Acoustic Resonance

by Radiant Dawn

Chapter 2: Old Flames

Chapter 2: Old Flames

The next morning was upon me, and it was mercifully quiet in comparison with my normal life. It had stormed heavily the past night and was still raining, so luckily I didn’t have to do a meet-and-greet with any of the ponies from the town. Not that I was antisocial or anything, it was just that I wanted to settle in a little more before being buddy-buddy with fans or the random friendly pony. Besides, it had been too long since my sister and I had just sat around and spent quality time together.

So that’s exactly what I planned to do.

I woke up in a soft bed, and the heartache from the previous night had faded to a manageable level. I didn’t even worry about the fact that it was obvious Fluttershy had found me and placed me in her bed, as it wasn’t the first time she’d had to scrape me off of the floor for one reason or another. I took a quick look around the room and noticed that not only had she tucked me in her own bed, but she’d made sure my glasses were set safely upon the bedside table, with the letter to Tavi right next to them.

I yawned as I rolled to my stomach and pushed myself up, stretching out my neck and back as I did so and enjoying the satisfying pops that accompanied it. I then shimmied out from under the soft blanket and trotted to Fluttershy’s bathroom and went about running myself a bath.

Just as I expected, she had hung up my monogrammed white towel on the rack next to the tub itself, and had set up a stereo in the bathroom. She knew my habits a little too well it seemed, but I wasn’t complaining either. I trotted over to the stereo and flipped a switch, and soft music started to play. I had a bit of a guilty pleasure for gentle, ambient music, as it was expected for a DJ like me to listen to blasting electronic music all of the time. It just wasn’t who I was, but if the fans liked to think it was, I wasn’t going to correct them.

I trotted back over to the tub and shut off the faucet before using a nearby step-stool to get in. The relaxing heat permeated my skin as soon as I slipped into it, and I let out a soft groan of contentment. Another thing I hadn’t allowed myself until recently was the time to simply sit in a hot bubble bath and relax. Is it cliché? Yeah, but it was also unbelievably relaxing. It had a way of setting my mind completely at ease in a way almost nothing else could.

So, I sank beneath the warm embrace of the bath, and let it carry me away for a few minutes.

---

Some time later Fluttershy and I were having tea downstairs with a friend of hers, a white unicorn named Rarity. Now even though I wasn’t particularly wanting her, I could admit when somepony was attractive. I could honestly say that Rarity was gorgeous. Like, she would look perfectly at home coming down the Grand Stair outside of Canterlot Castle, with one of those long flowing dresses that the princesses always wear.

The mare was nice enough and was absolutely ecstatic when she found out that Fluttershy and I were sisters. She ended up rambling something about my sister being my polar opposite (which I agreed with) and me having the “most brilliant white coat and vivid ruby eyes” she’d ever seen. I’d been complemented on a lot of different things over the years, but it was nice to hear something that wasn’t about my “tight plot” or “suckin’ lips”. Yeah...as a DJ I’d heard almost everything under the sun, and it didn’t really bother me anymore. Still, it was always nice to receive an honest and respectful compliment once in awhile.

I must have been tuning out Rarity’s ramblings, because the next thing I knew I looked up and she was staring at me expectantly.

I cleared my throat and said, “Um, what?”

“Well,” she began, obviously knowing I wasn’t listening, “are you going?”

I cautiously turned my eyes to my sister, and she mouthed a word. I turned back to Rarity and smiled. “Of course! I wouldn’t miss one of Pinkie Pie’s parties for the world. Her and I are cool...real cool. Like cold...no, ice cold!”

Rarity stared at me for a moment before huffing. “I thought I had you that time, but you cheated. No using your sister to get out of trouble.”

I chuckled and levitated my cup to my mouth, taking a sip of the lemony-sweet tea. “Aww, you didn’t say that, so I didn’t know. Next time you gotta lay the rules out ahead of time.”

