The Remaining Five

by ABagOVicodin

Memories: Fluttershy

Fluttershy's eyes looked to her left, capturing the sight of Twilight's hoof moving in front of her face. She quickly looked forward, and closed her eyes. Twilight wasn't making any noise from her silent sobbing, which is why Fluttershy was hesitant to open her eyes in the first place. Her stomach felt like it was turning over, due to all of the feelings that she was repressing. She half expected herself to throw up, but for the moment, she was physically fine. Her mind wandered through all of Pinkie's contributions to her life, and although she was losing count of the small things, one particular big event popped into her mind. A small smile came to her face as the memory started to play out.

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Ponyville was peaceful, that was the consensus among its citizens. With the Mayor overseeing the city, she had put into action a large list of laws that would keep the peace. Ever since the Hearth's Warming Eve, where the story of the windigoes was shown, the Mayor didn't want to replicate that incident. Happiness and friendship caused a lack of frozen ponies, and Princess Celestia preferred that over discord and anger. However, as much as the citizens of Ponyville wanted to act in complete harmony with one another, sometimes, it was too inconvenient. Fluttershy was unfortunately one of the mares in Ponyville who had to endure the bad moods of ponies when they weren't exactly on their best day. Pinkie's attempts at making someone smile could only last for so long. Fluttershy was letting out a grunt of exhaustion, her wings carrying her as much as they could to the ground. She was currently moving from Cloudsdale to Ponyville, where her new friends were. Her eyes were focused on the sky, the beauty of Cloudsdale leaving her enamored. However her lack of attention to who was in front of her had caused an altercation.

A small “Oof” came from her mouth as she ran head first into a colt, who was carrying a couch with another colt. They were probably moving as well. Fluttershy stumbled backwards a few steps, while the colt was pushed forward from Fluttershy's weight and ended up slumped over the couch. The couch leg also fell on his hoof, which made him yell out in pain. Fluttershy's eyes widened and she moved over to the colt, as the two moved the couch off of his hoof. “I'm so sorry,” she started, “I wasn't watching where I was going.”

“Well obviously you weren't watching!” The colt fired back, anger the prime factor in the raising of his voice.

Fluttershy paused, her eyes already starting to haze up. She took a few steps to the side of the road, removing herself from the colt's way. “I'm... sorry.” Fluttershy replied, her last word barely noticeable to the best ears.

The colt's anger was not over yet, he pointed at the couch legs, which now had a decent amount of dirt on them from the impact on the ground and his hoof. “Sorry is not going to clean up my couch! I was trying to hold it away from the dirt, but since you weren't watching where you were going, now I have to get it cleaned!” he said as he stomped his unhurt hoof.

Fluttershy's eyes started to water, and she took another step backwards. Her eyes were now shifted towards the ground, and he wasn't able to hear her apology. It was nothing more then a squeak, “I'm sorry.” her eyes started to shift left and right, as her brain reminded her of why she didn't like Cloudsdale. “Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly!” The chant echoed in her mind, and her tears only started to multiply.

“Hey, leave her alone!” Pinkie walked over to the colt, her arms wrapped around a cardboard box. The box was white, and held a delicious cake inside. This was the perfect moment for Pinkie to interject, she couldn't stand to see a crying face. “You made your point, why are you making her cry too?” Pinkie asked, and she stood between the two feuding ponies. Fluttershy looked up at Pinkie's back, and the memories of Rainbow Dash standing up for her was now filling up her mind. Her parents and Rainbow Dash were the only people that didn't want to make fun of her, or push her around. Was this pink mare just wanting to have Fluttershy all to herself for taunting and teasing? As the angry colt and the mare conversed, Fluttershy soon agreed that this wasn't the case.

