Not a Monster 3: Realizations and Revelations

by Dreamscape

Receding

Ever since our two times spent together volunteering at the animal shelter, I had wanted to spend more time with Fluttershy. Maybe it was her gentle nature or even just the surprise of getting to know the real her, but I felt as though my time with her had been the most enjoyable out of all of the other girls. I got that chance around a week or so after my outing with Rarity. That weekend, Fluttershy was planning on going for a hike outside of town. It was going to be her first of the season, and she seemed rather excited. None of the other girls were interested in going along or were busy with other premade plans. Not having any plans myself besides doing homework, I volunteered. She was more than happy to accept my offer, especially since I had never really had a chance to see the nature around the area.

We woke up early to catch a bus that made a stop at the beginning of one of her favorite hiking trails. Sitting at the bus stop and then together on the bus, I couldn’t help but be amused and also intrigued by the outfit she wore. She certainly had gathered quite a lot of professional gear over the years. With a khaki shirt, khaki shorts, hiking boots, long, thick socks, and even a pith helmet to top it all off, Fluttershy looked like she was ready to trek through an unmapped rainforest to discover an entirely new species of animal. On occasion, her get up nearly caused me to lose myself in laughter, but at the same time, I found it absolutely adorable. Everything that she wore seemed so surreal that I felt like it was some sort of costume for a party.

It was yet again feeling like it was going to be another hot day. Once we reached the protection of the forest’s canopy though, the shadowed air, not yet touched by the morning sun, was still cool and filled with moisture. I certainly didn’t have the equipment for hiking as Fluttershy did. I simply wore a worn pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and my old sneakers. I definitely didn’t want to ruin any of the new clothes Rarity had bought for me with mud, snagging on branches… and whatever else could happen in the forest. At first I regretted not wearing a pair of jeans instead, but I knew that even beneath the trees, it would get hot.

“Um… if you don’t mind, could you please carry one of the backpacks for me? I thought I could fit everything in one, I really did.”

“Oh, yeah, sure, that’s fine,” I said with a smile, enjoying her politeness concerning the matter a little more than I should have. “Is one heavier than the other? I’ll take that one.”

“A-are you sure? I mean, I could give you the lighter one if you wanted to. It doesn’t look like you were planning on carrying anything and I don’t wa-”

“Fluttershy, it’s fine, really,” I interrupted with a chuckle. “I can handle it. Besides, I’m sure Dash would appreciate the extra exercise you’d be giving me.”

“Um, alright, only if you’re sure,” she muttered, handing over the backpack. “Thanks for doing this. I really don’t think I could’ve carried both of these for the whole hike.”

“No problem, anyways, let’s get moving, huh?”

“Yes, we need to get to the little waterfall before lunchtime. It’s so beautiful. I think you’ll really like it,” she said in a chipper tone as we walked from the gravel parking lot and onto the well-trodden dirt path of the hiking trail. Fluttershy immediately grew silent as she passed over from the cement to the trail. I concluded that it was both her appreciation for nature and what she had asked me that caused this. I was sure asking for my help was fairly straining for a girl like herself. I wanted to talk to her, make her open back up again, but I decided on giving her a bit of a break first. I didn’t want to push things.

It had already grown past the time of the morning when birds were actively chirping and flying about from tree to tree. So besides the occasional song or rustle of an unseen animal in the thickening underbrush on either side of the trail, it was almost completely silent. The crunching of Fluttershy’s boots and my sneakers against the rocky dirt was the loudest sound I heard. That and there was the occasional annoyance of an insect buzzing around my ear.

The bright and still rather young leaves of the trees surrounding and the spring flowers which dotted the underbrush around us were a sight to behold. Even though that was the case, it was basically the only scenery to appreciate, at least for the time being. It was growing repetitive quickly. I gazed back and forth, seeing nothing that I had not at the beginning of our trek. I pulled out my phone, my mind faking a vibration so I would have something else to do. I quickly discovered I had no signal. It made sense, but I was still disappointed. I had to talk, I couldn’t wait any longer.

“So, what all do you have in these bags anyways?”

