The Return of Mr. Bun

by zyr1987

Mr. Bun comes back

“How's that, Fluttershy? Too tight?” Rarity asked.

“No. It's perfect.”

“Good, good. Now we can finish the rest of the shop.”

It had been two weeks since the now (in)famous Canterlot garden party that Twilight Sparkle and her friends had crashed and Fluttershy and Rarity were preparing the boutique, and themselves, for a very important visitor.

They moved through the shop putting things in their place, and making sure everything was as presentable as possible while keeping their new dresses intact, a much easier task for Rarity with her unicorn magic than for Fluttershy, who was helping out because Rarity's guest said she really wanted to meet the shy pegasus, though she didn't say why.

Eventually, the duo finished. Panting from the effort they sat down in two chairs near Rarity's desk they shared a satisfied smile and Fluttershy asked, “when is she supposed to get here?”

Rarity checked the clock and said, “Uh, right now.”

As if on cue the front door opened and a very tall, skinny white unicorn with a pink mane and a large number of bags in her possession walked in. Fluttershy thought she looked familiar, as if she had seen her in person somewhere but couldn't quite place where. Rarity then got up and said, “Hello, Fleur! Welcome to my humble boutique!”

Fleur turned and, with a smile of her own, said, “Hello to you too, Rarity. And hello Fluttershy. I've been wanting to meet you for a long time.” Her face then changed to one of mild disappointment, “Though preferably with less clothes.”

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked, her mind jumping right to the obvious conclusion.

“Well, I can see here that Rarity can make beautiful and obviously expensive dresses, but almost every time I've seen you, in person or otherwise, are beautiful, obviously expensive dresses and I was wondering what you looked like without one.”

“In person or otherwise?”

“Well, I may have saved some of the merchandise with you on it from the height of your popularity. I'm a big fan, what can I say?” Fleur said, not answering Fluttershy's question. It was at this point that Fluttershy noticed that while Fleur's face had returned a dignified, if friendly, smile, her eyes had lit up like those of a filly waking up on Hearth's Warming Day, and this scared her a bit.

Meanwhile Rarity, who was about a foot away from Fleur (compared to Fluttershy's three feet away), was learning why most ponies not named Fancypants generally preferred to stay a bit over a foreleg-lengths away from her. “Um, Fleur, do you mind not resting your foreleg on my back?”

“Désolé,” Fleur said as she removed her foreleg, “I'm just not used to the aversion to touching ponies in Equestria seem to have.”

“Is it different in Prance?” Fluttershy asked.

“Oui. Prance is big on touching between ponies, almost to the point of being a form of communication in itself. I've been trying to get used to the more touch averse culture you have here, but, even after living here for almost a year, I still haven't broken my old habits. Still, I'm getting better about it”

“If laying your forehoof across my back is getting better about it, I want to know what you were like before,” Rarity said.

“Not you don't” Fleur said before seeming to remember something. “Oh, before I forget, I have something for you, Fluttershy,” she said, before picking up one of her bags and sending it over to the mare in question.

Fluttershy opened the bag and said in a deadpan tone, “A toothbrush, toothpaste, and some facial cleanser.”

“Oh, sorry, that's mine,” Fleur said, taking the bag back and picking up another. She checked, saying, “Jewelry,” before pulling up another and another, “dresses, makeup, personal, oh here it is,” before sending the proper bag over.

Fluttershy opened up the obviously expensive designer bag and looked confused about its contents for a second before realization dawned on her. “Mr. Bun! But...how did you end up with him?”

“You left him behind at your last fashion show. I picked him up intending to give him back at your next one, but...”

“Oh. I ran off without grabbing him, didn't I?” Fleur nodded in affirmation. “Anyway, thank you so much for returning him, I thought he was gone forever.”

“Don't mention it. And consider the bag he's in a gift,” Fleur said.

“Anyway, speaking of bags, shall I show you your room?” Rarity asked.

“Oh, yes please. And are you sure you don't mind me staying with you for the next two weeks?”

“It's not a problem. And I can't really say no to having a famous model stay with me for a while, now can I?”

As they headed up to Rarity's spare bedroom, Fluttershy took Mr. Bun out of his bag and gave him a huge hug, vowing never to lose him like that again.

Meanwhile, Rarity was asking, “By the way, what brings a famous model to a small town like Ponyville?”

“Well, Uncle Fancy seemed to think highly of you and your friends, and I thought that if he liked you I wouldn't go wrong spending some time with you, especially if I got the chance to meet one of my favorite former models.”

“Uncle Fancy? But he's not Prench.”

“No, he's not. My father, his brother, moved to Prance to marry my mother, and Uncle Fancy, when visiting last year, decided to offer me a modeling gig here in Equestria and I jumped on it,” Fleur said.

“And what did your parents think?”

“They encouraged me to go. Then again, when your mother is Velvet Sash...”

“Really? You're Velvet's daughter?” Rarity asked, shocked that she was talking with the daughter of the most famous Prench model of the 970s.

“Oui, and she told me many stories about her time on the runway. I should share them with you sometime.”

“I would love to hear them, as well as any stories you have about your own time on the runway. Anyway, here's your room. I doubt it's as big as you're used to, but...”

