[FLUTTERRAPE] How It All Started


                                            Originally uploaded to Pastebin: November 29th, 2020

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                                            An Anon posted: "You wake up and find this next to you. What do." along with the following picture:

                                            https://www.deviantart.com/ponyecho/art/Fluttershy-Bedhead-Umm-Goodmorning-629456038


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                                            >Even before you open your eyes you recognise that something is wrong.

                                            >The primary evidence is the dull throb between your temples that wasted no time in making itself known as soon as you awoke.

                                            >The secondary evidence is your feet dangling off the edge of the bed; something that shouldn't be happening given that your bed was custom-fit to your specifications when you first got to Ponyville.

                                            >But the final bit of evidence is the most worrying; that being that you feel uncomfortably warm, specifically from your right side.

                                            >Far warmer than you should, given how cold your house normally is.

                                            >With grim determination, your eyelids crack open to review what trouble you're in this time.

                                            >A quaint floral abode greets you.

                                            >Yes; this isn't your bedroom.

                                            >You look down at yourself and slide a hand down your body under the sheets.

                                            >No; you're not wearing anything.

                                            >You glance left.

                                            >Yes; your clothes are on that chair.

                                            >The bed shuffles slightly of its own accord.

                                            >You swallow a lump in your throat and slowly turn your head to the right.

                                            >...

                                            >Yes; that's a pony--

                                            >"G-good morning, sleepyhead!"

                                            >You strain and push yourself up slightly, leaning your back against the headboard as you wipe your eyes of sleep with a finger.

                                            "Uh, morning, Flutter...shy?" you say the last part cautiously, as you're not certain that's actually her name.

                                            >She hides her bashful smile partly behind her mane, and partly behind the stuffed rabbit she's clinging to.

                                            >You wet your cracked lips and yawn.

                                            "So, where are we now?"

                                            >"We're, um, at my home."

                                            "Ah right, I've never been here before."

                                            >You survey the room, nodding approvingly.

                                            "It's cosy. Very 'you'."

                                            >You barely have any idea who this mare is; you've briefly met her exactly twice in the 3 years you've been in Ponyville.

                                            >"Thank you. I-I think you're very cosy as well."

                                            >Her comment flies over your head; you purse your lips, trying to think.

                                            >After a thought, you breathe into the palm of your hand and sniff it.

                                            >Alcohol; you'd suspected as much.

                                            >Was there a party? Yes, there was.

                                            >Where?

                                            >The town hall, perhaps?

                                            >Yes, that was it. The event was a social? Something about the Mayor; a celebration the whole town was at.

                                            >You cast your mind back; reviewing the previous night.

                                            >As you ponder in silence, Fluttershy plucks up the courage to shuffle a bit closer, but still gripping her toy bunny.

                                            >"I was thinking we could, um, visit the market later today? I need to pick up supplies and you mentioned last night... you know..."

                                            >You don't respond; instead fixating on a very recent set of memories that causes a pit to form in your stomach.

                                            >The mare beside you graces your arm with a hoof, her delicate touch something unnervingly familiar.

                                            >"Are you alright? I can get you some water if you--"

                                            "We had sex, didn't we." you state bluntly.

                                            >She freezes, then hugs her bunny again and retreats behind her mane, her heavy blush and smile returning.

                                            >"I-It was my first time... thank you for being so gentle with me."

                                            >The mare fixes you with her eyes; blue and full of adoration.

                                            >You gulp and nod, acknowledging the hot water you're now in.

                                            >This is never easy, but the sooner the better.

                                            "Fluttershy," you begin, the mare keeping her gaze locked onto you, "last night was a bit of a blur, and we both got terribly drunk--"

                                            >"I don't drink."

                                            "You don't--"

                                            >"Never really liked the taste. No, I was completely sober." she sighs dreamily "I remember -everything-. All the laughs, the tears, the way you held me; oh Anon, it was simply wonderful!"

                                            >She's getting more animated now, her smile growing with each second.

                                            >"I-I didn't expect anything to happen when I first got to the party, but you swept me off my hooves and, oh, I just can't believe I actually have a boyfriend now!"

