Chapter VI: “Sweet Celestia Above!"
(Another chapter? Yes. Another chapter. Read it, rate it, and let me know of any glaring mistakes.)
You stood atop that hill for several minutes, simply looking at where Twilight had been. You felt the smile on your lips grow by the second, and soon enough you had a massive goofy grin plastered on your face. You had quite a bit of spring in your step as you made your way through the empty streets of Ponyville towards Fluttershy’s cottage. Everything seemed better as you trotted along, and yet very little had just changed.
She gave you a kiss on the cheek, no more than that, but at the same time it seemed like it signified something more. You barely paid attention to your surroundings as you made your way through the town, and you only barely noticed as you exited the town, and began making your way along the road that led to Fluttershy’s home. Mere minutes passed before you found yourself standing outside the door. You raised a hoof to knock, before pausing for a moment.
Instead of knocking high on the door, as you usually did, you knocked lower. Three solid impacts created a loud enough noise that you were certain Fluttershy must have heard. And, as you suspected, she came to the door just seconds after you knocked, and she opened it. She gave you a smile as you entered, and the first thing you noticed was Angel bunny sitting in the middle of the living room, his head drooping. He looked up as you entered, though, and when he saw you he averted his gaze quickly.
“So, Flutters, did you have a chat with Angel?” The rabbit looked over at you once again, this time with a barely concealed anger burning within his eyes. You just stuck your tongue out at him for a moment, before turning back to look at the pegasus. She had a small frown on her face, and she nodded.
“Yes. I also talked to the other animals who tried to stop you, and they’ve all apologized for what they did. They were just trying to protect my home, and I suppose that they forget that you’d be staying here for some time. I made sure to let them know that they were to let you come and go as you please.” You smiled at the mare, and her own frown slowly changed to a smile. “So, what did Twilight want to know?”
You blushed fiercely at the mention of Twilight, and you quickly turned your head to hide the blush, but you were certain that Fluttershy had spotted it. “Oh, she just wanted to know how I figured out what to do for Scootaloo. So, I just told her that I explained that the world moves on. I didn’t really explain much, though. Some other matters came up. Before she left, though, she made sure to thank me for what I did.”
The mare let out a gentle laugh, and you looked over at her. There was a tiny blush present on her cheeks, and that only caused your own blush to intensify. “I think there may be more to it than that.” She doesn’t pursue the topic, though, and you were thankful for that. You moved over to the couch in the silence that followed, and you took a seat on it. “Well, you can stay in the guest bedroom. I prepared it while you were asleep yesterday.” She motions for you to follow, and so you heave yourself off the couch, and you follow Fluttershy down a short hall, and into a relatively small bedroom.
Compared to Twilight’s guest room this one was far smaller. However, it didn’t seem cramped, so much as it seemed cozy. There was a large window dominating the outer wall, and the bed was arranged directly beneath it. To your left was a small desk, and to your right was a dresser, and a small closet. For a long stay the room would be impractical, but since you had just one item with you, it was far larger than you needed. You placed the goggles on the dresser carefully, not wanting to risk damaging them. You knew that it was a baseless concern, given the enchantments placed on the frames and lenses, but you were careful anyway.
“I didn’t know that Grandpa gave you his flight goggles.” Fluttershy reached out a hoof for them, and you picked them up and handed them to her. She turned them over in her hooves, being incredibly careful with them. She looked at the inscription on the side, much as you had done yesterday. A small sigh escaped her as she looked at the inscription, and then she gave the goggles back to you. “It’s been years since I last spoke to him.”
“Grandpa and Grandma both live in Canterlot, you know. It’s not like they’re really that far away.” You put a hoof around Fluttershy, and you pulled her close. She welcomed the embrace, and you both enjoyed the silence for a moment.
“Yes, but he always had such high hopes for both of us. I never had a chance at doing what he wanted, but you? You were poised to achieve what he sought for our family.”
“Yeah, I was. But now I’m not. I didn’t ask to lose my wings, but now I have. He gave me those goggles when I started the training, and he never asked for them back, even after the accident. I like to think he’s changed some. Probably grandma talked him out of his stubborn ways.” You stopped talking as you reminisced about some of the time you’d spent with your grandparents. “But now I think he’s too embarrassed to apologize to you.”
