Mismatched Hearts

by Jordan179

Chapter 1: First Stirrings of Trouble

Introduction: Airborne Early Warning

Deep in the Badlands is a hill crowned by a ring of age-worn menhirs, raised millennia before the sky flared and the world shook and the seas slopped across the lands. Some of the menhirs have fallen down in the intervening ages. They have been carefully replaced.

Leering down on it is a mesa, its face riddled by cavern mouths, like that of a maggot-eaten corpse. Of course no maggots ate out those cavities. Maggots cannot tunnel through solid rock, an act perfectly within the capabilities of the members of the Tunneller subcaste of the Worker caste of the beings who actually dug them.

High above, a condor lazily circles. It is a huge example of its species, huge enough to glide on its vast wings without need of any telekinetic flight field, such as might have drawn the attention of Pony observers. Its body mass is equivalent to that of a small Pony, and it is high enough to see the ground for many miles around.

It orbits high and with very little expenditure of energy. It is just in sight range, interestingly enough, of three other condors, similarly orbiting at three points of a triangle many miles from center to each vertex, in such a way as to create an enormous, roughly-triangular zone in which nopony and nothing can move without being noticed. Its eyes systematically sweep the territory which it could see but its fellows could not, and checked to make sure that the other three condors in view were still present.

This is an odd behavioral pattern for condors, though it was one which would not have been easily noticed by Ponies, if there were any Ponies of the Three Kinds at liberty anywhere within dozens of miles of the mesa. Which there are not.

Not of the Three Kinds -- and not at liberty.

1. Dashie's Embarrassing Question

"Say, Applejack -- do you mind if I ask you a sort of embarrassing question?" asked Rainbow Dash.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash were out together in the snow-covered Southeastern Fields, one of the more dangerous parts of Sweet Apple Acres, as it bordered directly on the Everfree. The Apples had erected obstacles to "what might come out of the Everfree," of course: stone walls, the oldest of them built by Dawnflower Apple and Pokey Oaks a century ago, progressively reinforced and maintained by generations of Apples down to Big Mac and Applejack. None of them would really stop a determined monster; they could be climbed, leaped or gone around, and something like a Great Wyrm could simply shove them down with its vast strength.

But such actions would leave tracks, marks which experienced Apple eyes might read, and give them warning of the monster's presence. Thus, it was a good idea to patrol the walls regularly, to ensure that no creatures wandered north to menace the farm, let alone the town lying beyond. This was a routine chore for the Apples, just one of the duties involved in protecting Ponyville. But it was always safer and less boring with a partner, and Applejack was glad of Rainbow Dash's company.

Applejack had to fulfill her responsibilities, in any case. As with all her responsibilities, Applejack took this one very seriously.

As she also did her responsibilities toward her friends.

So, though her every instinct warned her that anything Rainbow Dash considered "a sort of embarrassing question" would likely be either very embarrassing or very strange -- really, of all her best friends, only if it had been Pinkie Pie might this have been a worse sign -- Applejack simply shivered once, looked away for a moment to render her facial expression unreadable, softly sighed to herself, then turned back to her friend, smiled and said "Sure, Sugarcube, you can always ask me any sort of question."

This was not a lie. Dashie was one of her closest friends in all the world, and Applejack would have suffered far worse than an embarrassing question for the sake of such a friend.

"Are you sure?" asked Rainbow Dash. "I mean, it's really embarrassing ..."

Dashie might have said more, had not Applejack lifted one snow-flecked, cold and moist fore-hoof and gently touched it to Dashie's muzzle.

"Ah'm sure," Applejack said. "Ask away."

Rainbow Dash fixed her with her her cerise eyes. Those eyes were beautiful, and as far as Applejack was concerned, effectively guileless. Dashie would very occasionally attempt to lie, but even before Jackie had become Honesty, let alone had gazed too long into the Pool of Truth and activated her deeper connection with her Element, Dashie had never been able to directly and successfully lie to her. The fact was that Rainbow Dash was, despite any of her delusions to the contrary, a very honest Pony.