“Shh!” Fluttershy commanded in the sternest voice I had ever heard come out of her mouth. I was shocked at first, and then offended. I was only trying to make small talk. Any anger that I had quickly disappeared when she pointed out into the thick of the trees. At first, I saw nothing, but then there was a slight movement. I could feel myself beginning to smile as I saw a doe, patches of her fur still long and clumped from winter. I clump of grass lay in her mouth as she chewed. My smile grew even wider as I noticed more movement below her. There were two fawns, ducking down out of cover. “It’s okay, little ones, and mommy too. My friend and I aren’t here to hurt you. See?” she said as she pulled off her backpack and unzipped it as quietly as she could manage.

My question was partially answered as she pulled out a handful of dried corn and placed it near the path’s edge. “This is for you,” she said softly and then turned to me with a peaceful smile. “Don’t make any quick movements and be as quiet as you can. We can talk once we get farther past them.”

I nodded my head and followed her lead. After we passed she placed her hand upon my arm and nodded in the opposite direction. I turned around to see that the deer had all walked up to the edge of the path and were nibbling at the corn. “Wow,” I muttered softly. “I knew you were good with animals, but wow. I figured they would’ve just ran away or something.”

“Oh, it’s nothing really. Even you could do it if you knew how to act around them. You just have to be gentle and sweet.”

“And that comes naturally to you, huh?” I asked with a smirk.

Fluttershy giggled softly and nervously. “I guess you’re right.” As the deer trod softly back into the forest, I turned to her, her yellow cheeks hued with pink. She was one incredibly adorable girl.

“So, uh, besides food for the wildlife, what else is in the packs?” I asked as we turned and began walking again.”

“Well, there’s a picnic lunch for the two of us, lots of water to keep us hydrated, a first aid kit just in case of emergencies, and that’s about it.” I nodded my head as she looked up at me.

“Hopefully we’ll see some more critters,” she said excitedly. “They’re normally more active in the spring.” We did indeed see more wildlife on our little adventure to the waterfall, but life that was much smaller than that of the deer. To name a few, there were squirrels, birds of all sorts, even a hawk, a small family of raccoons, and a skunk which I was quite afraid of. Fluttershy’s kind nature insured us of not getting sprayed of course though.

We found ourselves near a creek, and the path turned to go alongside it. It gradually brought us higher up in elevation. Beyond the babbling of the stream, although faint at first, I could hear the rushing of water. The farther we hiked, the louder the sound grew. The air began to feel cool and humid again as well. Finally, I could see it. Although certainly not the biggest waterfall I had ever witnessed, it was still beautiful. For its small size, I would have to say that it did a great job of capturing what most always think should be in a nature scene. Sedges and rushes grew tall near the stream’s saturated banks. Moss grew heavily upon the rocky sides of the fall. I cluster of bright green semi-aquatic plants brightened the incredibly clear water.

“I… can see exactly why you wanted to come here,” I muttered in a state of awe.

“Mhm, it’s one of my favorite spots,” Fluttershy said proudly. “Anyways, are you hungry? We should probably start setting up our picnic… if you want to.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry,” I said, struggling to look away from the peaceful sight before us. I pulled the backpack off of my shoulders as I followed Fluttershy to the location she had chosen. On a small incline which curved off into a flat top, I helped her lay out the blanket. From this location, we had not only a good view of the waterfall, but of the whole stream as well. “What kind of sandwiches are those?” I asked as she pulled two out from the basket.

“Cucumber, my favorite,” Fluttershy said with a hum.

“C-cucumber sandwiches?” I muttered. Was that really a thing, or something she made up? It sounded like something only a talking horse would enjoy. Oh, right, I guess in a way she sort of was a talking horse when she did that odd magical transformation thing.

“Oh, yes, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. I know it sounds a bit odd, but trust me.”

“Alright,” I said with a shrug, looking down at the circles of cucumber in between two slices of white bread. “Is this butter?” I asked, looking at the spread.

“Yes,” Fluttershy said with a nod.

“Interesting…. so no meat though?” I asked, feeling as though even a strange meal like that would be better with a slab of meat on it.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I guess I should have gotten some meat for you. I don’t eat meat, and I just made them like I always do. I should’ve taken you into consideration though.”