“Why would he be embarrassed?” You smiled at Fluttershy as you placed the goggles on the dresser once more.
“He spent years expecting the world from one of us. We’re his only connection back to what he once was. He’s too old to really fly the skies like we… Like you can, so he wanted us to do what he couldn’t. When you failed to perform like he wanted you to, he turned to me. He just gave up on you when you didn’t follow the path he wanted you to.”
“Oh…”
“But don’t worry, Flutters. Maybe we can go to Canterlot at some point, and talk to them about all of this.” When Fluttershy didn’t really perk up at that, you frowned. “It’ll be fine, Flutters. If he’s still upset with you, which he isn’t, at least you won’t be the only target of his ire.”
“Well… I guess we can go. But not anytime soon. I want to be ready when we go.” You put a hoof around Fluttershy, and she finally smiles.
“We’ll go when you’re ready, and not a minute sooner. Now then, you head to bed. We’ve still got some work to do to get ready for the Summer Sun celebration.” Fluttershy left your room, closing the door behind her as she went, leaving you with your thoughts, the bed, and the goggles. You grabbed the goggles once again, and you rubbed a hoof along the inscription on the side. Maybe you could get the enchantment lifted so you could add your own little inscription to them.
You let your mind race as you put the goggles back down, and you climbed into bed. There was no need to rush the goggle project, since you didn’t even know if they’d be needed. You couldn’t afford to rush your relationship with Twilight, if it even existed. Sleep came quickly to you, and it was a dreamless sleep.
Morning came, and with it the sun, and the smell of breakfast. You were still groggy from your sleep when you finally managed to stagger out of the guest room, and towards the kitchen. When you arrived you saw Fluttershy floating about the kitchen, along with almost a dozen birds, preparing breakfast. You just watched her for a time, absorbed by the precision with which she worked. Every bird that was there was working in nearly perfect unison with the yellow mare who was clearly leading the group. You watched in awe as several birds lifted a bowl of eggs, and brought them over to the stove.
You couldn’t help but chuckle as the birds began cracking the eggs, and dumping the contents into a pan. Fluttershy’s voice cut into the silence, and made you realize that you were staring. “Good morning, sleepyhead. I tried to wake you a while ago, but you didn’t stir. I figured that you’d wake when the smell of breakfast made it to you. Now then, you go get washed up, since it’ll still be a bit until everything is ready.” You just nodded in response, since you were too busy yawning to properly speak.
Your time in the bathroom was brief, and so you expected that it’d still be a short wait before you’d eat, but you were wrong. Just as you finished in the bathroom you heard the sound of dishes being placed on the table. When you entered the kitchen you were surprised to see Fluttershy had already placed an omelet at the place where you’d be sitting, along with a tall glass of orange juice, and an apple was beside the plate, resting on a napkin.
Fluttershy didn’t say a word as you took your seat; instead she just waited to start eating until you had the first bite. You grabbed your fork gently, and you brought the first bite to your mouth, wondering about how good this meal would be. Your fears were groundless, though. Not only was the omelet good, it was probably the best one you’d ever had. And we’re not just talking homemade food, we’re talking all food. The texture was perfect, and the diced up peppers and mushrooms complemented the flavor perfectly. It was light and airy, but had a measure of spice and flavor as well.
“Sweet Celestia above! Fluttershy, this is phenomenal! I… I don’t even know how to describe it. Where did you learn to cook like this?” The mare just giggled in response, and you asked again, this time getting a response from the blushing mare.
“Well, Storm taught me how to cook. He’s really good at it, even though he’d never admit it.” The mare took a bite of her own food, savoring it much like you had before she continued. “When I asked him the same question he just shrugged it off, claiming that he was just improvising. I don’t think that’s true, though. But I would never pressure him to get an answer.” You nodded in response, your mouth too full of food to speak a word.
Soon enough, you finished the omelet, and then you moved on to the apple. After such a fantastic meal you suspected that the apple would be just an ordinary apple, but you were mistaken. Not only was the apple delicious, it was the best apple you’d ever eaten. “Man, Fluttershy, you Ponyville ponies don’t know how good you’ve got it. Everything here is fantastic, and yet you are the only one who I’ve seen actually acknowledge just how good it is.”
