• Published 13th Oct 2019
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A Kind And Loving Heart - SapphireWings999



5 years of isolation. 5 years of holding on to a tragic past. But could the path to healing lie within my true home? Could a certain kind-hearted soul teach me how to love again?

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Chapter VIII: But You're The One That I Want

Very little time had passed since I’d broken up with Fluttershy as I made my way sadly through Ponyville, but even though such a short amount of time had gone by, to me, it felt like ages and was by no means any easier for me to swallow. I walked through Ponyville with a heavily downcast expression, thinking to myself about all that had transpired leading up to the breakup: my arrival at her cottage, the run in with Discord, his statements, and me ultimately calling off our relationship much to Fluttershy’s tearful reaction. I played the moment through my mind on repeat countless times over, each instance more painful than the last.

As I walked along in solitude through Ponyville, face downturned, several creatures noticed me and began whispering amongst each other as to what was possibly going on with me that had brought me to this lowly state. It wasn’t long before I was walking past Sugarcube Corner when Pinkie Pie came out to greet me.

“Good morning, Davey. How you doin?”

“Ah’m really not in tha mood right now, Pinkie,” I deflected, walking right by her.

Watching me continue on my way, a confused expression crossed her face.

“What’s wrong with Davey?” she questioned to herself.

It was in that moment when I continued walking along in my solitude. I wasn’t sure where I’d go, but-

“Hellooooo. I asked you a question.”

“I can see you there writing this story, Mr. Narrator.”

… P-Pinkie?

“Yup. That’s my name. Don’t wear it out.”

H-how’re you able to communicate with me this way?

“Oh I’ve always been able to do this. I’ve just never had a good enough reason to do so until now. So what’s wrong with Davey?”

Well… he just had a really stressful break up with Fluttershy and is now really torn up about it.

“Oh no! That sounds awful.”

It is.

“But wait a minute. If you’re the one telling this story… and it’s from a first pony perspective, does that mean that… you’re Davey?”

“It does, doesn’t it?”

… Y-yes. Yes it does.

“Cool. So you’re writing this story after the events have already happened?”

Yeah. That’s one way of putting it.

“So can you tell me if you and Fluttershy ever get back together? I can’t imagine the 2 of you living apart like this.”

Unfortunately, I can’t give away that kind of information, Pinkie.

“Aww. Why not?”

Because if I just spout off information about what happens in the future, it could possibly create an alternate timeline or a time paradox that could have negative consequences.

“Ohhh. You mean like in those Back To The Future movies we saw long ago?”

Yes. Exactly like that.

“Well, in that case, I hope that it all works out well for you 2.”

I-I appreciate that, Pinkie.

“You’re welcome, Davey.”

“Pinkie? Who’re ya talkin’ too?”

“Oh hey, Applejack. No pony in particular. Just thinking out loud. Anyhoo, I gotta go check on Li’l Cheese right now. See you later. La la la la la la la.”

“What tha hay was that all ‘bout?”

I’m sorry. I need a few seconds to reorganize my thoughts and catch back up to where I was before this little interruption. Now let’s see. Pinkie asked if I was David, she broke the 4th wall before that… ah yes! Now I remember. I had been walking along through Ponyville alone with my thoughts. Well, not too long after that, I thought to myself that it might be helpful if I were to go and talk to Twilight about what had transpired between me and Flutters, have another ear to bounce it off of, so I made my way over to the train station before hopping aboard a train to Canterlot. Please don’t ask why I didn’t just use my wings to fly there. That wasn’t exactly in the forefront of my mind at the moment.

Sitting aboard the train, I kept replaying the painful memory of breaking up with Fluttershy in my head. Other creatures aboard the train whispered amongst themselves as to why I looked as downtrodden as I did. I did my best to block them all out as I thought about what I’d tell Twilight once I finally got to the palace. All I knew in that moment was that the train couldn’t get me there fast enough.

* * * * * * * *

After a pretty long while aboard the train (although it might’ve just felt that way because of the mood I was in), I arrived in Canterlot and immediately began making my way towards the palace. It took quite a bit of time to walk there from the train station, but I finally reached it after far too long. Gallus was there at the front doors to greet me.