“It's fine,” Fleur stated as she dropped off her bags, “I don't need a giant amount of space, don't worry.”

“Oh good, I'm glad to hear that,” Rarity said a she turned and left.

Shortly thereafter, they arrived back in the boutique's main floor where Fluttershy was sitting with Mr. Bun cradled in her foreleg. Fleur sat down next to Fluttershy, intending to have a chat, as Rarity said, “I'll go ahead and make us some lunch. Does daffodil sandwiches and tea sound good?”

“That's fine,” Fleur said, realizing how hungry she was.

“That's good,” Fluttershy said.

Rarity nodded and went into the kitchen to prepare their meal. As she left, Fleur unconsciously wrapped her foreleg around Fluttershy's shoulders and said, “I'm guessing Mr. Bun is important to you.”

“He is. My mom gave him to me when I was born and he's been there for me even through the worst times.” Fluttershy wasn't very happy with Fleur's foreleg around her like that, but, not wanting to offend the famous model and due to the wave of timidity that she usually got when she met a famous pony, didn't make any attempt to remove it.

“Like at that last fashion show.”

“Yes. I still can't believe I forgot him backstage,” Fluttershy said.

“Well you did rush off pretty quickly. I have to ask, though, what happened onstage? I was too caught up in a rather complicated dress to get a look, and nopony I know knows either.”

“Um...I don't like to talk about it.”

“Well, can you at least tell me if it's why you quit?” Fleur asked.

“It was part of the reason, but I wanted to quit for a while at that point.”

Before Fleur could ask Fluttershy why she wanted to quit, Rarity called from the dining room, “Lunch is ready!”

They headed for the dining room and sat down at the table, Fluttershy sitting across from Fleur, presumably to avoid having any more forelegs being placed on her body. Rarity placed their plates in front of them and poured their tea as she asked, “So Fleur, how do you like Ponyville so far?”

“It's a lovely little town, from what I've seen. Kind of reminds me of home. Even so, I prefer Canterlot, with it's lively atmosphere and wondrous fashions, even if it is full of snobs.”

“I know what you mean. I've always wanted to live there myself, but I'm not successful enough justify trying to move out there yet.”

“Well, that and you have a bit of a reputation as a party crasher after your antics last week. It might be best if you stayed here in Ponyville with your friends,” Fleur said.

“But I wasn't the one who crashed the party!”

“I'm sure of that, but do you think they care?”

Rarity simply snorted in frustration. Fluttershy, meanwhile, decided to ask, “By the way, how did you find out where I lived?”

“Fancy mentioned that you were Rarity's friend and at the garden party, and I guessed that you lived in the same town as her,” Fleur said.

“Oh.”

“Anyway, what do you do now that you're not a model?”

“I take care of the animals out at the edge of the Everfree Forest, just like I did before Photo Finish discovered me,” Fluttershy said.

“What kind of animals?”

“Any kind. Bugs, cats, dogs, weasels, bears-”

“Bears?” Fleur looked shocked.

“Yes. They're not mean or aggressive. In fact, they're quite friendly.”

“Uh...I'll take your word for it.”

After lunch, Fluttershy and Rarity got undressed, giving Fleur the chance to see Fluttershy in her typical state. Looking over the former model with an admiring eye, she said, “With that gorgeous body, I can see why Photo Finish thought you belonged on the runway.

“You really think that?”

“Oui. It's just too bad you felt the need to quit, though. I mean, a body like that deserves to be shown off, and not hidden away in a little town like Ponyville.”

“Anyway,” Rarity said, getting a bit miffed at all the attention the famous model was showering on her friend instead of her, “Fluttershy, I think Opal needs her grooming. Do you think you could do that for me?”

Fluttershy looked at the cat, sleeping in her cat bed, and, noting that her fur was a bit knotted but not nearly bad enough to warrant a grooming yet, said, “She looks fine to me.”

“She does?”

“Yes. She doesn't look too knotted up or in pain. I don't think she needs to be groomed yet. Maybe in a week or two, but not now.”

“Could you do it for me anyway?” Rarity asked, feeling desperate.

“No, I'd rather wait so I can take care of her and Fluffy at the same time.”

“Fine..”

“Fluffy?” Fleur asked.

“My cat. She and Opal are good friends.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, before I forget, Fleur, I have a few dress designs that I'd like to show you,” Rarity said, making a last ditch effort to get Fleur alone for a chat.

“Okay. You want to look too Fluttershy?”

“Okay.”

Rarity cringed internally, but made no attempt to wave Fluttershy off, thinking that she would go home to feed her animals in a half hour tops.

Fluttershy, however, stayed for two hours more before heading home, with Fleur fawning over her practically the entire time, to Fluttershy's discomfort after a while, and Rarity's annoyance.

Author's Note:

Don't worry. Mr. Bun's return is only happening once.

Also, I've always wanted to write a character without a strong sense of personal space, so expect more of that.

Oh, and points for spotting the shout out to Calvin and Hobbes that Mr. Bun's name is.

By the way, for fans of Luna Looks for Love, the next chapter is in progress, but writer's block is slowing it down a bit.

Comments

[Salnalus]

Uncle Fancypants?

Other than the few grammar errors spotted here and there, pretty basic concept for a story.

[Acclamations]

Susie Derkins cameo? :X