Fluttershy never even thought of the possibility of romance for herself. Then along comes Big Macintosh: another equally, awkward soul. What could happen?
They'd seen each other around, but had never truly interacted or gotten to know one another. They shared a spotlight once, but that was all. Fate keeps throwing them together, and now they can start to notice one another. The two quiet, shy souls can begin to connect...but how?
"Come on Fluttershy! Time's a' wastin'!" Apple Bloom stood dancing anxiously in the entrance to Fluttershy's cottage as the pegasus flew about, tossing supplies into the saddlebag that sat in the middle of her living room as she went.
"Oh my goodness! I hope I'm not forgetting anything...What if he needs-?"
"Fluttershy!"
"Okay okay!" Fluttershy quickly donned her bag and flew to join Apple Bloom at the door. "Lead the way, quickly!" Slamming the door, Fluttershy followed after the young earth pony, hoping that everything was okay.
When the two arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, Apple Bloom led them straight to the barn. Inside, Big Macintosh was sitting next to a hay bale, looking worried. Laying on the bale was a trembling raccoon, licking it's front left paw, which was considerably swollen. Fluttershy's eyes grew large as she took in the injured creature and soared over to get a better look. "Oh! What exactly happened?" All she had been told was that an animal was hurt and needed her help quickly; she needed to know exactly how the raccoon hurt itself if she hoped to treat him properly. She glanced at Big Mac, who looked at the barn walls, an ashamed look on his face. She didn't really expect an answer from the normally quiet stallion, but he seemed especially determined to not give one. His youngest sister quickly pipped up.
"We were applebuckin' and somehow this little guy got 'imself into one of the trees we were buckin'. He fell an' landed on his leg! Apple Jack and Granny Smith are over in Appleloosa, an' we didn't know who else to call!" Apple Bloom blurted out in one breath, resulting in her panting fervently afterwards. Fluttershy focused back on the scared, injured creature before her face tensed with determination.
"Apple Bloom: get me some ice and a blanket. Quickly!"
"Yes ma'am!" In a flash, the filly was gone.
"Big Mac, get me some water in a small bowl." The stallion spared the raccoon another concerned glance before taking off as well. Using her left wing to open the flap of her saddlebag, Fluttershy used her nose to nudge her patient gently.
"It's okay little friend. Don't be afraid, we're going to help you," she said, her tone gentle and low. The raccoon flinched slightly, but was somewhat consoled by the pony's soothing voice. He looked up at Fluttershy with wide, fearful eyes. "There there, show me where it hurts." The patient hesitated, then showed her, using his uninjured paw to cradle the swollen one. Gently, the pegasus used her hoof to slowly maneuver the appendage. The raccoon flinched only slightly. "I'm sorry. See if you can make a grasping motion with it," the pony encouraged. He obeyed once more; the action seemed to cause him little to no pain. Fluttershy sighed in relief and offered him a calming smile. When the apple siblings returned with their supplies, she had good news to report.
"He's going to be just fine. It looks like it's only a minor sprain. He should stay off of it for a while, but he should be able to move around a little bit in a few days." Apple Bloom and Big Mac let out simultaneous sighs of relief. Once the news was delivered, however, Big Mac placed the small bowl of water he had between his teeth next to the racoon and turned, heading for the exit to the barn. "Wait, Big Mac! Where are you going?" Fluttershy called after him. He didn't respond, only leaving the barn and kicking the door shut behind him. Still confused, the pegasus focused back on the task at hand.
Turning her head, she used her teeth to pull a roll of bandages from her bag, and began to gently wrap the raccoon's sprained leg. Once it was secured, she took the ice pack from Apple Bloom and placed it on the injured limb. After the two pulled the blanket over the patient, Apple Bloom spoke up.
"I think Big Mac feels bad about what happened," the filly said, thinking out loud.
"Bad about what? This was just an accident," Fluttershy replied, watching as the raccoon took a couple sips from the bowl the stallion had left beside him.
"We know that, but he feels responsible since he was the one who kicked the raccoon out the tree. He's kinda sensitive like that. It was his idea to got fetch ya when he realized what happened, but he sent me so he could watch over the little guy." The older pony nodded slowly in understanding. She was glad Big Mac was so concerned, but she hated that he was beating himself over it. Fluttershy glanced back at her patient, who was now slowly drifting off to sleep.
"Hmm, he should be fine now. Do you think you could check in on him every now and then?" she asked the filly.
"Uh-huh. But where are you goin'?" Apple Bloom wondered.
"I'm going to see if I can talk to your brother."
"I know I said that but..." Fluttershy was muttering to herself as she walked down row after row of the orchard, looking for a particular pony. While she did want to talk to Big Mac and help, she wasn't exactly a motivational speaker. In fact, she was normally the one being encouraged by other ponies. Even so, she continued to wind her way through the many apple trees, wondering what she'd even say when she found her target.
The tree tops were beautiful shades and tints of brown, yellow, orange, and red. Autumn was making itself known. Soon enough these trees would be empty; it was already almost cider season. The pegasus was already wondering how early Rainbow Dash would wake her up this year, just to be at the head of the line when-
Thump
"Eeek!" Startled by the foreign noise, Fluttershy's wings came to life and propelled her upwards where she clung to a tree branch for dear life, with all four legs. Opening one eye timidly, looking around to try and locate the cause of the sound. Being up high, she realized she could now see a lot more of the farm. I probably should've thought of that first... she realized, feeling pretty foolish. Releasing the branch and using her wings to hover in place, Fluttershy let her blue eyes scan her surroundings. She quickly saw a distinctive lump of red and orange on the ground. He almost camouflaged with the fiery-looking pile of leaves he'd plopped on, except for his large, green, half-apple cutie mark. Big Mac lay, resting his head on his front legs, a forlorn look on his face. Well... here goes nothing.
With a flap of her wings, Fluttershy headed towards the stallion, landing a few paces away. If Big Mac saw her, he didn't show it, his gaze extending beyond the crimson treetops. The mare took a couple steps forward before pausing. She tried to find some words to say, something beyond, "It's not your fault." Nervously, she pawed at the ground. "Um...hi..." she murmured. Smooth, she thought inwardly. In response, Big Mac let a breath out of his nostrils. "Um, the raccoon is going to be okay." You already said that, idiot. Mentally, Fluttershy facehoofed. Big Mac finally said his first word since she'd arrived at the farm:
"Eeeyup."
Well, it's progress. "You know, the fact that you thought to get a hold of me made a difference. Your quick thinking will help him heal faster, and I know he was in good hooves when you sent your sister to fetch me," she offered a small but sincere smile. At first it seemed wasted, since he wasn't even looking her direction, but Big Mac's green eyes suddenly shifted to her. Oh my... I can't tell if this is going well or not. Fluttershy felt a nervous sweat beading on her brow as she smiled a little wider in what she was sure was a creepy fashion. Come on Fluttershy, think!
"You know what you remind me of?" She blurted suddenly. Big Mac blinked at her, halfway interested. "A big teddy bear!" What in Equestria was that?!! Another blink from the earth pony. "You know, you're a bit big and maybe a little rough around the edges..." Dear Celestia, please stop talking! Two more blinks. "But it's so you can protect others and be there for them. You're really just a big softie." Rainbow Dash, if you have a spare thunderbolt, please strike me down. "So you're not capable of purposely causing harm to others..." Finally her voice trailed out, and the pegasus figured she'd dug herself a deep enough hole. She hung her head, hiding her face in her pink hair. "Me and my big mouth," she mumbled. This was why she usually didn't speak.
"Hmmm hmp hmmm hmp." Fluttershy peeked through her hair and was only somewhat surprised at what she saw. Big Macintosh was chuckling, which added to her mortification. Great, now he's laughing at me. Still, it was better than him moping, so she figured she should be thankful for that. Raising her head a bit to let her hair reveal her blush-tinted face, Fluttershy asked, "I probably sounded ridiculous, didn't I?" Big Mac looked upwards for a moment, as if debating the question before answering,
"Eeeyup."
