I wrote this green in a /shy/ thread a while ago. It was archived already by FlutterOP, but I have since updated it. Original version here: https://ponepaste.org/11086

>After a few minutes of ringing his bell near the mouths of little burrows, Anon, the local human, notices that he's the only one making any noise right now. He stands up and looks around for Fluttershy.
>Perhaps she had to go do something else.
>There's a lot of different things to keep track of during Winter Wrap Up after all.
>She's standing next to a tree, quietly giggling at a small snail moving around on her raised hoof.
>"...that sounds like quite the dream! I don't think even my friend Rarity could know what to do with that many extra pairs of shell warmers!" Fluttershy's face softens into a warmer smile. "I'm so glad you and Mrs. Shelly had such a nice hibernation this year!"
Anon stands up taller and calls to her from a distance. "Hey Fluttershy! Were the Snakes' family able to wake up okay?"
>Fluttershy flinches just slightly as she's brought back to the present moment. "Oh, I better go." She brings the snail closer to her lips and lowers her voice. "It was nice talking with you again, Mr. Shelly. Goodbye now! So long!"
>She gently lowers the snail onto the grass below before trotting over to Anon.
>Her head hung just slightly enough for him to notice.
>Her expression falls a little guilty, mixing with a touch of fondness. "I'm sorry, Anon, I've just been so busy catching up with all my friends again!"
Anon kneels down to her level and lets out a small sigh. His face relaxes. "That's alright, but you gotta remember that we're on a little bit of a time crunch this year." He leans in a little bit, rasing a mildly stern eyebrow. "The other groups are waiting for us to finish our job so they can get theirs done on time too."
>Her ears droop down more as her eyes fall to the grass. "O-oh, o-ok."
Anon's face softens into a warm smile. "Hey, it's okay." He places a hand under her chin and lifts up. "They'll still be here when you get back." He leans in a little, both eyebrows raised. "The faster you wake them up, the sooner you can talk with them all again, right?"
>Fluttershy lifts her chin up from Anon's hand at the sudden mental image of hosting a big tea party in her living room, populated with all those critters she's been itching to share recent news with all winter.
>Fluttershy looks back at Anon with renewed determination. "You're right. I'll go help the Snakes' family right now!"
Anon beams. "Thank you, Fluttershy. We'll get this done in no time, I promise."

>A few minutes later, Anon rings his bell gently near a cozy looking burrow and leans in with a cupped ear.
>A moment passes. He hears a soft rustle followed by a big yawn from a pair of groggy chimpmunks, earning him a proud smile.
>Just then, a small rabbit trudges past Anon, muttering under his breath like a teenager forced out of bed before sunrise.
>Anon furrows his brow and looks around for Fluttershy again.
>She's flitting from burrow to nest, ringing her bell with gusto like she's on a mission from Princess Celestia herself.
>"Rise and shine, little ones!" She calls into a den with sparkling eyes. "I can't wait to send out all your invitations!"
>Anon sighs and places a hand on a knee and pushes himself up with a grunt.
>He walks over and taps on her shoulder.
"Hey Fluttershy?" She flinches slightly and turns her attention to him. "I think you're waking them up too fast."
>She blinks, then looks down at a hedgehog rubbing his eyes with the back of his paws as he drags his tail in the dirt, trudging out of his burrow like a zombie.
>Her eyes widen and covers her mouth with a hoof. "Oh my."
>A squirrel in the background topples over dramatically and starts snoring again right on the grass.
>"I didn't mean to... I guess I just got... a little excited." She admits, rubbing a hoof on her other foreleg, cheeks blushing.
>Anon places a hand on her shoulder, coaxing her to land to the ground again.
"You care about them. That's a good thing." Anon says, kneeling besides her as she lands. "Let's just try waking them up like you normally would. Gently." He smiles. "Like a bed time story, but in reverse."
>Fluttershy nods in agreement, her voice softening again. "Okay. Let's do this right."