“Hello, David,” he stated.

“Hey, Gallus. Is Twilight here by any chance?”

“Why yes she is. You’ve actually come here at just the right time. She just finished up an important meeting with Dragon Lord Ember and has a few minutes before her next one. Would you like for me to serve as an escort to see her?”

“Ah’d appreciate that a lot, Gallus. This palace is soo large it’s too easy fer one ta get turned around.”

And so, Gallus led me through the entrance of the palace and down the many long hallways towards the throne room. It was only a matter of a few minutes before we reached our destination, Gallus entering the room first to announce me.

“Princess, David is here to see you.”

“Thank you, Gallus,” I heard her reply from inside. “Please send him in.”

And with that, Gallus let me pass by him into the throne room before closing the door behind me. I then made my way over towards the princess, seated on her throne.

“Hello, David,” she amiably greeted. “I wasn’t expecting you here. Is everything O.K.?”

A sad sigh escaped my lips before I finally spoke up.

“No. Everythin’ isn’t.”

“What’s wrong?” Twi questioned in a soft, concerned, motherly tone.

“Ah jus’ broke up with Fluttershy earlier this morning.”

“Oh no! Why did you break up with her?”

“Because there’s no way that our relationship would ever work out. Ah’m a human ‘n she’s a pony. Tha backlash over us datin’ is not somethin’ Ah’d wanna subject her too.”

“But I thought that many creatures around here were fully supportive of your relationship.”

“It’s not that kinda backlash Ah was talkin’ about. Ah mean tha backlash from ma family if they found out Ah was datin’ her. Back on Earth, relationships o’ that nature between a human ‘n non-human creature are viewed very negatively. Humans are far too closed minded 'bout that kinda thing. Ma parents would never understand or accept that ‘n it’s not like Ah could jus spend tha rest o’ ma life here in Equestria completely cut off from ‘em. They’d miss me too much.”

Twilight simply sat there silently for a while, letting what I’d told her fully sink in. Finally, she spoke up.

“So you’re afraid of being in a relationship with Fluttershy because you feel that your family would reject you as well as her?”

“Mhmm.”

“Let me ask you something, David, and I want you to think really hard on this. Think about all the media that you’ve seen portrayed back in your world. Are you sure that there’s absolutely no examples of relationships between 2 completely different species at all?”

As I thought it over in my head, several examples of relationships like that slowly came to my mind.

“Well… there was this one show from a while back where a famous space captain was constantly gettin’ inta flings with various alien women.”

“Mhmm.”

“There was also an animated fantasy movie series wherein a dragon ‘n a donkey wound up havin’ kids together.”

“Yes.”

“‘N there was a live-action/animated hybrid where a human woman was married to a rabbit.”

“Exactly."

"But, how would you know ‘bout that?"

"Because of that one time when all 6 of us were inside your head, as fuzzy as my memories of the incident are. And don’t forget that Spike had a crush on Rarity for the longest time. Not to mention that I myself had a crush on Flash Sentry’s human counterpart in that alternate reality when I was younger.”

“Yer right.”

“In fact, Flash’s crush on me reminds me of another movie you saw long ago where a Unicorn was turned human and fell for a human prince. Even after that prince found out she was a Unicorn, he never stopped loving her. Do you remember what he specifically said about the matter?”

It took me a little while of thinking, but the exact quote finally came to me.

“He said, ‘Ah love whom Ah love’.”

“Precisely. And of course there’s your favorite Disney movie, The Little Mermaid, which makes me think of your relationship with Fluttershy all the more.”

“Why’s that?” I puzzled.

“Because it features a romance between Prince Eric, a human, and Princess Ariel, a Mermaid; a being that’s half-human and half-fish. Much like Ariel, you’re composed of 2 separate parts too. You’re part human and part pony just like us with your pony ears and great feathered wings while Fluttershy is fully pony, much like Eric being fully human. Technically, your pony ancestry still means that you’re more connected to Fluttershy than most other species, even if we can’t quite remember that ancestry on your side.”

