A Ponyville Switch-a-roo!

by WRLB

Chapter 4: A Simple Wish

Chapter 4
A Simple Wish

Rainbow Dash sped through the clouds, she twisted her body around several times in mere seconds. She dove to the ground and flipped back upwards, heading towards the sky. In the distance, it looked like a giant blue bullet with a rainbow tail was going up and down. As a grand finale, Rainbow Dash penetrated the clouds above her and then landed roughly on the ground.

“Oh wow,” Fluttershy said with amazement. “That was spectacular!”

“I know right?” Rainbow Dash boasted with a smile. “I came up with idea when I saw Pinkie doing what she called ‘The Worm’, and I thought that it would be way cooler if it was done in the sky. I call it ‘The Front Tail Turn Around’!”

“Why not call it ‘The Sky Worm’ instead?” Fluttershy asked curiously.

“Well, I could call it that,” Rainbow Dash pondered, “but you gotta admit, ‘The Front Tail Turn Around’ is a cooler name.”

“I can vouch for that,” Fluttershy happily agreed. “How about we go to Sugar Cube Corner to celebrate?”

“I like that idea,” said Rainbow Dash, “I’ll race you! Winner gets to buy the looser ice cream!”

With that, Rainbow Dash took off. Fluttershy smiled; that was something she could race for. Rainbow Dash bolted, increasing in speed while Fluttershy peacefully flew at a constant rate. They eventually came to Sugar Cube Corner, where Rainbow Dash held the door so Fluttershy could walk in after her.

When Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash walked in, they found Pinkie Pie behind the counter, sulking. Without a word, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash knew something was wrong. Everypony knew that something serious was going on when Pinkie no longer felt like her cheerful self and when her hair went from big and fluffy like a cloud to long and sleek like a waterfall.

Fluttershy, being the sympathetic pony she was, spoke first.

“Is there anything wrong, Pinkie?” she asked tactfully. Pinkie gave a long sigh.

“Well, I had it all figured out,” said Pinkie in remorse. “I wanted to create a buzz, so I figured if I announced that the 100th pony to pass by here would get all the candy they wanted for free, ponies would come from miles to this place. Well, then no pony claimed their prize until the 104th pony passed by. I gave him all the candy he wanted, but it turned out he wanted all the candy in the entire store! So now, Sugar Cube corner is out of candy for the next four weeks, and it’s all my fault!”

Pinkie Pie’s face plumped on the counter.

“There, there,” Fluttershy comforted. “It could be worse.”

“But it is,” Pinkie Pie continued. “When the Cakes found out, they demoted me to counter filly. COUNTER FILLY! They said I should have let them know about my ideas before I go dashing through with them. I really thought they would be happy, but boy was I wrong.”
Fluttershy was stumped; her mind was desperately trying to find a way to help her friend in need. Rainbow Dash slowly walked up in front of Fluttershy and said:

“You know what would make us happy?”

“What?” Pinkie asked sniffing her tears back into her eyes.

“How about you get us all some ice cream,” Rainbow Dash said proudly. With that Pinkie Pie perked up, and her hair went back to its cloudlike shape.

“Alrighty! Two ice creams coming right up!” she cried with her spark of energy returning. Within a millisecond, Pinkie came back with two bowls of ice cream.

“Here ya go!” she said happily.

“Excuse me!” called out an old mayor from the far end of the counter, “Can I get some service here?”

“I’ll be right there,” Pinkie yelled before turning to her friends. “Once I get done getting this customer’s order, I’ll be right back. Feel free to sit anywhere you like, except with some random pony you don’t know, ‘cause that would be awkward, unless you guys like awkward, then it would be a-okay! Be back in a few!”

As Pinkie rushed to serve the elderly mayor, Rainbow Dash suggested that she and Fluttershy sit at the booth near the window. Fluttershy picked up her bowl with her hooves and followed Rainbow Dash to the booth. Rainbow Dash sat on one side while Fluttershy sat on the other.

