Loveliest of Trees (Being Transferred and Revised)

by Nordryd

Chapters

• Ch.1: Rediscovery
• Ch.2: Insomnia
• Ch.3: Crushes
• Ch.4: Rain
• Ch.5: Taking Risks
• Ch.6: Revelations
• Ch.7: Dreams
• Ch.8: Uncharted Territory
• Ch.9: Sanctuary
• Ch.10: The Uncertainty Principle
• Ch.11: Storm Front
• Ch.12: Every Rose Has Its Thorn
• Ch.13: Memories
• Ch.14: Empathy is Magic
• Ch.15: Elucidation
• Ch.16: Solicitude
• Ch.17: Convalescence
• Ch.18: Passion
• Ch.19: Stars

Ch.1: Rediscovery

Ch.2: Insomnia

Ch.3: Crushes

Ch.4: Rain

Ch.5: Taking Risks

Ch.6: Revelations

Ch.7: Dreams

Ch.8: Uncharted Territory

Ch.9: Sanctuary

Ch.10: The Uncertainty Principle

Ch.11: Storm Front

Fluttershy found herself in the cherry blossom grove that Coppermane had taken her before. The night sky was completely unblocked, filled with stars as well the belt of the galaxy, made of nebulae and space dust of all colors. A breathtaking view. As if she wasn't feeling good enough already…Coppermane was here, cuddling with her, holding her in his arms…

Fluttershy absolutely loved it when he held her from behind like this. She felt so safe in his arms. He felt so much stronger than he looked. She loved how affectionate he was. Laying his head on her shoulder, lightly squeezing her with his arms, holding her hand and interlacing his fingers with her. He was so loving. How did Fluttershy get so lucky?

Fluttershy looked up at the sky, getting lost in its celestial beauty. "The sky looks gorgeous," she said, giving Coppermane's hand a squeeze.

"Yeah, it does," Coppermane said. He gave Fluttershy a squeeze, "Almost as pretty as you."

Fluttershy gasped quietly and looked up at Coppermane. Did she hear him correctly?

"Coppermane…wh-what did you say?" she asked, not believing what she just heard.

Coppermane gave her another squeeze, offering a heart-warming smile, "You heard me. The sky is almost as pretty as you."

Fluttershy's eyes went wide. He did say that. She thought she was going to melt. She looked up at the breathtaking night sky. No…there was no way…

"Oh…Coppermane…y-you're just saying that," she said in total disbelief.

Coppermane reached up to caress her face, making her shudder in pleasure. "I'm not. I really mean it." He used his hand to cup her face, and looked deep into her eyes. He spoke in a tender voice, "You're so beautiful, Fluttershy. The most beautiful thing in the world."

Fluttershy thought she was going to faint. Did he really think about her like that? The most beautiful…in the world?

"Coppermane…" Fluttershy said, smiling deliriously, at a complete loss for words. Coppermane smiled, and gently caressed her again, making her melt, and slowly leaned in to kiss her…

Fluttershy woke up, and it took a moment for her to collect her thoughts. It was weird because she was waiting for Coppermane to…kiss her. Oh…it was only a dream. She sat up with her back against the bed, and started to tear up a little. She wasn't being held by Coppermane. He didn't think she was the most beautiful girl in the world. It was just her imagination. Darn. At least the cherry blossom grove was real. And at least Coppermane was still hers. She heard some voices coming from downstairs, and looked around the room to see that all the girls, except for Rarity, were already gone. She also heard a guy's voice, meaning one or both of the boys were awake as well.

Fluttershy looked over at Rarity, and saw her yawn, indicating that she was now awake. She stretched her arms and legs, letting out content moans before opening her eyes. Rarity smiled when she saw Fluttershy awake.

"Good morning, Fluttershy," Rarity said in a groggy voice.

"Good morning, Rarity," Fluttershy said, yawning herself, "Sleep well?"

"Mmmhmm," Rarity said. She looked around the room, and was surprised to see nobody else. "Are we the last ones to wake up?"

Fluttershy giggled, "I guess so."

"I suppose we should go downstairs and rendezvous," Rarity said.

Fluttershy nodded, "I guess we should."

Rarity stood up, stretching a little more before starting for the door. As she walked, she saw something on the ground next to Fluttershy. It looked like…as sheet of paper?

"Fluttershy, do you know what that is?" Rarity asked, pointing at the sheet of paper.

Fluttershy looked, and reached for it, curious as to what it was. She turned it over, and what she saw warmed her heart. It was a cute pencil sketch of a rose, and she looked down below to see what a certain someone had written.

Fluttershy, I'll always be there for you, no matter what. Thank you for everything you've given me.

-Your Coppermane

Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle. Coppermane was the cutest thing. This was just adorable.

Rarity looked over Fluttershy's shoulder to see what was on the paper, and couldn't help but smile. "Oh, that is so cute! You have the sweetest boyfriend ever, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy giggled. She simply had to agree with Rarity. After looking at the picture for a couple more minutes, the girls walked downstairs together, with Fluttershy holding the drawing in her hand.

Fluttershy and Rarity walked downstairs and saw everyone sitting and standing around the island counter eating breakfast, courtesy of Pinkie Pie.

"Look who decided to wake up," Rainbow Dash said with a smirk.

"Morning, you two!" Twilight said.

"Morning," Rarity and Fluttershy said.

"Help yourself, girls!" Pinkie Pie said, making some scrambled eggs, "There's plenty to go around!"

"Oh, thank you so much, Pinkie Pie," Rarity said.

Rarity sat at the island counter with everyone else, and started to dig into the fruit. Fluttershy looked around and noticed that Flash Sentry was here…but her boyfriend wasn't.

"Where's Coppermane?" Fluttershy asked.

"He's probably still asleep," Applejack said. She could vividly remember her heart to heart with Coppermane last night, and she also recalled him saying that he was going to stay up later to work on his "Fluttershy List". Applejack wouldn't be surprised at all if he was still asleep, because they talked for probably a good hour or so, and who knows when he turned in for the night?

"Yeah, he's still asleep," Flash Sentry said, getting some toast out of the toaster.

"Why don't you go up and get him?" Sunset suggested, "We should make sure that the birthday boy gets some breakfast."

"Yeah. If he waits any longer, it'll all be gone," Rainbow Dash said, drinking some cider.

Fluttershy giggled, and set Coppermane's drawing on the island counter before heading upstairs to wake him up. As she walked upstairs, she heard some of the girls asking about the drawing, and heard some Aww's from them, making her smile.

Fluttershy walked into the guest bedroom, and in front of the bed, she found her boyfriend, sleeping peacefully. She almost felt bad that she was about to wake him up. He looked so cute when he was asleep. She walked over and sat down next to him. She was about to nudge him with her hand…but decided to wait a moment. He looked so peaceful. Fluttershy could give him a few more minutes. The rest of the gang could wait for a little while longer. Right now, Fluttershy just wanted to watch Coppermane sleep. She couldn't help but smile as she did so. She knew how much he worries about everything, and she remembered how uneasy he seemed yesterday afternoon before the party. It was such a relief to see him so at peace, as if all of his worries were gone for this moment. She scooted closer to him, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest, perfectly synced with his quiet breathing.

Fluttershy sighed in adoration at her slumbering boyfriend. He looked so adorable. She reached her hand out, and started brushing his soft hair. The lighting in the room was such that you could see his hair's beautiful red highlights. He had such beautiful, silky hair, and so uniquely colored. Fluttershy has yet to meet anyone else with Coppermane's hair color. As Fluttershy brushed his hair, Coppermane suddenly stirred, making her jump a little. She pulled back, hoping that she didn't wake him up. Thankfully, he was still very much asleep. He mumbled something unintelligible before relaxing once again, this time, with a smile on his face.

Fluttershy giggled watching him stir. There was just something about him sleeping that was so unbelievably cute. She went back to brushing his hair, smiling at him in adoration.

I wonder what he's dreaming about…

Coppermane found himself back in the cherry blossom grove. The unblocked night sky was shining in all of its astral beauty, the stars and colorful nebulae illuminating the grove, making everything almost glow. From some indiscernible location, there was music playing. Slow music, giving him a feeling of tranquility and serenity. Coppermane didn't know where the music was coming from, but it didn't matter. Among the melodious ambiance of the cherry blossom grove, he was sharing a slow dance with none other than Fluttershy, his beautiful girlfriend.

Coppermane held her close with his hands on her waist, lightly moving his feet to the soft beat of the music, gazing into her deep, teal eyes. Fluttershy had her arms around his neck, perfectly matching every single one of his moves, looking back at him with a heart-melting smile. Slow dancing was something that Coppermane always wanted to do, but was never able to until now.

As if this moment couldn't be any better, Fluttershy looked absolutely breathtaking. She was wearing a thin, sleeveless white gown, going down to her knees, gracing her delicate figure. She wore teal bead earrings, a teal butterfly in her hair, and the cherry blossom necklace that he gave her. All her jewelry helped to bring out her already dazzling eyes, shining even brighter than the unblocked stars in the sky. Her hair was slightly more curled than usual, cascading so perfectly down her body, and her soft, velvety skin seemed to glow in the starlight. Fluttershy was beautiful anyways, but right now, she was a goddess.

"Fluttershy, how did I get so lucky?" Coppermane asked, reaching up to caress her face.

Fluttershy smiled, "I…I don't know," she said bashfully, "I guess you just did all the right things."

Coppermane blushed, "I mean…I just tried to be a halfway decent guy, y'know?"

Fluttershy leaned her head on his chest as they continued to dance, "And you did a wonderful job," she said sweetly.

Coppermane smiled and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I don't deserve you."

Fluttershy smiled, and relaxed in his arms. The two of them danced for a while, until suddenly, Coppermane heard a voice coming from the heavens. It was distorted by echoes, but he could just make it out.

"Coppermane. Coppermane. Wake up. Wake up."

"Coppermane. Wake up," a familiar voice said, nudging Coppermane.

"Mmmm…" Coppermane groaned, slowly but surely waking up. Oh…it was just a dream. Darn. He rubbed the sleep out of his face, trying to open his tired eyes. He stretched his arms and legs out, groaning loudly as he did so. As he reached his arm out, his hand touched something next to him. It felt like…a knee? He looked over through his half-asleep eyes, and saw…

"Fluttershy?" he said groggily.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Fluttershy said, smiling at him.

"Oh, hey," Coppermane said. He tried stretching one more time, groaning loudly again, making Fluttershy giggle. He was a little upset that the slow dance in the cherry blossom grove was only a dream, but knowing that Fluttershy was next to him made him feel better.

"Sleep well?" Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane let out a mighty yawn. "Yeah…yeah I did."

Fluttershy smiled, "I'm glad," she said, brushing his hair, making Coppermane sigh in bliss. "Pinkie Pie made breakfast. You should come down and join us."

Coppermane sighed, "Mmmm…can't we just stay here, and you just keep brushing my hair?" he said groggily, yet blissfully, loving how Fluttershy's delicate fingers felt in his hair.

Fluttershy giggled, "I'd love to, but everyone else is already up."

"Oh, I'm the last one?" Coppermane asked, waking up a little more.

"Yep!" Fluttershy said.

"Ugh…I guess I should get up then…" Coppermane said, slowly sitting up. He stretched a little more, and heard Fluttershy giggling. "What's so funny?"

"It's your hair. It's a little weird," she said.

Coppermane just chuckled. He knew exactly what she was talking about. "Yeah, I get really bad bed-head. It'll be like this until I shower."

Fluttershy giggled. It reminded her of his hair on their second date, only this was slightly crazier. She didn't mind though. He looked cute, but then again, he always does! She stood up and offered her hand to him. He gladly accepted, and Fluttershy slowly pulled him up. He stumbled around a little bit, but quickly regained his footing.

"Oh, and…thanks for the drawing," Fluttershy said. That comment made Coppermane wake up.

"Oh…y-you liked it?" Coppermane said, blushing, rubbing his neck, "I mean…I can't draw to save my life."

Fluttershy giggled, "It was very cute."

"Well, you're welcome then," he said bashfully, "Alright, I need to wash my face real quick, but I'll be right down, okay?"

Fluttershy smiled, "Okay." She gave her boyfriend a quick peck before adjourning back downstairs.

Coppermane watched in admiration as she walked away. He could remember how she looked in his dream so vividly. He could still picture her in that gorgeous white gown. Even so, she was still absolutely beautiful, and nothing would change that. He proceeded to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth before heading downstairs to join the others.

"Hey, look who decided to join us!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Morning, Coppermane!" everyone else said, sitting or standing around the island counter.

"Morning, everyone," Coppermane said, still a little groggy.

"Sleep well?" Sunset asked. Copper yawned and nodded, and looked at the counter to see a wide assortment of food. He took in the aroma of the room, making his mouth water.

"Pinkie Pie made us a lovely breakfast," Rarity said.

"Help yourself!" Pinkie Pie said, gesturing for him to come to the counter, "I can always make more!"

Fluttershy pat the seat beside her, gesturing for Coppermane to sit. Coppermane smiled, and was about to walk over and join her until he felt something nuzzling his ankle. It felt…fuzzy? He looked down to see a little white bunny rabbit rubbing its face on his leg.

"Aww, who's this little guy?" Coppermane said, looking down at the bunny with a smile.

Fluttershy giggled, "His name is Angel."

"Is he yours, Pinkie Pie?" Coppermane asked.

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Nope! He's Fluttershy's. She brings him over sometimes."

"He gets so lonely when I'm away from home for too long," Fluttershy explained.

Coppermane kneeled down to Angel's level. His first instinct was to let Angel approach him, instead of vice versa. He slowly let out his hand, and Angel carefully approached him. He stood there for a moment, but then nuzzled Coppermane's hand, making him smile.

"Aww, aren't you just the cutest thing," Coppermane said, smiling at the little white bunny. He always had a soft spot for small animals.

"I think he likes you," Fluttershy said, giggling.

"I guess so," Coppermane said, continuing to pet Angel, "He's so cute!"

Fluttershy was so happy, watching her boyfriend interact with Angel. He was so gentle and affectionate with her pet bunny rabbit. And he likes animals! Major plus for Fluttershy!

Coppermane eventually got up after a couple minutes of petting Angel. He washed his hands and joined everybody else at the counter to eat. He immediately went for the bacon, and used fried eggs and an english muffin to make a sandwich.

"This is really good, Pinkie. Thank you so much," Coppermane said, digging into his food.

"No problem, birthday boy!" Pinkie Pie said. "Did you have fun, yesterday?"

Coppermane was eating when she asked that. "Mmmhmm!" he said. He swallowed his food before speaking again, "So much fun. Thanks again, all of you."

"Oh, the pleasure was ours, dear," Rarity said.

"We had fun too!" Sunset said. The rest of the gang nodded in agreement.

Coppermane smiled. "Are parties like…your thing or something, Pinkie?" he asked. The gang immediately laughed.

"Honey, you ain't seen nothin' yet," Applejack said.

"I'm planning the final details for the formal in my head as we speak!" Pinkie Pie said with her signature grin.

"Hmm…well alright then!" Coppermane said. It was kind of a stupid question in retrospect. After all, she was head of the CHS party committee.

The group sat and ate together, talking and laughing with each other. Once again, Coppermane was having so much fun with his friends. And wow…could Pinkie Pie cook or what? And apparently, Fluttershy had shown everyone the drawing Coppermane made for her, and they all made comments about it, making him blush profusely. After they ate, they helped with the dishes and hung out together for a couple more hours, playing more Rock Band, and just hanging around and talking. Fluttershy even let Coppermane hold Angel for a majority of the time, and Copper loved it. Fluttershy absolutely loved watching Coppermane hold Angel, being so affectionate and loving with him.

"You can hold him any time you want," Fluttershy told him, petting Angel in Coppermane's arms, "Holding a bunny always makes me happy!"

Coppermane chuckled, and smiled at his girlfriend. "Thank you. I might have to take you up on that," he said with a smile. Angel nuzzled his chin, making him smile, "Aww, he's so cute!"

Fluttershy giggled. Seeing Coppermane smile as he held Angel, and watching Angel nuzzle his chin…it was so cute; Fluttershy could barely stand it! Coppermane and Fluttershy played with him for a majority of the time they spent at Pinkie Pie's. Angel even came up next to Coppermane when he played Rock Band, nuzzling his leg.

After a while, it was time for the group to part ways. This included Fluttershy and Coppermane splitting up, but only for the time being. Fluttershy and Rarity had their weekly spa visit together. Plus, she needed some time to recuperate. The spa treatment would help with that, but she also wanted to go home and relax for a bit. Coppermane could use this too (minus the spa treatment of course), so he was fine with it.

They stood outside Pinkie Pie's house to say goodbye to each other…for now.

"So…I'll pick you up around…eight?" Coppermane said.

"Mmmhmm," Fluttershy said, moving closer to her boyfriend and putting her arms around his neck. "I can't wait."

Coppermane smiled, putting his hands on her waist, "See you later then."

"Goodbye, Coppermane," Fluttershy said before lifting her head to give Coppermane a kiss.

And with that, Fluttershy walked with Rarity off to the spa, and Coppermane walked to his car to drive back to his house.

"What are you two doing later?" Rarity asked as she and Fluttershy walked.

Fluttershy smile, "Oh, we're going to hang out at his house again. We'll probably watch a movie or something. I'm just looking forward to spending time with him."

Rarity giggled. "Oh, I forgot to ask. Has he asked you to the formal yet?"

Fluttershy's eyes widened. She hadn't even thought about that. She was under the assumption that she would go with her friends like she did last year, but this year, she might have a date! However…

"Um…no. No…he hasn't," Fluttershy said, sounding a little melancholy.

Rarity was a little surprised to hear this. She thought Coppermane would want to get right on that, but apparently not. Though…Coppermane was pretty shy.

"Well, maybe he's preparing something?" Rarity said teasingly.

Fluttershy's face lit up. "Maybe…" she said with hope in her eyes. "Has…has anyone asked you yet?"

Rarity gasped as her face lit up, "Oh my gosh! I forgot to tell you all! Someone did ask me!"

Fluttershy's face lit up even more. "Really? Who?" she asked.

Rarity let out a little squeal. "Vladimir Blueblood!"

Fluttershy gasped, "Oh, Rarity! That's amazing! Congratulations!" she said, giving Rarity a hug. Fluttershy knew that Rarity has had a crush on Blueblood for a while now, and to hear that he asked her to the formal made Fluttershy ecstatic for her friend.

"Thank you, Fluttershy!" Rarity said, letting out another girly squeal, "Oh my gosh I couldn't believe it!"

And with that, the two of them continued to the spa with Rarity gushing about Blueblood the whole way.

Fluttershy and Coppermane were back in his room, just hanging out and spending time with each other. This room had a lot of sentimental value for the couple. This was where they had their first date. This is also where Coppermane revealed the details of his past, shedding some light on why Coppermane was so emotionally scarred. This is where they shared their very first kiss, the memory of which made Fluttershy and Coppermane smile whenever it came to mind. And most of all, this was where their relationship began.

Right now, Fluttershy and Coppermane were sitting in front of the television, just as they were on their second date; Coppermane sitting on his makeshift seat of pillows, while holding Fluttershy in his arms. Only difference this time around was that there was a severe thunderstorm happening outside, flashes of lightning and booms of thunder happening about once every three seconds. It had been storming rather hard since about five o'clock, and it wasn't supposed to stop until tomorrow. On top of that, the entire area was under a tornado watch. Fluttershy would normally be a little scared, but being held by her boyfriend made her feel so much safer. Coppermane actually liked thunderstorms. There was something about it that was strangely relaxing to him, so long as it didn't become too severe.

They were watching a movie, when all of a sudden, there was a big flash of lightning, an earth-shaking wave of thunder, followed by the power going out. Coppermane and Fluttershy nearly jumped out of their skin. Coppermane reflexively tightened his grip on Fluttershy, and vice versa. Now, there was just silence and darkness, the only sounds coming from the pelting of the rain and occasional thunder.

Coppermane relaxed his grip on Fluttershy, as did she.

"Well…that's just great…" Coppermane said, obviously not thrilled. He reached right next to him for his phone and turned its flashlight on so they could see.

"Well…now what?" Fluttershy asked.

"Uh…I don't know," Coppermane said, "I do have some candles downstairs. Wanna come with?"

Fluttershy looked at him, a little confused, "Um…can't you bring the candles up here?" she asked curiously.

"I don't like having candles up here. There's too many flammable things in the room. I mean…if you want to stay up here…"

"Oh, no it's fine. I was just curious," Fluttershy said with a smile. Coppermane smiled too, and gave her a little peck on the cheek before getting up. He offered his hand to her, which she gladly accepted, and the two of them walked downstairs together.

Fluttershy sat on the couch in the living room while Coppermane sifted through his drawers with his phone flashlight, trying to find his lighter. He eventually uncovered it, and brought three medium-sized candles over to the living room. He placed them on the coffee table, and only lit one, trying to save the other two for later in case he needed them. He turned his phone flashlight off and set it on the coffee table.

"Alright, there we go," Coppermane said, making Fluttershy smile. He sat down on the couch, and Fluttershy snuggled up closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder. Coppermane smiled, and thought he would try something bold. He brought his legs up on the couch, and folded them criss-cross style. Then he pat his lap, gesturing for Fluttershy to sit there. She blushed majorly, and gave him a smile as she hopped into her boyfriend's lap. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and felt Coppermane embrace her, making her let out a blissful sigh. Coppermane gave her a kiss on the forehead, making her giggle. She lifted her head to meet his lips with hers. They gently parted, and Fluttershy relaxed in her boyfriend's arms, enjoying his warmth.

Coppermane sighed, "Um…sorry about the power going out…" he said apologetically.

Fluttershy lifted her head and smiled, "Oh, it's not your fault, Coppermane. This is nice…" she said, blushing.

Coppermane blushed himself. "Yeah…yeah it is," he said, giving his beautiful girlfriend a light squeeze.

Fluttershy smiled and gave her boyfriend a peck. "So…what do you want to do now?"

Coppermane looked down. "Well…lemme think," he said. He pondered for a moment, and thought of something that might sound a little weird…but he figured Fluttershy wouldn't mind. Hopefully.

"Well, can I ask you something?" Coppermane asked.

"Of course," Fluttershy said, listening intently.

"Is…um…is there something you've always wanted to do, but couldn't because you were single?" Coppermane asked, blushing majorly.

Fluttershy's eyes went wide, and she blushed herself. She hadn't even thought about that. She had just been going with the flow this whole time. She had always seen couples in school, and has seen fictional couples in movies and TV shows. She always wondered what it would be like to do some of those things with a special someone. And now…she had a boyfriend. She could try some of those things. What could they do? She pondered for a moment, and smiled when she eventually thought of something she's always wanted to do.

"Well…there is…one thing…" Fluttershy said timidly.

"Oh? What's that?" Coppermane asked curiously.

Fluttershy blushed profusely, "Um…I…I've always wondered what it would be like to slow dance." Coppermane's eyes went wide, and it made Fluttershy think she said something wrong. "I mean…if you don't want to…"

"No no, it's not that," Coppermane said quickly. "It's actually…um…it's funny you should say that because…I…I had this dream last night…"

Fluttershy smiled, "Oh? What did you dream about?" she asked, snuggling up closer to Coppermane as he proceeded to tell her about the dream he had last night. He described how it was just him and her in the cherry blossom grove, dancing to music coming from nowhere. And about how beautiful she looked. The more and more Coppermane went into detail, the more flattered Fluttershy became. Did he really think about her like that?

"Wow…that…that's so sweet, Coppermane," Fluttershy said, smiling. Coppermane blushed majorly, making Fluttershy giggle. He was so cute when he blushed. "Well…do…do you have any way to play music?"

Coppermane's eyes widened, and he broke into a big smile. He reached for his phone on the coffee table. Fluttershy reluctantly got out of his lap so he could better reach. He pulled up his music, and scrolled through his playlists…and found something perfect. He had secretly made a so-called "Slow Dance" playlist, consisting of a bunch of slow songs…just in case. He had made it just so he could fantasize, but now he could actually put it to use. He started the playlist, put it on loop, and turned the volume up to maximum. He could feel his heartbeat rising. He's never slow danced with anyone before, and he was worried about messing up, as he always is.

He put his phone down on the coffee table, and looked at Fluttershy, who was smiling and blushing majorly. Fluttershy's never slow danced either, and her stomach was filling with butterflies.

Coppermane walked over to her, and said something he's always wanted to say to a girl.

"Fluttershy…m-may I have this dance?" Coppermane asked, holding his hand out to his girlfriend, blushing profusely.

Fluttershy giggled at the gesture. He was so cute!

"I'd be delighted," Fluttershy said with a big smile, reaching up and taking her boyfriend's hand. He gently helped her up, and led her to the open area in front of the coffee table. He lifted his hands and put them on Fluttershy's delicate waist. She reciprocated by putting her arms around his neck. And then, Coppermane and Fluttershy shared their first dance together as a couple. Both of them were nervous, so they took it slow, slightly moving their feet to the beat at the start, but as time went on, started to feel more comfortable with moving more. It was a magical moment between the two in nothing but the candlelight, and the occasional flashes from the storm outside, but even that didn't faze them, because in that moment, the only thing that mattered to the couple was each other. They danced in silence, savoring this intimate moment, entranced by each other's eyes.

Coppermane couldn't believe it. He was dancing with Fluttershy! She looked so beautiful. Her dazzling teal eyes were so close to his, and Coppermane found himself getting lost in them. The candlelight shined so softly on her delicate body, making her practically glow.

Suddenly, he had a thought that made him chuckle involuntarily, making Fluttershy look at him quizzically.

"What?" she asked.

Coppermane gave her a warm smile and a squeeze. "Oh, it's just…how did I get so lucky?"

Fluttershy blushed. "Wh-What do you mean?"

"I mean…I can remember a couple weeks ago, the day we first met, when…I wasn't able to sleep because…I couldn't stop thinking about you," Coppermane said, giving Fluttershy a warm smile.