                                            >She flops backwards against her pillow beaming at the ceiling.

                                            >You laugh nervously and slide out of her bed, reaching for your clothes.

                                            "Now, uh, that's... that's definitely an interesting interpretation of events," you say as you slip on your trousers, "but I think we need to be honest with each other."

                                            >The mare giggles.

                                            >"I doubt you can get any more truthful than you were last night! You opened yourself up to me in ways I couldn't have imagined; who around here could guess that such a sensitive soul lay behind that rough surface you put on?"

                                            >'Oh Christ' you think.

                                            >Fluttershy shuffles to the edge of the bed, still wrapped in her sheets and lovingly regarding you.

                                            >"We understand each other, Anon. You opened your heart and I was listening; you don't have to pretend anymore."

                                            >She pauses, then, with trepidation:

                                            >"I know it might be silly to say, but, the connection I feel with you... Anon I think we might be soul-mates."

                                            >As you stare unblinking at the pony, you realise that moments such as these are what spur men to acts of greatness. In your case, you are compelled to never touch alcohol again for as long as you live.

                                            "Ha ha, well, if that's your read of things then that's definitely your prerogative, but I'm gonna need to head back home to uh, do stuff. It was nice getting to know you, Fluttershy."

                                            >The mare cocks her head in confusion, her expression now doubtful.

                                            >With a final unconfident smile, you throw open her bedroom door and vanish.


                                            >"Fluttershy? Really?"

                                            "Yeah, did I screw up?"

                                            >Lyra Heartstrings rubs her chin with a hoof, giving you a pensive look from her seat on the park bench.

                                            >You readjust your position next to her.

                                            >"Never thought you'd go for the quiet ones. Thought you were more into gym-mares; you know, like Blossomforth."

                                            "I am, but I can't really say that anymore, can I? Now she thinks we're dating."

                                            >Lyra frowns.

                                            >"You -did- tell her you're not, didn't you?"

                                            "I was about to, but then she hits me with the 'soul-mates' line and I panicked."

                                            >"Oh gosh, that's uh, yeah that's not good."

                                            "Do you know Fluttershy very well? What's she like? She'll be fine, right?"

                                            >"Fluttershy's sensitive. Real sensitive; to the point where she'll start crying if you pluck a flower too aggressively."

                                            "So she's weird?"

                                            >"Kinda, yeah. She'll probably be fine though, next time you see her just sit her down and say she's misunderstood the situation."

                                            "And that'll let her down easily?"

                                            >"Probably. I don't know her all that well either; she keeps to herself when she's not going off with her friends."

                                            >The unicorn shrugs.

                                            >"What's the worst that could happen? She cries and runs off and things get back to normal, except you've hurt the feelings of a mare you've met, what, once?"

                                            "I think twice before now."

                                            >"Right, so it's not like you have to work with her or anything. It'll be fine. Trust me."

                                            "Sure, sure, I'm just over-thinking it. Thanks, Strings."

                                            >The mare levitates her orange-shake and sips on the straw, a thoughtful look in her eye.

                                            >"Unless she's like, -way- more weird than we think, though."

                                            >She ponders this.

                                            >"Nah, not Fluttershy."


                                            >You wake up the next day (in your own bed) and yawn.

                                            >A lazy smile crosses your face as you look around at your bedroom; your feet snugly under the covers and not touching the floor.

                                            >That's better.

                                            >You go about your morning routine in your usual quiet manner, thinking about what you'll do over the course of the day.

                                            >Lyra said she needed help shifting a cupboard at her place, so you should probably head over and do that before midday.

                                            >As you grab a carton of milk from the fridge, you hear a faint knock at the door.

                                            >Must be Lyra; good thing you're dressed this time.

                                            "In a second, Strings!" you call out.

                                            >Leaving the milk on the counter you head for the door and open it expecting to see your friend.

                                            >Instead, you find Fluttershy.

                                            >The pony sighs in relief as you emerge.

                                            >"Oh thank goodness; the last five houses were wrong..."

                                            >Better now than never, you suppose.

                                            "Hey, Fluttershy; sorry about yesterday, that was rude of me."

