Fluttershy goes on a curious mission... and makes an unexpected friend.
Fluttershy is called by the Cutie Map, but she realizes that she has to go to a place she has never seen or heard of before. There, she has to find someone with a special cutie mark of their own and teach them lessons of true kindness before things get out of hand.
“No, no, no! Oh, this is awful!” Fluttershy exclaimed as she hovered over a large hedge in her animal sanctuary; she was struggling to create some festive topiary sculptures. “I don’t know the first thing about topiary art! How am I going to do this?”
Suddenly, she paused when she noticed a bright flashing light in the corner of her eye followed by a vibrating sensation from both of her flanks; Fluttershy knew this feeling very well. She looked at her flank and saw her cutie mark glowing.
“Oh my! The map must be calling me!” She cried before turning to her animals. “I’m sorry everyone, but I have something I need to take care of. But don’t worry; I’ll be back in no time. I promise.”
And with that, the yellow Pegasus flapped her wings and flew off in the direction of Princess Twilight’s castle, wondering what kind of friendship mission she was going on and who she would be going with this time.
“I came as fast as I could, Twilight.” Fluttershy said as she trotted into the throne room where the Cutie Map was; Princess Twilight Sparkle was anxiously waiting for her friend. “What’s the matter?”
“I’m not exactly sure, Fluttershy.” Twilight sighed in relief as she approached her Pegasus friend. “Look at the map.”
Fluttershy did as she was told and noticed that her cutie mark was circling the Friendship Rainbow Kingdom on the map… along with a cutie mark she had never seen before. It was a blue heart with two pairs of scissors sitting around it; the heart looked like it was made of ice, almost like the Crystal Heart.
“Twilight? Whose cutie mark is that?” The yellow Pegasus asked.
“That’s part of the problem. I don’t know. It just appeared out of nowhere; it can’t be a coincidence, though. This cutie mark must belong to somepony… but who?” The Alicorn replied before she noticed the cutie marks on the Map.
They both pulsated with pale yellow and blue magical auras before they floated off of the map and flew towards an open door and down the nearest hallway.
“What’s happening now? Where are they going?”
“No clue. But there’s only one way to find out.”
The two mares quickly ran after follow the marks to see where they would lead. When they finally caught up to it, they found themselves in the library where the mirror portal to Canterlot High was being held. The two cutie marks then faded into the mirror’s glass; Fluttershy’s eyes widened in fear.
“The Map wants me to go to Canterlot High?” She asked.
Before Twilight could answer however, the mirror’s surface suddenly changed from translucent to a black color followed by a flurry of white dots, almost like snowflakes.
“Twilight, what’s happening?” The Pegasus asked, hiding behind her friend in fright.
“I… I don’t know.” Twilight answered, completely dumbstruck. “Something like this has never happened before… at least not that I know of. I’ll have to get a letter to Princess Celestia immediately.”
“Wait! …I need to go.”
“Go? Go where?”
“Through the mirror.”
“What?! But why? You don't know what’ll happen.”
“You’re right. I don’t know what could happen. But I do know one thing, Twilight: I have a mission and I can’t put it off. I need to look for the owner of this cutie mark and find out what I have to do, hopefully as soon as possible. There’s no use trying to convince me otherwise; I’ve already made up my mind.”
Twilight paused and contemplated the situation, trying to think of another way to explain this odd phenomenon. She soon realized that there was no option other than to do as the Map commanded.
“…Okay.” She said with a sigh. “You can go, only if you go prepared.” She levitated a book off of a table and gave it to her friend. “This magical journal will allow you to keep in contact with me. And when you find the problem or the owner of this strange mark, be sure to solve it in your own way.”
“Don’t worry, Twilight. I won’t let you down.” Fluttershy said as she gave a salute.
“I know you won’t. Oh, and Fluttershy? One more thing before you go.”
“Yes?”
“…Be careful.”
“Always.”
Fluttershy smiled and nodded her head before giving Twilight a hug. The Pegasus then turned to face the mirror, grabbed the journal, and took a step forward; she knew what she had to do. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and stepped through the portal, leaving Twilight in the castle library all by herself.
The moment she stepped through the mirror, Fluttershy was blinded by numerous flashing lights and she whirled around and around in a place that was completely foreign to her; at least she was going forward, that much was clear. Finally, the spinning stopped and the lights ceased. When Fluttershy opened her eyes, she was greeted by a huge ray of sunshine right in her cyan eyes.
She rubbed her eyes and looked around; she saw that she had landed in some kind of neighborhood with cute houses lined up in a row on either side of the street. They were all painted with different pastel colors, the sky was bright blue, and the grass in every yard was cleanly cut.
“This doesn’t look too bad.” Fluttershy said to herself noticing something about herself.
She gasped in shock when she was met with a pair of hands instead of hooves. She looked down at herself and saw that her body had completely changed; she had turned into a human, as Twilight would describe it since she’s been one more than once. Unsure of what to do, Fluttershy started to freak out until she noticed the journal sitting in the dirt beside her; it was glowing and vibrating. Twilight must be sending her a message. She quickly grabbed the book and opened it to see words forming on the first page; she instantly recognized it as Twilight’s hornwriting. It read:
“Fluttershy, it’s Twilight. Are you okay? Where did you go?”
A pen suddenly fell into Fluttershy’s lap; she picked it up and tried to write in it as best she could, but it was very difficult because she had never written anything with hands before. She wrote:
“Twilight? What’s happened to me? I don’t know what’s going on. I changed my form and I don’t know where I am. What should I do?”
Before Fluttershy could read the almost immediate response, she looked up from the book and noticed a machine she had never seen before; she remembered Sunset Shimmer calling it as a car once. It was coming towards her down the road; she instantly closed the book, turned on her heels, and ran up a large hill through an open gate to find a place to hide. She hadn’t even noticed the hill or the gate before and was terrified to see another metal gate standing before her when she finally stopped running. It was closed.
“…Maybe I could hide in here.” She said to herself as she made her way through.
On the other side of the gate, Fluttershy suddenly gasped in awe and her eyes widened at the unexpected beauty around her. She had stepped into a beautiful garden filled with gorgeous flowers and large topiary sculptures she never even thought possible.
“Wow! This is so beautiful!” She gasped.
Then she noticed the large looming castle standing in front of her; how had she not noticed that before? It looked so old and rundown, almost like the Castle of the Two Sisters in the Everfree Forest.
“Oh my goodness…” She whispered before something moved in the corner of her eye. She looked up in the direction of the movement at a window, but nothing was there. “Hello? Is someone there?”
“Hello there, miss.” A new voice said.
Fluttershy gasped in surprise and whipped her head around to see a woman who looked to be in her mid-forties; she was wearing a pink dress and glasses and she had a kind smile on her face. She took a step back in surprise.
“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” The woman said.
“Oh, it’s okay.” Fluttershy replied meekly.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around here before. What’s your name, dear?”
“My name is Fluttershy.”