Fluttershy's eyes went wide. Was she just hearing things? Could it be that he was doing the exact same thing she was doing the night after they first met? He was thinking about her too?

"R-Really?" Fluttershy asked with hope in her eyes.

Coppermane nodded. "I was telling myself that there was no way that I would ever have a chance with a girl like you. I told myself that you were way out of my league, and that it was a pointless endeavor. I honestly thought you had a boyfriend already. I told myself that there's no way a girl that pretty isn't already in a relationship. But lo and behold, a week later, we were on our very first date together."

Fluttershy had a huge smile on her face, flattered beyond belief. He's been thinking about her since their very first encounter. Just like how she was thinking about him. She actually started to tear up. She remembered so vividly thinking that there was no chance she'd ever be with him. She remembered thinking that maybe he was just a very timid guy who was generally nice. But over the course of the following week, she saw just how amazing Coppermane really is. She has yet to meet any other guy as sweet as him. And more than anything, Fluttershy had so much respect for him, considering just how dark his past is, and how much he had to go through. There was just no other guy like him. And to know that he thought about her like that? It warmed her heart unlike anything else could.

She laid her head on Coppermane's chest as they continued to dance. "You're not the only lucky one," Fluttershy said softly, letting the blissful tears fall.

Coppermane's heart nearly melted when she said that. He looked down in adoration at Fluttershy resting her head on his chest. She looked so cute. Coppermane squeezed her warm, delicate body tighter in his arms, holding her close. Close enough that he could feel her heartbeat. He sighed in bliss, taking in the sweet scent of her hair, savoring this wonderful moment.

Fluttershy was so happy. Normally, a severe thunderstorm outside would scare her, but being held in Coppermane's arms made her forget all about that, and she felt safe. Coppermane was just so wonderful…in every way. He was loving, affectionate, sweet, and kind. Whenever she was with him, she felt special. He treated her like a princess, a queen even, and…

"I love you," Fluttershy whispered softly to herself.

"Hmm? Did you say something?" Coppermane said. She had whispered something unintelligible.

Fluttershy blushed profusely. "Um…n-nothing…" she said, smiling nervously at him. Those three words had just slipped out of her mouth, almost involuntarily.

Coppermane looked into her eyes, and gave her a big smile.

Fluttershy looked at him quizzically. "What?" she asked.

Coppermane sighed with an adoring look in his eyes. "You're so pretty…"

Fluttershy's eyes went wide, and her face went bright red, breaking into a smile. "You…you really think so?"

Coppermane lifted his hand up to brush the hair out of her eyes, making her shudder in pleasure. She loved it when he caressed her face. He used his hand to cup her face, and gave her a heart-melting smile.

"The most beautiful girl in the world," he said with nothing but adoration, the candlelight dancing in his eyes.

Fluttershy's heart melted. Was she just hearing things? It was just like her dream…only this wasn't a dream. He really said that. He genuinely thought about her like that. She felt her eyes welling up from total happiness.

"Coppermane…" Fluttershy said, smiling deliriously. She felt her eyes close as he leaned forward to give her a tender kiss. She would've melted onto the ground from total ecstasy if Coppermane weren't holding her. His lips were so soft and warm. There was no better feeling in the world. Tears of joy ran down her face. She felt so beautiful and loved. Words could not describe how happy she was right now. He gently pulled away, and the couple continued to dance together with Fluttershy resting her head on Coppermane's chest, enjoying his warmth of being in his arms.

After a few songs, the couple released each other, still holding hands. Coppermane reached over to turn the volume down on his phone before leading Fluttershy back over to the couch. He put a pillow up against the armrest, then laid down on the couch, resting his head on said pillow. He held his arms out, gesturing for Fluttershy to cuddle with him, to which she gladly obliged.

Fluttershy laid next to her boyfriend, resting on his chest, such that her head was right below his. She felt Coppermane embrace her, making her entire body relax in bliss.

"Fluttershy, that was amazing," Coppermane said.

"Yeah, it was," Fluttershy said, "Thank you so much."

Coppermane kissed his beautiful girlfriend on the forehead. "Anytime, Fluttershy," he said as he started to brush her soft, silky hair. The couple laid together, cuddling in total bliss, enjoying each other's warmth and company.

Fluttershy had never felt more at peace. She felt so safe in Coppermane's arms. His phone was still quietly playing slow, relaxing music. Fluttershy felt her eyelids growing heavier. She tried to stay awake, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. Feeling the gentle rise and fall of Coppermane's chest, feeling him gently brush her hair, the warmth of his body, being held in his arms, and the candlelight shining so softly…it gave her an amazing feeling of tranquility. She snuggled up more with Coppermane, and she felt him kiss her forehead, making her melt once more. She felt herself starting to drift off further and further, and eventually accepted it.

Coppermane…I love you…so much…

And with that thought, Fluttershy allowed herself to drift off to sleep, feeling safe and sound in her boyfriend's arms.

Coppermane could stay here and cuddle with Fluttershy for all eternity if he could. She looked so cute lying on his chest. Her hair smelled so sweet, like roses. He continued to brush her hair, until he heard her quietly…snoring? He brushed her hair aside to see that Fluttershy had indeed dozed off in his arms. Coppermane couldn't help but feel flattered that she felt safe enough with him to fall asleep. He had been ready to take her home as soon as the rain let up…but maybe she didn't have to go back. She looked so peaceful…and so adorable. He couldn't just wake her up, could he? This night had been so magical…why should it have to end? Besides, Coppermane had been feeling a little drowsy since they laid on the couch together. The soft candlelight, Fluttershy's warmth, feeling the steady rise and fall of her body, and the pitter-patter of the rain outside gave Coppermane an amazing feeling of serenity. He looked at his beautiful, slumbering girlfriend and continued to brush her hair. She looked so cute.

"Sweet dreams, Fluttershy," he whispered. He smiled at her, and a tear ran down his face. "I…I love you," he whispered even softer before giving her another kiss on the forehead. He continued to brush her silky hair, until eventually, Coppermane drifted off to sleep too, holding his delicate, beautiful girlfriend in his arms.

Ch.12: Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Fluttershy woke up, and for a moment, was completely confused. She wasn't in her bed. She was on…a couch? She looked around, and stopped when she felt something beside her rising and falling softly. She looked to see…Coppermane…sleeping soundly. Oh yeah, she had fallen asleep.

I guess he must've fallen asleep too.

Not that Fluttershy minded in the least. She looked around and saw that the candle had gone out, and his phone was no longer playing music. It was still storming outside, but she felt so safe with her boyfriend holding her. She looked towards the opposite side of the couch to see Angel sleeping soundly on Coppermane's legs. She sighed in admiration at how cute he looked. She almost forgot that Coppermane had asked her to bring him over. Though, as irresistibly cute as Angel was, he had competition now.

Fluttershy looked up at Coppermane, and smiled at how adorable he looked. She snuggled up closer, such that her face was right next to his, so she could better get a better look at him. She smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She couldn't believe that he let her sleep next to him. She figured that he would've woken her up in the middle of the night to take her home, but instead, he let her sleep next to him! She didn't know why, but this felt more comfortable than any bed she's ever slept in. Being next to him with his arms around her provided all the warmth she needed.

Fluttershy put her hand on his chest, feeling his body steadily rise and fall, lying her head on his shoulder. She started rubbing his chest, and he stirred slightly, putting his own hand over hers, and snuggling up closer to her. When he relaxed, she saw that he was smiling. She couldn't help but giggle. He was so cute; she could barely stand it! She gave him another kiss on the cheek, and relaxed on his shoulder. She couldn't help but think about last night. They shared their first dance together! It was so magical, and Fluttershy had never felt closer to her boyfriend.

There was no other guy like him. No other guy as sweet, gentle, caring, kind, or affectionate as him. He made her feel so special and important. He made her feel beautiful. He made her happy. Happier than she's ever been in her entire life. She thought about what he told her yesterday as they danced. All about how he couldn't stop thinking about her after they met…exactly like she did. Fluttershy remembered being unable to sleep that same night, staring at the moon wondering if he was thinking about her. And truth be told…he was! He was just the sweetest, kindest, most amazing guy in the world. And he was all hers. That thought alone made Fluttershy happier than even the cutest animal could.

Fluttershy felt her eyelids becoming heavier again. Before she went back to sleep, she lifted her head to look at him from above. She sighed in adoration at how peaceful he looked. She took his hand in hers, interlacing their fingers. His hand felt cold, but she didn't mind. She gave his hand a light squeeze, smiling down at him as he slept.

"I love you," she said softly, her stomach filling with butterflies. She lowered her head to give him one more kiss on the forehead. Fluttershy snuggled back up with her boyfriend, still holding his hand, allowing the pitter-patter of the rain and the steady rise and fall of his warm body lull her back to sleep.

Fluttershy woke up to a wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen. The kitchen and the living room area were in the same room, separated by the counters and flooring, so if someone was cooking, anyone in the living room would be well aware. Fluttershy slowly sat up, stretched her arms and legs out a bit, and took a look around. She noticed that Coppermane was no longer next to her. Angel was instead. Fluttershy sat upright on the couch and Angel hopped in her lap, nuzzling her. Fluttershy smiled, let out a mighty yawn, and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Once her vision came into focus, she scanned the area, wondering where Coppermane was. She heard sound of pan scraping and sizzling coming from the kitchen, so she looked there first. Sure enough, there he was in his cute black graphic t-shirt. Was he cooking? Fluttershy stared for a few seconds before Coppermane looked in her direction, presumably to see if she was awake. As soon as they locked eyes, Fluttershy darted her gaze away, and heard snickers from Coppermane.

"Good morning, Fluttershy," Coppermane said, returning his attention to what was in the pan.

Fluttershy blushed. "Good morning, Coppermane," she said, picking Angel up in her arms and walking over to the table. The table was already set, and had a bowl filled with fruit, another filled with rolls, along with some glasses of orange juice. Was Coppermane doing what she thought he was doing?

"Sleep well?" Coppermane asked as placed some scrambled eggs onto a plate, placing said plate on a warmer.

Fluttershy blushed. The best sleep I've ever had.

"Mmmhmm!" Fluttershy said. "Um…I'm sorry for falling asleep," she said apologetically, "I…I didn't mean to."

"Oh, you have nothing to be sorry about," Coppermane said, walking over to Fluttershy. He sat down in the chair next to her. "You can spend the night anytime you want," he said, placing his hand on her knee, smiling at her.

Fluttershy blushed. "Aww…thanks Coppermane," she said with a smile.

Angel moved closer to Coppermane's hand and nuzzled it, making the couple smile.

"Hey Angel. Sleep well, bud?" Coppermane asked rhetorically as Angel continued to nuzzle his hand. Fluttershy smiled at watching Coppermane pet Angel. It was so incredibly cute!

"He really likes you," Fluttershy said, smiling.

Coppermane chuckled, "Yeah, I guess he does," he said as he continued to pet him. "I…um…I made some food for us. You hungry?"

Fluttershy smiled. He made breakfast? "Oh, Coppermane, you didn't have to do that," she said.

Coppermane blushed, "Well…I did anyways. I had an opportunity to cook for my girlfriend, so…I took it," he said, offering Fluttershy a smile.

Fluttershy smiled and blushed majorly. "You're so sweet. You know that, right?"

Coppermane blushed even more. "I mean…I try," he humbly said, rubbing his back nervously.

Fluttershy reached her hand forward and placed it on Coppermane's knee. "Well, you're very good at it," she said sweetly. Coppermane smiled and leaned forward and gave her a kiss.

"Thanks," Coppermane said, smiling. "You wanna eat now?"

Fluttershy's stomach suddenly rumbled, making Angel stir, and making Coppermane chuckle. Fluttershy blushed. "I…I think I'd like that."

Coppermane chuckled, and got up to bring the warmers over to the table. He placed a bowl filled with scrambled eggs on the table, and a plate with waffles stacked on it, and some maple syrup. Fluttershy was starving, and wasted no time in digging in. She took her first bite…and was impressed. Her boyfriend could cook!

"Coppermane, this is really good!" Fluttershy said, "I didn't know you could cook."

Copper's heart soared when he heard that. "Glad you like it," he said with a smile. "I mean…I've lived by myself for the better part of…well…forever, so I had to teach myself."

Fluttershy smiled back. "Well, all that time alone wasn't a total loss, right?"

Coppermane offered a smile. "Yeah…I guess it wasn't. But now that I have you, I can put it to good use. This won't be the last time I cook for you, I can promise you that," he said with a smirk.

Fluttershy giggled. "I can't wait."

The couple continued eating breakfast together, talking and laughing with each other. Coppermane was so happy that Fluttershy liked his cooking. He had to cook dinner for her in the future. After they ate, Fluttershy helped Coppermane with the dishes, and the couple went back to the couch to sit together as they were last night, with Fluttershy sitting in Coppermane's lap as he held her, spending a few more minutes together before he took her home.

"So what are you planning on doing today?" Coppermane asked.

"Oh, I was going to spend the day at the animal shelter," Fluttershy said. "I haven't been there in a while. I miss all the animals."

Coppermane chuckled. "I bet they miss you too," he said, taking Fluttershy's hand, making her smile.

"What about you?" Fluttershy asked.

"I'm spending the day with Flash," Coppermane said. "Gonna meet up with him at the mall."

"Oh? What for?" Fluttershy asked.

"He said he needed help with getting something for Twilight. I'm not sure why he needs me, but y'know, whatever. I'm happy to help," Coppermane said.

Fluttershy smiled, "Well, I hope you two have fun."

"Hope you do too," Coppermane said, giving Fluttershy a peck and squeezing her hand.

Fluttershy's eyes wandered up to Coppermane's hair, and she noticed how wonderfully it lustered in the incandescent light. It wasn't too long, and it wasn't too short. It was just right. It was lightly parted to his right, and sort of sticking up on the left. It was a little weird, sure, but Fluttershy loved it. She reached up and started brushing it. His hair was so soft. As soon as she touched his hair, she felt Coppermane relax his grip on her, and heard him let out a contented sigh, making her smile.

"Coppermane, I love your hair," Fluttershy said, continuing to brush.

"Hehe, thanks," Coppermane said, blushing, and loving how she was brushing his hair. Her fingers were so delicate and gentle.

Fluttershy smiled. "How do you get it to look like this?"

"What do you mean? The color?" Coppermane asked.

"Mmmhmm," Fluttershy said, "It looks like…well…copper."

Coppermane laughed. "What a coincidence." Fluttershy laughed too, continuing to run her fingers through his soft hair. "Um…I don't really do anything except part it."

"You don't use dye?" Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane smiled. "Nope. This is my natural hair color."

Fluttershy's eyes went wide. This is how his hair looked naturally?

"Wow…" Fluttershy said, still brushing his hair.

Coppermane smiled and blushed. He didn't think his hair color would be that impressive, but apparently it was. He wanted to return the favor. He lifted his own hand and started to brush Fluttershy's hair. As soon as he touched it, she let out a contented sigh, and pulled her hand back. Her entire body relaxed in bliss, making Coppermane chuckle.

"You have beautiful hair too," Coppermane said.

Fluttershy blushed profusely and softly giggled. "Aww…thanks." She loved it when he played with her hair. He was so gentle and loving…

Coppermane brushed her hair for a couple minutes before he pulled away, and took her hand in his, interlacing fingers. The couple spent the next few minutes just staring into each other's eyes, with Fluttershy still sitting in Coppermane's lap, holding hands.

Fluttershy loved staring into his eyes. They were so warm and brown, like chocolate, and she couldn't stop smiling as she looked into them. She loved sitting in his lap. It felt like he was actually holding her, and it made her feel so close to him. He let go of her hand, and brought it up brush her hair out of her face, making Fluttershy shudder in pleasure. Her heart melted every time he caressed her face. He kept his hand there, cupping her face, and giving her a smile that made her heart dance. He was just the cutest guy ever. Then, Fluttershy felt her eyes close as he leaned forward and kissed her tenderly, making her melt in his arms. His lips were so soft and warm, and she felt his hand gently brushing her hair. There was no better feeling in the world.

Coppermane felt Fluttershy's entire body relax as soon as their lips met. He would never get enough of her sweet lips. Nothing felt better than kissing his beautiful Fluttershy. She matched every one of his movements perfectly, seamlessly molding her lips onto his. It felt amazing. After a while, the couple pulled away, and Coppermane was met with Fluttershy's lovely, blushing face. He took her hand again, seamlessly interlacing fingers, and sighed in admiration, making her blush. She was just so beautiful in every way. He offered her a smile, making her look away and blush profusely. Coppermane chuckled. She was adorable when she acted shy. She looked back up at him, and offered him a warm smile. Now it was Coppermane's turn to do the same thing, turning his head away and blushing. He couldn't deny that he was quite timid as well. That was something else he loved about Fluttershy: she was just as shy as him.

Fluttershy giggled at him when he looked away. His timidity was absolutely adorable! She squeezed his hand.

"Coppermane…" Fluttershy said.

"Hmm?"

"Um…last Friday…when we were at Pinkie Pie's house…" Fluttershy trailed off.

"What about last Friday?" Coppermane asked.

"Did you…um…did you come into our room in the middle of the night?" Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane's face flushed bright red, and involuntarily tightened his grip on Fluttershy. He bit his lip. "Um…m-maybe?" he said nervously, hoping that she wouldn't be mad or creeped out. But, quite on the contrary, she just started giggling. "What's so funny?" he asked, confused.

Fluttershy squeezed his hand, "Oh, you're just too cute, Coppermane," she said, making Coppermane blush, and relax his grip on her a little. Fluttershy smiled at him. "Applejack told me you came in. I was just wondering."

"Did she…um…t-tell you anything else?" Coppermane asked nervously.

Fluttershy blushed profusely, remembering what Applejack told her. "She told me that you…well…came in to…watch me sleep."

Coppermane's face went bright red again. "Oh…sh-she told you that?" Fluttershy nodded, making him bite his lip. "S-Sorry…"

Fluttershy giggled, "You have nothing to be sorry about," she said, "I think it's sweet."

Coppermane was shocked again. "Y-You do?"

"Mmmhmm!" Fluttershy said. She brought her hand up to touch his face, and looked at him endearingly, "It's so comforting to know you're always looking out for me."

Coppermane couldn't help but feel flattered. This girl was just the sweetest thing in the world.  And she didn't mention his list, so Applejack kept her promise.  That was a relief.

He lifted his hand to touch hers. "I'm here to keep you safe, Fluttershy. I'll always be there for you."

Fluttershy gave a heart-melting smile, and leaned forward to give Coppermane a kiss, making his heart melt even more. She gently pulled away, and relaxed her head on Coppermane's shoulder. She felt him pull her closer in his arms, and felt him relax too. He kissed her on the forehead, making her heart dance in bliss.

I love you, Coppermane.

Coppermane felt Fluttershy relax in his arms. She was so warm, delicate, and beautiful. So sweet, kind, and loving. She looked absolutely adorable when she cuddled with him, and he loved holding her. He felt so close to her. The more time they spent together, the more amazing she got. He gave Fluttershy a squeeze, and she nuzzled him in response, making Coppermane smile.

I love you, Fluttershy.

And for the next hour or two, the couple sat on the couch cuddling, enjoying each other's company and warmth.

Before Coppermane took off to the mall, Fluttershy had asked Coppermane to drive her to the animal shelter. She could've easily walked there herself, but she wanted to spend more time with her boyfriend. Coppermane gladly did so, since he wanted to spend more time with his girlfriend as well. After he dropped her off, he drove off to the mall to meet up with Flash Sentry.

Coppermane was still wondering why Flash would want his help as opposed to…well…anyone else. He claimed that he needs help with picking something out for Twilight, but compared to the rest of the gang, Coppermane seemed the least qualified to help him out with something like this. Sure, he had a girlfriend now, but even so, he had no idea what a girl would want. In fact, when they were here before, and Coppermane bought the necklace for Fluttershy, it was Flash who helped him pick it out. Either way, he was looking forward to spending some time with Flash. Maybe they could get further in House of the Dead this time. Whether they play that game or not, they were definitely going to visit the arcade.

They had been there for quite a while, and right now, Flash Sentry and Coppermane were in the food court getting a bite to eat. As they talked and ate, there was another a group roaming the mall. One that Coppermane would not be fond of. And they had a guest with them.

Approaching the food court, was Hoops and Score, along with Trixie of all people.

"So you want me, the Great and Powerful Trixie, to go up to Coppermane and kiss him?" Trixie asked the jocks.

"Exactly," Hoops said.

"And we'll take incriminating photos," Score said, holding his phone towards her.

"You know Coppermane, right?" Hoops asked.

"Yes, I do," Trixie said, "The Great and Powerful Trixie has her physics class with him. I will admit, he is kind of cute, but I must ask, what is your motivation for this?"

"We need to show that loser his place," Hoops said, "He's dating someone totally out of his league, and that can't happen."

Trixie was surprised to hear this, and decided to get serious, using her normal voice now.

"Wait…you want to use me to ruin Coppermane's relationship?" Trixie asked. "What's in it for me?"

The jocks were ready for her to be unwilling. Score spoke up with a smirk, "We'll give you fifty bucks, and…we won't reveal how your magic tricks work."

Trixie was appalled at the last statement. "You wouldn't dare!"

Hoops looked confused. He leaned over to Score and whispered in his ear, "Dude, everyone knows how her tricks work."

Score whispered back, "Yeah, but she doesn't know that."

Hoops shrugged and looked back at Trixie with a stern face. "Either kiss him, or we reveal your secrets, and you miss out of fifty bucks. Your move, Miss 'Great and Powerful'."

Trixie was conflicted. She really didn't want her secrets to be exposed, and have her reputation ruined. She couldn't believe that these jerks were blackmailing her, but she didn't really know what else she could do.

"Make it one hundred dollars in advance, and you have a deal," Trixie said. She thought about it, and Coppermane was kind of cute.

Hoops sighed, obviously not thrilled. "Alright, but only when you're about to do it, okay?"

Suddenly, as if on cue, the group came upon the food court, and lo and behold, there Coppermane was, along with someone else whom they recognized at Flash Sentry.

"He's here," Score said, his eyes wide. Hoops looked where Score was looking, and went wide-eyed as well.

"We could do this before the formal!" Hoops said with an evil smile on his face. They looked at Trixie, who looked rather displeased.

"Give me the money first, or it doesn't happen," Trixie said. The jocks were reluctant, but they needed this to happen, so they coughed up one hundred dollars between the two of them, and gave it to her, making her displeased look fade…slightly. Now, it was just a matter a time before he was alone. Until then, they wait.

"So basically, I'm going to walk up to Twilight, give this necklace to her, and…well…ask her to the formal," Flash Sentry said, examining the amethyst necklace he bought for Twilight. "I just hope she says yes."

Coppermane chuckled, "What makes you think she won't?"

"I don't know," Flash Sentry said, "She'll probably say yes, but I'm still skeptical, y'know?"

"I understand," Coppermane said. "How have things been going between you two?"

"Oh they've been great!" Flash Sentry said. "We've hung out together practically every single day since we got together, spent the entire day yesterday at my house, and…she's just awesome. She's a little weird sometimes, but I think it's really cute," Flash said with a smile. "I just hope she can stay for longer than she usually does."

"Is she from out of town?" Coppermane asked.

Flash bit his lip. Twilight had explained to him why she came and went all the time. He thought she lived out of town too. He was sort of correct, if by out of town, you mean hopping between parallel universes through magical portals. Also, throw in the fact that Twilight's world, Equestria, is filled with magic and ponies. She told him all about how her friends here have pony counterparts back in Equestria. She even brought him over to the portal to show him, and he was beside himself with disbelief. And he found out that in her world…she's a princess! He was basically dating royalty! Nobody could've called that! All things considered, it was pretty heavy and difficult information, and he didn't know if he could accurately explain it to Coppermane or not. He would probably miss about ninety-percent of the key details. Probably even the most skilled theoretical physicist wouldn't be able to explain this anomaly. Flash decided that he would maintain the illusion that she's from out of town, just to make things simpler. Much simpler.

"Yeah, she's from…Trottingham," Flash Sentry said, trying to sound convincing. Thankfully, it looked like Coppermane believed him.

"Oh, okay. How long does she usually stay?" Coppermane asked.

"Well, the longest she's stayed is for about a week," Flash said, "We're going on three now. This is the longest she's ever been here."

"Well, hopefully she's here for a while," Coppermane said. "She's nice to have around."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Flash Sentry said, making Coppermane chuckle.

"Well, I'm really happy for you two," Coppermane said. "You're really good together."

"Thanks man," Flash Sentry said. "Well, how about you? How are things with Fluttershy?"

Coppermane immediately smiled upon hearing Fluttershy's name, his thoughts being flooded with images of his beautiful girlfriend.

"Ah…Fluttershy…" Coppermane said with a dumb smile on his face, "Where do I even start?"

Flash Sentry started to laugh at Copper's face. "I take it things are going alright?"

"Better than alright," Coppermane said. "She's nothing short of amazing. I've been having so much fun with her. Already, she's done so much for me. I mean, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have had that amazing birthday party, I wouldn't have met you guys, and…wow. Just…wow, Flash."

Flash Sentry just continued to chuckle at how smitten his friend was. And he wasn't done…

"I still can't believe that she's actually mine now. I can't even describe in words how grateful I am. I mean, she's smart, cute, sweet, kind, caring, loving, and…so pretty. Like, the most beautiful girl in the world. I just adore her, y'know? It's funny, she actually slept over last night."

Flash Sentry's eyes went wide when he said that last part. "Wait, she slept over?"

Copper realized what he just said…and what it might've implied. "Oh, no no no, we didn't do anything like that," he said, his face bright red, "We were just lying on the couch together, and she fell asleep in my arms, nothing more. Still…it was great. Falling asleep with her in my arms felt amazing. I cooked breakfast for her this morning too. It just kind of happened, but I didn't mind at all. I could go on, but I don't want to bore you. Long story short, Fluttershy's the most amazing girl in the world, and she's all mine. That thought alone just makes me happy beyond belief. Fluttershy's just so…wow…" he said with a big, dumb smile on his face.