                                            >She smiles appreciatively.

                                            >"That's no problem at all! I accept your apology, dear."

                                            >You wince at the word.

                                            "Yes, -that's- what I wanted to talk to you about. Listen, Fluttershy, I mean this in the nicest way possible: we're not 'a thing'", you say, gesturing between the mare and yourself, "I'm sorry if I lead you on the other night, but I'm not looking for a relationship right now."

                                            >That was fine, you think to yourself; you didn't even stutter.

                                            >Fluttershy stares rigidly at you, and turns her head slightly, eyes wandering over your features looking for a crack in your façade.

                                            >Slowly, her smile creeps back, and she chuckles mischievously.

                                            >"Ohh! Heh, you had me worried for a second there!"

                                            "Right! Right, so I'm sorry if this was all a bit confusing, better to just nip it in the bud now than lead you on--"

                                            >"Don't be silly, love, there's no need to keep pulling my leg!"

                                            "Well-- I'm sorry?"

                                            >"About us not being together. I appreciate the joke, but let's be serious now."

                                            >She sighs and fixes you with the same adoring expression she wore yesterday.

                                            >"So, about that trip to the market; I need some feed for my birds and--"

                                            "Fluttershy," you draw yourself up to your full height, "we're not dating, alright? Like I said, I'm sorry, but there's no need to drag this out--"

                                            >"Yes, we are."

                                            "What?"

                                            >Fluttershy scowls at you.

                                            >"The other night was the most magical night of my life. You made me feel things I've never felt before, never dreamt of feeling, and now you expect me to believe none of that was real?"

                                            "Well... it wasn't. I was drunk."

                                            >"So? I wasn't. It was real to -me-, Anonymous."

                                            "Yes, but I'm not willing to go along with this. We're not together, Fluttershy, please don't make this harder than it needs to be."

                                            >The pony is quiet, her resolve wavering.

                                            >She turns from you and takes a few steps away before sitting on the ground, staring at the dirt.

                                            >You reach out a hand to her, but stop yourself; no need to give her mixed signals.

                                            >She sits for a minute or so as you wait, then finally stands up again and turns to you.

                                            >Her smile has returned.

                                            >"It was a test!"

                                            "...What."

                                            >"I understand now! Anon you... you joker!"

                                            >She unfurls her wings and floats off the ground, coming closer to you and playfully poking your nose with her hoof.

                                            >"You're saying all those horrible things to make me doubt myself, but I know what you're doing! You're just checking to make sure that my love for you is real. Well, it is, my sweet. I love you. I love you more than I've ever loved anything before, and I'll do whatever I can to prove that!"

                                            >Her little speech finished, she gazes lovingly at you once more.

                                            >You stare back in abject horror; a deer caught in headlights.

                                            >"Don't you worry, Anon, I'll prove to you that I'm worthy of your affection!"

                                            >And with that, she's gone; soaring away towards the tree-line and leaving you on your doorstep with the sense that your life just went from a solid 7/10 to a 2.


                                            >Lyra watches with vague interest as you shunt her cupboard into the corner and wipe the sweat from your forehead.

                                            "Is that," you swallow some air and pant, "is that good?"

                                            >Lyra nods slowly.

                                            >"Kinda..."

                                            "Lyra?"

                                            >"Hm? Sorry, Anon, yeah that's great there, thanks."

                                            "What's up?"

                                            >"Are you kidding? Anon this Fluttershy thing is bad news."

                                            "You're telling me; so what should I do now?"

                                            >"She literally thinks you're together and even telling her no isn't putting her off?"

                                            "Apparently so."

                                            >"Well crap. I don't know; move to Yakyakistan?"

                                            "I suppose I -could- go back to Hollow Shades, but I left there in the first place to get away from the cult; they probably kept my shack pristine whilst I've been gone."

                                            >"Oh yeah, you've mentioned that before. How much money do you have to work with?"

                                            "Come on, Strings, I'm not moving house just because some mare has the hots for me."

                                            >"Your funeral. Or marriage. Same sort of thing, really."

                                            "I'd have thought you'd be happy to see me want to stay."

                                            >She gives you a playful wink.

