> I Lycan You
>  by Black Paint
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> I Lycan You
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A butter-yellow pegasus mare with a long, pink mane and a black jacket was walking alongside her friend - a grey earth pony stallion with light grey markings, a messy jet-black mane, glasses, and a paintbrush cutie mark. They made their way through the streets of Ponyville on a crisp spring day to have tea with their friends at Sugarcube Corner

“I don’t know,” the stallion said as they approached the steps, “I feel like I should tell them. I want to tell them. I just don’t know how they’ll take it.”

“I think they’ll be very understanding,” Fluttershy said to him, “You’re our friend, Paint, nothing will change the way we think about you.”

“I guess, but still...” Black Paint continued, “What if they don’t like it? What if they think I’m dangerous? How does one even subtly bring up that they’re half-wolf?”

Black Paint was an artist that lived on the outskirts of Ponyville. As far as anyone could tell, he was just an ordinary pony. But in reality, he was a lycan - and the only one in existence, as far as he knew. The only other that knew about his true identity, besides his parents, was Fluttershy.

The pair of ponies stood silently on the porch of the bakery.

The pegasus put a calming hoof on Paint’s shoulder.

“I seem to remember somepony who had the exact same worries when he first showed me that he was a wolf,” she told him with a smile, “and he’s one of the greatest friends I have.”

Seeing her grin made Paint’s worries melt away, replacing them with a warm, fuzzy feeling. His heart began to race.

No. Stop, he thought to himself.

“Paint?”

Fluttershy’s voice broke him out of his daze.

“You’re staring at me again,” she told him.

The stallion shook his head to clear his mind. “Sorry,” he apologized, “I’m not sure what’s up with me lately.”

On the contrary, he did know what was happening to him.

He didn’t know quite when it started, but lately Paint’s feelings for his best friend had been changing. He just felt happier when he was around her. He admired how her deep turquoise eyes were always filled with kindness, he liked the way she smiled shyly at him whenever he gave her a compliment,  and - most of all - he loved the way she giggled like a school filly when he told her a joke, even if it was a terrible one. She was absolutely adorable in every way and, although he didn’t want to admit it, he knew was starting to fall for her.

But it was just a crush. They always came and went with him. Besides, they were just friends. Nothing more.

“Come on,” he said, “let’s go inside. It’s chilly out here.”

The bakery was completely empty when they opened the door, except for an extended table by the window that was occupied by three individuals - consisting of Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity.

“Rarity, for the last time, I am not taking Soarin as my date for the Gala tomorrow,” Rainbow Dash shot across to the alabaster unicorn. “I don’t care if you think we’d make a cute couple, it’s not happening.”

“Honestly, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity began, “the Gala is on Hearts and Hooves Day this year, and Soarin is a wonderful stallion that you have a lot in common with. I simply cannot understand why you would throw away a perfectly good opportunity to find somepony you like.”

Rainbow made a face, “Ugh, you sound like my mom.”

“Hello everypony,” Fluttershy greeted as she and Paint took their places at the end of the table.

“Hey, guys,” Rainbow said casually.

“Howdy,” Applejack drawled as she tipped her stetson.

“Hello, you two - ooh, Fluttershy, is that a new coat?” Rarity asked.

The pegasus looked down and realized she was still wearing the black hoodie.

“Oh, it’s not mine,” she explained as she unzipped it.

“It’s mine,” Paint said as he took it from her and wrapped it around his own body. “She couldn’t find her own, and we didn’t want to be late, so I let her borrow mine.”

“You’re such a gentlecolt, Paint,” Rarity praised as she looked back at Rainbow Dash. “Just like Soarin,” she said in a sing-song voice.

“I said ‘NO’!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“Paint, please explain to Rainbow Dash why Soarin would be a wonderful candidate for her affection,” the fashionista requested.

“Paint, tell Rarity that not everypony is as love-crazy as she is,” the prismatic pegasus demanded at the same time.

Paint looked between the two mares, unsure of how to respond. “Um… well…” he began,  “you and Soarin do hang out together a lot, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he liked you in that way-”

“Thank you,” said Rarity.

“But,” Paint continued, “it is her choice. If she doesn’t want to go with him, I see no problem with that.”

“Thank you,” said Rainbow Dash as she turned her attention back to the unicorn. “See, he gets it.”

“I don’t see why yer puttin’ up such a fuss about this, Rarity,” Applejack chimed in. “We all agreed that the young ‘uns could come to the Gala with us this year. Apple Bloom’s been so excited, it’s all she’s talked about for the past week.”

Rarity sighed, “I know, Applejack. Sweetie Belle has been absolutely elated to come with us. It’s just that Hearts and Hooves Day is the most romantic night of the year. I feel that at least one member of our party should have a special somepony at the Gala.” She moved her gaze out the window.

“Don’t you have a special somepony to take?” questioned Fluttershy.

“Unfortunately, no,” she responded, “I’m afraid I’m in the ‘single’ bracket at the moment.”

“You are?” came a hopeful voice.

Everyone turned to see Spike at the table’s edge, grinning, with Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer following closely behind.

“Yes, Spike,” the unicorn sighed again, “Though, I suppose it’s for the better. I haven’t had any good fortune when it comes to dating. That horrid Prince Blueblood, that disaster with Trenderhoof…”

“Well, maybe you just haven’t met the right guy yet,” Spike encouraged her as he took his seat across from her, “or maybe you have and you just don’t know it.” The little dragon began to subtly flex his muscles, forcing Applejack and Rainbow Dash to hold in their laughter at the ridiculous display.

“I appreciate the support, Spikey-Wikey,” Rarity said half-heartedly as she turned back to the window, “but I think I’m taking a break from the world of dating for a while. I don’t think I could stand another failed romance right now.”

“O-Oh,” he faltered, bringing his arms down to his sides, “Yeah, r-right. Wouldn’t want something like that to happen.”

“Hey, everyone,” Twilight greeted cheerfully as she and Starlight took their places, “What are we talking about?”

“Our plans for the Gala,” Rarity answered. “I don’t suppose either you or Starlight are taking a date with you?”

“I asked Sunburst to come with me,” Starlight said “but he said he’s too busy with Crystaller stuff. Again.”

“And I’m going to be so busy with the Gala that I won’t have time to bring a guest,” added Twilight.

“I’m bringing Maud with me!” Pinkie declared cheerfully as she emerged from the kitchen precariously balancing a tea tray - complete with a full teapot, teacups, and tea bags - and a platter of assorted baked goods on her head. “Well, technically she’s going with Mudbriar,” she continued as she set her load down and began distributing the cups, “I initially asked her to go, but she said that they wanted to spend the night together, so I asked Twilight if she could give her plus one to him so that he could come too, and so now we’re all going together, and *squee* it’s just going to be the bestest night ever!”

Everyone chuckled at the pink pony’s enthusiasm.

“What about you, Fluttershy?” asked Rainbow Dash as Pinkie took her seat, “You bringing Tree Hugger again this year?”

“Actually,” she said, “I invited Paint to go with me. Tree Hugger got her own invitation along with the rest of the Preservation Society.”

“Sounds like it’s going to be fun,” Paint remarked as he took a cupcake off the serving platter.

“I can’t wait for you to meet Tree Hugger,” Fluttershy told him, “I think you’ll like her.”

He smiled at her as he bit into the pastry, smearing a little bit of the frosting on his muzzle. The pegasus gave a light giggle as she reached for a napkin.

“You got a little something there,” she said as she began to wipe it off.

“He-hey,” he laughed as he tried to avoid her touch, “I’m a full-grown stallion, I can take care of it myself.”

The playful struggle continued for a few more seconds until Fluttershy had removed the last of the mess.

“You know, you just wasted some perfectly good frosting,” he joked as she threw the napkin away.

“Well, what were you going to do with it?” she teased, “Save it for a snack?”

“Of course!” he exclaimed, “What else?”

She pushed him lightly, “Oh, you.”

The two dissolved into laughter at their mock argument.

Rainbow started to gag. “Blech! You two wanna get a room or something?” she asked, causing the giggling to cease immediately.

“Oh, leave them alone, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity scolded as she turned towards the pair of friends. “I, for one, think you two are adorable together. You would make a lovely couple.”

“Ooh, yeah, you totally would!” Pinkie gushed through a mouthful of cookies.

Paint’s cheeks turned a deep shade of red as Fluttershy began playing with her mane uncomfortably.

Eager to change the subject, Paint spoke without thinking, “So, um, actually, there’s something I wanted to tell you guys.”

The group fell deadly silent and all eyes were on the stallion.

Oh, great, he thought. Out of every possible thing to say, that’s what comes out of my mouth?

He looked around at everypony staring at him. Fluttershy gave a quick nod of encouragement.

I guess I should tell them before I lose the nerve. I can’t believe I’m doing this.

He took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak, but didn’t even get a word out before Pinkie swallowed her food and continued rambling.

“Wait, you two aren’t, like, secretly in love, are you?” she asked.

The question left both ponies completely stunned in embarrassment, unable to regain a steady train of thought.

“What? I-I...” Paint stammered out.

“Um... well...” Fluttershy began to say before Pinkie proceeded to babble on.

“Ha! I knew it!” the excited mare exclaimed, bringing her hooves down hard on the table and accidentally spilling her tea. “How did I not see it before? I mean, you’re always spending so much time together and doing nice things for each other-”

“Um, Pinkie, let’s not jump to-” Twilight attempted to interrupt.

“Ooh, I just had the greatest idea for a ‘two-of-my-best-friends-are-dating’ party! I’m going to need streamers, heart-shaped balloons-”

“Pinkie, I don’t think-” Starlight tried to help.

“-aw shoot, where am I going to get ten pounds of glitter-covered feathers on such short notice?”

“Pinkie!” the whole table shouted.

The party planner looked up from the list she was making with a piece of paper and a crayon she had produced from her mane.

“L-look, Pinkie,” Paint finally said, still quite flustered, “I appreciate the thought, but ‘Shy and I aren’t dating.”

