Pinkie knocked on Fluttershy’s cottage door and waited as patiently as she could.
The door latch clicked and Fluttershy’s face appeared as the door cracked open. “Hello, Pinkie Pie. It’s 4 in the morning, is something the matter? Can I help you?”
“Yes! Only you can help me," she nodded once. "I have this amazing friend who's really shy and sad and needs a pick me up! All I need is for you to come with me right away.”
Fluttershy yawned again and nodded. “If it’ll help somepony, I’ll come along and help any way I can. You look very nice in that suit, Pinkie Pie,” Fluttershy said softly as she opened the door to exit her home. She looked Pinkie over, back to front with sleepy eyes.
“Oh, this old thing?” Pinkie said smirking as she walked alongside Fluttershy slightly in the lead to guide her. “I got this a few months ago for the farewell party for Night Rain, the earth pony.”
“Oh my, didn’t he, um, pass on?”
“Yeah, it wasn’t really a party more than it was a remember how great he was. What’re those called again?” Pinkie inquired honestly.
“A memorial, or a wake, Pinkie Pie. I didn’t go though, I don't care for those kinds of things,” she spoke softly.
“Don’t cry, ‘Shy. He was 115 years old, it was his time. Why, if I’m lucky I’ll be that far along before I go,” Pinkie stopped with Fluttershy and looked at her. “You don’t have to worry though, we’ll always be friends and you know Pegasi live for 80 years easy so-” Fluttershy turned her head away and whimpered.
“I don’t wanna die, Pinkie Pie. Can we, maybe not talk about this?” Pinkie laid in front of Fluttershy and let her head rest on Fluttershy’s forelegs.
“‘Shy, let’s hurry. My friend really needs this, then she'll be happy again.”
They stood up and Fluttershy sighed deeply and shook her head before trotting alongside the pink pony. “Where are we going? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“The hills outside town, near where we picnic.”
“Oh my, that’s a half hour walk. Is your friend going to meet us there or is she already there. Oh, it is a he? I’m sorry if it’s some stallion that we need to help and I insulted him.”
“No-no-no, it’s okay, ‘Shy. She’ll be there at the same time as us. She’s always on time. Say, lookit that sky and all those stars out tonight. Do you ever wonder if Celestia and Luna really make them or if they’re actually giant balls of gas burning hydrogen or some other base element through a complex process of fission and fusion in a burning plasma that also creates light and heat that could help lives on other planets like ours?”
“When I was a filly I always thought they were just fireflies that got stuck up on the sky. Now I know what they are, aren't they are quite pretty tonight? I remember my parents telling me about the constellations and their importance to our culture as ponies when I was a less silly filly. ”
“That’s so neat, what if we prayed to them. Could it rain candy or maybe chocolate milk? What if it rained chocolate candy and we ate it and it turned into gum? What flavor would it be? All of them? No, all the flavors in one bite would be gross. I tried that once in a cupcake and,” she shuddered, “it wasn’t very good.”
“Well, I believe anything is possible but some things may be too fanciful. I don’t mean any offense by that, but if it rained candy what good would that do the land or critters or ponies?”
Pinkie thought and slowed. “You’re right again, Fluttershy, all those cavities would only be good for dentists and not fow tha reths ug uth,” she said with her hoof in her mouth touching a molar. “I had a cavity once and it was from eating cupcakes for breakfast lunch and dinner. I also had to go to the clinic. Did you know ponies can’t live on cupcakes only? I do now. I had to have a strict diet for three weeks and no sweets was part of it. I'll never do that again.”
Fluttershy giggled slightly and shuffled her wings. “Pinkie, you’re so funny. Any friend of yours is sure to be happy no matter what,” she yawned again.
I don’t understand, why am I feeling tingly inside? Usually my outside twitches, not my insides. I haven’t felt this way since that triple layer cupcake covered in blueberry frosting I made for Silver Spoon's Cutecinera. “Say, Fluttershy? Have you ever been in love with somepony?”
Fluttershy looked to Pinkie as they turned to the street that would take them to the hills. “Well, I love my friends and all my critters. So I guess so.”
“No, what I mean is have you ever had a special somepony?”
“Oh,” Fluttershy looked to the ground, “no, nopony has found me interesting enough, I guess.”
“That’s silly. And trust me, I know silly," Pinkie grinned with a sqeak noise, "I can think of at least one pony who likes you.”
Fluttershy blushed deeply and let a single nervous laugh quietly leave her. “Who?” she hesitantly asked.
“Well, they’ll be there too.”
“Oh my, so the pony that needs our help also... might like me?”
“I really think so,” Pinkie said under her breath.
“What was that Pinkie? I didn’t hear you.”
“Oh, nothing. Oh, look! We’re almost there. Don’t the trees look pretty tonight?”
“Oh yes, they do. They silhouette very well with the stars in the sky.”
“Yeah, and they're shadowy too.”
Pinkie hopped into the air slightly and fell as gracefully as a leaf from a tree onto her belly. Fluttershy stopped to look at Pinkie. "What are you doing?"