                                            >"I'm -always- happy to see you, Anon."

                                            >With a dry laugh you reach down and scratch her behind the ear, the pony's back leg shaking slightly as she leans into your hand.

                                            >"Mmph, that's nice and all, but it doesn't make up for the mug you dropped earlier."

                                            "Wow, tough crowd," you straighten up, looking at the cupboard with your hands on your hips, "so will you be fine with this, nothing else you want me to move?"

                                            >"Nah, that's all I needed." she levitates a hay sandwich over to her from a nearby table and chews on it.

                                            >You watch with interest.

                                            "Why didn't you just levitate the cupboard over yourself?"

                                            >"Oh," she swallows, "my magic isn't strong enough to move things that big. Though really, I just love having a big strong stallion shifting things around for me."

                                            >Exhale through your nose sharply and jerk a thumb over your shoulder.

                                            "Alright, I'm leaving."

                                            >"No, wait, Anon don't leave," she drawls mockingly, as you both head for the door, "I can't live without you! Anon I love you!"

                                            "Goodbye, Lyra, you colossal bitch."

                                            >The two of you grin at each other and share a quick hug before you wander off down the street, the mare watching you go from her front door, nibbling her sandwich thoughtfully.

                                            >She turns back to look at the cupboard you'd moved.

                                            >Then squints, frowns, and with a flick of her horn, effortlessly shifts the cupboard slightly to the left.

                                            >"That's better."


                                            >The following day you're chopping firewood in your back-garden when you hear her.

                                            >"Good morning, Anonymous!"

                                            >You turn, gripping the shaft of the axe in your hand.

                                            >Fluttershy lands before you.

                                            >"I thought a lot about what I could do to prove to you that we're meant to be, then I remembered the night we shared together."

                                            >Oh God.

                                            >She reaches into her mane and extracts a tube of lipstick, hastily applying it then giving you a wide crimson smile.

                                            >"What do you think? Does this get your motor running?"

                                            "I think I'm missing something, what are we doing now?"

                                            >"Well, you're testing me to see how devoted I am to you; you're pushing me away to make me chase you. It's so romantic! So what I'm doing now is trying to, um, 'stir the beast', kind of."

                                            "At no point have I mentioned a test, Fluttershy; you made it up."

                                            >"It was -implied-."

                                            "Impli-- we're not dating! For God's sake, haven't you ever been rejected before?"

                                            >Fluttershy sits down on the grass.

                                            >"Well I've never even been approached by a stallion. Not until you, anyway."

                                            "Right, well normally whenever someone says 'no' that tends to mean 'no'."

                                            >"Unless it's implied to mean 'yes'."

                                            "Mmm nope, the answer is a pretty certain 'no'. Maybe try reading some romance books, or talking to your friends about their own relationships. You might learn something about how this courtship thing works."

                                            >Fluttershy nods slowly, listening to your words like an attentive student would listen to her mentor.

                                            >"Of course...! Thank you, Anon, I'll be sure to do that! I'll read as many books about love as I can, then I'll know how to court you for sure! Honestly, I was sort of making it up as I go along, but thank you for giving me some pointers!"

                                            >Ho boy, you're digging that hole deep, Anonymous.

                                            >"Speaking of romance, though..."

                                            >She looks around at your garden, and the hedgerow that blocks the view of your neighbours so that no one can look in.

                                            >"This place is kind of closed off. Private, even."

                                            >She bites her lip.

                                            >"Hey, maybe we could... you know, m-make love here? You and me under the clouds, enjoying each other like we did the other night?"

                                            >She suppresses a shudder.

                                            >"I-It's all I can think about these days; your touch, your smell, your hot breath mixing with mine, our bodies joined together. It's enough to drive a mare wild!"

                                            "I can see that. Now to answer your earlier point, no, lipstick doesn't 'get me going', so please leave before I swing this axe at you." you punctuate your point by gesturing the head of the axe at her.

                                            >She gives you an unimpressed look.

                                            >"You wouldn't hurt me, Anon."

                                            "...Okay, no, I won't, but seriously, leave or I'll eject you myself."

                                            >"So you're playing hard to get?"

