Song of Whispers

by Wintergreen Diaries


Eyes on the Prize

Chapter 18: Eyes on the Prize

Throbbing in the chest, gut, and head: all these could be easily overlooked by Whisper as he opened his eyes to a brilliant morning sun, turning the black soot motes golden and illuminating the room, as well as the disastrous mess he had made the evening prior. True, his exploratory romp through a magnificent house had exacerbated his condition, such that the first thing he did was curl closer to Fluttershy and muffle a whimper of pain with her soft chest fur, but as he lay trembling, it was with a smile that he greeted the painful awakening. He had no way of knowing whether or not he should be worried about his condition, but he couldn’t bring himself to allow such thoughts free reign over his exuberance; a new day to explore was his for the taking. At least, so he thought, until Fluttershy joined him in wakefulness, noticed his condition, and quietly, daintily, blew a fuse.

“Whisper, you stay right here. You’re still hurt, so, well, you’re staying in bed today. No arguments, please.” Her request was ignored, the crestfallen stallion sending her repeated messages attempting to sway her from a sentence almost as bad as being confined to a hospital bed, but Fluttershy was resolute, knowing that whether he liked it or not, he would need time to heal. Giving him a “stern” warning about wandering off, she trotted into the kitchen and rummaged around her cupboards, locating some of her favorite tea and a few painkillers that she had leftover from the subsequent muscle aches after hurricane season. While it had been a tremendous breakthrough for the mare, and she’d readily do it again, pushing herself above and beyond her max wing power had taken a toll, leading her to stay grounded for the next several days.

“Whisper? You better not be out of bed, or you’re going to be in trouble!” she called out, hearing a thump coming from her room. Leaving the water to boil, she cantered slowly back towards her room, purposefully stomping to make her imminent approach known. She stopped just near the doorway and slowly poked her head around the corner, whereupon she found one seemingly well-behaved stallion sitting innocently in bed with another one of her socks slipped over his horn. Her attempt at an authoritative discourse on obedience, and the intended use of socks, was fundamentally flawed due to her excessive giggling, his cluelessness of the proper use of the clothing overriding any resentment at being promptly ignored. But, like a child, he needed to be kept in check, and thus she sat beside him, quieted herself, and made her request a second time.

“I know it doesn’t seem like a lot of fun, having to stay in bed, but you really do need to stay put. Your body needs time to heal, and it’s only going to hurt worse if you move too much.”

“But... I want to see more of your world, Fluttershy.”

“My house isn’t going anywhere, Whisper. You said you’d stay, so there’s really no rush.” Goodness, he’s got the cutest pouting face. Oh, and his lips look really soft, and... Whisper grew slightly confused as the mare’s cheeks changed hue ever so slightly, casting her glance towards the closet which Whisper had thankfully overlooked in his otherwise thorough scouring of her abode. “I, um... Whisper? If you, well... if you’re good and stay in bed, then tonight we’ll... do something special together.” Am I really offering this? Oh, I hope he’s good. I mean... oh dear... It’s just... I think it’d be really fun. And I’ve never done it with anypony before, so it’d be something special for just the two of us.

Something special... with Fluttershy? Such a tantalizing thought required no pondering. “Ok, Fluttershy. I’ll be really good!” The whistle of a ready teapot bid Fluttershy return to the kitchen, though as Whisper closed his eyes, he found that he could still hear the joy in her heart. Not knowing the ins and outs of relationships, he couldn’t have known that was he sensed was the slow bloom of love, but what he could say for sure was that he felt exactly the same way. So focused was he that he didn’t notice her return until she sat down beside him, handing him a mug and cautioning him against attempting to drink it too fast. Maybe a day spent in bed won’t be so bad after all. I wonder what my surprise will be? I hope I get to move at least a little...


I’ve got to stop thinking about all this... There’s nothing I can do, and Berry isn’t budging, no matter how much I try... Snowdrift cracked open his eyes and watched his mare, each breath brushing softly against his face, comforting yet prodding a desire he couldn’t indulge. “I’m not... going to hold back much longer, Berry. You deserve better...” Rising quietly and doing his best not to let depression sink its claws in further, he stepped out of the room and trotted into the kitchen, sitting down at the small table and staring at the woodwork. A glass of wine, enshrouded by a pale red aura, slowly slid in front of him, and as he took a grateful sip he was joined by a smiling unicorn filly who had a knack for knowing exactly what other ponies needed.