Note to self: never speak again ever.The mare let out an embarrassed squeak as she turned her head away and her ears flopped downwards. "Of course I did. I'll just go and leave you alone now." She'd already turned and prepared to head back the way she'd come.
"But.......thanks." The sound of his voice made Fluttershy's ears perk up and she looked over her shoulder in awe. The earth pony had stood up from his leaf-pile cushion and had the smallest of smiles on his face. He walked the same direction she was heading, pausing when he was beside her to motion with his head for her to follow. She could still see traces of guilt on his face as he passed... but he'd felt better.
Fluttershy stood there for a moment more, her eyes still wide and her jaw slack. Coming to her senses, she shook her head and quickly galloped to catch up with Big Mac's longer legs. Once she'd caught up, they walked side by side through the orchard in comfortable silence. She knew he probably still felt responsible and guilty for what happened. But with each step they took and the occasional small smile he'd give her every couple dozen steps, she could see the negative feelings wear away and the gentle giant look more and more like himself.
A week had passed since the raccoon incident on Sweet Apple Acres. Fluttershy had dropped in for the first couple of days to check on the little rodent's progress. By day three he was able to limp around briefly, relieving everyone. Big Mac had also been nearby the patient quite often, overseeing his recovery and being the primary caretaker when Fluttershy was not around. After the fourth day, Fluttershy felt comfortable enough with the raccoon's healing to leave him in the Apple's care for a longer period of time. She promised to drop in by the end of the next week to evaluate their new friend's final condition.
As Autumn continued to stake it's claim on Ponyville, Fluttershy found herself having a lot more free time on her hooves. Most of her animal companions were working on collecting food and storing up for the winter, making their winter nests and dens, and otherwise preparing for the long hibernation ahead. Aside from helping most of them build up their stashes, Fluttershy was happy to find that she was able to spend a lot more time with her pony friends. This particular day, she chose to spend it enjoying a tea party with her friend Rarity.
"It seems today is going to be more of a 'cocoa party' if you don't mind. With this chilly weather and all, I couldn't resist trying a new recipe: white hot chocolate with mint," Rarity announced as she walked through the doorway of Fluttershy's cottage, levitating a blanket-covered basket behind her.
"Oh, I don't mind at all," the host pegasus replied, taking her guest's silver glittery scarf and hanging it on the coat rack. The two mares sat down around Fluttershy's coffee table, setting out the full teapot (how Rarity managed to pack a full pot and not spill a drop was beyond Fluttershy), matching cups, and a foil-covered plate of assorted tea biscuits. As usual, the unicorn had outdone herself. "It all looks wonderful! When did you find the time?" Fluttershy wondered as her companion filled her teacup first. The smell of mint delighted the yellow pony's senses as she blew the steam off the creamy cocoa.
"Well, it wasn't easy," Rarity answered, her horn ceasing to glow after she'd filled both cups. The teapot rested on the table with an audible click. "With the changing seasons, many ponies have been ordering warmer clothes, which means longer sleeves, longer hems, thicker materials..." she cut herself off and waved her hoof as if to disperse of the boring details. "But! My biggest project is one of my own commission: I've decided to redesign the outfits for the PonyTones!" Rarity suddenly announced excitedly. She levitated a biscuit to her lips and took a bite, just as Fluttershy licked the crumbs from her own muzzle.
"Oh really?" Fluttershy smiled, remembering the brief time she'd spent with Ponyville's choir group. Though she'd been behind a curtain most of the time and imitating Big Macintosh's bass voice, the thrill of joining her voice with the others' was a thrilling and pleasant memory.
"Why, yes! With the upcoming holidays, our little quartet is going to be doing a lot more performances. We already have to bring new songs; why not new attire?"
"Well, I can't wait to see the costumes, and you know I'll be at every one of your performances," Fluttershy said, happy to support her friends. She took a sip of the sweet cocoa.
"It's funny you should say that," Rarity rubbed the back of her head with her hoof in an uncharacteristically nervous manner. "I was hoping that... you might consider joining us again..."
Fluttershy spit out her cocoa. She silently thanked Celestia that she had aimed off to the side, and not into her friend's face. Quite calmly, Rarity levitated a napkin and began to wipe up the new puddle on her friend's floor. Her gaze, however, never left her host.
"I know it is a sudden request, and I know how you feel about performing in front of others-"
"Terrified! I'm absolutely positively terrified! I know that I've been trying to take baby steps, but the thought of all those ponies, and all those eyes, and- ouch! Fluttershy's wings had been subconsciously lifting her steadily off the ground until her head bumped the ceiling. Rarity persisted, staring upwards at the nervous mare.
"-But, we could really use your help. Our group is a lot stronger with five voices, and yours is simply lovely! You know I won't force you to do something you really don't want to do... but at least consider it. Please?" Through Rarity's appeal, Fluttershy had let herself float back to the ground and tucked her wings away.
".......I....I guess.... I could....I don't know." The truth was that the pegasus didn't want to just flat out say no. Not just for her friend's or the choir's sake, but because she knew she really did want to join. The thrill and love of singing truly made her heart soar and her voice come out all that much stronger. But even greater than that desire was always the pressure, the fear...the judgement.
"Hmmm," Rarity stroked her chin with her hoof. "How about this: you come to at least three of our practices? If after three you decide you really can't and won't do it, I won't say another word on the subject. If after three you think you can... you can model so I can make adjustments to your outfit."
"...Well, that could possibly...wait! You already made my outfit?!" Wide, shocked blue eyes stared into clam, collected blue eyes.
"Perhaps." The unicorn floated her cup to her lips as calm as you please. With nothing left to say, Fluttershy fell to her rump in an undignified way, halfheartedly bringing a biscuit to her face.
"You're awful," she murmured in defeat.
"Hmm, yes. Aren't I?"
"Alright everypony, that was great. Let's break for about ten minutes. Tea, water, and lemon are on the table- do take care of your throats now," Rarity decreed. The PonyTones began moving about, left to their own devices. Two days after the "cocoa party" at her cottage, Fluttershy found herself in Rarity's shop, participating in the first of her three trial choir practices. She figured things were going well enough, though it really wasn't practical that everypony in the choir had to turn away from her while she sang, just to get her nerves in check. It was only a temporary fix, but she wasn't sure how to overcome it.
"Um, R-Rarity?" Fluttershy's timid voice somehow reached the unicorn's ears as she magically shuffled some sheet music.
"Yes, dear?" Rarity responded, her eyes scanning the notes of the next song.
"I-I just...I mean, I don't...How can I... I can't do this!" Even Fluttershy's shout came out as a timid bellow. Her ears folded tight against her head as she hung her head in shame. Her pink mane successfully covered half of her face. Rarity put down her sheet music and turned to her friend.
"Darling, don't think you're alone. You probably won't believe this, but we all get nervous before a performance. It's perfectly natural, you know."
"But there's a difference between nervous and scared out of your wits!"
Rarity nodded. "But it is possible to overcome- it's a process. Just look at Big Mac," she gestured to the stallion, who was currently using both hooves to squeeze lemon into his water. Fluttersy gave Rarity a dubious look. "He may look tough and all, but he's actually quite shy. He barely says a word to me or any of the other choir members, but the confidence he shows on stage seems to come out of thin air! Maybe you should ask him how he does it." Fluttershy watched as the large earth pony chugged his lemon water. Could someone like him truly be as afraid as she was? She felt a shove behind her as Rarity used her nose to urge her nervous friend over. "Go on, just see if he has any advice." The momentum caused Fluttershy to stumble a couple of steps before timidly making her way over to the refreshment table.