“Mhmm,” the pegasus agreed, still self-consciously stroking her mane.

“Aww, bummer,” Pinkie muttered dejectedly as she put her supplies back in her hair.

“I think it’s sweet that you and Rarity think that we would make a great couple,” the stallion told her, “but we’re just not like that.”

The pink earth pony gave a nod and a small smile, “I understand. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” he assured her.

“So, what did you want to tell us?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Spike chimed in from behind the mountain of pastries on his plate, “what were you saying before?”

“O-oh… um, y-yeah. That,” he sputtered as everyone’s attention turned back to him. “I… wanted to tell you guys that…”

“Go on, Sugarcube, we’re listenin’,” Applejack encouraged him.

“I…” his throat began to tighten and his thoughts were blurry. He swallowed hard and sighed heavily. “I just wanted to say that… I’m glad you’re all my friends…” he finished.

She raised an eyebrow skeptically, “You sure that’s all you wanted to say?”

“Y-yeah, that’s it,” he mumbled, hoping she wouldn't see through his lie.

The farm pony smiled warmly. “Well, that’s real sweet of you,” she said. “We’re glad yer our friend, too.”

Paint weakly returned her grin and the rest of the party nodded and murmured words of agreement before slowly evolving into casual chatter.

The stallion took a sip of his tea, trying to calm his racing mind as the afternoon wore on.

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After everyone had their fill of tea and the excitement of conversation had dwindled, each member of the group made their way to their next destination. Paint walked with Fluttershy on their way back to their homes.

“I can’t believe I choked again.” Paint reprimanded himself. “I could just about kick myself.”

“You need to stop being so hard on yourself, Paint,” Fluttershy told him. “If you weren’t ready to tell them, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“But I was about to. I was ready. And then I got scared and shut down again. The thoughts just keep swirling around in my head and I can’t make them stop.”

The pair began to walk up the path to Fluttershy’s cottage.

“I know it’s hard to keep your anxiety under control,” she said, “Sometimes it helps if you just don’t think about it.”

“You don’t think I’ve tried that?” he hissed, “I’ve tried everything: looking at distant objects, taking deep breaths, going over it a million times in my head, counting to twenty. Nothing. Works!”

As his temper rose, his features began to change: his muzzle narrowed, his ears changed shape, and his coat grew a bit longer.

“Paint, calm down,” Fluttershy said gently, “You’re changing.”

The stallion looked at his reflection in the stream as they came to it. Discovering she was right, he reversed the transformations; he never could control himself when his emotions were involved.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized as they continued on, “I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just that I’ve been trying to overcome this for so long that I feel like I should be making some progress. Instead, I feel like I’ve been going in the opposite direction. I just don’t know what to do anymore.”

“I used to have panic attacks all the time,” she admitted, “I still do.”

“You certainly don’t show it much,” he remarked as they reached her front door. “You always seem so calm and level-headed.”

“Maybe,” she admitted as they reached the front door, “but sometimes I get so nervous that I can’t calm myself down. It used to get so bad that I would see and hear things that weren’t really happening.” She put a comforting hoof on his shoulder, “It takes time, Paint,” she explained, “It took me years to get to this point and I still have trouble with it. You may not be ready to tell them now, and that’s okay, but when you are, you’ll be fine.”

He continued to stare at the ground but smiled a little. “I appreciate the effort, ‘Shy, I really do, but I’d rather not talk about this anymore.”

“Do you want a hug?” she asked as she held out her hooves in an offering.

Paint’s bright yellow eyes shifted to meet her deep turquoise ones. The late afternoon light made them dance with flecks of fiery red and orange and her delicate smile put his mind a little more at ease.

“Sure, why not?” he decided.

The two friends wrapped their forelegs around each other in a close embrace, enjoying the comforting warmness of the friendly contact for a few moments. The steady rhythm of their breathing pulling them into a semi-hypnotic state.

As they continued, Paint could have sworn that Fluttershy had whispered something to him.

“What did you say?” he asked her.

“I… it’s nothing,” she answered; her tone was slightly melancholy.

He brought her back in front of him, “Are you sure? It doesn’t sound like nothing.”

“It’s fine,” she assured him.

She put on a small, meek smile, causing his heartbeat to quicken and the butterflies in his stomach to flutter.

“I... should get going,” he told her. “There’s still a lot that I need to do before tomorrow. We still meeting everyone at the train station?”

“At five o’clock,” she reminded him.

He smiled as he turned to leave, “I know, just checking. See you then.” He started back down the path.

“Goodnight, Paint,” Fluttershy called after him as she waved.

He gave a quick wave back as she entered her home.

He continued down the dirt road to his cabin, trying to rid himself of the romantic delusions that were now repeatedly popping into his mind.

“Stop it,” he muttered as he opened his front door, “It’s just another crush. It’s going to pass.” He made his way up the stairs and into his bathroom. He turned on the cold water tap, took off his glasses, closed his eyes, and used his hooves to splash some of the liquid onto his muzzle. “You’re just friends, nothing more,” he told himself as he continued to wash his face. When he finally finished he looked up at the mirror to see a grey wolf with light grey markings, yellow eyes, and a black mane staring back at him.

“Nothing more…”

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The next evening, Black Paint waited on a bench at the station. He was dressed in a simple, navy-blue suit jacket with golden buttons and his shoulder-length mane was combed back in a semi-effective way to keep it out of his eyes. The train platform was particularly crowded that afternoon; several couples in fancy outfits were excitedly chatting about the upcoming event. The waiting steam engine blew small puffs of vapor out of its chimney.

Paint looked at the post clock in the middle of the platform. 4:45, they should be there any minute.

“Paint. Paint!” a familiar voice called.

The stallion in question looked around at the mention of his name and spotted Twilight waving at him; she wore a sleek midnight blue gown that shimmered in the light. She stood with the rest of their friends, a few fillies, and a few other ponies he didn’t recognize. Rainbow Dash was in a brilliant white gown resembling a toga with a golden sash and slippers, Pinkie was dressed in a frilly red and white candy-stripe dress with a red bowtie and poofy sleeves, Rarity had on a sparkling lavender ball gown that had several layers and a tiara to match, Applejack wore a simple bright red dress with a leaf green trail and a golden yellow trim that resembled wheat, and Starlight was in a flowing aqua green dress with intertwining pink and purple trim.

“Hey guys,” he called back as he got up and made his way over to the group. “Wow, you all look amazing.”

“Thank you, Paint,” Rarity answered for the group. “It’s some of my best work, and I do say that you’re looking quite dashing as well.”

Paint gave a small smile and rubbed the back of his neck timidly, “Aww, geez, Rarity. Come on.” He looked around the group of ponies, “I thought Spike was coming with us.”

“He decided to stay home last minute,” Twilight explained, stealing an understanding glance at Starlight. “Something about not wanting to ruin his chances with somepony.” The two mares rolled their eyes.

The group of fillies made their way over to introduce themselves. One was a light grey unicorn with pale pink and purple curls, the next was a tangerine pegasus with a disorderly cerise mane, and the last was a daffodil earth filly with brilliant amaranth hair and a large pink bow. Each wore a stylish gown with a color scheme that matched their mane.

“Hi, um, Black Paint, right?” the unicorn piped up, "My name is Sweetie Belle."

"Name's Scootaloo," the peagsus added casually.

"And I'm Apple Bloom, Mr. Black Paint, sir," the earth filly finished

“You can just call me ‘Paint’,” he told them with a friendly grin. “So, you’re the famous Cutie Mark Crusaders. I’ve heard a lot about you three. Is it true that you helped both a hippogriff and a griffon?”

“Heck yeah,” Scootaloo said cooly. “It’s kind of what we do.”

“Awesome!” he held out his hoof and the pegasus filly bumped her own against his. “You three excited for tonight?”

“Uh huh,” the fillies chorused together.

“Hey, I’ll race you two to the other side of the platform and back!” Scootaloo challenged her friends.

“Yer on,” Apple Bloom accepted.

“Hey, wait for me!” Sweetie Belle called after them.

Paint chuckled at the bubbly fillies as they took off.

Fluttershy and one of the ponies he didn’t recognize approached him. The pony had a green coat and flower crown woven into her pale red-orange dreadlocks. She was wearing a pale pink gown with long sleeves and a fringe around the base.

“Hi, Paint,” Fluttershy greeted.

“Hey, Fluttersh…” Paint trailed off as he took a good look at his friend. She was wearing a simple light green dress with a few pink butterflies sewn into the fabric and a pattern of pink, blue, and purple flower petals around the base and sleeves. Her flowing mane bounced gently with each step she took. “Woah… you look… amazing.”

She smiled and blushed, “Oh, you’re just saying that.”

“No, really,” he insisted, “you look beautiful tonight.”

The pegasus’s blush deepened and yesterday’s rapid heartbeat returned to Paint.

Calm down, he reminded himself. It’s just a crush.

“Uh, th-this is Tree Hugger,” Fluttershy said, flustered.

“Nice, to meet you, Paint,” the other mare said in a relaxed manner, “Blessings.”

“Hey,” Paint returned, “nice to meet you too.”

“Paint!” a shrill voice called to him. Pinkie pushed her way through the group until she got to the stallion. “You and Tree Hugger have got to meet -” her forelegs stretched out of sight and came back with the other two ponies Paint didn’t recognize: a cool grey mare with a flat violet mane and a sparkly blue dress, and a tall, warm grey stallion with a short brown mane and a tuxedo,   “- my sister Maud and her boyfriend, Mudbriar.”

“Hello,” Maud said in a monotone voice.

“Technically,” Mudbriar began in a matter-of-fact way, “we’ve already met, since we’ve been in the presence of each other when they first joined our party.”

“Oh, whatever,” Pinkie grumbled.

“Greetings, Maud. Mudbriar.” Tree Hugger said.

“Hey guys, nice to meet you,” Paint chimed in.