While they were eating their freshly frozen desert, a group of stallions walked in. Fluttershy noticed that Rainbow Dash was looking at the group with deep concentration. She then gave a deep sigh.

“What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked.

“Nothing,” Rainbow Dash replied. “It’s just that, well, look at those stallions. I’ve noticed from above, that every evening they come here. Even when it’s raining, snowing, or just plain groggy, they always come here.”

The stallions were rambling amongst themselves; a few were laughing, and some were bro-hoofing one another.

“And they have fun. Loads of fun,” Rainbow Dash remarked. “When’s the last time we did that? Just hang out for the heck of it?”

“Umm…” Fluttershy said trying to remember.

“Exactly!” Rainbow Dash pointed out, “Rarity’s too busy making dresses, Twilight’s too busy with her studies, Applejack’s too busy with her chores, Pinkie’s too busy with her job… why is everypony so busy all of the sudden? Work, work, work!”

Fluttershy couldn't help but notice that Rainbow Dash didn't include her in her rant. Her eyes widened; was the reason Rainbow Dash didn't mention her was because she didn't want to hurt her feelings? Fluttershy started thinking about how much time she had spent with her animals. Then her conversation with Discord that morning echoed in her mind.

“You know me: the animals come first”

“And what about your friends?”

She started worrying that her need to help animals was actually an uncountable obsession that she had been taking too far. She listed the animals in her mind. She wondered whether or not she valued animals more than ponies.

“My animals are my friends too, just like you and the girls,”

She began to think that maybe she didn't mean that at all. She became terrified to know that all the time she spent with her animals was time she could have spent with Rainbow Dash. But the animals needed her as much as she needed them! Though Rainbow Dash needed her as well. Fluttershy couldn't stand the pressure of being split between two groups of friends. One part of her wanted to be with her animal friends; the other part wanted to be with her best friend.

“Are you okay, Fluttershy?” asked Rainbow Dash perplexedly, “You've been starring at your ice cream for a long time. What’cha been thinkin’ about?”

“I…” Fluttershy hesitated; was it a good idea to tell Rainbow Dash what she felt? She had to say something!
“I got to go,” she said finally, trying desperately to hide her downhearted expression, “Thank you for the desert. I really enjoyed it. Same time tomorrow?”

“You sure you’re okay, Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked, now a little worried.

“Yeah I’m fine… really.” Fluttershy quickly got out of booth and accidentally bumped into Pinkie Pie.

“Oppsy daisy,” Pinkie chuckled cheerfully. “Almost had a spill!”

“Bye, Rainbow Dash, bye Pinkie. See you guys tomorrow,” said Fluttershy as she walked out of the building.

“Was it something I said?” Pinkie Pie asked, a tad bit saddened by her friend’s leaving. Rainbow Dash was wondering the same thing.

Fluttershy flew as fast as her wings could carry her. All the way, she was blaming herself for not being there for her best friend. The sorrow was building up like a blocked drain until cracks caused by the pressure of remorse made it possible for water to leak through. And so, Fluttershy was left alone. She flew back to her cottage, leaving a trail of tears as she went.

Calming down slightly, she landed on the cottage door step, and gave a deep breath. She wouldn’t let Discord see her the way she was in fear of damping his spirits as well. She opened the door, only to be sucked by some unknown force.
Fluttershy couldn’t see a thing as she felt somepony picking her up and then placing her down. There was click, and then, a warm light shone on multiple steaming trays of food. The salad then got up and formed the body of Discord.

“Welcome home Fluttershy!” it said.

With a snap of its crunchy claws, the salad changed from a leafy replica of Discord to the mischievous draconequus himself.

“I made all your favorites!” he said with a chime in his voice, “Caesar salad, fried eggplant with a side of fresh carrots, chickpea cakes with mashed avocados, and, for desert, lemon cake with white icing!”

As Discord mentioned each dish, the tray with the respected dish would walk towards Fluttershy and then elegantly plopped down once it got to her plate. Fluttershy might have been naïve, but she wasn’t stupid; she knew Discord was hiding something.