She softly giggled in a cute way that made me think she had to be younger than her image looked. Not that she looked old, but she just had a rather mature aura about her. It might have been the way she presented herself, or maybe it was the way she did her hair. Whatever the reason, I found myself easily respecting her, simply because she was polite, easygoing, and knew how to have a good laugh.

Through my sister’s letters, I had been told that Rarity was the only other pony she felt very close to other than myself and Rainbow Dash. It made sense now that I’d personally had a short introduction with both of them. Rainbow Dash was pretty masculine for a mare, almost like one of the stallions, really. Rarity on the other hoof was very gentle, sophisticated, and feminine. In essence, the two balanced each other out as far as Fluttershy’s friends.

The truth was Fluttershy was a big jumble of different personality quirks. For example, even though she didn’t seem it, she actually loved to roughhouse with ponies she trusted, and was actually pretty strong for a pegasus. I remembered that oftentimes when we still lived together as fillies, we would end up getting into little wrestling matches. She would always win of course, being stronger than me and having two extra limbs to use, but it was still fun.

On the other hoof, she also loved to get pampered with massages, bubble baths, and stuff like that. She didn’t particularly like makeup, but loved to shop, becoming a completely different pony when she went to a store she liked.

So I guess her two best friends evened her out.

“Darling, you’re doing it again.” Rarity commented in annoyance.

I shook my head to clear the thoughts, and smiled sheepishly at her. “Sorry. I got thoughts...you know how it is.”

Her smile returned, and she nodded. “All too well, dear.” She took the last sip of her teacup and stood, grinning at the two of us. “Why I am just so happy dear Fluttershy has a sibling as...forthcoming as you.”

I raised my eyebrow in confusion. “Thanks, I guess.”

She smiled a polite little smile before turning and embracing my sister before pulling away. “Now, I must be leaving, as it is imperative I am decent for the party. Thank you so much for the tea, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy smiled warmly and shook her head. “Oh, it was no problem at all. Thank you so much for coming. I’ll see you tonight, Rarity!”

Rarity nodded in a friendly manner as she left, leaving me and my sister alone again.

“Well,” I began, with a happy grin, “she was fun. If the rest of your friends are that cool, I can’t wait to meet ‘em.”

She smiled and fluttered over to me. “You really think she was cool?”

I chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, she was rad! I mean I don’t expect her to show up in the club scene anytime soon, but she was nice, and polite, and...well, cool stuff.”

My sister giggled happily as she nodded. “Oh I’m sure you’ll get along with the rest of them just fine.”

I took the last gulp of the tea and sighed contentedly before standing. “Well, I need to go and mail that letter off to Tavi, and then we’ll hang out for a bit before we get ready for Pinkie’s party. You are coming, right?”

She nodded with a bright smile. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss one of Pinkie’s parties, even if they are a little loud.”

I trotted by my sister towards the door and nuzzled her on the way, saying, “Don’t ever change, sis.” With that, I left the home and closed the door behind me, orienting myself towards the town square of Ponyville in the distance.

---

It was amazing just how warm and inviting Ponyville was. I’d never actually stayed any length of time in the small town, but I had done a few shows around the place for one reason or another...usually because of Pinkie Pie. It was a common occurrence for a pony to offer a smile or a wave around here, whether a complete stranger or not. It gave the town a very “homey” feel to it, and in honesty I found myself wondering why I hadn’t moved to Ponyville sooner.

Oh yeah...my career, that’s why.

Still, I’d paid my dues in the rough spots of Manehattan, and now I was successful enough that I could work from pretty much anywhere. It allowed me more freedom in my life, though I still had to keep up public appearances. That meant I had to show up to the Monster Ball that Princess Luna would be hosting in four months on Nightmare Night, and it also meant I would have to make an appearance at the Grand Galloping Gala as well. True, it was an honor to be invited to both events, but I had to remind myself it was more for business than pleasure.

As I trotted my way from my sister’s house to the local post office, I found myself receiving quite a few smiles or waves from complete strangers. It was something I wasn’t used to, because in Manehattan, you were lucky to get anything but cursed or sneered at by neighbors or passer-bys. It further added to the warm atmosphere of the whole town, that seemed to welcome me with its very scenery.