“Well, the apple came straight from the farm. Every other day I pick up a dozen or so from the farm. Most of them are for the animals, but every so often I save one to have for myself. I decided to give that one I saved to you, so you could enjoy an Apple Family apple.” You looked at the apple in your hoof, and then back at the mare across from you.
“You gave me this apple, knowing how good it tastes?”
“Well… Yes. I didn’t think it would be a problem.” Her voice got smaller as she spoke, and you paused for a moment. Then, when you realized what was happening, you started laughing.
“Flutters, I’m not mad at you. I’m just amazed that you would give something like this up for me. I haven’t seen you in years, and yet you’re giving me a place to stay, and you’re feeding me as well.” You shake your head in astonishment. “It’s just hard to take all this in after living in Fillydelphia for so long.”
Fluttershy visibly relaxed as you explained, and by the time you finished she had a smile on her face. “Well don’t you worry. This is just to get you reeled in. Once you’re nice and settled we’ll start treating you badly.” You paused in mid bite at Fluttershy’s words, and then you lowered the apple. When she saw your reaction the mare laughed softly. “It was a joke. Not a very good one, though.”
“It was fine, Flutters. It’s just that I’ve never heard you try to tell a joke.” The mare’s faced turned a shade of crimson at that, and you both shared a laugh. As the two of you had finished your meal, you began clearing the table, while Fluttershy started taking care of the dishes. It took only a short while for everything to be taken care of, and when you finished you went to the living room. You sat down on the couch, and Fluttershy came in a few minutes later.
“So, what actually happened between you and Twilight last night? I’ve known her for a few years, now, and I’ve never seen her act bashful about asking anypony a question.” You felt your cheeks grow warm once again at the mare’s question, and you quickly looked away from her.
“Oh. Yeah, um… There was more to it than just a question. See, when she examined my wing for the first time she… well.” You found yourself stumbling over your words, and so you took a deep breath. “Were it not for the fact that I can’t physically move my wings I would’ve displayed my appreciation for what she was doing. As it was, I told her what she was doing, and her reaction was one of dismay, but I passed it off as being a joke.” You heave a sigh as you recount that night. “I don’t know what happened, but something changed that night. All I know is that she’s given me a measure of hope that I’d lost when I lost my wings.”
“What are you going to do if she does like you?” You mulled Fluttershy’s question for some time, trying to figure out what you would do if your suspicions were correct. You could just say that you’d reciprocate, but that was a weak answer.
“I don’t really know, Fluttershy. I need to know, first, if she’s really attracted to me, or if I’m just a way for her to practice a complex magical procedure. While I doubt the latter is the case, it’s a possibility. For now, I’ll spend some time with her, and see if something develops. If something does develop, well… Improvisation got me into the Wonderbolts training program, it’ll get me through this as well.”
Fluttershy smiled in response, and then walked over to the door of the cottage, and she opened it. “I’m glad to hear it. Now then, let’s head into town, I need to get some feed for the animals. I used up the last of it this morning.” You quickly moved from your spot on the couch, and you followed Fluttershy down the path that led to town.
The walk was filled with a pleasant quietude that you didn’t feel like breaking. It wasn’t because you enjoyed the silence, but because you had plenty on your mental plate to dig through. Fluttershy’s question about what you’d do if Twilight’s affection was genuine was a valid one. One that you were going to fully explore. There was only so much that you could do to reciprocate, and that irritated you. You’d heard all sorts of tales of pegasi wooing their interests with displays of flying prowess, or even taking their prospective mates on flights, wherein they would demonstrate the level of trust between them, and their partners. Neither of those was available to you, and you couldn’t perform the feats that earth ponies could, since you lacked their characteristic strength and durability. And unicorns? Well, that was fairly obvious.
A gift, or trinket, always came across as tacky in your opinion, but it was your best bet. You liked to think of yourself as being fairly well read, so maybe you could do something along the lines of a good book. But with an entire library of books at her disposal there was little chance that you could ever give her something that she hadn’t read yet. Maybe something truly obscure, or a first edition copy of something she doesn’t have. The only book you could think of that you had that was first edition was a book you had left at home.