“Oh, just thinking.” Pinkie said happily as she bounced once on her belly and up to her full height landing on all fours and walking again. “I just thought of how romantic it would be for a pony that likes you to take you on a moonlit night walk through town and beyond, alone.”
“Well, that’s a nice thought, but no pony would do that with me.”
“Well there have to be some ponies out there who want to, but haven't asked yet. Certainly a night like tonight would be perfect, right?"
Fluttershy giggled and nodded in agreement. “It’s really nice to talk with somepony for once about things. I usually only have my critters.”
“I know, that’s why we’re going to help my friend find a special somepony,” Pinkie said smiling before she stopped put a hoof over her mouth.
“Special somepony? Pinkie, what’s this about? Are you trying to get me to meet some new pony that just moved to town and is lonely?”
Pinkie pulled her hoof from her mouth with a pop sound and waved both forelegs. “No-no-no, what it is is really really important and you have to hurry. C’mon, before it’s too late!” Pinkie turned and began cantering ahead as Fluttershy watched. She shrugged and opened her wings taking a few foot gait from the ground she paced after the pink pony who was already ahead of her.
“Pinkie?” Fluttershy said in a loud whisper so as to not wake anypony. “Can you slow down? I don’t know where to meet you," she stated, looking around her to see if anything was awake.
“Well, duh silly,” Pinkie said hovering above Fluttershy, “I wouldn’t leave you behind, ever.”
Fluttershy fell to the ground in surprise and looked up at Pinkie who was swimming in the air. “P-Pinkie?! How, what?”
“Oh, I’ll explain it to you someday. C’mon, we really have to get there before it’s too late, early, you know what I mean!” Pinkie said falling to the ground and scooping Fluttershy onto her back. “We’ll be there in no time, hang on.” With that she galloped so quickly Fluttershy had to hold on to Pinkie’s neck as she whimpered and shut her eyes tightly, not thinking of how fast Pinkie could gallop.
“We’re here, you can open your eyes and let go of my neck,” Pinkie said straining the words out. Fluttershy opened her eyes and looked at the purple hue on Pinkie’s face before she fell off her pink body. Pinkie gasped and exhaled three times in a calculated rhythm before her color returned to normal and she sat on the grass.
“Fluttershy, I had to show you that,” she pointed to the mountains in the distance.
“What Pinkie? Is your friend over there?”
“No,” she pointed to the sky above the horizon, “that.”
“Do you mean the darkness on the horizon? I don’t understand Pinkie.” Pinkie lowered herself to her belly and sighed. Fluttershy laid down too and looked at her friend. “Pinkie? Is everything okay?”
“You’re the friend that needed help, Fluttershy.”
“Me? You thought I needed help? But, why?”
“Fluttershy,” Pinkie said raising her head to look into Fluttershy’s eyes, “neither one of us has a pony that understands us, and that's I think... that we'd be able to understand each other better if we were better friends.”
Fluttershy reassured Pinkie by reaching a hoof to Pinkie’s chin moving it to face her. Pinkie felt her heart race more than it had in months at the touch and her blushing was obvious. “Pinkie, you’re special to everypony and someday we’ll each find that one special somepony.”
“‘Shy, when I look at the horizon,” she turned to look at the expanse of darkness below the stars, “I think of my life and how empty it is. I know I’m funny and happy but, I don’t have love from another pony. And you don’t either. We could really use a special somepony and I think we’re a good fit. What do you say?”
Fluttershy sat up taller as she understood what Pinkie was talking about. “Pinkie, I’m really sorry, but I can’t be your special somepony. I don't know where to start even.”
“Fluttershy, look at your cutie mark and mine. What do you see?”
“Um, butterflies and balloons?”
“Right,” Pinkie said excitedly, “how many?”
“Three.”
“Right again!” She pulled three balloons shaped like butterflies from her mane that were tied to her hoof and pointed to them. “See, three balloons. Three butterflies! I make ponies happy spread cheer while you show them that kindness and open their hearts. We’re so much alike, Fluttershy. I think we were destined to be together, like cake and frosting or a hay burger with fries,” she smiled and looked at the sky wistfully as she dreamt of the perfect cupcake.
“But Pinkie Pie, I don’t love you that way.”
The world came crashing back onto Pinkie. “What? But, the balloons?”
“They’re very nice and I like them a lot Pinkie, but we’re friends and I don’t know what else we can be because of that.”
“So, if we weren’t friends you’d be my special somepony?”
“Maybe, but that’s not going to happen because you’re one of my best friends.”
Pinkie sat up and smirked. “What about Rainbow Dash?”
“Yes, she is a very good friend. However she is very,” Fluttershy looked to the stars for a second trying to think of what to say, “energetic and impatient.” She giggled when she looked back to see Pinkie using one of the balloons as a pillow. “Fast asleep? You certainly are special, Pinkie Pie.” She laid next to her and began to fall asleep as well. “Pinkie, I would love to be your special somepony, if only I knew how,” she whispered as she dozed off facing her friend in the grass.