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Life Flutters By (WIP)

By CosmicButthole
Created: 2021-05-07 03:13:12
Expiry: Never
anonfluttershyafter schoolpov

  1. >"We're only looking out for you, Anon."
  2. >You nod along, hiding your annoyance.
  3. >It was a nice afternoon, too.
  4. >School went by quick for a Monday.
  5. >Algebra homework was surprisingly doable.
  6. >You already did the reading for English.
  7. >You were ready to kick back with your favorite soda and enjoy some more Duke Nukem 3D.
  8. >But no.
  9. >Your dad has to break his usual routine of watching hockey in the living room to lecture you about how you have no life.
  10. "I know, it's just-"
  11. >"I don't want you to end up feeling like you wasted your teenage years." He quickly interrupts.
  12. >You nod along, hoping to end the conversation soon.
  13. "I know, I just feel like I'll start really living my life in my 20's." You try to explain.
  14. >This doesn't do much to dissuade him.
  15. >"It's never too early to start. You've got only one life to live, and I want you to make the most of it.
  16. >You're 18.
  17. >Not even a quarter into the expected lifespan of the average human male.
  18. >It's really not a big deal.
  19. "...I know." You say after sighing.
  20. >"Your mother shares my concern, Anon." Your dad tells you.
  21. "I get it."
  22. >"Canterlot High's got clubs and extracurricular stuff, right?"
  23. >You nod.
  24. >"Well, tomorrow I want you to come home with something you can do outside of school and be more social.
  25. >You must not have been able to hide your shocked expression that well, because he quickly continues.
  26. >"I have complete faith that you'll make a good choice and you'll be feeling more fulfilled after being with friends more."
  27. "I have friends!" You insist.
  28. >"You could stand to be more active than eating pizza and playing video games."
  29. >You can't think of any kind of comeback, slouching back into your chair.
  30. "I'll handle it." You say after a brief silence.
  31. >"I'm sure you will." You dad replies, shutting the door behind him as he leaves your room.
  32. >At least he respects your privacy.
  33.  
  34. >You try to focus your attention back on finding the secrets in Hollywood Holocaust, but you're still plagued by your father's words.
  35. >'You've only got one life to live'.
  36. >...He's right.
  37. >You should be doing more.
  38. >Closing the game, you step away from your PC and take your favorite jacket out of your closet.
  39. >A red varsity jacket with the letter N on it.
  40. >It was a gift from your cousin, Antonymous, who gave it to you after graduating from NYU when you were 14.
  41. >You've been wearing it every day throughout all your time at Canterlot High.
  42. >From freshman year to current senior year, no matter the season.
  43. >Norman never misses an opportunity to pick on you for wearing a jacket in 80 degree weather.
  44. >But you feel stronger with the varsity jacket on.
  45. >You feel more confident.
  46. >You feel more charismatic.
  47. >...But you're really not.
  48. >You're still kind of a loser.
  49. >Antonymous wasn't.
  50. >He was the coolest guy on campus.
  51. >He was the head of the swim team both in high school and in college.
  52. >He got a full ride to NYU because he's such a good swimmer.
  53. >Maybe there's some of his greatness residing in his old jacket that'll rub off onto you.
  54. >Maybe someday.
  55. >You put on the jacket and lie on your bed, staring up at the ceiling.
  56. >...You kinda need to get a life.
  57. >But you do have friends.
  58. >You swear.
  59. >At lunch you sit with Norman and Flash Sentry and his friends.
  60. >They're all in a band.
  61. >You're not, obviously.
  62. >You come to their shows to support them, and they seem happy with your company.
  63. >Norman isn't really the type to hang out with someone out of pity, but Flash may be.
  64. >But really, apart from playing video games at one of their houses once or twice a month, you don't do anything outside school.
  65. >Tomorrow that's gonna change.
  66. >There's plenty of clubs available, you're sure.
  67. >Surely one of them is appealing.
  68. >And it's only September 14th.
  69. >There's plenty of school year ahead.
  70.  
  71. >Tuesday morning.
  72. >You're at school, staring at the bulletin board of various clubs.
  73. >...This gonna be harder than you thought.
  74. >Soccer? You're not athletic.
  75. >Chess club? That's a game for computers.
  76. >Band? You're not musical.
  77. >Audition for the upcoming musical? You're not a singer.
  78. >You let out an annoyed groan, hanging your head in frustration.
  79. >"Never thought I'd find you here." Remarks a distinct voice from beside you.
  80. >Turning, you see that Flash is standing next to you.
  81. "Hey, yeah, I'm just seeing what's available. Been wanting to spread my wings a bit, you know?"
  82. >"About time you did. I could've got you a spot in my band if you wanted to 'spread your wings' in freshman year."
  83. "Flash, we were in the same music class in eighth grade, you know I'm trash with instruments."
  84. >"So was I! Ever master was once a novice, dude."
  85. >You shrug as you turn your attention back to the board.
  86. >"Sweet Apple Acres is always looking for helpers around the farm." he adds.
  87. "Flash, I'm looking for a hobby, not community service hours." You remark.
  88. >He shrugs and rolls his eyes over-dramatically.
  89. >"I'm just trying to help, dude. It doesn't help that you're being difficult."
  90. "I'm not being difficult!" You insist, earning a chuckle from Flash.
  91. >"Oh, no? Then I suppose you're too cool for book club?"
  92. "Nah, I just don't want Twilight to fall desperately in love with me." You reply with a grin.
  93. >Flash bursts out laughing at the thought.
  94. >"Sure, Anon. Whatever you say."
  95. >"It's too bad there's no swim team here at Canterlot. You could have been able to harness some of his swimming prowess." Flash says as he motions towards the jacket.
  96. "Well...Crystal Prep has a swim team."
  97. >"Anon, going to Crystal Prep is a fate worse than death."
  98. "Yeah, you're right." You nod.
  99. >The bell rings, indicating the start the day.
  100. >"Well, keep me posted on your search for a life!" Flash yells as he runs off to class.
  101. >You smile at the joke as you head off to class.
  102.  
  103. >Classes were fine.
  104. >Algebra was beginning to become more manageable, despite Ms. Harshwhinny's efforts to make it more convoluted.
  105. >English was simple.
  106. >After all, you speak the language.
  107. >History was also fairly simple, as Ms. Cheerilee is much more nice to work with.
  108. >Soon enough, it's lunch.
  109. >On the way to the cafeteria, you catch a scene of Vice Principal Luna chewing out Hoops for something.
  110. >You best not intrude, lest you face the Vice Principal's wrath as well.
  111. >After you got a tray of lunch, you take your usual spot at the table you frequent, between Flash and Norman.
  112. >Not too long after, Norman plops down next to you with a similar tray of food.
  113. >"You should totally go out for dance."
  114. >You turn to him.
  115. "Flash told you about my little mission, huh?"
  116. >He nods eagerly.
  117. >"You know what the male to female ratio in those dance clubs are? It's like 1:5!" He hurriedly explains.
  118. >"Not only does that give you something to do, it also makes you that much more likely to find a chick!"
  119. >You smirk at his plan.
  120. "Yeah, or they'll think I'm gay."
  121. >"High risk, high reward!"
  122. >You let out an over-dramatic sigh as you take a bite out of your apple.
  123. "Think I'll pass, but thanks."
  124. >"Well...how about Principal's Assistant?"
  125. >You laugh a bit at the idea.
  126. "Yeah dude, that's what I need: more schoolwork."
  127. >Norman shrugs and turns his attention to his lunch.
  128. >Flash and his band-mates arrive at the table eventually, whereupon Flash continues shooting ideas at you.
  129. >"Robotics club."
  130. "Nah, too complicated."
  131. >"Baking club."
  132. "Remember when I almost burned down the Home Ec room making banana bread?"
  133. >"World Dominators?"
  134. "Norman can vouch for how terrible I am at those super complicated board games."
  135. >Flash shakes his head as he eats his sandwich.
  136. >"Picky, picky, picky." Norman mutters as he pokes his mashed potatoes for emphasis.
  137. "I'll think of something!" You insist.
  138. >"Well, don't put it off too long. All the good clubs will be full in no time." Flash reminds you.
  139.  
  140. "Yeah, I got it." You reply, turning to make sure you finish your food before lunch ends.
  141. >Casual conversation was shared afterwards, turning away from your hunt.
  142. >Mainly about progress with Flash's band.
  143. >You never really were that close with his band-mates, but you're sure they're nice.
  144. >At one point, Flash hurriedly got up from his seat and quickly made his way over to the other side of the lunch room.
  145. >A quick glance confirms your suspicions: Twilight's here with her friends.
  146. >You and Norman share a knowing look before getting back to your meals.
  147. >Twilight started going to Canterlot High some time last year.
  148. >She's some kind of exchange student, but Flash is always super vague on where she's from.
  149. >It surprised pretty much everyone when former tyrant of the school Sunset Shimmer turned a new leaf after last year's fall formal.
  150. >A lot's been going on ever since she came here, come to think of it.
  151. >Some kind of crisis at the last music competition with the Dazzlings, something about the Friendship Games and Camp Everfree.
  152. >You were still a no-life loser at the time, so you didn't go to any of them.
  153. >But this year you should.
  154. >Just add those to the growing pile of things to do to turn your life around.
  155. >The mashed potatoes proved tricky to eat, trying to not get any gravy on your beloved jacket.
  156. >Scanning the lunch room in between bites, you take note of all the cliques at their own tables.
  157. >Jocks, science nerds, drama kids, band kids, art kids, edgy kids, and so on.
  158. >Reflecting on this, you're grateful you've got your little slice of camaraderie here with Norman and usually Flash.
  159. >You cringe at the thought of sitting alone at lunch.
  160. >Taking another glance over at Flash's new table, you take note of the others alongside him and Twilight.
  161. >Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Rarity and the aforementioned Sunset Shimmer.
  162. >And one other girl.
  163. >She's got yellow skin and flowing pink hair, but you can't place her name.
  164.  
  165. >The bell rings at last, indicating everyone should get going to class.
  166. >Oh well, that's something you'll have to ponder on later.
  167. >Throwing away the garbage left over from your lunch, you head over to the gymnasium.
  168. >Not for P.E., but for strength training.
  169. >It's very different, where instead of doing stupid stuff like the mile and pacer, you focus on lifting weights like dead lift and bench press to get stronger.
  170. >Guys being dudes, really.
  171. >You only started taking it this year, wanting to escape the treacherous mile run and wanting to put some meat on your bones.
  172. >Give the ladies something to swoon at when you flex.
  173. >So far, not much progress.
  174. >There's a separate weight lifting room behind the gym, so you make your way there.
  175. >Coach Soarin runs the "class", and is really chill in general.
  176. >As long as you have a spotter and aren't actively fucking around, you're good.
  177. >Pipsqueak's your go-to spotter, and vice versa.
  178. >He's a freshman and he's basically just skin and bones, but he's nice.
  179. >You could use more friends anyway.
  180. >He was already there when you arrived, waiting by the bench at the back.
  181. "How've you been holding up?" You ask him, regarding yesterday's weight lifting session.
  182. >"Oh, a little sore, but I'm still alive!" Pipsqueak beamed.
  183. >You admire his dedication to the work.
  184. "I better do my set first, you'll be less sore to help me get the bar off my chest in case the worst happens."
  185. >"Yeah, probably." He agrees.
  186. >He goes to grab two clamps as you take the weights and place them on the bar.
  187. >75 pounds.
  188. >It's not a lot, but it's a good starting point.
  189. >It's still early in the year.
  190. >You took your usual position lying beneath the bar on the bench as Pipsqueak situates himself behind the bench.
  191. >"Ready, Anon?" He asks, holding his hands underneath the bar.
  192. "Yeah, ready." You respond.
  193. >You carefully lower the heavy bar closer to your chest and begin your bench press routine.
  194. >You're still slightly sore from yesterday, but quickly get into the routine.
  195.  
  196. >The 75 pound bar offered enough challenge to get you warmed up without exhausting you.
  197. >You counted your up and down repetitions to ten, being sure to bend your arms and have the bar almost touch your chest in accordance with safety rules.
  198. >As soon as you got to ten, you hoisted the bar up with assistance from Pipsqueak and placed it back on the rack.
  199. >You lean up on the bench, looking around to scope out how the other guys are doing.
  200. >They're all doing much better than you.
  201. >From 125 pounds to 200 pounds on the bench press.
  202. >One guy was even doing 300 pounds.
  203. >They've all been doing this for much longer than you.
  204. >These are guys on the football team and the wrestling team.
  205. >And here you are, the lone loser.
  206. >Well, you and Pipsqueak.
  207. >Your gaze fell to the floor, feeling a pang of shame.
  208. >"You okay, Anon?" Pipsqueak asked.
  209. "Yeah, just resting for a bit." You cover up, snapping out of your self-pity.
  210. >"Well, then can I have my turn now?"
  211. "Yeah, of course."
  212. >You get up and help Pipsqueak replace the weights to go down to 50 pounds.
  213. >Which is still a good amount of weight for him.
  214. >You get situated behind the bar as he lays down underneath you, gripping the bar with determination.
  215. "You ready, little man?" You ask.
  216. >"Ready as I'll ever be!" He beamed.
  217. >You carefully help Pipsqueak lift the bar and ensure he safely completed his ten repetitions.
  218. >He was visibly shaking near the end, but managed to do all ten.
  219. >This continued for the rest of the period, with you slightly increasing the weight to 125 pounds.
  220. >This proves much more taxing.
  221. >By the end of class, you're incredibly sore yet feeling invigorated.
  222. >You bid farewell to Pipsqueak as you head to Chemistry, your final class of the day.
  223. >This class is more frustrating, but still manageable.
  224. >After filling out countless worksheets on chemical bonds, the final bell of the day finally rings.
  225. >Grabbing your bag, you make for the exit, disappointed you couldn't find any kind of club to join.
  226.  
  227. >The front hall is packed with students eagerly rushing out the front doors, making a mad dash to their home or preferred hangout spot.
  228. >You almost get trampled in the madness, but you're used to this kind of madness after three years here, and manage to survive the onslaught and escape out the doors.
  229. >Stumbling down the steps, something catches your eye.
  230. >It looks like the girl whose name you couldn't place earlier, standing near the horse statue in front of the building while holding a stack of pink papers.
  231. >You can make out that she's trying to get people's attention, but she's too quiet and is clearly uncomfortable.
  232. >The crowd soon dissipates, and the girl is left standing there, her stack of papers the same size at it was when she started.
  233. >Clearly disappointed, she hangs her head in shame and goes to put them all back in her bookbag.
  234. >This is your chance.
  235. >You make your way over to her, trying to figure out what to say.
  236. "...Hey there." You awkwardly say.
  237. >She jumps a bit, not expecting you to sneak up on her like that.
  238. >You take a step back, and she relaxes a bit.
  239. >She's still partially hiding behind her pink hair, avoiding eye contact with you.
  240. >"...Hi." She eventually responds.
  241. "So...what's that you got there?" You ask her, motioning towards the stack of papers.
  242. >She hurriedly gets one of them out of her bookbag and holds it in front of her.
  243. >"I'm-I'm looking for volunteers to help out at the local animal shelter. Those poor critters really could use all the help they can get." she elaborates, with a hint of sadness in her voice.
  244. >This is it.
  245. >This is the extracurricular stuff you've been looking for.
  246. >Not only does helping out at an animal shelter give you something social to do, it'll also knock a few years off of your stay in Purgatory.
  247. >"...Would...would you like to...volunteer?" She asks, retreating back behind her hair while still holding out the paper.
  248. >She must get rejected a lot.
  249. >Time to make her day.
  250. "Sure!"
  251.  
  252. >Her eyes shoot open as she freezes in place, her eyes meeting yours.
  253. >"...Really?"
  254. "Well, I WAS gonna spend tomorrow afternoon admiring myself in the mirror, but I'm sure I can make time." You joke.
  255. >She lets out a soft "yay" as a smile grows across her face, her mood brightening drastically.
  256. "Just...can I ask you a kind of awkward question?"
  257. >"...Yeah?" She asks, growing more suspicious.
  258. "...What's your name?" You decide to just bluntly ask.
  259. >Her cheeks flush slightly as she turns away.
  260. >She mumbles something into her hair.
  261. "I, uh, didn't hear you." You say, trying to not be too forceful.
  262. >"I'm...my name is...uh...Fl-Fluttershy." She finally responds, speaking a little louder.
  263. >Right, that's her name.
  264. >You've heard that name around school every now and again.
  265. "Well, my name's Anonymous, but you can call me Anon." You respond, holding out your hand.
  266. >After a brief moment of consideration, Fluttershy gingerly meets you halfway and shakes your hand.
  267. >You smile at her, and she giggles a bit.
  268. "So, when should I come by the shelter?" You ask, pulling away from the handshake.
  269. >"Oh, the shelter's open every day except Mondays, and I usually stay until 5 or 6." She explains.
  270. >"I was actually gonna head over there now, in case you....you wanted to..."
  271. "Sure, I can help today."
  272. >"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, you probably have a lot of homework, and your parents will get worried, and..."
  273. "Hey, I'll just text my parents to let them know. I'm sure they'll be fine with it." You explain.
  274. >"A-Are you sure? I don't want you to get in trouble."
  275. "Yeah, no worries."
  276. >You take out your phone and quickly text your dad that you'll be spending a few hours at the local animal shelter.
  277. >After a moment of waiting, your dad lets you stay out, stating that you have to be home by 7 PM.
  278. "Alright, I'm all set!" You say to her.
  279. >"A-Alright, away we go!" Fluttershy replies, leading the way to Canterlot's animal shelter.
  280.  
  281. >The walk to the animal shelter was quiet.
  282. >Fluttershy led the way, seeming to be caught in a mixture of emotions.
  283. >She seemed at ease to have someone to help her around the place, but still didn't know how to break the ice.
  284. >You follow her carefully, giving her enough space without seeming like you're following her like a lost puppy.
  285. >The path she leads you down takes you away from downtown Canterlot, where foot and road traffic gradually grew more sparse.
  286. >You wanted to speak up and initiate some kind of conversation with Fluttershy, but you figured it would be best to wait until you get to the shelter.
  287. >Soon enough, Fluttershy stops walking and turns toward the animal shelter.
  288. >"W-Well, here we are." Fluttershy states, still seeming nervous.
  289. >Taking a look at the large building, you take note of its faded yellow paint and the "Paws 2 Paws Animal Shelter" sign.
  290. >The windows remain intact, and the lights inside are all working.
  291. >Its age shows, but it still looks like a nice place.
  292. >You nod in approval, and Fluttershy quietly leads you inside.
  293. >A small bell rings atop the door frame as she opens the door, and you two step inside.
  294. >The interior is nicely furnished, with waiting couches and magazines for people and various pet toys.
  295. >Soft pop music fills the building and offers a nice environment.
  296. >An older woman is sitting behind the counter, and looks up upon seeing you two enter.
  297. >"Oh, hello Fluttershy!" She warmly greets her.
  298. >"Hello grace, I brought another volunteer today!" She beams, nudging you slightly.
  299. >You semi-awkwardly wave to Grace.
  300. "My name's Anonymous, but you can call me Anon."
  301. >"Well Anon, just fill out this form and you can get started!" Grace responds, pulling a clipboard with a paper and pen from under the desk.
  302. >You take the clipboard and look it over, filling it out as you go.
  303. >Basic stuff like name, phone number, home address and emergency contacts.
  304.  
  305. >Fluttershy quietly waits by the door to the side, seemingly eager to get started.
  306. >Once you've filled out the volunteer form, you hand the clipboard back to Grace, who stores it in another cabinet.
  307. >"Now that that's all done, Fluttershy will show you around!" She says, returning her focus to the computer at her desk.
  308. >You turn to Fluttershy, and she opens the door to the back and leads the way further.
  309. >She leads you to a room filled with animal kennels.
  310. >They're all separated by animal types, like dogs, cats and so on.
  311. >As Fluttershy walks in, the animals become more active in their kennels, whining and scraping the doors of their cages.
  312. >"Guys, please, calm down. I'll let you all out soon." Fluttershy reassures them, quietly.
  313. >The animals quickly become more docile, eagerly waiting for her to come to them.
  314. >She's got a real talent for handling animals.
  315. >"Can you please go get the dog food from over there?" Fluttershy asks you, motioning towards the far corner.
  316. "Right away." You nod, heading over to fetch one of the large bags.
  317. >They're easy to distinguish from each other, all being different colors and having different animals on them.
  318. >The red bag has a dog on it, and the labels talk about how healthy it is for dogs, you you put two and two together and bring that over to Fluttershy.
  319. >"Thank you, Anon." Fluttershy says warmly.
  320. >"What we do now is we let the dogs out to exercise in the little park out back while we clean the kennels and fill their food bowls." She explains.
  321. >You nod along, taking a look at the dogs in the cages.
  322. >They all look well taken care of, but there's still an element of sadness to them.
  323. >All different kinds of dogs, and they all want a home.
  324. >"I also keep an eye on the dogs while they run around outside, to make sure they all get along."
  325. "Sounds like a lot of work for one person." You note.
  326. >"It can be, but now I have a helper!" She smiles.
  327. "You can keep an eye on them outside, I'll focus on the food bowls and cleaning."
  328.  
  329. >"Oh, I can't ask that of you, Anon! It's your first day and it's pretty gross and-" Fluttershy rambles, her nervousness kicking in.
  330. "Hey, it's fine. I wouldn't have volunteered if I didn't want to get down and dirty, would I?" You interrupt her to snap her out of her worrying.
  331. >Fluttershy sighs and nods in agreement.
  332. >"...Yeah, true."
  333. "Besides, you deserve a break from the gross stuff, so you can have fun out there watching the dogs!" You add on.
  334. >Fluttershy smiles as well, looking back up at you.
  335. >"Thanks, Anon."
  336. >You help Fluttershy let the dogs out of their cages, carefully lowering them onto the ground and guiding them out to the small field in the back.
  337. >You notice that bigger dogs like Great Danes have their kennels at the bottom, with smaller dogs like Pugs at the top.
  338. >Each kennel has a name tag and date of birth attached for each dog.
  339. >Fluttershy's clearly much better at this than you, with many of the dogs being unfamiliar with you handling them.
  340. >Some of them bark at you a bit or try to wiggle out of your grasp as you lower them to the ground.
  341. >Fluttershy giggles at the display of you handling a rather rowdy Chihuahua named Dixie.
  342. >Thing's like an angry sausage with teeth.
  343. >As soon as Dixie escapes your grasp once you lower her, she sprints out the door.
  344. >"Don't worry, they'll come to like you soon!" Fluttershy reassures you.
  345. "Yeah, I'll take your word for it." You remark, smiling.
  346. >Fluttershy gets up and shows you a bottle of sanitizer spray and a small box of wipes and some gloves.
  347. >"It's pretty simple, just spray the inside of each kennel and wipe it down." she explains.
  348. "Seems manageable. You have fun out there!" You say to her, putting on the gloves and grabbing the wipes and spray.
  349. >"Please let me know if you want to switch. I don't want you to-"
  350. "Fluttershy, I insist. It's fine!" You remind her.
  351. >She heaves a heavy breath of defeat and gently waves to you as she steps outside to oversee the dogs.
  352. >You wave back and get to work.
  353.  
  354. >It's really no trouble at all.
  355. >It seems the kennels are cleaned regularly, so it would require some real effort on the dog's part to dirty them up.
  356. >A couple of them managed to make a real mess, but it's nothing you can't handle.
  357. >The job's monotonous, but easily manageable.
  358. >Within half an hour, all the kennels are cleaned as good as new.
  359. >Taking the gloves off, you wash your hands at a nearby sink to prepare dishing out the dog food.
  360. >You glimpse outside to see how Fluttershy's doing with the dogs.
  361. >She's standing near the edge of the field, watching over all the dogs as they run and play.
  362. >A gentle smile decorates her face, illuminated by the warm sun.
  363. >She looks happy.
  364. >She looks at peace.
  365. >A stark contrast to what you've seen from her at Canterlot High.
  366. >What you could see, anyway.
  367. >She's always so quiet and...
  368. >...well, shy.
  369. >The only people you see her with are Rainbow Dash and her little circle of friends.
  370. >Poor thing.
  371. >It's good that she has friends.
  372. >Canterlot High has the appearance of being all colorful and friendly, but the students can be real vicious.
  373. >So seeing her happy here is almost refreshing.
  374. >You quickly turn your attention back to the dog food to avoid being caught staring at her.
  375. >Certainly don't want to make Fluttershy uncomfortable.
  376. >The distribution of the dog food was simple as well, with each kennel having an appropriately sized bowl for each dog.
  377. >The bag of dog food is weighty, but you've handled heavier things.
  378. >A short while later, all the food is ready for the dogs.
  379. >You notice there are also water bowls in the back of each kennel, so you decide to be a star student and fill up each of them in the sink.
  380. >You shouldn't use sanitizer on them, though.
  381. >Ingesting sanitizer is generally frowned upon.
  382. >Checking the clock, it's 3:35.
  383. >You decide to go out to bring Fluttershy the good news.
  384. >The warm temperature outside contrasts with the air conditioning indoors, along with the sun shining bright.
  385.  
  386. >You notice Fluttershy set her bookbag near the door, so you set your bookbag next to hers.
  387. >You take a moment to survey the little field.
  388. >It's gotta be like thirty dogs of various ages and breeds.
  389. >Some are prancing about with other dogs of similar sizes, some are wrestling with little toys, and some are just lying around enjoying the sun.
