Different Approach

by armid

A Decision To Be Made

It was morning once again.

Fluttershy had just stepped out of her house, walking to school. She had picked up her brushes, slipped her palette through her backpack and the extra paint tubes she had bought the other day.

Just one question remained: Who was going to be her model?

---

After a short walk, Fluttershy got to school. Only a few seconds after she stepped past the door, Rainbow Dash flashed right next to her.

“Heeeeeey Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash put her arm on Fluttershy’s shoulder.

“Aah!” Fluttershy jumped a little. “Oh, hi.”

“How are you doing?” Rainbow Dash smiled at her friend.

“I’m fine. H-how are you?” Fluttershy was a little startled to see her friend appear out of nowhere.

“I’m feeling awesome”

“Oh. That's nice to hear.”

“Yeah, so uh…” Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head. “We are doing the art thing today, right?”

“Huh?” Fluttershy turned her head to Rainbow Dash, lost.

“Are we not doing the art project thing? The one you wanted me as your model for?” Rainbow Dash tilted her head.

“I, uh…” Fluttershy took a second to think whether she ever told Rainbow Dash that she had picked her as her model or not. As far as she could recall, today was the day she wanted to make up her mind about it and talk to both her and Rarity. Then what was this about? “I am going to do it but… I was going to talk to yo—”

“Oh look! There are the girls!” Rainbow Dash pointed at the rest of the gang and dragged Fluttershy with her.

“Hello Rainbow. Hi Fluttershy.” Twilight waved her hand with a smile. “We’ve been wondering where you two were just now.”

“Angel was being a bit problematic over eating her breakfast again this morni—”

“HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” All of a sudden, Rarity pushed Rainbow Dash back.

“Nothing.” Rainbow Dash let go of Rarity’s new lavender dress, smirking and crossing her arms. “Just checking the new dress that you put on to impress Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy grabbed onto Twilight’s arm. She was afraid this would happen. Ever since she mentioned her project to her friends yesterday, Rainbow Dash and Rarity started snapping at one another nonstop, fighting over being Fluttershy’s reference model. Fluttershy thought they might have calmed down since yesterday, but apparently she was wrong.

“Huh,” Rarity scoffed. “And what were you doing right before now? Whispering into her ear and guiding her thoughts?” Rarity pointed her finger at Rainbow Dash’s face.

“NO!” Rainbow Dash shoved Rarity’s finger to the side. “I-I…” She muttered for a second but got her cool back straight away. “I don’t need to. It’s already obvious she isn’t picking you with your ‘oooh, I’m so pretty’ attitude.” She mimicked Rarity.

“Well I’m not the one who felt the need to push Fluttershy into changing her decision,” Rarity sneered and turned her face away.

“Heh,” Rainbow Dash turned her face away, “Don’t worry, I’m so awesome that she would never think of choosing you and your stupid dre—!”

“What the hay is goin’ on here again?” Just before the argument escalated more, Applejack stepped in between them.

They stopped arguing, but they still refused to look at one another.

“Is this about the art project again?” Twilight held Flutterhsy’s hand.

Hiding behind Twilight, Fluttershy just nodded. But the comfort of Twilight holding her hand made it easier to take in what was happening.

“Someone is just jealous of how awesome I am, and they're not!” Frowning back at Rarity, Rainbow Dash pushed Applejack’s arm away.

“How dare you accuse me of such a thing?” Rarity didn’t hesitate to answer back, “you are the jealous one here!”, she pushed Applejack away.

Both were staring at each other with their eyebrows frowned sharply. But it was then that the morning class bell rang from the speakers. All the girls waved at one another and headed to their classes, soon after, they both gave up on the staring contest and did the same.

A sigh of relief escaped Fluttershy’s chest as she saw her friends stop fighting. But would they start again? Probably. But that was not the question. The question was how to make them both stop fighting.

---

In the art class, Fluttershy’s mind kept drifting away from the drawing of the sapphire vase she was supposed to have on her canvas but she didn’t want to make either of her friends upset. And both Rarity and Rainbow Dash could be good models. But she needed only one.

As she was mindlessly moving her brush up and down on her canvas, Ms. Colourful Brush swiped in to check on her.

“Hello dear!” she said, as she stopped behind Fluttershy.

Fluttershy finally snapped out of her thoughts and realised she hadn't been paying attention to her piece. So much so, that it looked as if she was drawing a clump of blue clay rather than a sapphire vase.

“Oh, uhm… hi, Ms. Colourful Brush.”

“Let me see how yo-” She caught sight of what should have been a vase in Fluttershy’s piece. “You uhm… need to pay more attention sweetie!”

Fluttershy nodded silently.

“Yeah, I think you should try putting colours on again to establish the shape properly. And uhm, maybe…” Ms. Colourful Brush shook her head. “Anyway, how’s your project going?”

“I uhm…” Fluttershy looked away. “I was going to start today after school.”

“I see.” She smiled. “Well, I’m sure you’ll do great. Just… pay attention.” She then walked to the next student to inspect their work.