Flash Sentry couldn't help but laugh at how smitten Coppermane looked. He was just staring off into space with a glazed look in his eyes and a big smile on his face.

Coppermane heard Flash laughing, and snapped out of his trance. "What's so funny?"

"You had the funniest look on your face," Flash said, making Coppermane blush. "You're really in love, aren't you?"

Coppermane just smiled again. Maybe it was only a week and a half into their relationship, but he couldn't deny that his feelings for Fluttershy were deepening. The more time he spent with her, the more and more he fell in love with her. He looked up at Flash, who was raising an eyebrow.

"Flash…you have no idea…" Coppermane said.

Flash chuckled. "Well, I'm glad to hear everything's going so well. Have you asked her to the formal yet?"

Coppermane had a confused look on his face. "The what, now?"

Flash raised an eyebrow. "The formal? The Fall Formal? Y'know, the CHS Fall Formal? The dance coming this Saturday? Have you asked Fluttershy, yet?"

Coppermane was confused for a moment, but then it hit him like a rock. He never attended any of the dances at his old school because he could vividly imagine himself all by his lonesome on the dance floor, surrounded by people with their respective dates. The image in his head alone was enough to make him feel embarrassed. But now…he had a girlfriend. He had someone he could take! He could take Fluttershy! This sudden wave of happiness was immediately followed by a much bigger wave of self-loathing. His face showed his emotions accordingly, going from a big, wide-eyed smile, to a more somber expression. He leaned his forehead on his hand.

"I am such a jerk," Coppermane said.

"Huh?" Flash asked, confused as to why he was suddenly so upset.

Coppermane lifted his head. "I completely forgot about the formal. I didn't realize that I actually have someone I can take now. Do…do you think she's waiting for me to ask?" Flash nodded his head, making Coppermane sigh in remorse, and bury his face in his hands. "Well…that's another strike for me, I guess."

"Hey, no worries," Flash said, trying to be reassuring. "You still have this week, right?"

Coppermane put his hands down, and looked at Flash Sentry. "Yeah, you're right. But…how am I going to do it? I want it to be special, but…I'm not sure how to do it."

"Well, it's not like she's gonna say no, right?" Flash said.

"I guess…" Coppermane said, still looking skeptical. "It's just…she's special. I'm still new to all this. I don't know where to start, or even the faintest idea of what to do."

Flash laughed. "That's exactly why I invited you here today, my friend."

Coppermane was confused. "Huh?"

"I wanted to make sure you were going to the formal, and that you taking Fluttershy. Now that I know where you stand, I'm going to help you," Flash said with a smirk.

Coppermane was wide-eyed. Now it made sense why Flash wanted to meet up with him versus anyone else.

"Well, thanks, Flash," Coppermane said. "Where do we start?"

Flash got up out of his seat, taking his tray with him. "Let's throw our trash away, then we'll walk around and discuss it. I got your back, bro. There's nothing to worry about."

Coppermane smiled, and got up too. "Alright then. Let's get to it."

And with that, they proceeded to the trash cans with their trays. Little did they know…they were being watched…

Hoops, Score, and Trixie sat at a table with a good view of the trash receptacles, watching Coppermane and Flash Sentry, waiting for the right moment to strike. They were trying their hardest to remain incognito, and it was making them a bit impatient.

"This is stupid, Score. Let's just wait until tomorrow at school. This is taking too long," Hoops said.

"Just a few more minutes. He has to throw his trash away at some point," Score said.

Then, as if on cue, Coppermane and Flash Sentry walked over to the trash receptacles, making Score's face light up.

"Told ya," Score said.

"Yeah, but Flash is with him. We need him alone," Hoops said.

Then, they heard Flash say something.

"I'm gonna go to the restroom while we're here," Flash said.

"Sounds good," Coppermane said. "I'll wait here."

And with that, Flash Sentry walked down the hallway to the restrooms, leaving Coppermane all alone, leaning on the wall, pulling his phone out. He didn't seem to notice them at all. Perfect…

Hoops looked back at Score. "He's all alone. Let's make sure it stays that way."

Score looked over at Trixie. "Alright, Miss Great and Powerful, you're up."

Trixie was still unsure about doing this, but her hands were pretty much tied at this point. They already threatened to reveal her secrets, and they already paid her. It was just some flirting, and then a kiss, right? Trixie looked at Hoops and Score, both with evil and expectant smiles on their faces. She sighed, and got up out of her seat, walking towards Coppermane. Hoops and Score snickered to each other, as they both pulled their phones out and got their cameras ready.

"Make sure the flash is off," Hoops said.

"I got it," Score said. "Capture everything."

Hoops nodded back, and the two jocks watched as their plan was set in motion.

Coppermane browsed through his messages, looking at a picture Fluttershy had sent him. It was of her holding an albino hamster next to her smiling face.

Fluttershy ==> Coppermane, 3:50 PM

Isn't he just the cutest thing?!! :D

Attachment: 1 Image

"Aww…" Coppermane said to himself.

Coppermane ==> Fluttershy, 3:53 PM

Haha, it's pretty cute alright. I guess the hamster's cute too ;)

Fluttershy ==> Coppermane, 3:55 PM

Haha, you're too sweet :)

Coppermane was about to respond again, until he heard a voice next to him.

"Excuse me?" the voice said. It sounded familiar…and kind of theatrical. There's only one person he knew who talked like that.

Coppermane turned to his head to see a girl he recognized from his physics class.

"Coppermane, is it?" she said.

Coppermane was surprised to hear his name. She was talking to him? Well…okay then…

"Um…yes," Coppermane said. "You're…Trixie, right?"

"Yes, it is I, the Great and Powerful Trixie!" she said, rolling her 'r' at the end like she always does.

"Yeah…okay…" Coppermane said, "Can I help you with something?"

Trixie started to walk up to him slowly, and had a certain…look in her eye.

"You and I share the same physics class, do we not?" Trixie said, continuing to lessen the distance between her and Coppermane.

"Um…yeah, we do," Coppermane said, "What about it?"

"I've seen you in class before," she said. "And I can't help but think that you're…rather cute," she said. Okay…a little weird, but Coppermane was still flattered. But then Trixie did something that made him a little uncomfortable. She reached her hand out and touched his arm…and kept it there.

"Oh, well…um…th-thanks, Trixie," Coppermane said. Then, she moved her hand down his arm and took his hand in hers.

"Y'know, I'm here at the mall alone," she said, continuing to get even closer to him. "And I feel just so lonely." She put her hands on his shoulders, and started to rub them.

At this point, the alarms went off in Coppermane's head. She was coming onto him. He would admit that he was flattered that she thought he was cute, but this was going too far. His heart belonged to Fluttershy, and no amount of flirting would change that.

He took her hands off his shoulders. "Listen, Trixie. I'm flattered, I really am, but…I have a girlfriend, so—" Trixie placed her finger on his mouth to silence him.

"Oh, that's not a problem," Trixie said, moving her other hand such that her fingers were interlaced with Coppermane's. "She doesn't have to know."

Coppermane didn't budge. He took her finger off of his mouth. "Trixie, please, I—" She put her hand on his heart, silencing him once more.

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her, right?" she said.

Coppermane was starting to get annoyed. Her persistence was admirable, he had to admit, but she had one thick skull. "Trixie, I'll say it one more time. I. Have. A. Girlfriend. So I would appreciate it if you—" Suddenly, Trixie leaned her head forward and kissed Coppermane, taking him completely by surprise.

"Mmm?" Coppermane's patience was gone in an instant. All alarms went off in his head, and he straight-up pushed Trixie away. "Get off me!" He pushed her a little harder than he meant to, but at that point, he just wanted to get her away from him.

Trixie looked at him, giving him a really cold and sassy look. After a couple seconds, she brushed her clothes to smooth them out, and folded her arms, facing her profile towards Coppermane.

"Fine! Be that way! You could have the Great and Powerful Trixie all to yourself, but you have blown your chances!" she said in her theatrical voice.

"Just leave me alone, please?" Coppermane said sternly. He was not in the mood for her pretentious attitude at this point.

"Hmph!" she simply said before walking away with her arms still crossed.

Coppermane was left alone once again, and leaned his back on the wall to collect thoughts.

"What the f***…?" he cursed to himself, appalled at what just happened. Where the hell did that come from? Why was she being so forward? Why was Trixie being so stubborn? Why would she not effing listen?! He didn't know, but after that, he felt really dirty. He spent the next couple minutes trying to rub away the taste of Trixie's lips. Coppermane really wished he could kiss Fluttershy right now and taste her sweet, candy lips, and get rid of the taste of Trixie's. Then again, kissing Fluttershy right after Trixie kissed him might not be such a good idea. Fluttershy would probably be able to taste some…impurities. He was going to wash his mouth out vigorously when he got home, that was for sure.

Flash Sentry finally returned after a couple more minutes. "Sorry I took so long. The mall's so crowded that there was a line for the men's restroom." He saw Coppermane rubbing his lips vigorously, and looking rather distressed. "Um, Coppermane? You okay?"

Coppermane looked up at Flash, and felt a little embarrassed. That embarrassment was almost immediately replaced by disgust. "Oh…oh, Flash…you are not going to believe what just happened," he said, sounding pissed.

"Um…" Flash simply said, wondering what the heck happened to make Coppermane's mood change so drastically.

"Walk with me," Coppermane said. Flash followed, and Coppermane began to vent about what just transpired.

Meanwhile, Trixie rendezvoused with the jocks, who were snickering to themselves as they looked at their phones, presumably checking out the results of their plan.

"Haha! Oh my gosh! This is too perfect!" Hoops said, laughing.

"We are going to destroy him with these!" Score said, laughing as well, giving Hoops a high-five.

Trixie was not amused. "Did you get what you needed?" she asked coldly.

"Did we ever!" Score said.

"Great. Am I done then?" Trixie asked.

"Not yet…" Hoops said.

Trixie sighed in frustration. "What else do you need from me?!"

Hoops and Score looked at each other, and smiled evilly. "Okay…so now, here's what we need you to do. We're going to send you these pictures, and you send them to all of Coppermane's friends. The rest will happen on its own."

Trixie was appalled once again. She couldn't believe that she was actually helping these jerks out. "Fifty more bucks, and I'll do it," she said. If they really wanted her to do something like this, she better get paid well.

The jocks were clearly not thrilled at the request, but really wanted this to happen. These pictures were too good to go to waste. They were in too deep to stop now. Between the two of them, they coughed up fifty bucks. They sent the pictures to her, and watched over her as she sent them to Coppermane's friends. She didn't have their numbers, so she had to do it online, but it didn't matter to the jocks. They instructed her to not send it to Coppermane's girlfriend. They have the same group of friends, and they figured it would be better if they found out first. Once the pictures were sent, the jocks finally left her alone. Trixie immediately deleted the pictures on her phone, feeling incredibly guilty. Though, the $150 helped heal her guilt a little.

The girls were all hanging out at the boutique to hang out before the weekend ended. They all sat around the main area, talking amongst each other. The topic this time around was Coppermane's birthday party from last Friday. It had been such an incredible success, and was very healthy for Coppermane, showing him how much they all care about him, and letting him know that he's not alone. It was mainly Fluttershy thanking all of them for doing that for him, since it was her idea in the first place. She could always count on her friends to come through for her. She also told them about last night, and how she accidentally spent the night.

"Wait, you stayed at his house overnight?" Applejack asked skeptically.

Fluttershy went wide-eyed, realizing what she might've been implying. "Oh no, it was nothing like that. We were just cuddling on the couch and…I fell asleep."

Applejack let out a sigh of relief, "Oh, alright. Sorry, sugar," she said apologetically.

"It's fine. I didn't mean to fall asleep. It just felt so wonderful being in his arms; I couldn't help it!" she said, smiling giddily.

Rarity went over and sat next to Fluttershy, giving her a hug. "Fluttershy, you are just so in love, aren't you?" she said giddily. The rest of the girls in the room giggled, making Fluttershy blush. Rarity wasn't exactly inaccurate, though. In fact, she was spot on. The more time she spent with Coppermane, the more she fell in love with him. He was just so wonderful in every way, and she saw more and more of it with time.

"You two are just so super-duper-adorable!" Pinkie Pie said with her signature vigor. She walked over to the table and opened up her laptop to browse online for a bit.

"Well, let's not forget Twilight and Flash Sentry as well," Rarity said, making Twilight blush. "It's so wonderful! All our friends are falling in love!" She giggled giddily to herself.

"It's about time you and Flash got together," Rainbow Dash said with a smirk.

Twilight just blushed more. She really had nothing to say, still being so new to having a boyfriend. She wouldn't deny that she was very happy with Flash though.

Suddenly, Pinkie Pie let out a sharp, horrified gasp. All the girls looked at her, and she was staring at her laptop screen with an appalled look on her face and her hands over her mouth.

"Pinkie? What's wrong?" Sunset asked. Pinkie Pie said nothing as Sunset walked over to take a look for herself. She examined the screen, and it appeared to be a message Pinkie Pie had received online. Upon further analysis, Sunset gasped as well, and her eyes went wide.

"What's going on?" Twilight asked as she and everyone else crowded around behind Pinkie Pie to take a look. Upon seeing what was on the screen, they all collectively gasped, and went wide-eyed. Some of them had their hands over their mouths in shock.

Fluttershy was being a little more sluggish, and stood in front of them all such that she couldn't see the screen. She was still wondering what was so shocking.

"What is it?" Fluttershy asked curiously.

"Fluttershy…you might wanna come take a look at this," Rainbow Dash said with a very worried face.

Fluttershy walked around to view what was on the laptop. Everyone made room so she could see clearly. She examined the screen, and what she saw made her heart rupture.

Onscreen, were pictures sent to Pinkie Pie from, apparently, Trixie. The pictures were of her flirting with some guy. Holding his hands, rubbing his shoulders, putting her hand on his heart, and then, the last picture was of her kissing him. And the guy in the picture was none other than…

"Coppermane…?" Fluttershy said weakly, choking up. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Coppermane, her Coppermane…kissing another girl? It felt like Fluttershy's heart had been ripped out of her chest, and stomped on. She stared at the screen in horror, holding her broken heart with one hand, and covering her mouth with the other. Her eyes quickly pooled up, and tears began streaming down her face. "But…I…I…I love you…" she managed to say, choking up.

Her friends grew even more sympathetic upon hearing those three key words come out of her mouth. They looked at the screen, appalled and disgusted. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. Coppermane was kissing another girl? And Trixie of all people. Why would he do something like this?

They all heard a pained squeak from Fluttershy, whose face was bright red, raw from all her tears streaming down her face. Her breathing was shaky, and her body was shaking slightly.

"Fluttershy? Sweetheart?" Rarity said quietly, gently putting her hand on her shoulder. Fluttershy looked at Rarity, and started bawling. Rarity immediately pulled her into a hug, in an attempt to comfort her. All the girls looked worried as their heartbroken friend cried hysterically on Rarity's shoulder. A few minutes ago, everyone was happy. Now, Fluttershy's heart was broken, and they found themselves questioning their friendship with the newest member of their group.

Ch.13: Memories

Man, what a day…

Flash Sentry was lying in his bed, reflecting on what had happened today. And wow…quite a bit transpired. His original intention was to help Coppermane come up with a plan to ask Fluttershy out to the formal. What happened instead was this: Flash went to the restroom, leaving Coppermane alone for a bit, and when he came back, his best friend looked utterly traumatized. Flash didn't see it happen for himself, but apparently while he was gone, Trixie (yes, the "Great and Powerful", Trixie) came up to Coppermane and began flirting with him. Coppermane claims that he tried to tell her politely that he wasn't interested, and that he already has a girlfriend…only to have Trixie respond with a kiss. The rest of the time they were at the mall, he vented about what happened, while periodically wiping his lips, presumably to get rid of the taste of Trixie's lips. Flash couldn't believe what he was hearing. Trixie, while very annoying, didn't seem like the type of girl to be so forward. She had a thick skull, sure, but it wasn't that impenetrable.

Now, it's not like they didn't talk about the formal. They got some dinner later on, and talked about it then, but for the majority of the day, Coppermane looked rather shaken.

As Flash pondered his thoughts, his phone began to ring. He picked it up and looked onscreen to see Rainbow Dash's name. Rainbow Dash? What would she need this late at night? Flash hit the answer button and brought his phone up to his ear.

"Hello? Rainbow Dash?" Flash said.

"Hey, Flash," Rainbow said, sounding stern.

"Um…are you okay? You sound angry," Flash said.

"Oh, we're all angry!" another voice, sounding like Pinkie Pie, said. Her voice came through so clearly.

"Am I on speaker?" Flash asked.

"Yep," all the girls said on the other end, surprising Flash a little bit. Apparently, it was all of them. Flash listened closely, and could hear someone…crying?

"Is…is there someone crying in the background?" Flash asked.

"Unfortunately," a voice, sounding like Applejack, said.

"Yeah, Fluttershy's crying," Rainbow said. Flash listened closely again, and Fluttershy wasn't just crying…she was bawling.

"Woah, why's she crying?" Flash asked, worried.

"You'll see," a voice, sounding like Twilight, said.

"I'm sending you some pictures," a voice, sounding like Sunset, said. "Check your phone."

Flash took the phone away from his ear, and put it on speaker so he could talk to the girls while looking at some apparently important pictures. His phone buzzed in his hand, and Sunset's name appeared at the top of the screen. There were four pictures attached to the message. Flash opened them up, and what he saw shocked him.

Apparently what Coppermane told him was true, because the pictures were of him and Trixie. One was of her with her hands on his shoulders, another of her holding his hand, another with her hand on his heart, and then, the real kicker, one of them kissing. Flash stared at the screen in disbelief.

"Did you get them, Flash?" Sunset asked.

"Y-Yeah, I got them alright," Flash said, still shocked.

"Can you believe him?!" Pinkie Pie said, sounding pissed.

Now, Flash knew why Fluttershy was crying. These pictures made it look like Coppermane was cheating on her.

"How could he do such a thing?" a voice, sounding like Rarity, said.

Flash was conflicted. Before, he had only heard Coppermane's side of the story. Now, he saw it from a different angle. Coppermane cheating on Fluttershy? No…it couldn't be. He wouldn't do that. Would he? He wasn't sure what to think anymore. He wanted to believe that he didn't cheat, but these pictures were rather convincing. Then again, before the event supposedly took place, Coppermane was going on and on about how in love he was.

"I can't believe this!" Sunset said angrily.

"Wow…" Flash said in disbelief. "Well…what do we do now?"

"I don't know, but we have to do something," Rainbow Dash said. "I don't think I've ever seen Fluttershy like this."

Flash could hear still hear Fluttershy bawling in the background. It tugged at his heartstrings. He hated to hear any of his friends crying. Flash wasn't sure what to believe. He wanted to believe that Coppermane wouldn't do something like this, but hearing his friends be so livid about the situation, hearing Fluttershy crying, and seeing the pictures of Coppermane and Trixie…he found himself siding with the girls more and more. He wanted to believe Coppermane, he really did, but with Coppermane's side of the story, he only had his word to go off of. With the girls…there was evidence.

Flash wasn't sure which side to take, but he did know one thing: he wanted answers just as much as the girls did. If siding with them would give him what he wanted, then he would comply.

"Well, how are we going to get our answers?" Flash asked the girls. It was silent on the other end for a couple minutes, assumedly because the girls were thinking. Flash began to think himself, but after a while…

"I have an idea…" Pinkie Pie said, almost deviously.

Flash was a little uncomfortable at her tone, but if there was anyone in the group who was good at planning, it was Pinkie Pie. They all listened to what she had to say, and were a little skeptical. Basically, it involved straight-up interrogation. The group would normally be opposed to an idea like this, but at this point, they wanted to know what the heck was going on. If this was true, then he not only betrayed Fluttershy, but also all of them. They trusted him to make Fluttershy happy, and now he's broken her heart.

They all agreed to the idea, and it would be put into action tomorrow. Only then would they find out if what happened is true.

Something was off…

Coppermane couldn't quite pinpoint it, but something didn't feel right about today. It was just like any other day. Nothing was out of the ordinary. He got up, came to school, went to all of his classes, and now it was time to go home. It was completely normal, and yet, something wasn't sitting right. Maybe it was the fact that he walked to school today to save some money on gas. Maybe it was the fact that it was supposed to rain today, and it was a bit gloomy outside. Normally, Coppermane would find that kind of atmosphere relaxing, but not this time. Also, he didn't see any of his friends today. Not a single one. No sign of Rarity in Film Studies. No sign of Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, or Flash Sentry in English. No sign of Sunset in Physics. No sign of them in Calculus.  They weren't at lunch either. None of them. He ate lunch alone. No sign of anyone. Not even Fluttershy. At first, he figured Rarity was sick or something, but everyone else too? That would be too much of a coincidence. Now, the day was over, and he didn't see any of his friends. Where were they?

Coppermane was walking down the hall towards the exit, until something happened that scared the daylights out of him. Out of nowhere, he was grabbed and roughly guided into a dark, empty classroom. Once inside, his kidnappers threw him into a rolling chair behind the teacher's desk.

"Whoa whoa whoa, what's going on?!" Coppermane asked in a panicked voice. He still couldn't make out who had kidnapped him. All he could see were five shadowy figures. One of the silhouettes walked over closer to him, making him grip the rolling chair harder out of fear. The figure reached up to a lamp on the desk, and turned it on. The light shined on his kidnapper's face, and Coppermane was surprised to see…

"Pinkie Pie?" he asked. As if on cue, the rest of the group stepped into the light, revealing themselves. Coppermane was surprised. Not only Pinkie Pie, but Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Sunset, and Applejack. No sign of Fluttershy or Rarity though.

"Girls?" Coppermane said, confused as all heck. He was almost relieved to see them. He hadn't seen any of them all day, and was wondering where they were. But why would they drag him into a room like this? They said nothing, and instead looked at him sternly, as if he had done something wrong. Their looks made Coppermane's relief fade, and be replaced by unease. "Um…girls? Wh-What's going on?"

"I think you know," Twilight said sternly.

This only made Coppermane more confused. He looked around, and could see nothing but the girls and darkness. The only light in the room was coming from the lamp on the desk, and it was pointed in his direction. It almost felt like they were…interrogating him.

"Um…no…I-I don't know…" Coppermane said bluntly.

Rainbow Dash slammed her hands on the table, making Coppermane jump. "Don't play dumb, Coppermane," she said, getting in his face. "You know what this is about."

Copper started to panic. "Wha…what the hell are you talking about?"

Pinkie Pie got in his face. "We can do this the easy way…or the hard way," she said with an ice-cold stare.

Copper was seriously starting to go nuts. Pinkie Pie looked completely serious, and he knew how crazy she could get. He was starting to sweat. This wasn't a joke. The girls were mad at him about something, and he had no idea what or why.

"Girls, I seriously have no idea what you're talking about!" Coppermane said desperately, on the verge of a breakdown. "J-Just tell me, please!"

Applejack reached for Pinkie Pie's shoulder and pulled her back. "Let's just show him the pictures," she said. Pinkie Pie glared at Applejack, and sighed. She went to her backpack to get something.

"Pictures?" Coppermane asked.

Pinkie Pie came back with her laptop, and opened it up. She messed around on it for a while before placing it on the desk, facing it towards Coppermane.

"Take a look," Sunset said, crossing her arms. "Maybe it'll jog your memory a bit?"

Coppermane looked at the screen, and what he saw made him drop his jaw in disbelief. Onscreen were four pictures, sent to Pinkie Pie by…Trixie? Apparently, someone had taken pictures of him and Trixie yesterday at the mall. He looked at these pictures…and was appalled. One was of her holding his hands. Another was of her with her hand over his heart. Another was of her rubbing his shoulders. And the last one was of her…kissing him. And the worst part…the way the pictures were taken…it looked like he was enjoying it, and nothing could be further from the truth.

Twilight crossed her arms. "And before you ask, yes, Fluttershy's seen them."

Coppermane's heart dropped. Fluttershy's seen these? Oh no…

"Someone…took pictures?" Coppermane said in disbelief.

"So it did happen?!" Sunset shouted.

Coppermane flinched at Sunset's voice. "Well…y-yes…b-but—"

He was cut off by Pinkie Pie slamming the laptop closed. She got right up in his face, making him recoil.

"Trixie?! Really?!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

"How could you do this to Fluttershy?!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

"I really thought y'all loved her," Applejack said sternly, sounding disappointed.

"You broke her heart!" Sunset shouted. "How could you?!"

"After everything she's done for you?!" Twilight screamed.

The girls all began to scream over each other at Coppermane. Every time Coppermane would try to talk, they would cut him off. They were furious, and it was driving him crazy. He couldn't even get a syllable in without being cut off. They continued to yell at him, accusing him of cheating on Fluttershy, and asking why he would hurt her like this. Their shouting continued for a couple more minutes, with Coppermane covering his ears, his face cringing more and more, until finally…

"QUIET!!!" Coppermane shouted at the top of his lungs, standing up from his seat. The girls finally calmed down, and stood silently with cold looks on their faces. Coppermane, for the sake of his sanity, took a few deep breaths before looking up at the girls. They all looked at him with ice in their eyes. "Just, please, let me explain what happened," he said desperately. The girls just crossed their arms.

"I think the pictures have told us everything we need to know," Sunset said.

Coppermane was about to retort, until a thought occurred to him. He remembered what Twilight said:

And before you ask, yes, Fluttershy's seen them.

Fluttershy has seen them?  Oh no…

Coppermane started to sweat. He frantically searched for his phone, and navigated his way around to call Fluttershy. He had to explain himself. He had to explain what really happened.

"What are you doing?" Rainbow Dash asked sternly.

"I'm calling Fluttershy," Coppermane said, sounding panicked. He walked to the corner of the room behind the desk to get some privacy. He brought the phone up to his ear, and waited anxiously, hoping with every fiber of his being that she would pick up. He heard the ringing sound stop, making him gasp with hope.

"Fluttershy?" Coppermane said desperately.

"Hello, Coppermane," the voice on the other line said. Only…it wasn't Fluttershy's voice. It was Rarity's.

