are you talking about?"
Looking through the books, you smile as you find one of your early writings right there in the ‘D’ section; Desire. You flip through it idly as you talk to Twilight. “I was supposed to meet you here... You know, you’re renting out a room and I need a place to stay to work on my next novel.”
Twilight cocks an eyebrow as you explain the situation and slowly shakes her head. “I’m sorry... But I don’t know anything about this and I don’t have a room to rent out.”
“Wait a minute... Seriously?” you ask in disbelief. Sighing heavily, you run a hoof through your mane and set Desire down on a nearby table. “Sorry about that, I guess I’m meeting someone else here...”
Pity too... I would have liked to live in a library with Celestia’s star pupil...
“It’s not a problem,” Twilight says as she watches you walk over to a nearby chair. “You said you’re working on a novel?”
You give her a nod as you set down your bags next to the chair and take a seat. “Yeah, it’s called ‘By a Fireplace’. A romance novel set in a small town and centered around an earth pony by the name if Carmella.”
Twilight gives you a warm smile. “Well, I’m sure it’ll turn out well. Who knows, maybe it might even end up here in my library.”
“You mean like that one?” you ask plainly as you point to Desire.
“Wait...” Twilight looks to Desire, then to you, then back to Desire before looking to you in shock. “Y... You mean... You’re...”
You can’t help but chuckle under your breath. “Yes, I’m Dream Boat.” You flinch a bit when you say those words. “It’s a pen-name.” I can’t believe I thought that was clever at the time...
Twilight blushes slightly as she starts to fidget in place. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh... I can’t believe it, you’re Dream Boat? The Dream Boat?”
Letting out a heavy sigh, you nod. “Yes, that’s me...”
You suppress the urge to roll your eyes for what was about to come next, but instead simply smile.
“I’m your biggest fan!” I’m your biggest fan.
“I’ve read all your work!” I’ve read all your work.
“Could I have your autograph?” Could I have your autograph.
You try your best to look generally happy to give her a plastic smile. “Sure, got a quill?”
Twilight nods quickly and vanishes down a hallway as you lean back in your chair.
And here I thought I’d be able to avoid all the raving fans for a chance... you think as you run both of your hooves through your mane. No pony to blame but myself... My fault for telling her I was writing a novel.
A few moments later, Twilight returns with a white quill and a pot of ink. “Here we are~” she says in a rather upbeat tone. “Thanks again for the autograph!”
“No problem at all,” you say as you take the quill and ink from her. Levitating the it into the air, you open the book to the title page and look to her expectantly. “Anything special you wanted me to write, or-”
“Could you make it out to The Ponyville Library?” she asks with no hesitation. “I think it’d be nice for people who pick up this book to see a little something from the author.
You look to Twilight, completely dumbstruck. "...Alright. I can do that."
I honestly was not expecting that... you think with a warm smile. I guess not all fans after an autograph as a trophy...
Scribbling down a quick note and your signature, you pass the book off to her with a smile. Slowly, she opens the it to the title page and reads it aloud.
“To the Ponyville Library, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, with regards, Dream Boat,” Twilight says with a soft sigh. “Thank you. I wish I could house you here in the library, but the spare bedroom I have is being used as book storage right now.”
“Oh, don’t apologize,” you say as you reach into your suitcase and pull out a cigarette. “I understand, and besides, it’s not like I can pay you for room and board. My agent already saw to that. All I can do is wait for the pony I’m supposed to meet.”
“Well, alright,” Twilight says as she makes her way to the other room. “Can I get you anything while you’re waiting? Coffee? Tea?”
“Got a light?” you ask as you desperately try to get your lighter to work.
“I’d rather you not smoke that in here,” Twilight says rather sharply. “If you want to smoke, you can take it outside.”
“Mind if I ask why?”
Please don't let her be another health nut...
“Besides the fact that the walls are surrounded by flammable books?” she deadpans.
Looking around, you blink a few times and nod slowly as it dawns on you. “Alright... I gotch’ya...” you say as you get to your hooves. "Just holler if you need me."
"Will do," Twilight says as she holds the door open for you.
Heading out into the streets, you plop down beside the doorway and fiddle with your lighter.