“Fluttershy? …What an interesting name.”
“Thank you. And you are?”
“I’m Peg Boggs, the local Avon representative.”
Fluttershy cocked her head to the side in confusion. “Avon?”
“You… don’t know about Avon?” Mrs. Boggs asked.
She shook her head and said nothing. Peg was surprised, but she decided to change the subject of the conversation. “Do you live here?” She asked, gesturing towards the castle. Fluttershy looked up at the manor and said, “No. I just arrived a few minutes ago. And you might not believe me, but… I think I just saw something move in one of these windows.”
“Really?” Peg asked. “You don’t think someone’s inside, do you?”
“…I don’t know.”
“Well, I suppose there’s only one way to find out.”
Peg then took Fluttershy by the hand and they walked up to the front door. Peg knocked on the door, but there was no answer. She tried again, but still no one came.
“Um, are you sure we should be doing this?” Fluttershy asked nervously. “Maybe we should just come back later and try again some other time.”
Peg didn’t answer; instead, she opened the door and stepped inside with Fluttershy following close behind. The moment the two entered, they were taken aback when they saw the inside of the castle. Everything was completely covered in layers of dust and cobwebs and despite the bright sunlight shining from outside, the room was almost completely dark. Fluttershy let go of Peg’s hand and started to look around with the journal clutched tightly against her chest.
There were blueprints, drawings, and books of all kinds scattered about the tabletops and parts of the floor and there were even large, strange-looking machines, devices, and tools, most of which she never even knew existed. It looked as if this place hadn’t been touched or seen for decades.
“Mrs. Boggs? Who do you think could’ve lived here?” Fluttershy asked.
“I don’t know, dear. I don’t know.” Mrs. Boggs replied.
Fluttershy backed away from the machines and over to the huge staircase. After a few seconds of hearing nothing but silence, Fluttershy then heard the sound of something metal… almost like a snipping sound. She turned to look at the stairs and saw a shadow disappear.
“Hello?” She called out as she headed up the stairs. “No, no it’s okay. I won’t hurt you. Hello?”
Now that she was sure that this place wasn’t entirely devoid of life, she decided to see who that shadow belonged to.
“Miss Fluttershy? Dear, where are you going?” Mrs. Boggs asked, reluctantly following her up the stairs.
“I’m very sorry for barging in uninvited like this, but you have no reason to be afraid, really.” Fluttershy said as she continued to go up.
When she made her way to the very top of the house, Fluttershy had discovered a giant empty attic-like room with an enormous gaping hole in the middle of the roof. A cool wind flowed through her hair, causing it to blow into her face. She turned her head and noticed a strange looking bed sitting in what looked like an old unused fireplace. She walked over to it to get a closer look; she saw that there were book pages, ancient war medals, and newspaper clippings either hanging around it or pinned to the walls inside it.
“What is all this?” She asked herself.
Then she saw something move in the corner of her eye; she turned her head and saw a dark figure crouched down in a shadowy corner on the other side of the room; it looked very frightened.
"Hello? Why are you hiding back there?" The girl called out. "It's alright; you don't have to hide from me. I’m Fluttershy and I'm as harmless as apple pie. I wouldn't hurt anyone, I promi—"
But before she could finish her next sentence, the dark figure stood straight and began to walk closer to her. Fluttershy was certainly frightened by the stranger as it came closer and closer.
"Oh my! Uh, um… I-I-I can see that I've disturbed you. How foolish of me; I’ll just be going now." She said before turning around to leave.
"Don't go…" said an unfamiliar male voice; it was soft and timid, like her.
As reluctant and terrified as she was, Fluttershy slowly turned her head around and saw the source of the voice. When the figure came into the light, it was revealed to be a young man. He had long, messy ink black hair, skin almost as white as snow, and big brown eyes. He was wearing an outfit that seemed to be made from worn black leather, various studs and buckles, and stray bits of tattered fabric; he looked almost completely colorless. Fluttershy was shocked when she saw the man.
“What…? What happened to you?” She asked.
"I'm not finished." The man said, holding up what appeared to be many scissor-like blades in front of the girl.
"Eek! Put those down, don't come any closer! Just, please…." Fluttershy exclaimed in fright.
The man nervously obeyed but to Fluttershy's surprise, she took a closer look and she saw that the long blades were all attached to the man's wrists, as if they were meant to be his fingers. She gaped at the stranger before her, looking at him as if he were a monster and a spectacle at the same time.
"Those are your…? Oh my…" She whispered as she slowly walked closer to the man; the stranger slowly backing away from the girl in fear. “What happened to you? Where are your parents? Your mother? Or your father?”
"He didn’t wake up" The scissor-handed man asked.
Fluttershy slowly nodded her head in response; she took a step closer.
“Are you alone? Do you live up here all by yourself?” She asked.
The man didn’t answer; he only had a look on her face that was a mix of sadness and fear. Then Fluttershy noticed many healing cuts across the man’s pale face, on his forehead, and underneath his chin. She slowly reached out her hand to touch his face, but he took a step away in fear.
“Oh, no, no, no. It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.” She said in a gentle tone. “My name is Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy was excited and slightly frightened at the same time; she was sitting in the back of Peg’s car with Edward sitting in the front seat and Peg at the wheel. Peg had decided to let Edward and Fluttershy stay with her and her family until further notice. Fluttershy couldn’t help but watch in awe as they drove by all of the houses; she was entranced by the simple beauty of the place and couldn’t look away.
“This must be the most pleasant place in the world!” She exclaimed; Edward smiled and nodded excitedly.
“You two have every reason to be excited.” Peg said kindly.
The car finally pulled up to Peg’s home; it was a single story house with pale blue walls and a gray roof and a plain brown fence surrounded what appeared to be the backyard. Peg got out of the car and led her new guests up to the front door. She let them into the house and they smiled.
“Oh my! What a beautiful home you have!” Fluttershy cooed.
“Thank you, dear.” Peg replied. “This is the living room and back there are the bedrooms.”
She suddenly noticed Edward shuffling over to a shelf with lots of framed photographs of Peg and her family.
“You want to see the pictures? Alright.” She said as she and Fluttershy joined the young man; she pointed out a picture of a balding man who looked to be about Peg’s age, if not older. “This is my husband, Bill. He’s a bowling champion. Do you know what bowling is?”
“I know about bowling.” Fluttershy chimed in.
“Have you ever played it?” Peg asked.
“Maybe once or twice, but not very often.” The girl answered.
Edward didn’t say a word; he had no idea what they were talking about.
“Here they are down at the lake fishing.” Peg said, looking at a picture of Bill and a little boy holding a fishing pole. “I think Kevin looks a little glum because they didn’t catch anything that day. And here’s my daughter, Kim, all dressed for the junior prom.”
There was a picture of a teenage girl with strawberry blonde hair and wearing a pink dress; she was standing next to a blonde-haired boy in a pale blue tuxedo that was much taller than her. Edward stared at the girl; he thought she was the most beautiful creature that has ever lived.
