Extending the Olive Branch

by Clickety-Whinny

To the White Rabbit

Angel Bunny loved nothing more than long evenings loafing on top of that rose-red couch- His couch after a long day of not much more than practicing his "jerk without a heart of gold" routine and reminiscing about trying to kick a backbone into his (in title only) owner before her mane started to gray, and today was no different.

Like, seriously- one time she just took a slap across the face from a rodent (ahem. Lagomorph) over a cherry and apologized.

He had to admit that she was getting better... For Fluttershy standards. Which meant trying to befriend an evil god of chaos to try and reform him.

The fact that plan worked still irked him quite a bit.

He probably should go and treat himself to a nice bowl of carrot ice cream to help himself cool off, actually. It was so hot out today, too! Way to go, Angel!

And with a ring of the bell he kept under his couch for exactly such an occasion, he laid down on the couch with closed eyes and crossed arms and waited patiently.

For about ten seconds, that is. Then he rang it again, and started to wait impatiently.

After what must have been at least five eons, he sat up and decided to go tackle the pressing issue there and now. Just what was she so busy with?

Come to think of it, he didn't see her at all since just before he went to sleep yesterday. Was she still sleeping?

Angel wasn't a fan of the stereotype of bunnies being associated with clocks, and therefore made a point to rely on his gut for matters of when to have breakfast, brunch, lunch, the afternoon snack and dinner, but he'd make an exception and play the role of alarm clock for her- out of necessity. He never could quite manage to eat a whole bowl of ice cream by himself, anyway.

Upon making his way to her bedroom door, he was pleasantly surprised to see it halfway open instead of closed as usual. Made it easier to get inside without pulling a muscle turning that stupid doorknob.

That pleasantness was soon forgotten under the oppressive heat of the room. One could assume this room's occupant overdid it while lighting a fireplace for winter, except no fiery light was there; the only light came from the door Angel just opened and from behind thick pink curtains, illuminating a bed whose sole occupant was curled up in a ball beneath the middle of the bed sheets.

Angel called out for the only pony that should be there, but before he could even get over the first syllable a yellow hoof shot out of the edge of the sheet, aimed at a small table in the opposite corner of the room. In it, framed by the surface of a mirror so that it could be seen by any member of the owner's menagerie, sat a notebook, bound in velvet, opened near the middle.

Fluttershy's diary, opened on the pages for one and two days ago.

Did... Did she want him to read it? Once again he called out for her name, and once again a sudden hoof jab stopped him, this time accompanied by an irritated growl. Yes I do, it meant.

Begrudgingly, the rabbit hopped from floor to chair to table in order to get a look at it, with a helpful hoof pulling back at the curtains making it easier to read, and so he did.

Dear Diary,

I've never had much of an interest in botany. Far from it, really. I normally just get away with what little I need to care for my animals well.

It's even a bit funny, then, that my whole life got turned upside-down by one little blue flower.

Okay, sorry, that's a lie. It was actually a whole bunch of them. But they were still little!

Sorry, I'm stalling for time again. Sorry.

What I'm trying to say is, ever since I heard my own, deep voice after that run-in with the poison joke, I've been... Thinking about who I am. What I am. Specifically, whether or not I'm a mare.

It's silly, right? How could I not be? I might look further into this, later. I wonder if Twilight has any books on the subject?

As he finished reading the page, Angel felt that familiar soft gaze upon him. Fluttershy, the pony who apologized for taking too much of a diary's time was waiting for him. His judgement, more specifically.

After turning to meet the gaze of the two green eyes that now peeked from beneath the covers, he gave his best attempt at a smile back, and decided to read the entry for the next day.

Dear Diary,

Dear Celestia, why? Why is it possible for a stallion to be born in the body of a mare, like me? And how is it possible for me to have lived like this for so long, without suspecting anything?

And yet, I should thank you, for it was your faithful student who gave me the way to this revelation. According to the very helpful books she lent me, other ponies like me call themselves "transgender", and examples of us date back to before the founding of ponyville, even including a pegasus empress who named herself "Super Deluxe"- I might've learned about her exploits as one of the few mares to rule the pegasi in school, but I didn't know she shared a predicament with me of all ponies.

I can only hope Twilight doesn't suspect anything- I had to lie and claim those books were for a family member, because I was horrified of what she'd say, how she'd look at me if she knew I was doubting such a large part of who I am now, of all times.

I think I'll stop for today. I need to rest. I feel awful. I think I need to talk to someone I trust about this.

As Angel finished reading the entry, question upon question began to march towards the forefront of his mind: Should he turn and look at her? Was using "her" to refer to Fluttershy still correct? And was the name "Fluttershy" itself correct, for that matter? Angel read about Super Deluxe in a history book about pegasi before, and she was famous for challenging anypony who dared to refer to her using her former alias to a duel to the death, which is how she got into power after her own father mocked her for it. Would Flu- uh, his owner feel the same way?

Shaking his head, the bunny looked around the room, and settled on a question that matched the expression the pony under the sheets was giving him:

"Hey. Good morning. Have you... Eaten anything today?"

