”Anon, I’m having second thoughts about this.”
“We’re already outside and the mall is literally right in front of us, it’s way too late to turn back now.”
Fluttershy is wearing a different shirt and a pair of shorts that fit her much better than before, but it does not hide her figure well enough. ”I don’t know. This would be better if I wore something much more than, you know.”
“If you wore a sweater and pants, there would be no chance for you to last in the sun for half an hour.”
”It already sounds much better than what we’re doing.” You walk into the mall and look around. “It’s not that packed. We can get you to meet up with your friends and it should be smooth sailing.”
”Are you sure this might work?”
“You’re already here, so let’s get this over with.” You grab her arm and pull her inside. She looks around and follows you.
As the two of you pass a few people, some of them take a glimpse before continuing whatever they are doing. ”I told you this would happen.” She whispers to you.
“They are just taking a quick look, it’s nothing serious.”
”But, I just know that they might be talking about me.”
“Forget them, it will die down.” You walk faster to get to an escalator to head for the second floor. There is the stairs nearby, but having her breasts bounce around is not what she needs. When you get to the top, you continue to walk through the few crowds that bat an eye.
”Okay Anon, I think we’re done here.”
“No, we’re getting you though this.”
”But, I swear, they’re talking about me.”
“They aren’t. You’re just thinking that. Unless you can hear them actually talk about you, I would have heard it as well.”
”They are, just slow down.” You do so and eavesdrop on a nearby conversation when walking by three girls that aren’t older than you.
”Could you believe that, who knew that she had the body of a whore?” One of them asks.
”I know, how many guys you think she was with when she was gone?” The second one questions.
”Who knows, but I bet that’s her latest sucker,” the last one answers. You give them the bird and continue to walk away. ”Of course she would want a jerk with no style,” came from the last one.
You just get away from them and continue on to meet up with Fluttershy’s friends. ”See? I told you that this was a mistake.”
“Screw them. They do that shit just to make themselves feel better just so that they can ignore the fact on how terrible they really are.”
”Hm, that does explain a lot.”
There is another group that you are about to pass by, but it is completely different. It’s a pair of guys who nod to each other. ”Damn, that’s something you don’t see often.” One of them comments.
”Yeah, isn’t she that weird quiet girl who takes care of cats?” The second one asks him.
”I wouldn’t mind if she took care of me.” He jokingly says.
You pretend that didn’t exist and resume your search. ”Anon did you—“
“Forget those dipshits, they aren’t worth anything.” The two of you make it to the food court and see the rest of her friends sitting at a circular table.
”Hey Anon and Fluttershy?” Rainbow points out.
“Yeah, I knew all of you would hang around here.” You let go of Fluttershy and sit down in an empty chair. She walks over to the other empty chair that is on the opposing side of the table, centered between Rarity and Applejack.
”What did you do, Anon?” Sunset asks.
“Something that I’m completely sure that none of you tried to do.” Each of them looks away in guilt.
”We thought that Fluttershy needed some time to herself,” Applejack tries to excuse the situation.
“By letting her stay at her house even more so during the school year would solve it?” You interject.
”Okay, we just didn’t know it would be that bad. We know our friend Fluttershy, meaning we just didn’t want to pressure her out of her comfort zone,” Rarity tries to defend.
“Sometimes you need to be there to help her, not let Fluttershy fight it by herself.” You continue.
”Hey, we knew her problem and we didn’t want to force her out of it.” Rainbow Dash sharply replies.
“Even that is more risky than trying to help her.”
Rainbow Dash crosses her arms. ”Come on, what was going to happen?”
“She wanted to stay inside and never come out.” Rainbow Dash and the rest are stunned by your news.
”Fluttershy, is this true?” Rarity asks.
She looks away in shame. ”I thought that it would be for the best.”
”But for your life? That’s a bit irrational, don’t you think?”
”Rarity is right. You can’t just spend your life seeing the same four walls every darn day.” Applejack joins in.
”It could have worked. I just needed some time working out the problems, but I’m sure it can work out.”
“Fluttershy, you need to get outside for something. No matter what, you will need to leave your home.” You inform her.
”Listen to the boy. You’re overreacting for your safety.” Applejack continues.
”Besides, the worst that you could possibly get is jealousy from the other girls. Nothing terrible will happen to you.” Rarity tries to reassure the situation.
Fluttershy flicks her thumb in her left hand before letting out a sigh. ”You’re right. I guess there are things in life you can’t have your own way.”
“Exactly, you’ll have to get used to the things you don’t like. I’m sorry but that is how it is.”
”Yeah….” She starts to sink in her chair.
”Cheer up, Fluttershy. At least you can finally hang out with your old pals again!” Pinkie cheerfully shouts out.
You get poked on the side. ”Hey Anon,” It’s Rainbow Dash trying to get your attention. “So, I’ve been wondering about you and Fluttershy.”
“What about it?”
”You’ve been pretty concerned about her. What’s up?”
“Nothing, really. I just saw you guys without her for the last few months and thought that something went wrong.”
