Becoming Fluttershy

by Hope

chapter 17. I hate Marsdays

I wake up to our first, and hopefully last, Marsday. I don’t understand why even Discord would put so much effort into turning a week into a year since the strict measurement of time remains the same, but I am loathe to pretend that I have all the answers.

With the sun coming up, I look over to Julien. Being Shining Armor’s duplicate means a lot about him as a person. I have to say it matches him quite well. Julien has always been staunchly protective of his friends and family, honorable, and kind. I could have imagined him becoming one of the Apple family due to his honesty and hard working nature, but he isn't into hard labor or being turned into a chick so that eliminates most of the family that makes an appearance in the show.

I ponder trying to take a picture of him in revenge, but I can barely turn on my phone and unlock it, much less lift it up and press the camera button while holding it still.

Since the house is quiet I have to assume everyone else is still sleeping, but my growling stomach insists on being attended to first. I open the bedroom door and fly down the stairs to a landing on the living room rug.

“Good morning,” Ron says from the kitchen doorway, nearly giving me a heart attack.

“Oh! Hi there. I just came down for an apple, if that's okay.” I say with a small smile.

“Sure thing. Let me get one for you.” He moves silently back into the kitchen and comes back out with two. “You sure are up early compared to yesterday.” He points out.

I chuckle and take the apple in my forehooves. “I wasn't recovering from a car crash.”

“You still are, and you will be for a few days. Don’t stress yourself too hard.” He reminds me.

“I won’t. What are you doing up?”

“You think I got so much work done on your car by sleeping in?” He asks with a raised eyebrow and a chuckle. “I wake up with the sun, go to sleep with it too most of the time. If you want to chat, I’ll be out replacing panels.”

He takes a bite out of his own apple and nods to me before walking out the door. Again I feel hard pressed to describe how huge the man is. Despite slouching some and leaning on things to keep his balance with the new prosthetic, he nearly brushes his hair on the top of the door frame.

I chuckle and hover upstairs, putting the apple into my bag along with the laptop, then carrying the bag down and out to the garage.

“I need to check my computer to see if anyone is trying to reach me.” I explain to him as I set up the laptop on a toolbox.

“I don’t mind. Hope your parents didn't take all this too hard.”

I don’t reply, and that speaks volumes. My phone had not received a reply from my father or brothers. Likely they had taken it as another joke or some snippet of writing. I could imagine my dad offering his help but my brothers would likely dismiss it out of hand.

“Do you want to talk about it, lass?” Ron asks as he bolts a panel into place.

“No... sorry.” I say quietly as I open up facebook. Immediately I am assaulted by four new friend requests, and five messages that I had received yesterday evening.

First I confirm the friend requests and look at the wall photos they have. All of them are cosplayers. I have had issues with cosplayers before and I do not look forward to being the object of their obsessions. But any help is help and I really don’t want to make them upset just by not replying to their messages.

The first I got was from the cosplayer who had a wall full of Fluttershy look alikes. Creepy from my point of view but I am sure they were all done with the best of intentions.

“Ginny: Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh friending and following ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh!”

I really have trouble figuring out if I should even reply but I don’t want to hurt her feelings if she is already obsessed with Fluttershy.

“Hi there! I really like your cosplays.” I send that off, hoping she doesn't get a huge ego. But if she likes Fluttershy and not Rainbow, that's less likely. Then there is a Rarity cosplayer.

“Jacqueline: Friended, Followed, and Fortunate. If you need me to make you a dress so you look presentable, I can accommodate. Just ask Linda.”

I’m tempted to feel offended at the idea that I’m not already presentable, but I can’t stay angry at someone who is just trying to help.

“Thank you for the offer, but I should be okay.” I reply, hoping to decline it in the gentlest way possible. Third is a Derpy cosplayer, which I actually think has done an excellent job with her outfits.

“Linda: Hey there! Do you mind if I Friend you? I saw the pictures of you snoozing in the car, so adorable... Derpy is best pony though. Just saying.”

So with that I realize that Julien has posted a few pictures to my profile, great. I whip up a quick response.

“I think Derpy is best pony too, I don’t think it’d be very kind of me to assume I am the best.” I get a picture of Fluttershy winking off Google and tag it onto the message before sending it off. Lastly is a man who seems to dress as Pinkie Pie most of the time.

“Harold: Hey! How ya doing Shy? Pinkie here says you got in an accident, is everything okay? I've friended you so if you need some protection... *cracks knuckles* you've got a black belt ready and waiting.”

A black belt Pinkie Pie cosplayer following the real Pinkie around? That has “bad idea” written all over it.

