Pretty Little Ponies

by sister_mike

2: Fluttershy

2: Fluttershy

The funeral was long and sad. Each of the friends briefly spoke with Golden Pearl's parents, but it was uncomfortable for all of them. They had only met their sunny friend's parents once or twice.

Afterwards, the six of them stood awkwardly together again, like they had at the police station. Fluttershy fidgeted nervously. Tears still spilled down her face and she wiped them away. Golden Pearl was dead. Yes, there were times when Fluttershy would think she was better off without the radiant earth pony—sometimes Goldie's antics were just too much for Fluttershy—but now she regretted ever feeling like that. Nopony deserved to die prematurely. And what was even more terrible, so terrible that Fluttershy didn't even want to admit it to herself, is that a small part of her was relieved. Relieved that she wouldn't have to be tormented by Golden Pearl again. Her secrets went down with the earth pony, and now they would die when Fluttershy did.

"Listen, I was thinking..." Pinkie Pie said into the tense silence, "Why don't you all come over and we have some tea? I know that we've grown apart over the past year, ever since Goldie died, but... I don't think anypony else is going to realize how we feel about this, except for each other. Nopony else was as close to her as we were... And I just... Just think we should be together in this time."

Nopony answered for a second. Fluttershy could see disappointment crossing onto Pinkie's face. Pinkie had had the hardest time when their friendship sort of fell apart.

"I think that's a great idea, Pinkie," Fluttershy said. She tried to give a small smile, but she was sure it didn't come across properly. Every now and then over the past few months, she would bump into Pinkie Pie and always made sure to chat with her for a bit. Fluttershy hated that their friendship had fallen apart too. So what if Golden Pearl had disappeared? The six of them were what made up the Elements of Harmony. It was their friendship that saved Equestria. Or at least, that's what she would think at the time. And yet, she too, drifted apart from them after it was clear Golden Pearl was never coming back.

Although, I had other reasons to hide from them. It's not that I wanted the friendship to fall, I just couldn't let any of them see me. I wish we had stayed friends, wished that Golden Pearl hadn't warped my trust in friendship, so that I could have told you all what had happened, and then we would have still maybe been friends...

Fluttershy whimpered slightly at the thought. Applejack shot her an odd look, and Fluttershy looked down. She calmed herself by taking deep breaths.

"Yeah, I'll agree to that too," Applejack said. Twilight nodded as well, and Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, but said she would come as well. The five of them turned to Rarity.

Rarity sighed, somewhat dramatically, and pulled out a pocket watch. She frowned at the time.

"Sorry, but I really have somewhere else to be, and I can't be late," she said, as she tucked the watch back into her bag.

"Oh, come on Rarity, you can't even come for a little while?" Fluttershy asked.

"No," Rarity said firmly. She adjusted the black hat and veil on her head.

"What could be more important than taking the time to remember one your departed friends, with the company of those who used to be closest to you?" Twilight asked. Rarity bit her bottom lip and frustration entered her eyes.

"I just have somewhere else to be, OK?" Rarity snapped. She then turned on her heels and walked away from the group, disappearing down the street.

"That was odd," Applejack said.

"Maybe she's just having a tough time with Goldie's death," Pinkie Pie said. She slowly turned and began to lead the group to Sugarcube Corner.

"Maybe. But you'd think she'd want company," Applejack said, "And you're right Pinkie. Even though we've grown apart, the only company I think is appropriate right now, is each other."

The others nodded and they walked in silence. The funeral home was slightly on the outskirts of town, a ways away from the sweets shop.

"Come on, let's go this way, it's quicker," Rainbow Dash said. She pointed down an alley, and Fluttershy stopped in her tracks. "What's wrong, Fluttershy?"

"No, we can't go that way," Fluttershy said. Her heartbeat began to race, and she could feel sweat beading on her forehead.

"Why not?" Pinkie Pie asked. She began to trot down the alley, "Rainbow Dash is right, this is a shortcut."

"I-I-I..." Fluttershy stuttered. But she didn't know what to say. What could she say, without them figuring it out? How could she phrase that she didn't want to go near the orphanage, without them figuring it out? Figuring out that she had practically disappeared from the face of Equestria after Golden Pearl had gone missing, and then suddenly reappeared roughly 10 months later? Wouldn't they figure out the math?

"She's probably just scared of the alley," Rainbow Dash said, impatience clear in her voice, "You'll be fine Fluttershy. Now hurry up."

Reluctantly, Fluttershy slowly began to make her way down the alley. She tried to figure out what time it was in her head. What time the funeral had started, how long it was, and then approximately how long they had been walking. Maybe they would all still be inside the orphanage. Maybe she still had a few more minutes before recess, before they all came barreling outside to play. Before she had the potential to see them.

"Ok, but let's hurry up," Fluttershy said, determined to make it past the orphanage before all of the foals came out. The others didn't question the shy pegasus's new found determination, and they all followed her through the alley. Past the orphanage.

When they reached Sugarcube Corner, Fluttershy quickly ran inside and shut the door tightly behind them once they were all in. She exhaled loudly and closed her eyes. She slumped back against the door and breathed deeply.

When she opened her eyes again, the others were giving her odd looks. She just stared back for a second, and then sort of shrugged it off.

"Let me help you with the tea, Pinkie," Fluttershy finally said. Pinkie Pie slowly nodded and led the group into the living room. Fluttershy sighed again and glanced out the window quickly before she followed them. Even though she couldn't see it now, she knew the foals were outside, playing on the playground of the orphanage. And she knew that one of them, a small little filly, looked almost identical to her.

Comments

[sister_mike]

[Akantia]

Oh mai. Fluttershy has a deep dark secret, as in a foal.

[rosebug]

I'm really enjoying this story so far. You really caught Allison's manipulative persona in Golden Pearl, and props to you for coming up with original secrets.
On another note, I can't wait to see how you take Fluttershy and Rarity's stories. Rarity's especially because it can be a very touchy subject.
Looking forward to more

[sister_mike]

1893457

Thank you! Some of the stories are similar to the characters in the novels, but I'll try to take them in different directions.
I just bought the latest Pretty Little Liars novel (Ali's Pretty Little Lies) and will be reading it soon, so I'll be super fueled to write more of this story!

Glad to hear you're enjoying it!!

[David Johnston]

I don't think it's a really good idea to make the pony Liars still the Elements of Harmony. It's too much of a clash for a group brought together by a high school Mean Girl.