“Technically,” Mudbriar cut in, “We've already met, and Maud is a female. I am a ‘guy’, however.”

Paint glanced at Pinkie. “Is he always like this?” he questioned.

Pinkie narrowed her eyes unenthusiastically at her sister’s partner. “Yup,” she replied flatly.

The train’s whistle blew sharply.

“AAAALLLL ABOARD FOR CANTERLOT!” the conductor announced.

“Come on everyone, or we’ll miss the train,” said Starlight as she and Twilight boarded.

“Has anyone seen the girls?” Rarity asked. “Girls? Girls!”

“There they are,” Rainbow Dash pointed at the fillies returning from their race, all of them bumping into other ponies as they made their way back to the group.

“Honestly, you three,” Rarity scolded, “We don’t have time for games.”

“Aw, lighten up, Rarity,” complained Rainbow as she glided to the door of the coach, “tonight’s supposed to be about fun.”

“That may be so, Rainbow Dash,” the alabaster unicorn responded as she passed her on the way in, “but it’s still no excuse for poor manners.”

“Come on now, y’all,” Applejack herded the Crusaders towards the door. “Let’s go.”

“Come on, you two!” Pinkie called to Maud and Mudbriar as she bounced inside the train car. “Let’s get on the train!”

“Technically, she’s already on the train,” Mudbriar stated as the pink pony disappeared. He turned to Maud, “She does know that, right?”

“Just let her have this,” Maud told him as they ambled after her.

“We should get going, too,” Fluttershy said to Paint and Tree Hugger.

The trio made their way onto the coach and found a section of seats for themselves. The train’s whistle blew a second time and the cars jolted slightly from the sudden start. Soon the train was racing along the tracks past the scenic country landscape.

“So, Tree Hugger,” Paint began, “how exactly did you meet Fluttershy?”

“It’s a long story,” she answered. “The cosmos brought us together at a Society gathering in western Equestria. We were observing the breezies as they majestically migrated back to their homeland and we just sort of bumped into each other, ya know. The vibes I was getting from her were some of the grooviest I’ve ever felt, and we just kinda, like, hit it off.” She turned to the pegasus, “Didn’t you say you wanted to be a tree?”

“I did,” she told her.

“Wait,” Paint interrupted, addressing Fluttershy, “you wanted to be a tree?”

Fluttershy blushed, “Maybe… I think it would be nice. Having your branches waving in the wind, the sun shining down and providing warmth, the raindrops giving you refreshing water to sustain yourself. I know it seems silly, but...”

“No, no, I think it’s cute,” the stallion told her. “I think you would make a great tree.”

“What kind of tree did you want to be again?” Tree Hugger asked the pegasus. “Spruce?”

“Willow,” she corrected.

“Oh yeah,” Tree Hugger remembered, “you told me they symbolize fulfilling wishes and dreams. That’s totally in harmony with your spirit.” She then turned her attention towards Paint. “So, how did the universe bring your fates together?” she questioned.

“Even longer story,” he said as he and butter-yellow mare exchanged a look of understanding. “We became neighbors a couple of years ago. I wasn’t really much of a social pony before we met, but one thing led to another and… well, let’s just say our friendship was the result of a timberwolf attack.”

“Huh?” the flower child scrunched up her muzzle in confusion.

“Yeah… I might have fought off a timberwolf that was trying to feast on some of Fluttershy’s chickens. I still have the scar to prove it,” he pointed to a spot on his right shoulder. “I got hurt in the fight and she helped me recover. I stayed at her house overnight and we got to know each other a little better during my stay. It was really nice.”

“Far out...” she turned back to the pegasus. “Is that true?”

“It is,” Fluttershy agreed. “If it weren’t for Paint I don’t know what would have happened to me.” She smiled at him, “And I wouldn’t have gotten such an amazing friend.”

Paint returned her smile and felt a tugging at his heartstrings.

No. Stop it! It’s not like that. It’s not like that!

“...Paint?”

The stallion snapped out his trance and shook his head slightly to clear his mind.

“You’re doing it again.”

“Oh… I- um…” he adjusted his glasses nervously,  “so-sorry,” he stammered out.

“Fluttershy!” Pinkie suddenly appeared from out of nowhere, laughing uncontrollably. “You - haha -  have got to hear - ha-  these jokes that Maud came up with for her comedy routine - hahaha; they’re so funny! I’d - haha - tell you myself, but - hahahaha - I don’t think I can do it justice.” The hysterical mare grabbed the pegasus around the middle.

“Oh, Pinkie, I’d love to, but- aaaahh!” was all Fluttershy was able to say before her friend zipped her away, leaving Black Paint and Tree Hugger alone.

Not exactly sure what to say, Paint stared out the window for a few minutes and followed the small, distant cluster of lights that was Ponyville.

“So, Paint,” Tree Hugger said, breaking the silence and bringing the stallion’s attention back to her, “you, like, seem to really care for Fluttershy.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” he admitted. “I was really lonely most of my life and ‘Shy was the first friend that I had in a really long time. I… honestly don’t know what I would do without her.”

His eyes became unfocused and his mind began to wander. She really was the most important pony in his life, she had helped him change in so many ways.

Tree Hugger grinned, “You totally love her, don’t you?”

“Wh-what? No! Why would you think that?!” he sputtered.

The earth mare laughed lightly at his defensiveness, “Hey, it’s cool if you do. I’m not here make judgements.”

The stallion’s emotional walls crumbled a bit. He avoided her gaze, “How could you tell?”

“You’re not exactly keeping it a secret,” she told him, staring thoughtfully. “Something about your aura seems… different, and your fourth chakra feels like it’s out of alignment.”

Paint sighed and brought his eyes back to look at her. “It’s just a crush,” he told her, “it never lasts.”

“Does she know?”

“I never told her, so, I don’t think so.”

“You really should,” Tree Hugger advised. “Having your chakras out of balance for that long isn’t good for your spiritual energy.”

“I’d like to,” he said sadly, “believe me, I would. But we’re better off as friends.”

“What makes you think that?” she asked. “You seem pretty groovy to me.”

Paint’s eyes made their way back towards the window. He could see his reflection faintly in the glass. “If I told you why I’m not sure if you would still feel the same way.”

Unable to say anything more, the two remained in silence until Fluttershy returned to their section of the car a minute later.

“Oh my, Maud really is funny,” she remarked as she reclaimed her seat. “Are you two having a good time?”

“Mmhm,” her friends responded simultaneously.

She examined each of them in turn, “Is something wrong?”

“No, no. Everything’s fine,” Paint assured her.

“I was just showing Paint how to appreciate the sounds of the world in the absence of speaking,” Tree Hugger added.

“Oh, okay,” the pegasus accepted. “If you say so.”

A moment later, the brakes began to screech and the train slowly pulled to a stop in front of the Canterlot station. There was a hiss of steam from the engine as the trio exited the car and regrouped with their party on the platform. Once they were all together, they began to make their way to their destination: the castle.

Many of the businesses in the city were decorated with heart-shaped lights for Hearts and Hooves Day; the stores advertised various sales on last-minute holiday gifts and the restaurants served couples romantically themed dishes that they shared with one another.

As the group walked through the streets, Paint noticed Fluttershy had stopped at a particular shop that sold stuffed animals. She looked through the window at a display that showcased a fluffy, brown rabbit, a cuddly, white polar bear, and adorable, grey wolf. She was so focused on the display that she didn’t even notice when Paint came up beside her. Her eyes were fixed on the wolf, which had glittering yellow eyes and a plush heart in its mouth.

“It’s cute, isn’t it?” he said, causing the pegasus to jump slightly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I-it’s okay,” she responded, suddenly becoming interested in anything else.

“I know you like stuff like this, you thinking about adding one to your collection?” he asked curiously.

“No, just… looking,” she answered quickly before stepping away from the window. “Come on, we’re falling behind.”

Confused, Paint slowly followed her back to their friends, wondering why the pegasus suddenly seemed so anxious.

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The clique eventually came to approach the enormous white gate to the palace of the two royal sisters. A few guards were posted at the mouth of the archway and a couple more were posted in the towers.

“Tickets, please,” one of them requested in a gruff, but polite, voice.

Each member flashed their ticket to the armed stallion and proceeded to the entrance of the castle. The huge golden doors swung open as they entered the grand foyer. The Crusaders squealed with delight as they took in their surroundings. Paint was quite in awe at the splendor of the room as well: the checkered floors were composed of a spotless white and black marble, several gorgeous tapestries hung from the walls, and a few sparkling stained glass windows stood tall at the intersection of a split staircase. A regal white alicorn with a mane that literally rippled with color stood at the base of the steps, conversing with a few important-looking ponies.

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight called as she led her friends over to the ruler of Equestria.

Noticing her former pupil, Celestia smiled and excused herself from her current engagement.

“Twilight!” she greeted cheerfully as they embraced. “I’m so glad you and your friends could make it.”

“We’re glad we could come,” her prodigy responded as they separated.

“It’s lovely to see you all again,” the sun goddess remarked, then began to address the guests individually. “Hello Cutie Mark Crusaders, Tree Hugger, Maud Pie...” she then turned to the two stallions in the group, “I’m sorry, I don’t think I’ve met either of you before.”

“Technically, we just did,” Mudbriar said as he bowed. “My name is Mudbriar, your majesty. I’m accompanying Maud Pie as her date for tonight.”

“A-and my name is Black Paint, you-your highness,” Paint stuttered nervously as he, too, lowered himself to the floor, “I-I’m one of Fluttershy’s friends.”

Celestia laughed at the formality, “There’s no need for that, gentlecolts;” she assured them, “any friends of the Elements of Harmony are friends of mine.”

The stallions rose from their positions, cheeks tinted rose from embarrassment.

“Now, why don’t you all go have some fun?” she said. “I’m sure you’ll find something here that appeals to each of you. Twilight, would you come with me? There are some ponies here that I’d like you to meet.”

“Of course, Celestia,” the other alicorn obliged. “I’ll catch up with you guys later,” she told the rest of her friends as the pair of diplomats made their way across the room.