Which was one of the many reasons why Applejack deeply loved her hot-tempered friend.

Dashie gulped, gathered her courage, then blurted out:

"What do you do when somepony wants to do it with you -- all the time?"

Well, Dashie had warned her.

"Wal," Applejack said slowly, turning the question over and over in her mind, "Ah cain't rightly say that Ah've ever been in that precise situation mahself. Only Pony Ah've ever been with that way was 'Scape, and we each pretty much wanted to make love about the same as did the other. Not much quarrel there. Ah mean, he was a stallion, so before we Intended, he sometimes wanted to go a bit further than Ah was comfortable with at the moment, but he was pretty good at letting me set the pace." Applejack's ears drooped. "Then, he was gone -- wish Ah knew if he were dead or alive -- Ah'm sorry, Dashie, Ah'm supposed to be helping you with yore problem, not frettin' over mine."

"S'okay, AJ," said Rainbow Dash. "He was a good stallion." The Pegasus had known Landscape Carrot for a year, the last year that he had lived in Ponyville, before he wandered off, two years before Luna's return, to seek a fortune to lay before his beloved -- and vanished from the ken of Ponykind, five years ago. They had been casual friends, mostly because Dashie had become Jackie's friend.

"That he was," Applejack agreed in a heartfelt tone. She thought a moment. "Now, Ah reckon that you're talking about somepony who is already yore sweetheart, right?"

Rainbow Dash nodded.

"So, you're talking, specific-like, about Fluttershy?" Applejack asked.

Rainbow Dash nodded again.

Applejack stroked her own chin, considering this new information. It shocked her less than she might have thought it would: she'd long known that Dashie and 'Shy were lovers, and certain signs in their observed public conduct together had made her already aware that Fluttershy was probably more passionate than was Rainbow Dash. She hadn't realized the difference between them was sufficient to be a problem, though.

"Ah guess still waters really do run deep," AJ mused aloud.

"Yeah," said Rainbow Dash. "And warm. Hot, really, when she really opens up to somepony. And wet! I mean, even when she's off-Cycle ..."

AJ gently touched Dashie's muzzle again. "Ah think Ah get the picture," she said. She thought a moment. "So, sometimes she wants you to make love to her and you're just not in the mood?"

"Well," said Rainbow Dash, drawing herself up proudly, "it's not as if I'm not the most amazing lover in the history of the world and ..."

Applejack fixed her with a level stare.

"Well, yeah," Dashie admitted, looking shamefaced.

"All right." said Applejack. "What does she say when you tell her that?"

"Well," said Dashie, squirming, "it's not like I actually tell her that.

"Wal, then," said Applejack, patiently, "what do you tell her?"

"Um ..." Dashie said, looking away sheepishly. "I mostly just say that I have to do something else, or that I've got a muscle strain or a headache or something -- that was actually true that time I crashed through that tree headfirst -- stuff like that."

"Rainbow Dash," Applejack said, fixing her friend with a stern expression, "Are you saying that you lie to yore lover?"

Dashie hung her head in shame. "Maybe?" she said. "A little bit?"

"Dashie ... you know why you shouldn't do that," Applejack said, softly. "Lies pizen everything, 'specially between best friends -- or lovers. And 'Shy is both to you."

"I know," said Rainbow Dash, her voice starting to break a little. "I just ... I didn't want to admit to her that I'm not as much into sex as she is. I never really have been -- you prolly think of me as some sort of great seductive sex machine ..."

Applejack choked down a snort-laugh, her muzzle and mouth wrinkling with the effort. Fortunately, Dashie was paying no attention to Jackie's expression at this moment.

"... but I'm actually not," continued Rainbow Dash. "The truth is I never saw much point to doing anything mushy with anypony other than Fluttershy. I never more than kissed anypony else, and not very often. I just ... talked like I did ... cause I didn't want anypony to think I was lame. I'm not as experienced as you might think. Don't know if you'd noticed."

"Mebbe a bit," answered Applejack. "But Ah never thought you were lame. Not even a mite."

"Oh," said Rainbow Dash, smiling. "Um -- thank you."