"Rarity? Where's Fluttershy? I need to talk to her," Coppermane said.

"I'm afraid she's not available at the moment," Rarity said, sounding rather stern. Coppermane was about to say something, but heard something that made his heart practically stop. He heard crying in the background. Crying which he recognized…from their very first date.

"Rarity…I need to talk to her…please…" Coppermane said, choking up. Hearing Fluttershy cry…it was almost too much.

"Coppermane, how could you do such a thing?" Rarity asked.

"It…it's not what you think…" Coppermane said.

"Oh, I'm sure!" Rarity said in a sassy tone.

"Rarity, no, it's really not…it's not what you…that's not what…arrgghh," Coppermane growled in frustration. "Just let me talk to her. I can explain all of this, please!"

He heard the phone on the other line move around a little bit, and he heard Fluttershy's crying get louder. The next voice he heard was Fluttershy's…and she sounded completely broken.

"Copper…there's nothing to explain…I saw the pictures…" Fluttershy said, choking up.

"Fluttershy?" Coppermane said, surprised to hear her voice. "Fluttershy, please, you don't understand…"

"Coppermane…did…did you kiss Trixie?" Fluttershy asked painfully. The thought of him kissing another girl made her sick.

Coppermane grunted in frustration. "Yes, it happened, but Fluttershy, please, listen to me—"

"There's nothing to explain, Copper," Fluttershy said, being unusually cynical, "It happened…you said it yourself. You…you like Trixie now…"

"Fluttershy…no I don't…please, you don't understand…" Coppermane said, practically begging at this point.

Fluttershy sniffled. "I…I understand, Coppermane. Just…what did I do wrong?"

Coppermane's heart ruptured when she asked that. "You did nothing wrong. Fluttershy, I'm begging you, please listen—"

"I…I don't want to hear it," Fluttershy said sternly, choking up. "We're…we're done, Coppermane. I…I'm sorry." She heard Coppermane gasp on the other end, before bringing the phone away from her ear. She just looked at the phone screen, hearing Coppermane practically begging on the other end, unable to bring herself to hang up on him. She saw Rarity's hand reach over to hit the hang up button for her. It felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest. Tears were streaming down her face. Rarity and Flash Sentry were there with her to give her comfort…but they couldn't do much to ease her pain.

Fluttershy had done it. She broke up with him. She didn't want to…she really didn't want to…but she had to. He cheated on her. He betrayed her. She's never felt this much pain in her heart before. Fluttershy looked at Flash, who had a sympathetic look on his face. She looked at Rarity, who had an equally sympathetic face. Rarity put her hand on Fluttershy's shoulder.

"It had to be done," Rarity said. Fluttershy looked at Rarity for a moment before she started bawling on her shoulder. Rarity rubbed Fluttershy's back, and looked at Flash, who had a worried look on his face. Rarity had a similar look, because neither of them had ever seen Fluttershy this upset before.

"You did nothing wrong. Fluttershy, I'm begging you, please listen—"

"I…I don't want to hear it," Fluttershy said sternly, choking up. "We're…we're done, Coppermane. I…I'm sorry."

Coppermane heart dropped. Did she just say…?

"Wait, Fluttershy, I'm begging you, please don't do this!" Coppermane pleaded, practically on his knees at this point. "Listen to me, please! Fluttershy!" He heard the background noise on the other line cut out. "Fluttershy?" he said, choking up. He could no longer hear Fluttershy. He could no longer hear Rarity. It was just silence. He grasped his broken heart as he took his phone away from his ear, and saw that she had hung up on him. "Fluttershy…" he said weakly, choking up. He fell to his knees, grasping his heart, and staring at his phone screen. His eyes began to quickly well up as he tried calling her again. This time…no answer. "Fluttershy…please…" He tried again…and again…every time, no answer. "Fluttershy…don't go…" he said weakly as a teardrop ran down his face. He continued trying to call her…but eventually, it went straight to voicemail. "Please. I…I love you…"

Coppermane sat on the floor on his knees. His breathing was shaky, as was his entire body. His unstable hand dropped his phone, and he curled his fingers up remorsefully. He grasped heart tightly, feeling like it had been ruptured beyond repair. This couldn't be happening.

She broke up with him. They were no more. No…no no no…

Fluttershy…

He slowly, and shakily, stood up, still grasping his heart. He turned around to face the girls, hoping that they would give him a chance to explain himself.

"Girls, I can explain everything, just please listen to m—" his heart stopped when he turned around to see…nobody. He walked over to flip the light switch on. The lights came up, and there was no sign of them. They were gone. They must've left the room when he was on the phone, and he didn't notice. No…no, not them too. It felt like Coppermane's world was crumbling beneath him. This couldn't be happening…

"Hey kid," an unfamiliar voice said behind him. Coppermane turned around to see a janitor with all of his equipment. "School's over. You can go home now."

Coppermane looked down at the ground, trying his best not to cry in front of this stranger.

"Right…right…" he said weakly, choking up a bit. "S-Sorry…" He walked over and picked his phone up off the ground before exiting the classroom. The hallways were completely deserted. He sorrowfully walked to the exit, hanging his head down the whole time as tears fell down his face. He grasped his heart with his hand, as if to hold the broken pieces together.

Coppermane walked outside, and was greeted by a dark, overcast sky, along with strong winds, and cold temperatures. And then…he felt a cold drop of water his face. Then another…and another…and another. The sky lit up with lightning, and after a wave of thunder, it began to pour, soaking Coppermane. He put up his hood, and let out a depressed sigh. He stood still for a moment, allowing the cold rain to drench him, clenching his broken heart with his hands. He lost Fluttershy. She broke up with him. All because of…Trixie. That…bitch. His mind filled with anger, but was soon washed over with depression and sorrow. He couldn't be angry right now…not when his heart was in a million pieces.

He began to walk home, clenching his heart, and crying his eyes out. It felt freezing cold with the strong winds and frigid rain, but he took this as punishment. Punishment for ever thinking he deserved a girl like Fluttershy. Punishment for ever thinking he could be happy.

Fluttershy had not stopped crying since she broke up with Coppermane. Rarity, Sunset, and Applejack had brought her to the boutique to try and cheer her up. They made a stop at the Sweet Shoppe to get some snacks, trying everything they possibly could to make her feel better, but nothing was working. Even holding Angel, Fluttershy's go-to method for cheering her up, wasn't working. Fluttershy had never felt more heartbroken in her life.

Rarity was holding Fluttershy, trying to comfort her. Applejack and Sunset sat around them, watching Fluttershy cry her eyes out, unsure of what to say. Rarity and Applejack have never gone through a breakup before. Sunset has, with Flash Sentry, but she never harbored any real feelings for him, so when they broke up, it didn't really affect her at all. They were good friends now, sure, but she never felt anything for him in that way.

But this was different. Fluttershy had true feelings for Coppermane. She loved him, and they all knew it. Fluttershy didn't want to break up with Coppermane, she really didn't, but her friends told her that it had to be done. He cheated on her. He betrayed her. If he just went out and kissed another girl like that, then he wasn't worth it. Sure, she followed through with breaking up with him, but even after all of that, after seeing the pictures, she still loved him.

Fluttershy lifted her head up from Rarity's shoulder. "What…what did I do wrong?" she asked, her voice, very shaky, "I…I thought…I thought he liked me…" she laid her head back on Rarity's shoulder, continuing to bawl.

"Shh…you did nothing wrong, sweetness. It's okay…it's okay…" Rarity said softly, rubbing Fluttershy's back.

Rarity looked around at Applejack and Sunset, who had faces of concern, but she could also see skepticism. It was similar to what Rarity was feeling. They've all seen the pictures. They've seen the evidence. Even so…it was hard to believe. They all knew Coppermane. He was very damaged inside. They had a rough idea of what he's gone through. The bullying, the isolation; everything. But despite all of that, he was one of the nicest guys they've ever met. They've seen Coppermane and Fluttershy interact, and always saw something very unique. They saw happiness. Fluttershy was happy, and Coppermane was happy. They've seen his face when he looks at Fluttershy. How his face lights up. How he smiles at her, and how she smiles at him. When Coppermane and Fluttershy are together, they see true love.

It just seemed too far out of Coppermane's nature to cheat. He wouldn't throw Fluttershy away, would he? Sunset remembers Copper asking her if Fluttershy had a boyfriend, and how his face lit up when she told him she didn't. Rarity remembers the conversation she had with Copper the night before his first date with Fluttershy. She remembered how worried he was about disappointing her, and coming across as boring. Applejack remembers her talk with Coppermane when they were spending the night at Pinkie Pie's house for his birthday. She remembered witnessing him watch Fluttershy sleep. She remembers the talk she had with him, and his Fluttershy list, possibly one of the sweetest things she's ever seen any guy do. Proof that he's thought long and hard about how to make her happy. She remembers how much he cried over his fear of Fluttershy getting hurt. On top of all this, Fluttershy's gone on and on about all the things Coppermane has done for her: the necklace he bought for her, how he protected her from the bullies, telling her that she's beautiful while holding her in his arms; the list goes on. The three of them knew very well how much Coppermane cares about Fluttershy. He adored her, and she adored him.

What Coppermane and Fluttershy shared was special. After everything Copper's been through, after everything Fluttershy's done for him, and after everything he's done for her, none of them could even imagine him cheating. The girls found themselves conflicted about what to believe. The pictures gave evidence to say that Coppermane betrayed Fluttershy, but at the same time, knowing his personality, and how much he's been through, it seemed so unnatural for him to do something like this. Nevertheless, Fluttershy's heart was broken, and they were questioning their friendship with her ex-boyfriend.

Still nothing…

Coppermane was sitting in his room, desperately trying to reach his friends to explain things. He tried calling all the girls, and every time, he got no response. They all eventually just went to voicemail, not even bothering with ringing, meaning they either turned their phone off, or just blocked his number. Either way, Coppermane has never been more depressed. Even worse than how he felt before that fateful day when Twilight and Fluttershy helped him with his things.

He couldn't reach any of his friends. They were gone…along with Fluttershy. They were all gone. The more he thought about it, the worse his headache got. It was a mix of sadness and rage. He didn't do anything. Trixie kissed him, sure, but he pushed her off immediately. He asked her nicely to back off because he had a girlfriend, but she wouldn't listen. And some nosy bastard took pictures.

Every time there's something good in his life…every time…something comes in and ruins it. If he ever found out who took those pictures, Coppermane was going to make their life miserable, because, whomever it was, ruined his life. Fluttershy was gone, and now to make matters worse, he couldn't reach any of his friends. They were gone too. Coppermane has experienced torment, neglect, and physical abuse, but he's never experienced…abandonment. Never having friends is one thing, but having friends and then losing them? This felt worse than any form of bullying before this.

Coppermane put his phone down, officially giving up. There was no reaching them. He relaxed on his bed, and glanced up at the collage they had given him for his birthday…and started to cry at the memories. He could remember singing for them for the first time, and all of their praise. He remembered the birthday party they threw him. He remembered the mall. Then, he shed more tears as other memories surfaced. Memories of Fluttershy. Their first date, where he revealed the details of his past. Their second date, where they shared their very first kiss. When he took her to the cherry blossom grove; his sanctuary. Then…there was last weekend. Sharing his first dance with her. Falling asleep with her in his arms. Making breakfast for her the following morning. And then…when she sat in his lap. He smiled at the wonderful memory. Holding her in his arms…holding her hand…getting lost in her eyes, just admiring her beauty. Her smile…her hair…her eyes…her soft, velvety skin…and…her lips. He remembers…kissing her. He could still taste her sweet, candy lips. Her kisses were like magic. He could be having the worst day, but then, Fluttershy would kiss him, and suddenly, all of his troubles faded away. For just that moment…all was right in the world. Even simply holding her hand would make him feel better.

This happy memory soon turned into a somber one, taking the current circumstances into consideration. That memory would forever be a memory now, along with all the others. He and Fluttershy were no longer an item. Tears began running down his face again. All he could do now was reminisce about when he was happy. When he had friends. When he had Fluttershy.

Maybe it was always meant to be this way. Maybe he should accept this as reality and move on. He's always been the loser. He's always been the lesser one. Maybe Fluttershy would be happier this way. He was probably a terrible boyfriend anyways. He would always worry her, and never gave back for any of the things she's done for him. He was selfish. He should just accept this, shouldn't he? It was naïve of him to ever think he deserved to be happy. At least now, Fluttershy wouldn't have to put up with his crap anymore. If she really would be happier without him, maybe it was for the best. As long as Fluttershy was happy…

No…no, he couldn't give up. He couldn't let his friends get away that easily. They meant too much to him. He didn't do anything wrong. Trixie came onto him. He asked nicely for her to leave him alone, but she didn't budge. She kissed him. He pushed her away immediately. He did nothing wrong. He had to go find one or more of the girls and explain himself. Win them back. More importantly…win Fluttershy back. She meant too much to him. He still loved her. He never stopped loving her. He had memories with her, but he wanted to make more, and keep making them. Coppermane wasn't going to let this amazing phase of his life end so easily. He wasn't going to go down without a fight.

He pondered for a moment…they usually hung out at the Sweet Shoppe. Maybe they would be there? It was late, but it was worth a shot. He had to try. Filled with new-found determination, he headed for the Sweet Shoppe, desperate to win his friends back. Desperate to win the girl of his dreams back.

Coppermane walked up to the shop and looked in the window. Much to his dismay…no sign of the girls. Damn. He let out a depressed sigh. He was about to throw in the towel and go home for the night, until somebody turned the corner of the block that reignited his hope.

"Flash!" Coppermane called out. Flash looked up at him, and gave him a cold look.

"Oh, Copper. Hey…" Flash said.

"Flash, I need your help," Coppermane said.

Flash stared at him coldly, folding his arms. "With what?"

"I need to find the girls. Fluttershy broke up with me because of what happened with Trixie yesterday. I need to explain what really happened," Coppermane said.

"With Trixie? You mean how you kissed her?" Flash said coldly. "You mean how you completely broke Fluttershy's heart?"

"Huh?" Coppermane said.

"Dude, don't act stupid," Flash said. "The girls showed me the pictures. Seriously? Why would you do something like that to Fluttershy?"

Coppermane was surprised. "Wait…you…you're siding with the girls?"

Flash sighed. "There's evidence with the pictures, dude. Why should I help you if you're just going to betray her again?"

"Betray her?" Coppermane said, starting to tear up. "I…I would never betray her…"

"Well, what was going in those pictures, huh?!" Flash said, raising his voice. "Why should we trust you? I don't see why we should if you're just going to hurt her again." He started to walk away, but Copper ran in front of him to block his departure.

"Flash! Please listen to me!" Copper shouted. "Just hear me out! You want a reason, then damnit, I'll give you one. I'm begging you…just five minutes…that's all I'm asking…" he said desperately, almost tearing up.

Flash didn't want to talk to him, but there was still that level of skepticism about the whole debacle. He looked into Copper's eyes, and saw desperation. He's probably had a really crappy day since Fluttershy broke up with him. All things considered, as much as Flash wanted to get the heck out of there, he figured he could at least humor the poor guy.

Flash sighed. "Fine…"

Coppermane sighed with relief. He took a deep breath. "Flash…it's not just Fluttershy. It's all of the girls. I've tried calling every single one of them, desperately trying to tell them what really happened. None of them have answered. None. They hate me now. You were at the mall with me. You remember what I told you? About Fluttershy and I? Remember how I was talking about her? I told you that I love her. I still do. I never stopped. I had nothing before I met Fluttershy. She's given me so much, and made my life worth living." Coppermane's eyes were welling up with tears as he vented his emotions. "You know me, Flash. Do you honestly think I would take someone as amazing as Fluttershy and throw her away like that? Do you think I would betray her trust like that? Flash…I love her with all my heart. She's my princess, or at least…she was. I would never do anything to hurt her, you know that." Tears were streaming down Coppermane's face. "Flash…I want her back. No…I need her back. It hasn't even been a full day yet, and I already miss her more than I can bear. Not just her…but I miss the girls too. I…I can't lose you too. The girls are gone, Flash. You're all I have left. Please…I need you. Help me…"

Flash looked into his eyes. Coppermane looked straight at him, never looking away…never faltering. He pondered for a moment. Would it be in Coppermane's nature to cheat? No…he would never even consider doing something so cruel…especially to a girl like Fluttershy. Coppermane was closest to her, and knew, more than anyone, how delicate and fragile she is. He remembered his face when he was talking about Fluttershy at the mall. That smile that graced his face as he went on and on about how much he adores her. He remembered every single time he's seen the two of them together. When they were with each other, they were always smiling…lost in each other's eyes. Coppermane would always hold Fluttershy in his arms whenever he could, and she loved it. They always looked so happy together. Fluttershy has also gushed to the group about all the amazing things Coppermane's done for her. Things that a guy only does for a girl when he…loves her. Flash knew how much Fluttershy meant to Coppermane. He wouldn't cheat on her. He wouldn't. As Flash thought more and more, he found himself believing Copper's side of the story. Everything, from Coppermane's personality, to his history with Fluttershy, were leading Flash to believe that those pictures were indeed fake, and Copper was telling the truth. He could see it in his eyes. And the whole gang knew about his past. They knew how lonely he was before them. The whole point of Copper's birthday party was to show him how many people are here for him. Now, after this mess, only one remained. As mad as Flash was with Copper before, one thing never changed. Coppermane was still his best friend, and he couldn't leave him alone like this. Not in his time of need.

Flash walked towards Coppermane, who was in tears, and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Come with me."

Coppermane glanced at Flash's hand, and then back at him. "W-Why?"

Flash smirked. "I have to help my best bro win his dream-girl back."

Coppermane's face lip up. "Wait…r-really?"

Flash took his hand off Copper's shoulder. "I'm not sure I totally believe you, about the pictures, but I'm not about to leave my best friend in the dust."

Copper's hope was renewed upon hearing Flash say that. "Flash…you're the best."

Flash chuckled, and motioned for Copper to follow him.

"So, what exactly did you have in mind?" Flash asked.

"Well…that's why I need you. I have no idea where to even start," Coppermane said. "I just need something to show her how much I care about her. Something personal. Something to show her how much I love her."

Flash smiled. "I think I might already have an idea."

"Really?" Copper said.

"Mmmhmm," Flash said, "But it's not going to be easy. In fact, it'll take some practice."

"Practice?" Copper asked curiously.

"Copper, would you be interested in becoming my band's new keyboardist?" Flash asked.

Coppermane's eyes went wide. "What?"

Flash put his arm around Coppermane's shoulder. "Just hear me out. I'm guessing you still want to take her to the formal, right?"

"Do I ever…" Coppermane said.

"Well, here's what I'm thinking. So, at the musical showcase…"

And with that, Flash began to explain what he had in mind. As he spoke, a smile graced Copper's face. Even so, there was still that seed of doubt in his mind. Would Fluttershy forgive him? She was his entire world, and if he lost her for good…

He could only hope…

Ch.14: Empathy is Magic

"Hoops!" Score said, running up to his friend in the hallways.

"Huh?" Hoops said, turning towards his friend. "What's up, Score?"

Score chuckled. "You're never going to believe what I just heard."

"What?" Hoops asked curiously.

"Our plan worked," Score said with a smug look on his face, "Coppermane and Fluttershy are no more!"

"Wait, are you serious?!" Hoops asked with a smile on his face. "How'd you find out?"

"I overheard some of his friends talking about it," Score said. "They were saying things about how Fluttershy is 'so heartbroken', and how she 'misses him so much'."

Hoops stifled a laugh. "Why is she upset? We did her a freaking service! Now she never has to deal with that loser again."

"Some people just don't get it," Score said, shaking his head.

"Well, either way, balance has been restored, thanks to us," Hoops said.

"And more importantly, our hands our completely clean," Score said with a smirk. "They were going on and on about how much they hate Trixie. She and Coppermane are taking all the blame."

Hoops smiled. "Hopefully that loser knows his place now. He only has himself to blame. He never should've gone out of his league."

Score laughed. "By the way, have you seen him at all today?"

Hoops shook his head. "He was probably too heartbroken to even get out of bed today," he said with a smirk.

"What a wimp!" Score said, making both of them laugh. They walked to the exit together, laughing in satisfaction at their success. Unbeknownst to them, someone had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

Trixie had heard everything, and the level of guilt she felt was almost unbearable. But she was also angry. Not only did they use her to ruin Coppermane's relationship, but also as a blame shield. The nerve…

She watched the jocks walk away, seething in anger, and filled with guilt. Coppermane probably hated her now. She never liked him like that, but she only agreed to do it because the jocks blackmailed her. Now, she didn't even care if her secrets got leaked out…she just wanted this guilt to go away.

Trying to pull herself together, she walked towards the music practice room so she could rehearse with her band for the music showcase. As she walked, she clenched her teeth in anger at the jocks…

Today was Coppermane's first day practicing with Flash Drive, and it had been going alright so far. It was a somewhat stressful atmosphere though, mostly because they had only three days to get another song ready. Even so, they had been practicing for the past two and a half hours, so they decided to take a thirty-minute break. During this break, Coppermane sat at the dinner table and remained silent. He looked like he was working on something. Flash Sentry assumed it was homework, so he let him be. Flash assumed Coppermane might be a little on edge too. He probably still missed Fluttershy, and wanted to give him some time to think.

Now, it was time to get back to work. Flash and the band made their way to his garage to continue, and were just about ready…except Coppermane was taking a long time. Flash guessed he was putting his stuff away, so he gave him a couple minutes. Now…they were going on five. This was taking too long.

"Wait here, guys. I'll go see what's up," Flash told his band-mates. They nodded at him as he walked back into the house. Flash entered the kitchen area to see that Coppermane hadn't left his seat. He was still working on whatever from before. A little annoyed, Flash walked up to Coppermane.

"Copper? Did you hear me? It's time to get back to work," Flash said.

"Yeah, I'll be there, just…give me a minute," Coppermane said in a melancholy tone.

"We've been waiting on you for a while now," Flash said, getting impatient. "We only have three days to get this song ready. We need to get back to work." He looked at what he was working on, and it seemed to be an essay of some sort. "What's that?"

Coppermane looked up at Flash, and his eyes were a little bloodshot. Had he been crying?

Coppermane sighed. "It's…um…it's a love letter…" He looked down in shame. "I'm sorry…it's just…I miss her so much…" he said, choking up a little.

Flash pat his friend on the back, trying to comfort him. "I know you miss her, and I know you're really hurting right now, but writing her a love letter isn't going to win her back. You and I have something amazing planned for her, and the moment of truth will be this Friday. You can worry about winning her back then, but for now, we have work to do. We only have three days to get this song ready, and if you want any chance at winning Fluttershy back, you need to practice. I want to help you, but I need your cooperation."

Coppermane sighed. It was hard to put his emotions away. He missed Fluttershy so much. He just wanted to hold her in his arms one more time. Feel her warmth…brush her hair…keep her safe…kiss her sweet lips…

But thinking ahead, he knew that if he wanted to get the results he wanted, he needed to practice. That meant shoving his emotions off to the side until the showcase. Their plan involved Coppermane singing a solo with the band accompanying him. He would be singing a song that always made him think about Fluttershy. Flash was right. If he wanted any shot at winning Fluttershy back, he needed to practice.

But he knew the rest of the girls were mad too. This wasn't just to win Fluttershy back, but also to win his best friends back. He thought about those incriminating pictures, and saw them through the girls' eyes. More importantly, he tried to look through Fluttershy's eyes, and he couldn't help but feel their anger. If he found out that Fluttershy had kissed another guy behind his back, Copper would be beside himself. In reality, Copper didn't do anything, but the girls didn't know that, and looking through their eyes, he realized that they have every right to be furious with him.

There was so much riding on this performance: his friends, Fluttershy, and basically, his entire life. If he failed, who knows what Coppermane would do?

Copper knew that he couldn't be selfish about this either. He would be performing with them on all their other songs as well, and needed to practice with those too. They were counting on him.

Besides, he kind of had to learn a new instrument. Flash had convinced him to take up keytar to allow for more mobility onstage. He was hesitant at first, but once he picked it up, he realized that it was very similar to piano, so he went with it. He still needed to get used to it, though. All the more reason to practice, right?

Coppermane sighed and looked at Flash. "Sorry…I'll…I'll get my crap together." Coppermane opened his backpack and put his love letter inside. "Have you asked Twilight to the formal yet?" he asked.

Flash was a little surprised to hear him ask this, considering how he was feeling right now. "Um…not yet. I was planning on asking her tomorrow."

Coppermane zipped his backpack up. "Cool. Hope she says yes. I know she will though," he said with a wink.

Flash was even more surprised. "Well…thanks. Didn't think you'd be so optimistic."

"What makes you think I wouldn't be?" Coppermane said.

"Well…considering what you're going through right now, I figured you might be a little cynical towards something like that," Flash said.

"I mean…yeah, I'm still pretty sore about Fluttershy, but that doesn't mean I'll berate you and Twilight. I'm not one of those people. You seemed a little unsure of yourself at the mall, so I wanted to wish you luck. Trust me, I know exactly how you feel…I'm unsure of myself all the time. You're my friend, and even though she's mad at me, I still consider Twilight one my friends as well, so of course I still support you two. You're really great together. I know she's gonna say yes." Coppermane said, putting his hand on Flash's shoulder.

Flash was happy to hear this. Coppermane and Fluttershy were done, but he was still optimistic about him and Twilight. His empathy was admirable.

"Thanks, bro," Flash said with a smile. And with that, the two of them adjourned to the garage to continue practicing.

"What did you want to talk to me about, Flash?" Twilight asked.

Flash had brought Twilight to a more private area in the hallways to ask her something. Twilight was curious as to what it was. He seemed really nervous all day, and he wouldn't tell her why. Maybe now he would shed some light on the subject?

"Twilight, do you remember when we were at the mall the other day?" Flash asked.

"Of course I do," Twilight said with a smile.

"Well, I was wandering around with Coppermane, helping him find something for Fluttershy…and I found something that made me think of you," Flash said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small jewelry box.