Big Macintosh had finished his drink and seemed to be debating whether or not to have another before Fluttershy quietly cleared her throat, catching his attention. A moment of awkward silence passed between them as Fluttershy tried to think about how to go about asking her questions.
"Um.....hi." Always the clever one, Fluttershy...
"Hi." He smiled politely, so she took that as a sign to continue... but how to ease into it.
"Nice weather, yes?" It's raining, you dolt.
Big Mac glanced out the window at the downpour. "Eeyup."
I guess it could be good for his crops. "Well...I was just wondering...you've been singing with the PonyTones for a while." It was more a statement than a question. A nod from the stallion answered her invisible question. "It's got to be nerve-wracking: standing up in front of all those ponies and hitting every note perfectly." Wow, that was actually a sentence. I'm getting good at this.
"Eeyup."
"Well, I was wondering... how do you do it? How do you get past your nerves?"
Big Mac looked upward, as if thinking deep, intellectual thoughts. Finally, his green eyes came back to rest on her as he relayed his answer. "Breathe."
Fluttershy wasn't sure what she was expecting, but she felt her ears and wings droop at his anticlimactic response. "Breathe? That's it?"
"Eeyup."
"Just plain old breathing? In and out?" Give me a little something to work with.
"Um, no," he answered back. At this, Fluttershy looked a little more hopeful. She lifted her head expectantly, waiting for him to go on. He offered no more words as explanation. Instead, he moved until he was sitting next to her on the floor. He looked ahead for a moment before closing his eyes. With them closed, Big Mac brought his hoof to his chest and let it rest there a moment before he slowly breathed in a large, steady breath through his nostrils. With his lungs full, he held it for maybe three seconds before exhaling it as slowly as he had taken it in. Once the breath was expelled, he let his eyes open slowly, and let his hoof fall from his chest and land on the floor. After the whole process was over, he looked over at her with a slight smile that practically said, and that's all there is too it.
"Hmm," Fluttershy wondered at last. It still seemed pretty simple. The mare was secretly hoping for a more... well, she didn't know. Big Mac motioned toward her, encouraging her to try. Well, it couldn't hurt. Slowly, Fluttershy let her eyes close. She paused a moment before lifting her hoof to her heart, just as he had. In letting it rest there, she noticed that she could feel her heart beating, and the steady rhythm seemed to use her hoof as an amplifier as she could now hear and feel the soothing resonance all throughout her body. She slowly drew in the breath through her nose, letting it rest in her lungs for three seconds, before slowly letting it out. The released breath seemed to take away the anxiety she'd previously felt, and all that was left was a comfy, fuzzy feeling. She let her eyes open, and immediately looked to her side at Big Mac, as if seeking his approval of the execution of his technique. He was already smiling, and once they'd made eye contact, he nodded reassuringly.
"Better?" He asked. After a quick assessment, Fluttershy could honestly answer,
"Yes! Wow, it really did work. I mean, not that I didn't think it would but-" Good job Fluttershy. "Thank you," she settled on at last.
"Eeyup."
"Alright PonyTones, let's get back to it!" Rarity said in an appropriately singsong voice as she placed new sheet music on each member's stand. "This time we're going to do something a little different." The choir members came to gather around, awaiting further assignment. "Well, I found a lovely piece for the town's FeastShare Celebration. It has an impressive solo for two ponies- a duet! Aaand I already know exactly who I want to sing it: Fluttershy and Big Macintosh!"
"What?!" Fluttershy flinched and blushed as her louder-than-average shriek echoed within the small shop. Rarity offered her a half-pleading, half-apologetic smile.
"Well, your voices are just so deliciously opposite. His bass matches your soprano perfectly. Now, if you don't want to do it after three practices, as we agreed before, I or Torch Song can do it instead, or we can scrap the song all together. But for now, just try? Preeeetty pleeease?" Rarity put on her best pouty-face. The other choir members spoke up as well.
"I agree. I wouldn't mind singing it, but your voice is to die for, Fluttershy. I think it's a good match," Torch Song chimed in, her one errant strand of hair swaying with her words.
"I'd like to hear it too. Just once, Fluttershy?" Toe Tapper seconded the notion. Fluttershy squeaked and hid behind her hair under their praise. It was somewhat reassuring that they had such good things to say about her- especially when she always feared the opposite- but she was still unnerved by the attention. Her eyes wandered to her left, where Big Macintosh stood by his stand, looking down at her. For no particular reason she asked,
"W-what do y-you think?" The response didn't take long.
"Eeyup." She figured this meant he supported the group consensus.
"Y-you wouldn't mind working with me?" She knew that working on a duet would be a bit different than working in a group; they had to be able to blend with each other's voice, and read each other's visual cues.
"Nope." It occurred to her that he was smiling the whole time. She hoped his patience would hold out.
"Then...o-okay," her compliance was a silent as a mouse's sneeze but made Rarity let out a joyful squeal.
"Eeeee! Thank you thank you thank you!!! Alright everypony, let's give this a rough run; don't think you have to be perfect. This is the first time we are going through it after all." Rarity made it a point to look at Fluttershy when she said this; she knew that if Fluttershy thought she did anything short of perfection, she would berate and judge herself mush harsher than the rest of them would. The pegasus nodded her head silently at her friend's nonverbal statement.
With that, the other three PonyTones turned to face their stands, which were purposely turned away from Fluttershy, so she could at least sing without worrying about anyone looking at her. Big Mac was the only one that didn't turn entirely away. Since they would now be singing together (in a different way than before) he had to position himself next to her so they could catch each other's cues. He still made it a point to not look her way, save for one polite side smile. It helped only slightly. Fluttershy stood up a little straighter to let her voice flow. Rarity's horn began to glow as she started the metronome that was sitting on a nearby table. The steady, rhythmic click click click click began and Toe Tapper, living up to his name, followed the beat with his hoof.
"A one, two, three, four..."
Leaves are falling, chills are freezing We brace for winter's stoooorm. But there's something about the days of cold That makes us feel so waaaaarm.
Holidays and family stays Help to join our heaaaaarts From Bitsburg, Couldsdale, Canterlot We're never far apaaaaart.
Cheeks are rosy, nice and cozy As we sing our sooongs(Bum bum bum BumBum) Cocoa, cider, hearths and fires To last all season looooong. (Bum bum bum BumBum)
Rakin' piles, travelin' miles Just to share our cheeeeer(Ah ah AaaahAaaaaah) Food everywhere, with friends we share They come 'round every yeeear.(Ah ah AaaahAaaaah)
Fall and winter come and go, Pumpkin pie and mistletooooe. New calendar, a brand new year But what we seek's always heeeere.
We come, we sing, and we partake, Of all the love that we can take. Tis the season The feelings right The warmth that sets our hearts aliiiiiiiight
Fall and winter come and go, Pumpkin pie and mistletooooe. New calendar, a brand new year But what we seek's always heeeere.
As the seasons take their toll As one more year comes to a close. We'll be waiting for the time love When snow and leaves fall from abooooooove.
The song came to an end, the clicking of the metronome filling the silence until Rarity stopped it. "That was remarkable, everypony!! The best trial run I think we've ever had. Especially you two," she pointed a hoof at Fluttershy and Big Mac. The former squeaked and immediately hid behind her hair. "That was just divine. I knew this was a good idea. Make sure that you two get lots of practice with each other. Keep up the good work." She turned from the two soloists to the other members, ready to start critiquing and seeing where improvements could be made. Fluttershy peeked curiously through her hair at her friend. Rarity really got passionate when it came to the choir. With the mare's attention to detail it made sense, but it was still interesting to see her so excited and worked up.
"Nice," A voice next to Fluttershy stated, causing her to let out a barely audible shriek and jump about two hoofs to the right. She'd almost forgotten Big Macintosh was still standing there. You were just singing with him Fluttershy. It's not like he was going to vanish into thin air! The pegasus shook her head a couple times before remembering her manners; he had said something, hadn't he?