  390. >A smile grows on your face, enjoying the joyous sight.
  391. >Fluttershy notices you from across the field, and waves you over.
  392. >You make your way over to her, making sure to not get in the way of the dogs playing around.
  393. >"Was it too much? It's okay if you want to-" She quickly says, worrying about your work load.
  394. "Oh, no, it's fine! I'm actually done!" You beam with pride.
  395. >She pauses a moment, surprised.
  396. >"...Really?"
  397. "Yup! I even had time to fill up their water bowls." You continue.
  398. >"You didn't have to do that, Anon. I could've handled it myself." Fluttershy says with slight concern.
  399. "But if I let you do everything, then I wouldn't be a very good volunteer." You note.
  400. >She smiles, turning back to the dogs.
  401. >"Thank you, Anon. It can be so much work on my own."
  402. "You're welcome, Fluttershy." You smile back at her.
  403. "What's next on the to-do list?"
  404. >"Well...I usually let them run around until 4, so you can do your homework or something to pass the time."
  405. "Hm...I think I'd rather get to know you better." You smirk at her.
  406. >She blushes slightly.
  407. >"Wh-what?"
  408. "Well, I figure that if we're gonna be co-volunteers, we should try to be friends." You nudge her slightly.
  409. >"B-But what about your homework?"
  410. "Oh, I don't really have any tonight. Just some worksheets for Chemistry."
  411. >She nods, her cheeks still slightly pink.
  412. >"A-Alright then."
  413. "So...what do you do for fun, Fluttershy?"
  414. >"Well...I...just kinda...spend most of my time here, actually." She sheepishly admits.
  415. >You laugh a bit and nod along.
  416. >"Wh-What's so funny?" She's quick to ask.
  417. "I just should've guessed. You've got a real knack for handling animals." You explain.
  418.  
  419. >Fluttershy seems much more defensive now.
  420. >"A-And what's so wrong with that?" She asks, trying her hardest to be stern.
  421. "Nothing! It's a nice hobby!" You defend, putting your hands up.
  422. >She pauses for a moment, and exhales a built-up breath.
  423. >"I'm sorry, Anon. I just...people...say things about me..."
  424. >Fluttershy looks away.
  425. "Don't worry, I understand." You assure her.
  426. >Slowly, she smiles back at you.
  427. >"So what about you?"
  428. "Hm?"
  429. >"What do you like to do for fun?"
  430. >You pause for a moment.
  431. >You're gonna look really lame saying all you do is play video games and watch movies.
  432. >Especially compared with the ever-charitable Fluttershy.
  433. "Uh...well, I...kinda..."
  434. >"Anon, I promise I won't judge you." She giggles slightly.
  435. >Feeling your cheeks glow slightly, you nod and look back at her.
  436. "I'm into movies...and, uh...video games."
  437. >"Hm, what kind of movies?"
  438. "Anything, really. I've got a wide palate for film."
  439. >She nods, taking that into account.
  440. >"...What's your favorite movie?"
  441. "Army of Darkness, easily." You reply, grinning.
  442. >"Army of Darkness? I've never heard of that before, what's it about?" Fluttershy asks, puzzled.
  443. "It's about a guy with a chainsaw for a hand getting transported back to medieval times to defeat an army of undead." You explain to her.
  444. >She mulls the concept over in her head, trying to picture what the movie would be like.
  445. >"Sounds like something Rainbow Dash would like."
  446. "Oh, there's something in it for everyone. Fun for the whole family!" You joke, getting a giggle from her.
  447. >"I'll take your word for it." She grins, quoting you from earlier.
  448. >You two share a small laugh before turning your attention back to the dogs.
  449. >After all, they're why you're here at all.
  450. >They're all getting along fine, but the dogs look more tired now from all the playing and running around.
  451. >Fluttershy is much more at ease with you now than before you arrived here.
  452.  
  453. >4 PM came, so you help Fluttershy bring all the dogs back to their kennel.
  454. >There's some slight resistance from them, wanting to stay outside more and keep playing.
  455. >It tugs your heartstrings, but it's gotta be done.
  456. >Dixie proves to be troublesome again, trying to wiggle out of your grasp as you put her back in her kennel.
  457. >Glancing over, you see Fluttershy handling the dogs with much more grace.
  458. >She gingerly guides them back into their kennel, softly petting them as they enter.
  459. >You could learn a thing or two from her.
  460. >Once all the dogs are safely stored inside their makeshift homes, Fluttershy scans the rows of kennels, assessing your work.
  461. >When she reaches the end, she smiles at you.
  462. >"The kennels look great! Good job, Anon!" She praises you.
  463. >You can't help but smile in response.
  464. "Happy to help." You reply, trying to stay humble.
  465. >"It really is nice to have an extra pair of hands here. Those dog food bags can be so heavy!" She huffs.
  466. "Yeah, I can imagine. That's strength training paying off!" You remark, flexing your arm for added effect.
  467. >She laughs along a bit.
  468. "So what's next?"
  469. >"Now we let the cats out so they can exercise. They're generally easier to manage, but their fur gets everywhere." She warns you.
  470. >"You should probably take off that jacket of yours." Fluttershy says, motioning towards your signature varsity jacket.
  471. "Thanks, but I'll live." You reply, dusting it off a bit.
  472. >"Are you sure? It looks really nice and I don't want it to get dirty or ruined."
  473. >She's clearly concerned.
  474. "Don't worry, it's nothing a trip through the washing machine can't handle." You assure her.
  475. >"Okay, then let's go get the kitties!" She says as boldly as she can, leading you along.
  476. >You follow her further through the animal shelter.
  477. >The cat section isn't too far away, but far enough to not be causing trouble with the dogs.
  478.  
  479. >The setup is similar to the room where the dogs are kept, except that all the kennels are the same size due to the lack of size variation in cats.
  480. >There's another room directly connected to this one, but nicely furnished and containing cat toys.
  481. >"The cats are much easier, we just let them roam around in this room while the kennels are cleaned." Fluttershy explained.
  482. >That makes sense.
  483. "So, same deal?"
  484. >"Anon, it's your first day. I really don't want you to just clean up after them all day here."
  485. >She's really stubborn about this, isn't she?
  486. >You sigh, looking at her.
  487. "All this seems like a lot of work. I just want you to have a break from cleaning for once."
  488. >"I know... but if you do all the cleaning today and I spend all my time with the animals, I'll feel really bad..." She pouted.
  489. >Yeah, you get that.
  490. "...You're sure it's no trouble?"
  491. >"Not at all! You could get to know the kitties better!"
  492. >Fluttershy's standing right in front of the cleaning materials.
  493. "...Fine, just let me know if you need any help." You sigh, relenting.
  494. >"I will!"
  495. >"But first we gotta get the kitties into the other room."
  496. "Sounds like herding cats to me." You remark.
  497. >That gets a small laugh to her, turning her attention back to the cats.
  498. >"It's easier than that. They like being in the playroom."
  499. >Fluttershy's claim was soon proven when you opened the door to the playroom, as the cats darted right inside, eagerly claiming cat toys and scratching posts.
  500. >"Just keep an eye on them in there, I can handle the cleaning."
  501. "Last chance to get a helping hand." You warn her with a grin.
  502. >"Anon..."
  503. "Going once!"
  504. >"It's really..."
  505. "Going twice!"
  506. >She puffs up her chest and puts her hands on her hips.
  507. >"A-As your leading volunteer, I order you to play with the kitties!" Fluttershy insisted, trying to be more bold.
  508. >She's being really cute, so you comply.
  509. "Aye aye, Captain."
  510. >You wave to her before quickly entering the room and closing the door behind you so that none of the cats escaped.
  511.  
  512. >Managing the cats is probably the easiest job you've ever been assigned.
  513. >They're all either laying around or scratching the posts, with only a few interacting.
  514. >Worst case scenario is you'd have to break up a fight between two cats.
  515. >The cats still see you as an outsider, so they seldom come up to you.
  516. >You sit against the wall, overseeing the group of cats while also having a view of Fluttershy cleaning the kennels in the other room.
  517. >You try to avoid looking at her too much, not only to avoid creeping her out but also because your main priority is the animal group.
  518. >What glimpses you could catch of her showed that she clearly knows what she's doing.
  519. >Fluttershy shows great care and precision as she wipes down the inside of the kennels.
  520. >She really does look at home at this animal rescue.
  521. >Certainly more so than at Canterlot High.
  522. >You notice there's a cat toy at the end of a stick sitting beside you, so you decide to be a more entertaining host.
  523. >Waving the toy around quickly grabs the attention of several cats, activating their predator instinct as their eyes lock onto the waving object before them.
  524. >Surprisingly, the cats take turns lunging for the toy and pawing at it.
  525. >Maybe they want to avoid fights too.
  526. >Makes your job easier.
  527. >It makes for an incredibly entertaining show, and it helps the cats warm up to you.
  528. >The cats do get tired eventually, and take to resting on your lap or by your legs.
  529. >Not wanting to scare them off, you carefully stroke the backs of the cats resting near you, trying to give each cat an equal amount of attention.
  530. >There's like five cats and you've only got two hands.
  531. >Life is Hell, truly.
  532. >You hear the door open and close, and looking up indicates Fluttershy's joined you with the cats.
  533. >"I see you're making new friends." She remarks.
  534. >You're trapped by the cats resting on you, so all you carefully respond to not bother them too much.
  535. "Yup, they're a friendly bunch once they got comfortable with me."
  536.  
  537. >Fluttershy sits down next to you, and a small herd of cats quickly rest near her.
  538. "You know, I'm almost jealous of how much these animals like you." You joke.
  539. >"Don't worry! I'm sure they'll come to love you too!" Fluttershy reassures you.
  540. >You smile and turn back to petting the cats.
  541. "What's your favorite movie, Fluttershy?" You ask her.
  542. >She pauses for a moment, trying to pick an answer.
  543. >This must be a tough question, as she puts her finger on her chin, furrowing her brow.
  544. >"The Lion King!" She eventually answers.
  545. >You nod approvingly at her choice.
  546. >"It's always been close to my heart. I still get emotional when Mufasa dies..."
  547. >You can imagine.
  548. >"...Hey, you said you were into video games, right?" She asks you.
  549. "Yeah, I did." You reply, turning to face her.
  550. >"Well, I kinda...play some too..."
  551. "Oh really? Like what?"
  552. >She hesitates for a moment before answering.
  553. >A slight look of concern covers her face.
  554. >"Have you heard of...Undertale..?"
  555. >You smile at her.
  556. "Of course, that's a great game!"
  557. >Her expression immediately brightens.
  558. >"Oh, it's so wonderful! It's so funny and cute!" She quickly rambles.
  559. >This is probably the most active you've ever seen her.
  560. >"Whose your favorite character? Mine is Toriel!"
  561. "Hm...I like Papyrus!" You somewhat awkwardly answer.
  562. >"Oooh, he's fun too!"
  563. >"I really like how you can be nice to everyone you come across!"
  564. >"And I just LOVE the music! It's all so catchy and memorable and unique!"
  565. >She rambles on about Undertale and you get swept up in her infectious joy.
  566. >You smile warmly at her as she talks, but suddenly she covers her mouth.
  567. >"I-I'm talking too much, aren't I?" She asks, slightly embarrassed.
  568. "Not at all! I like seeing you come out of your shell!" You reassure her.
  569. >Fluttershy uncovers her mouth and smiles back at you.
  570. >"Thank you, Anon."
  571. >"It's really nice to have someone else helping out around here."
  572. >This makes you slightly concerned.
  573. "Surely there are other volunteers that come over?"
  574.  
  575. >Fluttershy looks down, her sadness returning.
  576. >She mumbles something to herself.
  577. "Uh...I couldn't hear you..."
  578. >"Y-You're the only one...who...came to help..."
  579. >You come to match her glum mood.
  580. "...Well, what about your friends? Rainbow? Twilight? Surely they can help?"
  581. >She shakes her hanging head.
  582. >"Rainbow Dash has to focus on soccer, Pinkie is always planning a party or baking, Rarity has her work as a seamstress, Applejack has work on her family farm, and Twilight and Sunset keep disappearing to who knows where..."
  583. >"Sometimes they can help out for a day, but... you're the first to... want to volunteer here."
  584. >She hides her face in her knees.
  585. >You're not sure you're close enough to her to warrant physical contact, so you better play it safe.
  586. "...Hey, who's your favorite cat in this room?"
  587. >She looks up again, wiping away a few tears.
  588. >"Huh?"
  589. "Out of all the cats in this room, if you could adopt one, which one would you pick?"
  590. >"I-I don't have a favorite. It wouldn't be fair to the rest." She explains.
  591. >You give her an incredulous look.
  592. "...I don't believe you."
  593. >A smile spreads across Fluttershy's face, despite how she tries to hide it.
  594. >"Ohhhh, alright. If I had to pick one..."
  595. >Her eyes search the room, but landing near your right thigh.
  596. >"Graham Cracker."
  597. >The cat she's motioning to is a slightly young light brown tabby cat resting beside you.
  598. "Oh, really? What makes her special?"
  599. >"She's the nicest. She never bothers any of the other kitties or steals their toys. She's so soft too!"
  600. >Petting Graham Cracker a few times, you agree.
  601. >"I guess you've gotta wait longer before you can pick a favorite." She giggles.
  602. "Don't worry, I'm sure one will stick out." You reply, smiling.
  603. >Fluttershy checks the time, and the clock reads 4:45.
  604. >"Now we gotta get the kitties back inside their kennels." She informs you.
  605. "Oh, but they're so peaceful resting here." You plead.
  606. "I'm kind of trapped here, there's nothing I can do." You say as you motion to the cats.
  607.  
  608. >Fluttershy nods in agreement, smiling
  609. >"Don't worry, I'll help."
  610. >With great reluctance, the cats are removed from your being and placed back in their kennels.
  611. >Again, they're much easier to handle than the dogs.
  612. >Some do have attitudes however, and display their displeasure through clinging to you with their incredibly sharp claws.
  613. >Your varsity jacket does provide protection against their claws, but you do get pinched every now and again.
  614. >Once again, Fluttershy proves to be much better at handling the cats.
  615. >None of them claw at her, which is good, as her forearms aren't protected as yours are.
  616. >She's much more gentle and graceful at lifting and carrying the cats, especially compared to you.
  617. >You never had a pet cat growing up.
  618. >Once the cats were returned to their little cells, Fluttershy leads you to another room.
  619. >This room was slightly smaller, and didn't have kennels in it.
  620. >Instead, there was a small pen and plastic "boxes" and tubes.
  621. >You can hear slight squeaking coming from the plastic tubes, and rustling coming from the small pen.
  622. >"Here are where all the rabbits and mice are kept. They're easy to take care of. Just give them more food and water and clean up their messes." Fluttershy explained.
  623. >You nod along, thinking it should be simpler than the earlier jobs.
  624. >Well, job.
  625. >"These guys are really small and can be really fast, so you should stay back and watch me do it so no one escapes."
  626. "Fluttershy, I don't think you understand what having a co-volunteer entails." You remark.
  627. >"Anon, I know you're trying to help, b-but I think it's best for me to lead and show you how to do all this." She sighs.
  628. >Maybe you shouldn't be so pushy.
  629. >She is the expert, after all.
  630. "You're right, I'm sorry." You sheepishly reply.
  631. >"It's okay, I do appreciate that you want to help."
  632. >Without much more ado, she grabs a few bags and leads you over to the pen.
  633. >Inside the pen is a group of about 15 rabbits, of various sizes and colors.
  634.  
  635. >"These little guys are easy. They'll give you space to refill their food bowls and clean up." Fluttershy informs you.
  636. >You try to gently pet one of them, but it scurries away, back to the far end of the pen.
  637. >"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll warm up to you eventually." She says to offer comfort.
  638. >Nodding along, you back away from the pen a bit to avoid scaring them further.
  639. >"You'll like the bunnies. They're really nice and they don't bicker with each other." Fluttershy beams.
  640. >Just by looking at the rabbits, you can tell they trust her.
  641. >You imagine they've known her for most their life.
  642. >"Now, watch closely:"
  643. >You stand just behind her as she carefully fills each food bowl with rabbit kibble.
  644. >Each bowl is almost precisely filled, and you notice each bowl is individually labelled for each rabbit in the pen.
  645. >All of them are colored blue, purple, yellow or pink.
  646. >There are typical water containers for rabbits near the bowls, which she quickly fills up with alkaline water from the refrigerator across the room.
  647. >Once she's done, Fluttershy moves over to the mice containers.
  648. >Without acknowledging you, she opens a small door on top of a fairly large room in the mouse maze and removes several food bowls.
  649. >She swiftly closes the door and grabs a smaller bag from a nearby cabinet.
  650. >Again, Fluttershy fills the small bowls with the special mouse food, and replaces them in the maze within the blink of an eye.
  651. >Unlike the rabbit pen, there are water dispensers attached throughout the maze and not crowded near the food.
  652. >You imagine the mice are more belligerent than the rabbits.
  653. >Fluttershy puts the bag back in the cabinet and sits by the rabbit pen, idly petting them as they come closer to her.
  654. >Looks like she's lost in her own little world.
  655. >The more this goes on, the more awkward you feel.
  656. >Shifting slightly, you clear your throat and speak up.
  657.  
  658. "So, uh, what's next?"
  659. >Fluttershy jumps slightly at hearing your voice, turning back to face you.
  660. >"Oh, uh, n-nothing, really. Y-You can go home now if you want."
  661. >You squint slightly.
  662. "What are you gonna do now?"
  663. >"I'll be here until about 7..."
  664. "If there's more stuff that needs to be done then I'd be happy to-"
  665. >"N-No, it's just... I'd rather be here..."
  666. >This plants a seed of concern within you.
  667. "...Is everything okay, Fluttershy?"
  668. >"Yeah, I just... I don't know... feel safe here."
  669. >You better not intrude or make her feel unsafe.
  670. "Well, I'd hate to be a bother, so I'll head home, then."
  671. >A panicked face quickly covers Fluttershy's visage.
  672. >"I-I-I'm sorry, Anon. You're not a bother, I promise!"
  673. >She quickly runs up to you, blocking your path to the front door.
  674. "Hey, don't worry, I understand!" You reassure her.
  675. >She's not swayed.
  676. >"I'm really glad you could help today, and I-I don't want to make you feel unwelcome..."
  677. "I just don't want to intrude, Fluttershy. You're really nice and I had a great time here today, and I really don't want to make you feel unsafe."
  678. >You notice you're slightly closer to her now.
  679. >She looks down at her boots, then shyly meets your gaze.
  680. >"...Okay..."
  681. >There's another awkward silence between you two, filled only by the slight sounds coming from the rabbits and mice.
  682. "So...same time tomorrow?"
  683. >She perks up noticeably.
  684. >"H-Huh?"
  685. "I volunteered, didn't I? I've got nothing better to do, so I might as well spend my time doing some good in the community." You beam.
  686. >A smile grows across Fluttershy's face.
  687. >"...Thank you, Anon. I've never had a volunteer like you before."
  688. >You nod at her, share a smile, and Fluttershy suddenly realizes something.
  689. >"O-Our backpacks are still outside!"
  690. >You smack your head in realization.
  691. "Oh shoot, you're right!"
  692. >Quickly rushing past the room of now docile hounds, you two are relieved to find your backpacks where you left them.
  693. >Sighing in relief, you throw your backpack over your shoulder.
  694.  
  695. >Fluttershy grips the straps of her backpack, standing up and trying to appear bold.
  696. >"Y-You ready to go home?"
  697. "Yeah, just about." You reply.
  698. >She nods and leads you back out to the entrance room.
  699. >Without her, you'd surely have gotten lost in this surprisingly maze-like building.
  700. >On the way out, you catch a glimpse of the time on a hanging clock.
  701. >6:00
  702. >God damn, time flies when you have fun.
  703. >Grace is still where you last saw her: behind her desk, clicking away at the computer.
  704. >She looks up at the sound of the door opening, and her spirits lift upon seeing you two.
  705. >"Did you enjoy your time here today?" Grace asks.
  706. "Yeah, I'm glad I came!" You happily reply.
  707. >Fluttershy beams as well, standing close to you.
  708. >"Anon's been really helpful!" She adds.
  709. "I should be heading home now. I've still got homework to do and I haven't eaten since 11."
  710. >Fluttershy wastes no time in getting concerned again.
  711. >"Oh no, I'm sorry, I should've-"
  712. "Hey, no worries, I'll just pack a snack tomorrow!" You're quick to interject.
  713. >Fluttershy calms down again, moving in front of you again.
  714. >"...You promise to come again tomorrow?"
  715. "Scout's honor!" You respond, holding up three fingers in a mock-salute.
  716. >She giggles slightly, and lets you walk past her to the door.
  717. >You turn back to see Fluttershy and Grace one last time for the day.
  718. >They're both in a good mood, at least on the outside.
  719. >You wave goodbye to the two, slightly opening the door as you do.
  720. >As the warm air hits you once more, you can hear Fluttershy gently bid you farewell.
  721. >Closing the door behind you, you open up the Mapp on your phone to guide your way home.
  722. >The sun's gently setting in the distance, and birds can be heard chirping as they fly freely.
  723. >A quick search through your backpack indicates that not only did none of the dogs ruin the contents of your backpack, but your earbuds are where you left them.
  724. >You choose a song to accompany you as you walk home.
  725. >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiiWwwDpxvo
  726.  
  727. --FLUTTERSHY--
  728. >You're standing by the window, watching Anon walk home.
  729. >Today was a good day.
  730. >Mr. Number Cruncher gave you a B+ for last week's algebra test.
  731. >Hoops got in trouble with Vice Principal Luna before he could be mean to you.
  732. >Twilight is able to stay for a few weeks.
  733. >And you actually got a new volunteer to help out!
  734. >Anon's really nice.
  735. >He's pretty funny too.
  736. >...Were you talkative today?
  737. >You feel like you talked more to him than to someone else you're meeting for the first time.
  738. >Maybe because he was here.
  739. >It's safe here.
  740. >The dogs and cats and other critters are really nice.
  741. >Much nicer than the other students at Canterlot.
  742. >Angel doesn't spread rumors about you.
  743. >Oh shoot, Angel!
  744. >You hastily take off your backpack and zip it open, to find Angel perfectly healthy.
  745. >But he's awfully upset.
  746. >You rush over to the rabbit room and after carefully setting down your backpack on a table, you get a carrot from the fridge.
  747. >He gets out of your backpack and sits on the table.
  748. "I'm so, so, so sorry, Angel." You hastily apologize.
  749. >He doesn't budge.
  750. >You try to offer him the carrot but he turns away.
  751. "Angel, please eat. It's important to stay healthy!" You insist.
  752. >You place the carrot in front of him.
  753. >You're gonna make sure he eats, so you carefully sit down next to the table.
  754. >After a couple minutes, he finally relents and starts nibbling on the carrot.
  755. >You sigh gently in relief, and get out your history textbook to study.
  756. >There's a quiz on Napoleon's reign in two days, and you wanna be prepared.
  757. >...It's a lot of reading.
  758. >So many dates.
  759. >So many names.
  760. >...It's really boring, too.
  761. >After about ten minutes, you sigh exasperatedly and set the book aside, rubbing your eyes.
  762. >How can Twilight remember all this and more?
  763. >Maybe she has some study tips.
  764. >She could help you study!
  765. >You gotta do well in classes.
  766. >Your parents are given enough grief by Zephyr Wind.
  767. >...Maybe Anon could help?
  768. >He'll be here tomorrow anyway.
  769.  
  770. >Yeah! He could help!
  771. >You'll get finished taking care of the animals sooner than usual with an extra pair of hands, so you could use that time to study!
  772. >Anon wouldn't mind, surely.
  773. >He was antsy to help today.
  774. >Oh, you should tell the girls how today went.
  775. >Opening your phone, you see the group chat's fairly active.
  776. >Pinkie's going on about the birthday parties she's planning.
  777. >Sunset and Rarity are talking about idle gossip.
  778. >Nothing mean, just general news around school.
  779. >Rainbow's bragging about how great she is at soccer, with Applejack offering comments every now and again.
  780. >Twilight must still be having trouble with technology.
  781. [What did I miss?] You text, making your presence known.
  782. >[Nothing much, just how amazing I was during practice today] Rainbow is quick to respond.
  783. >Applejack sends an annoyed emoji.
  784. >[How was your day, FS?] Rarity asks.
  785. [It was great! Someone actually volunteered to help at the animal shelter!]
  786. >[That's great!! Who was it?] Sunset texts.
  787. [His name's Anon.]
  788. >[OOOH! I know him! His birthday was a few months ago!] Pinkie adds.
  789. >[Sounds like he was helpful] Applejack texts.
  790. [He was! We were able to get done much sooner!]
  791. >[That's wonderful, darling. I'm sorry we can't be more helpful.] Rarity texts.
  792. [It's okay, you all are busy anyway]
  793. >[But we're still your friends! Friends help each other!] Sunset insists.
  794. >Twilight taught her well.
  795. >A few minutes go by of you texting the group about other stuff that happened today.
  796. >Other than Anon helping you, it's been a normal day.
  797. >You're interrupted by Angel dropping the end of the carrot in your lap.
  798. "Oh, sorry Angel!" You say to him, tossing it away in a separate compost bin.
  799. >When you turn back, he's sitting right behind your history textbook.
  800. >You sigh in defeat, knowing you've gotta get back to studying.
  801. "...You're right, back to work."
  802. >Setting your phone aside, you get back to reading.