Twilight's eyes went wide. "For…for me?" she asked.

"Of course," Flash said, chuckling. He handed the box over to Twilight. She looked up at him, as if she was waiting for the okay to open it. Flash smiled and nodded, indicating that she could. Twilight opened it, and inside was a beautiful, gold-chain necklace with a medium-sized amethyst pendant in the middle in the shape of a four-point star.

"Flash, it's beautiful. Thank you so much!" Twilight said, pulling Flash into a hug.

Flash gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I'm glad you like it, because that's only part one."

"Part one? What's part two?" Twilight asked curiously.

"Well, I was wondering if you would be interested in going to the formal with me," Flash said with a timid smile.

Twilight gasped. Her eyes went wide, and pulled Flash into another hug. "Is that even a question? Of course I'll go with you!"

Flash chuckled to himself as he held Twilight. Her response was absolutely perfect. It made all of his apprehension before seem silly. Either way, Twilight said yes, and now he could take a breather. Twilight pulled back after a while, and tried putting on her necklace. Rarity had shown her how before, but she was still getting used to having hands instead of magic. Flash helped her a little bit, which she didn't mind at all. She liked it when he played with her hair. Once the necklace was finally hooked, Twilight adjusted it a little on her own.

"Pretty as always," Flash said, making Twilight blush. Flash leaned down to give Twilight a kiss, making all of his worries fade away. Her lips were so sweet.

They pulled away after a few seconds, still holding each other.

"So…how's Fluttershy doing?" Flash asked.

Twilight's face went somber. "Not so good. She misses Coppermane so much. I've never seen her this heartbroken before. Poor thing…"

"That's a shame," Flash said sympathetically.

"Maybe we shouldn't tell Fluttershy about this?" Twilight said.

"Yeah…probably for the best…" Flash said. The couple didn't want to make Fluttershy feel worse than she already did.

"Alright, I gotta get going. Band practice," Flash said.

"Yeah, me too. I can't believe the showcase is this Friday!" Twilight said.

"And so end-of-the-world threats this time," Flash remarked.

Twilight laughed, "I know, right?" Flash gave her one more kiss before the couple parted ways for the day to practice with their respective bands.

"Alright, girls, take five. Great work so far," Rainbow Dash said to her friends. They all put down their instruments and went for their water bottles, or just sat down for a minute. "We are totally gonna rock it at the showcase tomorrow!"

"And no Sirens this time!" Sunset said, making the group laugh. This time around, the musical showcase had no real stakes involved. It was just students making music for the rest of the school to watch. No battle of the bands, and again, no Sirens. It would just be a friendly showcase of the hidden talents among CHS. This time, the Rainbooms could just have fun, which was a huge relief to them. Although, not everybody in the group was so optimistic.

Fluttershy sat down in a chair alone, not saying anything. She's never felt more depressed in her life. She missed Coppermane so much. She put on a happy face when they practiced, but on the inside, her heart was still mending. Her friends were doing their best to try and cheer her up. They told her that she deserves better, that Coppermane threw away the best thing that's ever happened to him. They tried things like taking her to the pet store, showing her online videos of various animals, Fluttershy even tried her go-to method of holding Angel, but nothing was working. All Fluttershy wanted was for Coppermane to hold her one more time. She wanted to feel safe in his arms again. She wanted to feel his warmth. She wanted to kiss him again, and brush his hair. A tear ran down her face.

Rarity saw Fluttershy starting to cry, and walked over to her. She pulled up a chair, and sat next to her, pulling her into an embrace.

"Come here, darling," Rarity said, rubbing Fluttershy's back to try and comfort her.

Fluttershy's breathing was shaky. "Rarity…I miss him so much…"

"I know, sweetness…I know," Rarity said sympathetically.

The other girls saw Fluttershy crying on Rarity's shoulder, and felt a tug at their heartstrings. They've never seen her so depressed. They were used to her being quiet, just by nature, but she was always a very happy girl. So optimistic and hopeful, in spite of her timidity. But this was completely different. She had such a forlorn expression on her face, and it's been this way since last Monday. It was no secret why she was upset: Coppermane. They knew she didn't want to break up with him, but it had to be done. A cheating boyfriend is unacceptable. Fluttershy deserves better.

Applejack walked over and placed her hand on Fluttershy's shoulder. "How 'bout this, sugarcube. When we're done with practice, we're all gonna take you out to dinner." Applejack looked around, and saw everyone smiling at her, indicating that they were in agreement. "Would that cheer you up, hon?"

Fluttershy lifted her head from Rarity's shoulder to see all her friends looking at her with sympathy in their eyes. She was upset, sure, but she was extremely grateful for having some of the most caring friends a girl could ask for.

She nodded at Applejack, making the girls smile. "That…That sounds nice," she said weakly, choking up. She managed a small smile and sniffled. "Th-Thanks…"

"It's going to be okay, Fluttershy," Sunset said, walking over to her, and placing her hand on her shoulder. "It just takes time." Fluttershy gave a small smile. And with that, the Rainbooms resumed practice, with Fluttershy feeling a little better, but still depressed. For the band though, she tried to put on a happy face.

Rarity ==> Fluttershy, 9:30 PM

You know, if it makes you feel any better, do you remember when I told you about Blueblood?

Fluttershy ==> Rarity, 9:33 PM

Of course. He's taking you to the formal, right?

Rarity ==> Fluttershy, 9:36 PM

Well, actually, he cancelled.

Fluttershy ==> Rarity, 9:39 PM

What?! Why?

Rarity ==> Fluttershy, 9:41 PM

He wouldn't tell me. But see? You're not alone :)

Fluttershy ==> Rarity, 9:43 PM

Yeah, I guess. Are you okay?

Rarity ==> Fluttershy, 9:48 PM

Yes, I'm okay. If I'm being honest, he was bit of a stick in the mud.

Fluttershy ==> Rarity, 9:50 PM

So, are you going to the formal without a date then?

Rarity ==> Fluttershy, 9:53 PM

I guess so, but I have all of you, so it'll be fun! And we're all here for you too, darling. We know you're upset, and if you ever want to talk to any of us, or you just want company, we're always here for you :)

Fluttershy ==> Rarity, 9:56 PM

Thank you so much, Rarity. Have a good night :)

Rarity ==> Fluttershy, 10:00 PM

Good night, sweetness :)

The musical showcase was finally here, and it was in full swing. The energy throughout the amphitheater was invigorating. Practically every performance thus far was receiving a standing ovation, save for Snips and Snails and their freestyle rap. They were slightly better than last year, but they were still pretty bad. Except for a few moments that were so bad they were funny, it was rather cringe worthy. Everybody else, however, has been fantastic. It was wonderful, because this year, it wasn't a battle of the bands. There weren't any Sirens around to create a negative atmosphere. There wasn't any threat of being eliminated from the event. It was just musicians going onstage, and showcasing their talents for the rest of the school. Lyra Heartstrings and Sweetie Drops, the Illusions, Vinyl Scratch and Octavia Melody, some of the eco-kids, the CHS band, and soon to come, the CHS up tempo a cappella choir, the Rainbooms, the Crusaders, and last but not least, Flash Drive.

The Rainbooms were currently backstage, watching the CHS up tempo choir perform while getting ready to go on after them. They were all dressed up in their elaborate band outfits, with face-paint around their left-eyes of their signature symbol.

"Are you girls ready?" Vice Principal Luna asked, walking up to them with a clipboard.

"We're always ready!" Rainbow Dash said enthusiastically.

"You bet we are!" Sunset Shimmer said.

"I can't sit still!" Pinkie Pie said.

Vice Principal Luna smiled. "Well, go out when you hear Principal Celestia announce you girls. Break a leg!"

"Thanks, Vice Principal Luna!" the girls all said. She walked away, and the girls went back to watching the Crusaders.

Fluttershy was being her usual nervous self…but she was also trying to push her emotions off to the side. She was secretly hoping that Coppermane would be out there to watch them perform. They may not be together anymore, but she still wanted to make him proud.

Sunset looked over at Fluttershy, and saw her gripping her tambourine nervously while looking down at the ground. She walked over to Fluttershy and placed her hand on her shoulder. Fluttershy looked up at Sunset, who smiled sympathetically and knowingly at her. Fluttershy let out a depressed sigh, and Sunset pulled her into a hug. They stayed in this embrace until the choir came offstage. They released each other, and then braced themselves for going onstage.

"And now, CHS, give a big round of applause for…the Rainbooms!" Principal Celestia announced, to which the audience went crazy. And with that, the girls walked out onstage, and took their places. Pinkie Pie counted them off, and they were on their way.

…

{Songs:  Rainbow Rocks, Friendship Through the Ages, Shake Your Tail, & Shine Like Rainbows

Ch.15: Elucidation

Coppermane sat in his car outside the boutique with Flash Sentry behind him in his car. They had to take two cars to transport everything they needed for the showcase. After the group rendezvoused outside the amphitheater, Pinkie Pie invited everyone back to her house for a slumber party to celebrate everyone's successes tonight. It was completely on the fly, but everyone happily accepted. The boys had their cars with them, so they could drive the girls to Pinkie Pie's house. The girls requested that they make a stop at the boutique first to change into their casual clothes. The boys couldn't blame them. They were wearing rather elaborate outfits. Coppermane made space in his car for three people, taking Sunset Shimmer, Rarity, and of course, Fluttershy. Flash Sentry had a bigger car, so he could take everyone else: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and of course, Twilight. The whole way there, in both vehicles, the girls went on and on about the showcase, reflecting on particular performances. But, of course, the segment they talked about the most was Flash Drive's portion…especially in Coppermane's car. The girls, particularly Sunset, were asking Coppermane how he did what he did. Sunset was the only one in the car from Equestria, and she wanted to know how the hell Coppermane was able to invoke the magic of friendship. She was trying to understand how magic works in this world verses Equestria.

Coppermane had no clue, though. The concept of magic was most foreign to him relative to everyone else in the group. If the rest of them couldn't figure it out, how the heck did they expect him to know? Rarity said Twilight might know, so they decided they'd ask her at Pinkie Pie's house. Coppermane didn't know why Twilight would know more about this weird anomaly than them, but he knew one thing for sure: it felt so good to hold Fluttershy's hand again as he drove.

As Coppermane waited in his car for the girls, he took a moment to reflect on this week. Probably the craziest week of his life. He started off feeling completely depressed and miserable, more than he ever has in his entire life. Fluttershy broke up with him for allegedly cheating on her, even though he didn't. He never thought he could miss someone so much. When he jumped down from the stage to confess his feelings to Fluttershy, and Hoops and Score showed up, all his efforts seemed to be in vain. But he wasn't going to let them humiliate him again. And with some big revelations, he felt the magic of friendship manifest within him, and exposed Hoops and Score for the sadistic bullies they really are. And then…he confessed his feelings to Fluttershy. Confessed how much she truly meant to him.  How much he cared about her.  How much he loved her. And after a moment of silence…she confessed her feelings for him. He couldn't believe it. She really loved him, like something out of a dream.

It'd been one hell of a week, but by the end of it, Coppermane had triumphed. He won the girls back, and most of all, he won Fluttershy back.  Hearing her say those three magical words, and getting to kiss her again made this entire week worth it.

He looked to the passenger seat, and saw the flowers Coppermane had given her. He still didn't know how it morphed into such a beautiful bouquet, but he was in no way, shape, or form complaining. Maybe he could ask Twilight about that too. He knew one thing though: it had to be the prettiest bouquet in the world. Perfect for the prettiest girl in the world, right?

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw Sunset, Rarity, and Fluttershy walking towards his car. They were all in their casual clothes, and their hair was down, while keeping the colored streaks. He saw the others walk out of the boutique behind them, and they were dressed similarly. Coppermane's vision drifted back to Fluttershy, looking adorable in her everyday outfit. He would never stop asking this question: How could one girl be so gorgeous?

The three girls got back in the car, giggling amongst themselves.

"Ah…feels so good to get out of those outfits," Sunset said, making the others giggle.

"Thank you for stopping, Coppermane," Rarity said.

"No problem," Coppermane said as he put the car in drive. And with that, they were bound for Pinkie Pie's house.

He rested his arm on the center console, and felt Fluttershy's arm next to his. He felt her take his hand, seamlessly interlacing her fingers with his. A warm feeling washed over him as she did this. He loved holding her hand. As much as he wanted to look at her, he couldn't take his focus away from driving. But he could do this: he brought her delicate hand up to kiss it. He rested their hands back on the center console, and could hear Fluttershy giggling, making his heart dance. She squeezed his hand as Coppermane drove the three girls to Pinkie Pie's house.

The group sat together in the living room, talking amongst each other, reminiscing about the showcase. Coppermane sat on the couch holding Fluttershy in his arms. Flash Sentry and Twilight sat together on the couch in a similar manner, and the others sat scattered around the room. Coppermane wasn't expecting to hang out with everyone after the showcase, but he didn't mind one bit. It felt so good to spend time with everyone after a week of being alone. Even more so, it felt great to cuddle with Fluttershy again.

"Coppermane, Flash, I think I speak for everyone when I say that your performance was spectacular!" Rarity said. The girls nodded in agreement, making the boys smile.

"You completely stole the show," Sunset Shimmer said.

"You two were amazing," Fluttershy said, nuzzling Coppermane.

"Ah totally agree," Applejack said.

"But is anyone else wondering how Copper and Flash ponied up?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Yeah," Sunset chimed in, "And how did Coppermane absorb our magic?"

The girls looked at the boys, and Flash and Coppermane looked at each other, both with unsure looks on their faces.

Flash shrugged. "Um…I don't know, but I wasn't really questioning it. I thought it was awesome."

"Yeah, same," Coppermane shrugged. "Hoops was about to punch me, and all of a sudden, there was this barrier around me. Then I felt something…stir within me…"

"The magic of friendship," Twilight said knowingly, smiling.

"…Yeah…the magic of friendship. I don't know how I started absorbing it, but I felt so…powerful. I saw images of…well…all of you," Coppermane said, making everyone else in the room smile. "I saw you all, and I heard these…words being whispered to me. Honesty, Generosity, Kindness, Loyalty, Laughter, Magic, Acceptance, Compassion, Empathy…"

Twilight rose her eyebrow at those last three words. She's never heard of those elements before, but she remembered reading something in her books that might answer that question. But Coppermane wasn't done…

"…I just don't know how it happened," Coppermane said. "I figured it was some lucky anomalous event."

"No…there has to be more to it than that," Sunset said. She turned to Twilight. "We were actually hoping that you could shed some light."

"Me?" Twilight said.

"Yeah, I mean, you are the princess of friendship, right?" Sunset said.

Coppermane rose an eyebrow. "Wait…princess of friendship?"

"Yeah! Twilight comes from Equestria, where she's a princess!" Pinkie Pie chimed in.

This just made Coppermane more confused. "Equestria? Is there something I don't know about?"

Twilight suddenly realized something. As far as she knew, Coppermane knew nothing about where she came from. He knew nothing about Equestria, nor about how Twilight is a princess. Much less about how Equestria and this world are parallel universes, with everyone in this world having a pony counterpart back in Equestria.

Rainbow Dash chimed in. "Has no one told you about this?"

Coppermane was incredibly confused. "I have no idea what you all are talking about. Flash told me Twilight was from Trottingham."

"Trottingham?" Twilight asked, looking up at Flash Sentry, who was blushing.

"Um…he asked me one day, and I kind of choked," Flash said, chuckling nervously. "I can't accurately explain what you told me."

Twilight just laughed. She couldn't really blame him. It was pretty complicated information.

She looked back at Coppermane, giggling at his perplexed expression. "Well, Coppermane…"

And with that, Twilight proceeded to explain everything to him. Everything about Equestria, the portal that links the two worlds together, how everyone in this world has a pony counterpart in Equestria, how she's a princess, etcetera. It took a while, and a few pauses to let the information sink in, but eventually Coppermane understood. Mostly, anyways…

"So hold on, you're…a princess?" Coppermane asked in disbelief. Twilight nodded, making Copper's eyes go wide. "Wow. And…we all have counterparts in Equestria? Pony counterparts?"

Twilight nodded again. "Girls, do you remember when I told you about the Summer Sun Celebration?" The girls nodded. "Do you remember the singer I told you about who performed there?"

"The unicorn who can copy himself to make his own barbershop quartet, right?" Sunset asked.

"Mmmhmm!" Twilight said. "Well, that singer…was Coppermane's counterpart."

"What?!" the girls all said with big smiles on their faces.

"Yep!" Twilight said, giggling at Coppermane's face. "And in the two weeks before the Celebration, you became friends with all of us."

As everyone clamored, Coppermane was still trying to wrap his head around this information. Fluttershy noticed that his grip on her had become rather stiff.

"I think my head's about to explode," Coppermane said, making everyone in the room laugh.

"Well, you wanna know what else happened in those two weeks?" Twilight asked teasingly.

"Twilight, I don't think my brain has the capacity for more information," Coppermane said.

Twilight giggled. "Trust me, you'll like this."

Coppermane sighed. "Alright…what happened?"

Twilight smiled and pointed at Fluttershy. "You met her," she said, making the couple's eyes go wide. The girls broke into big smiles.

Rarity gasped. "Are they a cute pony couple in Equestria?" she asked with excitement.

"They sure are!" Twilight said, making the girls in the room go "Aww". Coppermane and Fluttershy blushed profusely.

Coppermane spoke up. "So, what you're saying is…you knew me before you met me?"

Twilight nodded. "Mmmhmm!"

Fluttershy spoke up too. "And, you knew about…us?" she asked, looking up at him, noticing he was blushing as much as she was.

Twilight giggled at their exchange. "I sure did! And you two are just as cute together in this world as you are in Equestria. Oh, and you know those flowers you gave her?"

"Yeah, of course," Coppermane said.

"What about them?" Fluttershy asked.

"Well, back in Equestria, that's the same bouquet you gave to Fluttershy when you asked her to the Summer Sun Celebration," Twilight asked, making the girls go "Aww" again.

"That's so sweet!" Sunset said.

"And so cute!" Rarity said, giddy beyond belief.

Fluttershy and Coppermane were shocked. They looked into each other's eyes, and could see mutual amazement at what they were hearing.

"Wow…" Fluttershy said, smiling.

"Yeah…" Coppermane said, smiling back.

Coppermane gave Fluttershy a light squeeze and tender peck on the lips, feeling her relax in his arms as he did so. He pulled away, and saw a blissful smile on her face, making him smile too.

Fluttershy nuzzled up closer to Coppermane, squeezing his hands. "I love you," she said sweetly.

Coppermane's heart washed over with joy at those three words. He lightly squeezed her in his arms, kissing her cheek. "I love you too," he said tenderly.

Coppermane and Fluttershy heard the other girls going "Aww" and giggling at their exchange, causing their faces to go bright red.

Rarity suddenly let out a squeal. "Oh, I just can't get over how adorable you two are!" she said, making the other girls giggle. Coppermane and Fluttershy blushed profusely, but were flattered that they were all so supportive of their relationship. Fluttershy lifted her head to give Coppermane a kiss on the cheek, making his heart melt.

"So…all of that brings us to why Flash and Copper ponied up," Twilight said. "Coppermane, you know those words that were whispered to you?"

Coppermane nodded, "Yeah, what about them?"

"Well, back in Equestria, those words represent the Elements of Harmony," Twilight said.

"Elements of what?" Coppermane asked.

"Elements of harmony," Twilight said. She then proceeded to explain the Elements of Harmony, and how they're the most powerful magic known in the world. She explained how each one of her friends represent one of the six elements: Applejack represents honesty, Rarity represents generosity, and so on.

"But here's the thing," Twilight said, "There's six elements…but you spoke nine words."

Sunset Shimmer rose an eyebrow at this. "Does that mean…there's nine elements?"

"I'm not sure," Twilight said, "But I remember, in the book describing the elements, there was something about…Theoretical Elements."

Everybody in the room rose an eyebrow at this, slightly confused, and rightfully so.

"Theoretical Elements?" Sunset said with confusion. She was from Equestria too, and was familiar with the idea of the Elements from being Princess Celestia's student…but could there be more?

Twilight nodded, expecting perplexed expressions from everyone. "Hidden elements, if you will. The book described them as Elements that exist, but don't have wielders. Although, I think tonight, three new elements have emerged thanks to Coppermane's bravery."

Coppermane's eyes went wide. "Really?" he asked in disbelief.

"Are you talking about Sunset, Copper, and I?" Flash asked, curious about this too.

Twilight nodded, squeezing Flash's hands. "Coppermane, do you remember the last three words you said?"

Coppermane pondered for a moment, recalling the nine words he spoke. "They were…Acceptance, Compassion, and Empathy."

Sunset was having a hard time comprehending all of this. "So, wait…you're saying that me, Flash, and Copper represent those elements?"

Twilight shrugged. "It's only a theory, but I think it's a pretty solid one, wouldn't you agree?" she asked. Sunset had no argument against that. She couldn't come up with any other explanation for this anomaly. It was only speculation, but Sunset couldn't deny that she rather liked the idea of representing an Element of Harmony.

Twilight spoke again. "But, I think we can all agree that Flash Sentry and Coppermane were absolutely amazing tonight," she said. The girls all clamored in agreement, making Flash smile, and Copper blush.

Flash chuckled. "Well, thanks girls, but let's be real here, Coppermane completely stole the show," he said.

Coppermane blushed even more. "Oh, c'mon Flash…" he said humbly.

"Don't be so modest, dude," Flash said, "You stole the entire show, and you know it."

"Everybody loved you, Copper!" Pinkie Pie said.

"You were real brave, sugar," Applejack said.

Coppermane was flattered to hear all this praise, for something that was completely unexpected. "You…You all really think so?"

"We know so!" Twilight said.

"You were awesome, Copper!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Coppermane, I can't even begin to tell you how amazed we all were," Sunset said.

Rarity giggled. "You've grown so much since we first met you, darling."

Fluttershy brought her hand up to cup Coppermane's face. "And we're so proud of you," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Coppermane looked around the room, and saw everyone smiling back at him. It was so heart-warming. He really has grown, hasn't he? He thought back to the first time he sat in on their band rehearsal. He was so shy and demure, and he still is, but back then, he wasn't just shy…he was scared. Whenever he saw a new face, he thought it just meant there was someone new to hate him. Little did he know, these people would grow to become his best friends…his first friends…and change his life. His eyes began to tear up as he looked at their prideful expressions.

"And Coppermane," Sunset started to say, "I know we were all mad at you this week, but…we really missed you."

Coppermane blushed. "R-Really?" The girls all nodded.

"It's good to have you back, Copper," Rainbow Dash said with a smirk.

Coppermane smiled at the group, and allowed tears to fall down his face. Fluttershy smiled and wiped his tears dry, making him chuckle to himself.

"I…I really missed you guys too," Coppermane said, sniffling a little. "You all have done so much for me, it's insane. I'm so lucky to have met you all. You're the friends I've wanted my entire life," he said, tugging at the girls' heartstrings.

"It's an honor to call you our friend, sweetness," Rarity said. The rest of the girls nodded in agreement. Copper felt Fluttershy squeeze his hands, and looked to see her smiling back at him. He shed another tear, which Fluttershy caught with a kiss on the cheek, making him chuckle.

"Listen, if there's anything I can do to even begin to thank you…"

"Well, maybe there's…one thing…" Applejack said.

Coppermane was all ears. "Oh? What's that?"

"Well, we were all talkin' in the car 'bout that stuff y'all said…about your past an' all," Applejack said.

Coppermane rose an eyebrow. "Yeah? What about it?"

Rainbow Dash spoke up. "What was your life like at your old school?"

"Yeah," Sunset said, "I've been curious about that too."

"Me three," Rarity said.

Coppermane's eyes went wide. He looked around to see everyone with intrigued expressions. They were interested in that?

"If it's hard to talk about, that's fine, you don't have to," Twilight said, seeing his wide-eyed expression.

"No no, it's not that. It's just…you guys really want to know?" Coppermane asked. Everyone in the room nodded.

"We just want to know what happened to you," Sunset said.

"What happened to cause that emotional outburst we saw tonight?" Rarity said.

Coppermane pondered for a moment. They already knew about a good portion of his past from all that venting…and they were his friends. They knew that this was sensitive information. He could trust them. If they were really that concerned, they deserved to know. In a way, he probably should've expected them to ask something like this. He was in tears from his emotions, and they were bound to be curious.

"Well…what do you want to know?" Coppermane asked.

"How about we start with where you used to go to school," Rainbow Dash said.

Coppermane was silent for a second, but eventually took a deep breath and spoke. "Um…well…I used to go to Crystal Prep."

Everyone in the room, except Twilight and Sunset, gasped in shock.

"Crystal Prep?" Rainbow Dash said.

"No wonder you were miserable," Rarity said.

"What's Crystal Prep?" Twilight asked. Sunset was curious as well.

"Canterlot High's rival school," Applejack explained. "Full of jerks who beat CHS at everything. Grades, test scores, athletics, you name it."

"They're full of party poopers!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"And meanies," Fluttershy said.

The girls all looked at Coppermane to see he had a surprised expression on his face, probably at their reaction to him revealing he attended Crystal Prep. They all shrugged.

"Sorry…" Rainbow Dash said, rubbing her neck.

Fluttershy sat up in Coppermane's lap and put her hand on his heart. "Go on, Coppermane," she said.

Coppermane chuckled at their little outburst, and refocused on recollecting his time at Crystal Prep. As he did so, his expression grew noticeably more somber. He had only dark memories of Crystal Prep. Eventually, after a couple minutes of pondering, he looked up at his friends' concerned faces…

Copper was frantically trying to get the hell out of the Crystal Prep building. The bullies hadn't shown up yet, and maybe if he hurried, he could escape without a scratch. His stress was causing him to sweat profusely, trying to get his things out of the locker…

All of a sudden, his locker door was suddenly pushed in, swinging into Coppermane's head, and causing him to drop his books and papers on the floor. He held his head in pain as he heard laughing coming from behind him.