"Um, e-excuse me?" she mumbled shyly, her ears flopped down.
"Nice, yer singin'." He smiled and seemed sincere; being a relative of Apple Jack, she found it very unlikely that he'd lie. She felt her cheeks blaze as red as the stallion's coat as she looked bashfully at the ground.
"Oh...t-thanks." He didn't hate it! He didn't boo me. He wasn't insulted by sharing the stage with me. Maybe I might be able to do this...but he's only one pony. There could be one in the audience that hates me. Oh my! What if there's dozens? Hundreds? What if I get booed of the stage?! What if- oh please don't let them have tomatoes! Maybe I could dodge them... or maybe I could just stay at home, in my bed with my teddy bear. Yes, I like that-
"Still nervous?" Big Mac's voice brought her back to Equestria.
"No- I mean...is it that obvious?" She realized that she was looking down at him, and he was looking up at her. She heard flapping and realized that it was from her own wings; they had somehow lifted her off the ground again as her nerves raced. She hadn't even noticed.
"Uh....Eeyup," he answered simply.
I really need to break that habit. She looked over quickly and realized that the other PonyTones hadn't noticed, with their backs still turned. She let out a sigh of relief before it turned into a startled gasp. The stallion below her had gripped her her tail in his teeth, tugging just slightly, bringing her back to the ground. Hmm, so that's where Apple Jack gets it from, Fluttershy thought, remembering how many times her earth pony friend had used the tactic to reel in Rainbow Dash. She looked shyly over at Big Mac; she didn't really know him like that, and yet he took the liberty to bring her back to earth... in the most literal way possible. With her now planted on the floor, her companion stated a simple word,
"Relax." So simple, in fact the word "simple" kept floating around her head like an annoying gnat.
"That's easier said than done," she said in a low voice, brushing the ground with her hoof. "I mean, how am I supposed to get over the hundreds of eyes watching us, judging us? Or the ears, that are listening for that one errant note? Or...or-gah!"She felt the familiar tug on her rear as he caught a hold of her tail as she began to rise in the air again. Huh, I guess that is pretty effective. "Sorry," she mumbled, looking of to the side as she planted her rear on the ground.
"Told ya: breathe," he stated calmly. Fluttershy noticed that he now kept his left front hoof placed firmly atop her long tail as it lay on the floor; she wouldn't be able to get carried away now. She let out a sigh at his encouragement.
"I feel like I'm going to need a lot more than just deep breathing... like a miracle."
"'S a start," he shrugged, offering her a kind smile. It was kind of contagious, as Fluttershy felt the corner of her own mouth curve upward. She replayed his words in her head before realizing something: they were words. The last few minutes were probably the most she'd ever heard him speak, to date. She also got the pleasure of hearing other words from his vocabulary other than "Eeyup," or "Nope." And all for the sake of making her feel more assured and relaxed.
He really is just a big teddy bear. "Thanks... you know, again," she sincerely. She honestly felt that at least a partial weight was lifted from her shoulders.
"Eeyup."
Rarity came back over to the soloists, ready to inform them on how they could improve for the next practice. "Okay you two, you both have good tone and volume. You just have to work on your timing and....um, Big Mac?" She paused in her notes to raise an inquisitive eyebrow at the earth pony.
Fluttershy, Rarity, and Twilight Sparkle walked down the street with a particular destination in mind. It was Saturday: their official spa day. It had been the first time in a while that Twilight had anytime to spend with any of her friends. Since the creation of the Castle of Friendship, she and Spike had been hard at work making it into their new home. She'd spent weeks ordering and arranging books to replace those demolished with the original library, as well as having hundreds sent over from the old castle in the Everfree Forest. Between that and scattered royal responsibilities, this day off was long overdue.
"Such a nice day," Rarity commented as they strolled along. She was right, too. There was a slight breeze, rustling and freeing loose leaves as it passed, but not making it too cold. It was quite a pleasant Autumn afternoon.
"And it's so nice to get out to enjoy it for once. You girls wouldn't believe how long I've had to stay indoors lately," Twilight mentioned. A couple ponies bowed as she passed, but she simply waved back in her usual friendly way. She still considered herself a princess by name only.
"We're just glad we finally get a chance to have you all to ourselves for a change. Well... almost," Rarity looked over her shoulder and the other two mares mimicked her. Walking a respectful distance behind them, just beyond hearing range of their conversation to allow them their "girl talk", was an orange pegasus stallion with blue hair, adorned in royal guard armor.
"Well, it's just a security measure. After the Tirek incident, Princess Celestia sent a small detachment of the guard to protect my new castle. Flash Sentry was hoofpicked by my brother himself to be the captain of the group," Twilight explained.
"Flash?" Fluttershy wondered. That name sounded familiar.
"Yes, dear. The pegasus we met in Canterlot that makes Twilight's cheeks turn a charming shade of pink," Rarity joked as they approached the spa.
"He does not! They do not!" Despite her protests, her cheeks were changing colors. Even Fluttershy lifted a hoof to hide her light giggle.
"Will that be all, Your Highness?" A voice spoke up behind them, as her guard closed the distance he'd established as they walked. Twilight tensed and tried to put on the best poker face she could muster.
"Ahem, yes. Thank you Flash. Come back and pick me up in a couple hours, please."
"Of course." He bowed once before looking back up at her with a charming smile. With that, he turned and began to walk back to the castle. Twilight watched almost dazed as he left.
"The most charming shade of pink," Rarity reiterated as she magically opened the door to the spa.
"Rarity!!!!"
By the time they had set their spa itinerary and had gotten comfortable in the hot tub, all three mares were laughing about the situation.
"Okay okay, I can admit it, alright? He's attractive; I can say it. I do have eyes, you know?" Twilight said, reclining against the side of tub with her wings outstretched. Both friends were similarly situated on either side of her.
"One would never think, since you keep them glued in those old books all the time," Rarity joked.
"Uh, where do you think I get my standards from? After reading about dazzling, handsome stallions coming to the rescue, I can get a pretty good idea of what I like. Besides, he's kind of literally a knight in shining armor; you can't get much better than that."
"Have you talked to him, outside of royal duties that is?" Fluttershy asked as she lazily ran her hooves through her wet mane.
"I just haven't had the time," Twilight sighed regretfully. "Besides, I'm a princess now. I highly doubt that he even sees me as a mare, let alone approachable." The princess looked down at the water gloomily for a second before quickly shifting the focus off of herself. "What about you Rarity?" The white unicorn's ears twitched at her name.
"Moi?"
"Yes, do you have anypony that you're interested in? I-if you don't mind telling us that is," Fluttershy chimed in, her voice dimming with each word she spoke.
"Oh. Well, I have been visiting Canterlot quite a bit recently for business. The town is full of eligible bachelors, you know. So many to choose from," Rarity replied coolly...almost too coolly.
"But..." Fluttershy offered, knowing there was more to it.
"Well, Fancy Pants and I seem to be running in the same circles quite frequently..." Once she'd admitted this, she hid her lips beneath the water as her friends giggled conspiratorially.
"Any progress with that?" Twilight wondered as the timer went off. It was time to move on to their grooming. The mares pulled themselves out of the blissfully warm water and began toweling off.
"I'm not sure. I mean, I suppose there would be if not for Fleur Dis Lee. I have no idea what her deal is," Rarity grumbled as she and the girls put on their spa robes. Rarity rarely grumbled.
"Are they dating?" Fluttershy wondered out loud as they headed to the lounging tables. Once the three were situated, four spa ponies came to cater to them. One lifted Fluttershy's left wing, beginning to clean out any remaining dirt and old feathers. Another began to file Rarity's horn. Being an alicorn, Twilight got to enjoy both treatments, with two ponies working on her at once.