  803. >Rubbing your eyes to stay awake, you flip through page after page.
  804.  
  805. >You yawn after a little while, which makes you confused.
  806. >Why are you yawning?
  807. >You're not that tired.
  808. >You could really use Anon's help.
  809. >He could help make this less boring.
  810. >But you soldier on.
  811. >You continue to fight your boredom and after about half an hour, you're done reading the chapter.
  812. >You take a look at the time, and see that it's 7:13.
  813. >Time to head home.
  814. >You get up and put the textbook carefully back in your backpack, not wanting your backpack to get disorganized.
  815. >Angel's still upset when you look over to him.
  816. "Come on, time to head home." You say to him.
  817. >He looks away.
  818. "Please? I'm sorry for leaving you in my backpack."
  819. >Still nothing.
  820. "I'll give you a treat when we get home, okay?"
  821. >That gets his attention.
  822. >Angel eagerly jumps into your backpack, but he's still got an expression of concern on his face.
  823. "I promise I won't do that again." You say to him.
  824. >As Angel nuzzles inside, you carefully zip it back up, making sure his ears don't get caught.
  825. >Once it's secure, you fasten the backpack on your back and start to head home.
  826. >Grace is still by the computer, but she looks less tired now.
  827. >"I'm glad you got someone to help you around here. It's a lot for one person." Grace remarks.
  828. >You nod in agreement.
  829. "I didn't really get him to help, he just...decided to help."
  830. >She shrugs and returns to her work.
  831. >She's gotta stay here until 8.
  832. >It must be exhausting.
  833. >"See you tomorrow, Fluttershy!" She warmly bids farewell.
  834. "Have a nice evening!" You reply, heading out the door.
  835. >Walking out, the sky's painted in a beautiful variety of colors.
  836. >The sun's just over the horizon, offering a small amount of light before it finally sets.
  837. >Canterlot is much quieter now, with only a few people out and about.
  838. >It's very peaceful.
  839. >As you stroll home, a few birds and squirrels keep you company as you walk home.
  840. >It feels very refreshing to have extra help at the animal shelter.
  841. >For the first time in a long time, you're looking forward to tomorrow.
  842.  
  843. >Flash forward to lunch the next day.
  844. >You're sitting in between Rainbow and Rarity as you eat your lunch.
  845. >It's a simple BLT, packed at home.
  846. >The girls are talking about stuff like classes and their music, but you're more distant.
  847. >You add in where you can, but it's all stuff you're not familiar with.
  848. >Rainbow's soccer, Rarity's clothes, Applejack's farm work, and whatever Twilight and Sunset do.
  849. >You've been thinking about your time at the animal shelter today.
  850. >And how Anon is gonna help you study.
  851. >...He just doesn't know it yet.
  852. >Glancing around the cafeteria, you finally see Anon sitting at a table somewhat nearby, with Norman and some other students.
  853. >You think they're Flash's band-mates.
  854. >Flash always comes over here to sit next to Twilight.
  855. >He's not a bother, but he can be a bit much sometimes.
  856. >You can just make out what Anon and Norman are saying.
  857. >"Dude, I get it, you finally beat Final Fantasy VII." Norman can be heard saying.
  858. >"What's wrong with taking pride in one's work?" Anon responds, throwing up his hands in mock defense.
  859. >"You beat it over a week ago!"
  860. >"So? You still haven't!"
  861. >"I've been busy with more important stuff."
  862. >"Like your weed dealer's current rate?"
  863. >"That's unrelated!"
  864. >"Beating a 30 plus hour RPG is way more commendable than smoking weed all day."
  865. >"I'm gonna be surprised if you don't put that on your business card later in life."
  866. >"Oh, please."
  867. >"I can see it now: Anonymous, cell phone, work phone, 'Free Estimates', 'I beat Final Fantasy VII'."
  868. >You're interrupted by Rainbow waving her arm in front of your eyes.
  869. >"Helloooooo, Earth to Fluttershyyyyyyyy" Rainbow draws out.
  870. >You shake your head and turn your attention back to the group.
  871. >Various looks from concern to amusement are seen across the table.
  872. >You can feel your cheeks burn slightly.
  873.  
  874. >"Isn't that your new helper over there?" Rainbow asks, motioning to Anon.
  875. "Um, yeah, t-that's him..." You meekly respond.
  876. >"What new helper?" Twilight asks, still not knowing what happened yesterday.
  877. >"Fluttershy has a crush on Anon." Rainbow quickly states with a grin.
  878. >Your eyes shoot open in shock, as do everyone else's.
  879. "No I don't! He's just helping volunteer at the animal shelter!" You insist with burning cheeks.
  880. >Rainbow laughs, and Applejack and Rarity share a chuckle.
  881. >"Oh, I know, just wanted to tease you a little bit." Rainbow says, elbowing you slightly.
  882. >You relax back into your seat, your cheeks still red.
  883. >"Well, I'm happy for you, Fluttershy! You deserve a break from all that work!" Twilight commends, undeterred by Rainbow's interjection.
  884. "Thank you, Twilight." You say, smiling.
  885. >"Ah know you say ya understand us bein' busy all the time, but ah really do wanna help you out when ah can." Applejack adds.
  886. >"Yeah! Maybe we could throw an anniversary party! That could get people to want to help out!" Pinkie cheered.
  887. "I appreciate it, really. But I don't want to pressure you to do more than you can. You're all great friends already." You insist.
  888. >Flash nods along.
  889. >"I'd volunteer if I didn't have a band I need to constantly practice with." He defends.
  890. >Sounds about right.
  891. "Besides, Hoops, Dumb-bell and Score haven't been bothering me as much thanks to you all." You say, trying to ignore the knot in your stomach caused by the mention of their names.
  892. >"Yeah! We'll never let anyone hurt you!" Applejack adds.
  893. >Sunset looks away.
  894. "Oh, no offense, Sunset. That's all water under the bridge." You reassure her.
  895. >She nods, but still looks ashamed.
  896. >Not too long after, the bell rings.
  897. >The lunch room clears fairly quickly, and you get up to grab your bag.
  898. >Before you leave, you feel Rarity grab your shoulder.
  899. >"You know, if you're looking for a boyfriend, you can certainly do worse than him." She whispers, motioning to Anon.
  900.  
  901. >You shake your head, trying to hide your embarrassment.
  902. "It's not like that, Rarity. He's just a friend." You insist, ignoring the burning in your cheeks.
  903. >She raises an eyebrow at you.
  904. >"Is that so? Then why were you staring at him earlier?"
  905. >You try to hide behind your hair, but to no avail.
  906. "I was j-just thinking about how he's g-gonna help me study later today, once we're done with cleaning at the animal shelter."
  907. >Rarity continues to peer at you.
  908. "He...uh...might not know t-that...uh...he's gonna be...helping me study..."
  909. >Rarity tries to hide her smirk behind her hand, remaining dignified.
  910. >"Oh Fluttershy, where would you be without friends like us?"
  911. >You sigh, hanging your head.
  912. >You feel Rarity's hand on your shoulder, offering reassurance.
  913. >"If he's as nice as you said he is, I'm sure he wouldn't mind helping you!"
  914. >You nod, looking up to meet her gaze.
  915. "Thanks, Rarity."
  916. >"I need to be going now, talk to you later, darling!" Rarity says as she heads off to her class.
  917. "See you later." You meekly respond, drowned out partially by the other students in the halls.
  918. >You should be going too.
  919. >As you walk to class, you think more about after school.
  920. >...Anon's gonna come today too, right?
  921. >He said he would.
  922. >"Scout's honor" were his exact words.
  923. >...What if he has a ton of homework?
  924. >What if he'd rather hang out with his friends?
  925. >Were you much for him yesterday?
  926. >You were kinda pushy in making sure he didn't have to help.
  927. >Maybe he thought you didn't want him around.
  928. >And he still doesn't know that you want him to help you study.
  929. >And you can't tell him until after school.
  930. >That is, if he shows up...
  931. >...He might not want to.
  932. >He only signed up for volunteering to help the animals, not you.
  933. >You shouldn't take advantage of his kindness.
  934. >What if he doesn't want to see you again?
  935. >You can feel your heart racing, so you stop walking and take a deep breath.
  936. >Overthinking isn't gonna help.
  937. >All you can do is wait and see what happens after school.
  938.  
  939. >You ended up getting to Algebra class a few minutes late.
  940. >Ms. Harshwhinny scolded you a bit, but still let you get to your seat without any more punishment.
  941. >Your mind was too preoccupied with after school to worry about your classmates think.
  942. >Algebra went by slowly but surely.
  943. >Your last class of the day is History.
  944. >Ms. Cheerilee went over the material a bit more.
  945. >You really try to get it down.
  946. >Taking notes would give Anon something to quiz you with later today.
  947. >It's all so much.
  948. >Glancing around the room, it seems like everyone else is getting the material down much easier than you.
  949. >You put your head down and scribble some more notes, trying to ignore the growing feeling of worry in your gut.
  950. >Ms. Cheerilee's voice fades out and is replaced by your inner thoughts.
  951. >Suddenly, the final bells rings, and every other student in the room rushes for the door.
  952. >Ms. Cheerilee quickly reminds everyone of the quiz tomorrow, but to little avail.
  953. >You gather your notes and place them back in your backpack.
  954. >You left Angel at home today.
  955. >You figure he's still upset about yesterday.
  956. >Making your way out the front doors, you wait by the horse statue for Anon.
  957. >You also retrieve the packet of pink fliers on the animal shelter from your backpack to hand out.
  958. >5 minutes go by, and you can't find Anon in the crowd of people.
  959. >Everyone else looks right past you as they head home.
  960. >15 minutes go by, and as usual, no one comes up to you and volunteers.
  961. >Anon's still not here.
  962. >...
  963. >You hang your head in defeat.
  964. >You knew it.
  965. >You pushed him away too much yesterday.
  966. >He was only trying to be nice.
  967. >You push the fliers back in your backpack and head off for the animal shelter.
  968. >Alone.
  969. >You can already feel a few tears welling up in your eyes.
  970. >Maybe you should-
  971. >"Hey, leaving without me?"
  972. >Your head whips around to face the familiar voice.
  973. >It's Anon, standing by the statue in the same varsity jacket!
  974. >Wiping away the few tears, you quickly rush over to greet him.
  975.  
  976. >As you come closer to Anon, your mind starts to race again.
  977. >How are you gonna great him?
  978. >Your first instinct is to hug him, but you two really only started talking yesterday.
  979. >Would he think it's weird?
  980. >What's he gonna do?
  981. >When you're close enough to shake his hand, Anon awkwardly stuff his hands in his pockets and smiles at you.
  982. >"Hey Fluttershy, I'm really sorry for being late. I had to help Pipsqueak put some stuff away in the weight lifting room." He explains.
  983. "Oh, i-it's okay! I'm just glad you came." You reply.
  984. >You decide to initiate more conversation as you two walk to Paws 2 Paws.
  985. "So...weight lifting." You state.
  986. >"Yeah, that's something I decided to start doing this year. I wanted to put some meat on my bones." He replies, flexing his arm for effect.
  987. >You can't really see any noticeable difference, but you smile and nod nonetheless.
  988. "How's that been going?"
  989. >"It's fun! It's good to be physical and active, especially after a long day of sitting in those awful chairs." Anon happily responds.
  990. >"Although it can be a bit intimidating being surrounded by all those strong football players and wrestlers, but that's why I've got Pipsqueak."
  991. >You're somewhat familiar with Pipsqueak.
  992. >He's a really small freshman, but he's nice.
  993. >"What's your favorite class?" Anon asks you.
  994. "Oh, art."
  995. >"That's neat! What are you doing now?"
  996. >You know he's trying to be nice, but when it comes to your personal projects, you can't help but feel a little interrogated.
  997. "Oh, uh...j-just landscapes."
  998. >Anon nods, not prodding any further.
  999. >A moment of silence is shared as you two walk to the shelter, filled slightly by the ambience of downtown Canterlot.
  1000. "Hey, uh...I'm sorry about yesterday..." You finally speak up.
  1001. >Anon turns to you, confused.
  1002. >"Why?"
  1003. "I just...you wanted to help, and I kept pushing you away..."
  1004. >"Hey, that's no big deal, you're the expert and it's important that I lean what to do from you!"
  1005.  
  1006. >Anon's just trying to be nice, surely.
  1007. "Still, I should've let you help more."
  1008. >"I helped plenty! I learned a lot yesterday!"
  1009. "I forgot you were still with me when I fed the rabbits and mice..."
  1010. >"I was still learning!"
  1011. >He's really trying to help you feel better.
  1012. >Maybe you should let him help.
  1013. >You hang your head, looking away from him.
  1014. "You're right..."
  1015. >Anon steps in front of you, looking you in the eyes.
  1016. >"Hey, I enjoyed our time together yesterday, and I'm happy I spent my time at the shelter." He insists.
  1017. >You remain hiding behind your hair, but he continues.
  1018. >"Besides, I've struggled with first impressions before, and you didn't ruin yours."
  1019. >After more reassurances, you find it in yourself to meet his gaze, awkwardly shuffling your foot.
  1020. "...C-Can I ask you something?"
  1021. >"Sure!"
  1022. >You gulp before asking.
  1023. "...W-Why do you want to...v-volunteer?"
  1024. >He smiles a bit before responding.
  1025. >"I just need something to do with my free time. I was rotting at home, wasting my youth on dumb stuff. Plus it's nice to spend time with dogs and cats, and you make good company."
  1026. >You feel a slight blush cross your cheeks.
  1027. "Thanks, Anon."
  1028. >You two continue to walk to Paws 2 Paws, guiding him through roads familiar to you.
  1029. >Out of the corner of your eye, you can see Anon looking around, taking in the view.
  1030. >He must not live around here.
  1031. >Luckily, you live only ten minutes away, which is why your parents let you stay until 7:30.
  1032. >You really hope he isn't getting in trouble for staying out so long.
  1033. >You also hope he packed something to eat.
  1034. >You generally don't eat a lot, but he's more active than you.
  1035. >But when you look back at Anon, you notice he's looking at you, but quickly looks away when your eyes meet.
  1036. >Your eyes dart away in the other direction, taking a strong fascination in the mailboxes across the street.
  1037. >Nothing else was said, but the rest of the walk was rather awkward.
  1038. >Finally, you've arrived at Paws 2 Paws again.
  1039.  
  1040. >The next few hours went by as usual.
  1041. >The new usual, you mean.
  1042. >After greeting Grace, you led Anon in letting the dogs out and cleaning their kennels and refilling their food and water.
  1043. >Dixie was more trouble for Anon, but he managed.
  1044. >Despite his constant insistence, you still felt kind of guilty for making him do all the cleaning for the dog kennels.
  1045. >The dogs got along really well, playing nicely and not being annoying to each other.
  1046. >Not too long after, Anon finished up with his job.
  1047. >He does a really good job getting all the tough-to-reach spots and making the kennels look new again.
  1048. >It's really nice to have an extra pair of hands.
  1049. >The kitties were easier to manage, and were cleaned out quickly.
  1050. >It's really worrying that Anon insists on cleaning with his nice jacket on.
  1051. >You'd hate to have it get dirty or ruined by an angry cat.
  1052. >It looks really nice on him.
  1053. >This time, he helps clean some of the kennels for the kitties.
  1054. >You risk leaving them alone in the room to cause trouble, but luckily nothing happens.
  1055. >With him, that's done pretty quickly.
  1056. >Once again, you insisted on cleaning the rabbit and mouse enclosures yourself, but this time you remember that Anon's still here.
  1057. >The rabbits still aren't used to him, so he stays a few steps back to not frighten them.
  1058. >Even though you're used to cleaning the enclosures, you still want to be careful.
  1059. >These little guys could get lost so easily if they got out.
  1060. >You can't imagine how scared they would be.
  1061. >Anon adds commentary where necessary, which helps you feel less alone.
  1062. >Once all the cleaning's done, he congratulates you for your hard work.
  1063. >Smiling, you notice the time is 6:12.
  1064. >There's still time for Anon to help you study.
  1065. >All you gotta do is...
  1066. >...ask him.
  1067. >...On second thought, maybe you shouldn't.
  1068. >He's already helping you a lot around the shelter.
  1069. >He only signed up to be a volunteer, not your personal assistant.
  1070. >But you'd surely fall asleep if you tried to read the textbook on your own.
  1071.  
  1072. >Your heart starts to race, and you can feel sweat start to bead your forehead.
  1073. >What else are you gonna do?
  1074. >What if Anon doesn't want to help?
  1075. >What if he storms out, angry that you're trying to-
  1076. >"Something on your mind, Fluttershy?"
  1077. >Anon's voice snaps you out of your racing mind, quickly turning to face him.
  1078. "Uh, n-no!" You cover up.
  1079. >He's not convinced.
  1080. >"Are you sure? You just zoned out and look really worried about something."
  1081. >He looks so concerned.
  1082. >You know you can't keep this up, and sigh in defeat.
  1083. "I've got a big history quiz tomorrow, and I'm not sure I'm ready for it..."
  1084. >"Oh damn, I know the feeling." He responds, sympathetically.
  1085. >You gotta ask him now.
  1086. >It's unavoidable.
  1087. "I, uh...actually...was wondering if you...wouldn't mind...helping me...study?"
  1088. >The further you got into that sentence, the quieter your voice got and the more you retreated behind your hair.
  1089. >At first, you were worried or maybe hopeful that Anon didn't hear you.
  1090. >But he just shrugs and smiles.
  1091. >"Sure!"
  1092. >...
  1093. >See, Fluttershy?
  1094. >See where overthinking gets you?
  1095. >You carefully come out from behind your hair to respond properly.
  1096. "...Really?"
  1097. >"Yeah! That's what friends are for, right?"
  1098. >You giggle slightly, nodding in agreement.
  1099. "Yeah, y-you're right."
  1100. >You run over to your backpack and pull out your history textbook and notes from earlier today.
  1101. "The quiz is on Napoleon's Empire. I've got all my notes here." You elaborate, presenting him the book and papers.
  1102. >"Ooh, fun stuff." Anon remarks, looking over the notes and opening the book to the proper chapter.
  1103. >He gets a good feel for the material before looking back up at you.
  1104. >"Do you want a snack before we get started? I brought a couple apples with me just in case."
  1105. "Oh, n-no thank you." You quickly respond, not wanting to be more of a burden than you already are.
  1106. >He shrugs and pulls out an apple for himself.
  1107. "How long can you stay?" You ask him.
  1108. >"Until 7, but I'm sure my parents will understand if we have to stay."
  1109.  
  1110. "A-A-Are you sure? I don't want you to-"
  1111. >Anon interrupts you by placing a hand on your shoulder.
  1112. >"Fluttershy, are we friends?"
  1113. >Pausing for a moment, you carefully nod, saying 'yes'.
  1114. >Anon smiles at your response.
  1115. >"Then I want to be able to help my friends in any way I can. I care about the well-being of all my friends. That includes you."
  1116. >You sigh and relax your body, accepting his kindness.
  1117. "Thank you..."
  1118. >He withdraws his hand from your shoulder, and opens up the textbook.
  1119. >"So, where should we study?"
  1120. "Oh, outside in the backyard would be nice!"
  1121. >"Good idea, Flutters!"
  1122. >Your heart skips a beat at the sound of your new nickname.
  1123. >You quickly turn away and lead him outside, hoping to hide your flustered state.
  1124. >It's still nice and sunny outside, thankfully.
  1125. >Anon's still wearing his varsity jacket despite the warm weather.
  1126. >It must be uncomfortable.
  1127. >You two find a nice place to sit beneath a large oak tree, and Anon gets the papers out, hidden from you.
  1128. >"Ready to go?"
  1129. >You nod.
  1130. >"...You don't want to review first?"
  1131. >...That's probably a good idea.
  1132. "...Yeah, I should."
  1133. >Anon chuckles slightly as he hands you back the papers.
  1134. >You try to scan them over and absorb the information.
  1135. >But you find yourself strangely distracted by Anon.
  1136. >He's really nice.
  1137. >He's funny and caring too...
  1138. >...And Rarity's right, he's pretty handsome...
  1139. >Especially his smile...
  1140. >NO.
  1141. >BAD FLUTTERSHY.
  1142. >FOCUS ON STUDYING.
  1143. >You mentally smack yourself as you focus your mind back on the hurriedly-written words before you.
  1144. >It takes a few minutes later, but you hand the papers back to Anon, beaming with confidence.
  1145. "Ready!"
  1146.  
  1147. >Anon accepted the papers back, and looked them over for a starter question.
  1148. >Furrowing his brow, he obscures the writing from you and looks back up at you.
  1149. >"What were three countries that made up the Third Coalition?" He asks you.
  1150. >You brainstorm for a moment, rubbing your temple.
  1151. "Hm...Russia, United Kingdom, and...uh..."
  1152. >You look back up at him.
  1153. "...Can you give me a hint?"
  1154. >Anon grins as he shakes his head.
  1155. >"Nope! You're not getting any hints on the quiz, so it's not good to rely on external help!"
  1156. >Shoot, he's right.
  1157. >You groan slightly, trying to pry the answer from your memory.
  1158. >You can tell Anon's enjoying your little display of frustration.
  1159. >"Come on, I know you know the answer." He encouraged.
  1160. >Suddenly, it pops in your mind.
  1161. "Sweden!"
  1162. >"That's right!"
  1163. >You beam with pride.
  1164. "Yay!" You softly cheer.
  1165. >Anon's smiling along with you, but quickly averts his eyes back to the papers.
  1166. >"How long did the Napoleonic Wars last?"
  1167. >Before you can respond, he adds an extra detail.
  1168. >"Give an exact length, in years, months and weeks."
  1169. "B-But that's not fair!" You plead.
  1170. >"I call this overshooting. It's safer to know more than necessary on a subject than less, just in case."
  1171. >You sigh defeated, with Anon still looking at you.
  1172. >"You wrote it down earlier today, so I'm confident you know!"
  1173. >If only.
  1174. >Who knew he'd be such an intense tutor?
  1175. >You grip your hair, trying to get some kind of answer.
  1176. >Come onnnnnnnn.
  1177. >Some kind of answer!
  1178. >You look back up at Anon pleadingly, but he doesn't relent.
  1179. >"I believe in you, Fluttershy." He says to you, in such a genuine tone.
  1180. >Your heart flutters slightly.
  1181. >His voice is so nice.
  1182. >GAH, STAY FOCUSED.
  1183. "Uh....twelve years..."
  1184. >His expression lifts, indicating you're right.
  1185. "...five months..."
  1186. >He nods at you, and you can feel your heart racing faster.
  1187. >Two out of three.
  1188. >One more to go.
  1189. "...and...uh..."
  1190. >The anticipation is choking you.
  1191. "...four weeks?"
  1192. >"You got it!"
  1193.  
  1194. >Your arms shoot up in triumph, victory coursing through your veins.
  1195. >"See? I knew you had it in you!" Anon congratulated you.
  1196. >Your cheeks flush slightly, nodding in agreement.
  1197. "Yeah, thank you, Anon." You shyly respond.
  1198. >"Well, we're not done yet, so don't thank me yet." He remarks with a grin.
  1199. >Feeling more confident, you sit up straight, ready to keep going.
  1200. >The next half hour goes by more smoothly.
  1201. >Anon's a great help.
  1202. >Not only helping you study, but making you feel more confident in your capabilities.
  1203. >"When exactly was Napoleon abdicated?"
  1204. >You stir slightly before answering.
  1205. "April 11, 1815?"
  1206. >Anon replicates the sound of a buzzer, indicating you got it wrong.
  1207. >"Only one year off." He remarks, shaking his head slightly in exaggerated disappointment.
  1208. "Oh, uh, then...eighteen-sixteeeee...?" You trail off, searching Anon's face for some kind of reaction.
  1209. >Anon raises his eyebrow at you incredulously.
  1210. "1814!" You quickly correct.
  1211. >"There you go!"
  1212. >You giggle slightly in relief.
  1213. >Anon glances over the papers one more time before setting them aside.
  1214. >"That looks like everything! You ask me, you're ready to go tomorrow!"
  1215. "Yay!" You softly cheer, eliciting a small laugh from Anon.
  1216. >"How are you feeling?" He asks you.
  1217. "Ready to take the quiz!"
  1218. >Anon smiles proudly at you, making you feel all warm inside.
  1219. "Y-You probably have to head home soon, don't you?"
  1220. >"Yeah, I should." Anon glumly agrees, handing the papers back to you.
  1221. >You two head back to the front doors, but before you two can part ways, Anon grabs your attention.
  1222. >"Hey, uh, I've kinda been wondering something..."
  1223. >You cock your head slightly in intrigue.
  1224. >"Do you wanna...maybe...exchange phone numbers?"
  1225. >Your heart leaps, but you try to contain your excitement.
  1226. >"Y-You know, to stay in touch in case-"
  1227. "Yes." You interrupt him.
  1228.  
  1229. >Anon's taken aback by your sudden boldness, but is quick to respond with an awkward laugh.
  1230. >"Okay, cool!"
  1231. >After an exchange of numbers and a test message sent to each other, Anon re-adjusts his backpack and sets off for home.
  1232. >"See you tomorrow, Flutters!" He bids you farewell, walking down the sidewalk.
  1233. >All you could do was shyly wave goodbye, watching him disappear from view towards downtown Canterlot.
  1234. >As you walk home, your mind races some more.
  1235. >Not on the quiz, you're feeling much more ready for that.
  1236. >But...
  1237. >Is Rainbow Dash right?