“I don’t quite understand what’s going on with you and mom, but worrying isn’t going to help at all,” Ruby stated confidently, almost condescendingly. “Why don’t you take some time to think about whatever is on your mind? I’ll take care of mommy today, ok?”

“I swear, you’re more grown up than me...” Ruby either didn’t hear his muttering or chose to ignore it, but either way she had given him the boost he needed. “If Berry asks, tell her I went to Sweet Apple Acres to hang out with Freefall a bit. I don’t mind if she comes later, but a little time alone may do me some good.”

“You got it, Snow.” Finishing his wine and sipping a little water to clear his palate, he slowly made his way towards the farm, allowing himself a slow walk through the trees in the quietude of the early morn. It bred the perfect atmosphere for reflection, and even despite the incessant nagging at the back of his mind, they were easily overcome by the memories he had made with Berry and Ruby. His revery came to an end as he found himself not to be the only broken pegasus with a load on his mind, finding Freefall seated atop the barn and staring into the horizon, a slow flow of tears trickling down his muzzle.

And just the other night, I was... Dang it, Freefall... I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to make time for you. Hopping up the strategically stacked hay bales, Snowdrift approached cautiously and sat down beside trembling stallion, unable to think of a single time he had ever seen Freefall so distraught. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came. How do I even approach this? I hope... nothing happened between him and Bangles.

“I’m so... bucking worthless...” It wasn’t a needless statement spoken in anger or frustration. Snowdrift could do nothing but stare shell-shocked at his friend, the authenticity of the pained words undeniable. Freefall had with four words summed up the turmoil inside, and the streams grew wider as he hung his head, believing them in their entirety. “I’ve spent my whole life... chasing shallow crap, just looking for my next wing massage, and now... now that I’ve bucking found something worth giving a damn, I can’t... can’t even talk...” Hollow, bitter laughter made Snowdrift cringe as his longtime friend fell apart at the seams, his friend cracking open his eyes so he could watch the tears fall.

“Every night... since I asked her out, I’ve tried, Snow. At first, I’d make it to the door, and then even nearing the tavern became...” Frustration reached the summit of his limits, and with no other way to display it, he punched his hoof through the roof, letting his hoof remain in the hole as he felt the splinters bite into his skin. “I couldn’t even... leave the farm last night.”

Why didn’t I see this sooner? I knew he’s been distracted when he's on cooking duty, but... This has to stop. Freefall glanced over as his hoof was carefully lifted from the hole, bruised and slightly bloody from a few deep splinters. “You’re wrong, you know.” Ignoring how it might be perceived, Snowdrift set about yanking the wooden barbs out with his teeth before wiping away the blood and forcing eye contact with the stallion who felt he truly had nothing to offer anypony. “You’re not giving up, Freefall. I won’t let you. You need Bangles just as much as she needs you, and the fact that you’re... as broken as you are shows just how real what you’re feeling is.”

“It hurts...”

“Yes, it does...” he murmured, drawing his friend into a tight embrace.

“What the hay are you talking about? Only thing... I’ve seen you and Berry do is smile...” Freefall chanced a glance at Snowdrift whose face was now nearly as pained as his. It wasn’t something he wanted to talk about, but Freefall needed to know he wasn’t suffering alone, and so Snowdrift crammed down his shame and opened himself for the good of a broken friend.


Whisper discovered that he rather liked tea. It had an amazing smell, a delicate taste made better by the presence of honey, and warmed him on the inside almost like having his muzzle kissed. What he did not like, however, were the pills Fluttershy had given him, assuring him that they would help the pain in his chest die down. Fluttershy reached out a hoof a little as he crunched into them, though not in time to prevent their mastication and subsequent expulsion, Whisper pawing at his tongue in a desperate effort to rid himself of the bitter taste.

I really need to think things through a little better. I keep forgetting he doesn’t know anything. “I’m sorry, Whisper. I kind of forgot to tell you to just swallow them.” He wasn’t upset, per se, but he did demand another cup of tea to wash away the remainder of the lingering taste, which Fluttershy promptly supplied, along with two more pills. He eyed them cautiously, slipped them in, and washed them down with suspicion, expecting immediate relief but noticing no change.