“Well, you heard her,” Rainbow Dash said as she zipped towards another set of open double doors, “Let’s go have some fun!”

The rest of the party followed the cerulean pegasus to the ballroom. An orchestra played an upbeat tune on a raised stage in the corner and a buffet bearing various hors d'oeuvres lined the left wall of the room. Several ponies gathered around tables that were scattered around the edges of the ballroom and the main dance floor was crowded with couples in fancy outfits dancing in step with the music.

“I’m going to go mingle,” Starlight told the others as she wandered off.

“Whaddya say, you three?” Applejack asked the Crusaders. “Whatcha wanna do first?”

“I wanna hit the dance floor,” Scootaloo answered, “I’ve been waiting to show off my moves since we got here.”

“Me too!” Apple Bloom chimed in.

“Me three!” Sweetie Belle agreed.

“Alright, let’s see what you fillies got,” Rainbow challenged as she, Rarity, and Applejack followed their sisters to the open floor. “Think you got what it takes to out-dance me?”

“Oooh! They have fancy pastries at the buffet!” Pinkie gushed as she bounced excitedly. “Anypony wanna come with me?”

“I could eat,” her sister responded.

“I suppose I’ll take a look myself,” Mudbriar joined in.

“I guess we’ll find a table,” Fluttershy said.

“Fine with me,” Paint agreed.

“I’m down with that,” concurred Tree Hugger.

The remaining members split in half and left in opposite directions. Spotting an empty table near the stage, Fluttershy, Paint, and Tree Hugger made their way through the crowd and stood around its edge as they waited for their friends to join them. Together, they watched as the Crusaders and their older sisters stepped and twirled in time with the beat, laughing and trying to outdo each other.

“They sure look like they’re having fun,” Paint commented.

“Righteous dance moves,” Tree Hugger added as she observed Rainbow do a flying backflip.

“Uh huh…” Fluttershy responded absentmindedly.

“Who do think is the best out there?” Paint asked, “For me, I think it’s a tie between Scootaloo and Apple Bloom.”

“I like Rarity,” Tree Hugger answered, “Her flow is just so… magical.”

“What about you, ‘Shy?” the stallion asked her.

She didn’t respond.

The stallion looked over at his best friend. Her eyes were staring at nothing and her mind seemed to be somewhere else.

“Hey, everything okay?” he asked her.

She didn’t answer.

“Equestria to ‘Shy,” he tried again, waving a hoof in front of her face, “you in there?”

Fluttershy blinked a few times before finally coming back to her senses. “Oh, yes, I’m fine,” she replied. “Just… thinking.”

“You don’t feel like you were just thinking,” Tree Hugger told her. “You’re giving me a strange vibe. Is there something bothering you?”

“I’m fine, you two, really,” the pegasus insisted with a tiny smile.

Both of her friends looked at her skeptically but eventually accepted her excuse.

“Wow! I didn’t even know that there were this many varieties of pastries!” Pinkie remarked as she brought over a towering dish of cupcakes, muffins, and cookies. “And I know a lot about pastries.”

“I told you not to overdo it, Pinkie,” Maud said to her sister as she and Mudbriar also approached the table with a plate of sandwiches. “I know you like sweets, but you’re going to get a stomach ache before you even finish a quarter of all that.”

“Is there anything she didn’t get?” Paint asked sarcastically, eyeing the mountain of baked goods that was at least as tall as Celestia herself.

“Just a miniature blueberry muffin,” Mudbriar stated.

Paint looked at the party pony in perplexment, “Just a blueberry muffin?”

She shrugged, “I couldn’t fit it on my plate.”

The stallion smirked and shook his head at her strange reasoning.

“Aww, come on, Sweetie Belle,” Scootaloo complained, “me and Rainbow totally beat you and Rarity’s waltzing with my forehoof spin.”

Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and the Crusaders had finally had enough of dancing and were making their way towards the table where the rest of their friends were.

“What about our do-si-doin’?” Apple Bloom cut in, “I’m pretty sure Applejack and I had y’all beat by a mile.”

“Oh, come on!” Sweetie exclaimed, “We did much better than you four.”

“Come now, girls,” Rarity interrupted the argument, “It was just a bit of friendly competition. There’s no need to get so worked up about it.”

“Rarity’s right,” Rainbow agreed, “It was just for fun, so let’s not fight about it.”

“Thank you, Rainbow Dash,” the alabaster unicorn said.

“I mean, Scootaloo and I already know we’re the best dancers there ever was,” the cerulean pegasus said slyly.

“Ah!” Rarity gasped in disbelief, “I will have you know that waltzing is the most refined form of dancing and I have been fine-tuning my practice of it for several-”

The others burst into laughter at the fashionista’s sudden outburst at Rainbow’s teasing.

She gave a small, embarrassed grin, “Heh heh, very funny…”

“Well, in any case, I think we all deserve a little reward,” Applejack declared cheerfully. “Who wants cupcakes?”

“Me!” all three fillies and Rainbow cried at the same time.

“Alright, alright,” the orange earth mare appeased, “I’ll get one for each of you three, but you’re getting your own, Rainbow.”

“Aww, c’mon AJ,” Dash whined as the farm pony started for the buffet, “you want me to walk all the way over there? My hooves are killing me.”

Applejack shot her a backward glance, “Your wings still work, don’t they?”

“Uuugh, fine,” Rainbow humphed as she followed her.

As they left, the orchestra began to slow their playing to a romantic sonata. Several couples made their way to the open floor, holding each other close and swaying with the tempo of the music. They all seemed so happy with their dates, and Paint couldn’t help but feel a little twinge of jealousy nagging at the back of his mind. He looked over at Fluttershy; her mane and dress looked so beautiful.

“Paint? Are you or Fluttershy going to be participating in any dancing this evening?” Rarity asked, bringing him back to reality.

The stallion rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I don’t know, Rarity,” he said. “I’m not exactly the best dancer. I used to take classes when I was young, but even then I wasn’t that great.”

“Pfft! Oh, pish posh, darling; you have plenty of skill for tonight.” the unicorn scoffed before turning to the butter-yellow pegasus. “What about you, Fluttershy?”

“Um, I think I’m more comfortable staying here,” she answered meekly.

“The large audience?” Rarity guessed.

Fluttershy nodded timidly, “I’m just not that comfortable dancing in front of crowds.”

“Maybe it would do you some good,” said Tree Hugger. “You and Paint are sending some seriously negative vibes my way. You need something to, like, cleanse yourselves of whatever it is that’s troubling you. Why don’t you go out there together?”

“Wait, you want us to dance… together? Now?” Paint asked nervously.

Fluttershy gave a small squeak of terror.

“I just thought you two would be more comfortable doing it together,” the green earth mare explained. “In my experience, ponies who share a close bond tend to help each other release all of that negative energy.”

Paint took a second to think. Maybe Tree Hugger was right, maybe sharing a dance with Fluttershy would help to clear his mind and help him get over these feelings for her.

He turned to the bashful pegasus. “I… wouldn’t mind going out there with you if you’re okay with that,” he said.

“O-okay…” she squeaked.

The stallion and the mare slowly made their way to the dance floor. Settling on an empty space near the edge, Paint gently took Fluttershy’s forehoof in his own and they began to stiffly step side to side. It felt a bit awkward at first, but eventually the pair began to sway more naturally together. Paint looked into Fluttershy’s deep turquoise irises while she stared back into his bright amber ones, and for a moment their tension seemed to disappear. He felt his heartbeat quicken, his body was overtaken by the familiar warmness of love, and - for once - he didn’t try to suppress it. Even the pegasus appeared to be enjoying herself: smiling delicately as her movements became more relaxed, as if they were the only two ponies in the entire room. He wanted to enjoy this feeling with her, even if he knew it wouldn’t last.

Suddenly, Fluttershy had bumped into another dancing couple, which earned her an annoyed glance.

“I-I’m sorry,” she apologized, taking a step from the couple and accidentally treading on her partner’s hoof, causing him to wince slightly. “Sorry! Sorry!” she repeated anxiously as she backed away. As she did so, she tripped on her dress, causing her to lose her balance and fall backward into the middle of the floor with a loud thud that drew the attention of many of the other dancers. The orchestra stopped playing. She bit her lower lip and her eyes began to dart around nervously at the staring ponies.

Paint quickly made his way over to his fallen friend. “Are you okay?” he asked, extending a hoof out to her to help her up. She just stared at him, her breaths became shallow and rapid. He could see the tears forming in her eyes as she tried to blink them back. Suddenly, she scrambled to her hooves and hurried off the open floor, pushing past the onlookers as she fled to safety.

“Fluttershy!” Paint called, but she had already disappeared. He tried to follow her into the crowd, quickly dodging other ponies in the way and slipping between the tables, but she was nowhere to be found. Defeated, he made it to the edge of the room and rested against the wall. Tree Hugger approached him slowly and sat down to his right. The band had restarted the music.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I shouldn’t have pressured you two.”

“It’s alright,” Paint assured her.

“It’s not alright,” the flower child told him, “I should have let fate sort your feelings out. I thought that if you spent some time together you would eventually tell her, and it would clean your energy fields.” She stared at the ground, “But instead, I just sent one of my friends down a road to a destiny of embarrassment.”

Paint turned to her, “You were just trying to help. I’m glad you got us to go out there. I wouldn’t have been able to bring myself to ask her to dance.”

Tree Hugger looked up and gave him a grateful smile, “Thanks, Paint.”

As he gave her a grin back, he looked beyond her and noticed a door near the band stage that was slightly ajar.

“I need to go talk to ‘Shy,” he said, getting up from his spot, “I’ll catch up with you and the others later.”

She nodded in understanding and left to rejoin the party.

