I’m still surprised Fluttershy agreed to meet with me. Not because I thought she didn’t like me, but because I was sure she’d still be a little scared of the venue of the meeting. I sat perched on the top of Cloudsdale’s tallest building, waiting, hoping that Fluttershy would still come here.
Within a couple minutes of sitting down to wait, I began to hear light wing beats. A couple minutes after first beginning to hear her, Fluttershy swooped over the edge of the building in a very Rainbow Dash manner. Though she did seem a little scared of the high altitude, I was proud to see that her large amount of self-confidence had mostly eclipsed her small amount of fear. She came over to me, and sat down next to me before speaking.
“Hello Instructor Breeze Rider. Oh wait. T-that’s not right anymore is it? Can I just call you Breeze Rider? I-I mean if that’s not weird or anything.” Fluttershy asked me, looking only slightly worried about my answer instead of fearful of it.
“It’s fine to just call me Breeze Rider now Fluttershy. After all, as of today, we’re both full Pegasi ready to take on the world. “I smiled at her, happy to see her smile back.
“Yay. Okay then, Breeze Rider, do you mind me asking why you asked me to meet you here?” Fluttershy asked, making me proud that she not stammered or hesitated at all as she said it.
I sat back on my haunches fully, unsure of how to fully address my intent.
“Well Fluttershy, I’ve noticed that you really do have quite a talent with animals. So I was wondering what your plans for after school were and how they’d play towards that strength of yours.”
Fluttershy blushed, still not all that used to compliments. She then began to tell, me stuttering only a bit from nervousness and not fear.
“W-Well me, Rainbow Dash and Derpy all want to stay together after graduation. So I was probably just going to go wherever they wanted to, and get some kind of job there. T-That’s not silly i-is it?” She asked, still worried what her old teacher might think of this.
“No Fluttershy. I wish I’d followed some of my friends from my own class like you are. I do want to say one thing though.” I told her, sad to see her ears droop for a moment. “While following your friends is great, you must also follow your heart. Don’t take a job just because it will keep you near Rainbow and Derpy. Take the job because it’s what you love and want AS WELL as it will keep you near them.” I finished, glad to see that only a tiny bit of worry remained on her face.
“O-Okay. Thank you for the great advice.” Fluttershy told me, smiling again before she continued. “But none of us had any solid plans for where or what to do. We were supposed to meet up again after we finished out meetings with you to talk about it. W-What should we do?” She asked me, earnestly worried.
I stood up in response to her question, then turned back to look at her to answer.
“Well, first things first, you should follow me. I think I have the perfect solution for you.”
Fluttershy too stood up, looking excited.
“O-Okay. I’ll try and keep up.” She trailed off towards the end. I laughed at the idea of her falling behind, not at her herself.
“Fluttershy, after all those years of training with me and Rainbow, I have no doubts that you’ll be able to keep up fine.” I said as I looked over my shoulder to make sure she had heard me. I could tell she had.
The flight to Ponyville took only a bit longer this time, and only because me and Fluttershy weren’t racing. We eventually landed near the edge of the town, near a cottage nestled just slightly into the woods, but still within the town itself. As I saw Fluttershy look around at the cottage, I turned to offer her the solution I had promised.
“Well Fluttershy? What do you think?” I asked her.
Fluttershy seemed confused.
“Think of what?” she earnestly asked me.
“Well of your new home and office silly.” I told her, watching her jaw drop slightly.
“W-W-What do you mean?” she asked, pawing the ground nervously.
“Well, it turns out that Ponyville’s veterinarian recently had to transfer to Trottingham, leaving the town without one. This was her office as well as her house. I know how great you are with animals, and I mentioned it to her. She seemed very confident in your skills from what I told her about you. And, if you want the job and the place, she already happened to sell it to me in your name. And,” I said, pausing as I saw Fluttershy begin to open her mouth to protest. “I won’t accept a single bit in return from you. Think of this as a graduation gift.”
Fluttershy pawed the ground clearly happy, but conflicted over how to accept such a generous gift.
“O-O-Oh b-b-but I-I just couldn’t accept all this from you. Y-You already did so much for me in school. I-I wouldn’t know how to ever thank you enough.” Fluttershy said, clearly speaking what was on her mind.
“Would it help you make the decision if I told you Rainbow Dash and Derpy will be living and working here in Ponyville as well?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow.
Fluttershy instantly picked up at the news, even fluttering slightly off the ground.
“O-Oh really? Well then, I would like to thank you with all my heart and cordially accept you gift.” Fluttershy smiled, happy now that she would be with her friends as well as doing her dream job.
I smiled, happy that Fluttershy was happy.
“Excellent. Rainbow is off getting her job details worked out as we speak, and I still need to go and meet with Derpy. Here’s the deed to your new home.” I said, handing her the scroll from my saddlebags. “Now, Mayor Mare expressed great interest in meeting with you if you happened to take the job. She’s over at the Town Hall, that building near the centre of town. Are you okay to go and meet with her while I go meet with Derpy?” I asked, only slightly worried over Fluttershy’s response, more out of habit than actual fear.
“I’ll be okay I think. I’d also like to get to know my new town. Thank you Breeze Rider. I hope to see you again soon.” She replied.
“Oh you will. You see that building there? That’s a sweet shop called Sugarcube Corner. Once you happen to cross Rainbow Dash, and I’m sure you will soon, tell her to go there in a couple hours for a nice surprise. You too ok?” She nodded yes to my question. “I’ll tell the same thing to Derpy. We’ll all meet there and have a proper celebration.”
“I can’t wait.” Fluttershy told me, a smile wide across her face.
As I turned to fly back to Cloudsdale for my last meeting with Derpy, I saw Fluttershy turn and head towards Town Hall, stopping and investigating some of the stores and stalls along the way. Now two of my students were all set for life on their own. And my last one would soon be as well.