"Ha! Gotta be more careful, bro," one of them said condescendingly.

Coppermane turned around, and turned scared and spiteful when he saw Neon Lights and Royal Pin.

"Look who's bringing his entire locker home to study over the weekend!" Royal Pin shouted to all the students passing by. Some looked over at Coppermane and laughed at him, making him frown in embarrassment.

"Didn't get invited to Trenderhoof's party?" Neon Lights asked disdainfully.

Coppermane looked down in shame, holding himself. "Um…n-no, I di—"

"Dude, what a stupid question, of course he didn't!" Royal Pin said, "You know Trenderhoof's biggest rule: no losers allowed."

Royal Pin and Neon Lights began to laugh at him as Coppermane began to recoil.

"Have fun with your books, loser," Royal Pin said before roughly pushing Coppermane into the lockers. His head slammed into the metal, causing his headache to worsen.

"And watch out for those lockers. They'll get you," Neon Lights said before slamming the locker door into Coppermane's face, making him hold his nose in pain. Neon Lights and Royal Pin walked away, laughing at him. Coppermane brought his hands away from his nose for a moment to discover that his nose was bleeding. He covered his nose again and looked around the floor to see his papers scattered everywhere, covered in footprints from the hallway traffic. He looked up to see two girls, Fleur Dis Lee and Indigo Zap looking at him and laughing. Coppermane held his bleeding nose with one hand while picking up papers with the other. The girls walked away, and could overhear them saying things like "What a loser" and "Such a wimp", making Coppermane scavenge papers in shame.

Coppermane couldn't find anywhere to sit for lunch. He had his tray of food, he just needed a place to sit. Everywhere he looked, tables were already claimed, and it wasn't like he had any friends to sit with. Suddenly, as he walked around and panned the room, hit foot hit something, causing him to trip and fall, landing right on his pizza, fruit cup, and chocolate milk, ruining his entire lunch, and his clothes. He heard the entire cafeteria laughing at him, and heard two familiar voices next to him.

"Enjoy your lunch?" Neon Lights said, laughing at Coppermane.

Coppermane got up, and looked down to see that his shirt was covered in pizza sauce, milk, and fruit juice. He also saw that Neon Lights had stuck his foot out.

Coppermane started to panic, hearing the entire cafeteria laughing at him as he stood still in utter humiliation. Not knowing what else to do, he just ran away, crying from embarrassment.

"Go on and cry about it, you big baby!" Indigo Zap yelled as Coppermane ran away in tears.

Coppermane ran into the men's restroom, entering a stall and locking the door, trying to calm himself down. Why did he have to be such a crybaby? Why did he have to be such a loser? A loser like him probably didn't deserve lunch anyways.

"COPPERMANE!" a voice shouted from down the hall.

Coppermane turned around to see a very angry looking Neon Lights racing after him. His eyes were filled with fire. Before Coppermane could run, Neon Lights picked him up by his shirt collar and pinned him against the lockers.

"You had to blab to the Dean, didn't you?!" Neon Lights said.

"Wh-What?" Coppermane said, panicking.

"You told her that I copied off your answers?" Neon Lights said with fire in his eyes.

"Y-Yes…?" Coppermane said, to which Neon Lights roughly rammed him into the lockers.

"I GOT A WEEK OF DETENTION BECAUSE OF YOU!" Neon Lights shouted before punching him roughly in the stomach repeatedly. Then, he threw him onto the ground, and kicked his face. Coppermane laid limp on the ground, coughing up some blood from being punched in the stomach so many times. Neon Lights leaned down to get in Coppermane's face. "If this happens again, you're gonna need an ambulance. Do you understand?" Neon Lights said in a silently angry voice.

Coppermane could only nod, in too much pain to speak. He continued to cough and hold his stomach in pain as Neon Lights walked away. Coppermane laid there on the ground in the empty hallway, crying his eyes out.

The group grew increasingly shocked and heartbroken as Coppermane told these stories. Each one of them consisted of him getting beaten up, humiliated, or both. He had to go through that every day?

Fluttershy, with tears in her eyes, put her hand over Coppermane's heart. "You poor thing…"

"Why would they do all that to you?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Coppermane shrugged. "I…I guess I was an easy target or something…"

"But you're such a great guy, Copper," Applejack said.

"Those Crystal Prep kids are such meanies!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"Are they really that sadistic?" Twilight asked incredulously.

Coppermane sighed. "I don't know. I just know they loved beating me up and humiliating me."

"And that was a regular thing?" Rarity asked. Coppermane sighed and nodded, making her frown. "How awful…"

"I ought to go over to Crystal Prep and kick their asses," Flash Sentry said.

"Did you ever do something about it? You shouldn't have had to put up with that," Sunset said.

Coppermane bit his lip. He tried to do something once…and ended up getting expelled from Crystal Prep. He looked at Fluttershy, who had concern in her eyes. He could tell that they were on the same page. She's the only one in the group who knew about that day. Coppermane sighed. The rest of his friends were already in pretty deep, and they were genuinely interested in what he had to go through. They deserved to know.

"Well…" Coppermane said, returning his attention to the others, "There was this…one time…"

Coppermane proceeded to enlighten them on the day he lashed out. The day he beat the bully to a pulp. The day he made the biggest mistake of his life. As he told the story, some of their expressions were shocked, and some were sad.

"Is that why you didn't beat Hoops and Score up?" Rainbow Dash asked. "It looked like you were about to."

Coppermane sighed and nodded. "Yeah…if I did…it would've been that day all over again…and I probably wouldn't be sitting with you all."

Everyone in the room was silent for a moment, letting all of this information sink in. The group couldn't believe how much Coppermane's had to go through. Now, his shy and insecure tendencies made sense. They could see how emotionally scarred he really was. But with all these revelations, the group's respect for Coppermane grew. He survived all of that bullying, and didn't become bitter or hateful. He was one of the nicest guys they've ever met, in spite of his past.

Rainbow Dash smirked. "Coppermane, I'll speak for everyone. If we ever see anyone bullying you again, they'll have to go through us first." The rest of the group nodded in agreement.

"And sugarcube," Applejack said, "Don't even think about killin' yourself. Y'all have a new life now."

"We would miss you so much!" Pinkie Pie said.

Rarity got up to sit on the couch next to Coppermane and Fluttershy. She put her hand on his shoulder. "You have friends now, Coppermane, and we're always here for you."

Fluttershy took Coppermane's hand. "No matter what," she said, interlacing her fingers with his.

"It's an honor to have the element of empathy as our best friend," Sunset said with a wink.

Coppermane looked around the room to see everyone smiling back at him. It made him shed a tear. A new life. A fresh start. The bullying, the humiliation, and the torment was all over now. He stood up for himself, and put an end to it once and for all. In a weird way, he almost had to thank the bullies. If they hadn't shown up, none of this would've happened. The revelations, the magic, the retribution; none of it. In trying to separate him from his friends, they stabbed themselves in the back, and received rightful retribution. Coppermane won his friends back, he won the girl of his dreams back, and they learned more about him than they ever expected. Coppermane felt much closer to his friends…and he had Hoops and Score to thank.

Sunset was suddenly curious about something. "Coppermane, have you told anyone else about these things?"

Coppermane shrugged and shook his head. "The only one who knew before you all was Fluttershy," he said, giving her a squeeze. "You're the only ones who know now." A heart-warming look appeared on everyone's face. These were some shocking and saddening revelations, but the group felt so much closer to Coppermane because of it.

Rarity smiled. "Well, thank you so much for sharing your past with us, darling."

"Like Rarity said, we're all here for ya, sugarcube," Applejack said.

Coppermane smiled. "And I'm always here for you all. It's an honor to call you my best friends," he said, making them all smile.

Rainbow Dash spoke up. "Hey, Coppermane, there's a keyboard over in the corner. Maybe we could hear a song or two?" she said, making some of the girls gasp in excitement.

Coppermane rose an eyebrow. He felt Fluttershy's hand on his heart, and looked over at her to see her sweet smile. He looked around to see hopeful expressions on their faces. How could he say no?

"I think I can make that happen," Coppermane said, making them all clamor in excitement. They all stood up and walked to the keyboard. Coppermane sat down, making room for Fluttershy to sit next to him. Everyone else stood behind him and around the keyboard as he scrolled through his chord-sheet library to find a song. He found one that gives him a warm feeling whenever he plays it. It reminds him of that first day in the band room. The first song he ever played for the group.

…

{Song:  House of Gold

Ch.16: Solicitude

Fluttershy sat in a room filled with candles, all newly lit, and the only things giving off light. She laid on a comfortable bed set up against the wall underneath the window. As she looked around, she noticed certain familiar details: A keyboard with sheet music, a TV with an Xbox 360, a computer with a coding environment open, etcetera. After doing another quick pan around, she recognized it immediately as none other than her boyfriend's bedroom. She smiled as warm memories surfaced. Her first date…her first kiss…the start of her relationship…yes, this room has become very dear to Fluttershy. The candlelight made the room feel so soft and warm. To help with the comfy atmosphere, Coppermane laid next to her, facing her, holding her in his arms, and resting his head just above hers on a soft pillow.

They laid in silence, just enjoying each other's company. He felt so warm, and looked amazing in the soft candlelight, reflecting so warmly off his body, and making his coppery hair shimmer. She couldn't help herself from reaching up to brush it. His hair was so soft and silky. As she did so, she heard Coppermane sigh in pleasure, giving her a kiss on the forehead. Fluttershy giggled, and scooted up to meet Coppermane's face. He smiled at her and gave her a peck as she continued to run her fingers through his hair. He returned the favor and began brushing her hair too, making her moan softly. Coppermane was so loving. How did Fluttershy get so lucky?

"Fluttershy…" Coppermane said in a tender voice.

Fluttershy looked into her boyfriend's eyes, and saw nothing but adoration, making her blush profusely. "Yes?"

Coppermane continued to brush her hair lovingly, pulling her closer in his arms. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"

Fluttershy blushed majorly. "Well…maybe…?"

Coppermane smiled, and cupped her face. "Well, can I tell you again?"

Fluttershy's face went even redder. "O-Of course."

Coppermane chuckled and caressed her face. "Fluttershy, you're the prettiest girl in the world. Your gorgeous eyes…your soft hair…your bright smile…" He moved his hand down to her waist, gently caressing it, "…your delicate figure…everything about you is just…perfect."

Fluttershy's heart soared, and she trembled at the way he was stroking her waist. He's never touched her like this before. But she didn't dislike it. In fact…she loved it.

"P-Perfect?" Fluttershy said, "Oh, Coppermane…I-I'm not perfect…"

Coppermane wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her closer, snuggling up with her. "Fluttershy…in my eyes…you're flawless," he said, brushing her hair out of her face.

Fluttershy's heart melted at his words. He made her feel so special and loved. His idea of perfection was…her? She felt tears of joy welling up in her eyes.

"Coppermane…th-thank you…" Fluttershy said with gleaming eyes, snuggling up with her boyfriend, rubbing his chest. "You're…you're the sweetest guy in the world. I…I'm so lucky to have you…"

Fluttershy felt Coppermane put his arms around her, giving her a light, loving squeeze.

"Not as lucky as I am," Coppermane said. He gave her a kiss on the forehead, making her shudder.

Fluttershy felt so warm and cozy in his arms. Tears fell down her face. Coppermane made her so unimaginably happy.

"I love you so much," Fluttershy said, affectionately nuzzling Coppermane's chest.

Coppermane gave her another squeeze and another kiss on the forehead. "I love you more."

"Ugh…why are we up this early?" Rainbow Dash asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Because today is the Formal, Rainbow Dash!" Rarity said, "We have so much to do to get ready, and must get started right away!"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and groaned. She would much rather be asleep right now.

"Don't be a grouch, Rainbow!" Pinkie Pie said, perky as always, "Today's going to be super-duper terrifically fantastic!"

Rainbow Dash had no idea how the rest of them could be so energized in the morning, but she had to go with the flow. Maybe after she got some food in her…

The six girls made their way downstairs to get some breakfast before splitting up from the boys to get ready for the Formal. They were all so excited! And as far as they knew, no end of the world threats! They could all just have fun!

"Oh! Shh!" Rarity suddenly said upon reaching the bottom of the stairwell, making the rest of the group go silent.

"What?" Pinkie Pie asked in a whisper.

Rarity grinned and pointed at the couch. The rest of them looked, and collectively (and quietly) gasped at what they saw.

On the couch, Coppermane and Fluttershy were sleeping soundly together. They were still in the same position from when Rarity, Sunset, and Applejack last saw them, and it was even more adorable the second time. Fluttershy rested on Coppermane's chest while holding his hand, and Coppermane held Fluttershy with his free arm.

"Aww…" all the girls said.

"Just as cute as last night!" Rarity said, trying to contain her giddiness.

"Last night?" Rainbow Dash asked curiously.

"Rarity, Applejack, and I were up later than you guys," Sunset said.

"We saw them sleepin' together before we turned in for the night," Applejack said.

Pinkie Pie squeaked a little, trying to contain her giddiness. "That's the cutest thing I've ever seen!"

Rainbow Dash smiled. "Yeah, even I gotta admit. That's pretty cute," she said, obviously a little less groggy than before.

As the girls watched the couple sleep, Twilight saw something that piqued her curiosity.

"Girls…look at their hands," Twilight said. The girls did just that, and their eyes widened.

"They're…glowing?" Sunset said, perplexed. The girls looked at each other, and back at the couple, equally curious.

Suddenly, the light in Coppermane's hand grew faintly brighter, making Fluttershy stir. The girls watched as Fluttershy smiled and lovingly nuzzled Coppermane's chest, moaning slightly as she did so, all while asleep. The glow dimmed, and Fluttershy relaxed with it. Before the girls could question this anomaly further, Fluttershy's hand brightened as well, making Coppermane stir. Coppermane squeezed Fluttershy in his arms, and gave her a kiss on the forehead, still asleep. Her hand dimmed, and Coppermane relaxed with it…just like Fluttershy. At first, the girls thought they had woken up, but no, they were still very much asleep. What was this?

"Are they dreaming together?" Sunset asked.

"They might be," Twilight said, unable to come up with a better explanation.

"Aww! That is just too cute!" Rarity said, squeaking a little loudly at the end.

"Shh!" Rainbow Dash said, trying to not wake the couple.

"Sorry…" Rarity said apologetically, yet unable to stop smiling at the couple.

"Ah wonder what they're dreamin' about?" Applejack asked.

"Probably each other!" Pinkie Pie said.

"That's true love if I ever saw it," Sunset said. The girls all nodded in agreement.

"Ah'll say," Applejack said.

"Well, how about we get some food going, huh?" Sunset said, gesturing everyone towards the kitchen area.

"Aww, but I want to watch them sleep," Rarity said.

"Rarity, Ah don't think they'd like wakin' up to see all of us starin' at 'em," Applejack said. "After all, they're both pretty darn shy."

Rarity sighed in disappointment, but she knew Applejack was right. But, she immediately thought of a loophole. She pulled her phone out, and took a picture of the couple, earning a glare from the girls.

"Oh, c'mon! This is too adorable for me not to take a photo," Rarity said, trying to act innocent. The girls just rolled their eyes, feigning annoyance. It was pretty cute, so they could let it slide. For now, it was time to make breakfast. The gang had a long day ahead of them.

Coppermane and Fluttershy slept soundly together for the next hour, until suddenly, their hands ceased glowing. As the glimmer dissipated, Fluttershy and Coppermane woke up simultaneously, both groaning as they did so.

Fluttershy opened her eyes, and was surprised to see Coppermane staring right back at her with groggy eyes. She was really close to him, still being held tight in his arms, and holding his hand. This still felt more comfortable than any bed she's ever slept in. Being in his arms…it was the best feeling in the world, second only to kissing him.

Coppermane woke up, holding his girlfriend in his arms as she laid on top of him, and holding her hand. Sleeping while holding her in his arms…one of the best feelings in the world.

"Good morning, beautiful," Coppermane said groggily, brushing the hair out of Fluttershy's face.

Fluttershy smiled and blushed. "Good morning," she said in a faint voice. She let out a mighty yawn, making Coppermane yawn too. Coppermane smiled. Fluttershy had the cutest little yawn.

"Sleep well?" Coppermane asked.

"Mmmhmm," Fluttershy said, smiling, "I-I had the most wonderful dream…"

Coppermane smiled curiously. "What did you dream about?"

Fluttershy blushed and put her hand on his heart. "You."

Coppermane rose his eyebrow. "Really?" he asked, putting his hand over hers.

Fluttershy nodded, and then proceeded to tell Coppermane all about how she and him were cuddling together on his bed. She told him about how loving and affectionate he was. Brushing her hair, stroking her waist, holding her in his arms, and more. As she went into more detail, Coppermane grew more and more…perplexed. Not to say he wasn't flattered, but there was something surreal about this.

Fluttershy noticed his confused expression, and was afraid she crossed a boundary. "Oh…I-I'm sorry…am I making you uncomfortable?"

Coppermane's eyes went wide. "Oh, no no, not at all. I-I'm flattered, I really am. It's just a little…surreal…"

Now it was Fluttershy's turn to look confused. "W-What do you mean?"

Coppermane bit his lip. "I…I had the exact same dream…"

Fluttershy's eyes went wide. "Huh?"

"Everything you described…I remember," Coppermane said.

Fluttershy was completely puzzled. He had the exact same dream? No…impossible…right? Coppermane looked equally mystified, but before they could question this anomaly further…

"Oh, look who's awake!" Rarity said from the island counter, making the couple look over at her, only to see everyone else in the kitchen.

"Oh…hi…" Coppermane said, blushing. Fluttershy had a similar expression on her face.

"Sleep well, you two?" Sunset asked teasingly.

Coppermane and Fluttershy blushed even more, smiling. It was the best sleep either of them have ever had. They felt a little embarrassed to tell their friends that, though, so they just nodded at them, to which they all giggled.

"Well, come on over and have somethin' ta eat," Applejack said.

"There's plenty to go around!" Pinkie Pie said.

Coppermane and Fluttershy took in of the aroma of the room, and it made their mouths water. Fluttershy got up out of Coppermane's lap, and they both walked over to the island counter to join everyone else. As they ate, Rarity showed them the pictures she took of Coppermane and Fluttershy sleeping together.

"Oh, you two are so cute, I can barely stand it!" Rarity said, giggling giddily.

Coppermane and Fluttershy blushed profusely at the pictures. They knew they shouldn't be embarrassed, these people being their closest friends and all, but they couldn't help it. They were just shy and introverted by nature.

As the group ate, they discussed their plans concerning the Formal. The boys and girls were going to split up, and go to the Carousel Boutique and Coppermane's house respectively. They would all go to Canterlot Park to take pictures, and then to the Formal itself. After that, dinner at the Canterlot Steakhouse. Finally, Coppermane invited everyone to come back to his house as a way to thank them all for everything they've done for him. It wasn't much, but it's the least he could do. They've done so much for him; it would be impossible to completely repay them. But Coppermane would be damned if he didn't try. They were all in agreement, and after helping Pinkie Pie with the dishes, they were ready to go.

Coppermane and Flash Sentry drove the girls to the boutique, before heading to Coppermane's house. Might as well, right? The girls rode in the same cars as last time: Fluttershy, Sunset, and Rarity with Coppermane, and Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Pinkie Pie with Flash.

Rarity and Sunset thanked Coppermane for the ride before getting out of the car to head inside with the others. Twilight followed a little later, presumably because she was saying goodbye to Flash. Fluttershy lingered in Coppermane's car for a moment, holding hands with her boyfriend.

Coppermane reached up to brush the hair out of Fluttershy's face. "Look extra pretty for me, alright?"

Fluttershy blushed and giggled. "I will," she said, squeezing his hand. Coppermane leaned in to give her a kiss before reluctantly letting go of her hand.

"See you later, Fluttershy," Coppermane said.

"Goodbye, Coppermane," Fluttershy said before getting out of the car to join the girls in the boutique.

Coppermane couldn't help himself from watching Fluttershy as she walked away. If she was this gorgeous now, he could only imagine how beautiful she would be later. He was already trying to guess what her dress would look like. Would it be short or long? Would it show her figure off? Would it be teal or turquoise to bring out her eyes? What would her makeup look like? What jewelry would she wear, if any? How would she do her hair? Curly? Straight? Coppermane's imagination was going crazy. He could hardly wait!

HONK!

Coppermane nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of a car horn behind him, snapping him out of his daydreaming. Flash seemed to be getting impatient, meaning Coppermane should probably stop gawking at Fluttershy and get a move on. With that, Coppermane put his car in drive, and rode off to his house, with Flash Sentry following behind.

Only about an hour before the boys were scheduled to pick up the girls, and they could hardly wait. Both of them were filled with anticipation to see their beautiful dates. Flash remembered Twilight's dress from last year, and was anxious to see what she would wear this year. As for Coppermane, the only time he remembered Fluttershy dressing up for him was on their second date when she wore that gorgeous fall dress. If Fluttershy looked that beautiful in a fall dress, goodness knows what she would look like later on! His hopes were high, and his imagination was going haywire, trying to picture what she'd look like. She must be making herself prettier and prettier with every passing second. He could hardly wait!

Right now, the boys had just finished cleaning Coppermane's house, and were taking a moment to relax before getting dressed. They both had tuxedos, and they hated them. Sure, they looked sharp in them, but they felt so encumbered. The less time they had to spend in them, the better. They decided to pass the time by hanging out in Coppermane's room and play some Smash Bros.

"Arrrgghhh!" Coppermane growled as his character was thrown off the map, taking his last life. "Little Mac is so overpowered…"

"Why do you think I picked him?" Flash said.

Coppermane laughed and gave him a playful punch on the shoulder.

"Hey, Flash?" Coppermane said.

"Yeah?" Flash said.

"I just wanted to say…thank you," Coppermane said.

"For what?" Flash asked.

"For helping me win the girls back," Coppermane said. "And for helping me win my dream-girl back. If it wasn't for you…I would've lost you all forever…and who knows what I would've done then. You saved all of my relationships, and I don't think I can ever repay you for that. All I can really say is…thank you. Thank you so much, Flash."

Flash was touched. He was glad he was able to help his best friend in his time of need. He put his hand on Coppermane's shoulder.

"I was happy to help, bro," Flash said. "I'm glad you're back, and I know the girls are too, especially Fluttershy. And it's an honor to have you in the band."

Coppermane smiled. He had some of the greatest friends in the world.

"Oh yeah, that's another thing. About the band…what are people going to think when only half of the band ponies up?" Coppermane asked.

Flash just laughed. "I don't know. We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Coppermane just shrugged. Flash knew as much about magic as Coppermane did; that's to say, nothing whatsoever. For now, it was just really, really awesome.

Coppermane checked the time on his phone, and sighed.

"6:00. We should probably start getting ready," Coppermane said.

Flash groaned frustratingly. "Alright…"

And with that, the boys started getting ready. Tux pants, bow tie, black socks, black shoes, cummerbunds, dress shirts, and jackets. The whole shebang. It took about thirty minutes to get the tuxedos on. They looked sharp, but felt rather hindered by the tight clothes.

And now, it's the moment the boys have been waiting for. Time to go pick up the girls…and their beautiful dates. With those thought fueling them, they got into their individual cars, and drove off to the boutique, trying to guess what their respective dates would look like.

Applejack, Sunset, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie were all dressed up and ready to go with Rarity, Fluttershy and Twilight still in the back room. Rarity was doing everything she could to make Fluttershy and Twilight shine for the boys. The others just let her do her thing. She was only trying to be generous, after all.

Rarity had just finished putting the final touches on Twilight's makeup. Twilight was still a little inexperienced with doing her own makeup in this world, so she let Rarity help her.

"Oh, you two look simply fabulous!" Rarity said.

"Well, thank you for your help, Rarity," Twilight said, flattered by Rarity's comment.

"Um…I don't know…this dress seems a little…short," Fluttershy said, a little worried.

"Fluttershy, darling, you're being ridiculous. You look stunning!" Rarity assured her.

Before the girls could say anything else, they heard a voice coming from the main room.

"They just pulled up!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

Fluttershy gasped. "Oh my gosh. Do I look okay?"

"Fluttershy, please calm down," Rarity said. "I told you, you look amazing. Coppermane's not going to know what to do with himself," she said with a teasing smirk, making Fluttershy blush. Suddenly, Rarity gasped, "Idea!" she sang in a melodious voice.

Fluttershy and Twilight looked at her quizzically.

"What?" Twilight asked.

"You two wait back here, and I'll call you out," Rarity said giddily.

"Huh?" Fluttershy and Twilight said, confused.

"Just to keep the boys on their toes," Rarity said, giving them a wink. Twilight and Fluttershy blushed profusely, but decided to just go with it. Rarity gave a little squeal. "Oh, this is so exciting! I'll call you two in a bit!" And with that, Rarity adjourned to the main room, leaving Twilight and Fluttershy alone together, trying to picture what their boyfriends look like in tuxedos.

Rarity walked out into the main room, looking rather chipper.

"Where are the other two?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Rarity giggled. "They're still in the back. I'm going to call them out individually. Just to keep the boys on their toes, y'know?" she said in a flirtatious voice.

The other girls just rolled their eyes, except for Pinkie Pie, who seemed to love the idea. Pinkie Pie was down for any idea that involved surprises.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. They were here…

Rarity squealed, and wasted no time in opening up the door. Upon seeing the boys, the girls were impressed. Their boys sure cleaned up well.

"Hey," Coppermane and Flash Sentry said.

"Hello, gentlemen," Rarity said, giving them a curtsey, "Come on in!"

Coppermane and Flash walked inside, and were immediately greeted by everyone else.

"Lookin' sharp, boys," Applejack said.

"Thanks," Flash said.

"We try," Coppermane said.

"Wow, you girls look amazing," Flash said.

"I'll say," Coppermane said.

Their comments made all the girls, even Rainbow Dash, smile.

"Aww thanks. You boys are too sweet," Sunset said. "If you think we look good, just wait…" she said with a teasing tone.