When Paint stepped through the open door, he found that it led out to the royal garden. Luna’s moon illuminated the area quite clearly in a silvery light and the grass felt nice underneath the stallion’s hooves. The air was surprisingly warm and the garden was populated with beautiful, exotic-looking plants; it must have been enchanted to keep it alive. Colorful flowers bloomed in brilliant reds and oranges, cheerful yellows and pinks, and deep blues and violets. As Paint ambled through the shrubbery, he came upon an enormous willow tree; its branches were bent so that they almost touched the ground, providing sort of a curtain of leaves that shielded the trunk from the outside world. As he approached, he heard the sounds of stifled sobbing coming from beyond the wall of green.

Paint pulled back the hanging tendrils to reveal Fluttershy lying at the base of the tree, quietly crying into her hooves. He quietly made his way to the center of the canopy and laid down beside her. Her chest rose and fell shakily as she took jagged breaths, her dress was slightly wrinkled and stained from lying in the grass.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She didn’t answer.

He reached out with his right hoof and placed it comfortingly on her foreleg.

“‘Shy?” he tried again.

Still no response.

Paint got up from the ground, making his way back to the curtain of branches and peering out. After making sure that no one else was in the garden, he let them fall back into place before closing his eyes and concentrating.

Slowly, his form began to change: his coat began to grow out and thicken, his muzzle narrowed and his teeth grew into fangs, his ears became pointed and sensitive to sound, his hooves morphed into padded paws, and his tail extended outward and became bushy. The stallion had been replaced with a pony-sized grey wolf wearing glasses and a navy blue suit - which he removed because his thickened coat made it uncomfortable to wear. Besides his attire, Paint’s markings, eye color, and mane were the only physical characteristics that were identical to the ones on his equine form.

The lycan made his way back to his distressed friend. Normally he didn’t change into his wolf form outside of the Everfree Forest, but it was the only thing he could think of that might cheer her up.

He laid down in front of her again.

“Hey, ‘Shy, come on. Look at me,” he said.

The pegasus brought her head up slightly. Her eyes were red and watery from crying.

Paint cocked his head to the side, his pupils grew large, and he let his ears drop to the sides; he was wearing the epitome of the puppy-dog face.

She began to calm down. Her breaths became less jagged and her eyes shed their last tears; it wasn’t much, but it was a start.

The wolf crawled closer to her and laid his head down at her hooves. “Go ahead and give a little scratch,” he told her.

Fluttershy sniffled and hesitantly raised a hoof, slowly reaching out towards her friend’s ear. Then she retracted nervously.

“Come on, you know you want to,” he urged her.

She tried again, placing her hoof just behind Paint’s ear and rubbing gently in small circular motions. She gave the slightest hint of a grin as his back leg began to thump uncontrollably. She allowed her form to relax and her breathing slowly became more steady.

After finally getting her palliated, Paint rolled over onto his back, paws in the air. He stared at her with his wide, amber eyes, his fangs exposed in a silly grin as his tongue hung out of the side of his mouth.

Fluttershy snickered into her hoof; she never could resist whenever he looked at her like that.

“There she is,” the lycan said triumphantly as he brought himself upright.

“You big goofball,” the pegasus managed in between giggles.

Paint smiled at her, satisfied in knowing that he could always make her laugh. It warmed his heart to see her happy.

“That’s my job,” he jested with a smirk, “Professional Goofball, at your service.”

“Come here, you,” she said.

The pegasus suddenly grabbed Paint in a tight hug, throwing them off balance and causing them to fall back into the grass. She broke apart from him.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I just got so excited and-”

“Hey,” he interrupted her, “don’t worry about it.”

They smiled at each other and turned their attention upwards. Small windows of the starry sky were exposed in the ceiling of branches.

“It’s so beautiful out tonight,” Paint remarked.

“Yes, it is,” Fluttershy replied. “It reminds me of the night we went stargazing in the Everfree Forest.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, “only we got rained on pretty hard on our way back. I smelled like a wet dog for three days.”

She giggled lightly, “Yeah, you did. But it was worth it. I really enjoyed that night.”

“Yeah, me too.”

They remained in silence for another minute before Paint sat up.

“Would you mind if we start over?” he asked. “The dance, I mean.”

“You want to go back in there with all those ponies and dance again?” Fluttershy began to panic as she brought herself upright. “Ohnonononono, I can’t do it! I can’t go back in there now! I-”

Paint chuckled lightly at how flustered his friend was. “I mean out here,” he told her, “we can dance right here under the willow tree.”

The timid pegasus stopped babbling and thought for a minute. She seemed unsure of the proposal.

“It’ll be fine,” he assured her, “I don't care if you mess up, I just want you to have fun. And we’re alone, so nopony will be watching you.”

“What about you? You’ll be watching me.”

“I said no pony will be watching you,” the wolf jested as a slow classical piano solo made its way outside.

Fluttershy laughed at Paint’s terrible joke.

He smiled and offered his paw, “So? What do you say?”

She stared at it debatingly, unsure of whether she should take it or not. Slowly, she raised her left hoof and placed it in his paw. The pair of them stood together and resumed their swaying. The grass rustled with each step they took. Paint’s yellow eyes glowed mysteriously in the dimness as he gave the pegasus a quick spin. As they settled back into steady rhythm, Fluttershy brought herself closer to Paint and rested her head lightly against his chest; he was sure she could feel the sudden increase in the strength of his heartbeat.

“Your fur is so soft,” she commented.

“Um… thanks,” he replied awkwardly.

He sniffed the air lightly.

“Are you wearing perfume?” he asked her.

She blushed slightly at the question, “Maybe a little.”

He sniffed again, “Lavender?”

“Mmhm,” she confirmed

“I like it.”

“Thank you.”

They listened to the singing of the piano notes for a few moments before the pegasus broke the silence between them.

“Paint?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I ask you something serious?”

“Like…?”

She hesitated before proceeding, “Have you… ever been in love?”

He was stunned by the question, “Um, well… I… don’t think so,” he told her. “I’ve never been in a relationship before, so I guess I wouldn’t really know. Besides, I'm not really sure what other ponies would think about... me.”

A minute of silence fell between them.

“What about you?” Paint finally spoke up.

“What about me? Fluttershy asked.

“Have you ever been in love?”

Another minute of silence. He felt her swallow hard.

“Yes,” she said, “but I don’t like to think about it.”

“Why’s that?”

“I’m… not somepony worth loving.”

“‘Shy, that’s not true and you know it,” he said.

“Yes, it is,” she replied.

“Why in Equestria do you think you’re not worthy of love? Did someone say that to you? An ex?”

"No, no!" the pegasus insisted, "I've never been a relationship either."

"Then why are you saying that?"

“Because, I’m just not,” she told him. “I’m awkward, I’m clumsy, I scare easily, I’m overly emotional, I… I’m afraid that if I open my heart to somepony, they won’t like what they see. I’m afraid if I get my heart broken I’ll never find all the pieces. I thought that if I never admit that I love somepony, it won’t hurt as much when they reject me.”

Paint felt a drop of something warm and wet penetrate his thick coat. He looked down to see that she was crying again, trails of silver running smoothly down her cheeks. The pegasus shamefully buried her face into his pelt as she silently shed more tears.

The lycan’s mind was at war with his emotions. On one paw, if he told her how he felt it could ruin their friendship; things would never be the same between them. On the other paw, he knew that something needed to be said to her. If he didn’t, she would be going through life thinking that she would never be good enough for anypony to love her.

He felt Fluttershy squeeze his paw gently. He squeezed back in support and his emotion won him over.

“‘Shy, listen to me,” he began, “I think there’s plenty to love about you - especially your flaws. You’re cute, kind, smart, understanding, fun - anypony would be lucky to have you.” He brought her chin up so he could look at her directly, “I don’t want you saying you’re not loveable ever again, because you are. You are loved… by me.”

He spun her one last time, pulling her into a dip as the music began to fade.

“Fluttershy, I… I love you.”

At first, there was no reaction from her. She only stared into his eyes, a mix of surprise and uncertainty on her face.

“Paint…” she started to say.

But then Paint lost his footing and felt his hold on his friend slip. She landed hard on the ground, forcing the air out of her lungs. The wolf caught himself just before he fell, standing over her as she tried to regulate her breathing.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” he asked worriedly.

“I’m fine,” she replied weakly.

“Is there somepony out here?” a voice called from beyond the willow branches.

A moment later, an earth pony guard pushed back the wall of vegetation with the spear he carried.

“Is everything alri- what in the name of Celestia?!” he exclaimed as he caught sight of the wolf bearing over a seemingly distressed pegasus mare.

Both Fluttershy and Paint turned at the sudden appearance of the stallion.

“No! Please! It’s not what you think!” Fluttershy tried to explain, but it was too late.

“Iron Sword! Stronghold! ” he called over his shoulder, “There’s a wolf attack in the garden! Rally the troops then get your hindquarters over here!”

Paint quickly stepped away from Fluttershy, but that didn’t stop the guard from brandishing his spear at him. He cautiously approached the wolf, forcing him to slowly back away from the pegasus.

“Please, stop!” Fluttershy begged as she got to her hooves.

“Miss, please move out of the way,” the guard ordered.

“But-”

“Miss, please,” the guard said as he pushed her aside lightly.

A small growl escaped Paint’s lips. He knew the stallion was just doing his job, but it irritated the lycan to see him shove his friend aside like that.

The guard began to approach faster as Paint continued to back away; the tip of his spear was only a foot away from Paint’s nose.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Paint said, “Sometimes it just slips out-”

“Silence, beast,” the soldier ordered, “I don’t know exactly what you are, but you’re not welcome here.”

The wolf looked to Fluttershy, who only mouthed one word: “Run.”

In a rush of adrenaline, Paint bolted to the side and out from the sanctuary of the willow tree.

“Hey!” the guard shouted as he gave chase.

Paint tore across the lawn, desperately looking for a quick way out of the garden. Unfortunately, it looked like it was enclosed in high stone walls that were impossible to climb over.

A unicorn stallion came charging in an attempt to catch him. The lycan took a sharp left and was narrowly missed.