                                            "Something to that effect."

                                            >She nods, then stands and unfurls her wings.

                                            >"Then I'll just have to try harder. I'll win you over yet, my darling!"

                                            >She takes flight and ascends, humming as she does so.

                                            >You purse your lips as she goes.

                                            >This is going from bad to worse.


                                            >You lounge in your deck chair, nudging your fishing rod with a foot.

                                            >No bites yet, but that's alright; it's a waiting game.

                                            >Lyra, curled up in her own chair next to yours, is reading a book.

                                            >Or trying to, that is.

                                            >Currently, she's fixated on you with her large, searching eyes.

                                            >"So you hit her with the axe a few times at least, right?"

                                            "I'm not a raving lunatic, Strings, I'm not hitting anyone with an axe."

                                            >"Then how are you going to get her to stop?"

                                            "I dunno, keep rejecting her? She'll get bored eventually, she has to."

                                            >"I'm not so sure about that, Anon... She's friends with Applejack."

                                            "So?"

                                            >"So? Have you -met- Applejack? She's the most stubborn pony in town, and Fluttershy takes her friends values to heart. If she mentions you and everything else to Applejack then she'll get told to 'stick it through to the end', or something like that."

                                            "And she'll just keep coming?"

                                            >"I'd bet my horn on it."

                                            "Careful now; you've been wrong before."

                                            >"When have I ever been wrong?"

                                            "You said everything would be fine if I rejected her the first time."

                                            >"Well."

                                            >She slumps back in her chair, frowning.

                                            >Then gives you a lopsided smirk.

                                            >"You're not dead yet, so I'd say I was right; you are still technically fine."

                                            "You're hilarious. Though you'd look even funnier without a horn."

                                            >"But then how would I play my beautiful music to serenade you with?"

                                            "No idea, let's find out."

                                            >You reach over and grip her horn, tugging on it in a mock attempt to pull it off.

                                            >Lyra locks up and manages to blurt out a strangled 'Anon!' before you let go.

                                            >You recoil slightly, both at her tone and her panicked expression.

                                            "Oh hell, sorry, did that hurt? I was only joking around Stri--"

                                            >"Aha," she laughs nervously and squirms in her seat, looking over her shoulder then back to you, "uhh, m-maybe don't go around touching unicorn horns. It's ah, sensitive."

                                            "Oh."

                                            >...

                                            >"And private."

                                            >...

                                            "-Ooh-."

                                            >"Yeah."

                                            "Oof."

                                            >"A very big oof."

                                            >You go a rather fetching shade of red and turn your attention back to the fishing pole, attempting to distract yourself from your faux pas.

                                            >Still nothing biting.

                                            >You're beginning to wonder if there are actually fish in Ponyville Lake.

                                            >A few moments of silence pass.

                                            >Then, Lyra snickers to herself.

                                            >You glance back at her.

                                            "Hm?"

                                            >She gazes fondly at you.

                                            >"I seriously can't believe you just tried to jerk me off in public."

                                            "Shut up; I didn't know what I was doing. Besides, no one saw it."

                                            >"Maybe not, but you should at least ask a mare first before you jump in like that."

                                            >She fakes a gasp.

                                            >"What would -Fluttershy- think?"

                                            "Any more out of you and I'll hook you up to this thing as bait for the fish. Then again, maybe not, you probably taste terrible."

                                            >"Guess you'll have to make sure beforehand, won't you?"

                                            >...

                                            >"You've gone red again."

                                            "Shut up."


                                            >A few days later, you're out for a walk in Whitetail Woods when a sadly now-familiar voice calls out to you.

                                            >"Oh Anoooon!"

                                            >You grimace and turn to see Fluttershy trotting happily up the path behind you.

                                            >"Fancy seeing you here!"

                                            >She looks around.

                                            >"Somewhere so private. And -romantic-."

                                            >An awkward wink from her fills you with dread.

                                            "What do you want this time, Fluttershy."

                                            >"I was thinking about the future, actually."

                                            >She pulls out two colour swatches from her saddlebag.

                                            >"When we get married, do we want a white wedding or a yellow one? I was thinking yell--"

                                            "We're not getting married!"