“It’s not working.”

“Well, not yet, silly. It will take some time for them to start helping. Just lay back and rest, ok? I’m going to start cleaning the, um... mess,” she murmured, turning her head and looking out at the disaster area that had replaced her living room. Reassuring the stallion that she was indeed not upset by the monumental task that awaited her, she set about her morning chores with restored vigor, feeding Angel and the other animals first before sweeping up the floor. It was fortunate that she had hardwood floors, because otherwise it would have taken her well into the afternoon.

“Fluttershy! There’s somepony here!”

“Whisper? How do you...” she started before frantic knocking bid her lay down the broom in a hurry. A thump behind her drew her eyes towards her room where she found her bed abandoned, Whisper having hastily scrambled underneath to beg sanctuary from the family of dust motes who made the shady space their residence. A green hoof snaked out and snatched the remainder of his tail, and with everything ready, she opened the door to find Crimson and Cerulean right outside. “What... oh dear, that’s right. I didn’t have time to tell you both.”

“Is it... is he really awake?” Cerulean urged, scanning the house but seeing nothing.

“Yes, he is, but... he’s still hurt, and very frightened of ponies still. I don’t think it’s a good idea for...” Cerulean didn’t even have to speak, the desperation in his eyes screaming out on his behalf. “Let me talk to him. Wait here, ok?” Leaving the two at the door, she knelt down beside the bed and gave the form huddled underneath a slight nudge. “Whisper? Um, your brother and sister are here. They’d like to see you. If you don’t mind, I mean.”

“Fluttershy, I... I don’t think I’m ready for that yet...”

“I know, Whisper, but, well, how are you going to get any better if you don’t try? They’re both very nice ponies, so you don’t need to be afraid of them.”

I know you’re telling me the truth, but that blue one... I can feel this terrible longing... I can’t face him now. But I can feel that Fluttershy wants this. If it’s to make her happy, then maybe... “One week. Give me one week, and then... I’ll try meeting somepony else.” A gentle hoof on his shoulder further eased his anxieties, if only by a little.

“I’m very proud of you, Whisper. Now, get back in bed. You still want your surprise, don’t you?” Chancing the briefest of glances at the two unicorns at the door, Whisper eased himself from his dusty comfort blanket of sorts and returned to his real ones, closing his eyes and listening. “I know you’re probably both very eager to see him, but, you see, he’s not quite ready yet. He asked me for one week to adjust, and then he’ll try again, if that’s ok.”

“I’ve been waiting for sixteen years, Fluttershy. What’s one more week?” Cerulean said with a chuckle, simply relieved that he was going to have the chance at all. “How is he doing physically? I can’t imagine he’d be completely healed just yet.”

“He’s got some pain in his chest still, but other than that...” She shook her head, causing Cerulean to exchange a worried glance with Crimson. “He’s a hoofful, Cerulean. I mean, just look at this place!” she exclaimed, stepping back and motioning to her house, still in a dreadful state of disarray.

“Some things don’t ever change,” Crimson quipped, laughing quietly and taking in the scene. “Jade was a nice pony, but he was both excitable and messy. Honestly, this looks much like his room used to. Remember that one time...”

“That he painted a mural on the living room wall with peanut butter and three kinds of jelly?” Cerulean finished, chuckling as the green unicorn shot him a skeptical stare before shutting his eyes once more. “You have your work cut out for you, Fluttershy. But... thank you. I can rest easy knowing that he’s with you.”

“Oh, the pleasure is all mine, really,” Fluttershy replied happily, casting a fond glance behind her. Crimson turned to leave but again returned her attention towards Cerulean as he instead took a step forward.

“Fluttershy, can you give something to Jade, er... Whisper for me?”

“Of course, Cerulean. What is...” she started before she was wrapped in a mighty hug. Overcome by the joy of having his brother practically return from the dead, he forsook any possible social boundaries he may have been crossing and held the mare tight, and while Crimson snickered, mentally preparing a barrage of jibes with which to pester him on the return trip home, Fluttershy accepted the motion as intended. Cerulean, you must miss your brother very, very much. “I’ll do my very best to help you two come back together, Cerulean. Just give me a little time, and I’m sure you two will be playing together soon.” She bid them both farewell, closing the door and turning to find Whisper wearing a scowl, hooves folded across his chest. “Is something the matter, Whisper?”