"Well, I thought so at first. I was going to back off if they were, but it seems they are just childhood friends. From what I've heard, they've grown up and networked in the same social circles, so it's not so unusual that they're always together. But the way she fawns and grabs all over him is... so uncouth. And I can tell it bothers him too. If they are 'a thing,' it's in her mind only." Rarity sighed as the spa pony had finished filing her horn and had grabbed one of her legs to begin her hooficure. "What about you, Fluttershy darling?" The pegasus blinked as her own spa pony shifted to work on her other wing.
"What about me?" she wondered, not understanding the question.
"Are you interested in anypony?" Twilight supplied as one of her attendants began kneading and massaging her back. The very idea made Fluttershy's blue eyes fly open and her wings suddenly shut with an audible snap. The pony that had been cleaning them was suddenly quite confused.
"What?! No! I couldn't! I couldn't even think to look! And if I did how could I even think to talk to him? And what if he thought-" Her wings had spread back out and began lifting her a couple inches of the table before the spa pony quickly placed a hoof on her back and pushed her back down. Oh darn. Not again. The attendant took this as a sign that the preening was over, and moved on to the massage. The other two patrons shared a knowing glance; they'd figured that Fluttershy either wouldn't allow herself to consider these feelings, or it honestly hadn't occurred to her. But, it was worth a shot.
"In that case," Rarity tried again, "what do you think you would look for in a stallion? What kind of pony do you imagine?" Hypothetically? Fluttershy could do that. Anything not having to do with real life confrontations, she could handle. But despite the amount of time she'd spent in her own head, she had never thought about it; this was a foreign subject to her.
"Hmm," she pondered, trying to think on the spot. She looked up at the ceiling "I suppose like Twilight, I'd want somepony with knight-like qualities. Maybe not a real knight, but who would want to protect me and others. And...I suppose looks are kind of important, but I'd probably look more at the inside. I'd want somepony I could talk to, who would listen to anything I had to say, no matter how stupid. He'd be somepony who makes the world alright just by entering a room. Somepony to support me. Somepony who could see all of my flaws and still think I'm something special. Somepony I could confide in and share my deepest fears and secrets with. Oh, and a cuddler! He'd have to love to cuddle and snuggle. Somepony that can be my own personal, gentle soul." When Fluttershy finished her thoughts, she looked over at her friends who were looking at her with large, intent eyes. They were leaning over towards her slightly, apparently hanging onto her every word. They reminded her of children gathered round at story time. A short silence passed.
"That... was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, Flutterhshy! You belong in a storybook," Twilight declared at last. Rarity nodded her head in enthusiastic agreement. The pegasus blushed with a shy smile as she looked down.
"Oh... well thank you Twilight. But I was just saying what I thought. It would be nice, but I don't think it's possible." Despite the depressing statement, she made it with her usual passive smile.
"You don't think he exists?" Rarity wondered, referring to Fluttershy's theoretical perfect gent.
"Well maybe, but..." Fluttershy trailed off as her thoughts took over. I just don't think it's possible for me to meet someone like that. Despite her low self esteem, Fluttershy didn't necessarily view herself as ugly or unattractive or anything of the sort. But she wasn't sure what someone would see in her at first glance. He'd have to look at her soul, just as she'd look at his. It was hard to think about something like that actually happening, let alone happening with some stallion she would happen to meet through the journey of life. Fluttershy had never noticed stallions in a romantic way before, and she was fairly certain that they'd never noticed her either. Maybe not everypony was meant to have a special somepony. Some ponies had always been by themselves and had been just fine...right?
A "doozy," was the word Rainbow Dash had used to describe the storm for today. Looking out the window of her cottage and assessing the ever darkening sky, Fluttershy definitely agreed. While she wasn't a weather pony by trade, she could at least tell that each dark and heavy cloud that her pegasi brethren placed with as much care as a patchwork quilt bore the promise of a downpour to be reckoned with. "I wouldn't make any plans to go anywhere if I were you... at least not for the next two days," Rainbow had told her.
That suited Fluttershy just fine; she'd spent a lovely day relaxing at home with her beloved animals. After her second choir practice, she made a point to spend as much time with her furry and feathery friends as she could. In only a few short weeks, they would be gone- either migrating or hibernating for the coming winter. She knew she'd miss them terribly, but this was nature and she'd long since devoted herself to it, good and bad.
"Ouch!" Rubbing the back of her head, the pegasus turned to see what had bonked her so viciously. Her gaze went from the stray carrot that now lay on the floor, to who threw it. "What is it now, Angel?" The antagonizing white bunny glared at her, hopping up and down in agitation. He stood before his mate and six children, who all seemed perfectly content to nibble at the bowl of carrots she'd set out for the family. Angel, as usual, was being difficult. As the surrounding birds, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, and mice ate their respective dinners that their caretaker had painstakingly prepared, only her white bunny seemed to make a fuss. "I'm not sure what you want from me. I told you there weren't going to be any more apples," Fluttershy said apologetically, leaning down to match Angel's eye level. The day before, she'd gone to the market after her spa date to try and build up her stockpile for the coming winter, like her animal friends.The changing seasons affected what kind of crops were available and how much; Fluttershy got to experience this first-hoof.
As Fluttershy made her way through the market, the Apple family's stand came into view. Okay, apples for Angel. That should be the last thing on the list... thank Celestia. With these thoughts, she pressed forward, ignoring the sweat on her brow. Fluttershy knew she wasn't the strongest pony around, but she figured she could at least handle a shopping trip. If my wings can support me in the air, they can hold these bags, she reasoned, though she knew it was slightly different. Her saddlebags were already filled to capacity, causing her to have to balance half of her groceries on her back and use her wings to hold them up. When she arrived at the apple stand, she was met by empty barrels.
"Oh no! Sold out?" She looked at Big Mac with large eyes; the stallion pawed the ground with one hoof, as if he were somehow to blame for the lack of produce.
"Sorry," he offered sincerely. She let out a silent sigh in response.
"I-It's okay. It isn't your fault, after all. I should've gotten here sooner. Besides, there'll be more tomorrow, right?" She smiled wearily, but hopefully. The smile disappeared instantly as the stallion shifted his weight awkwardly and his ears flopped down. It was odd to see such a large pony so ill at ease.
"Well, um, it's cider season so..." he muttered regretfully. Fluttershy instantly understood and dreaded what that meant. As winter approached, the Apple family put the remainder of their crop into their cider, which would be the last of the apples for the year. The pegasus lowered her head slightly in defeat. "Really sorry," Big Mac reiterated.
"It's okay, it's not really that much of a big deal." Though Angel is going to kill me. "I'll be fine with what I have here." But if Angel get's in one of his moods he might not eat any of it. "Besides, I still have a few things left in my garden." Though not nearly enough to satisfy that stubborn little -"
Fluttershy's thoughts were brought back to the present by the bunny crossing his paws over his chest and thumping his foot against the wooden floor in a ticked off rhythm. "Don't you take that tone with me, mister!" How in the world does Willow put up with you? she wondered exasperatedly. She glanced over at Angel's chocolate-colored mate, who seemed to look disapprovingly at him as she chewed her carrot with her brown and white spotted children. That bunny must've had the patience of all four alicorn princesses to deal with him.
Knock knock knock. Fluttershy looked over her shoulder at the door. "Who in Equestria would be out now? It could start raining at any moment." Fluttershy quickly shot Angel one last chastising look before pointing her hoof at the bowl his family shared. "Carrots," she stated simply. To aid her cause, Willow hopped over and bopped her mate on the back of the head before mimicking Fluttershy's pointing. When the pegasus turned to answer her door, the white bunny had resigned to eating with his family, albeit with a wounded pride.