As he continued to run, he searched for somewhere - anywhere - that he could hide out long enough to lose the guards and change back.

Another soldier blocked his path and he quickly dodged to the side. They were trying to corner him; he needed to act fast.

Something that felt like a ton of bricks had just collided with his right side. A pegasus had just swooped down from the side and struck him down. He tumbled through the grass, a sharp pain in his chest; he was going to feel that in the morning. He got to his paws, only running a short way before encountering another guard. He quickly turned and started to run the other way only to be met by the same earth pony stallion from the initial encounter. Three more officers appeared from his left, all brandishing their spears at him. They forced him to retreat, continuing forward until the lycan was pressed against what felt like a wall.

Paint let out another low growl and bared his fangs; some of the guards flinched at the threat. He pressed himself harder against the wall until it unexpectedly gave way. He fell backward through the portal onto the hard marble floor of the ballroom. It turned out what he thought was a wall was actually the door.

The guards quickly followed him through as he frantically scrambled backward across the room. Ponies shrieked and quickly moved away as he approached them,

The partygoers watched the spectacle in fear and curiosity as it unfolded. The circle of guards closed in around Paint, who was beginning to hyperventilate. His head began to spin, he felt the eyes of every pony in the room on him, he lost his train of thought, and his vision became blurred by tears of anxiety.

The earth pony soldier quickly stepped forward with his spear only an inch away from the wolf’s neck. Paint was so startled that he instinctively reacted and swiped at the stallion’s face with his sharp claws. The guard grunted in agony, dropping his weapon and bringing a hoof to his muzzle. When he lowered it, there was a small stain of crimson on his nose and upper lip.

Paint was mortified at what he had done. He was so scared that he didn’t even notice that he had begun to change.

The audience gasped in horror as the wolf’s coat grew shorter, as his muzzle shrank and his fangs disappeared, as his ears changed shape and became more rounded, as the toes on his paws fused together to form his hooves, and as his tail shortened in length.

“Oh my goodness,” somepony exclaimed.

“That’s impossible,” another shouted.

“What is that thing?” someone asked.

The room became filled with frightened and confused chatter as ponies began to back away.

“Paint?!” a group of familiar voices exclaimed in unison.

The newly formed stallion looked beyond the guards to see his friends standing at the edge of the crowd. Twilight and Starlight stood motionless in confusion, their jaws slack with shock; Applejack whispered something in Rainbow’s ear, casting a nervous glance his way as they moved to keep the curious Crusaders behind them; Pinkie, Mudbriar, and Maud were helping to revive Rarity, who had immediately collapsed onto an extravagant couch that had appeared from nowhere.

“Please, everypony!” Fluttershy suddenly burst through the crowd. She spread her wings and soared over the wall of soldiers, putting herself between them and Paint. “He's not dangerous. He wouldn’t hurt a fly!”

“Then how do you explain this?” the scarred stallion asked her, “That creature is a threat to all of us.”

“He’s not just some creature, he’s my friend! And I’m sure he didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Twilight stepped forward hesitantly, “Fluttershy, you knew about this?”

The pegasus mare looked back at her lycan friend.

“Don’t,” he mouthed to her, shaking his head.

“Yes,” she finally admitted, “I knew.”

More shocked whispers rippled through the crowd. Many eyed her with disapproval and even disgust.

The pegasus soldier approached her, “I don’t know how you’re involved in all of this, but we’ll ask questions later. For now,” he pushed past her and grabbed Paint’s foreleg, “you’re coming with us. For disturbing the peace and attacking an officer, I’m placing you under arrest.”

Suddenly, a loud, sort-of whinny came from the front of the crowd. Tree Hugger stood with her eyes closed as she appeared to be… meditating? It was such a bizarre sight that it distracted the soldiers long enough to allow Paint to break away from the blockade. He pushed through the crowd, making his way to the entrance hall, the army of guards shouting after him again.

As he came out of the ballroom, he heard more guards coming from the main gate and the grand staircase, forcing him to duck down a side hallway off of the foyer. He tried to remember his path so that he wouldn’t get lost: right, then a left, another left, then… straight? Right? Fourth passage from the left? He was so tired that he couldn’t think straight anymore; he needed a place to hide. As he ran, he came across a small wooden door on his right. Desperate for a place to rest, he yanked it open and stumbled inside, closing it behind him.

Paint found himself in a dark, dusty broom closet. Absolutely no light entered except from the crack between the door and the floor. He listened to stamping of hooves as the army of soldiers approached his cupboard. He covered his mouth with a hoof to silence his heavy breathing. The noise gradually became louder and louder, and then faded away down the passage. At last, he breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed against the back wall.

What a mess he had turned things into: he had caused a panic at the castle, the royal guards were searching for him, his secret was exposed, and he had spilled his heart out to Fluttershy. What would she think of him now? What if he had just ruined their friendship?

He started to cry. He felt weak, he was weak. None of this would have happened if he had just suppressed his emotions like he always did. How could he have let a crush completely ruin everything? It was just another crush, wasn’t it? He still couldn’t get the pegasus out of his head. He wanted to run to her, hold her delicate from close to him, do anything in his power to make sure she was safe and happy. He thought he would get over it by telling her how he felt, so why did he still feel like this? He was so confused about everything.

The closet door opened a crack, the light from the hallway blinded the stallion momentarily.

“There you are,” a familiar mellow voice spoke to him.

The door opened wider and Tree Hugger stepped into the closet with him. Paint turned away from her as she closed the door behind her, trying to hide the tear streaks on his face.

“I thought your aura seemed different.”

“Congratulations, you found me,” he said bitterly, “Just go ahead and let the guards know that I’m here.”

“Why would I do that?” she asked.

“Because I’m a lycan,” he shouted at her. His lupine form came back as his temper rose. “I’m unnatural and dangerous; I could attack you at any given moment. So go ahead, tell them that you found me!”

Tree Hugger flinched at his sudden outburst, “Woah, dude, take it easy. I’m here to help. Fluttershy and I have been looking all over for you. We need to get you out of here.”

“Just let them take me away,” he said, “I don’t care anymore. I just ruin everything.”

“Hey, are you okay?”

He didn’t answer her, just shamefully pushed up his glasses and stared at a dustpan at his paws.

The flower child stepped closer to him and studied his face in the dim light.

“You told her,” she observed, “your chakras are in balance again.”

“Yeah, well, I shouldn’t have. It just made everything worse.”

“How do you feel?”

He didn’t answer her right away. “Relieved,” he finally replied, “scared, lost, sick, completely out of my mind. I don’t understand, I thought I would get over it if I told ‘Shy how I felt about her, so why don’t I feel better?”

Tree Hugger laughed, “Because that’s love.”

“What?”

“That’s love. It doesn’t just disappear.”

“That’s impossible, I don’t fall in love.”

“You’ve never fallen in love?”

“I told you it’s only a crush. I’ll get over it eventually. Besides, I’m a lycan. She’s a pony.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“If others knew that a pony was in love with a lycan, it would be seen as unnatural. That pony would never be looked at the same again; I would be hurting her just by association. You saw how they all reacted to her admitting that she knew my secret. Besides, what if something happened to me? What if I got captured or sent away? It would devastate her. We would never see each other again. I couldn’t bear to hurt her like that.”

“Paint, I’ll ask you again,” she said, “You’ve never fallen in love? Or are you afraid to let yourself love someone?”

He opened his mouth to argue, “That’s not… She’s… You’re just…” but he couldn’t say anything. He knew she was right; he had been so worried about what others might think of his true self that he had sealed away his feelings and convinced himself that he wasn’t able to fall in love.

“You won’t be able to protect her from everything, not even from yourself,” she touched a hoof to his shoulder, “But that doesn’t mean she has to face this alone, and neither do you. You have each other and you have the support of your friends as well.”

He brushed her hoof aside, “I doubt any of them still trust me after all this. I’ve kept this secret from them for so long.”

“And they know who you are, Paint,” she told him, “on the inside. If they truly understand, they’ll stand with you until the end of time.”

“I guess so,” he admitted, “Still, I feel like I ruined my relationship with Fluttershy. I shouldn’t have said anything. I don’t even know if she feels the same way about me.”

“That doesn’t matter,” she moved to look into his eyes, “you told her the truth. Even if she doesn't feel the same way, that shouldn't make her like you any less. She put herself in front of the royal guards to defend you. If you ask me, I’d say she still cares about you very much."

“You really think so?”

“Positive.”

He gave her a small, grateful smile, “Thanks, Tree Hugger. I’m… sorry I snapped at you before.”

“No worries, dude,” she replied.

“And, uh, thanks for helping me escape when the guards had me trapped. That was a great distraction.”

“What distraction?”

The wolf felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment.

Suddenly, the door swung open again and there stood Fluttershy, completely breathless and a little messy. “Oh, Tree Hugger, there you are,” she remarked. “I’ve looked everywhere, but I haven’t seen him. You don’t think that maybe-” she broke off as she took notice of the wolf that was sitting in the shadows.

“Paint!” the pegasus cried.

Tree Hugger moved out of the way as she rushed forward and hugged him.

“Woah, okay, I guess we’re hugging now,” he said awkwardly as he returned her embrace.

“I was so worried!” she said, “I thought they captured you and took you away.”

“I’m just glad you’re alright,” he told her.

They stayed together for a moment, each taking solace in knowing that the other was safe.

“Paint... in the garden, I wanted to say- ah!” Fluttershy yelped as she was suddenly enveloped in a golden aura and quickly dragged out of the room. Tree Hugger was also pulled out by the same magical force, followed by Paint.

The next thing the wolf knew, he was lying on the floor of the hall, surrounded by a semi-circle of six guards. Beyond them, Fluttershy and Tree Hugger were held back from the scene by a faction of pegasus soldiers.