  1238. >Do you...
  1239. >...Like Anon?
  1240. >You've only known him for two days, and he's just being friendly.
  1241. >He seems to act similarly around Norman.
  1242. >Is this who you are?
  1243. >Are you so lonely and desperate for affection that you'll fall for any guy that's nice to you?
  1244. >Anon probably has a girlfriend anyway.
  1245. >You still don't know much about him.
  1246. >Only that his favorite movie is Army of Darkness and he takes strength training class.
  1247. >And that he's determined to wear that jacket every day, rain or shine.
  1248. >You sigh to yourself, seeing the birds fly around people's yards so happy and free.
  1249. >They've got it so good.
  1250. >Those birds don't have to worry about embarrassing themselves in front of their crush.
  1251. >...Would Anon even want to date you?
  1252. >He's surely heard some of the rumors about you, and there are still some people that call you Fluttercry.
  1253. >Maybe he has a crush on Rarity.
  1254. >Like every other guy at Canterlot High.
  1255. >...No.
  1256. >Stop it, Fluttershy.
  1257. >You know how overthinking gets you nowhere.
  1258. >You're getting worked up over a bunch of "what-ifs".
  1259. >You take a moment, close your eyes, and breathe deeply in and out.
  1260. >When you open your eyes again, you take a moment to admire the sky.
  1261. >No matter how many times you see it, it never gets old.
  1262. >The variety of hues and colors never ceases to amaze.
  1263. >Tomorrow is a new day.
  1264. >Full of new possibilities.
  1265.  
  1266. --ANONYMOUS--
  1267. >You let out a sigh of relief once you've arrived home, finally done with the day.
  1268. >Your dad's sitting in the living room, watching the ongoing hockey game.
  1269. >"How was your day?" He asks, hearing you walk inside.
  1270. "Fairly busy, but it's been good." You reply.
  1271. >He pauses the game and gets up to talk to you more personally.
  1272. >"How was the animal shelter?"
  1273. >You shrug.
  1274. "Same as it was yesterday, nice and quiet and productive."
  1275. >You decide to leave out the fact that you're close with Fluttershy, lest he jump to conclusions.
  1276. >He smiles, putting a hand on your shoulder.
  1277. >"I knew you'd find something. Volunteering there is really decent work."
  1278. >You smile, nodding in agreement.
  1279. "Yeah, I'm glad I decided to start volunteering. It's been a lot of fun."
  1280. >"Well, there's leftover dinner in the kitchen if you're hungry." Your dad informs you, going back to his game.
  1281. >Fortunately, you were hungry.
  1282. >You grab a plate and fill it up with spaghetti.
  1283. >The two minutes it takes to heat up in the microwave gives you some time to think.
  1284. >Fluttershy's really nice.
  1285. >She's cute, too.
  1286. >You swear you had only platonic intentions when you asked her for her number.
  1287. >But you keep thinking about how you suddenly had trouble talking to her.
  1288. >How come?
  1289. >Maybe because you don't want to scare her off.
  1290. >You don't know how she sees you.
  1291. >She is friendly, but she is also really shy.
  1292. >You imagine she treats everyone like that.
  1293. >Asking her out could end up intimidating her.
  1294. >Poor thing.
  1295. >You couldn't help but hear what things other students have said about her.
  1296. >It's really not fair.
  1297. >The beeping of the microwave snaps you back to reality, and after waiting a moment for the plate to cool off, you bring it over to the dinner table and dig in.
  1298. >It may be reheated, but delicious nonetheless.
  1299. >Only after you start eating do you realize how hungry you really were.
  1300. >A single apple only does so much to fill you up.
  1301. >A few minutes later, the spaghetti's gone.
  1302. >Easy come, easy go.
  1303.  
  1304. >You look over to the counter with some hope.
  1305. >Unfortunately, you ate all the leftovers already.
  1306. >Dangit.
  1307. >You rinse off the plate in the sink and set it gently with the rest of the dirty dishes, awaiting the next trip through the dishwasher.
  1308. >Grabbing your bookbag, you ascend the stairs and return to your bedroom.
  1309. >It's 7:41 right now.
  1310. >You toss the bookbag by your desk, reluctantly getting into your homework.
  1311. >That's the cost of spending most the afternoon volunteering with Fluttershy.
  1312. >But it's time well spent.
  1313. >Algebra homework: a handful of problems in the packet.
  1314. >It's a fairly simple unit, after all the school year just started.
  1315. >But it takes you longer than it really should.
  1316. >Primarily because you keep thinking about the animal shelter.
  1317. >And spending time with Fluttershy.
  1318. >You're always in the market for new friends.
  1319. >You can count on one hand how many other students you're close to.
  1320. >Flash, Norman, Pipsqueak.
  1321. >You're still feeling quite elated from helping 'ol Flutters study.
  1322. >The grateful smile on her face is all the reward you need, really.
  1323. >...Well, monetary compensation wouldn't hurt.
  1324. >Anon, you're stalling again.
  1325. >You smack yourself and focus your attention back on the packet.
  1326. >Twenty minutes later, algebra's out of the way.
  1327. >English homework is easy.
  1328. >Just read a section of the book Of Mice and Men and answer some questions.
  1329. >It's a shame Ms. Bookworm didn't consider the possibility of cheating.
  1330. >Countless summaries of the book can be found online, allowing you to complete your homework far sooner than your teacher anticipated.
  1331. >Chemistry's not so fun, but you power through in half an hour.
  1332. >Strength training, of course, doesn't have homework.
  1333. >With all that out of the way, you lie back on your bed.
  1334. >You're too drained to get through a few levels of Duke Nukem 3D.
  1335. >If anything, this new schedule should help you get your sleep schedule on track.
  1336. >You manage to stay awake until 9:45, whereupon you drift off to sleep.
  1337.  
  1338. >Flash forward to lunch, the next day.
  1339. >As usual, you're sitting between Norman and Flash Sentry, who, unusually, stayed to eat with you all for the entire period.
  1340. >Norman's working on his slice of pizza before something occurs to him.
  1341. >"Hey Anon, didja find some after-school thing to do, after all?"
  1342. >You finish the swig of milk currently in your mouth before responding.
  1343. "Yeah, I'm volunteering at the local animal shelter."
  1344. >He tries to hide his surprise, but you still notice it.
  1345. >"Really?"
  1346. "Yeah, Tuesday through Friday. I stay until about 7."
  1347. >He still seems uneasy about something.
  1348. >"Isn't that what Fluttershy's always trying to flag down helpers for?"
  1349. "Yup." You bluntly respond, after taking a bite from your sandwich.
  1350. >"But, Fluttershy is..." Norman trails off.
  1351. >"What's wrong with Fluttershy?" Flash asks, getting into the conversation.
  1352. "Yeah Norman, what's wrong with Fluttershy?" You interrogate further.
  1353. >He takes another gulp of milk, mulling over what to say in his mind before responding.
  1354. >"...Nothing, she's...nice." He covers up.
  1355. >You squint at him in an attempt to get a more in-depth response out of him, but you relent and get back to your lunch.
  1356. >"So Anon, are there any other people helping out at the shelter?" Flash asks, trying to relieve the tension.
  1357. "Nah, apart from the receptionist up front, it's just me and Fluttershy."
  1358. >"Hm, that doesn't surprise me." He notes.
  1359. >What's up with them?
  1360. >Flash should already know you've been helping Fluttershy.
  1361. >He was sitting with her friends yesterday.
  1362. >Whatever, they're being nice.
  1363. >"So...what's she like?" Norman asks.
  1364. >You shrug slightly.
  1365. "She's nice, you know? Easy to work with, pretty cute, really knows how to handle the animals."
  1366. >Norman smirks at you slightly.
  1367. >"Cute, huh?"
  1368. >Oh shoot, you said that.
  1369. >You can feel your cheeks light up.
  1370. "Y-Yeah, like, she's nice to look at."
  1371. >Flash laughs a bit, not helping your current state.
  1372. >"You know what, I can see you two as a pretty cute couple." Flash remarks.
  1373.  
  1374. >The rest of the day is same as usual.
  1375. >Until you get to strength training once more.
  1376. >Pipsqueak is already there waiting for you, at your usual spot in the far corner.
  1377. >"What's up, Anon?" He asks, holding his fist out for a bump.
  1378. "Not much, same as usual." You reply with a smile, obliging him with a fist bump.
  1379. >"Coach Soarin said we're doing dead-lifts today, so we're gonna be needing more weight!" Pipsqueak informs you.
  1380. >It's important that you do different routines each day, so different muscles get worked on, and you get rest from the previous day's exercise.
  1381. >Coach Soarin currently isn't in the room at the moment.
  1382. >He must be doing paperwork in his office or something.
  1383. >As usual, you get started before Pipsqueak, putting 150 pounds on the bar.
  1384. >Pipsqueak stands behind you, ready to offer help if needed.
  1385. >You steady yourself, breathe deeply, and using your knees, you bend down and grab the bar.
  1386. >With some exertion, you straighten out your legs and bring the heavy bar up off the ground.
  1387. >You manage to pace yourself, and soon enough, your ten repetitions are complete.
  1388. >"Good job, Anon!" Pipsqueak congratulates you.
  1389. >You chuckle at the praise, helping him remove weight from the bar.
  1390. >Once it's at 100 pounds, you stand behind Pipsqueak, ready to help him.
  1391. >As he's doing his repetitions, you hear three distinct voices chatter across the room.
  1392. >"Did you hear Fluttercry's finally got someone to help her out at the animal shelter?"
  1393. >Hoops, Dumb-bell and Score, standing around near the weight lifting equipment.
  1394. >"Yeah dude, wonder if she had to beg them." Score snarked.
  1395. >You're familiar with their reputation in Canterlot High.
  1396. >They're bullies.
  1397. >They like targeting freshmen and other weak students.
  1398. >That includes Fluttershy.
  1399. >You've heard about how she became friends with Rainbow Dash because she was the only one to stick up for her.
  1400. >"I bet she let him fuck." Dumb-bell added.
  1401. >You notice Pipsqueak avoid looking at them as he finishes his reps.
  1402.  
  1403. >You adjust the weight on the bar, subtly listening in on their conversation.
  1404. >"Dude, no way. She'd run off cry if her boyfriend even put a hand on her thigh." Hoops shot back.
  1405. >"She probably fucks the dogs." Score said.
  1406. >The three continued with their 'jokes', their laughter laced with malice.
  1407. >Hearing them talk like this makes you feel disgusted.
  1408. >But there's really nothing you can do right now.
  1409. >There's three of them and one of you.
  1410. >Plus they're all stronger than you.
  1411. >"You okay?" Pipsqueak asks you.
  1412. >You only nod in response, continuing to adjust the weight.
  1413. >At 175 pounds, you try to focus on lifting the bar.
  1414. >You let out a slight groan at the increased weight, but it's nothing you can't handle.
  1415. >The idle chatter and clanking of the weights in the gym room slowly fade out as you stir more on those three.
  1416. >...You shouldn't let it get to you.
  1417. >If they keep harassing Fluttershy, you'll get the Vice Principal involved.
  1418. >Trying to tackle the problem yourself not only end up with your ass kicked, but could get you in trouble as well.
  1419. >You turn your attention back to lifting.
  1420. >"So why do you think that guy's volunteering with Fluttercry?" You hear Dumb-bell ask.
  1421. >"He's probably desperate to get laid." Hoops shrugged.
  1422. >"Desperate enough to go for HER?" Score laughed.
  1423. >Focus on lifting.
  1424. >Focus on lifting.
  1425. >Focus on lif-
  1426. >"Hey, uh, you can stop now." You hear Pipsqueak meekly remind you.
  1427. >Looking down, you remember that you've done about 15 reps.
  1428. "Heh, yeah, just trying to go above and beyond." You cover up with a forced chuckle.
  1429. >Pipsqueak buys it, and laughs along with you.
  1430. >"You're not trying to make me one-up you, are you?"
  1431. >You smirk at him.
  1432. "Hey man, you get out of it what you put into it. Maybe you could afford to put a little more into it."
  1433. >He smacks your shoulder lightly.
  1434. >"Be careful, I could k-kick your ass!" Pipsqueak insisted.
  1435. "Okay dude." You reply, sarcasm thick in your voice.
  1436. >After more lifting, the final bell of the day rang at last.
  1437.  
  1438. >Fortunately, you didn't have to put away a ton of stuff like you did yesterday, so you didn't have to keep Fluttershy waiting again.
  1439. >Trying to shove Hoops, Dumb-bell and Score to the back of your mind, you wave goodbye to Pipsqueak as you leave the weight lifting room.
  1440. >You weave your way through the halls, more adept in avoiding the less coordinated students.
  1441. >Like that wall-eyed girl.
  1442. >It's as noisy and busy as ever, with students eager as ever to escape home.
  1443. >Freshman you would have gotten trampled.
  1444. >You actually did get trampled on two different occasions as a 9th grader.
  1445. >Nowadays you're more capable.
  1446. >Within five minutes, you're out the front doors and greeted with the fresh air of the great outdoors.
  1447. >Sure enough, Fluttershy is waiting by the horse statue, with the usual stack of pink fliers at hand.
  1448. >As the crowd dissipates, her expression lifts upon seeing you.
  1449. >You gain a smile to match hers, and quickly walk up to her.
  1450. "How's it been, Flutters?" You ask.
  1451. >She giggles slightly before answering.
  1452. >"Oh, today's been nice." She responds happily.
  1453. "How do you think you did on your quiz?"
  1454. >"I have a really good feeling about it!" Fluttershy beams.
  1455. "That's awesome!" You cheer her on.
  1456. >"Thanks again for helping me study yesterday, Anon."
  1457. >You nudge her shoulder in a friendly manner.
  1458. "Of course! That's what friends are for, right?"
  1459. >Her expression wavers ever so slightly in response.
  1460. >"Y-Yeah, we're good friends!"
  1461. >You two set off for the animal shelter once more, chatting along the way.
  1462. >You're more familiar with the path, so you walk at Fluttershy's side as you talk.
  1463. >"Rainbow Dash's big soccer game is next Friday, so I gotta be there to cheer her on."
  1464. "Well, I hope she wins!"
  1465. >"That's not really what I'm worried about. She's a great soccer player, but being there for her means you've gotta be at the shelter alone..."
  1466. >Fluttershy looks down, slightly ashamed.
  1467. "Hey, I'm sure I can handle cleaning all the kennels on my own by then!"
  1468.  
  1469. >Fluttershy furrows her brow slightly.
  1470. >She looks like she's about to object, but stops herself.
  1471. >"Yeah, so am I."
  1472. >It's a relief that Fluttershy trusts you more, or has more faith in you now.
  1473. >"Hopefully by then, the animals will be more used to you." She notes.
  1474. "I hope so too. It would reflect poorly on me if I accidentally incited a riot in the place." You joke.
  1475. >A brief look of worry flashes across her face, but it dissipates soon after.
  1476. >"B-But don't be afraid of calling me in case something comes up!"
  1477. "Don't worry, I'll be sure to!"
  1478. >You try to assuage her concern, but it remains.
  1479. >Her eyes dart around, a million thoughts racing through her mind.
  1480. >"I-It's just...this is the first time I've left them under someone else's supervision..."
  1481. "Is this the first time you've done something with your friends outside school?"
  1482. >"Well, there are times when Grace can watch over the animals while I'm with the girls, but she's so busy, so I can't really rely on that." She elaborated.
  1483. >You really feel sorry for Fluttershy.
  1484. >Her head sinks, and you can tell her mind is racing again.
  1485. >"Will...will you be okay?"
  1486. >You chuckle a bit.
  1487. "Don't worry about me, I'm confident that I'll know how to handle the animals by next Friday."
  1488. >"T-That's not what I meant..."
  1489. >You cock your head slightly.
  1490. >"I just... I don't want you to get lonely while I'm out with friends..."
  1491. "Hey, with the animals, I won't be lonely!" You reassure her.
  1492. >Fluttershy's not persuaded, and her head sinks further.
  1493. >You decide to take a risk and put your hand on her shoulder reassuringly.
  1494. "I'll be fine, I promise."
  1495. >At first Fluttershy stiffens up at your touch, but you can feel her relax after a moment.
  1496. >It takes her a moment, but she looks back up at you with a gentle smile.
  1497. >"...Okay, I believe you."
  1498. >You smile back at her, sharing a genuine little moment with her.
  1499. >Suddenly, Fluttershy puffs up her chest and stands up straight.
  1500. >"W-We should keep going." She notes, a gentle smile on her face.
  1501.  
  1502. >Today's routine was a bit different.
  1503. >Once you arrived, Fluttershy insisted on cleaning the dog kennels herself as you watched over them outside.
  1504. >You decided to not object, and let her be helpful.
  1505. >Watching over the dogs is as simple as one would expect.
  1506. >You sit against the fence near the top of the hill, allowing you a good view of the dogs as they got their exercise.
  1507. >They're all mostly well behaved, with a few being rather mischievous.
  1508. >Fluttershy must have trained them well.
  1509. >The dogs are much more friendly towards you on your own, coming up to you and happily sniffing you.
  1510. >You try your best to administer an equal amount of petting and belly rubs across the group.
  1511. >Again, you only have two arms, so this proved to be a weighty task.
  1512. >Golden Retrievers, Corgis, Pugs, Great Danes and more were all happy to meet you.
  1513. >The dogs grew greedy of attention, and started pushing each other out of the way to get closer to you so you'd pet them.
  1514. >The bigger dogs were obviously better at this, much to the chagrin of the smaller dogs.
  1515. >You keep them from dirtying up your red varsity jacket while showing the dogs affection.
  1516. >Norman and Flash have both made fun of you for wearing your varsity jacket all the time.
  1517. >But you gotta.
  1518. >It defines who you are.
  1519. >A Great Dane grows more forceful, and you're knocked over by their increased efforts to get your attention.
  1520. >The rest of the dogs take this as an opportunity to sniff you further in your vulnerable state.
  1521. >A couple of the smaller dogs walk on your stomach to get closer to your face.
  1522. >It quickly becomes a lot.
  1523. >So this is how you die.
  1524. >At an animal shelter, trampled by over-enthusiastic dogs.
  1525. >You didn't even get to draft your will.
  1526. >Maybe you-
  1527. >"I see you're getting along well." You hear Fluttershy giggle.
  1528. >You try to look up to meet her eyes, but the dogs are still in the way.
  1529. >Once the dogs notice her, the group quickly dissipates, running over to eagerly greet her.
  1530.  
  1531. >As you get up, you dust off yourself off and inspect your jacket for any mud or dirt on your jacket.
  1532. >"Oh no, I'm sorry if your jacket got ruined." Fluttershy says to you, concerned.
  1533. "Eh, it's nothing a trip through the washing machine can't take care of." You reply, satisfied with your jacket inspection.
  1534. >"That's a relief. You look nice with that jacket on." Fluttershy compliments.
  1535. >Your cheeks light up slightly as a smile grows across your face.
  1536. >Facing Fluttershy, you see her face is a deeper shade of red than yours, her hands clamped over her mouth.
  1537. >"I, uh, what I meant was...uh..." She sputters out.
  1538. "Don't worry, I appreciated it." You smile at her.
  1539. >You settle back down against the fence, and Fluttershy sits next do you once all the dogs are happy with being pet.
  1540. >They're more tired out now, and a good amount of them are lying on the grass, taking in the sun's rays.
  1541. >Your mind is once again reminded of Hoops, Score and Dumb-bell.
  1542. >More specifically, how they talked about Fluttershy.
  1543. "So...how was your day?" You ask her.
  1544. >"Didn't you ask that earlier?" She asks you back.
  1545. "Well, yeah, but... did you have to deal with anyone... being mean to you?"
  1546. >Fluttershy shakes her head.
  1547. >"Nope. People pretty much left me alone."
  1548. >You relax a bit.
  1549. "That's good to hear."
  1550. >She turns to you, slightly concerned.
  1551. >"Why do you ask?"
  1552. >You hide your true reasoning and shrug in response.
  1553. "I just... I want to be sure my friends don't get bullied around."
  1554. >It's visible for only a second, but you catch Fluttershy looking slightly saddened.
  1555. >But she shakes it off and looks at you with a warm smile.
  1556. >"I appreciate your concern, Anon."
  1557. >You share a moment smiling back at her.
  1558. >...She is pretty cute.
  1559. >And she's really nice and caring.
  1560. >And she's happier with your company than other girls you've known.
  1561. >Shoot, are you staring?
  1562. >You snap out of your trance and turn back to the dogs.
  1563. >You glimpse Fluttershy turning away as well, her cheeks flushing slightly.
  1564.  
  1565. "How'd you make out with the kennels?" You ask her after a moment of awkward silence.
  1566. >"It was simple. Especially without having to keep an eye on the dogs at the same time." She happily replied.
  1567. "That's good! Teamwork makes the dream work, after all." You remark.
  1568. >Fluttershy giggles slightly before summoning the strength to face you again.
  1569. >"Hey... can I ask you a kind of personal question?"
  1570. >You're slightly confused, wondering what could have prompted this.
  1571. "...Sure, I guess." You chuckle.
  1572. >"...Why do you always wear that jacket?" She asks you.
  1573. >You laugh slightly, relieved that it wasn't anything too pressing.
  1574. >Although you suppose you should have seen this coming.
  1575. >"It's just... I can't remember a time where you weren't wearing that jacket. Even in the summer months, like right before school ended last year."
  1576. "I just really like this jacket." You shrug, hiding your true reasoning.
  1577. >Fluttershy isn't entirely convinced, and currently wears a quizzical face.
  1578. "I just... I like wearing it. Varsity jackets are cool, and I like looking cool."
  1579. >She nods slightly, accepting your response.
  1580. >"Just... be careful."
  1581. "What do you mean?"
  1582. >"It's not a good idea to wear a jacket in hot weather. Be sure to drink plenty of water so you stay hydrated!" Fluttershy insists.
  1583. >You laugh a bit, finding her concern endearing.
  1584. "Don't worry, I'll be sure to."
  1585. >"Oh, good!" She beams.
  1586. >"I try telling Rainbow Dash similar things, like staying healthy and drinking enough water, but she can be so stubborn!" Fluttershy frowns.
  1587. >She harrumphs slightly, crossing her arms.
  1588. >"Sometimes she's too proud for her own good. Not that she'll ever admit that."
  1589. >You chuckle at Fluttershy's frustration.
  1590. "Well, I'm sure she appreciates your concern."
  1591. >Fluttershy sighs.
  1592. >"Sometimes. B-But sometimes Rainbow Dash gets hurt because she thinks she's unstoppable."
  1593. "Then lucky her for having such caring and attentive friends!" You say, nudging her shoulder.
  1594. >Fluttershy smiles again.
  1595. >"Yeah, she is lucky."
  1596.  
  1597. >Soon after, it's time to return the dogs to their kennels.
  1598. >While they show great reluctance, the dogs are too tired from their exercise and play to protest too much.
  1599. >Dixie keeps trying to wiggle out of your grasp, which you refuse to allow.
  1600. >Dropping a dog on day three of your career as a volunteer animal helper certainly won't reflect well on you.
  1601. >Especially not in front of Fluttershy.
  1602. >Eventually, Dixie relents.
  1603. >Next up: the cats.
  1604. >Once you two arrive at the cat room, Fluttershy turns to face you.
  1605. >"I think you're ready to handle cleaning the kitty kennels." She giggles slightly.
  1606. >You laugh along, feeling a pang of genuine trust.
  1607. >The cats quickly and eagerly flee to the play room, with Fluttershy standing in front of the door, ensuring they all enter safely.
  1608. "I'll do you proud, coach!" You eagerly say, earning a giggle from her.
  1609. >"You better, mister!" She goads you, shaking her index finger at you playfully.
  1610. >Closing the door behind her as she enters, you're left with cleaning supplies and a room full of empty cat kennels.
  1611. >Rolling up your sleeves, you get to work.
  1612. >Cleaning the cat kennels is slightly easier than the dog kennels, with them all being the same size.
  1613. >Other than the odd hairball, they're not as messy as the dogs.
  1614. >A dust pan is also necessary to clean them all out of the discarded cat hair.
  1615. >Nothing like a little elbow grease to make you feel like a man.
  1616. >Between this and strength training, you're feeling more masculine already.
  1617. >...But it can be tedious.
  1618. >You dare not complain, though.
  1619. >Fluttershy spent however long doing all this by herself, and she can't be more than 120 pounds.
  1620. >...You could probably bench press Fluttershy.
  1621. >Maybe you'll offer that later.
  1622. >Once you're two-thirds of the way through cleaning, you glance over to Fluttershy to see how she's faring.
  1623. >As if you expected anything different, she's doing well with the cats.
  1624. >It really does wonders for the soul to see Fluttershy so content.
  1625.  
  1626. >Her gentle smile decorating her delicate face makes your heart flutter slightly.
  1627. >...She really is pretty.
  1628. >How did it take you this long to realize that?
  1629. >Oh well, better late than never.
  1630. >You realize you shouldn't stare, knowing how that could make her feel uncomfortable.
  1631. >You decide to look busy while scrubbing away, idly glancing at her from the corner of your eye.
  1632. >Her simple tank top does little to de-emphasize her ample chest.
  1633. >She's gotta be a D-Cup.
  1634. >You don't know exact bra measurements, but that sounds right.
  1635. >You're almost hypnotized by how it gently heaves up and down by her gentle breathing.
  1636. >As you move on to the next kennel, your eyes subtly travel to Fluttershy's legs.