When Fluttershy opened the door, the sky was dark enough to pass as night time, though she knew it was still too soon for the sun to set. The gray blanket of clouds couldn't have looked more ominous... not that she could see much with the large pony in her doorway.
"Howdy."
"Oh! Hello Big Mac," Fluttershy greeted politely, "What a surprise!" It truly was; though Fluttershy and the Apple family both lived near the Everfree Forest that straddled Ponyville, their homes were complete opposite directions from each other on opposite sides of town. Consequentially, she didn't get many visits from her Apple neighbors.
"Eeyup."
"Um, to what do I owe the pleasure?" The stallion turned to his side, revealing the small bucket balanced on his back filled with golden orbs.
"Apples," he declared simply. Fluttershy blinked dumbly at him for a moment, before she felt familiar pawsteps creep over her back and end up on her head. Angel knew.
"Wow, really? Why? I mean, you didn't have to do that. I mean I'm glad you did do it. Don't think I'm not appreciative! But what about the cider?" Fluttershy, either learn to speak or don't speak at all.
"Found some to spare."
"But... how- ouch!" Fluttershy glared up at the bunny on her head that pinched her ear at her inquiries. "Angel..." her warning tone seemed to have no effect as he began leaping up and down on her skull, relentlessly. The scene drew a chuckle from Big Mac, and she wondered what he possibly could be thinking: The great animal expert Fluttershy that can befriend any animal and tame wild beasts- the pony that got her cutie mark for connecting so well with different creatures- can't even rein in a temperamental bunny. Wonderful... Her cheeks burned at the potential thoughts that her neighbor could be having.
"Customer satisfaction," he said at last, as his reason for the impromptu delivery.
Well, he is a salespony after all. Besides, it'd be rude to say no...not to mention Angel... "In that case, thank you," she replied, smiling graciously.
"Eeyup." CRASH!!! Fluttershy pressed her ears tightly against her head as the first boom of thunder struck. With wide eyes, Big Mac flinched so hard that one hind leg jerked upwards. The bucket that he'd expertly balanced fell to the ground, spilling the golden apples. The two stared at the overturned bucket for an awkward moment. "Ooops," Big Mac replied bashfully, his ears flopping in embarrassment as he smiled apologetically. The change in demeanor made Fluttershy giggle.
"Oh it's alright. But you should probably head home. This storm is going to be quite a doozy, to put it in Rainbow Dash's words."
"Eeyup," he agreed, quickly trying to gather up the spilled cargo. Just as he'd gotten the apples back into the bucket, one more roll of thunder preluded the heavens releasing their full power. There was no preliminary drizzle; the rain immediately hammered down hard and relentlessly. The wind didn't hesitate to join in, making whistling and creaking noises in the surrounding trees and tossing Fluttershy's long mane to and fro like it was made of tissue paper. She stumbled in her doorway, forgetting the tiny charge on her head. Angel was knocked back into the house, and she felt him tumble down her back and slide clumsily down her tail. Being of a bigger build, Big Mac stood sturdier, but raised a hoof to protect his eyes against the sting of the wind-propelled rain. Fluttershy realized there was no way he was going to make it home now, at least not in one piece.
"You've got to come inside, quickly!" She yelled above the roar of the storm, barely piercing the cacophony nature created. Somehow the earth pony heard her, but hesitated. Fluttershy backed further into the shelter of her cottage.
"Uhh..."
"Hurry!" The punctuating thunder strike made up his mind for him as he quickly grabbed the bucket in his mouth and leaped through the doorway. Fluttershy quickly shut and secured the door, sealing out the elements. She and her new guest let out a simultaneous sigh. The storm raged, knocking against but unable to enter the cottage's domain. "Phew, sorry about this Big Mac." She flicked some of her water-logged mane out of her face; it now felt uncomfortably heavy.
"Nah. Thanks, actually," he replied once he'd set down the bucket. He too stood soaked and dripping, more saturated than the pegasus beside him. Seeing the dripping water from his frame, mimicking the falling water outside, Rainbow Dash's words quickly flooded Fluttershy's mind:
I wouldn't make any plans to go anywhere if I were you... at least not for the next two days. Her eyes widened to twice their size. "Oh no! This storm isn't going to let up for a couple days. I hope your family will now you're okay," she worried out loud.
"Me too." Both knew that they had no way to communicate with anypony with the storm raging, and Sweet Apple Acres wasn't exactly a short walk away. The two didn't even need to state the obvious fact: Big Macintosh would have to stay until the weather cleared. "But, ah couldn't," he began. Fluttershy looked at him incredulously.
"What? Why not?"
"Don't wanna impose..."
"And I don't want you to go back out there; it's too dangerous! What kind of friend would I be if I let you go back out in that storm?" Fluttershy blinked rapidly as she realized what she said. "I-I mean, we are friends...right?"
She suddenly felt very self-conscious and foolish at her assumption. She had to admit to herself that she knew very little about the pony that she had volunteered to shelter. He'd always been around: an acquaintance, a sibling of her close friend. But could she call him a friend? He was nice an all but, "friend" was a gutsy title. And did he even know anything about her? Even her close friends didn't understand her entirely... she barely even understood herself entirely! Plus the two never really had much interaction. They sang together, but rarely: only during a past emergency and a current trial of her courage. They were neighbors, but still stayed on their respective ends of their mutual town. Can you be friends with somepony that you hardly ever see? Oh my gosh, of course not! How could you be so clueless, Fluttershy? Now he probably thinks that you're some desperate little pony that doesn't have enough friends of her own. Through her mental tirade, Fluttershy was putting a conscious effort into keeping her wings stationary, so as not to rise off the ground when she heard,
"Eeyup." The break in the silence took the pegasus by surprise, to the point that she temporarily forgot what her guest's statement was even a response to.
"Huh, wha?" She shook her head quickly. " Oh! You mean...we're friends?" She wondered briefly if this was how Discord felt when she'd revealed her friendship to him. Granted she was more familiar with making friends than the draconaquus, but she still reveled in the warm, fuzzy feeling of gaining a new one.
"Eeyup," Big Mac replied again, his kind smile pulling a big, goofy smile from his host as she gazed up at her newfound friend. Said friend broke the eye contact by letting out a sudden sneeze that he muffled with his hoof. "Pardon," he said as he began to shiver slightly.
"Gesundhoof. Goodness, you're freezing! I'm so sorry!" Good job Fluttershy. You ask if you're friends, and then stand by while he catches pneumonia. You sure have this friendship thing mastered.
"'S nuthin," he replied, but was ignored as the pegasus flew over to her dormant fireplace. She grabbed her flint and quickly struck a light onto the waiting log. As the fire grew in size, she turned and waved him over.
"Come and warm up while I go fetch you a towel," she instructed. He hesitated but obeyed, aware of the trail of water he was leaving behind. As he lay on the rug before the hearth, his host was already flying upstairs, fetching towels from her linen closet. She used one to wrap up her damp mane and held the other two as she returned back downstairs and handed them to her guest.
"Much obliged," he replied as he started drying off his mane and body.
"Don't mention it. Besides, you pretty much saved me by bringing those apples," she pointed to the bucket that Angel had already dived into. "You'd be surprised how much apples can affect a bunny's attitude." They shared a good-natured laugh. "Speaking of food, you came at a good time; I was about to have dinner. Would you like something to eat?"
"Eeyup." With that, his host fluttered over to the kitchen and began to serve the soup that she had cooling on the stove. She returned with one bowl in each hoof and placed one in front of Big Mac.
"Hay noodle soup, for a rainy day," she said as she sat next to him in front of the fire. Having set his towels aside, Big Mac sniffed the soup before him and licked his lips in response. He closed his eyes as he took another whiff, apparently entranced by the fragrance. Fluttershy found herself watching him, wondering what was going through his mind. He blew gently on the soup and took a bold sip, holding it in his mouth for a moment before swallowing the warm liquid with an audible,
"Ahhh."