"But, Dashie --" Applejack's expression was very serious now. "You have to play it straight with Fluttershy. You're in love with each other. How do you think she feels when you make excuses for not wanting to make love to her?"

"Hmm ..." thought Rainbow Dash. She frowned. "Pretty bad, I'd guess." A look of realization dawned on her blue face. Oh, horseapples! I've been making her think that I'm falling out of love with her, haven't' I! Crap! I've been really terrible to her!" Her face fell. "I"m a rotten lover!"

"Not that terrible," Applejack said reassuringly. "It's jest a misunderstanding, something you and her can work out between yoreselves. You can be a bit more affectionate. And she can be a bit less demanding. Compromise. It's worth it, ain't it, to keep what you have with her?"

"Of course it is!" said Rainbow Dash. "Gee, AJ, thanks for talking to me about this mushy stuff. I know you're probably not comfortable with it, but you're a true friend. And you're really wise about things like this!"

"Light an' Life," laughed Applejack. "Ah'm shore no love expert -- all Ah really know is how things worked between 'Scape an' me, an' what Ah've seen watching others. But Ah am yore true friend, Dashie, and Ah know that love's a lot like true friendship. Lies never make things better between friends. Honesty's always the best policy. You just need to start telling Fluttershy the truth about how you feel. Ah'm shore she'll understand. She loves you powerful, you know that."

"I know ..." said Rainbow Dash huskily. "I'm ... I really care about her too. That's why it's hard sometimes, to admit that I'm not ... agh, I'm no good with talking about this sort of thing. But I'll try!" she said. "I just gotta stop being such a wimp about this. I don't want 'Shy to stop loving me."

"Why would you think Fluttershy would stop lovin' you?" Applejack asked. "Whole time Ah've knowed you, 'Shy's always wanted yore company. Yore the best friend she's ever had. Only other one comes close is Rarity, and Rares ain't into mares the way you are. You got no real competition."

"I know," said Rainbow Dash. "Maybe that's the problem." She scratched her neck.

Applejack lifted an inquiring eyebrow.

"Nopony's really at her best without competition," Dashie explained. "'Shy and me have been friends ever since I started protecting her when she was just a little filly back in Cloudsdale. We were both little fillies together. Long before I ... well, wanted anyting mushy with her, I had a sort of idea about her ..." Dashie blushed slightly "You're gonna think this is stupid ..."

"Oh, Ah don't know about that," said Applejack, smiling encouraging at her friend. "Try me."

"Okay," said Dashie. "But you gotta never tell anypony about this!"

"Secret's safe with me, sugarcube," Applejack reassured her.

"All right," said Rainbow Dash. "See, when 'Shy and me were fillies, we used to play a kind of game. A pretend game. And 'Shy would be --" she blushed again "-- a High Lady. You know, like from before the Unification, when the Clans all had their own armies and fougt wars with each other and stuff like that. And I'd be, um, her sworn Bannermare. Not just one of her Clan's warriors, but one of her trusted warriors, pledged to serve her above all others, unto death." She blushed more deeply. "Sheesh, I can't belive I'm telling you this. You must think I'm, like, terminally soft."

Applejack regarded her friend warmly. "You're not soft, Dashie, 'cept where it's right to be soft. Yore good, an' kind, an' lovin'. There ain't nothin' wrong with that. Nothin' a'tall."

"Yeah," said Rainbow Dash uncomfortably. "Just don't let it get around." She licked her lips. "Thing is, in the game I was supposed to serve her, whatever she wanted me to do. And -- as I got older -- I understood more about the old sagas. Like, that sometimes the High Born and their Banner-Ponies were, um, really in love. You know."

"Ah have a good idea," replied Applejack drily.

"Some of those old Clan leaders really got around!" Dashie confided, her eyes huge. "I mean, they'd have more than one spouse, and concubines, and a dozen or more lovers on top of that!"

"Ah wonder how they kept it all straight," said Applejack.

"Sometimes they didn't," admitted Rainbow Dash. "Some of the wars started that way. There'd be secret seductions and spouse-stealing and slave-raids and duels and battles and tragic deaths. It was way cool!" she said enthusiastically. "Well, probably more fun to sing about than to live through. If you know what I mean."