Come on, come on... you think impatiently. Popeye needs his spinach...
After around the dozenth time, you finally get an open flame going on your lighter and touch it to your cigarette with a sigh of relief. Puffing on it a few times, you recline back against the wall to the library and smile. That’s the stuff...
Closing your eyes, you enjoy your cigarette and take in the sounds of Ponyville.
Now this is much better... you think with a satisfied smile. A good cigarette in a quiet little town.
Pulling your cigarette out of your mouth, you let out a cloud of smoke and smile widely as you look out into the streets as vendors set up their stalls. “I’m going to like it here.”
Just as you bring the cigarette to your mouth, a yellow shape runs into and knocks the cigarette out and onto the ground in a flurry of papers. “Hey, watch-”
“I’M SORRY I’M SORRY!” you hear somepony yell before grabbing at the papers that covered you and galloping into the library.
By the time you turn to confront whoever just ruined your smoke, you’re met with the library door slamming in your face.
“Great...” you mutter under your breath as you look over your dirt covered cigarette, Shaking your head, you bring a hoof down on it and put it out before reaching for a fresh one. Just as you pull it out of the carton, your eye catches a paper left behind by whoever bumped into you. Looking it over, you feel a blush creep up your face as you read under your breath.
“...do your best to control your inner lust, but something about the mare underneath you sparks something hidden deep inside and in the throws of passion you... you...”
You read on for a few more moments before a particular part makes you go bright red. Shaking your head violently to get the scene out of your head before folding and tucking the paper in your shirt pocket next to your cigarettes. “Just who was that?” you ask yourself as you make your way back into the library.
“Oh no!” you hear a high pitched voice cry as you walk in through the doorway. “That’s not him, is it?” the obviously distressed yellow pegasus cries as she desperately tries to shove a mound of papers into her saddlebag.
“Umm, yeah... That’s him alright. The writer you’re looking for.” Twilight says as she tries to help her pick up all the papers.
Walking closer to the panicky pegasus, you fiddle with your glasses before leaning down and meeting her at eye level. “So you’re the little flash that bumped into me.”
For the longest time, all the pegasus does is stare at you before turning a bright scarlet and diving behind Twilight’s legs.
Looking to Twilight, she gives you a sheepish grin before stepping to the side. “Umm, Fluttershy?” she asks as she moves the frightened mare’s hooves away from her eyes, hidden behind her long, pink mane. “Aren’t you going to introduce yourself?”
“Uh...Umm... I-I...I’m Fluttershy...” she says meekly, just above a whisper.
“Well, nice to meet you Fluttershy. I take it you’re the one who I’ll be staying with while I’m in Ponyville, correct?”
Instead of answering, Fluttershy simply looks to the ground and lets out a high pitched squeak before backing up slowly.
Twilight looks to you bashfully before ducking besides Fluttershy and whispering something in her ear, making her seem to tense up a bit before she takes a deep breath and looks to you with newfound confidence.
“Uhm, I um... Y-Yes... I, uh... T-Talked to your um, agent and he told me everything.”
With a heavy sigh, you plop down in a nearby beanbag chair and look to her with a plastic smile. “And just what did he tell you?”
“H-He said you were working on a new, um, book and needed, well... A place to stay while you write,” Fluttershy says rather timidly.
You let out a long sigh as you drag a hoof down your face in frustration. There you go again Trump, saying one thing when you meant the opposite.
“I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Fluttershy cries abruptly, nearly startling you out of your seat. “You’re probably really mad at me for being late and I’m sorry!” she says, half in tears. “It’s just that I was up late last night and I thought I set my alarm clock, but I didn’t, then I had to feed all the animals and I-I-I-”
“Hey, hey, hey!” you say as you bring your hooves up defensively. “No need to apologize! I just got here a few minutes ago. It’s not like I’ve been sitting on my hooves for the last few hours, waiting.”
“R...Really?” Fluttershy asks as she wipes the tears from her eyes. “Y-You’re not mad?”
You shake your head as you motion her to take a seat in the beanbag chair opposite you. “Not at all. Besides, think of it this way; you were neither late, nor were you early. You arrived precisely when you meant to.”