"Do... do you like it?" Fluttershy wondered timidly. Few ponies had actually eaten her cooking; even her friends rarely got to sample anything beyond tea biscuits. Her animal friends always appreciated what she prepared, but she suddenly felt the desire for a different opinion.
"Mmmmm eeyup," he stated before licking his lips again and taking another sip. His approval made her feel warm and fuzzy, but it could've easily been the cozy fire that warmed her tiny house. She too took to sipping her dinner, and the two ponies sat in a comfortable, companionable silence as they ate together. Fluttershy was used to her house being somewhat quiet, except for the occasional chattering of her animals, but this silence seemed different. It was like an, invisible blanket in a way: there but not at the same time, and comforting.
Hmm, maybe I should have guests over more often, the pegasus mused, but as soon as the thought crossed her mind, it didn't seem quite right. After all, it wasn't as if she never had guests. Rarity came over often enough for their tea parties, and Twilight occasionally came by to share books she'd found on wildlife- when she wasn't too busy with royal duties that is. Rainbow Dash, being a longtime childhood friend, dropped in pretty frequently, and Pinkie Pie....was Pinkie Pie. She had a tendency of popping up out of nowhere. Even Apple Jack, living on the other side of town dropped by every once in a while, though rarely. So, it wasn't as if Fluttershy didn't have enough friends coming over, and it wasn't as if she didn't enjoy their company.
Fluttershy looked up from her bowl to look at her guest. Now that her animals had finished their dinners, they crept over over to investigate the large, new visitor. The squirrels gathered around and began sniffing at the newcomer's hooves. The bunnies, including Angel's family seemed to decide that he was trustworthy enough to snuggle close to, using him as a large furnace. Some of the mice took to playing hide and seek in his mane, while the birds chirped happily at him from the mantle. He whistled cheerily back at them in return. Fluttershy found herself smiling at how easily her animals took to him, and how he seemed to accept them as well. It made her happy in a way that she didn't really understand.
Big Mac had finished his soup and was laying with his hooves tucked under him, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the warmth both inside and out. He seemed entirely at ease, sitting there covered in her beloved animals, and his silent, gentle demeanor was contagious.
The two ponies enjoyed a quiet evening, sitting in front of the fire. They sat side by side, the bigger of the two still mostly covered in woodland creatures. The only disruption was every now and then when Fluttershy would get up to poke or add wood to the fire. Both seemed content to just watch the flames and let the crackling of the wood and the steady pounding of the storm outside fill the silence.
Big Macintosh was the first to break the quiet with a yawn. Fluttershy glanced over at the stallion. His eyelids drooped lazily and every now and then his head would nod forward before jerking back up. Fluttershy looked at the clock on the mantle. It was already nine o' clock! She figured Big Mac was used to turning in earlier, so as to wake up early to start his work on the farm. But it can't already be nine! She was still stunned at how quickly time had passed; they'd only sat down for dinner at six. Had they really just been sitting in silence for a whole three hours?
Looking back over the time, which seemed like the blink of an eye, Fluttershy noticed that it was very pleasant. There was no pressure to speak or disperse of the awkwardness, because there wasn't any. She had to admit that even with her other friends, she always felt the urge to say something, anything. With Big Mac, that urge didn't exist. It seemed as if he didn't expect her to speak, just as she didn't expect him to. It was quite refreshing. It was the kind of time that she actually wished could last for a lot longer...even though it had already lasted hours. Suddenly, she let out a tiny yawn of her own.
"Well, I suppose we'd better get ready for bed," she announced, standing and stretching much like Rarity's cat, Opal. She looked over at the animals that still sat perched on Big Mac. "All of us," she emphasized. The critters took the hint and began to disperse, returning to their respective nooks, crannies, holes, and birdhouses scattered throughout her home. Even Angel was too drowsy to raise a fuss and hopped along with his mate and kids to their bed in the corner of the room. As her tiny charges began to turn in, Fluttershy was able to focus on her large one. She went to the hall closet and pulled out a pink quilt and pillow. When she returned to the living room, Big Mac had stood and stretched as well. "You can have my bed- upstairs and to the right. I'll camp out here on the couch," the host declared, preparing to make up the sofa for the night.
"Nnope." After not hearing him speak for half the evening, suddenly hearing his voice startled the pegasus.
"I-wha?"
"Nnope. Ah'll take the couch."
Fluttershy was surprised to say the least. She was the host, and she wouldn't dare let her visitor be anything less than comfortable. Her mother had raised her better than that. It wasn't as if she could force him to take the bed, but she figured it was for his own good.
"But...but you're the guest.." she argued feebly.
"But yer a lady." The simple, casually spoken sentence set Fluttershy's cheeks aflame. Her brain quickly scanned the words and found that they had never been aimed at her before. Somepony like Rarity, perhaps, would be called such, and she even took the liberty of calling herself a lady. But for somepony to say those words to Fluttershy- to quiet, awkward, timid Fluttershy- made her chest feel funny. She stood there for a moment, looking up into the green eyes that seemed to believe what the earth pony said, and were not about to back down.
"Oh...w-well I guess you could sleep on the couch," she murmured, too flustered to pursue the matter. Big Mac nodded once in confirmation before situating himself on the sofa. It creaked slightly under his large frame. He took his yoke off, leaned it against the coffee table, and cozily tucked himself under the quilt. His host took the liberty of turning off the lights. Only the dim glow from the dying fire remained. "Goodnight, Big Macintosh. May Luna grant you sweet dreams," the pegasus bid quietly as she flapped towards the stairs silently.
"G'night Fluttershy." She paused, unused to hearing her name fall from his lips. In the dark, she allowed herself a silly smile before floating up towards her room.
Big Mac lay on the couch, which was actually much more comfortable than he thought. He was willing to sacrifice an aching back for the sake of being the gentlecolt that Granny had raised him to be, but he was relieved to find that he would actually sleep soundly. The dying glow of the fire made the living room cozy, and the occasional rustle or tittering of animals in their makeshift homes throughout the cottage made it seem almost alive. The steady, unrelenting pounding of the rain outside combined with the ambiance to form a sort of rhythmic lullaby. He figured that after this, a quiet night in his room at the farm would make sleep quite impossible. Big Mac allowed his heavy eyelids to slide closed.
BOOOOOM! His eyes shot open and his whole body tensed as a sudden thunder strike shook the tiny cottage. It was deafeningly silent afterwards, save for the torrent outside. From his position on the couch, he could see the extent of the weather outside through the window. The wind had picked up as the storm grew in intensity. She did say a doozy. Big Mac rolled over, now facing the back of the couch and ready for a second attempt at sleep. This time he was already halfway asleep when-
POP! CRASH! "Gah!" Big Mac jumped into a sitting position, causing his blanket to fall to the floor. He looked around as his erratic heartbeat now matched the rhythm the rain had set. The animals, nestled in their holes and houses seemed undisturbed by the thunder demonstrating its power. He glanced over at Angel and his family, sleeping soundly as if the storm didn't exist.
Huh. Guess animals're used to it. He bent down to pick up his fallen quilt. SNAP! BOOM! Another merciless echoed through the sky. This time, Big Mac actually leaped from the sofa and shoved the front half of his body (since the rest of him wouldn't fit) underneath it. Me on the other hoof- ah'm a full-grown stallion that's still more scared than a cat at a dog show. He knew full well that he probably looked ridiculous: a large fellow like him hiding like a foal from something that couldn't actually hurt him. As he dwelled on his thoughts and his shame, he felt a tapping on his upturned rump.
"Uh...Big Macintosh?"
Oh pony feathers. Trying to salvage his reputation, he wiggled backwards until the front half of him was free. As he sat up, he looked to the side to see Fluttershy standing there, her head cocked in confusion in the dark. "Uh...hi. What're ya doin here?" He internally facehoofed. She kinda lives here.