“She’s a senior now if you can believe it.” Peg commented. “She’s camping in the mountains with some friends, but she’ll be back in a few days and you can meet her then.”
“She’s beautiful.” Fluttershy said before glancing at Edward; he was smiling at a portrait of Kim, which was most likely her high school photo. She tender rubbed his arm; he momentarily turned his head away from the picture and gave her a tiny smile.
“That’s my family.” Peg cooed, resting her head on Edward’s shoulder. “Now come along and I’ll show you two the rest of the house. Then you can freshen up and make yourselves at home, okay?”
“Thank you so very much, Mrs. Boggs. I really appreciate it.” Fluttershy said as she and Edward went down the hall.
“You’re very welcome, dear.” Peg said as she rummaged through the nearby closet; she was looking for some clothes for Edward. “Ah, this is perfect. Here, these should just fit you.”
She handed Edward a button-up white shirt and a pair of pants with suspenders when the telephone rang, startling Edward and Fluttershy instantly.
“Oh, don’t be alarmed. That’s just the phone.” Peg calmly said. “Now you go put these on in Kim’s room and I’ll be right with you.”
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Boggs. I’ll help him.” Fluttershy said, taking the clothes from Edward.
“Thanks, dear. I’ll be right back.”
Peg led her two guests to one room before she went into another room right across from it. Edward stepped into Kim’s bedroom and marveled at the sight.
“Oh my, what a pretty room.” Fluttershy commented as she went over to the mirror on the dresser ad set the clothes down on it; she noticed the many pictures cut from books and fashion magazines. “Hmm… interesting.”
Edward soon joined her at the mirror and stared at his reflection with a child-like curiosity; he acted like he had never seen his own reflection before. He poked the looking glass with one of his fingers, trying to figure out what he was seeing. But when he brought that same finger to his face, he cut himself almost instantly. Fluttershy quietly gasped and grabbed a tissue, which she used to clean the cut.
“Thank you.” Edward said.
“You’re welcome.” Fluttershy kindly replied; she looked over at the clothes on the dresser. “Do you need any help putting these on?”
Edward nodded and shyly smiled. Fluttershy grabbed the pair of pants and knelt down; Edward put one foot through followed by the other and they both tried to pull the pants up and succeeded. The shirt was a little more difficult.
“Sorry, you two. I…” Peg said as she entered the room; she saw Edward attempting to get the shirt on with Fluttershy trying to help. “Oh dear. May I help you with this?”
“Thank you.” Edward said.
After a few minutes, Edward was finally ready. Peg smiled opened the closet door which had a full-length mirror on the other side; he looked like a completely different person, minus the blades on his wrists.
“You look perfect.” Fluttershy commented before he accidentally snipped the suspenders on the pants; she and Peg looked at each other in surprise.
“I can fix that.” Peg chimed in.
Down in the basement, Peg had already mended the suspenders with safety pins and she was now sewing a new button onto Edward’s shirt; he waited patiently for her to finish.
“Okay, now what did I do with my…?” Peg trailed off before looking at Edward. “Oh, Edward. Um, would you…?”
He didn’t say a word, but he gladly snipped the thread for her.
“You know, I have a doctor friend who I think could help you.” Peg said.
“Help him?” Fluttershy asked.
“Really?” Edward added.
“Yes. I can help with the scars, but I just want to consult the big Avon handbook before doing anything.”
She smiled and nodded; Edward smiled and nodded back before looking at Fluttershy. She reached out and gently put a hand on his forearm, not saying a word.
That night at dinner, Edward was struggling to pick up the utensils and food that were set in front of him. Fluttershy was sitting beside him on his left, still trying to figure out how to use her hands to eat. Kevin was sitting on the other side of her and staring at her, but she didn’t seem to notice.
“Kevin, it’s not polite to stare, dear.” Peg whispered to her son. “Kevin, think how it would make you feel if someone were staring at you.”
“I wouldn’t care.” Kevin retorted.
“Well I would. So don’t do it.” Peg hissed.
“So this must be quite a change for you, huh Ed?” Peg’s husband, Bill, said.
“Dear, I think he prefers ‘Edward’.” Peg said.
“I think so too, sir.” Fluttershy added, nodding her head.
“Right. So what have you been doing with yourself up in that big old place? I bet the view must be spectacular, right Ed?” Bill went on.
“It’s Edward, sir.” Fluttershy said.
“Yes?” Edward asked, turning over to the girl on his left.
“Hm? Oh, no. I was just, um…” Fluttershy stuttered, trying to find the right words.
“See all the way to the ocean I bet, huh?” Bill asked.
“Sometimes.” Edward replied shyly before turning to look back at Fluttershy who was still struggling to eat. “Do you need any help, Fluttershy?”
“Oh, no. It’s okay, Edward. I think I finally got the hang of it. Thanks anyway.” She said as she picked up one of the utensils and began to eat.
“Man, those things are cool.” Kevin commented as he watched Edward. “I bet they’re razor sharp. One karate chop to a guy’s neck—”
“Kevin, please.” Peg ordered before she turned to Edward; Fluttershy shivered at the vile thought. “Edward? Would you like some butter for your bread?”
He accepted and gently spread the butter onto his bread with the one of his fingers and not a butter knife.
“Thank you.” He said before he started to eat as well.
“Hey, can I bring him to Show and Tell on Monday?” Kevin asked.
“Kevin, I’ve had enough.” Peg snapped.
Fluttershy remained silent and awkwardly took a sip from her cup. After dinner, Edward was taken to Kim’s room where he would spend a few nights while Fluttershy slept on the sofa bed in the basement. It was quaint and a little last minute, but she didn’t mind. As she was getting ready for bed, Peg came down to see her.
“Hi, Fluttershy.” She said. “Are you sure you have everything you need?”
“Yes, of course, Mrs. Boggs.” Fluttershy said as she sat on the sofa bed. “Thank you so much for letting me stay here with you and your family.”
“You’re very welcome, dear. I know things feel a little strange now, but I’m sure you’ll feel right at home soon. Goodnight. And sweet dreams.”
“Goodnight.”
Peg then went back up the stars and turned off the light, leaving Fluttershy alone. Just as she was about to lie down and fall asleep, she heard a familiar vibrating. It was the journal; Twilight was sending her another message. She picked up the book and opened it to the next page. It read:
“Fluttershy?
Are you okay? I told our friends about your mission and now they’re all here with me, hoping you would come back soon… especially Discord. How are you holding up?”
Fluttershy then took out a pen and began to write.
“Hi, Twilight.