I arrived at the post office just ten or so minutes after leaving my temporary home and the first thing I saw when I walked in was a peculiar pony at the counter. She was a gray pegasus with a blonde mane and tail. Not necessarily strange by anypony’s standards, I know, but the thing that stuck out were her eyes. They were staring off in different directions ‒ one right at me, and the other off towards the ceiling towards her right. Now I’m not the most subtle of ponies to be sure, but I tried my best to keep from staring...until I realized she was the only pony attending the counter. It meant that I’d have to look at her to keep from seeming rude, so I would be staring.

“Hi, and welcome to the Ponyville Post Office!” she greeted happily with a cute giggle. “My name’s Ditzy Doo, and I’ll be helping you today!”

I found it a little strange that her salutation was the kind of thing you’d hear from a waitress at a restaurant, but I liked the mare simply because of how happy and warm she seemed, so I passed it off as just who she was. I approached the counter and laid the letter on the countertop and said, “Nice to meet you Ditzy. I’m Vinyl Scratch, and I need to mail a letter.”

She nodded excitedly as she took my scroll and looked over it with one of her eyes (the one I assumed was her “good” one). “Okay, where’s it going, who’s it for, and what kind of delivery do you want?”

I thought for a moment, remembering Octavia’s address before answering, “Um, 2305 Seafoam Rd, Manehattan, Equestria, 24012. It’s going to an Octavia Melody, and I need overnight delivery.”

She nodded again and grabbed a scroll cylinder from under the counter, picking up a pen with her mouth and writing a few things on a piece of parchment before placing the parchment around the scroll and placing it into the cylinder itself. The cylinder was then placed into a mailbag that was hanging on a hook labeled “Manehattan” before turning back to me. “Alright, that’ll be twenty bits.”

I levitated my bit pouch out of my small saddlebag and passed two ten-bit coins to her. She gently grabbed the bits in her teeth and tossed them into the cash register before a slip of paper printed out of a small printer. Once it was finished, she tore the slip off and handed me my receipt and confirmation of mail.

I nodded as I levitated the paper to my bag and stated. “Thanks a lot, I appreciate it.”

She gave me a toothy grin and answered, “You’re welcome! Thanks a lot for using the Ponyville Postal Service. We’ll make sure your letter gets where it needs to.”

I gave a nod to the mailpony and left the post office to head back to my sister’s house, only to be caught off-guard by a voice I never thought I’d hear from again.

“Vinyl?!” called the voice from behind me.

Had I not been wearing my glasses, everypony around me would have noticed my eyes widening to the point of nearly popping out of my skull. I whipped my head around in shock and answered, “Berry?”

Sure enough, the magenta-colored earth pony mare was galloping towards me with a wide smile on her face, and I smiled wide as I stood on my hind legs and extended my arms wide to catch her. She jumped through the air and tackled me to the ground at the last moment, sending us both sprawling to the grass beside the path to Fluttershy’s house.

I laughed loudly as she hugged me tight, cutting off my breath momentarily before standing up off of me. “Gosh Vinyl, I never thought I’d see you here of all places!”

I rolled over onto my stomach and stood, shaking out my mane and picking up my glasses, putting them back on my face. “I actually moved here. For the foreseeable future, I’m a Ponyville resident.”

Berry’s pink eyes widened a bit as her smile grew even larger. “Really? That’s so cool!”

I smirked and motioned back towards the town, my mind made up. “Hey Berry, I’m not doing anything until tonight. You want to hang out for awhile?”

Her smile seemed to grow even larger as she nodded furiously. “That sounds great! I can show you my new shop!”

I chuckled as I followed the excited vintner to her shop in Ponyville, glad to have found another friend.

---

Berry Punch had plenty to say of course, with it having been nearly a year since we’d last seen each other. She’d always been a rambler, so I let her talk while I half-listened and reminisced about our past together while we walked to her wine shop.