"Ah reckon Ah do," said Applejack, smiling slightly.

"Well, it's just that it was when I heard those old stories that I first started thinking mushy thoughts, and then some spicy thoughts, you know? About, well, Fluttershy. I started thinking that maybe if I were her Bannermare and she was my Lady, she might want me to -- you know?"

"Ah get it, Dashie."

"No, see -- it's that if she wants me to serve her that way, then I should be able, you know? To do what she wants! And If I can't, I'm letting her down!" Her ears drooped in shame. "I'm -- not good enough. Maybe she deserves better."

"Dashie," Applejack said gently, "you're more than 'good enough.' 'Shy's a darn good Pony, but so are you. Why are you putting yourself dwn like this? You'd never do this regardin' anypony else."

"I don't know," said Rainbow Dash. "I've always felt that 'Shy was sort of above me -- sweet, gentle, noble -- almost like an Alicorn. She sort of looks like one when the sunlight catches her right -- ever notice that?"

"Not really," Applejack admitted. "Though Ah will say she's a purty mare. Cain't deny that."

"Huh," said Rainbow Dash. "Maybe I'm just more inclined to see it. Thing is, I've always felt 'Shy was gonna grow into something -- something really special and awesome. Don't know what she'll be, or how I know she's becoming someting else -- I just know it." Her eyes were shining with belief. Then, her expression returned to normal. "And ... you think I"m nuts."

"Ah think you have a really high opinion of her," Applejack said. "Which is fine, seein' as you're in love with her. But Ah'm afraid yore buildin' her up too high, higher'n anypony could ever really be. Ah mean -- Ah loved 'Scape, Ah still love 'Scape, but Ah never thought he was some sort of saint, or god. He was jest a real good stallion, if 'n you see what Ah mean?"

"I do," Rainbow Dash said. "But it doesn't cange my opinion. 'Shy's special." Her expression was almost belligerent.

"Sure she is, sugarcube," Applejack. "She's special to you. And in another way, to all her friends, me included. Ah'm just worried that mebbe the reason yore having trouble tellin' her that she's more into makin' love than you is cause yore puttin' her on too high a pedestal, too far above you. When, really, youre just both together, both just tryin' to make yore love work." She paused, mustering her thoughts.

"An -- Dashie? One way Ah agree Fluttershy's special is that she's 'specially sweet an' kind an' nice an' understandin'. You need to talk things over with her. Ah don't think she'll get all mad at you, if'n you explained to her that you love her but yore just not as much into makin' love. Jest talk to her. That's what Ah'm sayin'."

Rainbow Dash thought about it. "Maybe you're right, AJ," she finally said. "At least that I should talk to 'Shy about this. I still think she's special."

"Ah think she's special too," said Applejack. "That's why Ah think you should make the effort to talk to her. She's worth a lot o'effort, isn't she?"

"Yeah," said Rainbow Dash. "She is." Rainbow Dash paused, screwed up her face. "AJ?" she asked.

"Yes, sugarcube?"

"Thank you for putting up with me getting all mushy. And stupid. And listening to me. And giving me good advice." Dashie just sort of stopped, clearly unsure of what to say next.

"Yore welcome," Applejack replied. "Any time for a good friend like you."

Dasie ducked her head, but she was smiling. "I sure hope that we find some creature from the Everfree," she commented. "I really need to fly fast and hit something, to make up for all this mush!"

Applejack laughed good-naturedly, and the two friends continued on their patrol, their hooves crunching in the February snows.

---

The Pegasus courses through the skies over the Badlands, making for the territory patroled by the condors. She is a very large smoky-gray Pegasus with long grayish-white hair and blue eyes. At close quarters, she would be quite recognizable to many Ponies scattered rather widely across Equestria -- her special friends in many towns where her business takes her. They would not be surprised to see her anywhere -- her business takes her to some very strange places, sometimes.

Nor would they be surprised to see her flying high and fast. She is a very good flyer, one of the reasons why she is well-suited for the job of a South Wind, a courier and liasion for the Weather Service.

