//------------------------------// // Fluttershy's Deep Secret // Story: Spike Has Seen Too Much // by PonyThunder //------------------------------// It wasn't long until Spike found himself back in Ponyville, still trailing behind the mysterious pony who had taken some of the blue flowers deep within the forest. Didn't they know those flowers caused mildly annoying ailments? What had Zecora said it was called? Poison Joke? Yes, that was it. When they had come into contact with it, everypony had laughable results including Twilight's floppy horn, Rainbow Dash's inability to fly straight, Applejack shrinking to miniature size, Rarity's mane becoming frizzled and like a mop, Pinkie Pie talking like a buffoon and Fluttershy's voice becoming incredibly deep. He spent a minute or so pondering this and who it may be as he followed surreptitiously behind the mystery pony, but the answer quickly became clear when the pony quietly snuck into her small, quaint cottage. It's Fluttershy? Spike thought to himself. Now his curiosity burned intensely, but he wasn't going to resort to breaking and entering somepony's home. After a minute or so and with a sigh, he turned around and headed back towards the castle, but as soon as he did so, the door to the cottage opened back up and somepony he didn't recognize came out. They were wearing a hoofball helmet and their face was painted two colors, one on each side splitting their face vertically down the middle. The pony was yellow, but their tail was a more reddish color and their cutie mark seemed to resemble three hoofballs. But there was something odd about the pony that Spike observed. From first glance, they looked like a smaller stallion, but as he followed the pony as they left Fluttershy's cottage, he noticed that they trotted rather daintily. Where were they going? Judging by the hoofball helmet, Spike presumed they were a fan going to watch the hoofball game that afternoon. A couple minutes later of sleuthing and sneaking around, tailing this mysterious pony, they had indeed arrived at the hoofball field where the ponies were stretching and practicing getting ready for the game to begin. The pony he had been following took their seat near the top of the stands, away from everypony else. Spike decided his best vantage point would be underneath the stands just a couple yards away beneath them. What am I doing? Spike thought to himself. Here he was, spying on somepony he didn't even knew. But, he did know them. Why had they entered and left from Fluttershy's cottage? But, Fluttershy wasn't an avid hoofball fan. Heck, Spike was pretty sure just the thought of being in a crowded area with roudy and rambunctious ponies would have scared her away. There's no way it was Fluttershy. In a moment of embarrassment for himself, Spike decided he would leave this pony alone, whoever they were. Suddenly a pony who was passing out drinks in the stands tripped, seemingly out of nowhere, sending a splash of sugary beverage onto the mystery pony's flank. "Sorry, sir!" apologized the pony. "...uh, no problem," replied the pony with a marvelously deep voice. Spike looked at the pony's flank once more and caught a better glimpse of their cutie mark. He couldn't have seen from afar, but now that he was closer he noticed that their hoofball cutie mark was all smudged. A fake cutie mark, Spike thought with a small gasp. Underneath the smudges, he could see three pink butterflies... It IS Fluttershy, he thought to himself. Or rather, FlutterGUY, he smiled. The game began, and ponies from both teams got into position as the crowd cheered throughout the game. Fluttershy cheered as well, in Spike's surprise. In fact, she was acting rather loud and energetic, except with her incredibly deep voice and her face disguised by the hoofball helmet and face paint. Okay, enough is enough, he told himself as he decided to leave his hiding place beneath the stands. It was one thing to follow around a mysterious pony, but it was something else entirely to be spying on his friend. It was obvious that she didn't want anypony to know of her secret that she absolutely adored hoofball and cheering the players on quite loudly with her deep, booming voice. Taking a step in the opposite direction, suddenly, the wooden beam that lay above him and holding Fluttershy gave way, sending them both down to the ground beneath the stands. "Ooof!" grunted Fluttershy, dazed from the suddenness of the event. She looked around nervously until her eyes met Spike, and then they widened in terror. "Hi, Fluttersh--" What are you doing? Don't SAY HER NAME. She doesn't know you know who she is! "..oh...my..." replied Fluttershy deeply, but still in her typically shy and quiet manner. In a flash of embarrassment, Fluttershy took off away from the fields and took to the skies towards her cottage. Great, Spike thought. That's three ponies I've embarrassed so far. He walked dejectedly away from the hoofball field as everypony continued to watch the game, undeterred from the crash moments earlier being that they were so engrossed in the game. The snickering from before once again echoed from beneath the stands.