“Thank you!” is all I can think of to say before finally I get to Pinkie-Reid’s message.

“Your horse talked? Wow. Mine just gave me uncanny valley twitches....
....Maybe it's because you're the Shy one. Or maybe it's because I'm trying to avoid the Pink one's influence. I thiiiiink the unique powers of the individual pony become accessible the deeper you sink into the body's personality. You're still you, right? Rephrase: Rough guesstimate, how much is You and how much is the Shy one?
Also, happy Marsday! On this day two thousand and five hundred years ago, the god Mars declared war on the gods of Egypt. Or at least that's my excuse for the new name. Discord can easily be encapsulated by logic and harmony, the show just has it a bit more literally. Search "Best Pet Win in G Major" for a perfect example.
In other news, I acquired a group of cosplaying stalkers yesterday. They're actually fairly nice, aside from the whole fan thing, and I kiiiiiiinda sorta maybe might have possibly promised them that when we met up you would pose for pictures with them. Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry.... Though to be fair, there's that pic of me cuddling Figment in bed that went viral. Pinkie has good taste in PJs.
May the force be with you!”

I think on how I want to reply as I eat my apple. Once I am done I take to the keyboard slowly. First I watch the video she/he had referred to, explain what it is to Ron as he leans over curiously, then I reply to the message.

“I would say I am about sixty percent Erica and sixty percent Fluttershy. I don’t know how that works. Why would you make me watch that video? I’m going to imagine myself talking like that for days now! Lastly, did you at least charge them for pictures? I may be kind but I know an opportunity when I see one.”

I chuckle, thinking of how much could be made by simply posing or taking pictures with fans. I could end world hunger just by charging $5 a shot. But then if it was a kid or they didn’t have money, I couldn’t just turn them away... In the end the idea sounds more greedy than helpful but I already sent the message so I can’t undo it. So instead I send a second one.

“Scratch the charging for pictures idea.”

Right about then, Ron tosses his wrench into a nearby pile.

“Done,” he says proudly.

I can tell the parts he used are not leftovers, and he must have spent a small fortune getting them all shipped overnight, but my car looks better than it did before.

“Oh thank you so much Ron!” I jump up to give him a hug, having to hover twice as high as I normally have to.

“Not a problem, lass. This project has given me some time away from the past, and I am pretty sure I am feeling up to working on my own truck again.” His eyes seem distant and I don’t question which subject is occupying his mind. It simply isn’t my place to know.

For now we head back inside to join the others at the kitchen table.

My little family.

---

Thank you all for your input and comments so far, without it I would not be enjoying this nearly as much. Please keep up the comments and let me know if something doesn't make sense to you!

Comments

[Freescript the Bard]

Gah… so… much… D'AAAAAAWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!

[Freescript the Bard]

1541895
That last sentence hit me, right in the feels. I dunno, this coming from a guy who can go through the death of a loved one without a tear but bawls his eyes out everytime he reads My Little Dashie.

[Hope]

1541922
Thank you! I am hoping to maintain the "cute philosopher" vibe through the story.

[Hope]

If anyone notices comments missing, I cleared out some stuff that I had already fixed and some really really big photos (I left the one with the bathrobe because d'awww)

[metallusionsismagic]

My little family, my little family, aah aah aah aaaaaah...
As for that song (blast you)...
applejack.ponychan.net/chan/files/src/135165789988.jpg

[SunsetyDays]

1541922 I dunno, MLD just didn't get to me. Anything where dogs get hurt, though, make me cry. I seem to have slightly more empathy with animals rather than humans. I mean, whenever I see a bug or something in the shower of mine, I help it out, as every animal deserves to live, right? Except bull ants. Have you ever been bitten by a swarm of them and screamed so loud you could be heard over a kilometer away? Nope? Didn't think so.

[ChainReaction]

The pute chilosopher, eh'? Well, you're doing a great job on it so far. Those last three words gave me diabetes...in a good way. Awesome chap as always.

[Red Bomber]

Prejudice against cosplayers huh? I understand the reservations, but you should at least give them a chance.

[Pinklestia]

Ron could be easily be AJ or Rarity if those spots weren't taken already... or are they?

[Funky Pony]

My little family.

Revised theme song activate.

[justintym4fun]

Maybe there will be an epilogue when this is all over, and Erica, Julien, and their new family can have a reunion.

[Greenhorn]

I would say I am about sixty percent Erica and sixty percent Fluttershy. I don’t know how that works.

Me neither. Twilight will call you on that one.

[DracoLazarus]

10241192
Eh, in quantum physics you have can up to 70.7% of one and 70.7% of the other, if there is no overlap :p