I met Berry Punch at the same party and on the same night as I got my cutie mark. Her and I were simple guests at the house of some rich stallion that decided to throw a gig while his parents were out of town, but the DJ sucked. So, when the music-pony went outside for a smoke break, I decided to get up on the turntables to see if I could do any better. Within seconds, I got a feel for the way the controls worked, the way the sampler pulled sounds, and soon had a string of songs playing, being mixed in a way that no pony had ever heard before. Much to my surprise, when the hired DJ reentered the room, he didn’t kick me off his system. Instead, he stood by with a wide grin on my face and nodded at me to continue, which I did.

By the end of that first set, my cutie mark had appeared on my flank. I’d always been good at playing music, but that night was the first time I truly found a passion in it. Berry Punch had approached me as I stepped down from the DJ booth, to a large amount of applause from all the partygoers, saying that she’d noticed a “spark” in my eyes that she liked. She introduced me to alcohol for the first time (I was only thirteen then), and the night progressed pretty quickly from there.

I woke up the next morning in the embrace of Berry Punch, who was spooning me from behind. I quickly checked over myself to find that I wasn’t wet or sticky, I wasn’t sore, and the room didn’t smell like sex. With my mind set at ease that I’d at the most made out with Berry and fell asleep with her, I flopped back to the bed and smiled. Got my cutie mark the previous night, and woke up next to a cute mare in the morning.

Life couldn’t have gotten much better than that.

Berry Punch and I stayed close through high school, but my pining for Octavia ruined any chance we had of a true relationship. Hurtful words ended up being said by both of us, but we made up a week after. True that I still could admit to myself that she was a cute mare, but I just couldn’t see her as a potential romantic interest anymore. Not that my obsession with a certain gray earth pony would have made things any easier, but at the time, I tried to rationalize with myself that it wasn’t because of that.

After high school, Berry Punch moved back to Ponyville to start her own winery, just like her mother and father before her. She became a sixth-generation vintner from her family line, and was more than happy with such a life. Unfortunately for me, the best place for an up-and-coming DJ was Manehattan, so while she moved away, I ended up having to stay in the “city that never sleeps”. We kept in contact through letters and the occasional phone call, but so much time apart has a way of causing hearts to drift away, no matter how much I fought it.

Then one day, she showed up at one of my shows.

That was over a year ago, and after catching up with her and hearing all about Ponyville, I promised myself that if I ever moved out of Manehattan, Ponyville would be the place I’d go to. So while it was true that I just needed to get away from Manehattan and chill out, Berry Punch was the reason I chose Ponyville out of the other places I could have gone, besides my sister of course.

A tapping on my shoulder “woke” me from my memories, and Berry Punch smiled at me as she pointed to a burgundy and white brick building with like a million windows.

“Here we are.” she said happily, trotting towards her door before opening it and looking back at me. “Well come on in, there’s no need to stand outside looking.”

I stopped gawking at the outside of the building and trotted inside, kicking the door closed behind me as I entered. Immediately, I was hit with cool air in the well-insulated home, indicating she had been able to afford air-conditioning spells to be put on the structure itself.

“Wow,” I commented, looking around as I took my glasses off, “real nice place, Berry.”

She giggled and nodded as she trotted over to the cash register and leaned on the counter. “Yep! I’ve done pretty well for myself, if I do say so...and I do.” She motioned her head to a reinforced glass case behind her that held a collection of bottles that looked more ornate than the rest. “My family’s secret formula just happens to be Princess Luna’s favorite wine. We’re the only ones that make it, and the formula itself is only written down once. The rest of it is kept by memory by us for safety reasons. Is it a bit of a monopoly? Yes, it is. We can’t help that the princess likes our wine more than any other, though.”

I chuckled and rested my glasses on my horn. “Supply and demand. It’s the law of the business, babe.”

Berry led me to the back room that was her office and offered me a seat on a plush crimson sitting pillow, which I took gratefully. She then popped the cork on a bottle of sparkling golden grape juice (she never drinks on the job) and poured me a glass before passing it to me.