They might wonder why she is flying into the Badlands, far beyond any known Pony towns. But then they aren't there to wonder.

And she isn't really there either, because this isn't really her. Just her form.

As she flies into view of the condors, an invisible challenge passes betwen her and the sentry. The sign is sent to her. The countersign given in return. The vast but simple mind which watches from below accepts her, classifies her on its situation display as "friendly contact," and appends her name: Courier-829.

For she is indeed a courier. Just not for Equestria.

When she gets to a certain distance into the protective circle of the airborne early warning system, she changes direction, diving directly for the tunnel-riddled mesa. She is in safe airspace now; there is no more need for deceptive flying.

She makes full use of her current form's superior wings and flightfields to bleed off the velocity of her descent. Then, when she is almost stationary in midair, she Shifts. Sickly green fire shimmers over her form, seems to burn it away to reveal her true self -- a black-carapaced, green-eyed, jagged-horned, pseudo-insectoid horror with rapidly buzzing membranous wings -- what Pegasus legends call a "buzzy."

Transformed back into her true shape, the Changeling Courier swoops into Hive Chrysalis.

Author's Note:

Some relevant chronology, which will help to understand the character background to the tale:

YOH 1490 - Rainbow Dash, age 8, performs the Sonic Rainboom. Her friend Fluttershy, age 10, moves to Ponyville part-time, both because of her love of terrestrial animals, and to avoid the unwanted advances of Cloud Kicker, age 13, at Flight Camp. There, Fluttershy makes her second-ever friend, Rarity Belle, also aged 8 at the time. Pinkie Pie, aged 9, moves to Ponyville part-time, apprenticing with her Cake cousins. (S1E23, "Cutie Mark Chronicles")
YOH 1492 - Applejack begins stepping out with and sparking her childhood friend Landscape Carrot. Both are 14. Fluttershy, age 12, fends off an attempted rape from her older cousin Ill Wind (using The Stare for the first time in her life), after which she permanently moves to Ponyville to get away from Ill Wind and from her own Uncle Windvane, who wishes to use her for political purposes.
YOH 1494 - Rarity, age 12, goes off to school at the Fashion Institute of Fillydelphia. At the same time, Rainbow Dash -- who has been spending more and more time with her new best friend Gilda von Griffonstone, flies off to spend a year adventuring with Gilda's Griffon comrades. These two events leave Fluttershy, now 14, effectively-friendless.
Fluttershy spends some time with her mother, Sweetwing, and hears the tale of her conception. Draining some of her mother's Love, Fluttershy flies to Hive Chrysalis in the Badlands, where she discovers to her horror that her mother's tale was true! Fluttershy resists the mind-call of Queen Chrysalis to her, and escapes to live free. The shy teenaged filly, now knowing that she is half-Changeling, starts to become socially-isolated. (Fluttershy Is Free)
YOH 1495 - Cloud Kicker, aged 18, comes to Ponyville. Winning-Through-Degradation is cauterized by Pinkie Pie, aged 14, with the aid of the Paradise Entity; and Cloud Kicker decides to remain -- much to the dismay of Fluttershy, age 15, who fears Cloud Kicker because of events that had occurred in Flight School.
YOH 1496 - Fluttershy, aged 16, is seduced by "Nosey," suffering serious emotional damage. She becomes almost a complete recluse in consequence. (A Robust Solution)
YOH 1497 - Rainbow Dash, aged 15, comes to Ponyville at the invitation of Cloud Kicker, and apprentices to the Ponyville Weather Patrol. She renews her friendship with her old friend Fluttershy, age 17, beginning to draw her out of her isolation and starting Fluttershy's process of psychological healing. She also befriends Applejack and Landscape, now both 19.
YOH 1498 - Applejack and Landscape, age 20, declare Intention to one another and consummate their lifelong love. Big Mac, age 24, is severely upset by this development and speaks harshly to Landscape. His honor stung, Landscape goes off in search of a legendary treasure in the Evergloom Swamps of Flowery Province in the far southeast -- and vanishes, secretly made captive by the Changelings of Evergloom, then a hardscrabble and dying Hive hidden deep in the swamps. Applejack repeatedly searches for but cannot find her lost lover. Unaware if Landscape is alive or dead, she holds herself bound by her Intention and refuses to let any other stallion court her.
YOH 1499 - Rarity, age 17, returns to Ponyville from Fillydelphia, opens the Carousel Boutique, and renews her old friendship with Fluttershy, age 19. Rarity senses Fluttershy has serious emotional problems, and begins deliberately and systematically drawing her back out into Society. Fluttershy's healing accelerates.
YOH 1500 - Luna's Return - Fluttershy joins Twilight's quest for the Elements of Harmony and participates in the Liberation of Luna. After a rocky start, Fluttershy plays the key role in subduing the Dragon Red Haze, earning Rainbow Dash's renewed romantic admiration. Fluttershy invites Rainbow Dash to come with her to the Butterfly Migration. (Dragonshyness).
Fluttershy finally gains the courage to confess the tale of her seduction by "Nosey" to Rarity, and Rarity enables her to for the first time understand what actually happened to her, and why. Fluttershy starts to seriously believe that she may actually be loveable, after all. (A Robust Solution)
Fluttershy takes Rainbow Dash to witness the Butterfly Migration. On this trip, Fluttershy tries to tell Dashie about her half-Changeling nature, but Rainbow Dash does not at first believe her, and Fluttershy does not press the point. This is something for which Fluttershy will later be very sorry. (Fluttershy Is Free)
1501 - Rarity induces Fluttershy to become a nationally-famous fashion model. Fluttershy does not enjoy this experience. Pictures of her appear all over Equestria -- and Queen Chrysalis becomes aware of exactly where her wayward daughter wound up.
During this year, Fluttershy and Dashie's love becomes increasingly romantic and sexual in nature.
1502 - After Fluttershy succeeds in learning to Micro-Shift and thus dramatically increase her physical prowess, enabling her to help raise water to Cloudsdale, Fluttershy and Dashie consummate their love.
1503 - Mismatched Hearts. Soon afterward, most sadly, A Canterlot Wedding, and the revelation of Fluttershy's secret to the Princesses and all her friends, including Rainbow Dash.