“I didn’t like that. I thought... I'm your special somepony, so why did he put his hooves around you? I just don’t like that!”

He’s... jealous? Whisper’s mood temporarily darkened as the mare’s face lit up, his envy proving to her that he really did feel something for her. He was forced to relent as she climbed up onto the bed, eased him onto his back, and wrapped her hooves around his neck, whispering softly. “Whisper... nopony could ever replace you, so don’t be jealous... I’ll never hold Cerulean the way I hold you, because you,” she paused, punctuating her proclamation with a quick peck on the nose, “are my one and only special somepony.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”


“Buck, Snowdrift... that...” Freefall could only shake his head, his oblivious assumption that everything had been sunshine and cupcakes for his friend being proven terribly wrong. Silence reigned for a time as both sat in deep reflection, Snowdrift fighting to quell the tides of apathy that threatened to drag him into a mire of depression that would likely last the rest of the day. Standing and stretching, he turned to Freefall with a dangerous looking smile which, while succeeding in temporarily wrenching his mind from his self-loathing, also disturbed him to the core. This feeling was forged, tempered, and shined to a sparkle as Snowdrift made his proposal.

“I’m not going to allow either of us to spend the rest of today sulking. My problems... can’t be fixed overnight, if at all. You, on the other hoof, simply need to find the strength and will to either pull your hoof out of your mouth, or learn to talk around it. Just talking in general would be a step in the right direction.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“I’m not ragging on you for no reason, Freefall. Come on, follow me.” Hopping down, they made their way into the orchard, far enough away from the house that nopony would notice them or hear, save if somepony screamed. “So here’s the deal. You need speech training, and I need to cheer up. You’re going to talk to me like I’m Bangles, and I’m going to do my best to laugh at you.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Ok, ok, I’ll toss in some pointers here and there.”

“No, I’m not doing it,” he stated confidently, turning to leave when a grey blur rushed in front of him and gave him a cold glare.

“Freefall, I’m not letting you walk away. You’re scared out of your bucking mind, but you’re not worthless, and I’m sure Bangles doesn’t think so either. If anything, I’d guess she misses you, even from what little time you’ve spent together. So it’s time, my dear friend, for you to grow a pair and prove you’re a stallion, so that when you do woo your mare, you can actually do something about it!”

“Ok, fine! Let’s get this over with,” he conceded, heaving a sigh and having little faith that the exercise would accomplish anything other than lowering his self esteem.

“Actually... let’s start with something simple. Why do you like her, Freefall?”

“Because she’s... well...” Given the fact that he didn’t immediately start to describe in vivid detail the more sensuous areas of her body, stressed again that his friend truly was serious about the mare. “She’s... pretty, and... nice.”

Ok, well, physical appearance was the first thing he named, but still. Perhaps the mares of this town will be safe if I can help make this work. “Ok, quiz time over. Tickle my ears with your dulcet tones, or face the consequences.”

“Consequences? How could you possibly make it any worse?”

“I could go talk to her about that time in Cloudspire...”

“That really narrows it down.”

“With those three mares and that one...” Before the statement could be finished, or even thought about further, Snowdrift found himself quite with an uncomfortable mouthful of Freefall’s hoof as his embarrassment again won out over fear that the incident would again be brought to light.

“Ok, ok, you win! Just don’t...”

“What was his name again?” Snowdrift taunted, yanking his muzzle away and doing his best to ignore the wry taste in his mouth.

“I’m going to beat you.”

“Oh, come on. That’s no way to talk to your mare,” Snowdrift murmured, faking a female voice and tittering. He rose to his hooves, dusted himself off, and waited. “Freefall? I’m Bangles. Woo me.” Humiliation, along with its good friend dejection and none-too-distant cousin self-loathing, decided to throw a party in Freefall’s mind as he subjected himself to, perhaps, the most shameful display since being rejected by Carrot Top, of all mares. Even in role play, he couldn’t quite get past his verbal blundering, and thus, after an hour or two of making no headway whatsoever, Snowdrift pressed further, hoping that frustration and, in all likelihood, a desire to rip him limb from limb, may prompt clearer speech.