Don’t worry about me. Tell everyone that I’m fine. For the time being, I’m staying with a very nice family. There’s Mrs. Peg Boggs and her husband Bill and their son Kevin. They have a daughter named Kim, but she’s camping with some friends and she’ll be back in a few days. And you won’t believe this, but I’ve met a very strange creature while I was here. His name is Edward and he has scissor blades for fingers. Can you believe it? I’ve never seen anything like him and I’d love to get to know him more; he seems very sweet. He’s also very shy and timid, a lot like me. You know? I’m still rather curious about this whole mission I’m on and there are still lots of questions I need to find answers for. What am I doing here? What am I supposed to do? And how am I supposed to find and solve this friendship problem if I don’t even know where to begin? But I handled things worse than this; I’m sure I can figure it out. Now it’s about time for me to go to bed.
Goodnight.”
She put the pen away, closed the book, set it down, laid down, and curled up in bed just as she started to doze off. Little did she know that a pair of shy eyes was curiously watching her.
Fluttershy woke up the next morning, almost forgetting where she was. She sat up, yawned and stretched out her back before she looked around and remembered that she was sleeping in the basement of the Boggs’ house. She picked up the journal again, just to see if there were any more messages from Twilight; there weren’t.
“What are you doing?” A soft voice asked.
Fluttershy nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the voice. She looked up and saw Edward standing near the bed; she immediately relaxed and sighed in relief.
“Oh, good morning, Edward.” She said, standing up.
“Good morning.” Edward said before glancing at the book sitting on the bed. “What’s that?”
“Oh, this?” Fluttershy picked up the journal and looked it; she wasn’t exactly sure what to do. Should she tell Edward about the magical journal and the Land of Equestria and her special mission, or should she just make up a story convincing enough? But knowing Edward, he would probably believe anything she told him; she looked away from him. “This is… my journal.”
“What’s it for?”
“Um… if I told you, you’d probably think I’m crazy.”
“No I won’t.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “And if it’s a secret, I won’t tell anyone.”
Fluttershy thought for a moment before turning to Edward and smiling. “Thanks. And you promise you won’t tell?”
“I promise.”
“…Okay, I’ll tell you.”
They sat down on the bed and she began her story. Fluttershy told Edward all about the Land of Equestria, her friends, her special talent with animals, her life, the Cutie Map, and the problem that she’s supposed to solve. Edward intently listened to every word, entranced by the mysterious world of colorful horses that can speak, fly, control the weather, and use magic. He had no idea there was such a place… and he wondered if it really existed. By the time she was done, he wanted to visit it and see it for himself.
“Well, that’s about it.” Fluttershy said, looking at Edward nervously; she wasn’t sure if he believed it or not.
“So… that journal lets you talk with your friend in another world?” Edward asked.
She nodded.
“That sounds amazing. Could I visit Equestria someday?”
“Oh! Um, that’s the thing, Edward… I don’t know. I just stepped through the portal and when I got here and looked back, it disappeared. I guess it won’t open up again until I find this problem that I have to fix.”
“I could help you.”
“Thank you, Edward, but I’m not sure what you can do. You can try, but it won’t be easy. Solving a friendship problem is never easy, especially if you have to do it alone.”
“You’ll have me. I’ll help in any way I can, I promise.”
“You’d really do that?”
He nodded and smiled; she smiled back.
“Thank you, Edward.”
“You’re welcome… You told me about your world, would you like me to show you mine?”
“…I’d like that. Just let me get ready first, okay?”
“Okay.”
And with that, Edward stood up from the bed and went up the stairs to give Fluttershy some privacy. Fluttershy smiled at Edward’s gentle, quiet behavior and sweet disposition; he almost reminded her of herself in more ways than one. After she brushed her hair and put on some fresh clothes, she went back up the stairs to see Edward standing by the back door. He gave her a smile; she smiled back and went over to him.
“What would you like to show me?” She asked as they went out into the backyard; Bill, Kevin, and another small boy were already outside. “Oh, hello, Mr. Boggs.”
“Morning, Miss Fluttershy. Morning, Edward.” Bill said absent mindedly; he was slacking off in trimming one of the bushes. “Do you need any help?” Fluttershy asked.
“No, it’s okay. I got it.” The older man replied.
Edward shuffled over to another bush in a different corner of the yard and started to snip at it, mimicking Bill’s slow movements with the large garden shears. Bill was so caught up in a sport game on the radio that he didn’t even notice Edward snipping away more and more branches on the bush. Fluttershy watched in awe; she had never seen so many blades move so fast before. And finally, Edward was finished; Bill, Kevin, and his friend looked to see that Edward had trimmed that bush into a gigantic dinosaur… and he looked very proud.
“I’ll be darned…” Bill said, nearly dropping his shears.
In the afternoon, Edward was snipping at the other bush into a sculpture of the entire Boggs family. Fluttershy grinned and clapped her hands.
“Oh Edward, it’s beautiful!” She squealed. “I’m sure Mrs. Boggs is going to love it!”
“Speak of the devil…” Bill said as his wife entered the backyard and gasped; she smiled at the topiary.
“Oh! Edward, you did us!” She exclaimed. “Look, Bill! It’s us! Oh, Edward!”
Fluttershy smiled and gave him a congratulatory hug.
“It’s not Heaven he’s from.” An unfamiliar voice said. Fluttershy looked to see a woman with brown hair and a simple purple dress; Peg sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose at the sight of the woman. “It’s straight from the stinking flames of Hell. The power of Satan is in him, I can feel it. You poor sheep had strayed so far from the path.”
“We’re not sheep.” Edward said.
“Don’t come near me.” The woman said as she walked away.
“That’s right, go on. Get outta here, run.” Bill said as the doorbell rang.
“Edward, don’t you listen to her.” Peg said before going to answer the door.
“Don’t worry about her, Edward. She’s just an old loony, that’s all.” Bill said nonchalantly.
“What was she talking about anyway?” Fluttershy asked.
“Nothing that should concern you, Fluttershy. She’s always saying crap like that. It’s best not to listen to a damn word she says.”
Fluttershy nodded; she believed that Edward was truly a good person deep down, nothing like what that woman said… whatever it was. When they went back into the house, Fluttershy saw Peg go into the kitchen.
“Is something wrong, Mrs. Boggs?” She asked. “Who was at the door?”
“Pretty much all of our neighbors.” Peg replied. “We’re having a neighborhood barbecue at five tonight, apparently.”
“Oh? Well… do you need any help?”
“Would you? Oh, thank you, thank you so much, dear. I could use Edward’s help too, if you don’t mind.”
Soon, the three of them set to work; Peg was making devilled eggs, Fluttershy was mixing up some punch, and Edward was chopping up an entire bushel of lettuce for salad. By the time he was finished chopping, he accidentally cut his face again.
“Oh dear, hold on; I’ll get it.” Fluttershy said, grabbing a napkin and gently wiping away the cut on Edward’s right cheek. “There we go.”
“Thanks, Fluttershy.” Peg said.
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Mrs. Boggs?” Fluttershy asked.
“Oh don’t worry, dear. There’s no need to be nervous, none at all.” Peg said, turning to Edward and Fluttershy. “Esmeralda won’t be here and the rest of the neighbors are very nice. They’re so eager to meet you both. You just have to be yourselves.”