The boys' faces lit up, immediately catching on. They looked around, and were disappointed to discover their dates were nowhere to be seen.

"Um…where's Fluttershy and Twilight?" Coppermane asked curiously.

Rarity giggled, making the boys raise their eyebrows. She seemed rather chipper for some reason.

"Oh, they're still in the back room getting ready," Rarity said. "I'll go check on them!"

Rarity adjourned to the back room, leaving Coppermane and Flash very confused. Excited…but confused.

"She seems…happy," Coppermane said.

"A little too happy if you ask me," Flash said.

The girls kept their mouths shut, in the interest of humoring Rarity. They wouldn't deny that they were anxious in seeing the boys' individual reactions to their respective dates as much as Rarity was.

“Oh boys!” Rarity said in an amorous voice.  Everyone looked in her direction to see a flirty smile on Rarity’s face.

"Twilight is all prettied up. Flash Sentry, are you ready?" Rarity asked, smiling giddily.

"You kidding? I've been ready," Flash said, making the girls giggle.

Rarity smiled and opened the back room door, and Twilight stepped out. Flash laid eyes on her, and his jaw hit the ground. Her hair was slightly curled, with those purple and pink streaks. She wore pinkish-purple boots, and the amethyst necklace Flash had given her. Her sparkly, pinkish-purple dress went down to her knees and graced her figure. She was gorgeous, but even that word didn't do her justice.

Twilight's face was bright red at seeing Flash's reaction. She was quite taken herself at seeing him in a tuxedo. She had one handsome boyfriend.

Flash heard the girls giggling around him, snapping him out of his trance. Sort of…

"Twilight…" Flash said, entranced.

"You like my outfit?" Twilight asked, bashfully approaching Flash.

"Do I ever…" Flash said, taking Twilight's hands.

Twilight giggled. "You look pretty darn good yourself," she said, placing her hand on his heart.

Flash smiled. "Thanks." He pulled Twilight into a kiss, and held her in his arms, making the girls smile.

"You two are so cute!" Pinkie Pie said loudly, making the couple blush.

Rarity cleared her throat, making everyone look over at her.

"And last but not least…I do believe Fluttershy is now all prettied up herself. Coppermane? Are you ready?" Rarity asked.

Coppermane took a deep breath. "As ready as I'll ever be," he said, smiling.

Rarity opened the door a little more, and Fluttershy stepped out. Upon seeing his date, Coppermane went totally bug-eyed, and his jaw hit the ground. Just when Coppermane thought Fluttershy couldn't get any prettier…

Fluttershy wore a sleeveless, sparkling turquoise dress that went down just above her knees, and graced her delicate figure. Her dress had pink butterfly graphics around the waistline. Her dress went from tight around the top, to delicately floating towards the bottom. She wore pink and teal boots with butterflies on the straps. Her hair was curled with a teal butterfly instead of a white one. She wore aquamarine butterfly earrings, and the teal cherry blossom pendant necklace he had given her. All the shades of teal brought out her already dazzling teal eyes, making them look like stars. As if the outfit wasn't enough, she was standing in such a way that made his heart dance. Hands behind her back, knees touching, that adorable shy smile, complimented by her blushing face. To him, there wasn't a more beautiful sight in the world. Fluttershy was a pure goddess.

The girls were all giggling at Coppermane's dumb expression.

Coppermane blinked, dumbfounded by Fluttershy's beauty. "Woah…" was all he could say.

Fluttershy's face went bright red as she approached her stupefied boyfriend. She couldn't help but notice that he looked rather handsome himself. He looked great in a tuxedo.

"H-Hi, Coppermane," Fluttershy said, placing her hand on his heart.

"H-H-Hi," Coppermane said quietly, still amazed.

"Do…do you like my outfit?" she asked bashfully.

Coppermane nodded dumbly. "Uh huh," he said, making the girls laugh at how flabbergasted he was.

"I…I don't think I'm worthy…" Coppermane said, making Fluttershy's face go even redder, as if that was even possible. Coppermane's trance was somewhat broken when he heard Rarity laughing up a storm.

"See, Fluttershy? I told you he wasn't going to know what to do with himself!" Rarity said, making the other girls giggle, and making Coppermane's face go bright red.

Fluttershy just giggled with them, and gave Coppermane a peck. He was just so cute!

"Ah hate to break up the happy couples, but we should probably get to the park before it gets any darker outside," Applejack said. She was right. They needed light for the pictures. With that thought in mind, the group made their way to the boys' cars. Rarity, Sunset and Fluttershy went with Coppermane again while Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and Applejack went with Flash Sentry. And then, they were off to the park to take pictures, and after that, the Formal!

The Fall Formal was in full swing, and everyone was having a great time. This year, for the most part, Vinyl Scratch was in charge of the music. She stood behind her booth with all her equipment set up, blasting music for everyone to dance to, whether it was custom tracks, or songs everyone knew and loved. Flash Drive was scheduled to play a couple songs later on after the prince and princess were crowned, but for now, they had time to dance and had fun. Practically all of CHS was there, save for a few, and everyone was having a blast.

Coppermane was very new to all of this. They sure took a lot of pictures at the park. He took lots of couple photos with Fluttershy. A few of them kissing, one of Coppermane holding Fluttershy from behind, and some photos with Flash Sentry and Twilight too. The girls took their own pictures, and so did the boys. One of the more memorable ones was of Flash and Coppermane standing back to back with sunglasses on, looking like secret agents or Men in Black with tuxedos. The girls just rolled their eyes and laughed, dismissing it as boys being boys. Coppermane and Flash didn't see it like that at all. They saw it as badass, but that was their prerogative. Then to end it all, they took one big group picture with the girls kneeling down in front of the boys. Coppermane was definitely going to get some of these pictures framed. This was all very new to him, but it was a lot of fun.

Now they were at CHS, and the first thing that caught Coppermane off guard was how loud the music was. Not that he didn't like turning up his own music full blast every now and again, but this seemed a little too loud. He could barely hear Pinkie Pie, and that's saying something. He also noticed that the lighting in the big area was really dark. Everyone's face was bright blue, and it hurt his eyes after a while. Either way, he remembered that his friends and girlfriend were here to guide him through this new experience. The girls and Flash started dancing on their own confidently, while Coppermane sort of stood in their group's circle nodding his head awkwardly. He could see that Fluttershy was much more of a dancer and party person than he was. Fluttershy looked over at her boyfriend nodding his head awkwardly, and tried to give him some encouragement to dance. Coppermane was hesitant, making Fluttershy shake her head, feigning annoyance. His reluctance only made Fluttershy coax him more. She and the rest of them tried telling him that people won't judge him, and that he should just do what comes to his mind. Eventually, Coppermane started warming up to the idea, moving a little more. That mostly involved him doing some lip syncing to the music currently playing, which Fluttershy could only giggle at.

The group danced for a few minutes, having a blast with song after song. Rarity excused herself after a while, presumably to use the restroom or to take a break. Eventually, everyone else had the same idea, and retreated to the quieter, and more properly lit area of the school to relax for a bit. Sunset, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie went to go get some punch, while Fluttershy and Coppermane went broke off to hang out alone for a bit, as did Twilight and Flash. Rarity was still nowhere to be seen, but they all assumed she might be fixing her makeup or something.

As Fluttershy and Coppermane walked around hand in hand, trying to find a place to talk, random people came up to the couple and complimented them on the showcase. Lyra Heartstrings and Sweetie Drops said Coppermane was amazing, and told Fluttershy that she's so lucky to have him. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon came up and were all over Coppermane, but backed off once they saw Fluttershy, giving her somewhat icy looks before walking away. Coppermane told her to pay no mind to it. Then, the Crusaders, consisting of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, came up to Coppermane and said his performance was amazing, and said the same thing to Fluttershy. It seemed like every minute or so, people were coming up to Coppermane to compliment him.

"Oooh!" a familiar perky voice said from behind the couple. They turned around to see Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Sunset Shimmer grinning at them. "Look at you, Mr. Popular!" Pinkie Pie said in a teasing tone, giving him a playful push on the shoulder.

"Seems like y'all are drawin' a lot of attention, Coppermane," Applejack said.

Coppermane blushed, and felt Fluttershy squeeze his hand. "Yeah…I guess…"

"How does it feel to be popular?" Sunset asked.

"Popular?" Coppermane asked. "Oh, I don't know about that…"

"You kiddin'? After the showcase, everyone's talkin' about you two," Applejack said with a smirk.

Fluttershy and Coppermane blushed profusely.

"R-Really?" Fluttershy asked.

The girls nodded. "I've seen people looking over at you two, and smiling," Sunset said.

"Ah think Ah even saw some girls giggling at ya, Coppermane," Applejack said, winking.

"I think some of them even looked jealous," Sunset said, winking at Fluttershy, making her blush.

"You're popular, Coppermane!" Pinkie Pie said energetically.

Coppermane didn't know whether or not to believe them. It was true, people have been coming up to him a lot. He took a moment to pan around the area, and caught a few other students looking at him. As soon as he made eye contact, they darted away. Then, yet another student came up and complimented him, making Applejack, Sunset, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all giggle. Could it be true? Was he one of the cool kids now?

"So how does it feel, Coppermane?" Sunset asked.

Coppermane rubbed his neck, "Well…I don't know. This is all pretty new to me…"

"Just keep an eye out, Coppermane," Applejack said. "Ah reckon people will be comin' up to ya for the rest of the night." Coppermane rubbed his neck nervously, making the girls giggle.

"Well, we'll let you two get back to each other," Sunset said.

"We're so proud of you!" Pinkie Pie said, giving Coppermane a hug.

Coppermane chuckled and reciprocated, "Thanks."

And with that, the three of them walked away, leaving Fluttershy and Coppermane alone together once again.

"I'll wait out here," Coppermane said.

"Okay," Fluttershy said with a smile, walking into the restroom.

It had been a great night so far. Coppermane was apprehensive about going to a social event like this, since it wasn't usually his thing, but his friends were helping to turn this into an extremely enjoyable night. But one thing was off. Rarity seemed to have disappeared. She had excused herself while they were dancing and nobody's seen her since. It couldn't possibly take this long to fix makeup, could it? As he thought about this, he heard sounds coming from around the corner of the hall. It sounded like…a girl crying? Coppermane decided to investigate. He walked over towards the sound, and turned the corner to find a familiar indigo-haired girl, all alone, crying her eyes out.

"Rarity?" Coppermane said.

Rarity gasped sharply, a little startled, and turned around to see Coppermane with a look of worry on his face.

"Oh…hello, Coppermane…" Rarity said, sounding uncharacteristically somber.

Coppermane was shocked to see that Rarity's eyes were almost completely bloodshot, and her face had faint, black streams of mascara running down. How long had she been crying?

"I've been wondering where you went," Coppermane said, approaching her. "What's wrong?"

"Oh…it…it's nothing…" Rarity said, feeling embarrassed.

Coppermane was unconvinced. "Rarity, it's definitely something. I can tell. Talk to me."

Rarity could see there was no getting out of this, so she decided to just come clean. Coppermane was just trying to help her.

Rarity sniffled. "Well…Vladimir Blueblood…he…he asked me to the Formal…but dumped me at the start of the week…"

"Aww, I'm sorry to hear that," Coppermane said sympathetically. But Rarity wasn't done.

"I thought it was because he had another event to go to…but…he's here…and…he's with another girl," Rarity said, breaking down and crying again.

"What?" Coppermane said, shocked. "Is that why you've been gone all night?"

Rarity nodded dejectedly. "I…I just don't know…what I did wrong…" she said, crying her eyes out.

"Hey, don't say that. C'mere, c'mere," Coppermane said, pulling Rarity into a hug, rubbing her back to try and comfort her. Rarity reciprocated his embrace, crying on his shoulder. "Shh…it's okay…it's okay…"

As Coppermane tried to comfort Rarity, Fluttershy came around the corner. She had heard the crying as well, and wanted to investigate. She found Coppermane, and Rarity. She was shocked to see the latter crying, and immediately rushed over to see what was up.

"Rarity? Coppermane?" Fluttershy said, "What's going on?"

Rarity lifted her head, and tried to explain, but she just stammered and went back to crying on Coppermane's shoulder.

"Shh…it's alright," Coppermane said, rubbing Rarity's back. He looked at Fluttershy, her eyes filled with worry. "Her date dumped her, and now he's here with another girl."

Fluttershy gasped, "Oh my gosh. Rarity, I'm so sorry," she said, rubbing Rarity's back too.

Rarity cried on Coppermane's shoulder for a good minute or so before she finally started to calm down.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Coppermane asked.

Rarity lifted her head, and looked at Coppermane and Fluttershy. There was one thing she had in mind, but wasn't sure if they would be alright with it or not. But, as she looked into both of their eyes, and saw deep concern for her. If they really wanted to help…

"Well…there is…one thing," Rarity said.

Coppermane's face lit up. "What's that?"

"If it's alright with Fluttershy…I…I wouldn't mind a dance…"

Coppermane's eyes went wide. A dance? He wanted to help make Rarity feel better, but wasn't sure if Fluttershy would be okay with that, especially considering they just got back together. He looked over at her to find she was already looking at him. She gave him a smile, and nodded, indicating she was alright with it. She knew Coppermane only wanted to cheer Rarity up. Besides, it was a dance after all! You're allowed to dance with other people!

Coppermane looked at Rarity, her eyes still bloodshot. "I'd be happy to," he said.

Rarity's face lit up, and as if on cue, heard the music in the main area change to a slower song. Coppermane looked at Rarity and smiled, holding his hand out.

"Rarity, may I have this dance?" Coppermane asked.

Rarity smiled at the charming gesture. "I'd be delighted," she said, taking his hand.

Coppermane took one more look at Fluttershy. "Next dance is all yours," he said with a wink.

Fluttershy smiled and blushed. "I can't wait," she said, giving her boyfriend a quick peck.

And with that, Coppermane walked Rarity out to the dance floor. As they walked away, Rarity mouthed "Thank you" to Fluttershy, to which Fluttershy winked and smiled.

Coppermane brought Rarity out to the dance floor, and the two began slow dancing together. Coppermane put his hands on her waist, and Rarity reciprocated by putting her hands on his shoulders. Coppermane looked into her eyes, and saw they were still very bloodshot. Her expression was somber, and her face reddened along with faint, black streaks of mascara trailing from her eyes. How long was she crying for?

"Rarity…I'm really sorry about Blueblood," Coppermane said sympathetically.

Rarity sighed. "Oh…it's fine. I guess he's found someone better suited for him…"

"Hey, don't say that," Coppermane said, shocked at what he was hearing. "You're perfectly suited for him."

"Well, why is he here with someone else then? I've had a crush on him for such a long time and…it's just not fair, Coppermane," she said, sniffling, shedding some more tears, and looking down at the ground.

Coppermane felt a tug at his heartstrings. It pained him to see Rarity in such a state. She was usually so sure of herself, and so optimistic. She carried herself so confidently, and was…well…quite fabulous, he had to admit. She could even be bit flirty at times. But this? This wasn't the fashionista Coppermane knew, or at least, he thought he knew. This was a whole new side of Rarity he's never seen before, and a side she probably very seldom showed. A side of her that was very juxtaposition to her usual personality. A side that was more fragile and sensitive. More innocent and demure.

He tried to look through her eyes for a second, and couldn't help but feel her pain. He tried to imagine if Fluttershy did the exact same thing to him. He would be devastated, and he'd feel insecure about himself too. Granted, insecurity was in his nature, but still, if a girl he liked did something like that to him, it would do a huge number on his self-esteem.

Wow…poor Rarity…

"Hey, don't cry. It'll be okay," Coppermane said, but Rarity wasn't budging. She was really hurting. He had to cheer her up…but how? Coppermane pondered for a moment, and smiled when an idea came to him. "Rarity, I'm gonna tell you something," he said, making Rarity finally look up at him. Her eyes were still bloodshot, but she looked curious. He had her attention. "Guys are jerks," he said, eliciting a giggle from Rarity, making her smile for the first time in a while. Coppermane smiled, "I'm serious, we are. We're selfish, ignorant, and we take a lot of things for granted. Society tells us we must be brave, macho, and we can't cry. We also seek to impress, and as a result, we can come off as complete idiots. Guys can do some stupid and insensitive things, and not think about what others might be feeling."

Rarity offered a small smile. "What are you trying to say?" she asked in a soft voice.

Coppermane smiled. "What I'm saying is don't let this get to you. Blueblood has no idea what he's missing out on. I mean, he had a chance to go out with Rarity, one of the greatest girls I know, and he didn't take it," he said, making Rarity blush. "I bet he's regretting his decision as we speak."

Rarity giggled, but her expression immediately turned gloomy again when she spotted something in her peripheral vision. Coppermane noticed she was staring at something behind him, and when he turned around to look, he saw Vladimir Blueblood himself dancing with his new date. Coppermane promptly turned Rarity around, evoking a surprised squeak from her. He turned her such that Rarity's back was facing Blueblood, and in Coppermane's peripheral vision instead of hers.

"Don't look at him," Coppermane said.

"But…I-I just want to see…" Rarity said, turning her head around to look at her crush.

"Rarity," Coppermane said sternly, using his hand to turn her head back to him, "Don't look at him. He had his chance, and he blew it."

Rarity sighed and looked down at the ground with a depressed look on her face. Just when she was starting to feel better too.

"Rarity, look at me," Coppermane said, bringing her chin up, seeing sorrow in her eyes. "You are an amazing girl. You're talented, kind, generous, and beautiful. If Blueblood couldn't see that…if he just threw you away like you were nothing…then he doesn't deserve you. You deserve a guy who appreciates you for you and everything you are, and who won't turn a blind eye."

Rarity started to tear up again; not from sorrow, but from feeling flattered. It was heart-warming to hear one of her best friends praise her like this, just to cheer her up. And he wasn't done.

"One of these days, you'll meet a guy, and without even trying, you will drive him absolutely crazy. And I can already tell you, that guy will not throw you out. He'll adore you, and treasure every second he spends with you. I know it sounds cliché, but I firmly believe it. Your special guy is out there somewhere. It's only a matter of time."

Rarity shed another tear at hearing Coppermane's sweet words. "You…you really think so?" she asked in a demure voice.

Coppermane nodded. "Absolutely. I know from experience," he said, spotting Fluttershy out of his peripheral vision talking to Applejack. He sighed in adoration. "Fluttershy's driven me insane since I first met her." Rarity giggled a little at this. "But I wouldn't trade that craziness for anything else in the world…because I'm crazy for her. I love her with all my heart." Coppermane looked back at Rarity. "And someday, you'll have a guy head over heels for you too. Your knight in shining armor is out there somewhere, I'm sure of it."

Rarity started to tear up again. She felt so privileged to have such a sweet, caring friend like Coppermane. She was so flattered to know he thought about her like that, and was touched that he went out of his way to cheer her up.

Rarity put her hand over Coppermane's heart and gave him a warm smile. "Not all guys are jerks, Coppermane," she said, making Coppermane blush.

Rarity and Coppermane danced together until the end of the song, and the two of them were closer than ever. Coppermane saw a whole new side of Rarity, and was glad he could cheer her up. Rarity never liked showing her sensitive side, but was glad to have a caring friend to help get her back on her feet.

The song was over, changing to another slow one, and the two stopped dancing.

"Feeling better?" Coppermane asked.

Rarity smiled and nodded, "Much better." She pulled Coppermane into a big, warm hug. "Thank you so much, darling."

Coppermane hugged her back, holding her close. "Anytime, Rarity." They released each other, but Coppermane kept his hands on Rarity's shoulders. "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to come find me, okay? I'm always here for you."

Rarity smiled, "Thank you," she said in a meek voice.

"Alright, it's Fluttershy's turn now. Take care of yourself, okay?" Coppermane said.

"I will," Rarity said. "Go show Fluttershy how lucky she is." Coppermane blushed, and with that, he walked away towards his beautiful girlfriend, eager to dance with her.

Rarity watched as Coppermane approached Fluttershy, asking for a dance. Of course, Fluttershy gladly accepted, and the couple walked out to the dance floor together. Rarity smiled. Fluttershy was so lucky to have a such a sweet boyfriend. Rarity spotted Sunset Shimmer and walked over to her. Sunset's face lit up upon seeing her friend.

"There you are," Sunset said. "I've been wondering where you went."

Rarity blushed. "Oh…have you now…" she said bashfully.

Sunset took note of her reserved tone. "Something going on?"

Rarity sighed and proceeded to tell Sunset about what happened, concerning Blueblood dumping her, showing up with another girl, and Coppermane and Fluttershy coming to her rescue. All about how Coppermane danced with her to cheer her up, and what he said to her.

"Wow," Sunset said. Now she understood why Rarity had been absent for most of the night. "Well, do you feel better now?"

Rarity nodded. "Much better." She looked over to the dance floor, and could make out Coppermane and Fluttershy dancing together. Sunset looked over there too, and smiled at the dancing couple. Coppermane twirled Fluttershy, making her dress fan out. She was a little surprised, but it made her smile and giggle. Coppermane pulled her close to kiss her, warming the girls' hearts. Slightly adjacent to them was another couple: Flash Sentry and Twilight. Twilight could be seen laughing at something Flash said before the two shared a kiss.

"You know, Sunset, the world would be a much better place with more guys like Flash Sentry and Coppermane," Rarity said, watching the happy couples dance together.

Sunset chuckled. "Our boys are pretty amazing."

Rarity gigged. "I love our boys so much," she said, making Sunset giggle in agreement.

The two of them spotted Pinkie Pie and Applejack talking together, and decided to join them. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were curious as to where Rarity has been all night, and with that, Rarity and Sunset proceeded to enlighten them.

Coppermane and Fluttershy have been waiting all night for a chance to slow dance together. They remembered when they slow danced for the first time, and how magical it was. Granted, this was in a somewhat noisier environment, but it didn't matter. In that moment, the only people that mattered to the couple was each other.

"So, is Rarity feeling better?" Fluttershy asked.

"I think so," Coppermane said.

"What did you say to her?" Fluttershy asked.

"Well, I told her that Blueblood isn't worth it if he threw her away like that. I assured her that she was an amazing girl, and her prince is out there somewhere. It seemed to cheer her up," Coppermane said.

Fluttershy smiled. "Well, that was very sweet of you to help her," she said, putting her hand on his heart.

Coppermane smiled. "And um…a little off topic…Fluttershy?"

"Yes?" Fluttershy said.

"You look…amazing," Coppermane said with somewhat bug-eyes, even though amazing didn't even come close to describing how stunning Fluttershy looked.

Fluttershy's face went bright red. "Aww…thank you, Coppermane. You look very handsome yourself," she said, making Coppermane blush.

Coppermane smiled and pulled Fluttershy into a tender, loving kiss. As they kissed, Coppermane decided to try something, and dipped Fluttershy. Fluttershy squeaked a little bit in surprise, making Coppermane pull back, still holding Fluttershy in a dipped position.

"C-Coppermane…?" Fluttershy said, still a little startled.

"Sorry…do you not like this?" Coppermane asked, looking worried.

"Oh no…it…it just surprised me…that's all," Fluttershy said, blushing majorly. In reality…she loved this. Coppermane smiled, and leaned in to give her another passionate kiss, making her melt in his arms. She loved being kissed like this. Coppermane brought her back up, and continued to kiss her for a little bit before pulling away. Fluttershy smiled and leaned her head on Coppermane's chest as he held her close.

As the last song ended, the room went to a somewhat normal lighting as Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna walked onstage, the latter holding two prop crowns in her hands.

Principal Celestia walked up to the microphone. "Thank you all for a wonderful Fall Formal so far. As you may know, we're changing things up a bit this year. By popular demand, we've decided to crown a Princess and Prince of the Fall Formal. And this year…the title of Prince and Princess of the Fall Formal goes to none other than…"

Everybody waited with anticipation. Who was it going to be?

"…Coppermane and Fluttershy!"

Coppermane and Fluttershy's hearts dropped almost simultaneously, and their eyes went wide upon hearing their names. Suddenly, everyone's attention was on them, making them blush majorly. Them? Were they even on the ballot?

Flash noticed Coppermane and Fluttershy acting a bit gun-shy, so he decided to give them a little encouragement, ushering them onstage. He needed to go up there soon anyways to play with the band, so why not? Once the couple was onstage, Coppermane decided to get some answers.

"Um…Principal Celestia…not to sound ungrateful or anything…but…I don't even think we were on the ballot," Coppermane said. He looked at Fluttershy, "Did you sign us up?"

Fluttershy shook her head, "N-No," she said, a little on edge from everyone's attention being on her. She had Coppermane's hand in a death grip, practically.

Suddenly, the couple heard Pinkie Pie's voice. "I signed you up! I signed you up!"

The couple raised an eyebrow at Pinkie Pie, who didn't even try feigning innocence, too excited for the couple.

"Why?" Coppermane asked curiously.

"Because you two are only the cutest couple ever!" Pinkie Pie said.

Principal Celestia spoke up. "And I think I speak for everyone when I say after what you did yesterday, ballot or no ballot, you two deserve these crowns."

Vice Principal Luna walked up with the crowns in hand. "And we can assure you that Hoops and Score will be rightfully punished."

Coppermane and Fluttershy couldn't believe what they were hearing. They had secretly signed them up? Everyone began cheering for them as Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna placed the crowns on Fluttershy and Coppermane's heads respectively.

Wow…Prince of the Fall Formal. Coppermane never thought he would be bestowed with such a title. And to make it even better…he had the most beautiful Princess he could ever ask for. As the audience cheered for them, Coppermane and Fluttershy smiled at each other. Coppermane pulled Fluttershy into his arms, and gave her a passionate kiss in front of everyone, making them cheer even louder. Fluttershy felt his lips, and suddenly wasn't nervous anymore. Coppermane's kisses just made all her problems fade away, and she loved it.