The conversation between Applejack and Rainbow Dash is very much outside Dashie's comfort zone, and a bit outside AJ's. However, Applejack is always ready and willing to help out a friend in need.

These are the Love Experts

and I was surprised to the degree Disney was willing to include Norse paganism in Frozen (for the uninitiated, they are rather obviously Freya-worshipping trolls).

But AJ's advice is pretty good.

The form in question at the end is of course of the redoubtable Stormfront. Though of course it isn't really her, now is it?

Comments

[Eruantalon]

Glad you're writing this story! I've been looking forward to the next entry in the Fluttershy Saga ever since I first found your Fluttershy Is Free!

Not much to say so far; let's see what happens next...

[ChibiChabot]

Yeeee I'll have to read the others in this saga. Thanks for sharing.

[Dramon Creator]

Chapter One, in which we see the first signs of calamity, for both Equestria at large, and two Bearers' love. It's fitting that changelings are the cause of these troubles, seeing as they both literally and figuratively suck (I say that in the least racist way possible).

Honestly, you've been foreshadowing (or rather, blatantly spoiling) the breakdown of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash's relationship for years, and it's great to finally see the story of how it all comes tumbling down....Does wanting to see the inevitable destruction of two people's romance make me a bad person? I think it makes me a bad person. Well, my morality aside, I'm really looking forward to the rest of Mismatched Hearts, not only for the conflict born from the pegasi's irreconcilable differences, but also as the prelude for the Royal Wedding, which is sure to be a showstopper.

[Harmony Muse]

Wait, wait, i'm confused... in other of your stories. We have Flutters and Discord sort of being romantic on each other, and Flutters helping Bulk Biceps flex his love muscle.