  1637. >She's got some lovely thighs.
  1638. >You also notice her skirt rode up slightly.
  1639. >Allowing you a very slight view of her-
  1640. >NO.
  1641. >STOP IT, ANONYMOUS.
  1642. >PEEKING UP THE SWEET GIRL'S SKIRT?
  1643. >YOU'RE BETTER THAN THAT.
  1644. >Shaking your head, you refocus yourself back on cleaning the kennels.
  1645. >That's what you're here to do, not ogle Fluttershy.
  1646. >Within ten minutes, you're done with the cat kennels.
  1647. >You notice you're feeling more tired than usual.
  1648. >You dare not complain, as Fluttershy spent however long doing all this all by herself.
  1649. >Maybe it's strength training that's making you feel more tired than usual.
  1650. >You take a moment to rest, stretching to ease the tension in your body.
  1651. >Entering the cat's play room, you notice Fluttershy paying extra attention to the cat on her lap.
  1652. "I hope they aren't too much for you." You joke.
  1653. >"Oh no, they're nice and relaxed." She smiles.
  1654. >You take a seat next to her, slightly closer to her than usual.
  1655. >Fluttershy either doesn't notice or doesn't mind.
  1656. >"I hope you've done as good a job as usual with those kennels. You're gonna be in big trouble if your cleaning isn't so good." She smiles.
  1657. >You decide to egg her on.
  1658. "What if it isn't?"
  1659. >She suppresses a giggle before she answers.
  1660. >"You're gonna sit in the corner."
  1661.  
  1662. >You back away slightly, faking your worry.
  1663. "Oh, uh, th-then I'll be sure to clean them spotless!"
  1664. >She laughs happily in response, slightly startling the cat in her lap.
  1665. >A couple cats made their way to you to sniff you and rub their heads on you.
  1666. >Fluttershy quickly checks to make sure the cat she was petting is still okay, gently stroking its back.
  1667. >You assume that one's Graham Cracker.
  1668. >A little period of gentle silence was shared while you two pay attention to the various cats that would wander up to you.
  1669. >It's really relaxing.
  1670. >Not much really needs to be said, just her presence is comfort enough.
  1671. >You two sigh contentedly at the same, accidentally causing some embarrassment, but it's quickly laughed off.
  1672. >Eventually, the cats need to be returned to their little enclosures.
  1673. >You try your hardest to not disturb the cats, although that's an impossible task with how comfortable they've become.
  1674. >Fluttershy shares your sentiment, and shows some visible unhappiness with putting them back in the kennel.
  1675. >You can't help but take in her lovely form as she's gently placing the cats inside their homes.
  1676. >...She would probably appreciate a compliment.
  1677. >But what?
  1678. >Nothing about her body, that's for sure.
  1679. >You ponder this while handling the cats, eventually deciding to speak up.
  1680. "I like your skirt."
  1681. >Fluttershy's eyes shoot open as she almost drops the cat inside the kennel.
  1682. >That was dumb.
  1683. >That was really dumb.
  1684. >You immediately regret that.
  1685. >When you place your cat inside the kennel, you notice Fluttershy's cheeks are glowing red.
  1686. >"...Th-Thank you..."
  1687. >Fluttershy smiles as she turns to you, playing with the hem of her green skirt nervously.
  1688. >"R-R-Rarity made it for me as a gift a few years ago..."
  1689. >Her cheeks are a shade of red you've never seen before, her foot turning awkwardly turning.
  1690. "That's really nice of her!"
  1691. >"Yeah, Rarity's a really generous friend."
  1692. >Another moment of awkward silence is shared before you return to getting the cats in the kennels.
  1693.  
  1694. >Finally: the rabbits.
  1695. >Tell me about the rabbits, Fluttershy.
  1696. >Fluttershy leads the way and stands by your side as you overlook the rabbit enclosure.
  1697. >"I'll show you how to handle these little guys..."
  1698. >She retrieves a bag from a nearby cabinet and carefully kneels near the enclosure.
  1699. >The rabbits oblige and give her the space needed.
  1700. >Fluttershy very carefully fills the food bowls up with special rabbit food, not spilling any over the side.
  1701. >"Anon, can you please get a bottle of water from the fridge?"
  1702. >You quickly retrieve one of the special water bottles and carefully hand it to her.
  1703. >"Thank you, now watch carefully:"
  1704. >Fluttershy opens the top of the water dispenser in the same way one opens a pill bottle and fills them all back up.
  1705. >Looking over at the rabbits, you notice the small group is slowly and carefully making their way towards you.
  1706. >Even after Fluttershy is done, you remain where you are, allowing the rabbits to come closer to you.
  1707. >One adventurous rabbit comes all the way up to your outstretched hand and sniffs at it.
  1708. >Fluttershy stands behind you, observing you.
  1709. >A moment of sniffing goes by before the rabbit trusts you enough to butt your hand with its head, indicating friendliness.
  1710. >"I'd hate to interrupt your bonding, but the mice need attention too." She giggles slightly.
  1711. >Nodding in agreement, you carefully withdraw your hand before going to the mouse enclosure.
  1712. >Feeding the mice is much simpler, they're smart enough to stay away from Fluttershy as she opens it up and places the newly-filled food bowl inside.
  1713. >Once she's done, she turns to you.
  1714. >"Tomorrow you can try feeding them yourself!"
  1715. "I don't know, seems like a lot." You joke.
  1716. >"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do fine!"
  1717. >Man, Fluttershy's great.
  1718. >You check the time on your phone.
  1719. >6:51.
  1720. "Well, unless you've got more for me, then I should be heading home."
  1721. >Her expression falls slightly.
  1722. >"Yeah, you're right."
  1723.  
  1724. >You two gather your things and make your way back to the front entrance.
  1725. >You're more familiar with the layout of the shelter, so you lead the way back.
  1726. >You can hear Fluttershy quietly say goodbye to the animals before closing the door behind her.
  1727. >D'awwww
  1728. >When you re-enter the waiting room, you see that Grace isn't seated behind the desk as usual.
  1729. >Her computer's still on, so she must be getting something from storage.
  1730. >Or something equally official.
  1731. >It's really none of your business.
  1732. >You make your way to the door, but you're stopped by Fluttershy grabbing your arm.
  1733. >But she quickly retracts her arms when you turn to face her, slightly flustered.
  1734. >"Uh...I just wanted to say...th-thanks for helping me study yesterday."
  1735. >You smile warmly at her.
  1736. "Of course! I had a lot of fun helping you study, which is a first."
  1737. >She eventually smiles back at you.
  1738. >"Norman isn't fun to study with?"
  1739. >You let out an over-dramatic groan.
  1740. "Well, I try to study, he'd rather do anything else. At least he knows better than to complain about his bad grades to me."
  1741. >Fluttershy giggles slightly.
  1742. >"I'm sure he appreciates your concern."
  1743. "Yeah, I'll be sure to ask him."
  1744. >A brief moment passes.
  1745. >"But... really, thank you, Anon."
  1746. "Of course, Fluttershy. I'm just happy to spend time with you."
  1747. >Shoot, that last part came out wrong.
  1748. >Fluttershy sighs contentedly, whereupon you notice she's standing between you and the door.
  1749. >She looks so at ease.
  1750. >But you gotta get home.
  1751. "...I should kinda be going now." You awkwardly remind her.
  1752. >She quickly nods along, stepping aside to let you leave.
  1753. >"See you tomorrow, Anon." She softly says.
  1754. >While you're halfway out the door, you turn back to face Fluttershy.
  1755. "See you tomorrow, Flutters!"
  1756. >As if to take in her visage for just a little longer, you share one moment of warm silence before you eventually do leave.
  1757. >The warm air of early fall comforts you as you walk home alone.
  1758. >Fluttershy really has a talent for making you feel warm inside.
  1759.  
  1760. >You put on some tunes to accompany you as you stroll home.
  1761. >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbjXwzJ8BMQ
  1762. >Feeling a bit more energized by the music, you break into a slight jog.
  1763. >You don't pay as much attention to the surrounding environment like you usually do.
  1764. >Not that it changes much, anyway.
  1765. >Your mind would rather focus on one girl.
  1766. >Fluttershy.
  1767. >Yeah, you've got a crush on her.
  1768. >Because no girl has ever willingly talked to you for more than four sentences.
  1769. >But Fluttershy's different.
  1770. >She seems genuinely happy when you're with her.
  1771. >And it really seems like she trusts you.
  1772. >From what you could tell, that seems like something that would be difficult to do.
  1773. >She's so sweet and cute and you feel weirdly safe with her.
  1774. >And she gave you her number!
  1775. >Her other friends are fine, as far as you can tell.
  1776. >You don't know any of them personally, but they seem nice.
  1777. >Rarity might as well be the picture-perfect example of "out of your league".
  1778. >...You really should ask Fluttershy out.
  1779. >But when?
  1780. >And how?
  1781. >Today was only day three.
  1782. >Maybe she's just being friendly.
  1783. >You've been burned in the past trying to ask out girls.
  1784. >Plus you really don't want to make Fluttershy feel intimidated.
  1785. >When you get home, you find a note on the dinner table.
  1786. >"Gone to see a movie with your mom, dinner's in the fridge. -Dad"
  1787. >Huh, wonder what they're seeing.
  1788. >You might ask them when they get back.
  1789. >After reheating some leftover meatloaf, you quickly devour the food.
  1790. >Man, you needed this nice, hot food.
  1791. >You didn't bring an apple today to snack on, which doesn't help.
  1792. >Once that's done, you make your way upstairs and plow through your homework.
  1793. >Luckily, today was light in terms of assignments.
  1794. >You're done with all that inside an hour.
  1795. >Getting up to stretch, you notice the Duke Nukem poster hanging on your wall.
  1796. >You flex your arm to compare it to his muscles.
  1797. >...Nope, still kind of pathetic.
  1798. >Maybe someday you'll be stronger...
  1799.  
  1800. >The next day of school is simple.
  1801. >Not much of note really happens.
  1802. >Norman and Flash are dumb as usual.
  1803. >But Flash set a record in spending the whole period with you and Norman for the second day in a row.
  1804. >Fortunately they don't interrogate you further on your "relationship" with Fluttershy.
  1805. >Strength training was smooth as well.
  1806. >Today you all did arm curls, which Pipsqueak proved to be improving at already.
  1807. >Hoops, Score and Dumb-bell continue their jackassery, however it was less focused on Fluttershy.
  1808. >You tried pushing yourself further, but it ended up being a little too much for you.
  1809. >Coach Soarin made sure to remind you to pace yourself.
  1810. >All throughout the day, you kept thinking of Fluttershy.
  1811. >You still haven't texted her, mainly because you were seeing her after school anyway.
  1812. >Plus you don't want her to get in trouble for texting during class.
  1813. >You should text her tomorrow, when there's no school.
  1814. >But that's something to ponder on tomorrow.
  1815. >Once again, the final bell rang, and after carefully returning the equipment to proper storage, you said your goodbyes to Pipsqueak and dashed out to the front of Canterlot High.
  1816. >You quickly slow your pace, not wanting to make a scene as you leave.
  1817. >There's some commotion in the main hall, but you don't really care about that.
  1818. >When you finally escape the building, you find Fluttershy standing by the statue, but in a noticeably better mood.
  1819. >She's also holding a white paper in her hand, in stark contrast to the usual pink fliers she usually holds.
  1820. >When she notices you, she quickly walks up to you to greet you.
  1821. "You look like you've had a good day!"
  1822. >Fluttershy happily nods.
  1823. >"I got my quiz from yesterday back!"
  1824. >She proudly presents the paper.
  1825. >86%
  1826. "That's incredible! I'm really proud of you!" You cheer.
  1827. >Fluttershy beams with pride.
  1828. >"Thank you again, Anon. I don't think I could have done this well without you."
  1829. "Oh come on, don't undersell yourself!" You reply, nudging her slightly.
  1830.  
  1831. >Fluttershy rolls her eyes, smiling.
  1832. >"Still, I really appreciate the help. Thank you."
  1833. "I'm glad I could help."
  1834. >Another moment of shared contentedness was shared before you two decided to set off for the shelter once more.
  1835. >It was nice and quiet, without much conversation being needed.
  1836. >Her presence is really all you need.
  1837. >"So... you're into movies?"
  1838. >You nod in response.
  1839. >"...Did you see anything neat lately?"
  1840. >You look up, pondering on the question.
  1841. "Well... there was the movie adaptation of Spy Hunter which was surprisingly not terrible, the reboot of Stardust the Super Wizard that was actually really good, and I re-watched Escape from New York."
  1842. >She nodded along, taking in your answer.
  1843. "What about you?"
  1844. >"Hm?"
  1845. "What movies did you watch recently?"
  1846. >She pauses for a moment.
  1847. >"I, uh, don't actually watch that many movies. The animal shelter takes up the most of my time..."
  1848. >Yeah that makes sense.
  1849. >She suddenly gets slightly embarrassed, turning to you.
  1850. >"Oh, I'm sorry if volunteering takes up too much of your time!"
  1851. >You wave off the concern.
  1852. "It's fine! I prefer volunteering anyway!"
  1853. >"...Really?"
  1854. "Yeah! It's nice to get out of the house and spend time with the animals in need."
  1855. >She's still a little worried.
  1856. >"B-But I don't want you to not have any time to yourself..."
  1857. >You turn to look her in the eyes.
  1858. >Time to drop some hints.
  1859. "Fluttershy, I promise I really like spending time with you."
  1860. >She blushes a bit as a gentle smile grows on her face.
  1861. >It took more courage than you were willing to admit to say that.
  1862. >It's subtle, but the real message is in there.
  1863. >Fluttershy looks directly at you, with a certain glint in her eye that you haven't noticed before.
  1864. >"...I really like spending time with you too, Anon."
  1865. >Oh fuck, now you're blushing too.
  1866. >All this is too cute.
  1867.  
  1868. >As you two continue watching, Fluttershy re-initiates the conversation.
  1869. >"What was Spy Hunter about?"
  1870. >You slightly shrug in return.
  1871. "Pretty basic spy movie. The car chases were great, but that's to be expected from something with Spy Hunter in the title. Pretty thin on the ground in terms of characters and story and other such stuff, but it could have been worse."
  1872. >"Sounds like Rainbow Dash would like it." She suggested.
  1873. "Yeah, I bet she would. She's not a pretentious movie snob like me." You remark.
  1874. >Fluttershy smiles, walking slightly closer to you.
  1875. >"And uh... Stardust?"
  1876. "Oh yeah, back in the 30's there were a bunch of cheaply-made superheroes made to cash in on the Superman hype. One of them was Stardust the Super Wizard, who was obscenely powerful but kinda fell into obscurity."
  1877. >Fluttershy tries to follow along, while not being as familiar with the material as you.
  1878. "The bar for writing comic books was pretty much on the floor back then, so I'm not exaggerating when I say Stardust can do literally anything. He's super strong, fast, invincible, and had rays that could do whatever the plot needed them to do."
  1879. >"Sounds like an exciting book." She remarks.
  1880. "Yeah, it had it's old-timey charm. His mastery of inter-planetary science made him 'The most remarkable man that ever lived'. I'm struggling with basic chemistry, so unfortunately I won't be able to put that on my business card."
  1881. >"At least you still have 'I beat Final Fantasy VII'." Fluttershy giggles.
  1882. >You head spins around, taken completely off-guard by Norman's comment from two days ago.
  1883. >You must have had a pretty entertaining face on, as she keeps laughing some more.
  1884. "Remind me to smack Norman later." You instruct Fluttershy.
  1885. >She rolls her eyes and nods along.
  1886. "Anyway, the biggest takeaway from Stardust in the modern eye is that having someone that insanely powerful flying around would be SCARY."
  1887. >She nods in agreement.
  1888.  
  1889. "So what they did was take Stardust in a more cosmic horror direction. It might be too weird for ordinary people, but I really enjoyed it.
  1890. >Fluttershy's brow furrows slightly.
  1891. >"What's cosmic horror?"
  1892. "Oh, right. It's mainly about how small and insignificant humanity is in the grand scale of the universe. It's not about how giant space monsters are coming to destroy us, but more about how giant space monsters don't care about us."
  1893. >She pauses for a moment before responding, taking in the explanation.
  1894. >"That sounds intense..."
  1895. >You shrug.
  1896. "Eh, it can be, but I really enjoy it."
  1897. >You turn to Fluttershy while walking.
  1898. "What kinda movies do you like?"
  1899. >"Oh, um, just, kind of... animated movies." She reluctantly admits.
  1900. "Hey, there's nothing wrong with that!" You reassure her.
  1901. >You can see her retreat behind her hair.
  1902. >"It's just... they're little kids stuff..."
  1903. "So? They can be just as entertaining and well made as any other movie."
  1904. >"But... I don't know, all the other movies I hear people talking about sound kinda... scary."
  1905. "Don't worry, I understand." You try to reassure her.
  1906. >She stops walking and sits down on a nearby bench.
  1907. >You sit down next to her, a bit closer than usual.
  1908. "...Is there something you want to talk about?"
  1909. >She heaves a heavy sigh before finding it in herself to respond.
  1910. >"...I get scared too easily..."
  1911. >Fluttershy looks out across the mostly empty street, as if avoiding looking at you.
  1912. >"I've actually never been trick or treating when I was younger because the costumes scared me too much..."
  1913. >You feel a pang of sadness, sympathizing with her.
  1914. >"At least they don't call me Scaredy-Shy anymore..."
  1915. >She hides her face in her hands, and you can tell tears are soon to follow.
  1916. >You place a hand on her shoulder and offer a comforting rub.
  1917. >You try to find something to say to help her feel better, but you can't find what exactly to say.
  1918. >It doesn't help that you haven't shared her experiences.
  1919.  
  1920. "I used to be scared of some movies, too." You inform her.
  1921. >She looks up slightly, her eyes meeting yours from the corner of her face.
  1922. >"...Really?"
  1923. "Yeah, when I was a freshman, I had nightmares for three days after watching The Thing."
  1924. >Fluttershy nudges slightly closer to you.
  1925. >"...How did you stop being scared?"
  1926. "I just... watched it again."
  1927. >Now she's more confused than anything else.
  1928. >"What do you mean?"
  1929. "It's just a movie, right? So none of it's real. The monster doesn't exist, and no one really got hurt."
  1930. >Fluttershy ponders on the concept.
  1931. >"...That's a good point..."
  1932. >She still looks insecure, so you try to encourage her interests.
  1933. "Besides The Lion King, what other animated stuff do you like?"
  1934. >Slowly, she turns to face you.
  1935. >"Well... I like Disney movies. They're nice and fun and the songs are lovely." She responds, with a slight smile.
  1936. >You smile back at her, but suddenly she shrinks back.
  1937. >"And... uh... something else..."
  1938. >This piques your interest.
  1939. "What would that be?"
  1940. >Fluttershy quickly grows embarrassed.
  1941. >"Uh... well... it's... slrmn..." She responds, growing quieter as she mumbles to you.
  1942. "...I, uh, didn't catch that."
  1943. >"...slrmn..."
  1944. >You squint your eyes at her, and she grows much more embarrassed.
  1945. >The anticipation is killing you.
  1946. >Finally, she opens her mouth to speak more clearly.
  1947. >"...Sailor Moon..." She finally admits.
  1948. >She's blushing furiously at hearing herself admit to liking the series.
  1949. >You laugh a bit at hearing her answer.
  1950. "That's nothing to be embarrassed of!"
  1951. >Undeterred, she's still looking away.
  1952. "I haven't seen much of it, but it seems like a good show!"
  1953. >Fluttershy takes a moment to calm herself down before addressing you.
  1954. >"...Promise you won't tell anyone?"
  1955. >You look her directly in the eye.
  1956. "I promise."
  1957. >"...Pinkie promise?"
  1958. >Really?
  1959. >That thing kids do?
  1960. >If it makes her feel better, then you'll do it.
  1961. >You intertwine your pinkie with hers, and say:
  1962. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
  1963.  
  1964. >Satisfied with the promise, Fluttershy gets up and you join her in walking to the animal shelter.
  1965. >You observe a new energy in her step, feeling more comfortable now.
  1966. >It's a comfortable silence shared between you two.
  1967. >And you could swear she was peering at you from out the corner of her eye.
  1968. >It's only fair, since you were silently admiring her as well.
  1969. >This is the most interest a girl has ever shown in you.
  1970. >And you wouldn't want this from any other girl.
  1971. >Soon after, you and Fluttershy arrive at the shelter once more.
  1972. >With a pep in your step, you two get to work.
  1973. >Fluttershy cleaned the dog kennels once more while you looked over them outside.
  1974. >They exhibited less interest in you today, already satisfied with their inspection from yesterday.
  1975. >But they're still eager to see you.
  1976. >You grew more familiar with them as well, already having remembered a few of the dogs apart from the ever troublesome Dixie.
  1977. >It's a really nice change of pace to be out here with them.
  1978. >Sitting in the evening sun, with the fresh breeze brushing across your face as the dogs ran about the field happily and freely.
  1979. >It feels like Canterlot High is a world away.
  1980. >Just you, Fluttershy and the animals.
  1981. >An ideal life, if you've ever heard of one.
  1982. >You don't even notice her as she emerges from the shelter, only as she sits next to you.
  1983. >You're slightly startled by her sudden presence.
  1984. >Her being so quiet has some benefits, looks like.
  1985. >"Hard at work, I see." She giggles.
  1986. "Yup, putting in that overtime."
  1987. >She smiles happily as she looks over the field at the dogs playing around.
  1988. >Your heart rate quickens slightly as you notice your hand so close to hers.
  1989. >Should you..?
  1990. >No, too soon.
  1991. >Nothing was said after the initial greeting.
  1992. >Nothing needed to be said.
  1993. >This was all you needed.
  1994. >And you suspect Fluttershy feels similarly.
  1995. >But you can't know for sure.
  1996. >You relish this time of relaxation and peacefulness.
  1997. >...But it has to come to an end eventually.
  1998.  
  1999. >Checking the time, Fluttershy sighs slightly as she gets up, leading the dogs back inside.
  2000. >As usual, you help her return the dogs to their original kennel, taking note of the names on the outside.
  2001. >Dexter the Pug, Charlie the Great Dane, Bubbles the Corgi, and Steel the Husky.
  2002. >Dixie's as troublesome as ever.
  2003. >But soon enough, everyone's back home.
  2004. >...Well, close enough to home.
  2005. >The cats are next.
  2006. >Fluttershy understands the unspoken-of arrangement, and allows you to clean out their kennels as she watches over them in the other room.
  2007. >You know the routine, it's not so different from the dogs.
  2008. >Just add in a few hairballs here and there and you get the gist.
  2009. >Today you spend less time admiring Fluttershy from beyond the glass to the other room.
  2010. >Today you focus more on actually cleaning the kennels and refilling the food bowls.
  2011. >That way, you can get back to being with her sooner.
  2012. >Feeling a new determination, you soldier on with the dirty work.
  2013. >The most difficult part was making sure you didn't stain your varsity jacket.
  2014. >Cleaning it out is gonna be a pain without Fluttershy worrying about ruining it.
  2015. >Having familiarized yourself with the basics yesterday, you enter a much smoother rhythm in cleaning.
  2016. >Your arms are still kind of sore from earlier today, but it's nothing you can't handle.
  2017. >About half an hour later, the kennels are as good as new.
  2018. >Placing the cleaning equipment back in their proper storage space, you carefully enter the cat's play room.
  2019. >Fluttershy turns to see you as you enter.
  2020. >"Oh, thank goodness you've arrived. I've been drowning in all this work." She jokes.
  2021. >The cats are dispersed throughout the room, some are sleeping, some are scratching the posts, and some are next to Fluttershy.
  2022. "Yeah, sure looks like it." You grin, taking a seat next to her.
  2023. >Once you've situated yourself, she slightly turns to face you.
  2024. >"Are you sure it's a good idea to be cleaning in your nice jacket?" She asks, looking concerned.
  2025.  
  2026. "Yeah, it's fine." You simply reply.
  2027. >"Well, okay. I'd just hate to see something bad happen to it."
  2028. >Her eyes match her pleading tone.
  2029. >Her concern is really endearing.
  2030. "I appreciate it, but look, spotless!" You boast, motioning towards your unstained varsity jacket.
  2031. >Fluttershy inspects your jacket thoroughly, trying to find some kind of stain or mark.
  2032. >After a minute of this, she relaxes back onto the wall.
  2033. "I know how to be careful when wearing this, don't worry." You insist.
  2034. >"Well...okay." Fluttershy relents.
  2035. >She looks at your jacket some more before you open up a bit more.
  2036. "Hey, I... I wear this because I feel... cooler when I wear it." You explain.
  2037. >Fluttershy furrows her brow, looking at you.
  2038. >"Your clothes don't define you, Anon."
  2039. "I know, it's just... I don't know."
  2040. >This is the first time you've ever opened up on why you wear your jacket like this.
  2041. >Having to actually speak your reasoning makes you realize how weak your foundation is.
  2042. >Oh well.
  2043. >"Well then, just... be careful, okay?"
  2044. >There's genuine concern in her eyes.
  2045. "...Okay."
  2046. >You two recline back into the wall, whereupon you notice the small group of cats that have made themselves comfortable at your legs.
  2047. >They're bothered only slightly, but quickly go back to their little naps.
  2048. >You carefully stroke their back, enjoying the sensation of their soft fur.
  2049. >It's clear that the cats trust you more now than earlier this week.
  2050. >They're a bit more difficult to differentiate from each other.