“You act any more nervous with me, and ponies are gonna think you’re into colt cuddling, Freefall. But hey, I ain’t judging.”

“Shut up, Snowdrift. I’m warning you.”

“See? You said that just fine. Not quite the words I wanted to hear, though,” he replied smoothly, adding a seductive tone to the mockery he was making of Bangles’ own, infuriating the struggling stallion further.

“I’m... going to...”

“Yes? Oh, do tell. Don’t leave your mare hanging, Freefall.” Ok, so I’m kind of abandoning my role here, but... eh, I’ll ask for forgiveness later. It was, in retrospect, a poor choice for both of them. His patience at his limit, Freefall tackled Snowdrift to the ground, standing over him with his muzzle just inches from his vexingly cheerful friend who couldn’t take a hint. “Oh my, that’s moving a bit fast, Freefall. Well, if you don’t mind, I guess I...”

“You’d what?” Both heads turned to see Berry standing a short distance away, her slight intoxication making it somewhat difficult to maintain her icy glare. “Oh, no, don’t mind me. I’d like to see how this plays out.”

“Freefall, you can move now.”

“Oh, but... you said it was all right if I...” he replied, well beyond frustrated and too aggravated to care how his actions were received.

“Dude, seriously?” Unfortunately, Snowdrift had no idea how seriously upset Freefall was. He did, however, have a fairly accurate guess when he suddenly found his mouth, and by proxy tongue, unceremoniously occupied with Freefall’s. Even the birds stopped singing at the overwhelming awkwardness of the situation, Berry having stopped breathing as Freefall shot his wings out as much as he could manage. Even for the purposes of payback, his dedication could only extend so far, so after a few seconds of exploration into a field he had never hoped to return to, he pulled away, spat profusely, and shuddered a little before folding his wings and grinning up at Berry.

“What? It’s not the first time that’s happened. Snow, you still taste nasty. Berry, you can have him.” Neither pony could respond, Berry not believing what she had seen and Snowdrift not able to accept what he had just tasted.

“Ugh.... What the hay is wrong with you? I was only trying to help you with talking to Bangles, not help you act out your fantasies! That was freaking nasty...”

“You abandoned any semblance of helping me like twenty minutes ago, so don’t even try that.”

“So, Freefall, tell me,” Berry began, feigning embarrassment. “How are you going to explain kissing another stallion to Bangles, hmmm?” It hadn’t even crossed his mind, but he had just kissed another pony while in a relationship with an emotionally traumatized mare that hadn’t even seen him since asking her out. In a word? He was bucked.


The excitement racing through Fluttershy’s body was so much more than a simple thrill. As each hour passed and evening drew nigh, an anticipation she hadn’t imagined had made her every bit as incapable of sitting still as the stallion who had, much to her imminent pleasure, had remained focused on his task of staying in bed. The house was cleaned, the animals fed, Angel still unhappy about her attention being divided though happy to have her back, and as she set down the brush, she checked his daily grooming off of the mental list and took a deep breath to prepare herself for what awaited them both.

This is just so... Whisper’s ears twitched as Fluttershy broke into a tremendous grin, face partially obscured with her hooves as she made the most curious of noises.

That wasn’t quite a squeal... what did that even mean? She looks really, REALLY happy.

Oh goodness, it’s time! It’s time! I’m nervous, but I don’t care! Or do I? Maybe I should take some time to calm down, just a little bit. No! Yes? Yes! Still failing to communicate properly, she bolted from the room, leaving Whisper to ponder what “squee” meant. She returned a short time later with a bowl filled with little white things he didn’t recognize, lowered the shades, and trotted nervously over to the closet; the one place he hadn’t managed to catch a glimpse. “Whisper? You’ve, um...” I’m really going to do this? “You’ve been very good today, so... there’s something I want to share with you.” The only pony... that I trust enough for this. I wouldn’t even... do this with Rainbow Dash. Well, maybe... but right now, I just want to share this with you, Whisper. Her hoof slowly descended on the handle, and Whisper gazed with wonder as the door slowly opened.