“So Vinyl,” she began, watching me intently as I took the glass from her, “why are you really here? I think it’s safe to assume you weren’t here simply to drop in and then decided to shack up in this town.”

I shook my head as I sipped the silky-smooth juice. “Nah. I’d been planning to move away from Manehattan for awhile now, and since both you and my sister live here-”

“Wait, your sister? You have a sister?” she interrupted with a raised eyebrow.

I felt my brow scrunch up a bit as I nodded. “Uh, yeah. I never told you about her?”

Berry shook her head as her jaw dropped open. “No. I think I’d remember my best friend and one of the hottest flanks of our teenage years having a sister.”

I shrugged. “I guess I must have forgotten to tell you about her. Most ponies around here know her, but they don’t know we’re related. You probably know her as Fluttershy.”

She frowned as she pointed out the window at the open fields to the southwest of Ponyville. “The shy pegasus that lives near the Everfree?”

I nodded. “That’s her. And no, neither of us is adopted, so please don’t ask.”

“Hmm…” she hummed to herself, considering the new information, “I never would have noticed that had you not told me. You two are almost nothing alike.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “Only to ponies who don’t really know her. So few actually take the time and have the patience to get to know her that so many miss out on a great pony.” I then turned my gaze back to Berry and asked, “That aside though, how has she gotten along here in Ponyville?”

She shrugged. “Pretty well, I guess. She keeps to herself for the most part, so the only time I see her is if I pass by her in the market, or if her and her friends are handling one of the many crazy things that seem to happen around here.”

I chuckled and nodded. “So I’ve heard. I mean, I see my sister every now and then, but I doubt I hear about everything that goes on around here.” I shrugged as I collected myself. “Nonetheless, it’s good to know she’s alright. I worry about her getting into trouble.”

Berry raised her eyebrow as she swallowed a mouthful of the juice. “Fluttershy getting into trouble? Please. Not counting the crazy adventures she goes on with her friends, she’s the anti-trouble.”

I would have to ask ‘Shy about that all at some point. It seems that since moving to Ponyville, she’d chilled out a lot. It was almost like I was the only pony that really knew her. No big deal, I guess. Time changes us all, really. Some more than others, but even I couldn’t say I was the same pony I was when her and I were just fillies.

I offered Berry a shrug as I replied, “Well I guess that’s better than finding out she was the town drunk or something.”

She barked a laugh and shook her head. “I don’t think she’s ever even touched a drop of alcohol!”

I gained a mischievous smirk as I said, “Well, her birthday’s coming up soon. We’ll have to change that.” I took the last sip of my drink before standing. “Well, I gotta get back to my sister. I want to spend some time with her before we head to Pinkie’s party. I’ll see you later, ‘kay?”

Berry nodded with a warm smile. “Sure thing, Vi. You take care of yourself.”

---

After leaving Berry’s house, I just spent time walking around the town that would be my new home. As I imagined, it lacked the giant neon signs of Manehattan, and wasn’t filled with the hustle and bustle of Canterlot. It was quiet, quaint, and beautiful in a way that architecture couldn’t replicate. I would always enjoy the kick of the bass and the shine of the lights on stage, but a part of me enjoyed the simplicity of Ponyville. It was pure; virgin.

As I made my way back toward my sister’s house, I caught sight of her friends in passing, even greeting her unicorn friend named Rarity. She was a nice mare, but she was obsessed with redoing my mane style. I could already tell she was going to get on my nerves if I spent an extended length of time with her.

Applejack seemed pretty cool though. Farmer pony, but a lot smarter than I would have expected. Not necessarily book-smarts, mind, but still clearly intelligent. I had no doubt that she could be a famous researcher or something if she had grown up in Canterlot or something instead of on a farm.

Pinkie Pie was a good friend of mine already, though I always made time to see her when I got the chance. It was a little surreal seeing her just calmly serving baked treats instead of zipping around a party she had organized. Still, I liked this new dimension to her. It gave Pinkie a more realistic feel that made it easier to relate to her; under all the hype, she was just a working mare that loved what she did.