“No, it’s fine,” I said quickly. “I guess if this is how they’re supposed to be made, meat would probably ruin it. So you’re a vegetarian then?” Fluttershy nodded her head softly. I should have guessed. Her love of animals and connection with them would probably make her feel incredibly guilty if she ate meat. I had never paid much attention to what she ate at school. As I went for a bite of my sandwich, she pulled out a bag of potato chips. At least there was something normal in my meal. Considering the potato chips and her personality, she definitely didn’t seem like a health nut. She was only eating the way she did for moral reasons.

Immediately after I took a bite of the sandwich, I could feel my face forming into a grimace. I struggled to hold it back. The cool and almost fruity taste of the cucumbers along with their crunchy texture seemed much too odd to be on a sandwich, especially paired with butter. I chewed as fast as I could so I would then be able to swallow it down without the taste lingering for too long. I now understood exactly why she had decided to pair them with the potato chips. After the cool bite of sandwich, I immediately craved their saltiness. I shoved a handful into my mouth and savored their flavor happily. I wanted to eat only the chips, but I knew I had to finish the sandwich. I would not only disappoint Fluttershy, but our journey was also already getting to me. I craved sustenance, even if it came from the odd tasting sandwich.

“Oh, I also brought some cheese cubes, if you’d like some,” Fluttershy said as she nodded to the basket. “They shouldn’t have melted too much”

Even though she didn’t show it, I felt as though she understood my struggle with the sandwich, or perhaps she was simply taking pity on an omnivore like myself. I did need a bit more protein than what chips and cucumbers would provide for me. After my meal grew a bit more pleasant with the added cheese, we both seemed to quiet down. It was nice to enjoy the wonderful scenery in silence, along with each other’s company. The sound of the water crashing down into the rock bed of the stream did wonders to relax me even further than I already was. I gentle breeze swayed in the tops of the trees, creating slow moving shadows on and around us. I had not a worry in the world in those moments, and I felt as though I could be as carefree as I ever wanted. I was perhaps even so carefree that it could be a bad thing.

On occasion, I would turn my attention away from the scenery to an equally if not more beautiful sight. Fluttershy’s pale yellow face glowed from the patches of sunlight piercing through the trees above. Her hat shaded her eyes, and the bangs of her pink hair hid them like a magnificent treasure waiting to be found. The features of her face were smooth and near perfect. Even with her shy nature, it was a wonder she didn’t have many guys chasing after her. My heart jumped as her eyes flicked towards me and then back away, only to return again a few seconds later. A soft smile could be seen on her even softer lips. Was she admiring me as well? My stomach danced at the thought. I could see goosebumps covering the slender surface of her exposed arms and legs. I wasn’t quite sure if it was the breeze licking at her skin, or the side effect of nervous energy from the experience we were having together.

“Are you cold?” I asked, an idea coming to mind.

“Yes,” she said softly, rubbing her arms with her hands. Not knowing exactly how to get my point across through words, I simply scooted a bit closer to her and wrapped my arm around her shoulders.

“Th-thank you,” she muttered, her face growing red. “I’m really not that cold though. I’ll be okay.”

“Are you sure?” I asked softly, leaning my body into her own.

“I… I don’t know… maybe, I guess, well, okay, for now,” she sputtered out in embarrassment, covering her face with her hands. I could feel the quick pulse of her heart where her body touched my own. She hesitantly pulled her shaking hands away from her face but paused halfway through the motions, her eyes darting towards me once more. Wanting to comfort the poor girl while also showing her my intention, I gently grabbed one of her hands in my own and lowered it back down to her side. She looked at my curiously as I continued to hold it. The trembling seemed to be growing stronger, and her eyes growing wider. “S-s-s-stop… p-please… I… I c-can’t… no…. I-I’m …sorry…” she muttered out. Instantly becoming empathetic to her fright, I released my grasp and even scooted away from her so that I no longer held her.

“I… I,” I muttered out just as nervously and confusedly as she had been speaking. Suddenly that carefree attitude I had gathered was shattered with worry and confusion. Perhaps I had read her signals completely wrong. Perhaps she was interested, but I was pushing things to far too quickly. Perhaps she already had someone… it couldn’t be though. “Fluttershy…?” I muttered out questioningly.