Three unicorn guards approached Paint, two of which had a few coils of rope in their magic grasp, the other held a muzzle. He instinctively bared his teeth and let a low growl escape his lips as he pressed himself against the wall, triggering the soldiers to react. The cords of rope rapidly snaked their way around his middle and his neck, twisting themselves into several tight nooses with leads. The guard with the muzzle used his magic to keep his head still as he quickly slipped the device over the wolf’s face. Paint struggled desperately against the bonds in a last attempt to free himself, but the supernatural hold the sentries had on the ropes was too strong to overcome. It was hopeless; he was caught.

The scratched soldier came forward and inspected him, checking the work his colleagues had done. “Take him down to the dungeons,” he instructed them, and they started their march down the castle hallways.

The lycan paused and stole one last look at Fluttershy before he left. She looked absolutely heartbroken, trying to fight back the tears that came spilling out of her eyes - her adorable, perfect, deep teal eyes. 

One of the sentries pulled on the lead around his neck and he looked away; he couldn’t bear to see her like that.

The guards paraded Paint through the castle and down several flights of stairs, eventually coming to a series of stone hallways that ran deep underneath the palace. The walls were lined with steel cell doors and burning torches cast dim shadows across the floors. A sentry unbolted one of the doors at the end of a block, while the unicorns who held the ropes undid their knots; they left the muzzle on, however. They pushed him towards the tiny cell, and he stepped inside. It was dark, cold and damp inside the prison, with a narrow wooden bed for prisoners to sleep on along the right wall. Someone poked him with the butt of a spear and he ambled in farther, choosing to curl up in the far left corner. The door slammed with a metallic bang and he heard the bolt click back into place.

Once he was alone, he pathetically tried to push the straps of the muzzle over his head. However, they were too tight and the clasp was too small for him to undo. He rested his head uncomfortably on his paws; he felt exhausted, physically and emotionally. The night had been a complete disaster. Part of him hoped that it was all just some horrible dream that his mind had concocted, but he knew it wasn’t; it was his worst nightmare, except he was wide awake. He closed his eyes, hoping that a nap would make this horrible reality pass faster.

He had almost fallen asleep when he heard somepony speak up.

“I already told you, miss,” someone was saying, “he cannot leave our custody.”

“Then can I at least say goodbye to him?” a second voice asked.

A moment passed before he heard the bolt unlatch and the door swung open. The scarred stallion stood in the passage with Fluttershy.

“I can give you three minutes,” he told her.

Paint raised his head as the pegasus stepped into the cell and made her way over to him. The door shut behind her and the latch was bolted again.

She laid down in front of him. Her mane was a mess, her dress was wrinkled and stained, and her eyes were red from crying. Yet, she still looked beautiful. He wanted to say something to her, but the muzzle kept his mouth firmly shut.

The pegasus reached a hoof out and undid the clasp, letting the device fall to the floor with a clang.

“Thanks,” he said, rubbing his face gently.

“I just couldn’t stand to see you with that thing on,” she whispered, “it seems cruel.”

“Believe it or not, that’s not the first time I’ve had one of those put on,” he told her, “it was the only way my parents got me to stop chewing the furniture when I was little.”

She gave a weak laugh and a small smile, but it quickly faded.

“They told me that they’re planning to take you beyond the Equestrian borders tonight,” she said, “we may not ever see each other again.”

She sniffled, and her eyes began to water again.

“Hey, come on. No tears, please,” he said, “I don’t want this to be our final memory of each other.”

“I can’t help it,” she sobbed, “I just can’t stand the thought of knowing that you’re going to be taken away somewhere and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

He pulled her close, letting her tears soak into his pelt as he stroked her mane comfortingly. She looked so sad, like a filly with a scraped knee that needed to hear that she was going to be fine and that the pain would go away. It crushed him to see his friend so depressed.

“Listen ‘Shy,” Paint began, “what happened in the garden… I… um… in the heat of the moment, I might have said some things that were a little intense. I’ve been feeling that way for quite some time now and I think that I just couldn’t keep it to myself anymore.” They finally separated, her sobs a little more controlled, “I’m not sure if you’ve ever felt the same way about me, but it’s true, and I’ll be thinking of you every single day. You give me strength like nopony I’ve met before, and I plan to keep going until we meet again.”

She dried her eyes, “‘Until we meet again.’” she hiccuped, “I like the sound of that.”

He smiled at her. He liked how it sounded too, though he wasn’t sure if he believed it himself.

“One more minute.” the guard called to them.

“Paint?”

“Yes?”

“I’ve been wanting to say something to you, and I want to tell you now before it’s too late.”

“What is it?”

“I’ve wanted to tell you for so long, but I was so scared that you wouldn’t like what I had to say. Paint, I think you’re amazing. You’re the best friend I ever could have asked for: you’re always there when I need you the most and you make me laugh like no one else can. I can’t even begin to imagine what my life will be like without you there with me.” She bit her lower lip, “I… I…”

She closed her eyes and quickly leaned forward, gently pressing her soft lips against his. It surprised him at first, but he soon found himself returning the gesture. The shared love between the two mingled with the tension and sadness of the evening’s events, giving the kiss a bittersweet feeling.

The door to the cell opened and the stallion entered the room to escort Fluttershy out.

“I’m afraid your time is up, miss,” he said.

The pegasus broke apart from the lycan and allowed the guard to take her. Paint watched her as she stepped out into the hall and disappeared from view.

The officer came back to where Paint lay on the floor and picked up the muzzle in his hoof. He studied it thoughtfully, then changed his attention to the wolf before him. He held his chin up, waiting for the sentry to refasten the device. Instead, he took it with him as he exited, gently closing the door and bolting it again.

The lycan still remained stunned at what had just happened. His mind was a whirlwind of confused emotions. Fluttershy had just admitted that she loved him too, and on top of that, she had also kissed him.

A lone tear rolled down his cheek. Regret started to weigh on his heart. He should have told her sooner; he had missed out on so many opportunities to express his feelings, to be happy together. Now it was over. He was too late.

He stared blankly at the wall, trying to distract himself from his thoughts by counting the cracks in the stone.

An hour later the door unbolted and the scarred stallion reappeared. His wounds were now dressed in makeshift bandages made of gauze and medical tape. He and his troops entered the cell and surrounded Paint.

“We’re transporting you to an isolated location outside of Equestria,” stallion told him, “from there, you may live out the rest of your natural life. However, you are not to return to this land under any circumstances.”

The wolf nodded in understanding.

“There’s a wagon outside-”

“No.”

All attention was drawn to the cell's entrance, where Tree Hugger was standing.

“What are you doing here?” one of the soldiers asked her. “Who allowed you to come here?”

“I come on behalf of the Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures. As a member, it is my responsibility to ensure that all endangered species are protected and able to live safely in their natural environments,” the flower child explained. “I cannot allow you to remove this lycan from his natural habitat.”

“Miss, for the last time, you need to stop interfering with the transportation of this prisoner," another spoke up. "This is a matter of security, not an environmental protest,”

“As far as we know, this lycan is the last of his kind,” she countered, “it’s unethical to relocate him.”

“That may be so, ma’am,” the scarred stallion admitted, “but I’m afraid you hold no authority here.”

“But I do,” Twilight suddenly appeared and approached the guards.

“You-your highness,” he stammered and bowed, the rest of his troops following example.

“Please, sirs, there’s no need for that," she told them as they stood. “I would like you to release the prisoner.”

“I’m afraid we can’t do that, Princess Twilight. We-”

“As the Princess of Friendship, I am officially pardoning Black Paint of any offenses he may have committed this evening.” she said, “I have reason to believe he had no intention of causing any harm.”

“But, you’re highness, you alone cannot pardon a prisoner.” he continued, “Surely you know that all the princesses need to agree on a pardon before it can be carried out.”

“I have spoken to Princess Celestia on the matter,” she explained, “she has allowed for an exception to be made for this occasion. You may return to normal duties, I can handle things from here.”

The scarred guard made no reaction at first, but eventually, he vacated the cell along with his companions.

Paint slowly stood up as Twilight and Tree Hugger came to meet him.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Paint,” she said, “looks like we got here just in time.”

“How did you know I was down here?” he asked her.

“Tree Hugger told me,” she elaborated.

“When the guards took you away, I went to go find her.” the earth mare chimed in, “I thought that maybe she could help bail you out somehow.”

“I sent her down here to stall while I asked the Princess for a few favors.” the alicorn finished.

“Thanks, guys,” he said. “Seriously, I owe you one.”

“That’s what friends do, Paint,” Twilight said, “you don’t owe us anything.”

He smiled, grateful that she still considered him his friend.

He turned his attention back to Tree Hugger, “Is Fluttershy okay?”

“To be honest, I don’t know,” she admitted, “I haven’t seen her since you got captured.”

“And the last time I saw her was when she left to look for you,” Twilight added. “We should probably get back to the party and let everyone know you’re alright.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” the lycan agreed. “Let’s go.”

And so the trio made their way out of the prison and navigated their way back through the maze of passages. Along the way, they passed the scarred soldier, who watched them as they walked by.

“Go on ahead,” Paint told his friends and turned around to face him.

“Is there something you need?” the guard asked in a stern voice.

“I wanted to apologize for scratching you,” he told him, “I wasn’t thinking straight and I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just, sort of, reacted.”

The officer raised an eyebrow at him.

“Are you okay?”

The corners of the stallion’s mouth turned up slightly, “Don’t worry about it. I’ve endured a lot worse than a few small cuts in my career.”

“That’s good to know,” the wolf said, “I mean, that you’re fine, not that you’ve experienced worse.”

The guard gave a few light chuckles. “I think I owe you an apology too,” he went on, “Maybe I shouldn’t have been so rough on you tonight. You seem to be a pretty good kid and I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions about you.”

“It’s fine,” Paint told him, “I’m just glad you didn’t put me in a zoo or something.”

The guard gave a few more laughs, “No hard feelings?”

“No hard feelings.”

“Good, now go and enjoy the rest of the party.”

“Yes, sir,” Paint saluted as he left to catch up to the two mares.

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Back at the Gala, Fluttershy sat heartbroken at a table with her friends in the corner of the ballroom; they were all trying to console her as best they could.