The barbecue had begun and pretty much everyone in the neighborhood had come. They were all impressed by Edward's topiary work and the neighborhood housewives took a sudden interest in the strange young man. Fluttershy was standing with Edward the entire time, which made the housewives even more curious and even a little suspicious.
“Who do you think that little beauty is?” “The girl with the big eyes and pink hair?” “Yeah, her.” “Where did she even come from?” “I’ve certainly never seen her around here before.” “Who has? She’s new.” “And why is she always clinging onto him?” “I wonder what she’s hiding.” “Something dark, I bet.”
Fluttershy glanced over at the housewives huddled together and curiously blinked a couple times, wondering what they were talking about. She shrugged it off, assuming it was nothing to worry about… hopefully. As she was helping Edward with cooking at the grill, an elderly man came up to them.
“I have my own infirmity.” He said. “Never did me a bit of harm. Took some shrapnel during the war and ever since then, I can’t feel a thing. Not a darn thing. Now listen up, don’t let anybody tell you that you have a handicap.”
“Who’s handicapped?” A woman with red hair said, shoving the man away. “My goodness. Don’t be ridiculous, you’re not handicapped. You’re um, what do they call that? Exceptional.”
“…I would’ve said unique.” Fluttershy shyly commented, but the woman didn’t listen.
“My name’s Joyce and I’ve noticed that you’ve not tasted the ambrosia salad that I’ve made especially for you. Allow me.”
Joyce then offered Edward a rather large spoonful of the ambrosia salad; he opened his mouth as wide as he could and she fed it to him. He smiled with his mouth full of food, trying his best to spare her feelings. Soon enough, even more women came over and offered spoonfuls of food to Edward. Fluttershy quickly backed up in confusion and fright, unsure of what was going on right now. Thankfully, Bill came over and announced that it was time for dinner.
“Okay, everybody! Grab your plates, soup’s on!”
“I thought it was shish kabobs.” Edward said with his mouth full.
“What?”
“I thought it was shish kabobs.”
“Yeah, it is shish kabobs. It was a figure of speech, Ed. You gotta learn not to take things so literally.”
That night, after everything was done and over with, Fluttershy was lying in her bed, thinking about everything that happened these past couple of days. It was nice; Edward was very sweet, but also very timid… just like her. Then after about five or ten minutes, Fluttershy heard shrill screaming coming from upstairs, which made her jump out of her skin. Then the lights of the basement came on and Fluttershy saw Edward and Bill coming down the stairs.
“Hi, Fluttershy.” Bill said casually. “Hope you won’t mind, but Ed here is gonna be staying with you from now on.”
“Oh, don’t worry, Mr. Boggs. I don’t mind.” Fluttershy said. “But what’s wrong?”
“Kim’s back early. And Edward kinda scared her.”
“So that’s what that scream was?”
“Yep. Just imagine her reaction when she runs into you.”
“Oh dear.” She shivered at the thought of Kim screaming at her like that; she looked over at Edward and saw that he was practically shaking. She went over to him. “Oh, Edward, are you okay?”
“I’m sure he’s fine. Just a little shaken up.” Bill said as he led Edward over to another corner of the room; it looked like a small bar of some sort. “Here, this should straighten you right up.”
“What is it?” Edward asked as he watched Bill fill two glasses with a strange liquid. Fluttershy froze; she recognized the liquid as alcohol.
“Lemonade.” Bill lied.
“Um, Mr. Boggs? Are you sure it’s a good idea to give Edward a drink like that?” Fluttershy asked.
“Don’t worry about it, Flutters. It’s fine.”
Fluttershy didn’t believe him and took the glass away from Edward before he could even of anything with it.
“I’m sorry Edward, but you are NOT drinking this.” She said, dumping the glass onto the floor.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“I’m very sorry about the stain, Mr. Boggs, but I just don’t think it’s a good idea for Edward to be drinking this, especially this late at night. It’s not even lemonade, for goodness sake.”
“What do you know?”
“I know how to keep Edward safe. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go upstairs and fix him a glass of milk. Don’t do anything while I’m gone.”
Fluttershy then jogged up the stairs to the kitchen, leaving Edward and Bill alone.
“I think I should listen to her.” Edward said.
“No you shouldn’t, Edward. She’s just a kid, she doesn’t know any better.” Bill said.
“She seems to know a lot.”
“Like what?”
Before Edward could say anything else, Bill filled another glass with the same drink, added a straw, and placed it in front of Edward. He then took a rather long sip, which caused him to almost look sick.
“Good, isn’t it?” Bill said just as Fluttershy came back down with a glass of milk in her hands.
“Here we go.” She said before she saw Edward; he looked at her and stuttered. She then looked over at Bill and gave him a disapproving glare. “What did you do?”
Bill didn’t have time to respond however; Peg came down the stairs with Kim following close behind.
“Hi, Bill.” Peg said as she and Kim approached. “It’s time for you to be properly introduced. Edward, this is our daughter Kim. Kim, this is Edward. He’s gonna live with us.”
Kim then noticed Fluttershy standing beside Edward and asked, “And who’s this?”
“Oh, my name is Fluttershy. I’m going to be staying here for a while too, if you don’t mind.” Fluttershy replied, offering her hand to the teen.
“Uh… hi.” Kim awkward shook Fluttershy’s hand just before Edward fell forward off of the chair and collapsed onto the floor, right at Kim’s feet.
Fluttershy glared at Bill again before disapprovingly shaking her head at him.
“I told you that drink wasn’t good for him.” She simply said.
Over time, Edward had grown rather close with the Boggs family and most of the neighbors, except for Esmeralda of course. He trimmed hedges and bushes into whatever that neighbor wanted, and he felt proud, accomplished, and appreciated. But the person he felt the most comfortable with was Fluttershy; he felt so safe around her, like he could tell her anything. They started to grow very close and eventually, Edward started to view Fluttershy as his best friend… even though he still had his feelings for Kim.
One day, Kim was walking home from school with her boyfriend Jim. Fluttershy had joined them at school, since she did look like a teenager. As they were walking, a familiar voice called out.
“Kim! Fluttershy!”
It was Edward. Fluttershy turned her head, smiled, and waved at him before making her way over to him.
“Hello, Edward.” She beamed.
“How was school?” He asked.
“It was good.”
“Oh, Edward! You forgot your cookies.” Marge said as she came outside with a platter of cookies. “Oh hi, Fluttershy.”
“Hello, Marge.” Fluttershy greeted politely.
“Got back from school?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Would you like some cookies?”
“Oh, thank you.”
Edward and Fluttershy each had a cookie, too busy to notice that Kim and Jim had already walked away. At dinner that night, Jim had decided to join the Boggs family for dinner and they were suddenly talking about money and jobs.
“So Fluttershy, what is it you do for a living back home?” Bill asked.
“Oh, I work with animals. I even run my own sanctuary.” Fluttershy replied.