Fluttershy tried to get a hold of her composure, although the gasping noises and the spasms of her diaphragm were not helping. Her briefcase, which she was holding on her way to her new home, was next to Pinkie's hoof, since she dropped it after she was yelled at. The colt was a little more happy now, as Pinkie had provided him with an offer. She would help him carry the couch to the destination, if he apologized. He moved over to Fluttershy, and bit his lower lip. He was obviously not used to apologizing for his behavior, which is why he was gritting his teeth when he finally said it. “I'm sorry.”

“It's,” Fluttershy's words were interrupted by her gasping, “Okay.” she replied. As much as she wanted to say that it was her fault, the last time that she ended with that sentence, she had another ten minutes worth of chastising thrown on her, which brought her to more tears. She didn't want to repeat that. The colt moved back to the couch, and Pinkie moved to the other side, letting out a grunt of exertion as she lifted her side onto her back. She started to backpedal, looking behind her and occasionally at the ground so that she didn't fall. The yellow mare didn't hear any words from the party pony as she walked away, which left her there, alone. As much as it would have bothered other ponies, Fluttershy was mostly used to it, so she flew back to her cottage.

She slowly opened the door to her home, her eyes scanning over the emptiness. It was a perfect little home, with just enough space for her to pursue what she wanted, making friends with the animals. She opened her briefcase, and walked over to the closet, her hooves working to place this load of clothes away. This was the first load of items that she brought from her room back in Cloudsdale, and she was already tired. How was she going to be able to move, at all? If she was a better flier, then she would be able to empty her room in less then a day. Rainbow Dash's smiling face moved past her mind, and guilt started to flood her. She didn't tell her friend about her movement from the air to the ground, what would she think? Rainbow was adept at the arts of flying, but hopefully she would be able to understand that not everyone was good at something they were born with. “Please don't hate me.” Fluttershy said aloud, assuming that no one would be able to hear her.

“I don't hate you.” replied the previous pony that stood up for her.

Fluttershy turned around, and she quickly closed the closet before turning around, placing her back against it. Sure, this mare didn't hate her, but you didn't need to hate someone to make fun of them. “Th...thank you.” Fluttershy responded, her voice barely able to be read.

Pinkie placed her hoof behind her ear, before giggling and she trotted over to Fluttershy, until the two of them were inches away from each other. “I couldn't hear you.” she said, blinking a few times, a bright smile on her face.

Fluttershy wasn't sure if she could smile wider then this mare. Even the smile when Rainbow Dash acquired her cutie mark wasn't as big as the one in front of her. “Thank you.” she retorted, her eyes shifting down when their gaze met.

Pinkie placed her hooves onto Fluttershy's shoulders, and then pulled her in for a hug. “I'm sorry about that colt that yelled at you, he was having a very stressful time with moving, and he just snapped. He told me that it wouldn't happen again.” Pinkie said. She then pulled back, “I'm Pinkie Pie, what is your name?”

Fluttershy would have loved to believe that the previous colt's behavior would not be repeated, but the circular behavior of bullies was one that she was able to bring up again, and again. She remembered when she was being taunted by two foals, and when Rainbow Dash threatened them, they promised to stop. Promises meant nothing to them. Fluttershy tried to move back into a happy disposition, since this mare was introducing herself to her. “I'm Fluttershy.” she responded. Her eyes remained on the floor, until Pinkie placed her hoof underneath the yellow mare's neck, and pushed their gazes to meet.

“I don't look bad, do I?” she asked, giggling slightly before she turned around to look at her back.

“No, no you don't! You look perfect.” Fluttershy quickly retorted, terrified that Pinkie would take her assumptions the wrong way and lash out at her.

Pinkie blinked a few times, and then took a step back, before tackling Fluttershy to the ground, hugging her extremely tight to herself. “It's nice to meet you Fluttershy! I'm so glad to make new friends in Ponyville! The two of us are going to have so much fun!” she said.

This was all too good to be true. She was able to introduce herself to someone without being yelled at, or made fun of. Twilight Sparkle would indeed do the same thing a few years from this memory, but Pinkie was the first. Pinkie stood up, letting go of Fluttershy so that the two of them could continue to talk. Her eyes wandered over to the opened suitcase, and its lack of contents. “Are you moving here?” she asked, while her eyes wandered over to the empty rooms, curiosity taking over for the time being.