  2051. >Only a few are really distinct, like the one creepy hairless cat.
  2052. >Not that you'd ever let Fluttershy hear you call him creepy.
  2053. >The only one you really know is Graham Cracker.
  2054. >Fluttershy's favorite.
  2055. >You can't help but wonder how many pets Fluttershy has at home.
  2056. >Maybe you'll ask her someday.
  2057. >Or maybe you'll see for yourself.
  2058. >Eventually, the time comes for the cats to be returned to their kennels.
  2059. >The cats are more agreeable and are more easily returned to their kennels than the dogs.
  2060.  
  2061. >After an inspection of the kennels, Fluttershy approves of work.
  2062. >"Well done, Anon!"
  2063. "The grateful smile on your face is all the thanks I need." You beam with pride.
  2064. >Fluttershy quickly turns away, slightly flustered.
  2065. >...Maybe you were laying it on a bit thick.
  2066. "Hey, uh, isn't today the day I try to feed the rabbits and mice?"
  2067. >Fluttershy quickly nods in agreement.
  2068. >"Y-Yeah, that's right."
  2069. >You follow her to the small animal room, where the rabbits and mice are minding their business in their little enclosures.
  2070. >She carefully kneels near the rabbit enclosure, next to the water dispensers.
  2071. >"Do you remember what to do?"
  2072. "Yeah, hold on."
  2073. >You make your way over to the storage cabinet where the rabbit food is kept.
  2074. >Taking the bag in one arm, you retrieve the special water from the fridge nearby.
  2075. >Both of those in hand, you carefully move to the food bowl, which the rabbits have vacated for you.
  2076. >You take special care in filling the bowl, making sure to not overfill or spill any over the side.
  2077. >Once that's taken care of, you remove the top of the water dispensers as Fluttershy displayed yesterday and gingerly fill them up.
  2078. >It takes a minute, but once the dispensers are full and the bottle's empty, you toss the bottle in the recycle bin.
  2079. >Next up, the mice.
  2080. >Their food is kept in the same cabinet as the rabbit food, and after retrieving the smaller bag, you look to the small doors to the enclosures holding the food bowls.
  2081. >You take a moment to observe the enclosure carefully and make sure there aren't any mice that could get out.
  2082. >Satisfied with your search, you surgically open the door and fill their little food bowls.
  2083. >The water is taken care of similarly.
  2084. >Once their sustenance containers have been filled back up, you return the bag to the cabinet and turn back to Fluttershy, beaming with pride.
  2085. "Soooooo, how'd I do?"
  2086. >"You did great, Anon! I'm proud of you!"
  2087. >Your cheeks start glowing again.
  2088. "Aww, thanks Flutters." You smile.
  2089.  
  2090. >She relaxes near the rabbit enclosure, careful not to disturb the little guys.
  2091. >You make sure to not disturb them either, sitting down next to Fluttershy.
  2092. >"It really is nice to have someone else here." She says.
  2093. >You nod in agreement.
  2094. >It must be lonely here at times.
  2095. >"And I... well, I... out of everyone who could have volunteered..."
  2096. >She turns to face you.
  2097. >"...I'm really glad it was you."
  2098. >Your heart leaps in your chest.
  2099. >You need to approach this carefully.
  2100. "I... thank you, Fluttershy. I really like being here with you."
  2101. >There's another silence hanging over you two.
  2102. >Your hands are close together again.
  2103. >You want to take her hand.
  2104. >Your heart is screaming at you to make the move.
  2105. >...But you can't.
  2106. >There's too much at risk.
  2107. >What if you mess up somehow?
  2108. >What if you're overthinking all this?
  2109. >If you alienate Fluttershy, you're sure she'll never want to talk to you again.
  2110. >As your mind races, your phone beeps.
  2111. >It's a text from your dad.
  2112. >[are you heading home soon]
  2113. >It's 7:30.
  2114. >Shit.
  2115. >It pains you to do this, but you get up and grab your bag.
  2116. "My dad said I should be heading home soon, I'm really sorry."
  2117. >Fluttershy's mood noticeably drops.
  2118. >"...Yeah."
  2119. >You can feel your heartstrings being pulled by the sweet girl's sadness.
  2120. >Grace must be fetching something from storage, as once again, she isn't at the desk.
  2121. >You turn to say goodbye to Fluttershy, but she has other ideas.
  2122. >Before you know it, she captures you in a deep hug, wrapping her arms around your upper body.
  2123. >You carefully return the hug, quickly sinking into her warmth.
  2124. >"Thank you for helping me, Anon..." She whispers.
  2125. "Of course, Fluttershy." You whisper back.
  2126. >You spend a good moment in her embrace, but you do have to head home.
  2127. >You try to pull away, but Fluttershy holds you tight.
  2128. >She suddenly realizes this and retreats, embarrassed.
  2129. "I'll-I'll text you later!"
  2130. >"Yeah!"
  2131. "See you later!"
  2132. >You can see her gently wave goodbye as you head out the door and make your way home.
  2133.  
  2134. --FLUTTERSHY--
  2135. >You can feel your heart sting as you watch Anon head home.
  2136. >Once you're sure you're alone, you curse under your breath.
  2137. >If Rarity had heard you, she'd be appalled.
  2138. >Why didn't you do it?
  2139. >He was RIGHT THERE.
  2140. >WHY DIDN'T YOU MAKE A MOVE?
  2141. >You cover your face and sink to the floor.
  2142. >You're still too cowardly.
  2143. >Rainbow Dash wouldn't have trouble telling a boy that she likes them.
  2144. >Neither would Rarity, or Pinkie Pie.
  2145. >Oh well.
  2146. >Now it's the weekend.
  2147. >You won't be able to see Anon until Monday.
  2148. >...You still don't know if he has a girlfriend.
  2149. >He probably does.
  2150. >You need to shake these feelings.
  2151. >It's gonna lead to heartbreak later if you don't.
  2152. >You almost don't hear Grace walk back in.
  2153. >"Are you okay, Fluttershy?"
  2154. >Still hiding your face in your hands, you nod.
  2155. "It's just... school stuff..."
  2156. >"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. Is there any way I can help?"
  2157. "Not really..."
  2158. >You get back up on your feet and face the door.
  2159. "I should be going home now, anyway."
  2160. >You can feel Grace looking at you, still concerned.
  2161. >"Well, then I'll see you Monday."
  2162. "Yeah, see you then..."
  2163. >"Oh, and Anon too."
  2164. >You only nod in response before leaving.
  2165. >As you make your way back home, you try to clear your mind of Anon.
  2166. >Maybe he really does just see you as a friend.
  2167. >You really don't want to ruin what you have by pouring your heart out to someone who doesn't feel the same way.
  2168. >You can already feel a few tears welling up in your eyes as you walk-
  2169. >NO.
  2170. >DON'T CRY.
  2171. >YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ANON FEELS.
  2172. >SO DON'T START JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS.
  2173. >You take a moment to clear your mind and take a few deep breaths before you continue home.
  2174. >Thankfully, no one else is around to see you like this.
  2175. >All you really need right now is dinner.
  2176. >Hopefully Zephyr isn't cooking.
  2177. >You laugh slightly at the memory of his last attempt cooking as you walk.
  2178.  
  2179. >Within 10 minutes, you're back home.
  2180. >You lock the door behind you as you enter, as usual.
  2181. >Your parents are sitting in the living room, quietly reading.
  2182. >Zephyr is nowhere to be seen.
  2183. >Probably in his room doing nothing.
  2184. >"Oh hey, look who's finally home!" Your dad remarks, getting your mom's attention.
  2185. >You wave back at them.
  2186. >"How was school?" Your mom asks.
  2187. "It was fine." You not-really lie.
  2188. >"Did you get that quiz back?" Your dad asks.
  2189. >You quickly retrieve the quiz from your backpack and bring it over to your parents.
  2190. >Once they see the grade at the top, they're impressed.
  2191. >"That's great, Fluttershy! We're really proud of you!" Your dad congratulates you.
  2192. "Well, I couldn't have done so well without the help of my... friend."
  2193. >"Oh? So you cheated?" He asks, cocking an eyebrow with a grin.
  2194. "Nonononono! I just got help studying!" You quickly respond.
  2195. >"He's just teasing you, dear. We know you'd never cheat." Your mom interjects.
  2196. >Your dad enjoys a good chuckle at his teasing.
  2197. >"There's some veggie burgers you can reheat in the kitchen." Your mom informs you.
  2198. >You quietly thank her before taking your bag and grabbing one from the plate in the kitchen.
  2199. >After 90 seconds, it's ready to eat.
  2200. >Unlike Zephyr, you know better than to eat in your room.
  2201. >You take your time eating, not wanting to make a mess.
  2202. >You're not too hungry, so one is really all you need.
  2203. >Soon after, you're back in your room, secluded from everyone else.
  2204. >You do have some homework, but it's Friday.
  2205. >You've got the entire weekend.
  2206. >Your room's still as neat as it was this morning.
  2207. >Unlike Rainbow Dash, you make sure to keep your room orderly.
  2208. >Tossing your backpack to the side, you flop down onto your bed.
  2209. >You're feeling more exhausted than usual today.
  2210. >Far sooner than you expected, you drift off to sleep, despite the clock only reading 8:21...
  2211.  
  2212. >...
  2213. >Today's the day.
  2214. >It's Monday.
  2215. >You're between classes.
  2216. >And you're gonna tell Anon how you feel about him.
  2217. >You took the time to get a nice little box of chocolates for him.
  2218. >Applejack insisted the fastest way to a guy's heart is his stomach.
  2219. >You're not taking any chances.
  2220. >You carefully weave your way through the halls, headed to Anon's locker.
  2221. >As much as you prepared yourself for this, you can't help but feel like you're forgetting something.
  2222. >Most people ignore you as you walk by, but some watch you walk by.
  2223. >It doesn't help the growing feeling of nervousness inside you.
  2224. >You feel a chill run down your spine.
  2225. >Then, you see him.
  2226. >Anon's right by his locker, just as expected.
  2227. >For a split second, you have second thoughts.
  2228. >But you quickly wave those thoughts away.
  2229. >You've come too far to quit now.
  2230. >It's now or never.
  2231. >Steeling your nerve, you walk up to him.
  2232. >He turns to face you, and his eyes shoot open.
  2233. >He looks like he wants to say something, but doesn't know how to say it.
  2234. "Anon, there's something I really need to tell you." You say to him.
  2235. >"Hey, Fluttershy-" He tries to say, his cheeks flushing.
  2236. "I... I brought you these chocolates, b-because I thought you'd like them..." You cut him off, presenting him the chocolates.
  2237. >"Yeah, but-"
  2238. "I got you these because... because I really, really like you, Anon."
  2239. >"I think you-"
  2240. "And I was kinda hoping that... you know... you'd want to... g-go out on a date with m-"
  2241. >Suddenly, a voice rings out throughout the hallway, getting everyone's attention.
  2242. >"Hey, Fluttershy's naked!"
  2243.  
  2244. >The hallway freezes.
  2245. >All eyes turn to you.
  2246. >It suddenly feels a lot colder.
  2247. >You're frozen in place.
  2248. >It takes you an eternity, but you summon the strength to look down.
  2249. >...They're right.
  2250. >You're standing in the middle of school.
  2251. >In front of Anon.
  2252. >Completely naked.
  2253. >Every inch of your body is completely exposed.
  2254. >Your butt.
  2255. >Your breasts.
  2256. >Your... womanhood.
  2257. >On full display.
  2258. >You're horrified.
  2259. >You want to run away and hide.
  2260. >But you can't.
  2261. >Your eyes dart around.
  2262. >Everyone's staring right at your nude form.
  2263. >Some are whispering to each other.
  2264. >Others are snickering or disgusted.
  2265. >And Anon...
  2266. >He pities you.
  2267. >There's sympathy in his eyes.
  2268. >He wants to help, but can't.
  2269. >The sound of someone's camera finally gives you the strength to run away.
  2270. >...At least, you would have, if you didn't slip on someone's paper.
  2271. >You gracelessly fall on your face, your exposed rear sticking in the air.
  2272. >Laughter starts to ring out across Canterlot High as you clumsily get up and run away.
  2273. >You're frantically looking for a bathroom.
  2274. >A storage closet.
  2275. >Anywhere you could hide.
  2276. >But no.
  2277. >The more you run, the more people see you naked.
  2278. >You even come across Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna on your run.
  2279. >You can't worry about that now.
  2280. >Finally, a storage closet.
  2281. >At speeds you've never moved at before, you streak inside and slam the door behind you.
  2282. >The mocking laughter of the other students can still be heard outside.
  2283. >You collapse on the floor, leaning against the door.
  2284. >The cold sensation not at all helping your humiliation.
  2285. >...You blew it.
  2286. >You humiliated yourself in front of Anon.
  2287. >The only guy you've ever felt such strong feelings for.
  2288. >You curl up into a ball and cry.
  2289. >You cry harder than you ever had before.
  2290. >It's over.
  2291. >You're over.
  2292. >The bell rings.
  2293. >But it sounds... different.
  2294. >It sounds like...
  2295. >Your phone?
  2296. >Suddenly, you shoot awake in your bed, still clothed.
  2297. >Your phone's ringing.
  2298. >You heave a heavy sigh of relief.
  2299. >What a horrible dream.
  2300.  
  2301. >Looking at your phone, you see Rainbow Dash is calling you.
  2302. >Better not keep her waiting.
  2303. "Hey, Rainbow." You sleepily answer.
  2304. >"Ugh, finally! You haven't responded to any of my texts for hours!"
  2305. >You glance over to check the time.
  2306. >The clock reads 10:16.
  2307. >What a nap, that was.
  2308. "Yeah, sorry, I kinda fell asleep." You sheepishly apologize.
  2309. >"Dang, already?"
  2310. "Yeah, I feel unusually tired today."
  2311. >"You think it has something to do with Anon?" Rainbow suggests.
  2312. >You flash back to that awful dream.
  2313. >It felt so hauntingly real.
  2314. >Anon's expression was the worst part.
  2315. >You were so pathetic and exposed, and he felt so sorry for you.
  2316. >No way he'd respect you like that.
  2317. "...Maybe, I don't know." You cover up.
  2318. >"You know, Rarity would be more than happy to offer tips on how to seduce him." She teases.
  2319. "Uh, she kind of already did."
  2320. >You give Rainbow time to get her laughter out before speaking up again.
  2321. >"I really shoulda guessed." She snickers.
  2322. "I'm sorry again for making you so worried."
  2323. >"It's fine, I figured you were studying or something."
  2324. "...Then why'd you call?"
  2325. >"I dunno, I was bored."
  2326. >You're lucky she can't see you roll your eyes.
  2327. >"Hey! I'm doing fine! I don't need to spend more time on stupid school stuff!" Rainbow insisted, sensing your annoyance.
  2328. >"Plus I already get enough nagging from Twilight and Sunset on studying more."
  2329. >You sigh in response.
  2330. "They're only trying to help, you know."
  2331. >"I don't need help!"
  2332. >Yeah, that's Rainbow.
  2333. >You let out a deep yawn, your sleepiness coming back.
  2334. "I think I should be getting to bed, sorry."
  2335. >"Eh, no worries. Talk to you later!"
  2336. >You try to return the goodbye, but she hangs up before you can.
  2337. >Oh well.
  2338. >You change into your pajamas and snuggle back into bed.
  2339. >Angel's already asleep.
  2340. >Despite how tired you are, you struggle with falling asleep.
  2341. >You could end up naked in Canterlot High again.
  2342. >Or somewhere worse.
  2343. >...But it's just a dream.
  2344. >You know that now.
  2345. >Be brave.
  2346. >Soon after, you drift back to sleep.
  2347.  
  2348. >Saturday morning.
  2349. >You regain consciousness in your bed, still clothed.
  2350. >Luckily, you didn't have that dream again.
  2351. >Walking downstairs, you see that Zephyr's still in his room.
  2352. >Is he hibernating or something?
  2353. >Oh well.
  2354. >You make a small breakfast of a few breakfast bars and a glass of orange juice.
  2355. >While you're eating breakfast, your phone buzzes next to you.
  2356. >It's a text from Pinkie.
  2357. >[You up for hanging out today at Sugarcube Corner at 3???]
  2358. >That's something you do every Saturday.
  2359. >It's nice to hang out with the girls without worrying about any kind of time limit.
  2360. >Once you're done with your breakfast bar, you text Pinkie back, confirming that you're coming.
  2361. >[Yay!!! See you soon!]
  2362. >Breakfast is finished fairly quick, and you put away the few dishes you had out.
  2363. >As you're brushing your teeth, your mind wanders a bit.
  2364. >...Anon hasn't texted you yet-
  2365. >He's busy!
  2366. >He's still sleeping!
  2367. >It's only 8:45, he could still be asleep!
  2368. >Don't start jumping to conclusions again!
  2369. >Shaking your head, you finish brushing your teeth.
  2370. >...You should probably shower.
  2371. >You didn't do that last night, and you really should stay clean.
  2372. >After fetching some clean clothes from your drawer, you start the shower and undress.
  2373. >But before getting in, you take a moment to observe your body.
  2374. >The same body that Anon and everyone else got exposed to in your dream.
  2375. >...You're attractive.
  2376. >Not as attractive as Rarity, but you're still attractive.
  2377. >You turn slightly to continue checking yourself out.
  2378. >It's very narcissistic.
  2379. >As your eyes travel down your curves, you imagine Anon again.
  2380. >And how lovely he is...
  2381. >...
  2382. >...
  2383. >Your eyes snap open, remembering you're supposed to be showering.
  2384. >You find one of your hands gripping one of your breasts, and the other's dangerously close to your womanhood.
  2385. >You quickly retract your hands, jumping into the shower.
  2386. >Control yourself, Fluttershy.
  2387. >The hot water really helps you relax.
  2388. >You can almost feel your stress melting off of you.
  2389.  
  2390. >You take your time cleaning yourself, relishing the sensation.
  2391. >Soap, conditioner, shampoo and other body washing.
  2392. >Half an hour later, you turn the shower off and step out to dry yourself off.
  2393. >You take care in drying off your hair and body, as well as brushing your hair.
  2394. >It takes you longer than you'd like to admit.
  2395. >But once you're all clean, dry and presentable, you step out of the bathroom, to find Zephyr half awake and standing by the door.
  2396. >"Took you long enough." You mumbles.
  2397. "Don't worry, I didn't use all the hot water." You reassure him.
  2398. >He only grumbles in response, heading into the bathroom.
  2399. >He could stand to be a little more motivated.
  2400. >It's only 9:17, so you've got some free time.
  2401. >Heading back to your room, you take Angel out of his cage and bring him to the enclosure in the backyard.
  2402. >It's a nice sunny day, and he happily hops around the grass.
  2403. >The sun feels especially nice today.
  2404. >It reminds you of yesterday.
  2405. >It reminds you of the nice moment you shared with Anon when with the dogs.
  2406. >He looks so handsome with that smile.
  2407. >You feel so safe when you're with him.
  2408. >...You need to tell him.
  2409. >He needs to know how you feel about him.
  2410. >Angel's noticed you zoning out, hopping closer to you.
  2411. >You let out an exasperated sigh, turning to face him.
  2412. "...I gotta tell Anon that I like him. I'm just... not sure I can."
  2413. >Angel cocks his head slightly, not understanding what you're saying.
  2414. "Do you think I can?"
  2415. >He scratches his ear with his back leg, but you interpret that as a 'yes'.
  2416. >You spend about an hour out here with him, idly talking about various other topics.
  2417. >If there's one person you can trust with your secrets, it's your rabbit Angel.
  2418. >Once he seems satisfied, you pick him up and return him to his cage in your bedroom.
  2419. >You should take this time to do some of your schoolwork.
  2420. >Biology is the hardest, so you should get that out of the way.
  2421. >It's really frustrating.
  2422. >Who knew there were so many parts of an animal cell?
  2423.  
  2424. >Cut to 2:30.
  2425. >Your homework's finally done.
  2426. >Today's homework, anyway.
  2427. >You step away from your desk and rub your tired eyes.
  2428. >But you don't have too much time to rest, you've gotta be heading up to Sugarcube Corner.
  2429. >Your phone at hand, you check over yourself one last time to make sure you're ready to go.
  2430. >Yes, you're wearing clothes.
  2431. >You quickly say goodbye to Angel and your parents before heading out the door.
  2432. >It's more active in town today.
  2433. >Everyone's off work, and it looks like they're enjoying the nice weather.
  2434. >Cars are going by, people are walking their dogs, and you can see families having fun at the park.
  2435. >You take a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air.
  2436. >Soon enough, you're at Sugarcube Corner.
  2437. >It's really busy inside, but the girls are easy to find.
  2438. >They're at the usual table right by the window.
  2439. >Only Applejack and Twilight are here, with Pinkie surely nearby.
  2440. >You quietly enter, with the two only noticing you as you sit in your chair, facing away from the windows.
  2441. >"Hello, Fluttershy!" Twilight happily greets you.
  2442. >"Howdy, there!" Applejack adds.
  2443. >You gently wave in response, noticing Twilight's dog under the table.
  2444. >His name's Spike, right?
  2445. >"RD an' Rarity said they'll be a lil late. Ah'm sure we'll know when they arrive." Applejack says.
  2446. >"Sunset's working today, so she won't be able to come." Twilight explains.
  2447. >Sure enough, you notice Pinkie bouncing from table to table, delivering various treats to the customers.
  2448. >Soon after, she hops over to your table, already knowing to deliver six milkshakes.
  2449. >Applejack must have been really thirsty, as she wastes no time in gulping down the drink.
  2450. >You and Twilight take a few sips while Pinkie sits next to you.
  2451. >"So whatcha been doing lately?" She asks you.
  2452. "Oh, just homework." You simply reply.
  2453. >"Booooring! That can't be all you've had going on!" Pinkie responds.
  2454. >"How's workin' with Anon?" Applejack asks.
  2455. >You can feel your heart skip a beat.
  2456. "He's, uh... he's fun to work with." You answer.
  2457.  
  2458. >Soon after, the door opens and you spot Rarity and Rainbow Dash walking in.
  2459. >They take their usual seats, and the table is full.
  2460. >"How is everyone today?" Rarity asks, delicately taking a sip from her milkshake.
  2461. >"We were just asking Fluttershy what it's like to have her new buddy Anon volunteer with her!" Pinkie eagerly answers.
  2462. >"Oh yes, that should be a fascinating discussion." Rarity smirks.
  2463. >You really hope your face isn't turning red.
  2464. >"Fluttershy just told us that Anon's really nice and helpful." Twilight interjected, trying to take some of the pressure off of you.
  2465. >You nod along.
  2466. "Y-Yeah, it really is a relief to have an extra pair of hands to help out."
  2467. >"We really do wish we could help ya out more." Applejack says, with slight embarrassment.
  2468. >"Yeah, and we promise we will! Right?" Rainbow adds
  2469. >"Yup!" Pinkie agrees, with Rarity and Twilight nodding.
  2470. >Hoping that's soothed the situation, you return your attention to your milkshake.
  2471. >But then Rarity speaks up again.
  2472. >"So how's Anon?"
  2473. >You almost choke on your drink.
  2474. "Wh-What?"
  2475. >"You know, how has Anon been lately?"
  2476. >Your eyes dart around the room.
  2477. "He's, uh, d-doing well. Studying and staying healthy, you know, stuff like that..."
  2478. >Your cheeks are definitely red.
  2479. >You can see Rainbow and Applejack smirk at each other.
  2480. >A good few minutes go by of idle conversation and idly observing the passerby and customers.
  2481. >Then, Rainbow speaks up again.
  2482. >"Oh, hey Anon." She casually greets, looking past you to the door.
  2483. "Huh!?"
  2484. >Your head shoots around to see him, but he's not there.
  2485. >Applejack, Pinkie and Rainbow burst out laughing, while Rarity and Twilight share a slight giggle.
  2486. >You sink into your chair, extremely embarrassed.
  2487.  
  2488. "Alright, fine, I... have a crush on Anon..." You admit, having been backed into a corner.
  2489. >"I knew it!" Rarity cheered victoriously.
  2490. >"Fluttershy and Anon, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-" Pinkie chants, but is quickly shushed by Twilight.
  2491. >Fortunately, it's pretty busy right now, so no one turns to see the commotion caused by your friends.
  2492. >That doesn't do much to soothe your racing heart.
  2493. >"Aw, shoot, that ain't nothin' to be ashamed of!" Applejack encourages you.
  2494. >"Yeah! We've had crushes before too!" Rainbow adds.
  2495. "But... but I'm not you."
  2496. >"What do you mean?" Twilight asks.
  2497. "I mean, you and Rainbow and Rarity are so... confident. It's much easier for you all to ask a guy out." You reply, shamefully.
  2498. >"You could, too! It's not that hard!" Rainbow insists.
  2499. >"Fluttershy, I sincerely doubt that Anon would turn you down if you told him how you feel." Rarity adds.
  2500. >"You're like the only girl he talks to, so you've got good odds!" Pinkie chimes in.
  2501. >That gets your attention.
  2502. "...Really?" You ask, looking up slightly.
  2503. >"Yeah! He's usually with Norman and Flash when he's not alone!"
  2504. >That helps lift your hopes.
  2505. >"Guy will do simply embarrassing things if they believed a girl was interested in them. I should know." Rarity says, rolling her eyes at some unpleasant memories.
  2506. >They're making a lot of good points.
  2507. >They are your friends, after all.
  2508. >They want to see you happy.