“Really?! Oh my goodness, that’s amazing! That must also be a lot of work.” Peg beamed.
“I admit it can get a little overwhelming at times, but it’s always worth it in the end.”
“Hey, maybe while you’re here you can become a dog walker or dog sitter.” Kevin commented. “That sounds wonderful.” Fluttershy said. “And maybe Edward could help me on occasion.”
Edward paused and looked up at her. “Really?”
She nodded. He then offered her a piece of roast he just cut, but she politely refused. “Oh, no thank you, Edward. I’m a vegetarian. No offense, Mrs. Boggs.”
“None taken, sweetie.” Peg said with a smile.
Edward then proceeded to move the piece of meat over to Kim, who was sitting next to Fluttershy, and he accidentally dropped it into her lap. They both froze while Jim stifled his laughter.
“I’m sorry!” Edward whimpered, shrinking back into his seat in fear and embarrassment.
“Honey, do you need me to clean that up?” Peg asked.
“No, that’s okay. I’ll be right back.” Kim said before getting up from her chair and leaving the room.
Edward put his hands in his lap and looked down in shame; Peg put a gentle hand on his shoulder to comfort him. Fluttershy’s expression softened.
“It’s okay, Edward. It was just an accident.” She said; he gave her a tiny smile.
The next day, Fluttershy decided to accompany Edward while he was doing another hedge commission while the neighbor stood nearby watering some plants with her hose. Her dog was lying on the grass nearby and Edward quickly noticed how much shaggy fur she had. He looked at Fluttershy who was sitting next to the dog, waiting for her to respond. They stared at each other for a minute or two before Fluttershy finally spoke up.
“What?”
“I have an idea.” Edward said before he started to snip at the dog’s fur.
“Um Edward, what are you doing?” Fluttershy nervously asked as she got up.
She watched in shock and fear as her friend continued to snip and snip away at the canine’s thick coat of fur until finally, he was finished. The dog barked and went over to her owner, who was very surprised to see her beloved pet look like a completely different breed.
“Alexis? This can’t possibly be, why Alexis! She’s so beautiful, look at you!” She exclaimed. “She’s gorgeous, thank you!” Soon enough, the rest of the neighbors all lined up in the Boggs’ backyard with their own dogs, patiently waiting for Edward to trim their fur as well. Joyce’s dog, Kisses, was first and when Edward was finished, Kisses looked like a small lion with an enormous mane. Then Joyce got an idea.
“Have you ever cut a woman’s hair? Would you cut mine?!” She excitedly asked before she settled into a lawn chair.
“Um, Joyce? Are you sure you want to do that?” Fluttershy asked.
“You, stay out of this.” Joyce snapped before Edward started to cut. He cut and sheared until Joyce’s hair looked completely different… and she liked it, a lot. She sighed. “That was the single most thrilling experience of my whole life.”
Every single one of the housewives wanted their hair cut by Edward too. He gave them all such strange and unique hairstyles; as she watched, Fluttershy was starting to wonder what Rarity would think. After everyone had a turn, Edward turned to his friend.
“Would you like me to cut your hair Fluttershy?” He asked.
“Oh, no. That’s okay, Edward. I don’t want to overwork you; I hope that’s okay.” She said politely; she went over to him and gently led him to the door. “You must be exhausted. Come on. What do you say we go inside and take a little break?”
“Okay.” He then had a thought. “What kinds of animals do you take care of in Equestria?”
She smiled. “Lots of them. Like bunnies, kitties, doggies, birds, and even a few you’ve never even heard of.” “Like what?”
Inside, Fluttershy told Edward all about her animal sanctuary and the different creatures she takes care of. Edward sat in silence, listening to every word; now he wanted to visit Equestria even more. He wanted to see her cottage and her sanctuary and he wanted to meet all of her friends, ponies and animals alike.
“Equestria sounds even more wonderful than before.” He cooed.
“It really is a beautiful place to live, especially if you have such good friends. And who knows? Maybe you will get to visit someday.” Fluttershy said.
“Really?”
“Maybe, but you never know. I really do want you to see it, though.”
“Do you have your key or what?” Jim asked as he and Kim stood on the doorstep of Kim’s house.
“No.” Kim replied, searching through her purse for her house keys; she couldn’t find them anywhere.
At the same time, Fluttershy had finished walking one of the neighbor’s dogs around the cul-de-sac just as a car pulled up near her. She quickly opened the door and Edward climbed out.
“Goodbye.” Helen said.
“Bye-bye.” Edward said as the door closed and the car slowly drove off. He smiled at Fluttershy. “How was dog walking today?”
“It was great. Every pet here is so sweet and friendly. If only I could understand what they were saying here.” Fluttershy beamed as she and Edward went up to the Boggs’ house where Kim and Jim were still trying to get in.
“I wish I could talk to animals like you.” He said to himself.
“Hey, do either of you have a key?” Kim asked.
“No.” Edward said.
“Sorry, Kim.” Fluttershy shrugged.
“Well, we’re stranded.” Jim said, giving up.
Just as he said that, Edward leaned down, stuck one finger into the door lock, and jiggled it until the door unlocked.
“Wow, thanks!” Kim said with a grin, walking inside.
“Ed, what a guy. Good job.” Jim said. “You didn’t break it or scratch it or anything. Be a pal and yell when Peg pulls in, huh?” He walked in, leaving Edward and Fluttershy alone on the doorstep; he looked at her.
“What did he just say?” He asked.
“…I have absolutely no idea.” Fluttershy said before she took a hold of Edward’s wrist and headed inside with him.
More time went by and Edward and Peg were on a television show together. Fluttershy had no idea what television was, but she decided to be there and support her friend anyway. She wasn’t very comfortable standing on stage, but she stood right beside Edward as he told his story.
“Quite a story, yes?” The TV host said. “Any questions for Edward?”
One woman stood up. “What’s been the best part of your new life here in town?”
“The friends I’ve made.” Edward said into the microphone on stage.
“Have you ever thought of having corrective surgery or prosthetics?” Another woman asked. “I know a doctor that might be able to help you.
“I'd like to meet him.” Edward said.
“But if you had regular hands, you'd be like everyone else.” A third woman said.
“Yes, I know.”
“I think he'd like that.” The host chuckled.
“Then no one would think you were special. You wouldn't be on TV or anything.”
Fluttershy stepped forward and leaned closer to the microphone, putting a hand on Edward’s shoulder. “No matter what, Edward will always be special.”
He gave her a smile; she smiled back as the audience applauded.
“More questions?” The host asked.
“Your work is so interesting, distinctive, and unique.” A fourth woman said. “I wonder, do you have plans to open your own beauty salon?”
“Oh, there's an idea.” The host said. Peg, Fluttershy, and Edward smiled at each other at the thought. “Anyone else?”
A fifth woman stood up. “Are there any other places you’d like to visit?”