While I LOVE me some FlutterDash, there's obvious heartbreak in the cards for SWSV Fluttershy, as I HIGHLY doubt Fluttershy's Polyamorous, at least to that extent. Meaning that thisstory's going to have a breakup in it.

I has the sads :(

[grogar]

I'm assuming this leads to to RD and Fluttershy ultimately deciding to be just friends. and i'm assuming Chrysalis is a little pissed that a changeling descended from her hive is a element bearer.

[grogar]

Btw how will this week ep affect this story?

[FanOfMostEverything]

It's always interesting to read works by you and by Estee in quick succession. Very different styles and attitudes, both of which I still greatly enjoy.

In any case, this is clearly going to hurt Dash and Shy both. I somewhat dread whatever will happen next, but I'm still looking forward to it.

(Also, Gilda's a "von"? I may have commented on this before, but it's surprising to see that she's nobility.)

[Jordan179]

7268685

Oh hi, Chibi. My Flutterarc, as written, so far comprises

(1) Kindness Is Magic (novella, but only 1 chapter written so far)
(2) Dragonshyness (novella, completed)
(3) A Robust Solution (novelette, completed)
(4) Fluttershy Is Free (novelette, completed)
(a really big chronological gap which needs to be filled)
(5) Mismatched Hearts (novella, only 1 chapter written so far)
(another really big chronological gap which needs to be filled) and
(6) Divine Jealousy and the Voice of Reason (novel, about 2/3 finished)
and
(7) Post-Traumatic (short novel, complete, peripherally Fluttershy as the main focus is Twilight x Luna and Rarity x Spike)

[Jordan179]

7268693

Actually, the reason I've been avoiding writing this, and may wind up writing more of it very slowly, is that it makes me sad. I see Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash as two good, decent, loveable Ponies whose love is wrecked by a combination of sexual incompatibility and the stress of the Shadow Wars tearing at their points of weakness -- Fluttershy's tendency to avoid speaking unpleassant truths (partially instinctive and partially the temptation into which Kindness is naturally drawn), and Rainbow Dash's extreme desire for honesty from others (the reason why Dashie is so strongly attracted to Applejack as a friend, and possibly as more on other worldlines). Given more time, Fluttershy might reveal her secret; but Chrysalis' invasion is coming at the wrong time for Fluttershy. And of course Chrysalis wants to shatter Fluttershy's ties with her friends, to the extent that she cares about them.

[Jordan179]

7268695

Fluttershy is polyamorous -- but you're right, there is heartbreak in store for her, because her first real love (the one with Rainbow Dash) is doomed, at least in the form that it previously existed. Note the chronology -- this story takes place a year and a half before Divine Jealousy and the Voice and Reason. Also note that, in Divine Jealousy, Rainbow Dash is still very much Fluttershy's most loyal friend.

[Jordan179]

7269186

I'm absolutely sure from the hints dropped in "The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone" that Gilda's nobility, and probably royalty. They've basically set up the plot "forgotten Princess redeems her realm." Translating the honorific of Griffon nobility in Griffonstone as "von" is a stretch, but that's the one they use in Danish, and Griffonstone is in Hyperborea which means fantasy-Greenland. In fact, I'd already had Hyperborea as fantasy-Greenland in that world before the episode -- I was really thrilled that they used it in the episode (though what happened there was that both Clark Ashton Smith and the Show were drawing on the same mythological sources).

[Conred]

So basically her love route is Dash-->Bulk Biceps--->Discord

[TitaniumTao]

I wonder where those Condors changelings or thralls? And If they where Changelings, then can they take animal shapes?

[Jordan179]

7271500

Pretty much, yes. She's polyamorous, so she can be in love with more than one person at a time; but she's not promiscuous, so she doesn't have that many lovers.

[superfun]

I haven't read this yet, and I probably won't until it gets updated again.
Not because I don't like the premise, but more because if a fic hasn't been updated in nearly a year, that starts telling me that it's dead.
And with exceptions, I don't usually like tracking a fic that seems like it's dead.

[Andy Soshal]

8144428 Eh, Jordan just has an assload of irons in the fire. He updates at completely bleepin' random.

Just give him some time. He ain't let us down yet.