  2509. >"And ah just might have caught him starin' at'cha a few times." Applejack notes.
  2510. >"Not in a creepy way, mind. It was more... dreamily."
  2511. >You take another sip from your milkshake before speaking up.
  2512. "...You really think he likes me?"
  2513. >"Darling, I KNOW so." Rarity insists.
  2514. >"You're in an ideal situation, Fluttershy. You get to be alone with just him for several hours a day, four days a week!" Twilight encourages.
  2515. >"With a setup like that, you two will probably end up wrapped around each other playing tonsil hockey by the end of next week!" Rainbow interjects.
  2516. >You smile, feeling more confident.
  2517.  
  2518. "Thank you, girls. I'm feeling a lot better now." You say to the group.
  2519. >"Ahm glad! We'd do anything to help ya!" Applejack replies.
  2520. >"Which we WILL do." Rarity is quick to add, shooting her eyes around the table to everyone else.
  2521. >"Absolutely!" Twilight confirms.
  2522. >"We'll be your matchmakers, Fluttershy." Rainbow says.
  2523. >"Oh yay! Operation: Get Fluttershy Laid- whoopsie! I mean Get Fluttershy a Boyfriend is in motion!" Pinkie giggles.
  2524. >Soft laughter is shared around the table again.
  2525. >"I'm sure Sunset would be happy to help you too." Twilight notes.
  2526. >You nod along in agreement.
  2527. >There used to be a time where you'd cower at the sound of Sunset's name.
  2528. >She used to be so mean and horrible to everyone at Canterlot High.
  2529. >But it turns out there was a lot going on with her, and with some help from Twilight and the girls, she turned over a new leaf.
  2530. >Now she's a great friend.
  2531. >Twilight said something before about how friendship is magic?
  2532. >You can kinda see what she means, but still.
  2533. >"So, what does Anon like?" Rainbow asks.
  2534. "Oh, movies and stuff, but he said he likes volunteering with me!"
  2535. >"No movie dates!" Rarity quickly states, catching everyone off guard.
  2536. >"There's never enough interaction during a movie date. You're paying more attention to the screen than each other, and that means the date can only end awkwardly."
  2537. >That makes a lot of sense.
  2538. >"My suggestion is keep doing what you're doing. As Rainbow Dash pointed out, you're in a rather ideal situation with him already."
  2539. >"Waaaaaait, how come I never see Anon at one of my Pinkie parties?" Pinkie asks, scratching her chin.
  2540. "Maybe he doesn't like crowds, I'll ask him later."
  2541. >"Oh! Have you texted him yet?" Rainbow suddenly asks.
  2542. "...No..." You admit.
  2543. >"Wait for him to text first!" Rainbow instructs, making you really confused.
  2544. "...Why?"
  2545.  
  2546. >"Well, we already established that he's kind of a loner, so he's not talking to other girls..." Rainbow elaborated.
  2547. >You slightly frown.
  2548. >"That means he's busy with homework and other stuff."
  2549. >"The less you text him, the more he'll want you." Rarity explains.
  2550. >You're really confused now.
  2551. "What do you mean?"
  2552. >"If you seem like you're not interested in him, he'll try harder to win your affections!" Rarity replied.
  2553. "...But I am interested in him."
  2554. >"Do you want him to want you?" Rarity asks.
  2555. >After a moment, you nod.
  2556. >"Then trust me on this. I know guys." She smirks.
  2557. >"Ah dunno if that's such good advice." Applejack speaks up.
  2558. >"Yeah! Fluttershy should just tell Anon that she likes him!" Pinkie chimes in.
  2559. >"Have some faith in me, darling. I'm no stranger to the art of seduction." Rarity replies, dignified.
  2560. >"Fluttershy ain't tryin' to seduce the boy!"
  2561. >It looks like Rarity and Applejack are gonna start bickering again, until Twilight speaks up.
  2562. >"Girls! There's really no need to argue over this!"
  2563. >After shooting one last look at each other, the two sink back into their chairs.
  2564. "Twilight? How did you and Flash Sentry end up together?"
  2565. >Twilight shrugs.
  2566. >"It just kinda... happened. One day he asked me out, and I just... said yes."
  2567. >That doesn't really help.
  2568. >"What do you want to do, Fluttershy?" Twilight asks you.
  2569. >You really wish you knew how to answer.
  2570. >Your head falls again.
  2571. "...I don't know."
  2572. >Rainbow reaches over and rubs your shoulder reassuringly.
  2573. "It's just... I really like Anon. He's so... nice and caring and funny and handsome and... wonderful."
  2574. >You grow more embarrassed as you talk.
  2575. "I just... when I'm with him at the animal shelter, I feel... safe."
  2576. >"Aww, that's precious!" Rarity fawns.
  2577. >"I'm almost jealous Fluttershy got to him before I could!" Pinkie comments.
  2578. >Applejack shoots her a look, and she backs off.
  2579. >"Well then, you should do what feels right, Fluttershy." Twilight offers.
  2580. >You look back up, feeling more ready to face Anon again.
  2581.  
  2582. >You're back home now.
  2583. >More specifically, you're in your room, next to Angel's cage.
  2584. >It's 5:01 PM.
  2585. >All your homework for the day is already done.
  2586. >You've got some set aside for tomorrow, but other than that, nothing's going on.
  2587. >Your phone's on the ground in front of you.
  2588. >Anon still hasn't texted.
  2589. >Surely he's busy.
  2590. >You don't know what his life is like.
  2591. >Maybe he does more volunteer work elsewhere.
  2592. >You shouldn't worry.
  2593. >...But you really wanna text him.
  2594. >Rarity said you shouldn't and wait for him to text you.
  2595. >She's dated a lot of boys, so she knows what she's talking about.
  2596. >You don't want Anon to think you're desperate.
  2597. >You're not desperate.
  2598. >...
  2599. >...
  2600. >...Maybe you're a little desperate.
  2601. >You turn to Angel, as if expecting him to bestow dating wisdom.
  2602. >Maybe you should-
  2603. >Your phone buzzes.
  2604. >It's a text.
  2605. >From Anon.
  2606. >Omigoshomigoshomigosh.
  2607. >You quickly open the message to see what he sent.
  2608. >[So... how's life?]
  2609. [Good as usual :)]
  2610. >[That's great!]
  2611. [wbu?]
  2612. >[I've had better days lol. Not only did I have homework, but my dad made me help with working on the car]
  2613. >You knew it, he was busy!
  2614. [Dang, I'm sorry]
  2615. >[¯\_(ツ)_/¯, its over now lol]
  2616. [That's a relief lol]
  2617. >[Did you do anything fun today?]
  2618. [I spent time with my friends at Sugarcube Corner!]
  2619. >[That's great! All I really did was rewatch Ninja Mime lol]
  2620. >Another movie you've never heard of.
  2621. >Rainbow would probably know about it.
  2622.  
  2623. >[tbh, I kinda miss being at the animal shelter]
  2624. >Your heart skips a beat.
  2625. >You can be more composed over text.
  2626. [really?]
  2627. >[yeah! It's a lot of fun and it's really nice to get out of the house]
  2628. [I'm really glad you think so :)]
  2629. >You're laying on your front with your phone in front of you, enjoying your little slice of privacy.
  2630. >[I kinda miss you too lol]
  2631. >You can already feel blood rushing to your face.
  2632. >With a goofy smile, you text back.
  2633. [I miss you too :)]
  2634. >A moment goes by before Anon texts back.
  2635. >[Hey, are u doing anything tomorrow?]
  2636. >You softly gasp.
  2637. >Could he be asking you out?
  2638. [apart from homework, not really lol]
  2639. >[Do you wanna get together to study again?]
  2640. [Sure!] You quickly text.
  2641. >[Cool! How about my place at 4?]
  2642. [I'll check with my parents, but I should be good!]
  2643. >He sends three thumbs up emojis in response.
  2644. >A few minutes later, he sends you another text.
  2645. >[My parents are cool with you coming over]
  2646. [Yay!]
  2647. >[I may have left out the part that you're a girl btw. I just wanna avoid any awkward conversations with them]
  2648. >That's a very good point.
  2649. >You cringe at the thought of your parents hearing you're spending time with a boy.
  2650. >They're gonna find out eventually, if you end up dating Anon.
  2651. >[I've gotta help prepare dinner, ttyl!]
  2652. [ttyl!] You text back.
  2653. >You had dinner as well.
  2654. >Your dad made nice steaks for everyone.
  2655. >Zephyr made his rare appearance outside his room to eat alongside everyone else.
  2656. >All you could think about was texting Anon more.
  2657. >He misses you!
  2658. >And he wants to spend time with you outside volunteering!
  2659. >After getting through your dinner, you make your way back to your room.
  2660. >You and Anon text for a couple more hours, talking about random topics.
  2661. >He led most of the conversations, like talking about Undertale.
  2662. >You look over to the clock and notice it's 10:21.
  2663. >[I've gotta start getting to bed sooner, so goodnight!]
  2664. [goodnight!] You happily text back.
  2665. >Not too long after changing into your pajamas, you drift off to slumberland.
  2666.  
  2667. >Flash forward to Sunday, 2:14.
  2668. >Anon texted you his address early this morning.
  2669. >You two haven't texted much today.
  2670. >You spent all morning getting ready.
  2671. >You scrubbed yourself all over in the shower.
  2672. >You even shaved your... area.
  2673. >Because you never know.
  2674. >You probably annoyed Zephyr by taking even longer than usual.
  2675. >Rarity insisted you wear your "flirtiest" underwear.
  2676. >You don't have any fancy lingerie like her, so you picked your dark blue, lacy bra and panties.
  2677. >You decided to wear a nice sundress to Anon's house.
  2678. >That's when something occurred to you.
  2679. >If you dress too fancy, your parents will think it's a date.
  2680. >His parents will think so too.
  2681. >If you got confronted about dating Anon, you would probably die of embarrassment.
  2682. >You let the sundress fall to your ankles and sigh exasperatedly.
  2683. >You search through your closet, clad in only your "flirty" underwear.
  2684. >With a slight tinge of defeat, you settle on a simple t-shirt and shorts.
  2685. >It won't leave Anon speechless, but discretion will be assured.
  2686. >Angel's currently napping as you fuss over your clothes.
  2687. >You made sure to give him time outside before you left.
  2688. >You're not sure how long you'll be staying, but you should be home before 8.
  2689. >Unless he asks you to stay the night...
  2690. >You sit back against your bed, imagining the conversation...
  2691. >(Fluttershy, there's a tornado warning, I can't let you walk home in these conditions.)
  2692. (But what else could I do?)
  2693. >(You're more than welcome to spend the night here!)
  2694. (R-Really?)
  2695. >(Yeah, it's just... we'd kinda have to share a bed. ...You don't mind, do you?)
  2696. (Not at all, Anon~)
  2697. >You snap yourself out of your fantasy and look over to the clock.
  2698. >2:29.
  2699. >You need to be going!
  2700. >You carefully put your clothes on, careful not to rip them in your hurrying.
  2701. >You grab your bookbag and make your way downstairs.
  2702. "I'm going to study with a friend." You carefully explain to your mom.
  2703. >"Have fun! Be back before 8, sweetie!"
  2704. >You nod quickly make your way to Anon's house.
  2705.  
  2706. >Luckily, Anon doesn't live too far away.
  2707. >It assuages the concern that he gets home late at night from volunteering.
  2708. >The roads are sort of unfamiliar.
  2709. >You've visited all your friend's houses at some point.
  2710. >Except Twilight.
  2711. >Sunset has her own apartment, where she lives all by herself.
  2712. >It's incredible, if not lonely.
  2713. >It's a good thing she has real friends now.
  2714. >Snails and Snips used to be her henchmen.
  2715. >Even though they're not with her anymore, those two are still awful.
  2716. >It's a nice early fall day.
  2717. >The air of summer still lingers, the birdies and squirrels enjoying the nice day.
  2718. >Should you have brought something?
  2719. >No, that would have been too much.
  2720. >You two are only friends.
  2721. >You're not dating him.
  2722. >...Yet, at least.
  2723. >It takes about 25 minutes to get to his house by walking.
  2724. >It feels kind of strange to be wearing shorts.
  2725. >You're more used to wearing a skirt.
  2726. >It's probably for the best, you don't want to accidentally flash your panties to Anon.
  2727. >...Do you?
  2728. >You hastily wave away those thoughts.
  2729. >Rarity would probably know how to deal with these intrusive thoughts.
  2730. >If you come onto Anon too strong, he could get weirded out.
  2731. >Why does he have this effect on you?
  2732. >You've only really known him for five days and you're feeling things you've never felt before.
  2733. >Maybe he's your soul mate.
  2734. >Eventually, you're standing in front of the house matching the address he sent you.
  2735. >...You've never been to a boy's house before.
  2736. >What's it gonna be like.
  2737. >What's his room gonna be like?
  2738. >There's only one way to find out.
  2739. >You march up to the front door and after a brief flash of hesitation, you ring the doorbell.
  2740. >You can hear someone hastily make their way to the door.
  2741. >The door opens, and Anon is there.
  2742. >He's dressed a bit more casually, wearing basketball shorts and a t-shirt.
  2743. >...And his varsity jacket.
  2744. >"Hey! Glad you could find the place!" He happily greets you.
  2745. "Yeah, I'm not really used to this area." You reply with a smile.
  2746.  
  2747. >"Oh, sorry! Come in!" He invites you, slightly embarrassed.
  2748. >You enter his house and take a look around.
  2749. >It's a fairly normal house.
  2750. >Nothing really sticks out about it.
  2751. >Some nice decoration, some family photos, but that's about it.
  2752. >"My parents are out looking for car parts. I would have had to go with them if I didn't have you coming over, so thanks for saving me from an awful afternoon, Flutters." He explains with a smile.
  2753. "We haven't started studying, so don't thank me yet." You giggle.
  2754. >"Heh, right..."
  2755. >His body language conveys nervousness.
  2756. >"So, uh, I kinda planned for us to study in... my room? Un-Unless you don't want to."
  2757. >He knows what it looks like to invite a girl to his room.
  2758. "Sure!" You reply, hiding your growing nervousness.
  2759. >"Oh, uh, cool!" He says, leading you upstairs.
  2760. >Your little journey leads you to Anon's bedroom.
  2761. >Be still, my beating heart.
  2762. >"Well, this is it!" Anon welcomes you, arms outstretched to show off his room.
  2763. >His room's so...
  2764. >...Normal.
  2765. >It's kind of like Rainbow Dash's room.
  2766. >Except less blue.
  2767. >And there are less rainbows.
  2768. >There's a bed, a small bookshelf, desk with computer and movie posters.
  2769. >And the air smells faintly of... air freshener?
  2770. >Did he-
  2771. >THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE.
  2772. >Your eyes land on a picture hanging near his bed.
  2773. >It's a picture of a sleek purple car with green windshields, with a silver signature on top of the picture.
  2774. >"What's this?" You ask him, motioning to the photo.
  2775. >A smile grows on his face as he sees what you're referring to.
  2776. >"That's a picture of Sling Shot, signed by Kurt Wylde himself!"
  2777. "...Kurt Wylde?"
  2778. >"Leader of the Street Breed racing team and one of the greatest racecar drivers in the world!"
  2779. >He looks really eager, talking about this "Sling Shot".
  2780. "How'd you get this?"
  2781. >"When I was a Sophomore, my dad won two VIP tickets to see the World Race from a raffle at work. After the race, I managed to run into Kurt Wylde, and he signed it for me!" Anon beamed.
  2782. >His joy is rather infectious.
  2783.  
  2784. "I never knew that about you." You remark.
  2785. >"I'm a man of many secrets." He smirks at you.
  2786. >You giggle a bit in response.
  2787. >He turns and wags his finger at the picture.
  2788. >"Someday, Flutters. Someday that beautiful piece of machinery will be mine."
  2789. "Oh, really?"
  2790. >He turns back to you, putting on a more determined face.
  2791. >"Yes, really."
  2792. "What if you don't?" You smirk at him.
  2793. >"That's not possible." He shoots back.
  2794. "Sure it is!"
  2795. >"I PROMISE you, Flutters."
  2796. "Okaaaaaay, but if you don't, you'll have to clean the ENTIRE animal shelter!" You declare.
  2797. >"I'll take those odds!" Anon boldly proclaims, holding his hand out for a shake.
  2798. >You giggle a bit more as you take his hand and shake it as firmly as you can.
  2799. >"As much as I'd love to keep making promises with you, we've got studying to do." He reminds you.
  2800. >You set your backpack on his bed and sit next to it.
  2801. "It would only be fair if we started with helping you study."
  2802. >"Aww, thanks Flutters!" Anon smiles.
  2803. >He's so pretty when he smiles.
  2804. >He grabs a Chemistry textbook from his desk, and sits next to you on his bed.
  2805. >"The current unit is on Chapter 9. I've already reviewed it a couple times, so you can read over that for a bit and quiz me when you've familiarized yourself."
  2806. >You nod and open the book to Chapter 9.
  2807. >It all seems really complicated.
  2808. >Twilight would be better at tutoring him.
  2809. >But you deserve to spend time with Anon more than her, as selfish as that sounds.
  2810. >She has Flash Sentry, anyway.
  2811. >You take a few more glances over the material just to be sure.
  2812. >A little while later, you perk your head up.
  2813. "Ready!"
  2814. >"Okay! Let me have it!"
  2815. >You peer back down to the book.
  2816. "Um... how do you determine an atom's atomic number?"
  2817. >He puts a finger to his chin to think.
  2818. >"Hm... the atomic number is the amount of... electrons?"
  2819. >You shake your head.
  2820. "Protons, Anon."
  2821. >He smacks his head.
  2822. >"It was one or the other!"
  2823. "Well, now you know for next time!" You note.
  2824. >He nods along, ready to keep going.
  2825.  
  2826. >Tutoring goes really well.
  2827. >It helps that you don't have to actually understand the material.
  2828. >That falls to Anon.
  2829. >He struggles a bit, but he's really trying.
  2830. >But some time later, he seems to get the hang of it.
  2831. >"Oh, I've been wondering something."
  2832. >You look back at him.
  2833. "What is it?"
  2834. >"Did me tutoring you by overshooting help you on your quiz?"
  2835. >You smile and roll your eyes.
  2836. "Yes it did, Anon."
  2837. >He puts on an incredibly smug face and relishes in his self satisfaction.
  2838. >You thwap him with some nearby papers.
  2839. "Remember I'm still tutoring you, mister. I could give you a really hard time if I wanted to."
  2840. >"Oh, but you wouldn't. You're too sweet!" He remarks.
  2841. >You cock an eyebrow and turn back to the book.
  2842. "What's the formula for Ideal Gas Law?"
  2843. >His smug look is immediately replaced with one of worry.
  2844. >"...Heh, you've made your point, Flutters."
  2845. "Mm-mm-mm! You got yourself into this situation, mister!" You remark, wagging your finger at him.
  2846. >You can't help but enjoy this new power over him.
  2847. >Anon runs through a thousand thoughts in his mind before he throws up his hands in defeat.
  2848. >"I don't know, force equals mass times acceleration."
  2849. "Nope!" You grin, showing him the book.
  2850. >"That was the best answer you were getting out of me!" He defends.
  2851. "Then maybe you shouldn't be so rude to your tutor."
  2852. >He sighs, smiling.
  2853. >"I'm sorry, Flutters."
  2854. >Before you could accept his apology, you hear a car pull into the driveway.
  2855. >Anon hears it too, and looks out the window.
  2856. >"It's my parents. Quick, downstairs!"
  2857. >You two quickly rush down to the dining room with a textbook and try to act natural when his parents come in.
  2858. >Heaven forbid you're caught with Anon alone in his room.
  2859. >You're heavily interested in the textbook as they walk in, with Anon sitting across from you.
  2860. >"We're back!" His dad announces.
  2861. >"Yeah, I noticed!" Anon replies.
  2862. >His dad goes to the living room, while his mom notices you sitting with him.
  2863. >"So you're Anon's friend!" She remarks.
  2864.  
  2865. "Uh, yes, m-my name's... Fluttershy." You introduce yourself, your timidness returning.
  2866. >"Well, hello Fluttershy! Would you like something to drink?" Anon's mom asks you.
  2867. "Oh, n-no thank you..."
  2868. >"Well then, I'll let you two get back to studying." She says as she heads over to the living room.
  2869. >Once she's out of view, you can breathe easier.
  2870. >"Don't stress it, Fluttershy. I'm sure they'll like you almost as much as I do!" Anon encourages.
  2871. >Your heart flutters at his praise.
  2872. >You suddenly realize you're holding your Algebra textbook instead of his Chemistry book.
  2873. "Uh, look's like we're done with Chemistry." You awkwardly chuckle.
  2874. >"Oh, thank goodness. Now you can't take out your power fantasies on me anymore." Anon remarks with a grin.
  2875. >He takes the textbook and looks it over.
  2876. >Leaving the room for a bit, you can hear a hockey game play in the living room.
  2877. >When he comes back, he's holding a small stack of paper and two pens.
  2878. >He quickly scribbles down a few questions from the book.
  2879. >"How confident do you feel on your Algebra?"
  2880. "I think I got it!" You beam.
  2881. >"That's the spirit!"
  2882. >He slides the paper over to you and moves to sit next to you.
  2883. >"You can use your phone as a calculator, but I'm gonna make sure that's all you use it for."
  2884. >You feel a chill run down your body with Anon so close to you, especially with his parents near.
  2885. >But it's purely platonic.
  2886. >He leans away a bit, to give you some breathing room.
  2887. >You take a deep breath and get to work.
  2888. >Having a friend like Twilight can really help, so you actually have a pretty good grip on Algebra.
  2889. >It's all fairly simple.
  2890. >About 20 minutes later, you're finished.
  2891. >"Dang, already?" Anon asks, looking over the paper.
  2892. >Cross-referencing your answers with the book, he looks back to you.
  2893. >"It's all correct!"
  2894. "Yay!" You softly cheer.
  2895. >"I'm proud of you, Flutters!"
  2896. >You could only smile like a dork in return.
  2897. >"Studying hard?" You hear Anon's mom ask again.
  2898. >"Yep, but we just finished with a section." He answers.
  2899.  
  2900. >"Oh good, just in time for dinner!" His mom notes.
  2901. >You feel cold suddenly.
  2902. >Was Anon expecting this?
  2903. >You look to him, expecting some kind of help.
  2904. >He looks almost surprised as you, but he doesn't protest.
  2905. >"Sh-Should I help prepare?" He asks his mom.
  2906. >"Don't worry, I can handle it." His mom responds.
  2907. >She's in the process of preparing spaghetti.
  2908. >You're left sitting there awkwardly with Anon.
  2909. >His presence is rather comforting.
  2910. >You try to ease the tension by looking around the room, but every now and again you catch Anon stealing a glimpse of you.
  2911. >He quickly turns away when your eyes meet.
  2912. >Soon enough, dinner is prepared.
  2913. >Anon's dad comes from the living room to join everyone for the meal.
  2914. >Bowls are served, and everyone pours tomato sauce to their liking.
  2915. >Anon's parents sit across from each other, and you sit next to Anon.
  2916. >At first, it's nice and peaceful.
  2917. >It's still kind of awkward, feeling a slight tension in the room.
  2918. >"So you're Anon's tutor?" His dad suddenly asks.
  2919. >"This is Fluttershy!" His mom introduces you.
  2920. >You can already feel your face burning.
  2921. >You really hate talking about yourself.
  2922. >"Don't worry if she's quiet, she's not too comfortable with meeting new people." Anon quickly defends you.
  2923. >"Oh, that's fair. Not everyone can be as outgoing." Your dad notes.
  2924. >You sigh slightly in relief, returning your focus to dinner.
  2925. >"She's also who I volunteer with at the animal shelter." Anon speaks for you.
  2926. >His mom hums approvingly.
  2927. >"We can tell you've had a positive influence on him." His dad tells you.
  2928. >"Before this year, he spent most of his time isolated in his room playing those computer games."
  2929. >Anon looks down in slight shame.
  2930. "He's been wonderful at the shelter. It's really nice to have an extra pair of hands helping those poor animals." You defend him.
  2931. >He looks over to you warmly.
  2932. >Not much was discussed after that.
  2933. >Once dinner was finished, his parents were kind enough to let you and Anon return to his room to study.
  2934.  
  2935. >It's Anon's turn to be tutored.
  2936. >His history class is centered on American history.
  2937. >You quiz him in much the same way he quizzed you, but you couldn't shake a feeling of disappointment.
  2938. >Your fantasies of being alone with Anon in his bedroom are dashed now that his parents are here.
  2939. >They certainly wouldn't let you share a bed with him.
  2940. >You hoped to feel his touch at least once.
  2941. >"Hey Flutters, you okay?"
  2942. >Your attention snaps back to Anon, who's looking at you with a concerned expression.
  2943. "Yeah, I'm just kinda tired, is all..."
  2944. >He frowns.
  2945. >"Well then, you should probably be getting home soon, huh?"
  2946. >You want to instinctively protest.
  2947. >But he's right.
  2948. >You should head home before it gets too dark.
  2949. >You're still too ashamed to tell Anon you're still kinda scared of the dark.
  2950. >Looking out the window, you see the sun setting over the horizon.
  2951. "But you still have stuff to review."
  2952. >"Oh, don't worry, I got plenty done today." Anon responds.
  2953. >You sigh in defeat.
  2954. >You gather your things and head out.
  2955. >When you leave his room, you peek back inside to see what Anon's doing.