“Huh. Ah’d never thought ‘bout it that way before. In fact, Ah’d completely fergotten that Ah have pony ears ‘n wings.”

“Maybe this human culture you talk about back on Earth is more open-minded and accepting of something like this than you give them credit for? More importantly, we’re all sentient beings here and, if you truly do love Fluttershy as much as you’ve claimed, then that love for her is all you really need in the long run, regardless of species, just like the human prince who loved the Unicorn.”

“Ah guess yer right,” I spoke up before berating myself. “God was Ah stupid ta push her away like that.”

“Well there’s no better time than the present for you to make things right with her. I’d suggest you do it quickly, though.”

“Thanks, Twi. Ya’ve been very helpful with providing clarity on the situation.”

“Well that’s what I’m here for,” she smiled. “Good luck with getting her back.”

And with that, I left the palace on swift wings back to Ponyville, determined more than ever to win Fluttershy back by any means necessary no matter what it took.

* * * * * * * *

It probably goes without saying that the flight back to Ponyville was far less time consuming than when I’d taken the train from there to Canterlot. As far as I was concerned, it was much more important that I preserve as much time as I could, that way I’d have much more of it to focus on winning Fluttershy back. Even then, my mind was racing with what I would say to her when I found her, what my apology would be to her for being such a dumbass. All I knew was that I’d already dug myself a pretty deep hole this time and it would most likely take more than a simple apology to get back into her good graces again.

I finally made it back to Ponyville in record time. I mean, as close to a record as I could possibly get. I’m not Rainbow Dash here. That being said, it was definitely a relief to know that I was that much closer to getting my beautiful mare back. While making my way over to Fluttershy’s cottage, I had soo many thoughts running through my mind that I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. As a result, I soon found myself flying headlong into a palm tree.

I wound up hitting the tree with enough force that I ended up with a pretty bad brain-throbbing headache afterwards.

“Ow!” I reacted while rubbing my head after the collision. “Who put a freakin’ palm tree here?”

“Why, I did,” a familiar voice responded as the palm tree morphed into Discord, startling me in the process.

“Jesus Christ, Discord!” I voiced my frustration. “Why can’t ya ever be normal?”

“Now where would the fun be in that?” he questioned back.

“What’re ya even doin’ here?”

“Well, Fluttershy has expressed interest in the past with being a tree so I figured I’d try it out for myself. I’ll admit that it’s been rather interesting just being a fly on the wall, watching other ponies go about their lives while hiding in plain sight.”

“But why a palm tree out of all things instead o’ somethin’ smaller like… Ah dunno, a bonsai?!?”

“It just seemed appropriate for the season,” he shrugged, sticking one of his talons in his ear to scratch an itch before pulling an entire coconut out of it and flicking it aside.

I swiftly shoved the thought from my mind as I returned to the matter at hand.

“Anyhoo, do ya have any idea where Flutters is? Ah’ve got somethin’ important ta talk ta her ‘bout.”

“An apology perhaps?”

“Do ya know where she is or not?”

“Why yes I do. She was very upset after you broke up with her, though.”

“You mean after you purposefully drove a wedge between us?!?” I reacted angrily. “Your meddling caused me to send her away in tears. I promised to myself that I’d never cause her to cry like that.”

“Well you’ve been doing such a bangup job with that so far,” he sardonically remarked. “You made her cry when you sacrificed yourself to the hag, when you lashed out at those dragons, when you denied your friendship-”

“O.K. O.K. Christ and biscuits, I get it! Just please stop already.”

“Oh but I was having soo much fun pulling your leg,” he responded, while holding up a very familiar looking leg.

Looking down at my feet, I suddenly realized that the leg Discord was holding was my right leg, completely detached from my body. Before I could fall over from standing on only one leg, I flapped my wings til I was hovering in front of Discord so that I was a bit more balanced than I was on the ground.

“Well somepony’s certainly quick on their feet,” he spoke back up before returning my leg. “Too bad you couldn’t be the same way towards Fluttershy.”