The town loomed ahead of you, finally close enough for you to hear the sounds usually associated with civilization. The marketplace was your destination, and soon you were deep in the throng of ponies milling about the markets, each one looking for a particular item, or set of items. Fluttershy stopped at many stalls, but she only bought very little. She spent quite a bit of time socializing with the ponies that she knew well, and when you got to a stall where she’d buy something you’d spend even more time there. She’s certainly grown a lot more assertive since that time she spent with that minotaur.
The two of you spent quite some time in the markets, and by the time you had finished your back was covered in several dozen bags of feed and assorted food products. Your legs were shaking with the effort of supporting it all, but you didn’t want to complain, since you knew that Fluttershy would gladly take the entire burden to make it easier for you. The two of you began heading out of the market when you heard your voice called out from a distance. You laboriously turned in place, searching for the source when Fluttershy pointed.
You followed her hoof to see Twilight walking towards you, a smile on her face. You felt the tiniest tremor run through you as you saw her slow to a stop before you, her smile still in place. “I’m glad I found you, I was about to head to Fluttershy’s home. I think I may have found a spell that’ll help me with your wings. If you’d come with me, I’m eager to give it a try!” You offer the mare a smile, and then you make a point of shifting the pile of consumables on your back.
“I’d love to, Twi, but I’m a bit busy at the moment. Perhaps after I drop all of this off I can come by the library, and we can give it a shot.” The mare looked down for a moment, clearly disappointed at the prospect of waiting, but she quickly perked back up as you finished.
“Sure, that’ll work. And maybe afterwards we could get some lunch, if you’d like.” Despite yourself you found a blush coming to your cheeks as she asked her question.
“Sure, Twi. I should be at the library in under an hour. Just make sure that you’ve got the spell right.” The mare nodded an affirmative, and then she walked off, clearly eager to get started.
“She just asked you out, you know?”
“Yeah, thanks, Flutters. I didn’t notice.” Your sarcasm wasn’t lost on the pegasus, and you heard her begin laughing as the two of you started making your way back to her cottage.
(There it is, another chapter. I hope you enjoyed.)
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new chapter!
yay
Brilliant (I'm saying that often aren't I?) as always.
Oh boy, new chapter, and it's featured!
Yes!
Loving it so far. Keep up the good work looking forward for more.
oh ma gerd. Even before I read this, I can just tell that this is a great story. Love myself some shipping!
awesome
MOAR HOWY!!!
And now a picture of his most recent dream
tips4pc.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/black-screen2-300x187.gif
You JERK you can now see in my dreams too! Yep that's my dreams to. you can look at my google docks BUT STAY OUT OF MY HEAD MAN!
Total grade a awesomsauce
Nigguh, I enjoy all of what I read so far. Keep it up!
Amazing, as always.
Aww balls I'm caught up. Really good story so far, I like how it has tied to the last one so well! Can't wait for more, but I do think I see where this is going. When twilight fixes his wings, he'll probably have to go back and confront his family, possibly with fluttershy in tow, and then it will turn out Mrs. Fields is his Grandma and his Grandpa is that lord dude who is all evil and beheady and junk. - CRAZY THEORY END
Note: I wrote this at 5 in the am.
finally finished at like freaking 11:00 at night. But totally worth it. Keep writing!
Oh noes! No more of this story to catch up on! I'll have to make sure I get emails for this story.
1112329 There will likely be more in a day, or two. I would write some tonight, but I have other plans. Tomorrow night's looking good, though.
can't stop reading
God I love your writing
One structural note in this chapter:
"If he’s still upset with you, which he isn’t, at least you won’t be the only target of his ire."
I have to wonder if that sentence wouldn't be better written as "If he were still upset with you - which he isn't - at least you wouldn't be the only target of his ire."
"Of if I'm just a way of her practicing..."
I assume it's "or if" not "of if".
1120115
1130294
Fixed... And thanks. Freakin' keyboard putting 'f' and 'r' next to each other....
"you heard your voice called out from a distance."
your name, maybe?
Derp moment alert
i love how there is no grand plot or amazing realizations here, just an adorable everyday tale. really awesome
Blushception.
Pfffttt!!!
THIS is a more believable reaction.