Fluttershy nodded her head, and then closed her briefcase. She looked over to the archway which indicated the exit, but a sigh exited her lips. She didn't want to continue moving any more, it was simply too much for her to handle. Pinkie noticed the sigh, and then started to check off pegasi in her mind that would be able to help move. “Do you need help moving?” Pinkie asked, as she walked over to the door. She leaned against the door frame, expecting Fluttershy to follow.

Fluttershy looked to Pinkie and she smiled, and nodded her head once. “I do need help with moving, I can't handle it all on my own. That one briefcase took all of my energy.” she was embarrassed to admit it, but at this point, she was desperate for help.

“I can get a few ponies to help! I can't help, because I don't have any wings, but I can carry things if you need it!” Pinkie replied, more names passing her head and being checked off.

“Any help that you can offer, I would love.” Fluttershy replied. Her smile grew wider, and Pinkie looked directly at it. Her own smile came across her face, and she turned her back to the yellow mare. “Well I am going to go get you some help for tomorrow. Rest for today, and we will continue moving tomorrow okay?” Pinkie said, her eyes looking down at the ground for a moment, her eyebrows drooping. Her stature remained strong and “happy”, but the frown on her face did not indicate it. Good thing no one was looking, the party pony had to sigh every now and again.

“Okay, thank you Pinkie Pie.”

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The group that Pinkie managed to bring for the move was larger then any group Fluttershy had seen in her life. Ten earth ponies, five pegasus, and five unicorns were standing outside of Fluttershy's house as she flew down from Cloudsdale to her new home. One briefcase was underneath her shoulder, and she dropped it in surprise, as all twenty ponies were staring right at her. Her breathing started to hitch, and her wings slapped shut against her body, and she fell five feet into two earth pony's arms. “Th...thank you.” Fluttershy responded, and she looked at the ground, her body slowly closing in so that she was as insignificant as she wanted to be. All of this attention, she hated it. The gaze on her was broken by Pinkie, who finished talking with an interior designer. “I owe you Pinkie.” the colt said, and Pinkie giggled as he walked back into line. Pinkie pulled a soapbox in front of her, (from nowhere obviously) and stood on top of it. “Okay, listen up, Fluttershy needs help with her moving! Now the Mayor has designed a plan for all of you, this way, we can get Fluttershy all cozy and safe in her blankets in less then a day!”

“Yeah!” the crowd cheered. Fluttershy jumped from the cheer, and looked around her to see that no one was staring at her. She managed to pull herself to her hooves, and Pinkie cleared the teams to move to Mayor Mare. She walked over to Fluttershy, “Hey Fluttershy, are you doing okay?” she asked.

Fluttershy was having trouble finding the right words. She was extremely happy that Pinkie managed to cut down her moving time from a week down to less then a day. But a few questions remained in her mind, which just happened to be blurting out of her mouth, “How?”

“Oh silly, Ponyville is happy to help with anyone who needs it.” Pinkie responded. Fluttershy smiled, completely unaware that there were bags tied to a few of the pony's clothes, a few bits jingling around inside. Others were happy to help, and it was shown by the smiles on their faces as they read over the plan. Others were smiling, but when most looked away, their frown would show. Perhaps a favor was being collected. “It doesn't matter, you will be snuggled all up in your blankets by the end of the day! My friend Rarity is going to take you out on a massage, go relax okay?”

“Wait... who?”

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Fluttershy's eyes opened, and a sob came from her lips as the conflicting feelings within he stomach were unable to be held back any longer. Pinkie Pie was the first to make her smile in Ponyville, the first to help her, and now because of the past, the first in her heart. She choked on her words as she tried to whisper to herself, but she was unable to form any coherent words. “I love you Pinkie Pie, I will never forget you.”