“What’re ya talkin’ ‘bout?”

“Well, as you’ve probably known, Fluttershy happens to be one of my oldest and dearest friends, but, despite hearing how much she used to talk of you over the years, I knew hardly anything about you. So I thought to myself ‘how can I truly know if he deserves Fluttershy or not’? It was then when I thought of a test for you. Only if you passed that test would I know that you and Fluttershy belong together. At first, it looked like you’d failed spectacularly, but I see now that you’re showing remorse for your actions, actions that may or may not have been because of my meddling.”

My expression softened a bit more before I finally spoke up.

“While Ah ‘ppreciate tha thought behind this, Discord, it’s not yer place ta decide if me ‘n Flutters should be together nor is it mine. That decision can only be hers alone ta choose. Ah plan ta go ‘n apologize ta her fer actin’ soo stupid, but whether or not she wants ta continue our relationship will ultimately be up ta her.”

“You’re probably right,” he answered back.

“So do ya know where she is?”

“Yes. She’s over at the Treehouse Of Harmony in the Everfree Forest.”

“Thanks,” I quickly replied as I flew off in that direction.

“Any time,” he answered back while I made my way towards Flutters’ location, more determined than ever to make things right between us.

* * * * * * * *

After all that had transpired on that day, it was about late afternoon by the time I finally reached the Everfree Forest, flying through there as quickly as I could while also trying to stay focused so that I wouldn’t accidentally fly headfirst into a tree again. Even after our date together nearly a week ago, my memory of the forest still stood out pretty strongly in my mind. Reaching the river further confirmed that I was on the right course as I flew past it.

Despite my focus being heavily relegated to where I was going at the time, I couldn’t stop thinking of how I would go about apologizing to Flutters when I finally found her. I’d already focused a good amount of time on figuring that out ever since leaving Canterlot, but there was still a heavy cloud of uncertainty that hung over me all throughout. What would I tell her? Would my words come out right? Would they be enough? Would she be able to forgive me after how I’d treated her? All these thoughts and more ran through my mind as I flew along through Everfree.

Before long, I finally saw the Treehouse Of Harmony standing tall in the distance as I breathed a sigh of relief. Flying even faster, I made my way over towards it in no time at all. Coming in for a landing, I entered the Treehouse and went from room to room calling out Fluttershy’s name.

“Flutters? Are ya in here?”

Finally, I reached a room where I found Fluttershy with her back towards me, laboring over something I couldn’t quite make out.

“Flutters?”

She let out a small “eep” before swiftly turning to face me. Upon seeing me there in her presence, she spoke up in a puzzled manner.

“David? What’re you doing here?”

“Ah could just as easily ask you tha same thing. Ah was lookin’ everywhere fer ya cuz Ah was worried.”

“Wait. You came looking… for me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Cuz Ah wanted ta ‘pologize ta you fer bein’ such an idiot. Ah never meant any o’ tha things that Ah said ‘bout us not bein’ able ta work out. Ah let tha words of another individual get ta me ‘n cloud ma judgement ‘n lead me ta say some stupid shit that Ah never even meant. Tha truth is that Ah love you deeply, Fluttershy, no matter what anyone else says.”

“But… what about your family?” she questioned.

“In all honesty, what ma family says ‘bout this doesn’t bother me nearly as much as spendin’ tha rest o’ ma life apart from you. One o’ these days, Ah hope ta have you as part o’ ma family… if ya’ll ever forgive me fer bein’ an ignorant jackass.”

It took several seconds for Fluttershy to process all that I’d said to her, but, finally, eyes shimmering with emotion, she flew into my arms before embracing me tightly.

“You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that,” she spoke up as I hugged her back. “Of course I forgive you, David.”

It was during this moment of our loving embrace that I looked over her shoulder to see what it was that she’d been working on before I’d found her. All that I saw when I looked behind her was a lengthy piece of vine. My mind was troubled at the sight of the vine as I thought of the possible implications behind it and how I’d managed to find Flutters at just the right time to apologize to her. That being said, I didn’t want to ruin this beautiful moment that we had with each other so I held my tongue on the matter.