“Come on, Sugarcube, buck up,” said Applejack, “It’s going to be okay.”

“Yes, yes,” Rarity input, “I’m certain that Twilight and Tree Hugger have already found a solution.”

She didn’t respond.

“C’mon, Fluttershy!” Pinkie gushed as she jumped on top of the table, “Turn that frown upside-down.”

She still didn’t respond. She had retrieved Paint’s Gala jacket from where he abandoned it in the garden and now held it in her hoof. She sadly fiddled with one of the buttons.

Pinkie turned to her sister, “Maud, help me out here,” she whispered, “tell her one of your jokes.”

Maud cleared her throat, “A wolf and a pegasus walk into a party,” she began, “and the pegasus… oh, wait.”

Fluttershy held the article of clothing close to her, as if it would somehow magically make her friend appear.

“I’m sure they’ll be here any minute now,” Starlight tried as Pinkie stepped down.

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle chimed in, “I mean, Twilight’s a princess, they’ll have to do whatever she says.”

“Technically, that’s not entirely true,” Mudbriar joined in, “Though, she should have enough authority to have him released.”

The corners of Fluttershy’s mouth turned up slightly, “Thank you everypony. I appreciate your confidence,” her smile faded, “I just hope that you’re right.”

At that moment, Twilight and Tree Hugger had returned to the table.

“Is Paint with you?” Starlight asked.

“He, um-” Twilight began.

“Oh, it was too late, wasn’t it?” Fluttershy lamented.

“No, he’s just-”

“This is all my fault, I should have tried harder to save him.”

“Fluttershy, Paint’s fine,” the alicorn insisted.

“Then where is he?”

The pegasus felt someone tap her on the shoulder.

“Hey, do you mind if I borrow that jacket?” they asked.

She turned around to see a stallion with a messy black mane and grey wolfish markings standing behind her, a pair of glasses in front of his bright yellow eyes and a grin plastered on his face.

“Paint!” she cried, throwing her hooves around him, “You’re okay.”

“Sorry I’m a little late,” he said as they broke apart.

He slid on his jacket as the rest of the party gathered closer.

“Ya darn fool,” Applejack lightly scolded, “Ya had us all worried sick.”

“Pfft,” Rainbow scoffed, “Not me, I knew everything would be alright.”

“Oh really?” Starlight challenged, “So, all that flipping out over what we were going to do to get him back was purely for show?”

“What?! I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re making that up.”

“Okay, Rainbow I’m-Too-Cool-To-Admit-I-Have-Feelings Dash.”

“Darling, we’re so glad that you’re alright,” Rarity told him, “However, I wish you would have told us about your little… ability before you displayed it in front of us all. You gave us all quite a fright, especially me.”

“It was probably the third most surprising thing I’ve seen in my life,” said Maud.

“I wanted to tell you guys sooner, I really did,” he explained, “I just wasn’t sure how you all would take it.”

“Well, I think it’s super cool!” Scootaloo piped up, “Are your senses, like, supercharged or something? Because that would be awesome!”

“Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom elbowed her in the side, “That’s not exactly polite.”

“What? I’m just asking.”

Paint laughed, “It’s okay, Apple Bloom.”

Tree Hugger came up to him, “I told you they would be okay with it.”

“Yeah, you sure did,” he admitted. He laid his hoof on her shoulder, “Thank you for everything,” he told her, “you really helped me out tonight.”

They all suddenly became aware of the fact that the room had become very quiet. The ponies around them kept their distance and whispered to each other suspiciously.

“What are you looking at?” Rainbow shouted at them “He’s a pony, just like everyone else. So, if you can’t-”

“Dash, cool it,” Applejack hissed in her ear as she held her back.

At that moment, Celestia made her way to the band stage and faced the audience.

“Attention everypony,” she addressed her guests, “I’m so honored that you all could attend this year’s Grand Galloping Gala.”

The audience stamped their hooves in applause.

“Unfortunately, I’m sad to say that it’s time for the event to come to a close, so this will be the final dance for the evening. Thank you all for coming and I hope you all had a wonderful time!”

The crowd erupted in applause once more and the band started up with a slow romantic tune.

Paint turned to Fluttershy. “Would you be interested in sharing another dance with me?” he asked. “I promise you won’t fall this time.”

She laughed, “I’d love to.”

He escorted her onto the empty dance floor, where they took their standard positions. For a while, no one joined them, as the crowd still seemed wary of Paint.

“I don’t bite, guys,” he said, “you don’t have to stand so far away.”

Couples exchanged nervous looks as they debated whether or not they should come closer.

That’s when Tree Hugger took Pinkie by the hoof and settled themselves next to the dancers, then Maud and Mudbriar came out together, then Twilight and Starlight, Rainbow and Scootaloo, Rarity and Sweetie Belle, and Applejack and Applebloom. They all swayed to the rhythm of the music as they moved around the dance floor. Soon, other ponies began to join them, keeping in time with the beat and occasionally spinning their partners. Eventually, the whole room had joined in and everypony was enjoying themselves.

As they stepped together, Paint began to notice Fluttershy nervously rubbing her hoof against his own,

“Everything alright?” he asked.

“No - I mean yes - I mean…” she took a deep breath. “Paint, I’m still terrified of falling in love. I’m still afraid to open my heart to others and I’m still scared of getting it broken… but maybe it’s time I started to face my fears.” She paused for a moment, “Would you... be my special som-”

She was cut off as the stallion passionately kissed her, replacing the sorrow of their first kiss with relief, joy, and love.

He pulled back with a smile, “Does that answer your question?”

She blushed and smiled back, “You big goofball.”

They held each other close, feeling the warmth of their compassion spreading throughout them as the notes of the music carried them away to their own little world.

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The group of friends walked back to the train station through the streets of Canterlot, laughing and joking about everything that had happened that night. As they walked, Paint began to lag behind the group, taking a small detour towards a shop that crossed their path.

“Paint?”

Rarity had caught him as he was about to reach for the door. She came closer.

“What are you doing?”

“I’ll catch up with you in a minute,” he told her. “Do you think you could embroider something for me?”

“Well, it depends on what you want to be embroidered and what you want to be on it,” she replied.

He looked around, Fluttershy was still within earshot.

“That,” he said quietly as he pointed to something in the display window. “How long would it take you to embroider…” he whispered the rest into her ear.

The unicorn bit her lip as she rubbed her chin in thought, “I suppose I might be able to finish it by tomorrow night… but that’s being hopeful. I’d have to make significant progress on my orders over the next few days if you want it by then.”

“It’s fine, Rarity. If you have work to do, then you should focus on that. I don’t want you to stress yourself.”

“Oh, nonsense.” she said, “It’ll be a little bit of a challenge, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“You’re sure?” he asked.

“I’m positive,” she assured him. “Besides,” she said as she turned to leave, “I like what I see between you and Fluttershy; you two are so adorable together.”

He blushed, “Thanks, I owe you. I’ll meet you at the train station.”

The shop bell jingled as he entered.

“I’m sorry, sir, we’re just about to close for the night,” the mare behind the cash register told him.

“I know, I’m sorry.” he apologized, “I promise I’ll only take a minute of your time. How much for that one there?” He pointed at the display.

“Five bits,” she replied.

The stallion dug into his pocket and pulled out a small satchel. He loosened the drawstring and laid the coins on the counter as he counted them out

The salespony swept them into her hoof as Paint took his purchase off the shelf.

“Thank you,” he said and quickly left.

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The next evening, Fluttershy was trying to get an uncooperative Angel to finish his dinner.

“Please, Angel,” she pleaded, “just a few more bites and then you can have dessert.”

The rabbit grumpily pushed the few remaining pieces of lettuce around the bowl.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and the pegasus left to answer it.

“Paint,” the stallion stood on her doorstep with a casual smile and a box messily wrapped in paper decorated with little hearts. “What are you doing here? I mean, not that I don’t want you here, but I just wasn’t expecting company tonight.”

“I come bearing gifts, m’lady,” he said, presenting the box in an over-the-top gesture. “Can I come in?”

She giggled at his ridiculous antics. “Of course,” she said and opened the door wider so that he could follow her inside.

As they made their way over to her sofa, Angel pulled on her tail, leading her over to his now empty bowl.

“Good job, Angel,” she praised, “I’m so proud of you. I’ll make you your dessert in a minute.”

Paint sniffed the air, “Wait,” he sniffed again, “check underneath.”

Fluttershy lifted up the dish to discover the uneaten vegetables.

“Angel,” she scolded as she picked up the scraps and placed them back in the bowl, “you know the rules.”

The bunny gave the stallion a mean look and sulkily went back to his meal.

“So, where were we?” the pegasus turned her attention back to Paint as she sat down on the cushions.

“Um, well, I got you a little something last night,” he explained, “as sort of a late Hearts and Hooves Day present.” He took the spot next to her, “I didn’t do a very good job of wrapping it.”

“Oh, you shouldn’t have,” she said.

He gave her the gift, “Go ahead and open it.”

She carefully peeled off the wrapping paper and opened the box; inside was a grey plush wolf with sparkling yellow eyes and a red velvet heart held in its mouth. She pulled it out, noticing that there was a message stitched into the heart.

“To my special somepony, Fluttershy,” she read aloud, “I 'like'-an you. -Black Paint”

“A little something to add to your collection,” he told her, “I hope you like it.”

“I love it,” she said, hugging it, “I think this might be my favorite one.” A twinge of guilt overcame her, “Oh, I wish I had gotten you something.”

“You did.”

“I did?”

“Yeah. This,” and he pulled her close and gave her a quick peck.

“Even?” he asked as he broke away.

“Even,” she agreed.

They snuggled up next to each other, Fluttershy head’s on his shoulder and his against the top of her’s. They took the moment to just enjoy knowing that they were still together.

“I lycan you, Paint,” the pegasus whispered to him.

“I lycan you too, ‘Shy,” he whispered back.