“I… I… I… I thought you were just, well, being friendly at first and considerate, but, um, the way you were acting… were you trying to… well… I think I know what you were doing, but I don’t understand that sort of thing at all.” I knew exactly what she meant even though she had avoided saying it aloud.

“Yes, I… Fluttershy, I think I’m interested in you as more than a friend. I know we’ve only spent a little time together but… I’m sorry if I’m going too fast. We can slow this down.”

“Oh… my,” Fluttershy gasped beneath her breath, her face growing even more red than it had been. “I… I’m so sorry. I never meant to… I… I don’t feel that way about you at all. I just… did I make you think that? I… um… sorry.” I opened my mouth to speak, but I could feel a growing pain in my chest and in my eyes.

“….Well… fuck,” I managed to mutter beneath my breath. I had certainly become too carefree and too caught up in the beauty of the moment. I had somehow convinced myself that she was interested in me as well. When in reality, it was simply my imagination toying with my dreams. I watched in a daze as Fluttershy began to quickly pack up all of the leftover food items from our picnic back into the basket. Not sure how to react or what else to say, I simply helped her with the blanket. Her eyes still wide, and a fearful expression upon her lips, she didn’t even mutter a thank you before shoving the repacked basket into the backpack I had been wearing. With both one pack on her back and the other in her arms, she began to tread off quickly in the direction we had come. I followed close behind in desperation. I wanted urgently to say or do something that would make up for the mistake I had made. I wanted things to go back to the way they had been moments before that idiotic idea of mine popped into my head. I knew that even if I tried to speak to her, she wouldn’t. The shell I had broken to reveal the true her seemed to be sealing once more. The wonderful girl I was slowly and surely getting to know would be lost behind it. Even if I couldn’t be as close to her as I wanted, I still wanted her as a friend because I already knew she was an amazing one.

***

Although downhill, the trek back to the parking lot was even more exhausting than our hike up. This was due to the fact that Fluttershy kept her fast, almost frantic pace that she had started off with the whole time. I almost blindly followed along, lost in my thoughts. My legs ached as we reached the surface of the pavement, seemingly much smoother than it had been when I first set foot upon it. We caught the soonest bus, one scheduled to leave much earlier than we had originally planned to.

Not wanting to push Fluttershy any further than I already had, I let her sit alone while taking the seat across the aisle from her. I let my eyes fall shut and listened to the loud hum of the bus’ engine all the way back into to town. I contemplated my actions and what they had caused. We exchanged a quick goodbye before parting ways once we arrived. I felt guilty not helping Fluttershy carry the second backpack to her home but knew she did not want the company. She said she would see me at school as she turned to leave, giving me some hope that our friendship had not been fully broken.

It wasn’t quite the same after that day though. She seemed more distant yet again. She was not as distant as she originally had been when I was still with Sunset though, and we would still have some interactions and conversations on occasion. I wasn’t going to give up that quickly. I wanted to though, feeling as though any relationship I had ended up eventually going downhill, sometimes sooner rather than later. Yet, at the same time, I knew we could develop such a strong friendship that I wasn’t going to let it slip through my fingers after one mistake. Slowly but surely, I would bring our blossoming friendship back to where it had been. Then I would apologize to her for my actions. Until that time though, I had plenty of other friendships to keep me occupied.

Comments

[MLai]

I had to stop reading this chapter in the middle yesterday, because I just couldn't bear to read about him messing up (as expected) with Fluttershy. It's just too painfully cringe-inducing. Ahh... you stupid moron... why...

Now you've made the same mistake with 2 girls in a clique of 6. One girl, okay fine. But now two? You think they don't talk to each other? How's the clique going to treat you when they realize you're using them as a free dating service?

[King of Snakes]

Ah...my heart...why...?

[Laknock]

Oh my god, he's the monster.

[Hoppa_21]

I have the feeling things will go downhill after this chapter. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.

Why can't he just control his cravings? He might ruin his friendships once again in the worst case if it continues like this!