Last of my sister’s friends was Twilight Sparkle.

I’d heard of the magical prodigy that was the Element of Magic; honestly, I’d be surprised if there was a pony in Equestria who hadn’t heard of her. I mean, becoming the personal student of Princess Celestia was a big deal already, but then she and the other Elements of Harmony had saved the world like three times already. I still remember when the Elements of Harmony were first revealed, everypony treated them like celebrities. It took some time, but eventually things died down to a normal level. For ponies like Pinkie and Applejack, it simply took the populace seeing them doing their normal jobs for them to realize that they were the same as the rest of us...just with really awesome magic necklace-things.

Meeting Twilight Sparkle was an experience, to say the least. First of all, she had a baby dragon that lived with her. That alone was enough to catch my interest, but then there was the fact that she was more than a little eccentric. Maybe it was my innate interest in all things weird and wonderful, but I liked the strange, the misunderstood, and the interesting. Needless to say, after talking with Twilight Sparkle about who I was, where I was staying, why, and with whom, she became rather interested in me as well. She was one of those ponies that just wanted to know and understand everything and everypony ‒ the weirder, the better. With this attribute, I found a bit of a kindred spirit, and I promised her that I’d visit for a bit of tea and a chat.

When I finally arrived back at my sister’s home, it was to the smell of something wonderful cooking, and Angel waving happily to me. It was little things like my sister’s behavior, Angel’s attitude (or lack thereof), and other small instances that made me feel special when I was at ‘Shy’s house. There was so much when it came to her that only I had seen and knew about. It went beyond just being a sister; we were best friends too.

---

After finishing dinner and cleaning up, ‘Shy and I chilled out in her family room, just talking about each other’s day and such. It was mostly small talk until she brought up the one thing I really didn’t want to talk about.

“Did you send the letter to Octavia?” she asked innocently.

I gulped and nodded. “Yeah, I did.”

To any other pony, such a question would be as innocent as the smile she was putting on, but I knew my sister better than that. She was going to draw out my worries, like she always did, and I’d likely spend the next hour crying while she held me.

She tilted her head curiously and asked, “So are you feeling better today?”

I nodded an honest affirmative. “Yeah, I am. Sorry you had to see me like that last night.”

‘Shy shook her head with a soft smile. “Don’t be sorry, Venicia. You know you can always come to me with anything and I’ll never judge you.”

There it was, the question that wasn’t a question. What I heard was, “So why were you crying in the first place? And don’t lie to me, because I’ll know and will make you feel horrible if you do.”

I sighed and nodded. “I know, sis.” I scooted closer to her on her couch, rolling onto my back and setting my head in her lap. “I miss her already. It’s only been a day, but I miss her.” She just brought her hoof down and stroked my mane as I closed my eyes, relishing the soft touch. “Sometimes I wish things could be different, you know? But at the same time, I wonder just how much else would change.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice strong and comforting.

I let a breath out through my nose as I relished the aura of serenity my sister seemed to exude. “What if Tavi and I had gotten together? Would I have ever come to Ponyville in the first place? Would I have done something stupid and ruined my friendship with Octavia? There’s just so much that could have changed, and even though I miss Tavi, I’m not sure I want to know how things would have been different. I’m comfortable with the way things are.” ‘Shy cleared her throat, and I sighed in defeat. “Okay, I’m mostly comfortable with the way things are.”

“Why didn’t you ever tell her?” she asked gently, her hoof still running through my hair.

I snorted in amusement, with just a hint of bitterness. “You know how Tavi is ‒ she gets embarrassed easily. How do you think she’d react to her best friend saying she loves her? She’d probably never be able to look at me the same again, and I cherish what we have too much to risk that. Besides, she’s straight as an arrow. It wouldn’t have made any difference.”

“Are you sure about that?” ‘Shy asked, causing me to open my eyes and focus on her. “Are you positive that she couldn’t love a mare? Did you ever actually ask her?”