Instead, a different thought came to my mind, a way that I could make sure that she knew just how important she was to me, before I spoke back up.

“Ah just thought of a way that Ah could make it all up to ya fer tha trouble Ah’d put you through.”

“Oh, David, you know you really don’t have to.”

“Please jus’ let me do this one thing fer you,” I insisted.

“O.K.,” she finally gave in. “What did you have in mind?”

* * * * * * * *

A few hours later, it was nighttime as both me and my beautiful Fluttershy were lying in bed together back at my place. I had made this proposal to her with the very clear disclosure that there was absolutely nothing sexual about it at all, but rather an exercise in trust between the 2 of us. I was not the kind of person who would willingly deflower somepony as pure-hearted and innocent as Flutters outside of the context of marriage. While certain that the day for marriage would eventually come, I was more concerned with making sure that she knew full well that I’d never leave her and this was meant to be my way of expressing that towards her.

In that moment, lying there while holding each other close, nothing else mattered to us as we enjoyed each other’s presence.

“I hafta admit,” Fluttershy finally spoke up, “this is the first time anypony of the opposite sex has ever invited me to sleep over at their place.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Really. Aside from sleepovers with my friends, it hasn’t really been my thing. You’re the first relationship I’ve been in who’s ever invited me to spend the night together.”

“Well Ah’m honored that Ah could be tha first,” I smiled back at her.

“So what made you change your mind about being in a relationship with me?”

“Ah went ta visit Twilight at her castle where she helped talk some sense inta me. Ah’d mentioned how closed-minded most people were in regards ta relationships like ours before she reminded me o’ several instances o’ media back on Earth that featured relationships o’ that nature. Stuff like Star Trek, Shrek, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, 'n Tha Last Unicorn among others. She even brought up Tha Little Mermaid ‘n how it actually reminded her more about tha 2 of us than anything else.”

“How so?” she puzzled.

“Well, she said that Ah was much like Ariel in tha sense that she was part-human ‘n part-fish much like how Ah’m part-human ‘n part-pony, somethin’ that Ah’d fergotten ‘bout at tha time, before statin’ that you were much like Prince Eric in that he was fully human while yer fully pony.”

“Huh. I’d never thought of it that way before.”

“Neither had Ah in all honesty.”

It was then when Fluttershy let out a soft, adorable yawn before I spoke back up.

“Looks like somepony’s gettin’ tired. It’s prob’ly a good idea fer us ta get some rest.”

“O.K.,” she replied before giving me a soft kiss on the lips. “I’ll see you in the morning, my handsome prince.”

“See ya then, ma beautiful mare.”

And so, we fell asleep shortly afterwards, holding each other close all through the night while thankful to share our lives together.

* * * * * * * *

Waking up the next morning with Fluttershy still in my arms, I gently brushed her mane away from her eyes as she smiled back at me.

“Good mornin’, sunshine,” I pleasantly greeted.

“Good morning, David,” she replied back. “How’d you sleep?”

“With you in ma arms, babe, Ah slept phenomenally. How ‘bout you?”

“Beautifully. Thanks for asking.”

“Yer welcome.”

It wasn’t long afterwards that our stomachs started growling in unison.

“Guess it’s breakfast time,” Flutters spoke up with a giggle as the 2 of us finally got out of bed.

“Ah guess so. Ya know what Ah could really go fer right ‘bout now?”

“What’s that?”

“A Golden Delicious apple from Sweet Apple Acres. Ah haven’t had one o’ those in quite a while.”

“That sounds lovely.”

Making our way outside of my house, the 2 of us took to the sky and were over at Sweet Apple Acres before too long. Not too surprisingly to us, we saw Applejack and Rainbow Dash hard at work upon arrival as well as Big Mac and his wife Sugar Belle. Granny Smith had unfortunately long since passed on between now and when I’d last visited Equestria. The 4 of them were quick to notice me and Fluttershy’s presence there as Rainbow was the first to speak up.