Edward smiled, but just as he was about to eagerly talk about what he heard about the land of Equestria, he remembered the promise he made to Fluttershy a few days ago. He remembered that only they know about Equestria and that he should keep it a secret from everyone else. He paused and leaned into the microphone.
“There is one place, but it’s a surprise.” He said.
“Oooh, a surprise, huh? How intriguing.” The host said.
“Do you have a girlfriend?” A sixth woman asked.
Edward suddenly froze and his face went pale. Fluttershy gave her friend a worried look and took a tiny step closer. At the Boggs’ house, Kim, Jim, and Kevin were watching the show at the exact same time.
“Sure, he does. Right, Kim?” Jim jokingly asked.
“Right, Kim?” Kevin added.
“Great, now you got him started.” Kim sighed.
“Knock it off, bubble-butt.” Jim said, smacking Kevin in the shoulder.
“You did it.” Kevin retorted.
“So?”
“How about it, Edward?” The host asked. “Is there some special lady in your life?”
Edward was at a loss for words; he couldn’t think of the right thing to say. Fluttershy patted his shoulder and gave him a nod as if to say, ‘It’s okay. Take your time.’ Reluctantly, Edward slowly leaned closer to the microphone, only for one of his fingers to catch one of the wires, spark, and send him falling onto his back in surprise. Fluttershy and Peg shrieked in shock and went over to his aid as a few other people started to freak out.
“Oh my goodness! Edward, are you okay?” Fluttershy asked, kneeling down beside him.
“Uh, everything's all right, folks.” The host said, trying to remain calm. “We'll take a quick break, and we'll be right back after these messages.”
The show went to commercial before Jim and Kevin started laughing. Kim was shocked and disgusted by this.
“Why are you laughing? He got hurt!” She exclaimed.
“It was a little shock.” Jim argued.
“A little shock?” Kim scoffed.
“I wish we'd been taping that. I'd give anything to see that again.” Jim stopped laughing; she rolled her eyes and sighed as she looked away.
Kim felt rather sorry for Edward at this point… but at least Fluttershy was with him, right?
That evening, the Boggs family went out to for dinner. Fluttershy was with them, but Edward was running late. Then he came in as the group started to eat.
“Sorry I’m late.” He said as he sat down next to Kim.
“Hi, Edward. Sorry, we had to go ahead without you.” Peg said.
“Here you go.” Fluttershy passed him a menu.
“Thank you, Fluttershy.” He said.
“So, Edward, did you have a productive day?” Bill asked.
“Mrs. Monroe showed me where the salon's going to be.” Edward answered, looking at Peg. “You could have a cosmetics counter.” He then looked at Fluttershy. “And you can even have a pet grooming station.”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful!” Fluttershy beamed.
“Oh, wouldn't that be great?” Peg smiled.
“And then she showed me the back room where she took her clothes off.” Edward added; Kim, Peg, and Fluttershy all stared at him in shock while Kevin tried to stifle his laughter.
“She what?” Fluttershy asked in disbelief.
“Edward, I can't say how thrilled I am. I'm as pleased as punch.” Bill went on; he didn’t seem to hear that last part, nor did he seem to care. “This beauty parlor venture will teach you volumes. Nothing like running your own business. I've never done it myself, but from what I gather, it's the greatest satisfaction a working man can have. So I guess the bank's going to be your next step, huh?”
“The bank?” The young man asked.
“Yeah. Take out a loan, get yourself started.” Bill said confidently.
“Um excuse me, Mr. Boggs?” Fluttershy chimed in. “Are you sure it would be that simple? I don’t think Edward’s even been to a bank before.”
“C’mon, Fluttershy. There’s nothing to worry about. With his talent and reputation, it's going to be a snap.” Bill argued.
Edward smiled as Fluttershy kept quiet; she somehow knew it wasn’t going to be a snap at all.
A lot has happened since my last journal entry. Edward has started trimming bushes and hair, he and I have been on television in front of lots of people, and someone suggested that he should start his own beauty salon. It sounds like a great idea, but I’m not sure if it’s going to be that easy. Mr. Boggs said it’s going to be a snap with Edward’s talent and popularity, but I still have my doubts. What do you make of all of this?”
Fluttershy heard the front door open before she set her pen down. She got up and went over to Edward and Peg who just got back from the bank.
“So how did it go?” Fluttershy asked.
“Not so well, I’m afraid.” Peg answered. “He said that we have to get a social security card and a car. But don’t worry; we’ll get that money somehow.”
“Of course. I’m sure you’ll think of something.” Fluttershy said, sounding as supportive as possible.
“Thank you, Fluttershy.” Edward said before heading to the backyard; Peg headed in another direction.
A few minutes later, Kim suddenly walked in. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
“Kim? Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked, approaching her.
“I’m fine, Fluttershy.” Kim replied. “I just… it’s Jim.”
“What about him?”
Kim reluctantly looked around before looking at Fluttershy. “Is my mom around?”
“She just went into another room. Why?”
Kim then pulled her closer to her and whispered into her ear, “Jim suggested we steal from his father.”
“WHAT?!” Fluttershy exclaimed.
“Shush!” The teenager hissed, covering her friend’s mouth with her hand. “Please, Fluttershy. You can’t tell anybody about this. He wanted to steal things from his dad and sell them so we can buy our own van… And he says he needs Edward’s help.”
“Edward?” Fluttershy nervously glanced over to the back door to see Edward in the backyard; he was playing a game with Kevin. “But why?”
“Jim knows that Edward can pick locks, and that’s why he wants him to help us.”
“…And that’s what has me concerned.”
“Well, whatever. You don’t have to get involved.”
“Good. Because I don’t want to get involved; stealing is wrong, you know that. But it’s your decision. I won’t tell, but you’d better.”
“I can’t. Jim will be so mad.”
“Then good luck. And whatever you and Jim are going to do, just… leave me and Edward out of it.”
Fluttershy furrowed her brow, picked up her journal, and went down to the basement in a huff, leaving Kim alone. She glanced over at Edward who was still outside.
That night, Fluttershy was sound asleep when she was suddenly awoken by the flashing red and blue lights of a police siren and frantic footsteps above her. She shot up in bed and looked around, but something was amiss. Edward was gone. Her eyes widened in horror as she jumped out of bed and ran up the stairs. She saw Mrs. Boggs hanging up the telephone and looking very worried.
“Mrs. Boggs, what happened? What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked
“Fluttershy?” Mrs. Boggs replied. “Edward is at the police station. Bill and I need to go over there right away!”
“Oh no! Can I come with you? Maybe I can talk to him and find out what’s going on.”
“Uh, sure you can, dear. Now come on, in the car. Let’s go.”
Fluttershy nodded, went outside, climbed into the backseat, and she and Mrs. and Mrs. Boggs drove off towards the police station.
“But we can see him now?” Mrs. Boggs asked the Sherriff.
“We'll have to hold him overnight for observation.” The Sherriff replied.
“He has to stay in prison all night?”
“You can pick him up in the morning.”
“Oh, Edward.”