Fluttershy shook her head and put some paint on her brush. She was about to get back to painting when Ms. Colourful Brush came back.

“Actually, just pick another canvas and start from scratch.”

---

Fluttershy couldn’t finish her drawing practice that day. This was a bit of a surprise to Ms. Colourful Brush as Fluttershy has been among the few students that finished her work the fastest and the best. However, she didn’t step in as in her own mind Fluttershy might have gotten distracted wondering what happened with Sunset Shimmer’s that she had to head to the infirmary.

But it was something else. Fluttershy hoped one of them wouldn’t be interested anymore and she could start her work without having to deal with it. Now, she had to choose.

As she was walking back to her locker, Rarity joined her.

“Hello darling.” Rarity was holding her literature book close to her chest as she smiled at Fluttershy.

“Uhm, hi Rarity.”

“How are you doing?”

“I’m… fine.” Fluttershy said with a sigh.

“That’s nice to hear.” Rarity put her hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “I wanted to say sorry for earlier this morning. I shouldn’t have been… acting that way. It’s just that I worked very hard on this dress and I was worried Rainbow Dash would damage the fabric.”

“It’s ok. I...understand.” Fluttershy smiled back at Rarity.

“So, should I be staying after school?”

Suddenly, Fluttershy’s smile faded away. “W-what?”

“Oh, darling, I'm talking about your art project that you asked me to be the model for.”

“I don’t reca—”

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Rarity stood in front of Fluttershy. “What do you think of my new dress?”

Fluttershy took a good look at Rarity’slavender dress. From it’s short layering skirt up to the top that rested nicely on her shoulders. Rarity looked fabulous.

“It’s beautiful.”

“I knew you’d love it darling. It took me quite some time to find this quality of velvet fabric, not to mention making the actual dress. Anyway, take care now.” She smiled and walked off.

Fluttershy wanted to stop her and ask her the question, but she had to go back to class. Rarity and Rainbow Dash. They both could have been nice references for her project. In fact they were amazing options. Rarity looked pretty, especially now with her new fabulous dress and drawing her would have made the final outcome to be the same as well. But Rainbow Dash could probably take more flashy poses and Ms. Colourful Brush was fond of exploring the unexplored territories.

Fluttershy found herself struggling to focus in class once again. Her mind kept drifting from geography to the folds and soft lavender colour of Rarity’s dress to her drawing Rainbow Dash in various poses. Before she knew it, the class was over.

---

On her way to the cafeteria, Fluttershy encountered both Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Sadly, they were not chatting like two friends, but instead continuing their endless arguments again.

“Flutterhsy isn’t picking you. She literally told me to stay after school this morning.” Rainbow Dash scowled at Rarity.

“Oh, sorry to be the bearer of bad news darling.” Rarity smirked and threw her hair back. “But Fluttershy talked to me earlier and chose me over you.”

“What?” Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened. “Liar! She would never pick you with your lame new dress.”

Rarity let out a loud gasp. “HOW DARE YOU INSU—”

“GIRLS!” Flutterhsy interrupted with her high pitched scream.

Rainbow Dash and Rarity both stepped back and looked at Fluttershy but exchanged a few subtle glares at one another from the corners of their eyes.

“What are you two talking about?” She tightened her grip on her backpack.

“Let’s just get this over with.” Rainbow Dash stepped forward. “Who are you picking as your model? Me or “Ms. I’m so pretty!”?” She turned back and stuck her tongue out at Rarity.

“Oh, I don’t think there is a need to ask that question.” Rarity stepped closer and put her hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “As she has already chosen me, right?” She looked at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy had to make up her mind sooner than she would have liked. As Rarity and Rainbow Dash’s argument heated up, Fluttershy’s mind too became bore and more clouded. One word, one name. But who?

“BOTH” Fluttershy closed her eyes.

For a brief moment, silence filled the hallway. Only the faint sound of the students ordering food all the way in the cafeteria could be heard.

“W-what?” Rainbow Dash asked and broke the silence.

The chill air of the hallway filled Fluttershy’s chest. She opened her eyes slowly and looked at her friends. “Both of you.”

“Darling, what are you trying to say?” Rarity leaned forward.

Fluttershy took another deep breath. “Both of you stay after school. I’ll draw both of you.”

Comments

[blurryimage]

If I'm going to be honest, the story doesn't draw me in, nor does it keep me here. It's just...there.

Characterization seems decent, but in some areas, it's quite bland.

Example -

“Is this about the art project again?” Twilight held Flutterhsy’s hand.

Hiding behind Twilight, Fluttershy just nodded. But the comfort of Twilight holding her hand made it easier to take in what was happening.

“Someone is just jealous of how awesome I am, and they're not!” Frowning back at Rarity, Rainbow Dash pushed Applejack’s arm away.

“How dare you accuse me of such a thing?” Rarity didn’t hesitate to answer back, “you are the jealous one here!”, she pushed Applejack away.

Note the misspelling of Fluttershy, too.

I shall endeavour to read the next few chapters, but I don't really have high hopes.