“Well if it isn’t the happy couple,” she playfully remarked. “How ya doin’ today?”

“Pretty good, Dashie,” I replied. “How ‘bout you guys?”

“Eh. Can’t complain,” AJ answered.

“How can we help you 2 on this beautiful morning?” Sugar Belle posed the question.

“We were just here to see about getting a couple of Golden Delicious apples for breakfast,” Fluttershy stated.

“Well we could definitely help you 2 out with that,” Big Mac answered back in possibly the first time in a long while that I’d heard him say anything outside of his standard “Eyup” or “Nope”.

“I’ve gotcha guys taken care of,” Rainbow replied.

In the blink of an eye, she was gone and back again with a Golden Delicious apple in each forehoove, passing them off to me and Fluttershy.

“Thanks,” the 2 of us answered in unison as we gratefully accepted the apples.

“No problem.”

And so, as the 2 of us ate our apples, Sugar Belle was the first to break the silence that had arisen amongst us.

“So, David, Applejack and Rainbow Dash have informed me that Princess Twilight said you were possibly considering taking up a career as a singer.”

“Yup,” I replied after swallowing a mouthful of apple.

“I think that’s pretty incredible. I never knew that you had that kinda talent.”

“Oh he definitely has that,” Flutters affirmed as she pulled me towards her in a sideways hug.

“Whenabouts would you consider taking that up? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Not at all. Ah was plannin’ on pursuin’ it sometime after Ah return ta Equestria again.”

“Wait. You’re leaving?” Fluttershy puzzled with a tinge of worry in her voice.

“Only fer a little bit, ma love. Ah jus’ have some stuff that Ah need ta take care o’ back on Earth, but Ah promise that Ah will come back here within tha near future.”

“Pinkie Promise?”

“Cross ma heart, hope ta fly, stick a cupcake in ma eye,” I answered while going through all of the appropriate motions, “‘n if that’s not enough, Ah have this fer ya.”

Reaching for my right ring finger, I pulled a small ring off of it before handing it over to Fluttershy.

“This ring used ta belong ta ma late grandmother. She gave it ta me before she died because she was sure that it must’ve had some sort o’ value to it, but Ah could never bring maself ta ever sell it. It’s one o’ tha few possessions o’ hers that Ah still have. Ah’m givin it ta you as a symbol ‘n a promise that Ah will return.”

“I’ll protect it with my life,” Fluttershy stated while gratefully accepting the ring from me. “I also have something for you.”

Spreading out her left wing, she turned her head around towards it and, with her teeth, plucked a feather right off of it before passing it off to me.

“Just something to make sure that you don’t forget about me.”

“Aww, Flutters,” I began, “Ah’d never ferget ‘bout you, but Ah’ll still hold onta this til ma return.”

It was then when I took Fluttershy in my arms and kissed her passionately for about half a minute before finally pulling apart. Gazing deeply into her beautiful eyes, I gently ran the back of my hand against her cheek as she willingly leaned into my touch, eyes closed and a pleasant smile on her face. I then turned my attention back to the rest of the party gathered there before me.

“Ah’ll be back here again before ya guys even know it. Tell tha others Ah’m sorry Ah didn’t have time ta say goodbye ta all of ‘em, but Ah will return soon.”

“Done and done,” Rainbow assured.

“See ya when ya get back, Sugarcube,” AJ stated.

“Eyup,” Big Mac agreed.

“See y’all later,” I proclaimed to them.

And so, with Fluttershy’s feather in one hand, I used my other hand to hold up the pendant that had the inscription on it for me to read it out loud.

“Equestrian son/The victory won/Return to thy home.”

No sooner had the words escaped my lips then a bolt of lightning struck the ground before my feet and a portal opened up. With one last look towards my friends, I jumped forward into the portal before it swiftly closed behind me. After a short period of awkward silence, Rainbow finally remarked.

“No matter how many times I see it, it never gets old.”

The others merely nodded in agreement before each of them went their own separate ways.

Author's Note:

See next chapter.