“T...That was, um, Tolkien, right?” Fluttershy asks with a half smile as she sits down.
You give her a nod before Twilight gets your attention with a rough cough. “Well.. If you two need me, I’ll be upstairs in my study. You’re more than welcome to stay here for as long as you want.”
“Thank you Twilight,” you say to her before turning back to Fluttershy. “So, tell me, did my agent tell you what I was working on?”
Fluttershy nods sheepishly as she takes off her overstuffed saddlebag. “Yes, he said, um, something about a romance novel and well... T-Twilight said you were D-D-Dream Boat and so, um...”
As you watch Fluttershy root around desperately through her pack, becoming more and more embarrassed as her searching turns frantic. “I-I just wanted to say, that is, if you don’t mind, that I’m, well, I’m your b-biggest fan,” she says rather bashfully.
You force a smile on your face as you brace for those next few sentences and watch on as she pulls out a small notebook.
“I-I, well.. L-Like I said, I’m your biggest fan...” You and everyone else who talks to me...
“I’ve r-read all your work and own several first editions, including Hearts and Hopes.”
...Well that’s different, you think as you sit upright in your seat.
“And I was hoping, um... I-If it wouldn’t be t-too much of a problem i-if...”
Here we go...
“C-Could you teach me to be a better writer?” Fluttershy asks, practically trembling in front of you.
You simply look to her in confusion as you shift uncomfortably in your seat. “I...I... Well, uhm... C-Come again?”
“Oh, I knew I should've just kept my big mouth shut...” Fluttershy says, dejected as she gets to her hooves.. “I-It’s okay, you don’t-”
“No, no!” you cry out as you stop her. “Don’t take my hesitation for unwillingness, it’s just... I... I’ve never had anyone ask me that before.”
Fluttershy looks to you, her jaw going slack as she sits back down. “R...Really? N...No one’s ever asked? I-I’m the first?”
You scratch the back of your head bashfully as you try to find a comfortable spot in the beanbag chair. “Well... Yeah, you are... Whenever I talk to someone about writing, they usually just ask me the same old questions or hound me for an autograph... I’ve never had anyone actually come to me wanting to well... Trade notes.”
“I...Is that a problem?” she asks nervously.
Giving her a wide smile, you shake your head. “No, no. It’s great. I’d love to.”
Fluttershy simply looks away as you grin like a fool, but you can tell she’s smiling back. “Thank you...” she says above a whisper. Pushing the notebook closer to you, she takes a deep breath and looks you in the eye “I... I’ve been writing for a while now and I don’t think I’m doing as good as I can be. C-Can you take a look at what I’ve been writing? Please? If, um, that’s okay...”
Talking the notebook gingerly, you open it out and start reading to yourself. “Chapter 1,” you say aloud “Care”
Glancing up at Fluttershy, you can’t help but chuckle as she blushes and gives you a bashful smile. Looking back to the notebook, you continue reading.
I hadn’t a clue where I was or what I was doing in that strange stallion’s bed. All I knew was that my head was pounding and it hurt to move. To me, it was like any morning after a night out hitting the clubs... But this. This was different. Instead of kicking me out of bed come sunrise or sneaking out before the Mrs. came home, he’s standing over me with a wet cloth, asking me if was okay. “What happened?” I asked with a bit of a slur as I tried to sit up. The minute I tried, he put a hoof on my chest and stopped me. “Whoa, whoa... Easy now. You were in an accident. You have a concussion.” I blink a few times, in confusion and to get the stars out of my eyes. “When the doctors asked where you live, you said you couldn’t remember... What about now? Can you remember anything?”
You stop reading for a moment to chuckle under your breath, making Fluttershy tense up a bit. “I-Is it that bad?” she asks nervously.
“Oh no, not at all,” you say earnestly. “It’s good, really good. It just the way you write reminds me of one of my favorite authors.”
“R-Really?” Fluttershy asks with a growing blush. “W...Wow...”
You remain quiet for a few more moments before finishing the first chapter and closing the book with a wide smile. “I must say, Miss Fluttershy, you have a lot of talent. But do you mind some criticism?”
“Oh no, not at all! It’s what I asked for, after all...”