“That ain’t the kind of thing you just go up and ask somepony without things getting weird.” I retorted blandly. “But no, I never asked her. The fact that she never dated any fillies when we were in school pretty much spoke for itself.”

My sister sighed in disappointment and shook her head. “You’re a moron sometimes, Venicia.”

I was about to shoot back a response when I was bopped on the nose by a furry white paw, and noticed Angel had not only heard my words, but decided I needed a little smack.

I rolled my eyes in frustration. “Alright sure, let’s all gang up on Vinyl. What are you talking about?”

My sister’s gaze bored down on me, and I had to fight to keep from flinching. “First of all, you never actually asked her if she preferred fillies or colts, did you?”

I shrugged gently. “W-well no, but-”

“And,” she continued, cutting me off, “do you have so little faith in your friendship with Octavia? After everything you two have been through together, do you really think she would just abandon you over something like her best friend having feelings for her? Whether she returned them or not, I know she would stay friends with you and support you in whatever way she could. I’ve never seen two friends closer than the two of you, not even between myself and the other Elements. Do you really think she would be upset that you care about her so much?”

I huffed with growing annoyance and threw my arms up. “I don’t know, okay? All I know is that I’m-” I trailed off as I centered myself, and continued in a much more calm tone. “I’m scared, ‘Shy...terrified, actually. If my business has taught me anything, it’s that ponies will leave you at the drop of a hat, for little or no reason if there’s nothing in it for them. Every time I’ve thought I could count on somepony, I’ve been proven wrong; every time I trusted somepony, that trust was thrown back in my face.”

“Octavia’s not a part of your career, Venicia.” ‘Shy growled out, which was an odd tone from such a demure pony. “She’s your best friend, and one you know you can trust with anything.” Her hoof bopped me on the end of the nose, and she shook her head in disappointment. “Stop acting like a fool. You’re better than that.”

Yes. Contrary to what most ponies thought of her, this little pegasus could bite.

“I’m sick of watching you sabotage yourself when it comes to love.” she continued, her wings flaring a little in annoyance. “I can’t directly help you with it, but neither will I sit quietly and watch it happen. If you won’t tell Octavia how much she means to you, I will ‒ don’t think for a second that I won’t.”

I shot her a glare, still refusing to leave my place in her lap. “I don’t meddle in your personal affairs, so don’t meddle in mine.”

For a long few moments there was complete silence, save for the quiet chirping of birds outside. Suddenly, ‘Shy announced, “If you promise to tell Octavia the truth, I’ll tell Rainbow Dash my truth.”

My eyes widened in surprise, and I gasped. I think I might well have been the only pony to know it, but Fluttershy was in much the same situation that I was, except with Rainbow Dash. The difference was she knew Rainbow Dash’s gender preference matched her own, but was so afraid of ruining her friendship that she had kept quiet for years ‒ much like me, come to think of it.

After a few moments of thought on the matter, I sighed and nodded. “Alright fine, but not right now. Give me some time to settle in, and I’ll have her come visit or something and tell her then.”

‘Shy reached and grasped my hoof in her own, shaking it firmly with a smile. “Deal.”

I allowed myself a bit of a morbid smirk as I replied, “If things go to Tartarus, I’m blaming you.”

My sister smiled back at me and replied, “I finished my chores for the day and Pinkie’s party is expected to go on late into the night. Let’s take a nap so we can give her the respect and attention she deserves.”

I raised my eyebrow at her. “You know, I’m not really that tired.”

“Hush now, quiet now
It’s time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now
It’s time to go to bed…”

Damn her…

Within moments of her angelic voice singing softly, I fell away into slumber.

Comments

[Method in Maddness]

It lives!! But seriously, this was a pretty good chapter. Got to see some character development as well. I look forward to reading more.

[Jman9877]

Damn, I remember this being the first story I ever favorited a year ago... Glad to see it's still alive!

[Chapter 13]

Wow! This is awesome! I'm reading and can't wait until they admit their--Oh, come on! Leave me with a cliffhanger!!!...Well played, my friend...well played.

~ Michael A.

[Pegra]

cant wait for more