”Wait, you’ve been eyeing us?” Rainbow picks out.
“No, I’ve just seen you guys hang out at lunch or at the mall.”
”So yes.”
You just shake your head. ”I don’t know, she’s kind of onto something,” Applejack comments.
“Hey, after all of the shit you guys did to the school, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise that some of the students turned their heads to see if another wall is going to blow up.”
”Did we strike a nerve?” Rainbow jerks you around. You slump in your chair.
Sunset Shimmer moves her chair closer to the table. ”Leave him alone, Dash. I get it, some unusual stuff goes on here, but we never asked for it.”
You straighten up from your seat. “Thanks, Sunset.”
She just shrugs her shoulders and sits back. ”I dunno, just thought Anon here had a thing for Fluttershy or something.” You sit still and eye the girls. ”Hey wait, is that the reason why you asked about her?”
You give a rough swallow. “No, not entirely.”
”So it does have something to do with this. Did you already know about it?” Rainbow continues to interrogate you.
“It’s not that. No, I never knew. I liked her before this.” As you look around the table to see all eyes drawing on you, that one slip up might have been a mistake. “Fuck,” you whisper under your breath.
Some of them raise an eyebrow. Fluttershy sinks in her chair and covers herself with her hair. ”So that’s what this is.” Rainbow proudly says when crossing her arms. “I should have known you where shifty from the start of this.”
”Settle down, Rainbow.” Sunset comes in.
”Oh no, this little crap is all the more motivated for whatever he has in mind.”
“I didn’t know,” you try to remind her.
”And now you do, it’s big game hunting, isn’t it?”
”Will you stop picking on him, Dash?” Applejack comments.
“I just like her for who she is!” You shout out. The girls go pack to giving you their undivided attention. “It still hasn’t changed. I like her for who she is, nothing more and nothing less.” You go back in your chair and wait for what they have.
Each of them looks at each other and nods. Fluttershy has her head peaking from the table. ”Could you give us just a minute to discuss?” Rarity politely asks. You scoot back and walk away from the chair. You sit beside a bench that is right beside a railing and watch them talk with no audible voices. It seems to be a normal conversation, until Rainbow stands up and points a finger at you. Rarity raises her hand and instructs her to sit down. She does and leaves her arms on the table.
They continue on the conversation for a few more seconds before looking over to Fluttershy, who still has her head covered. Her pink hair moves away to show that she looks around the table, then to you. She says something, but pauses for some time. Her hands move around the face of the table. When they stop, she resumes. Her friends follow her every word, some of them look to each other. When she stops Sunset seems to be saying something, allowing the others to nod. She waives her hand, signaling you to return. ”I’m sorry about that. We just need some discussion to ourselves.”
“I noticed.” You sit back in your seat and sense a bit of unwelcoming from the group.
”I think it’s best to let her tell you. Fluttershy?”
She takes a deep breath in. ”I appreciate with what you did, and I don’t really mind that you….”
”We’re gonna be here all day, she is fine if you would take her out.” Rainbow interrupts. Applejack shoves her shoulder. ”What? I’m just speeding things along.”
“So, that’s it? No conditions or anything?” They shake their heads. “And you’re fine with this?” Fluttershy sheepishly nods her head. "Okay then, that's cool?"
"What's wrong, Nonny? You don’t sound very happy.” Pinkie Pie asks.
“It just that secrecy that you guys had for the last minute just because of this?”
”Some of our concern is more kept to a certain restriction.” Rarity explains.
“I’m guessing you can’t tell me now, since that’s over with?”
”I’m afraid not. Some things are better kept away from others.”
“Figures.”
”We’ll let the two of you make plans, we’re going to get something to drink.” Most of them get up and walk away to head for a juice stand, leaving you with Fluttershy still sitting across the table.
”I hate to ask but, now what?”
“I don’t know, do you want to catch a movie?”
”I would, but I’m not comfortable about movie theatre.”
“Do you want to watch something at your place or mine?”
”We can try my place. My parents will be out tomorrow night.”
It seems like a good idea. You don't have much to do for tomorrow anyway. “That’s fine, we can do that. This better not be another excuse to stay out of public.”
”Okay, maybe it is.”
“Then what’s the other reason?”
”There isn’t much out there that interests me.”
“I don’t blame you. We’ll watch whatever at your place.”
”Do you know any movies?” She asks you.
“I’ve heard about an old one. It’s good, but I haven’t looked into it.”
”What’s it called?”
“Aliens, I think.”
”It sounds kind of terrifying.”
“It might not be. Just don’t let the name fool you. It could be something silly, like Avatar.”
”Oh, I guess that makes sense.”
You see the group coming back, each of them is carrying their own smoothie. “Where’d you get those?” Pinkie points over to the stand at the far side of the food court. “Hey, do you want one?” She looks at the drinks and nods. “Do you know what flavor you want? Mango, blueberry?”
”I’m not picky, any one will do.” You get up, wishing that it’s true when you come back. That’s the least of your concern, since you don’t even know what movie you just asked for tomorrow night. When you get home, you’ll do a quick search about it.