Taking a deep breath, you open the book back up and put your hoof under a paragraph to show Fluttershy. “You see here? I can see what you’re trying to do. You want the reader to think that the main character doesn’t trust this mystery stallion, but you don’t have to go right out and say it. Find a way to hint at the fact that she doesn’t trust him. You get what I mean?”
“Uhmm... I think so...” Fluttershy says as she inches a bit closer to you.
“Also, something about the dialogue between the two is bugging me...”
“Really? Um, what is it? What don’t you like?” she asks as she nervously shifts in her seat.
“It’s not that I don’t like it, but the way this stallion talks to the main character, it’s like he knows her already.”
You can’t help but shoot Fluttershy an odd look as she giggles under her breath. “That’s um, the point. He does know her... A bit, well... More than he lets on.”
You blink in surprise before grinning from ear to ear. “I like it... I can’t wait to see where you go with this. But well, other than a few grammar errors here and there, a few sentences that can be reworded, I see nothing wrong with it. You did a great job.”
Fluttershy blushes deeply as she looks around frantically. “I, uh, I just, well... I... Oh my.... T-Thank you,” she says with a big smile. Her smile seems to disappear as she glances at the clock and turns to you in worry. “I’m sorry, but um, I, well, we um... We gotta go. I mean, if that’s okay... I-I have to get started on dinner, so um-”
“Oh, I understand completely,” you say as you get to your hooves. “I mean, as much as I loved sitting here, we can’t really stay all day.”
As you reach for your bags, yours and Fluttershy’s hooves meet at the handle, with both of you pulling away as soon as you touch. Looking to her with a blush, you rub the back of your head bashfully before throwing your saddlebag over your shoulder. “I-It’s alright, I’ve got it.”
“Um, a-are you sure?” she asks timidly “I could-”
“You’ve already got your own stuff to carry,” you interject. “Speaking of which, what’s with all the papers anyway?”
Fluttershy blushes heavily before making her way to the front door of the library, mumbling something under her breath.
“Pardon? I didn’t quite catch that.”
“I, um... I... panicked this morning and just grabbed everything that was on my desk... It’s embarrassing, really... I don’t like being, well, messy...”
You laugh nervously while fiddling with your glasses as you and Fluttershy make your way out into the streets of Ponyville.
Hope she doesn’t mind I’m the definition of ‘messy’, you muse as you think back to your old apartment.
----------------------
“And last but not least... The typewriter,” you say aloud as you set down the delicate piece of machinery on the desk.
Really nice... you think as you survey your new room and study. I think I’m going to like it here.
From behind, a knock at the door stirs you from your thoughts. “Yes?”
Slowly, the door opens and Fluttershy pokes her head in. “Umm, I just wanted to know if you had everything you need.”
“Yeah, everything is perfect Fluttershy. Thank you for everything.”
“I-It’s fine,” she says with a bit of blush. “I just made sure the room was clean...”
“Let’s see how long that lasts,” you say under your breath with a grimace.
Fluttershy gives you an odd look before opening the door just a bit wider. “What was that?”
“Oh, uh, nothing. I was just about to start writing, is there anything else you need?” you ask as you settle down at your new desk.
“Oh, yes, actually. I was just about to head to the market to pick up some ingredients for dinner, I wanted to know if you wanted anything from the market.”
Pulling out an ashtray from your bag, you set it down by your typewriter and shake your head. “No, I’m all set. Thank you again, Fluttershy. Maybe after dinner you and I can do a flash fic or two.”
Fluttershy gives you an odd look at the words ‘Flash Fic’. “Umm... W-what’s that? I’ve never heard of those before.”
You can’t help but grin like a fool. “Oh wow, you’re missing out. Flash fics are really fun. Basically, you give a single word and you just write as much as you can in the timeframe. Like, say the word is “Caress”. You take that word and just write whatever comes to mind. Some old English 101 buddies and I did it a lot and we had a lot of fun with it.”
She gives you a smile as it all starts to sink in. “That sounds lovely. Maybe we can even have a quickie before dinner.”
Fluttershy turns bright red as her words echo back to her and shifts around nervously. “W-Well, I won’t keep you from your work.” She says as she closes the door behind her. “Have fun.”