“What did you do, Discord?” Fluttershy asked.

“Nothing,” said Discord said suspiciously.

“Really?” asked Fluttershy.

“Really! You can trust me, can’t you? My dear, sweet, gracious, wonderful, ever-benevolent Fluttershy,” Discord rambled uneasily, sweat forming on his brow. Fluttershy then gave him the stare, setting him straight instantly.

“Alright, alright, alright!” Discord admitted, defeated, “I turned all the animals into household appliances so I wouldn’t have to take care of them or the housework, but I turned them all back once I saw you flying this way! Honest!”

Fluttershy released Discord from her icy glare and then sighed a heavy sigh.

“I appreciate what you’ve been doing, I really do,” Fluttershy hesitantly. “But I don’t feel hungry tonight. I’m sorry.”

Discord snapped his fingers, and the room became bright again. Fluttershy pushed her chair backward and walked towards her living room, leaving Discord dejected.

“Please, Fluttershy,” begged Discord, kneeling before her in remorse. “I didn't mean it… well, no, I sort of did, but I didn't know it would hurt you so! I’m so very sorry!”

“It’s not that,” Fluttershy reassured. “It’s something else.”

Discord appeared, shrouded by a cloud of smoke, in front of Fluttershy and transformed into a small, fluffy pillow.

“Does somepony need to snuggle?” he asked comfortingly.

“Sorry, but not tonight,” said Fluttershy, purposefully avoiding the floating, talking pillow before her. She started walking up the stairs when Discord turned back into his normal shape.

“Fluttershy, what’s wrong?” Discord asked with genuine concern. “You can tell me. I’m your friend, remember?”

Upon hearing that, Fluttershy rushed into Discord, hugging him tightly. She began bawling heavily, making Discord’s fur wet.

“You were right,” she admitted, devastated. “I do spend too much time with my animals!”

“What?” Discord asked out of loop. “What brings this up?”

“Well,” Fluttershy said hesitantly, sniffling, “Rainbow Dash told me how she wished all her friends weren't so busy all the time.”

“So she’s responsible for this? Why that, no good, selfish, little, mare of a…” Discord growled furiously, but Fluttershy cut him off.

“Well, she didn’t say anything about me specifically,” Fluttershy reassured, “but I just know she wanted to. Plus, it’s all my fault; maybe I do have too many animals to take care of. Maybe life would be better if I just disappeared.”

She then flew to her room and closed the door. Discord followed suit.

“Now Fluttershy,” he said fearful, “you’re not running away are you?”

“I might,” Fluttershy replied faintly from her room, “Everypony knows that I’m too busy with my animals, and plus you could just turn them all into whatever you want so you can relax and nopony would be the wiser!”

“Fluttershy…” Discord began guiltily, but he couldn’t find anything else to say, so he backed away. Something told him that he was only making things worse.

Fluttershy laid face down on her bed, sobbing. What was she going to do? She didn’t want to run away, but at the same time, she felt it might be for the best if she just disappeared for a few days. Her mind went back to when Rainbow Dash noticed the stallions. She began to think that maybe if she was a stallion, she could spend more time with Rainbow Dash like she desperately wanted to. They could have more fun together, have more laughs together, have more time together. Fluttershy’s sobbing began to fade as she wondered if Twilight had a spell that could turn her into a stallion. Or better yet, perhaps Zecora, a zebra who lived in the Everfree Forest, could conjure up some remedy that could do the job.

She then gave a peaceful yawn. She came to the decision that she wouldn’t do a thing until she got some rest. With a brand new day ahead of her, and a body full of energy, she could think clearly about the next step. So, with her mind made up, Fluttershy tucked herself in and slowly fell into a deep sleep.

Author's Note:

Happy Hearts Warming Eve!

Comments

[SageBrony07]

Nice chapter. I wonder what is going to happen in the morning. Nice idea making Fluttershy think this would be a good idea. By the way. Stallions(Men) don't just hang around all the time. I hope Rainbow Dash learns that lesson by the end of this story.