"You can do this, Fluttershy. I believe in you!" A yellow Pegasus stood excitedly in front of a mirror, her encouraging words making her wings buzz and lifting her delicate form into the air. On her two hind legs were a pair of purple-striped socks, a recent gift she had found at her door that morning. She admired her new socks with vigor; the popping colors giving her a new sense of confidence.
Today was the day! Today was the day she would go to the Ponyville market and enjoy herself! No longer would she only go there to buy necessities, she would shop there for fun! Today she would shop for... ice cream!
Dipping back to the ground, Fluttershy found her pouch of bits by the door and slung it over her back, giving one last glance in the mirror. The socks looked so nice on her! No way she could make this trip with out them. She looked confident, relaxed, and the exact opposite of a doormat. Perfect!
"Angel! Momma's leaving! Don't forget to eat your carrots while I'm gone!" Fluttershy waited for an answer from her pet bunny, but was met with silence. Suddenly, a soft thud hit the wall in the other room. A very carrot-like thud. Good. He had heard.
Humming a quiet tune under her breath, Fluttershy softly opened the back door into the warm Mare-ch air, a gentle breeze rustling her pastel pink mane. This way from her house was a bit longer walk then through the front door, but much more scenic. Oh, what a perfect day for ice cream!
Trotting down the earth-worn path, Fluttershy glanced towards the sky. White fluffy clouds dotted the bright blue canvas, reminding her of a blueberry scoop with white chocolate chips. Mhmmm. Chocolate.
With a burst of energy at the thought of that delicious flavor, Fluttershy found herself hurrying down the trail, her hooves barely making a hoof print.
At the end of the short path, the forestry cleared into the middle of Ponyville, a few stray ponies milling around. That was ok. Fluttershy was brave now, with her new socks. A few ponies wouldn't hurt. Despite a few odd looks some were giving her, Fluttershy braved forward, not giving anyone the time of day. And goodness! The ice cream cart was just ahead, a few heads poking out from behind it. Yay, it was open!
Fluttershy calmly flew to the cart, already 3 bits out of her purse. That was the price, she believed, for a one scoop chocolate ice cream. 3 bits. Underneath the shade of the umbrella, Fluttershy let her hooves rest on the grass, and looked at her socks.
"Umm, excuse me? I'd like to purchase a one scoop chocolate ice cream, please. If you don't mind, that is."
That was silly. Brave ponies wearing socks do not need to say 'umm', and 'if you don't mind'. And why was she stuttering? She shouldn't! Brave ponies in amazing new socks don't stutter!
"Comin' right up, Fluttershy!" A squeaky, cute voice exclaimed, jerking the shy butterstick's head up. Wait. She recognized that voice.
"Oh! Sweetie Belle! I didn't realize that was you." Suddenly, the relativly nice day seemed much warmer, and the socks a tad too much. Why was she even wearing them in the first place? She didn't even know where they had been, or if socks were cool or not! Nopony else was wearing socks! Feeling ridiculous, Fluttershy muttered something, and prepared to leave, forget the plan for chocolate ice cream. And the socks—they didn't make her feel brave anymore.
"Wait! Fluttershy, where are ya goin'?" A soft country twang that sounded an awful lot like Applebloom made her stop in mid air, hovering a foot above the cart. Aw, ponyfeath—oops! Don't think words like that! But if Applebloom and Sweetie were there, that meant Scootaloo was too! All three of them saw her pathetic socks! Oh no!
"Oh my gosh! Those are awesome socks! Where did you get them?" Scootaloo said, her other two friends nodding in agreement. They liked her socks? Really?
Not wanting to seem rude, Fluttershy came back slowly to the cart, her sock-covered hooves feeling a bit more special. "Oh, umm, I just found these this morning. Some kind pony left them there for me at my front door." Or maybe non-pony? Maybe it was an animal friend she didn't know about? Oh, how cute! Caught up in her animal fantasy, Fluttershy didn't notice the three crusaders exchange smiles.
"Say, Fluttershy? Ah think Ah might have an idea of where they there came from." Applebloom smirked and took the 3 coins in, while Scootaloo tried to get out a chocolate scoop. Man, she really needed an actual ice cream scooper, not just a spoon.
Fluttershy cocked her head. "You do? Gosh, I didn't even think who could of given them to me! It could be anypony!" Turning her head, Fluttershy looked behind her nervously, seeming to take this information as a threat.
"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle piped in, putting her front hooves on the counter. "We were just working here in the morning, like about an hour ago, and saw Twilight, Applejack, Rarity—"
"Don't forget Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo yelped, still struggling with Fluttershy's order.
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. "Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie heading over near the Everfree Forest all sneaky and stuff, and they were carrying a box." Fluttershy's eyes widened.
"Could that of been for me? Wha—what color was the box?" Fluttershy asked, leaning in close. She wondered why, out of every other days, her friends decided to give her a present. And socks, no less. It was all very strange.
"Oh, umm.." Sweetie Belle thought for a moment, twirling with her curly mane. "Light yellow, I think? With a pink bow on top. Kinda looked like you, actually."
Fluttershy hit the counter, causing the 3 bits to fall off. "Yes, yes! That was the color! So it was for me! But why?"
"Beats me." Scootaloo laughed, hoofing over the delayed ice cream.
"Hmm. I guess I'll just ask them later." Fluttershy graciously accepted the cone, and giving it a big lick, waved goodbye to the girls. "Bye, girls! Thank you so much for the ice cream!"
"Bye Fluttershy!" they chorused. "Happy Birthday!"