                                            >"Well, no, not now, obviously, it's too soon."

                                            >She shakes her head.

                                            >"We mustn't rush these things, love. I -was- thinking sometime in summer?"

                                            "Fluttershy, please."

                                            >You kneel down and try to get eye-level with her.

                                            >She smiles at your attention and steps closer, her face not far from yours.

                                            "This has gone on long enough now. There is no test, there's no game, no chase, whatever you want to call it. You and I are not together, -will- never be together. I am not interested in you romantically. Please stop this nonsense so we can both get back to our normal, separate lives."

                                            >Fluttershy, unfazed by what you said, doesn't answer.

                                            >She's gazing happily into your eyes, and leaning forward slightly.

                                            >Recognising what she's trying to do, you stand back up and she plants her face into your leg before snapping back to reality and mumbling an apology.

                                            "You're not going to stop, are you?"

                                            >She looks up at you, her face a picture of happiness.

                                            >"Never. For the first time in my life I've discovered the joy of being with someone I love, and nothing you say will deter me from this. I know the terms of our relationship, and I'm determined to prove myself to you."

                                            >She sighs.

                                            >"I do wish we wouldn't do it like this, but I understand. You're closed off, scared. You don't want anyone to know how gentle you are underneath, but I'm here for you. I promise you, Anonymous, that no matter what happens, no matter how many times you pretend to reject me, I'll keep coming back. Forever and always. Because that's how much I love you. I'm prepared to weather any storm if it means we can finally be together."

                                            >You reaffirm your internal vows to never drink again.

                                            >Then launch into a tirade.

                                            >As you swear and curse at her, her resolve remains unbroken.

                                            >You shake your fists, jab fingers at her, shout to high-heaven, but nothing you do seems to be able to sway her.

                                            >Eventually, you stop to catch your breath.

                                            >She smiles sweetly, unmoved.

                                            >"Are you done?"

                                            "Yeah..." you pant.

                                            >"Good. It's healthy to get that kind of aggro out of your system."

                                            >The mare unfurls her wings.

                                            >"It means you'll be calmer for this."

                                            >Then launches herself at you.

                                            >You find your vision full of pony.

                                            >Fluttershy presses her face against yours, tongue slathering all over your mouth and cheeks as you turn your head this way and that to avoid it.

                                            >"Th-this is kind of exciting, isn't it?" she gasps between assaults, "Just us, alone in the woods?"

                                            >You grip the mare and try to pull her off you, but she locks her hooves around your neck and refuses to let go, continuing her efforts to ram her tongue down your throat.

                                            >She succeeds a few times, and now all you can taste is hay.

                                            >Tastes awful, to be frank; not sure what the appeal is.

                                            >"You're a lot rougher this time than you were before--"

                                            >She grunts as you shove her away, dislodging her.

                                            >The mare flaps her wings hastily to reorient herself.

                                            >"It's fine though, I can get used to it!"

                                            "Will you please just fu--"

                                            >Once more she collides with you, this time hard enough to push you backwards.

                                            >So much so that you lose balance and topple off the beaten path and into the undergrowth, your back against a thick bed of twigs, leaves, and moss.

                                            >Fluttershy seems emboldened at this, and redoubles her efforts.

                                            >You're torn between trying to push her off and deciding whether or not to beat the hell out of her.

                                            >You don't want to harm her, but it's looking increasingly likely that it'll be the only way to stop her.

                                            >As she advances from simple kissing to grinding against your leg, leaving a moist patch where she does so, you push her chest away from you long enough to deliver your warning.

                                            "If you don't stop, I'll hurt you, I swear it--"

                                            >She ignores you and continues grinding harder, her entire body quivering from the excitement of the moment.

                                            >You growl and tense up, readying your body like a spring.

                                            "Right--"

                                            >But before you can deliver the beatings, Fluttershy stops still.

                                            >She twitches, her eyes wide with shock; she can't move.

                                            >You can see that she's straining, but for some reason she's locked in place.

                                            >Watching the pony with uncertainty, you wait; the atmosphere tense.