"Hey, Angel." The pony replied, voice stifled beneath shame and apprehension. "I haven't."

"What? Come on, man, you of all ponies should know that breakfast is the most important meal of the whole week!"

That bizarre remark managed to wring a smile out of her- uh, the pony's mouth, and an equally giggly remark. "That- that makes no sense at all."

"Don't care, didn't ask. I'm going to have to make you come down for breakfast right now."

"No." His friend replied, smile faltering. "I... Can't come down."

"Hmph. Have it your way. Breakfast in bed, coming right up!"

And with that, he hopped off to the kitchen to try and prepare a meal for somepony at least ten times his size, and hopefully not get reduced to ash in the process.

But the pony's worries trotted back after a while left alone. Did he actually read the diary? Was the breakfast just a way to push the topic aside? What was he going to whip up, anyway? Did he run away to tattle that secret to somepony else? What if all of ponyville knew by sundown? Dear Celestia, what was he to do?

The tornado of paranoia currently redoubling beneath the bedsheets was soon put on hold, however, as the sound of effort trudged from beyond the door frame, with the odd swear along for the ride. Concerned, The Element of Kindness crawled from beneath the sheets to witness Angel Bunny re-enacting the first attempt of the unicorn ponies to raise the sun, except with a salad bowl and even less success.

Straining under his offering and promising to never mock others for being bad at lifting things up ever again, Angel suddenly found himself pleasantly relieved of the weight of the bowl as a very familiar shade of yellow whisked him into the room and laid both by the floor next to the bed.

After laying down until his limbs stopped yelling at him, angel tried to take a single bite from the product of his labour and found the bowl nearly empty. As he dwelled on whether to snap at having such joy be taken from him or being glad it was being enjoyed in the first place, a calmer version of the voice from before rang out from above him.

"Mrrmph. Thank you for this."

"Just 'Thank you'? After I broke my back making that salad? Come ON, man!"

The pony stifled a giggle at that, then let it slowly fall to the floor with a sigh. "Um, so about what you've just read-"

"You mean your diary?"

"Yes. Do... Do you want to say anything about it?"

"Well. Yeah. Starting with a question: should I, uh- call you a stallion now?"

Angel scrunched up his face in anticipation, peeking at his owner's face for a response. The pegasus mulled it over before answering, smile wide on his face:

"Yes, please, Angel. I'd like that very much."

Angel, boldened by the beaming stallion above him, continued his line of questioning, recalling somepony similar from ages ago.

"Good to know, man. Y’know, this reminds me of Empress Super Deluxe, who was pretty much the exact opposite of you, including the, uh, very thing we're talking about today. She used a different name as a colt, and made a habit of dueling anypony who called her that, to the death. I assume the second part of that isn’t really your style, but... Do you have any new names for yourself right now?"

At that, the stallion blushed. "Well... Not really, no. I haven't set aside much time to think about it. But, I think I could use 'Flutterguy' as a placeholder until I think of something better."

"Oh. I see." Replied Angel with a wince. "Let's help you find a new name ASAP, then."

Flutterguy playfully puffed his cheeks and furrowed his brow, like a frog singing about unrequited love. "It's not that bad! I don't imagine you of all creatures have any better name ideas!"

"Well. Good point. Except... How about 'Angel the Second?'" Angel replied, with an overdramatic reaction of his own not unlike a squirrel bringing some particularly spicy lunch home.

That was all it took for them both to descent into a fit of laughter, which finished off the already heavily wounded former mood of the room. Breathless, the stallion let himself fall softly on the bedroom floor next to angel to begin gathering his composure.

"Ha... Let's go with 'Flutterguy' for the moment."

"Seconded."

"Who said that motion was for you to agree or disagree with, private? Your name is Flutterguy for now, and that's final! Until it isn't anymore! Understand?!"

"Yes sir, admiral Bunny sir!"

Laughter once again filled the room, but Angel soon found himself with one more question he wanted to ask.

"Hey, man?"

"Yes?"

"Am I the first you've told this to?"

"...Yes."

Angel fell silent for a moment, then sat up and turned to look him in the eyes with a smile. "Thank you for trusting me with that, man."

Author's Note:

Say hello to flutterguy, everyone. He's as excited to meet you as you are, I'm certain. But just how is he going to go about introducing himself to the rest of ponyville?

Comments

[Clickety-Whinny]

and here we are, my first story published here. i had to cut down on epithets HARD while doing a quick revision of this chapter and here's hoping that was enough.

[Chinchillax]

This is very sweet so far!

[overdue]

I was surprised that this was your first fic, it's very well written

[Clickety-Whinny]

oops, turns out i accidentally omitted a bit of text at the end of the first diary entry ("It's silly, right? How could I not be? I might look further into this, later. I wonder if Twilight has any books on the subject?") and I'm very sorry about that.

in the meantime, I'd like to thank you all for the warm reception, and I've started work on chapter two! stay tuned and stay awesome