"Hi. I came down for some water but...are you okay?"
"Ah-uh-eeyup! Ah just...dropped sumthin'." He plastered on a smile that she may or may not have been able to see in the darkness.
"Oh...okay. Well then, I'll let you get back to sleep and-"
CRASH! In the split second of lightning that filled the living room, Fluttershy saw Big Mac's eyes double in size, his pupils shrink, and his front legs shoot out and grab the closest thing to him...which happened to be her. Not knowing what else to do, she kept herself still as he held her close. Being so close, closer than she'd ever been to him before, she noticed three things: he was very warm, he smelled like a warm summer day, and he was shaking. The dark hid the red color of her cheeks, but didn't hide the obvious fear of her guest. And she, for one, knew the crippling feeling of fear all too well. She very quickly put two and two together. "M-Mac?" she broke the silence, which seemed to bring him back to Equestria. She immediately regretted this decision as he suddenly released her, setting her back on her hooves, and scooted away slightly.
"Sorry," he muttered. She could see his silhouette sit back on the couch, far from her, and hang his head in a manner she was also familiar with. Though she couldn't see his face any longer, she could feel his shame and embarrassment. Fluttershy was at a loss. She very rarely knew the right thing to say, but right now it seemed more crucial than ever. But how could she encourage somepony, when she was often more scared that a dozen ponies combined? She tapped her chin in thought for a moment before an idea sparked.
With a couple flaps of her wings, she propelled herself back up to her room and opened the drawer to her bedside table. Inside lay a light blue journal, covered with white, curvy lines that resembled clouds. Grabbing the journal in her mouth, she quickly flew back downstairs to where she stood before. She found that he was still sitting in the same position, with his head still bowed. She wondered if he was even aware of her brief absence. Definitively, she tossed the journal onto the coffee table. It landed with a resounding plop, gaining Big Macintosh's attention.
"Do you know what this is?" she asked him, gesturing a hoof towards the object. His gaze focused on the light blue book, refusing to look up at his host.
"Uh, a notebook?" he guessed.
"This book houses all 248 of my fears... and counting." She made the statement boldly, though she was internally uncomfortable mentioning this to her new friend. Being a scaredy-pony wasn't exactly a good impression to make, but it was for his benefit. When Big Mac finally looked up from the book at her face, she figured she was on the right path and took a deep breath to continue. "You've probably guessed by now, but I'm not exactly the bravest pony around. I've always been that way, since I was a little filly. It was kind of shocking for somepony like me to be such close friends with a brave pony like Rainbow Dash. One day, I asked her how she was able to go through life without fear; she told me that she didn't, she just worked to conquer it. She suggested that I keep a record of what I'm afraid of and when I've beaten it. It really has helped, and I've kept this journal going ever since. When I find a new fear, I write it down; when I've conquered one, I cross it out."
Big Macintosh's gaze shifted from her back to the book. He reached a hoof towards it, but stopped short, looking back at her. "Oh, go ahead. It's not private," she assured him. As he used a hoof to open to the first page, she turned on a nearby lamp and fluttered over to sit next to him on the couch. The pages of the notebook were off-white with dark blue lines for to hold writing. The outside corners had the same cloud design as the cover. On each line sat each fear that the pegasus had recorded since her foalhood, in different colors as she'd used different pens throughout the years. Many of the fears were crossed off, also in varying colors. Big Mac focused on first line of the journal.
Flying. He glanced over at the pegasus, who looked down with a bashful smile and rubbed the back of her head. "Heh heh," she giggled awkwardly. Big Mac noted that the fear was crossed out with green pen, and moved on. He skimmed each page, stopping every now and then when something caught his interest.
Performing. This one, written in pink ink, had a black dotted line going through it. "That one is still a work in progress," she admitted with a bit of pride. There were quite a few other entries that similarly had dotted lines, indicating that she was on her way to beating them. Others were struck through entirely. He figured a good one-third of the book had been crossed off. As he flipped through the pages, his hoof halted and pointed when he saw an entry halfway down page twenty-nine.
Thunder. It was written in blue ink, and crossed out with red. Big Mac looked over at Fluttershy, with impressed and curious eyes. "How'd ya do it?" he asked. The pegasus yawned and smiled as the memory replayed in her head.
"My parents are weather ponies. My dad, Torrent, is one of the storm captains in Cloudsdale. When I was a filly, my mother would be home with me and would see how scared I would get during a storm. Thunder is a lot louder in Cloudsdale, since we're up in the sky with the storm. One day, during one of my father's storms, I was hiding under the bed. My mom poked her head under there, smiling, and I'll never forget what she said: 'Now Fluttershy, what are you doing under here? Can't you hear that your father is bowling?'"
"Bowlin'?" Big Mac wondered, an eyebrow raised.
"Bowling. She said that he'd get bored at work so he and the other weather ponies would bowl during their storms for fun. Of course I knew it wasn't true, but it was a lot easier to think of loud, scary thunder as a fun game. So whenever a storm came and there was thunder, somepony in my house would yell, 'Strike!'" When she finished her story, she looked over at the large stallion who still seemed a bit doubtful.
"And it really works?"
"Well, after my mother told me that, the next storm that came didn't scare me one bit. Everytime the thunder struck, I'd either yell or think, 'Strike!' After that, I was able to cross it off in my journal once and for all." The pride she exuded in describing her dissipated fear was enviable and gave Big Macintosh a newfound determination. If she could master the cloud-shaking thunder of Cloudsdale, he could master the watered-down version here in Ponyville.
CRASH! Well, almost. Reflexively he grabbed Fluttershy again, since she was the closest thing to him. She once again felt his trembling form close to hers. Before he could bring himself to feel ashamed, he heard the pegasus within his grip yell,
"Strike!" Well, as much as a pony like Fluttershy could yell. She was not going to be a cheerleading captain anytime soon. But, her own declaration dispelled any fear she would've felt. Surely it could work for him. "See? When you think about it like that, it's not scary." Another rumble shook the house and her ears pinned themselves to her scalp as she made her declaration mentally. "It's just loud," she admitted with a smile. This drew a smile from Big Macintosh as well.
BOOM!
"Strike!" This time, both ponies called out together. They shared a look before sharing a laugh.
"I think you're well on your way to crossing this off your list, Big Mac," Fluttershy decreed, letting out another mouse-like yawn. She suddenly felt very comfy and her bed seemed quite far away. Big Macintosh quickly realized that he was still holding onto his host and gently released her.
"Sorry," he apologized again. She gave him a sleepy smile.
"No problem," she murmured as another yawn obscured her words. Her eyelids were well on their way to covering her teal eyes and she leaned back against the back of the sofa. Though he'd physically separated himself from her, her sleepy form leaned over until she was also leaning on his side. At first, Big Mac didn't know what to do. He didn't want to move, let alone move her when she looked so comfortable.
So much fer the lady sleepin' in 'er own bed, he thought. He honestly didn't know much about the situation. He'd never had a sleepover before... or many friends for that matter. He did know, however that sometimes this happened. Sometimes Apple Jack or Apple Bloom would have a friend over for the night, and sometimes they'd end up snuggled up close as they scooted their sleeping bags close together. Maybe it was normal. In her half-sleep state, Fluttershy reached her forelegs around what she could of his large frame, seeking warmth. She smiled as she rubbed her cheek against his abdomen. The sight made him smile in return and his decision was made.
Putting one foreleg around the sleeping mare, he leaned over to turn off the lamp and reached down to pull the forgotten quilt over the two of them. Friends do this, right? He let his exhaustion wash over him, not even the occasional thunderclap could rouse him as his drowsy brain would respond with, Strike! He felt himself finally falling to sleep and mumbled a "G'night," to nopony in particular. Before finally succumbed to sleep, he heard a familiar, soft voice.