Mr. and Mrs. Boggs and Fluttershy then saw Edward sitting on a bench next to the front desk.
“Hello, Edward.” Mrs. Boggs said, trying not to sound worried. “Oh, Edward, dear, I blame myself.”
“What in God's name was going through your mind, son?” Mr. Boggs demanded.
“Why didn't I set a better example?” Mrs. Boggs ranted. “You saw how I envied Jim's parents' money. What were you going to do with that stuff? Oh, I blithely say, "We'll get money for the salon somehow," but I never meant stealing. Dear, stealing's not the way to get it. Stealing's not the way to get anything.”
“Except trouble, and you're in a serious heap of that.”
“Oh, Edward, why ever did you do this?”
“Darn those TV programs. Darn them all.”
“Or did somebody put you up to this?”
Edward just remained silent and hung his head in shame. Fluttershy frowned and sat down next to him.
“Mr. and Mrs. Boggs? Can I have a moment with Edward, please?” She asked.
“Of course, dear. We’ll leave you two alone.” Mrs. Boggs replied as she and her husband went to another corner of the room.
“Edward?” Fluttershy began before letting out a sigh. “Kim and Jim asked you, didn’t they?”
Edward’s eyes suddenly widened as he looked at her. “How… how did you know?”
“Kim told me what Jim was planning earlier today. I tried to talk her out of it, but she didn’t listen. I also told her to leave you and me out of it. But-but I didn’t think…” She closed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair.
Edward hung his head in shame again; he looked like he was about to cry. Fluttershy started to tear up as she wrapped her arms around her friend in a hug.
The Boggs’ house was unusually quiet. Edward was so confused; he had just committed a crime and a few people were starting to turn against him. But the one who always stick with him was Fluttershy; he always felt safe and happy with her and he knew that he can always depend on her no matter what. She usually steered him in the right direction, she would always treat him with kindness, and all of her stories of the magical land of Equestria and her many friends there fascinated him to no end.
One day, while Fluttershy and Edward were talking, Kim came in.
“You’re here.” She said in surprise; she approached them.
Fluttershy frowned and went into another room to give them some privacy, but she hid herself behind a wall so she could listen to their conversation.
“They didn’t hurt you, did they?” Kim asked; Edward shook his head. “Were you scared?” She paused. “I tried to make Jim go back, but you can’t make Jim do anything. Thank you for not telling them that we…”
“You’re welcome.” Edward replied solemnly.
“It must’ve been awful when they told you whose house it was.” Kim added.
‘It must’ve…’ Fluttershy thought.
“…I knew it was Jim’s house.” Edward said.
“You did?”
“Yes.”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened in terror and shock; he knew the whole time?! But how? And why did he do it in the first place?
“Well, then why’d you do it?!”
“Because you asked me to.”
Fluttershy covered her mouth with one hand in shock; he did it all because of Kim? She started to tear up before she heard another voice. Jim was calling out Kim’s name and whistling for her to come to him, just like a dog. After a moment, Fluttershy could hear something; it almost sounded like a scratch. She poked her head out just in time to see Edward marching down the hall with an angry look on his face.
“Oh dear…” She whispered before heading to the back door; she saw Kim and Jim talking.
“Don’t.” Kim said angrily.
“What's the matter with you?” Jim answered. “I did what I could. My old man thinks he's an idiot, otherwise he'd still be in jail. What more do you want?”
“You could tell the truth.” Kim retorted.
“So could you. You were there.”
“You know I didn't want to do it.”
“But you did do it.”
Kim let out a frustrated sigh and went back into the house.
“I don't get why you give such a darn anyway.” Jim yelled before leaving.
Kim shut the door when she saw Fluttershy; they glowered at each other.
“How much of that did you hear?” Kim asked.
“All of it.” Fluttershy answered, putting her hands on her hips. “You could tell the truth, you know.”
“But it wasn’t my idea.”
“I know, but you went along with it anyway. And you even dragged in a poor innocent creature. Edward was arrested because of you! No wonder Edward wants to come to Equestria with me.”
Kim paused. “…Equestria? Are you out of your mind? There’s no such place.”
Fluttershy inhaled deeply through her nose and furrowed her brow. “Kim, I’m sorry, but I am so frustrated and angry with you! You have to take responsibility for your actions, you AND Jim! You’d better own up to your mistake and tell someone… or I will.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“…Try me.”
The two girls glared at each other, silently challenging the other to give in first.
That night at dinner, Edward sat in sad silence.
“We'll help you replace the drapes and the towels, but our confidence in you, Edward, isn't going to be so easy to replace.” Bill said sternly.
“Dad…” Kim sighed.
“Okay, a little ethics.” Bill continued. “You're walking down the street; you find a suitcase full of money. There's nobody around. No human person is in evidence. What do you do? A. You keep the money. B. You use it to buy gifts for your friends and loved ones. C. You give it to the poor. D. You turn it in to the police."
“Dad, this is really stupid.” Kim groaned again.
“Kim, please.” Peg said.
“Simmer down. Edward?” Bill asked Edward.
“Uh, hey. How about after dinner we go to the bowling alley?” Kim suggested. “That would be fun.”
“You're not seeing Jim tonight?” Peg asked.
“We had the coolest show and tell today.” Kevin said trying to change the subject. “This kid brought in a box of baby possums. Totally naked, no hair at all. I bet you’d like to see that, huh Fluttershy? I know how much you like animals.”
‘Please leave me out of this.’ Fluttershy thought.
“It's fascinating, but your father's not finished yet.” Peg said to Kevin.
“Thank you, dear.” Bill turned to Edward again. “Edward, we're waiting.”
Edward paused for a moment. “Give it to my loved ones?”
“Oh, Edward, it does seem that that's what you should do, but it's not.” Peg said, sounding sad.
“You dope. Everybody knows you're supposed to give it to the police.” Kevin pointed out.
“Good thinking, Kevin.” Bill said.
“Well, think about it, you guys.” Kim chimed in. “I mean, that's the nicer thing to do. That's what I would do.”
“Please don’t, Kim.” Fluttershy whispered pinching the bridge of her nose.
‘It hurts to hear you talk sometimes.’ She said in her head.
“We're trying to make things easier for him, so let's cut the comedy for a little while.” Bill said to his daughter.
“I am being serious. It's a nicer thing to do.” Kim argued.
“We're not talking nice. We're talking right and wrong.” Bill retorted.
“Speaking of right and wrong, I have something I’d like to sa—” Fluttershy started before being interrupted.
“Oh, goodness sake, no wonder poor Edward can't learn right from wrong living in this family!” Peg shouted.
Edward just remained silent, feeling even more ashamed of himself than before. Fluttershy scooted closer to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulder again.
“I wish I can go to Equestria with you, Fluttershy.” He whispered.
Fluttershy paused. “…Don’t worry, Edward. Maybe you will.”
Kim stared at them and looked away, feeling a mix of anger, sadness, and shame.