  2956. >He's looking at a poster of a muscular guy named Duke Nukem.
  2957. >Duke Nukem looks like a jerk.
  2958. >Anon flexes his arms to compare to the poster, his arms slightly trembling from the effort.
  2959. >His muscles don't compare, and he hangs his head defeated.
  2960. >He walks toward the door, and you quickly go downstairs so he doesn't notice you.
  2961. >Anon looks slightly glum as he meets you near the front door.
  2962. >You pretend to not know why.
  2963. >"See you tomorrow!"
  2964. "Actually, the shelter doesn't need volunteers on Mondays, so it'll be Tuesday."
  2965. >"Well then, text you tomorrow!"
  2966. >His lovely smile returns to his handsome face.
  2967. >You pull Anon into another hug, which he's less hesitant to return.
  2968. >It's really lovely.
  2969. >It's deeper and more intimate.
  2970. >You absorb the warmth coming from his body, falling into his embrace.
  2971. >As if Anon is your shield.
  2972. >But the hug has to end, and after waving goodbye, you make your way home.
  2973.  
  2974. >Flash forward to Monday morning.
  2975. >It's a new week at Canterlot High.
  2976. >You made sure that you were wearing clothes before leaving for school.
  2977. >The elevators that have been under construction are finally finished.
  2978. >Everyone's pretty eager to try them.
  2979. >You've heard a few whispers that the doors close a little too quickly.
  2980. >The first few classes go by smoothly.
  2981. >You already basically knew what you're doing in English and Algebra.
  2982. >You did have to stay a little after to turn in a few papers for extra credit, as per Twilight's advice.
  2983. >Your third class of the day was on the second floor.
  2984. >You might as well take the elevator.
  2985. >The hallways are much more empty now, so you have the elevator to yourself.
  2986. >It's very modern and fancy.
  2987. >The ride is smooth, but short.
  2988. >You grab your bag and exit the elevator to get to class.
  2989. >...Until you're stopped.
  2990. >Looking down, you notice your skirt is stuck.
  2991. >...In the elevator door.
  2992. >Oh no.
  2993. >The elevator descends inside the shaft.
  2994. >Tugging your skirt down with it.
  2995. >Please, no!
  2996. >You hastily drop your bag and tug on the portion of your skirt stuck in the door.
  2997. >You're no match for the elevator.
  2998. >Your skirt keeps getting tugged down, and you hear the fabric being stretched.
  2999. >Panic grows inside you as your skirt descends your legs.
  3000. >You tug against the elevator with all your might, but your skirt finally gives, tearing to shreds.
  3001. >You watch hopelessly as you watch a large portion of your skirt get sucked into the elevator, with only small remnants of the fabric in your hands.
  3002. >You fall to the ground, powerless.
  3003. >You dare to look down your body.
  3004. >Your legs are completely bare, your lower half covered by only a light blue pair of panties.
  3005. >With a black paw print pattern.
  3006. >No no no no no no.
  3007. >This can't be happening.
  3008. >This is another horrible dream.
  3009. >It has to be.
  3010. >You pinch yourself in desparation.
  3011. >You're awake.
  3012. >You're at school.
  3013. >Left in your underwear.
  3014.  
  3015. >Someone's coming.
  3016. >You hastily grab your bag and dash in the opposite direction.
  3017. >Classes are in session, so thankfully no one else is in the hallways.
  3018. >But that won't last.
  3019. >You have your gym shorts in the locker room.
  3020. >...But that's on the other side of school.
  3021. >And there are people in gym class.
  3022. >They'll see you.
  3023. >Maybe Rainbow or Rarity or Applejack could help?
  3024. >...No, they're in class right now, they could get in trouble.
  3025. >And you can't hide in the bathroom.
  3026. >You'll have to leave eventually, people will see your underwear, and you'll get in trouble for skipping school.
  3027. >Why why why why?
  3028. >There are still people that call you Fluttercry.
  3029. >If everyone catches you running around in your underwear, you would die of humiliation.
  3030. >You turn to sprinting through the hallways, ducking below the windows to the classrooms.
  3031. >You hear another set of footsteps approaching you.
  3032. >In your haste, you fall over and clumsily run away.
  3033. >The breeze between your legs only makes you feel more humiliated.
  3034. >You just HAD to wear your most embarrassing pair of panties today, didn't you?
  3035. >After running around desperately trying to find some kind of solution, you collapse behind a trash can.
  3036. >This is it.
  3037. >It's hopeless.
  3038. >You curl up into a ball.
  3039. >Tears are welling up in your eyes.
  3040. >Everyone's gonna see that weird girl Fluttershy and her underwear.
  3041. >Everyone's gonna laugh at you.
  3042. >Your episode of despair is interrupted by an approaching, familiar voice.
  3043. >"And yes, you CAN tell Flash I said that!"
  3044. >Oh no, not him.
  3045. >Please, not him.
  3046. >Why him?
  3047. >Anon's walking down the hall.
  3048. >Towards you.
  3049. >He's gonna see you.
  3050. >Exposed and humiliated.
  3051. >He's gonna see you for what you really are.
  3052. >Weird, pathetic Fluttercry.
  3053. >...But he's your only hope.
  3054. >He's the only help you're gonna get before the halls are flooded again.
  3055. >You have to ask for his help.
  3056. >His footsteps are getting closer.
  3057. >You steel your nerve, summon all your strength, and call out to him.
  3058.  
  3059. --ANONYMOUS--
  3060. >Norman's such a dumbass.
  3061. >You really should have expected him to go through with that dumb prank.
  3062. >Putting ketchup packets under the nubs under the toilet seats so they'd explode all over the legs of the next person to use the toilet.
  3063. >You followed him into the bathroom to talk him out of it.
  3064. >Somehow Vice Principal Luna caught wind of his scheme, and that ended up with BOTH of you getting lunch detention.
  3065. >You owe him two smacks now.
  3066. >He remarked that Flash would have been too pussy to go through with it, and you shot back that he doesn't do anything that doesn't involve his guitar.
  3067. "And yes, you CAN tell Flash I said that!" You yell to him before he turns the corner to head to class.
  3068. >Ms. Harshwhinny's gonna be fun to deal with.
  3069. >Whatever, you roll with the punches.
  3070. >"Psst!"
  3071. >You attention is grabbed by a quiet voice.
  3072. >"Psst, Anon!"
  3073. >You turn to see Fluttershy crouching behind a trash can with a panicked expression on her face.
  3074. "Fluttershy? Are you okay?"
  3075. >She quickly shushes you, he cheeks burning red.
  3076. >"I really need your help right now."
  3077. "What happened?"
  3078. >"...You know how the elevators recently opened for students?"
  3079. >You nod in response.
  3080. >"Well, I tried to use it, and my... skirt got caught, and... uh... got torn off..."
  3081. >A cold feeling washes over you.
  3082. >Poor Fluttershy, she deserves this less than anyone else here.
  3083. >"I-I-If everyone sees me like this, I'll die of embarrassment."
  3084. >Her eyes convey a level of vulnerability and pleading you've never seen before.
  3085. >"...Please help me, Anon."
  3086. >Your mind races through a dozen possibilities.
  3087. >Ultimately landing on your jacket.
  3088. >You've never been seen at Canterlot High without it.
  3089. >But Fluttershy needs it a lot more than you.
  3090. >You step back and start undoing the buttons, making Fluttershy's eyes widen a bit.
  3091. >Once you've liberated your top half of your jacket, you hold it out for Fluttershy.
  3092.  
  3093. >She tries to grab the jacket without exposing herself, but you catch a glimpse of Fluttershy's underwear.
  3094. >Light blue panties with black paw prints.
  3095. >Aww.
  3096. >Once she's situated your jacket around her waist to cover her underwear, she stands up, her legs shaking.
  3097. >"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou." She rambles as she tries to calm down.
  3098. >"I'll go get my gym shorts and give your jacket back at lunch!"
  3099. "Actually, due to various circumstances, I won't actually be at lunch, so you can give it back to me tomorrow!"
  3100. >"R-Really?"
  3101. "Sure! I trust you'll take care of it!" You encourage her.
  3102. >She looks like she's about to object more, but decides to relent.
  3103. >"O-Okay then... tomorrow, you'll have it back, I promise!"
  3104. >You're about to say goodbye to her, but she sprints off towards the gym before you can.
  3105. >She covers herself well, so you don't catch another glimpse of her underwear.
  3106. >Which is good, because perving on an incredibly vulnerable girl is all sorts of messed up.
  3107. >If Fluttershy didn't already have feeling for you, surely she does now that you've helped her at her lowest.
  3108. >Oh shoot, class!
  3109. >You make your way to class hurriedly, ending up being twelve minutes late.
  3110. >"Anonymous! Do you mind explaining why you're so late?" Ms. Harshwhinny snaps at you.
  3111. >You'd rather streak through school yourself than announce Fluttershy's little incident to the class.
  3112. "I, uh, got sick, and spent a lot of time in the bathroom-"
  3113. >"Never mind, just sit down." She sighs.
  3114. >You nod and quickly take your usual seat.
  3115. >This class goes by fairly simply.
  3116. >This means you can keep thinking about Fluttershy.
  3117. >The more you think about her, the more you're attracted to her.
  3118. >She really is beautiful.
  3119. >But you have to be careful.
  3120. >If you come on too strong, she'll get scared off.
  3121. >She's likely skittish about being open to you after what just happened.
  3122. >But you really like her.
  3123. >Whenever she's near you, your heart races.
  3124. >You better focus back on the lesson, lest Ms. Harshwhinny get pissy again.
  3125.  
  3126. --FLUTTERSHY--
  3127. >You waste no time getting to the locker room near the gym.
  3128. >Fortunately, no one else comes across you in the halls.
  3129. >The fabric of Anon's jacket feels... strange on your thighs.
  3130. >You're gonna be really late to class, but making sure you're wearing pants is way more important.
  3131. >You hesitate once you reach the doors to the gym.
  3132. >A ton of people can be heard inside.
  3133. >But you have Anon's jacket.
  3134. >If you're quick, you won't turn many heads.
  3135. >You puff up your chest, tighten the jacket around your waist.
  3136. >In one swift motion, you open the door and dash across the gym to get to the locker room.
  3137. >All you see is a blur of the people and Coach Spitfire before you dart into the locker room and slam the door behind you.
  3138. >You listen carefully idle chatter, but it doesn't seem like they're talking about you.
  3139. >Or you panties.
  3140. >You let out the breath you've been holding in, and Anon's jacket falls to your ankles.
  3141. >It's no big deal, it's common for girls to be undressed in the locker room.
  3142. >But you really shouldn't get his nice jacket dirty.
  3143. >You pick it up and dust it off, heading over to your locker.
  3144. >Your hands are steadier as you open your locker, pulling out your gym shorts.
  3145. >"The hell are you doing in here?"
  3146. >A frighteningly familiar voice speaks from behind you.
  3147. >You snap around to face Gilda.
  3148. "I, uh, f-forgot my homework in here."
  3149. >"And your pants?"
  3150. "...Uh, well, it's complicated."
  3151. >She squints at Anon's jacket, but rolls her eyes and turns away.
  3152. >"Tch, whatever." She says before walking away with her bag.
  3153. >You really hope that's the last time you run into Gilda.
  3154. >She's so mean and kind of scary.
  3155. >How could Rainbow Dash be friends with her in Middle School?
  3156. >Oh well, your embarrassing panties are covered again, and that's what matters most.
  3157. >You do a couple jumping jacks to make sure your shorts don't fall down.
  3158. >Once you're satisfied with your shorts, you grab your bag and Anon's jacket and make your way back to class.
  3159.  
  3160. >The rest of the day goes by without anything as... exciting as the elevator incident.
  3161. >You're definitely never taking the elevator again.
  3162. >Mr. Number Cruncher seemed to understand you had something big to deal with, so he didn't give you too much trouble.
  3163. >After class, you became enamored with Anon's jacket.
  3164. >Under his jacket was a black t-shirt with "DOOM" written on it.
  3165. >It felt strange to see him exposed like that.
  3166. >Even though he was still fully clothed, watching Anon take off his jacket felt weirdly lewd.
  3167. >...Should you put it on?
  3168. >It's really soft.
  3169. >And Anon probably won't get mad at you for it.
  3170. >In the hallway, you carefully slip on the red varsity jacket.
  3171. >It really is soft.
  3172. >You take a moment to absorb the warmth and comfort.
  3173. >Lunch was kind of awkward.
  3174. >Anon wasn't at lunch, and neither was Norman.
  3175. >Flash was sitting with his band mates, leaving you with the six girls.
  3176. >You were immediately met with various looks from the girls, wearing your shorts and Anon's jacket.
  3177. >"Ain't that Anon's jacket?" Applejack asks.
  3178. "Yeah..."
  3179. >"And didn't you come to school wearing a skirt?" Rainbow asks you.
  3180. "...m-hm..."
  3181. >Rainbow and Applejack share a knowing look.
  3182. >"So... what happened?" Sunset asks.
  3183. "...The elevator caught my skirt..."
  3184. >"Oh, that's dreadful!" Rarity gasps.
  3185. "It was so awful! I was left in the middle of school with my underwear on display!" You sob, covering your face with your hands.
  3186. >Twilight puts a hand on your shoulder.
  3187. >"But it got better, right?"
  3188. >You nod into your hands.
  3189. "Anon was there, and he was kind enough to lend me his jacket to cover myself so I could get my gym shorts."
  3190. >"That's wonderful!" Rarity cheers.
  3191. >"Anon sounds like a real stand-up guy!" Pinkie remarks.
  3192. "Yeah, he really is..."
  3193. >"Twilight told be about how you feel for Anon. If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know." Sunset reminds you.
  3194. "Thank you, I really appreciate it." You smile back.
  3195. >You're lucky to have such great friends.
  3196.  
  3197. >Soon enough, you're back home.
  3198. >Nobody else noticed your shorts situation.
  3199. >Your parents did notice, but assumed you suffered some kind of wardrobe malfunction and didn't prod at it.
  3200. >They did notice Anon's jacket, but didn't ask any questions about that.
  3201. >You carefully placed the jacket on your bed so it doesn't get messy during dinner.
  3202. >After a nice dinner of Chicken Parmesan, you return to your room.
  3203. >You were even faster than Zephyr, which must have surprised your parents.
  3204. >With the door closed behind you, it's time to get started on homework.
  3205. >It's slightly depressing to not be with the animals today, but you'll be with them tomorrow.
  3206. >And Anon...
  3207. >No!
  3208. >Homework time!
  3209. >Algebra is still fairly simple.
  3210. >A little more complicated, but it's done within half an hour.
  3211. >Next up: History.
  3212. >It's tedious, but doable.
  3213. >It really drags out.
  3214. >The more time goes by, the more your eyes glance over to Anon's varsity jacket.
  3215. >Alone with you.
  3216. >On your bed.
  3217. >You shake your head and refocus on the textbook.
  3218. >With that worksheet out of the way, it's time for Biology now.
  3219. >You're still grateful the class doesn't require dissecting animals.
  3220. >You'd probably faint.
  3221. >The more you try to ignore the jacket, the more your mind screams at you about it.
  3222. >It's so soft...
  3223. >It felt like Anon was enveloping you in his care.
  3224. >...
  3225. >...
  3226. >...You've got time.
  3227. >You shove the textbook to the side and hop onto your bed.
  3228. >You grab the jacket and hold it close to your body, trying to capture more of Anon's essence.
  3229. >Does it..?
  3230. >You look over and see Angel's napping and the door's closed.
  3231. >...You're alone.
  3232. >You grip the jacket and hold it up to your face, taking in a deep whiff.
  3233. >...It smells just like him.
  3234. >You're such a pervert, Fluttershy.
  3235.  
  3236. >There's a fire inside you.
  3237. >It's new.
  3238. >It's unavoidable.
  3239. >And it's for Anon.
  3240. >You're still alone.
  3241. >You know what you have to do now.
  3242. >You can feel your cheeks flare up as you carefully remove your shirt and shorts.
  3243. >Left in your underwear, you take another deep sniff of Anon's jacket.
  3244. >Your hips start rocking the more you take in Anon's lingering scent.
  3245. >You've been turned on before.
  3246. >You've played with yourself before.
  3247. >But this is new.
  3248. >This is something else.
  3249. >As if on autopilot, your bra and panties come off.
  3250. >You're completely naked.
  3251. >The sensation of Anon's jacket grazing across your exposed skin is driving you up the wall.
  3252. >You're shameless.
  3253. >A single finger venturing south confirms your suspicions.
  3254. >You're wet.
  3255. >You're so wet.
  3256. >If only he could see you now.
  3257. >If only he knew how much you want him.
  3258. >...You can wash the jacket tomorrow.
  3259. >You slowly and sensually run the jacket up and down your naked body.
  3260. >A sharp gasp escapes your lips as the soft jacket grazes across your womanhood.
  3261. >Your nipples are so sensitive.
  3262. >Your breathing is much more intense.
  3263. >You take in another deep whiff of Anon's lovely scent.
  3264. >You throw it onto the pillow under your head and flip your body around, your butt sticking in the air.
  3265. >Both your hands gently knead your nipples as you continue taking in the jacket.
  3266. >Your knees relax, and you rub your exposed midsection on a nearby pillow.
  3267. >The more you work your body, the louder your moans become.
  3268. >You pause for a moment, catching your breath.
  3269. >If there's one thing to ruin the moment and raise some extremely awkward questions: It's your parents barging in to investigate the noises.
  3270. >You grab another pillow nearby and bite down on it to suppress the lewd noises you're making.
  3271. >Suddenly, you're much more aware of your situation.
  3272. >You're completely naked.
  3273. >Playing with yourself using Anon's favorite jacket.
  3274. >And you love it.
  3275.  
  3276. >You fall deeper into your haze.
  3277. >You can almost hear Anon's lovely voice whispering right into your ear.
  3278. >"I love you, Fluttershy." Your imaginary Anon whispers.
  3279. >You flip your body around to lie flat on your back.
  3280. >"I love everything about you, Fluttershy."
  3281. >Your hands travel up and down your exposed skin.
  3282. >"I love your hair..."
  3283. >You gently twirl your hair.
  3284. >"I love your eyes..."
  3285. >You gently caress your own face.
  3286. >"I love your voice..."
  3287. >You suck on your index finger.
  3288. >"I really love your curves..."
  3289. >Your hands continue exploring your nude form.
  3290. >"You're the most beautiful, perfect girl I've ever known, Fluttershy..."
  3291. >You squeeze Anon's jacket between your legs, rubbing against your pussy.
  3292. >"...You want me, don't you?" You imagine Anon whisper teasingly.
  3293. "Yes..." You softly gasp.
  3294. >"I want you to hear you say it, Fluttershy."
  3295. "I want you, Anon..."
  3296. >You can almost feel Anon's husky breathing on your neck.
  3297. >"I really want you too, Fluttershy. More than anything."
  3298. >You love how Anon says your name.
  3299. >You gently suck on your left index and middle finger as your right hand ventures to your warm, soaking entrance.
  3300. >"Let me show you how much I want you, Fluttershy."
  3301. >You start rubbing your womanhood, and you moan louder.
  3302. >You quickly grab a pillow to cover your mouth.
  3303. >You quickly get into a rhythm, rocking your hips up in time with your gentle strokes.
  3304. >You've never been this wet before.
  3305. >Feeling brave, you slide a single finger inside, and you almost scream in pleasure.
  3306. >You toss the pillow aside and bite down on the jacket.
  3307. >Such lewd moaning escapes your lips.
  3308. >You get your second hand involved, sliding another finger inside.
  3309. >You can feel it coming.
  3310. >You've lasted longer before.
  3311. >But tonight is different.
  3312. >Anon doesn't know it.
  3313. >But you're putty in his hands.
  3314. >You flip over one last time and energetically hump the red varsity jacket.
  3315. >The imaginary voice of Anon graces your ear once more.
  3316. >"Cum, Fluttershy."
  3317. >Immediately after, you're finished.
  3318.  
  3319. >It feels like gallons of your juices pour out of your honey pot.
  3320. >Directly onto Anon's jacket.
  3321. >You almost scream in pleasure, the lewd sounds muffled by the pillow.
  3322. >The exhaustion kicks in immediately, and you collapse onto your bed.
  3323. >Looking over, you're relieved to see Angel still asleep.
  3324. >You grab the jacket to inspect the damage.
  3325. >No visible stains, but the smell is VERY noticeable.
  3326. >If you gave it back to him like this, he'll figure out what the smell is and think you're a dirty pervert.
  3327. >...It's not like he'd be wrong...
  3328. >You open up your phone and set your alarm for half an hour earlier.
  3329. >This gives you enough time to wash the jacket before you leave for school.
  3330. >Tossing your phone aside, you decide to bask in the afterglow of your wonderful little session.
  3331. >Homework doesn't matter, you can do that before it's due.
  3332. >You lie back on your bed, your naked body still exposed to the cool air of night.
  3333. >You feel so sexy.
  3334. >This must be what Rarity feels like.
  3335. >Well, she's been with other boys before.
  3336. >You haven't.
  3337. >...Not yet.
  3338. >You can feel yourself grow more sleepy.
  3339. >You situate yourself one last time, snuggled comfortably under your blanket.
  3340. >Tomorrow is a new day.
  3341. >You'll have another chance with Anon tomorrow.
  3342. >Before you drift off to sleep, you whisper:
  3343. "Goodnight, Anon..."
  3344.  
  3345. --ANONYMOUS--
  3346. >You had trouble sleeping last night.
  3347. >Despite how tired you felt, you just couldn't fall asleep until like 11.
  3348. >You've been trying to go to bed earlier, but oh well.
  3349. >Weirdly, you thought about Fluttershy a lot last night.
  3350. >And one thing led to another, and your faithful sock got put to use once more.
  3351. >But that's whatever.
  3352. >The morning classes go by smoothly, and lunch comes by soon.
  3353. >Today you're actually allowed to spend that time in the cafeteria.
  3354. >Grabbing a tray, you fill it up with food and take your usual spot at your usual table.
  3355. >Norman isn't far behind.
  3356. "Don't think I've forgiven you." You immediately state.
  3357. >"Dude, it was ONE lunch detention, get over it." He shrugged off.
  3358. "Because of something YOU did!"
  3359. >"I said I was sorry!"
  3360. >You groan and turn your attention to your food.
  3361. >"But that's not what's really most important." Norman notes.
  3362. >You turn to him, raising an eyebrow.
  3363. >"Fluttershy!"
  3364. >You turn back to your food, hoping your cheeks don't give you away.
  3365. >"Why haven't you asked her out yet?"
  3366. "I dunno, I'm waiting for the right time." You shrug.
  3367. >"Dude, let me lay this out for you: You spend four days out of the week alone with Fluttershy for like four hours a day."
  3368. >You roll your eyes.
  3369. >"This is an opportunity bestowed upon you by Shiva Gautama Christ-Chan, the One, True God."
  3370. "I'll ask her out, okay? Just.. give me time."
  3371. >"Alriiiiiiight..." Norman groans, getting into his mashed potatoes.
  3372. >You pick at your food some more, Fluttershy invading your mind once more.
  3373. >Angelic really is the word for her.
  3374. >Just thinking about her makes your heart race.
  3375. >You've had crushes on girls before, but this is different...
  3376. >She makes you feel like you actually exist.
  3377. >That's something that no other girl has made you feel.
  3378. >You'd give anything for her to return your feelings.
  3379. >"Hey, Anon!" Yells a voice a few tables over.
  3380. >Looking over, you see Rainbow Dash sitting with her friends, waving you over.
  3381. >Fluttershy's there too.
  3382. >Norman nods at you.
  3383.  
  3384. >You take your tray and rather awkwardly make your way over to Rainbow's table.
  3385. >They quickly accommodate you, making a space to sit between Pinkie and Fluttershy.
  3386. >You really hope your embarrassment isn't showing.
  3387. >Being surrounded by so many pretty, popular girls.
  3388. "Wh-What's up, Rainbow?" You ask.
  3389. >"You met Kurt Wylde!?" She eagerly asks.
  3390. >You chuckle a bit and roll your eyes.
  3391. "That was two years ago and it lasted MAYBE thirty seconds."
  3392. >"What was he like?" Rainbow prods further.
  3393. "I dunno, he seemed cool."
  3394. >"You gotta introduce me!"
  3395. >You laugh at the idea.
  3396. "No promises!"
  3397. >You notice Fluttershy smiling at you.
  3398. >"I, uh, h-here's your jacket back." She stammers, holding it out for you, all neatly folded.
  3399. >You gratefully accept it back, taking a slight sniff to see if it's clean.
  3400. >Yep, you smell lavender.
  3401. >Fluttershy's blushing furiously and desperately avoiding your eyes.
  3402. >"Whatcha did for Fluttershy yesterday was really decent of ya, Anon." Applejack notes.
  3403. >"Indeed! There's so many horrible ruffians who could have made poor Fluttershy so miserable! She's lucky to have you!" Rarity adds.
  3404. >You blush a bit at the praise.
  3405. "I'd want someone to help me like that if I was ever in that situation." You reply, trying to stay humble.
  3406. >"Regardless, we're all still grateful you helped her out." Sunset notes.
  3407. >It feels weird to have Sunset Shimmer be nice to you.
  3408. >She really has turned over a new leaf.
  3409. >"Fluttershy's really hot, isn't she?" Pinkie suddenly asks.
  3410. >You almost choke on your food, and Fluttershy shoots her gaze down to her tray.