                                            >You then become aware of a golden aura surrounding the pegasus.

                                            >It carefully extracts her from you, Fluttershy powerless to resist it.

                                            >Shuffling backwards, you watch her slowly rise until she's about two feet off the ground.

                                            >There she stays, whining and feebly trying to escape.

                                            >That is until Lyra saunters into view.

                                            "...Strings?"

                                            >"Oh, hey Anon." she says casually.

                                            >The mare focuses on Fluttershy and, flicking her horn, rotates her in the air until she's face-to-face with the unicorn.

                                            >Lyra plants herself firmly in Fluttershy's view and addresses her coolly.

                                            >"Let me make this perfectly clear," she pointedly states to the now very fearful looking pegasus.

                                            >"He's not interested. Not now, not ever. Understand?"

                                            >She loosens her magic for a moment, enough for Fluttershy to blurt out that you allegedly love her before Lyra snaps her jaw shut again.

                                            >She steps forward and fixes Fluttershy with a look you've never seen before.

                                            >Something dark, and predatory.

                                            >The magic in the air hums. You feel as though everything around you could snap.

                                            >Lyra whispers something into Fluttershy's ear, and the pegasus' whines immediately stop.

                                            >She can't look away from Lyra, who nods, silently confirming whatever she'd privately uttered.

                                            >Then, the golden field dissipates, and Fluttershy flops to the ground, allowing a moment to collect herself before hurriedly taking flight and evacuating as quickly as she can.

                                            >There is a stillness for a moment, and Lyra watches Fluttershy go with a faint smile.

                                            >She turns finally to you; bedraggled and covered in moss.

                                            >The unicorn giggles into a hoof and trots happily into the undergrowth.

                                            >"So this is where you're hanging out these days? Nice. I like what you've done with the place."

                                            >You stare at her.

                                            "How did you know where I was? What was happening?"

                                            >"Eh, I know you like to come here on Wednesdays around this time and saw Fluttershy flying this way so I figured something might be up."

                                            >She gives you a knowing smile.

                                            >"Though I'm surprised; I didn't think you'd be so bold as to start getting frisky in broad daylight."

                                            >You quietly regard your friend with a measured gaze.

                                            "...Thank you, Strings."

                                            >Her expression softens somewhat as you shakily stand up, wiping yourself down.

                                            >"It's fine. You can buy me dinner to make up for it."

                                            >She looks at you expectantly.

                                            >After a moments thought you catch on and mouth a silent 'oh'.

                                            >"Ah, there it is."

                                            "Uh, yeah; I mean we can have dinner, sure."

                                            >"And then we can watch a movie, right?"

                                            "Sure, sure."

                                            >"And then we can go back to my place? Maybe wine will be involved?"

                                            "...None for me, but you can have some if you'd like."

                                            >"Oh good, more for me then. Well this is nice, I was hoping we could do something like that. Thank you for the offer." the pony smiles sardonically.

                                            >You nod a few times, still trying to process the last 10 minutes.

                                            "So uh, do you want to..." you point at yourself, trailing off.

                                            >"Do I want to go out with you, Anon? Do I want us to be together? Well gee, I think so? I mean I've only been throwing signals at you for three years."

                                            "...Oh."

                                            >"Yeah. Oh. Lot of mares aren't that patient, you know."

                                            "Right."

                                            >"...Well?"

                                            "Sorry, I uhh, right. Yes. We should probably go and have that dinner then."

                                            >"Super. Can we try that new place that opened up near Sugarcube Corner? I hear the head chef used to do the circuit in Manehatten..."

                                            >The two of you exit the undergrowth and walk down the path back towards Ponyville, chatting about this and that as you normally would.

                                            >You don't ask Lyra about what she said to Fluttershy to make her so scared.

                                            >Some things are better left unmentioned.

                                            >Hopefully this means the troubled mare will leave you alone from now on.

                                            >But a part of you has already realised that this is probably going to continue for a long, long time.

                                            >You just hope it doesn't turn into a recurring thing that happens every week, with increasingly wild and zany antics that you'll have to muddle through, possibly for up to eight years.

                                            >That would be terrible.


                                            The End.