“Thanks. you too!” you yell out as you turn to your typewriter. “Now...”
Chapter 1: On the Road
Carmella
Just as you bring up your magic to start hammering away at the keys, a tiny, frantic knock at the door stops you dead in your creative tracks.
“Fluttershy?” you ask aloud as you get to your hooves. Making your way towards the door, you open it slowly, only to have a white shape dart between your legs and past you. Whipping around, you look around and find yourself staring at a white rabbit that sat in the middle of the floor, looking up to you impatiently.
“Well... Hello there,” you say as you take a step towards the rabbit. “Mind giving me some privacy while I write, little guy? I can’t have you running around in here.”
In an odd display, the white rabbit shakes his head and bounces back towards the door, beckoning you to follow him.
You look at him in confusion before smiling and giving him a little push out the door. “Don’t worry little guy, Fluttershy will be back in a bit and then she’ll feed you, now-”
Before you can finish, the white rabbit darts back into your room, standing on your chair. “Hey, come on now!” you cry out as he taps his foot impatiently. “You really gotta go.”
Again, he shakes his head and points at you, and then the door.
“Listen, I can’t feed you anyway. I don’t know where the food is.”
With a heavy sigh, the white rabbit shakes his head before his eyes flash and a wicked grin spreads across his face. Without any warning, he hops onto the typewriter and starts jumping up and down on the keys.
“Hey, that’s a gift!” you sceam out as you dive for the white rabbit. Before you can even get close to him, the white rabbit jumps off of the keyboard and runs for the door and out into the hallway, but not before turning and blowing you a raspberry.
Seething with anger, you grimace and chase after him. “Follow the white rabbit, Neo,” you seethe under your breath.
Bolting after him, you nearly crash into the couch after barreling down the stairs, but end up slamming into the wall before running down the hallway after him.
“I know you’re in here!” you cry out as you step into what looked like another study room. “Just wait until I get my hooves on you!”
You look under the desk and behind the bookcase, all the while trying to calm yourself down. As you circle the study for the third time, your eye catches something in what you guessed was Fluttershy’s own typewriter. “Hmm... What do we have here?” you ask aloud as you glance closer at the paper in the machine. It had bits of liquid paper on it where parts have been edited or just removed altogether.
“Your legs feel weak as Tooty guides you down the hall. To her room. ‘Come now, sailor... Getting nervous?’ she asks with a sultry grin.”
You feel yourself blush heavily as you read the rest silently to yourself, before sighing heavily when you get to the end. “You? You what? Where’s the rest of it? What happens next? Where’s-”
Your breath catches in your throat as a thought crosses your mind. “No way...” you say above a whisper as you reach for your shirt pocket. Pulling out the piece of paper from earlier, you hold it up and glance at it and then the paper in the typewriter before gasping.
“Oh my gosh...” you say aloud as you set the folded piece of the story down. Slumping down in the chair, you wrack your brain for some kind of explanation.
“How could someone that bashful, that shy write erotica that good?” you ask as yourself as read it over again. Just as you do, a pile of stapled papers fall from above and into your lap. Looking up, you see the white rabbit you chased in here pointing furiously at the stack of papers in your lap. Glancing down, your eyes become as wide as dinner plates as you read the title.
Healing Blitz
by Butterscotch
-Rough Draft-
“No way...” you say under your breath as you reach out to open the stack of papers. Just as you do, a high pitched crying stops you.
“Wha-”
As you turn to face the noise, your heart sinks into your hooves as you see Fluttershy standing there, crying heavily. “No, no, no, no...” she says in between sobs. “I shoulda locked the d-door, you c-can’t see this...”
“F-Fluttershy?” you ask hesitantly as you take a step closer. “Y-You’re Butterscotch?”
Fluttershy simply nods as she slumps down to the floor, still crying. “You p-probably think I’m s-some big p-p-pervert now for w-writing all that a-and-”
“No, no!” you cry as you kneel down besides her. “I don’t!”
“Y-Yes you do...” she cries, hyperventilating. “I-I’m...”
“You don’t get it,” you say as a grin grows across your face. “I...I’m... I’m your biggest fan.”