And after they pulled away, Flash Sentry handed Coppermane his keytar. Coppermane took the keytar, and gave Fluttershy one more peck before she walked offstage to join her friends. Now, it was Flash Drive's turn to make some music…

{Song:  Here Comes the Sun & Viva la Vida

Ch.17: Convalescence

Dear Twilight,

I decided I should probably write in the message book to update you on what’s going on back home.  Things are going pretty well here.  Spike and I are getting along just fine, and don’t worry, your castle is still standing.  We haven’t burnt it down.  Not yet anyways.  Haha, but seriously, things are great.  I’ve been trying to work on that materialization spell you showed me.  Getting better, but it’s still very difficult to cast.  Eventually, though!  I got to spend my very first Nightmare Night with all of my friends.  Fluttershy was basically clinging to me the entire night.  It took a lot of coaxing to get her to even come out of her house.  I guess she’s not a fan of Nightmare Night.  It was fun either way.

One more thing. Something very…strange happened.  On Friday, out of nowhere, my cutie mark started glowing.  Then, a translucent image of my cutie mark manifested and floated over to the Cutie Map.  I thought that only happened with you girls because of your connections to the Elements of Harmony.  Even more bizarre than that, the next day, Spike and I discovered three more thrones around the Cutie Map.  One has my cutie mark above it, but I don’t recognize the others.  One appears to be a shield with a lightning bolt, and the other is a red and yellow sun. Princess Cadence also wrote to us saying one of her guard’s cutie marks started glowing too.  Weird, right?  Did something happen on your end?  Nothing extraordinary happened over here, unless I completely overlooked it.  You’re the expert on this kind of magic, so I figured you could enlighten me.

We all miss you, and I hope you’re doing well!  When you come back, we’ll work on the duplication spell.  It’s your turn to struggle, haha.  Best wishes, and stay safe!

Your Best Friend,

Coppermane

Sunset Shimmer found herself awake earlier than anyone else.  She heard her backpack buzzing, which could only be coming from her magical message book.  But something wasn’t adding up.  Twilight was already here…right?  Sunset looked to her side to see Twilight sleeping soundly in Flash Sentry’s arms.  Yep, she was here, meaning somebody else, or rather somepony else, was using the book.  Sunset opened her backpack to grab the book, curious as to who was sending a message.  Hopefully it hadn’t been stolen.  This was her only method of communication with Twilight when she wasn’t here, besides physically venturing through the portal.  She opened the book, and was surprised to “Dear Twilight,” at the top.  She opened it just in time to see whomever sign the bottom of the page.  It appeared to be…a letter from pony Coppermane?

Sunset smiled, and took a moment to read over the letter.  She giggled to herself when she read the bit about Nightmare Night.  She looked up at Coppermane and Fluttershy sleeping together, giggling at the image of Fluttershy clinging to Coppermane the whole night.  Fluttershy laid on Coppermane’s chest with his arms around her.  She tried to see if their hands were glowing again…and to her amazement…they were!  She saw Coppermane’s hands glimmer, making Fluttershy stir in her sleep, nuzzling her boyfriend’s chest.  When the glow dwindled, she relaxed once again.  Sunset smiled at the heart-warming sight.  You could tell how much they love each other just by looking at them.  It always brought a smile to Sunset’s face to see them together.  Maybe Sunset could have something like that one day…

Sunset returned her attention to the book, reading the rest of pony Coppermane’s message, but was interrupted when she heard groaning coming from the bed.  She looked to see Coppermane feeling his forehead.  She noticed their hands had stopped glowing as well.  The groaning piqued Sunset’s curiosity.  It didn’t sound like he was stretching.  It almost sounded like he was in pain.  But before Sunset could say anything, Coppermane suddenly made a gagging sound before pushing Fluttershy off and racing to the bathroom, waking her up in the process.  Fluttershy was a little flustered, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and fixing her hair.  She came to her senses and panned around the room, presumably to see if anyone else was awake.  Her eyes landed on Sunset, looking just as fazed as she was.

“Morning.  What’s up with Coppermane?” Sunset asked.

“I-I don’t know,” Fluttershy said, sitting up on the bed.

Suddenly, their questions were answered when they heard the sound of purging coming from the bathroom, making Sunset and Fluttershy cringe.

“Oh my goodness,” Fluttershy said, getting up to head to the bathroom.

Applejack suddenly stirred, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

“Ugh…what in tarnation?” Applejack said.  More sounds came from the bathroom, making her and Sunset cringe.

Sunset sighed.  “Morning, Applejack.”

“Is everythin’ alright?” Applejack asked, sitting up and fixing her hair.  Answering her question, she heard Fluttershy in the hallway, trying to figure out for herself what was going on.

“Coppermane?  A-Are you okay in there?” Fluttershy asked worriedly. The response she got was violent coughing, followed by more sounds of purging.  Fluttershy bit her lip.  Did Coppermane eat something that upset his stomach?  He sounded horrible.  She heard the toilet flush, the sound of running water, and after another violent coughing fit, the bathroom door finally opened.  Fluttershy gasped upon seeing how awful her Coppermane looked.  His hair was unkempt, and his eyes were groggy.  His shirt was as disorderly as his hair, as were his sweatpants.  He leaned on the doorframe to support himself, looking fatigued.  He held his stomach in pain, and he was shivering, despite the hallway being at room temperature.

“M-Morning,” Coppermane said in a very hoarse voice, coughing a little bit.

“Oh, you poor thing,” she said, putting her hand on his heart.  “Let’s get you back to bed.”

Coppermane suddenly felt Fluttershy pull his arm, guiding him back to his room.  His heavy-headedness caused him to stumble around, but Fluttershy was there to keep him stable.  She led him back to his room.

“Here, lay down,” Fluttershy said, guiding Coppermane to his bed.  Coppermane groaned as he laid down, feeling like there was a rock thrashing around in his stomach.  He remained still as Fluttershy felt around his face.  “Oh my goodness, you’re burning up,” she said in a worried tone.

“Is everythin’ alright?” Applejack asked.

Out of her peripheral vision, Applejack could see Rainbow Dash rustle.

“Ugh…what’s going on?” Rainbow Dash said rubbing the sleep out her eyes.

“We need to take your temperature,” Fluttershy said.  “Do you have a thermometer?”

Coppermane nodded, coughing a little bit.  “Cabinet above the utensils in the kitchen,” he said in a rough voice.  Fluttershy wasted no time, and raced downstairs to find the thermometer.  In her wake, she stirred Rarity and Pinkie Pie.

“Morning!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.  She looked over and saw Coppermane laying on the bed with his hand on his stomach.  She immediately raced over to him.  “Coppermane?  Are you okay?  You don’t look so good.  No siree, not good at all!” she said excitedly, yet worriedly, sitting on the bed next to him.  All she got in response was painful groaning.  “You know what I think?  I think somebody partied a little too much last night!” she said teasingly.  The only reply Pinkie Pie got was a sneeze, followed by more coughing.

“Coppermane, darling, you look horrible,” Rarity said, fixing her hair.

“You’re telling me,” Coppermane said…barely.  Before he could say anything else, Fluttershy came racing back in with a thermometer and a flashlight.  She took a seat beside him.

“Here,” Fluttershy said, putting the thermometer in Coppermane’s mouth, and started to feel around his head.  The commotion woke up Flash Sentry and Twilight.  Now everyone had been rudely awakened by the uproar.

“What’s going on?” Flash Sentry asked.

“Coppermane’s sick,” Sunset said.

The thermometer beeped, and Fluttershy took it out of his mouth.  Pinkie Pie glanced at the number.

“Make that very sick,” Pinkie Pie said.

“Oh my…” Fluttershy said broodingly.

“What is it?” Coppermane asked weakly.

“103.2,” Fluttershy said, putting the thermometer back in its case.  She grabbed the flashlight.  “Let’s look at your throat.  Say ‘Ah’,” she said.  Coppermane obliged, and Fluttershy shined the flashlight in Coppermane’s mouth, looking at his throat.  “Goodness…it’s really irritated back there…”

Coppermane had another violent coughing fit, groaning when it stopped.  Fluttershy whimpered sympathetically.

"My poor baby…” she said, brushing his hair.

Coppermane felt another wave of nausea approaching, and bolted for the bathroom again.

“Did he eat something weird last night?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Maybe it was being around everyone at the Formal.  His body's probably not used to being around so many people at once,” Sunset theorized.

“It could just be a bug goin’ around,” Applejack said.  The group heard more puking coming from the bathroom, making them all cringe.

“Well, whatever it is, he sounds awful,” Rarity said.  “Poor thing.”

They heard the bathroom door open, and the sound of another coughing fit grew louder as Coppermane approached the room again.

Coppermane stood in the archway, propping his fatigued self on the doorframe while holding his stomach, groaning.

“S-Sorry…” Coppermane said in a raspy voice.  “Morning, everyone.”

“You alright, Coppermane?” Twilight asked.

Coppermane had another round of coughing before responding.  “N-Not really…” he said.   “Um…if you all want to head downstairs…there should be plenty of food for everyone…”

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash immediately perked up and zipped downstairs, making everyone shake their heads.  One by one, everyone else got up to go downstairs for breakfast as well, with the exception of Fluttershy.

Fluttershy walked up to Coppermane with worry in her eyes.

“Here, let me help you,” she said, taking his hand.

“Fluttershy, I’ll be fine,” Coppermane said before his lack of energy caused his knees to give out.  She caught him before giving him a smirk, raising her eyebrow.  “Well…on second thought…”

Fluttershy just giggled, allowing her sick boyfriend to lean on her as she carefully guided him downstairs.

After a nice breakfast, everyone sat in Coppermane’s living room, talking amongst each other before parting for the day.  They were all looking forward to a nice day of recuperation after an insane week.  At least, most of them were.

Coppermane laid on the couch in Fluttershy’s lap, wrapped in a blanket, looking and feeling miserable.  His fever gave him harsh chills, and his sore throat made his voice weak and hoarse.  He had random, violent coughing spells, made even more painful by his irritated throat.  On top of that, his stomach was acting up, requiring him to have a wastebasket next to him.  He felt so feeble and heavy-headed, although laying in his loving girlfriend’s arms was helping.  He felt her lightly stroke his hair, helping to comfort him a little, despite his condition.

“Well, are we about ready to head out, girls?” Flash Sentry asked everyone.

“Yes, I think it’s about that time,” Rarity said.  “We should let the poor darling rest.”

“Wait, Coppermane can’t drive us home.  How will we all fit in your car?” Twilight asked.

“I can walk,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Ah can too,” Applejack said.

“You girls sure?  I could handle a few minutes of driving,” Coppermane said, breaking into another coughing fit.

“Coppermane, no.  You’re in no condition to drive,” Fluttershy said.

“Rainbow and Ah could use the exercise anyways,” Applejack said.  Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement.

Coppermane was about to protest, but decided to keep his mouth shut.  He knew Fluttershy probably wasn’t going to allow it, so why bother?

“Alright, if you insist,” Coppermane said.

“Well, that makes room for two people, but there were three of us in Coppermane's car," Sunset said.

“Oh…well…I-I was actually hoping I could stay here,” Fluttershy said, rubbing Coppermane’s shoulders.

“Stay here?” Coppermane asked.

“Of course,” Fluttershy said.

“Why?” Coppermane asked curiously.

“So I can take care of you,” Fluttershy said sweetly.

Coppermane rose his eyebrows. “Oh, thanks Fluttershy, but you don’t have to do that,” he said.  “You’ve had a crazy week.  You deserve a day to unwind.”

Fluttershy ran her fingers through his hair.  “Coppermane, you’re sick.  I can’t relax knowing you’re suffering.  I want to help you get better.”

Coppermane pondered for a moment.  Every time he’s gotten sick before, he was on his own.  He had nobody else around.  He’s never had anybody to take care of him.  Maybe it would be nice.  Did she really want to sacrifice her day of relaxation to look after him? If she stayed, it would also solve the car dilemma.

His thoughts were interrupted by another wave of chills, causing him to tremble.  Fluttershy whimpered sympathetically, wrapping her arms around him.

Sunset chuckled.  “Copper, you might as well let her stay.  She’s not going to take no for an answer.”

“And besides, Fluttershy will take super good care of you!” Pinkie Pie said enthusiastically.  “With her around, you’ll be better in no time!”  Fluttershy blushed a little at this.

Coppermane pondered for a moment, and looked up at his girlfriend, smiling down on him, still brushing his hair.  She looked pretty insistent.

“Are you sure?” Coppermane said.  “I don’t want you to get sick too.”

Fluttershy nodded.  “I’m positive.  Besides, I get to spend more time with you,” she said with a smile.

Coppermane certainly wasn’t going to argue with that.  If she really did want to stay and care for him, who was he to argue any further?  Besides, he hated worrying her.

Coppermane smiled up at her.  “Well…okay,” he said, making her face light up.  “But don’t say I didn’t warn you, okay?”

Fluttershy giggled, but her expression sorrowed when another round of chills hit him, causing goosebumps to crawl up his skin.

Fluttershy felt him convulse, and pulled him into her arms.  “It’s okay.  I’m here,” she said, petting his hair.

“Don’t worry, Coppermane.  You’re in good hands,” Rarity said, winking at Fluttershy, making her blush.

Coppermane let out a mighty yawn before breaking into another coughing fit.

“Alright, let’s let the poor darling rest,” Rarity said.

“Hope y’all feel better, Coppermane,” Applejack said.

“Get well soon, Cop,” Rainbow Dash said.

And with that, the rest of the group bid the couple farewell, and exited the house, eager for their day of recuperation.  Fluttershy and Coppermane remained on the couch with Coppermane’s head on Fluttershy’s stomach.

Coppermane coughed a little bit, and spoke in a hoarse voice.  “You don’t have to do this, y’know?”

“Coppermane, it’s fine,” Fluttershy said, squeezing him in her arms.  “I don’t mind at all.  I’m happy to take care of you.”

Coppermane looked up at his girlfriend and smiled.  “You’re the best,” he said before letting out a yawn.

Fluttershy smiled.  “I’ll go get you some water and ibuprofen. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Coppermane shook his head, “That’s just fine, thank you.”

Fluttershy giggled.  “Okay, I’ll be right back,” she said, getting up to head for the kitchen, substituting her lap for a soft pillow.  While she sifted through the cabinets, she heard Coppermane shivering, prompting her to pick up the pace.  She brought the water and medicine back over to him, and went upstairs to grab another blanket for him.

“Here, this will help keep you warm,” Fluttershy said, draping Coppermane in another blanket.  The sudden draft gave him chills, but after Fluttershy tucked him in, he settled, letting out a contented sigh.  Fluttershy smiled, and leaned in, only to be stopped by Coppermane’s hand.

“No, don’t kiss me.  You’ll get sick too,” Coppermane said, only to have Fluttershy move his hand away and kiss him anyways.  Coppermane gave her a smirk, feigning annoyance.  Fluttershy giggled.

“Hey,” Coppermane said, taking Fluttershy’s hand, “Thanks.”

Fluttershy squeezed his hand.  “You’re very welcome,” she said before he let out a big yawn.  She giggled, “Get some sleep.  If you need anything, I’m right here, okay?” she said, brushing his hair.

“Thanks,” Coppermane said, breaking into another coughing fit.  After another wave of shivers, he finally relaxed, allowing the feeling of Fluttershy brushing his hair to lull him to sleep.

It took no time at all for him to drift off.  Being sick was really sapping his energy, and in only a few minutes, he was out cold.  Fluttershy stayed next to him the whole time with no intention of leaving his side.

“Sweet dreams, my handsome prince,” Fluttershy said, giving his warm cheek a kiss.  “I love you…”

Sunset ==> Fluttershy, 4:31 PM

Hey!  How is everything?

Fluttershy ==> Sunset, 4:38 PM

Well, Coppermane’s throat is a little better, and his stomach has settled down.  His fever is still high though, and his voice is hoarse.

Sunset ==> Fluttershy, 4:44 PM

What’s his temperature?

Fluttershy ==> Sunset, 4:50 PM

It was 102.6 when we last took it.  Poor thing.

Sunset ==> Fluttershy, 4:59 PM

Well, glad to hear everything else is a little better.  I probably don’t have to ask, but you’ve been taking good care of him, right?

Fluttershy ==> Sunset, 5:09 PM

Oh, absolutely!  I gave him a back massage earlier, and made him some chai tea.  It’s the only kind he likes.  He’s not much of a tea drinker.  I’m just watching him nap now.  He’s so cute when he’s asleep!

Sunset ==> Fluttershy, 5:12 PM

Haha, I knew we left him in good hands.  Do you need anything, or are you good?

Fluttershy ==> Sunset, 5:16 PM

Actually, if you don’t mind, I wanted to make him some chicken soup, but he’s missing some ingredients.  Can you bring some things over? If it’s not too much trouble.  You don’t have to if you don't want to.

Sunset ==> Fluttershy, 5:20 PM

Sure! I can run to the store for you, I don’t mind at all. Just text me a list of what you need, and I’ll be over there as soon as possible.

Fluttershy ==> Sunset, 5:24 PM

Are you sure?  You probably have other things to do, right? I don't want to impose.

Sunset ==> Fluttershy, 5:26 PM

Fluttershy, it’s fine, I promise. I'm not doing anything important right now. I asked you if you needed anything, didn’t I?  Send me a list, and I’ll be over there soon with whatever you need ;)

Fluttershy ==> Sunset, 5:30 PM

Well, okay.  I need carrots, broccoli, onions, and chicken broth.  Thank you so much, Sunset!

Sunset ==> Fluttershy, 5:34 PM

You got it!  I’ll be over there as soon as possible.

Fluttershy ==> Sunset, 5:36 PM

See you soon, and thank you so much again!

Fluttershy sat at Coppermane’s side as he slept, brushing his hair.  Even when he was sick, he was adorable when he slept.  She waited with anticipation for Sunset Shimmer to arrive.  Coppermane didn’t know she was coming since he’s been sleeping for the past couple hours, and Fluttershy didn’t want to wake him up, but she figured he wouldn’t mind.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Fluttershy perked up.  Sunset was here!  Fluttershy quickly, but quietly, made her way to the door.  She opened it up to see her fiery-haired best friend standing on the other side holding grocery bags.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” Sunset said.

“Hello,” Fluttershy said in a hushed voice.  “Come on in, but quietly.  He’s still asleep.”

“Oh, okay,” Sunset said before walking in.  She entered the living room, and saw Coppermane sleeping peacefully on the couch, as if he hadn’t moved since she was here this morning.

“Isn’t he just adorable when he’s asleep?” Fluttershy said with a big smile on her face.  Sunset could only chuckle.

“Where can I put these?” Sunset asked.

“Oh, just on the table is fine,” Fluttershy said.  Sunset did just that, but unfortunately, the commotion woke Coppermane up, as indicated by another coughing fit.

Fluttershy immediately walked over to him.  “Hi, Coppermane,” she said, putting her hand over his heart.  “Did you have a good nap?”

“Mmmhmm,” Coppermane said in a hoarse voice, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.  He heard commotion coming from the kitchen, and was surprised to see a familiar fiery, red-and-yellow hairdo.  “Sunset Shimmer?”

Sunset heard her name, and turned around to see Coppermane looking at her.

“Oh, sorry, did I wake you up?” Sunset asked.

“No, you’re fine,” Coppermane said.  “What’re you doing here?”

“She brought ingredients over so I could make you some chicken soup,” Fluttershy said sweetly.

Coppermane rose an eyebrow.  “You’re…gonna make me soup?”

“Of course!” Fluttershy said.  “Soup always helps when you’re sick, especially with a sore throat.”

Coppermane could only smile.  He put his hand over hers.  “You’re the best.  Thank you so much.”

Fluttershy smiled back.  “Anything for my handsome prince.”

Coppermane’s heart danced.  Just the most perfect princess ever…

“Do you need anything else before I get started?” Fluttershy asked.

“Nope, I’m good.  Thanks,” Coppermane said with a smile.

Fluttershy smiled and gave him one more kiss on the cheek before adjourning to the kitchen to cook Coppermane’s soup.  Coppermane couldn’t help himself from gawking at Fluttershy as she walked away.  She had such a nice figure.

“Do you two mind if I stick around for a little bit?  I was kind of bored back home,” Sunset said.

“Not at all!” Fluttershy said with a smile, cutting up some celery.

“You can stay for as long as you want,” Coppermane said, coughing a little bit.  Sunset smiled and walked over to Coppermane.

“Looks like Fluttershy’s been taking good care of you,” Sunset said, sitting down next to him.

Coppermane chuckled.  “No kidding,” he said in a rough voice, folding his legs to make room for Sunset.  He tried sitting up, but his heavy-headedness caused him to fall on the back of the couch.  He wrapped his blanket around him to guard against chills.  “Maybe I should get sick more often.”

Sunset giggled.  “Something tells me Fluttershy wouldn’t like that too much.”

Coppermane chuckled.  “Yeah, probably not.  Hey, thanks for bringing soup ingredients over.”

“No problem!  Always glad to help,” Sunset said.  “So…how are you feeling?”

Coppermane sighed, shivering a little bit as more shivers hit.  “Well, as I’m sure you can tell, my throat still hurts, but at least my stomach has settled.  Still running a fever though,” he said, wrapping himself tighter in his blanket.

“Well, you’re better than you were this morning,” Sunset said.

“True.  And at least Fluttershy’s here,” Coppermane said, his eyes wandering over to the pink-haired beauty in the kitchen.  She hummed as she went about her work, making Coppermane’s heart dance.  She had the sweetest little voice.  She was so beautiful…

“Hey, Coppermane?” Sunset said, breaking Coppermane out of his trance.

Coppermane blinked, looking back at Sunset.  “Hmm?”

“Can I ask you something?” Sunset said.  “I mean, as long as it won’t be too much on your throat.”

“I’ll manage,” Coppermane said with a smirk, coughing a little bit.  “What is it?”

“I just wanted to ask how it felt to win Fall Formal Prince,” Sunset asked.

Coppermane’s face lit up.  “Oh, Fall Formal Prince?  Well, it definitely unexpected, but a huge honor.  Pinkie Pie can be quite devious sometimes, can’t she?” he said, making Sunset chuckle.  “But most of all, I have the most perfect princess I could ask for.”  He glanced over at Fluttershy again, catching her looking at him.  She blushed a little bit, and gave a cute wave.  Coppermane could only chuckle, waving back.  He returned his attention to Sunset.  “Although, I’m sure you must know what it’s like to win Fall Formal Princess, right?”

Sunset’s heart dropped.  “Wh-What?”

“Well, I remember seeing your face in Principal Celestia’s office on my first day.  Three years in a row, huh?” Coppermane said, completely nonchalant.

Sunset bit her lip.  “Um…c-can we…not talk about that?”

Coppermane looked at her quizzically.  “Why not?  Three times in a row?  You should be proud!”

“Coppermane…please…”

“You must’ve been pretty popular, huh?”

“Copper…”

“I mean, three consecutive years?”

“There’s nothing to be proud about, Coppermane, so can you please just drop it?” Sunset said abruptly, and rather loudly.

Coppermane flinched at the sudden increase in volume.  Where did that come from?  Winning Fall Formal Princess three years in a row?  Surely, that’s something to be proud of, right?  Right?

“Um…I’m sorry…d-did I say something?” Coppermane asked.

Sunset looked at him with a scowl.  “I was just asking you a question.  No need to take shots at me…”

“Take shots?” Coppermane said.  “I…I wasn’t trying to offend you or anything.”

“You know I don’t like being reminded of…the old me,” Sunset said.

“The old you?  Sunset, what are you talking about?” Coppermane asked.

“Don’t act like you don’t know…” Sunset said, holding herself in her arms.

“Sunset, I don’t know, I seriously don’t,” Coppermane said.  He paused when he noticed something in her eye.  A tear?  “Sunset, what’s wrong?  What did I say?”

“Coppermane, you know damn well what—” Sunset stopped herself, her expression softening as she had an epiphany.  He didn’t know.  He was telling the truth.  He had no idea what she was talking about because he never knew the old Sunset Shimmer.  He had no idea what a horrible person she used to be.  She was so used to her classmates bringing up her Fall Formal Princess streak in order to berate her.  She failed to remember that he’s never had to put up with the old Sunset Shimmer.  Now, she may have offended him by snapping at him.

Sunset looked back at Coppermane, her heart heavy with remorse.  “Coppermane…I…I’m so sorry for snapping at you.”

Coppermane smiled, easing Sunset’s mind a little.

“You’re fine.  Sorry for…whatever I said,” Coppermane said.  “But…if you don’t mind me asking…what exactly did I say to upset you?”

Sunset bit her lip.  It surprised her that nobody has told him about the old Sunset Shimmer.  Part of her felt relieved.  He didn’t know about how awful she used to be.  He didn’t know about all her mistakes.  He only knew about the Sunset Shimmer seeking redemption.  The nice version, relatively speaking.  She almost didn’t want apprise him.  She wanted to maintain the illusion that she’s always been a decent person.  What would he think of her if she revealed who she used to be?  Would she lose another good friend?

“Sunset, talk to me.  What did I say?  How bad could it possibly be?” Coppermane said.

Oh, it’s pretty bad, Coppermane.

Sunset thought realistically for a moment.  If he stays at CHS, he was inevitably going to find out.  That day has been secured in the annals of CHS history forever, and one way or another, he’d learn the truth.  As much as she didn’t want to disclose the information to him, she knew it was the right thing to do.  If he was going to find out…better learn from her than someone else.

Sunset sighed.  “Coppermane…um…there’s something you don’t know about me.”

Coppermane rose his eyebrow.  “Would it have to do with this ‘Old You’?”

Sunset’s shoulders tensed.  “Actually…it has everything to do with that…” she said, looking down in shame.

“Well, I’m all ears,” Coppermane said.

Sunset took a deep breath, and proceeded to tell Coppermane all about her old self.  She told him all about how she’s from Equestria, just like Twilight.  Power was all she craved, and when she didn’t get what she wanted, she fled to this world. She told him all about how she basically ruled all of CHS.  Whenever she didn’t get her way, she would use scare tactics and force to make it otherwise.  She told him about how she dated Flash Sentry for a time, not because she liked him, but just to make herself more popular.  Then, the fateful day when Twilight showed up.  She told him all about that year’s Fall Formal, and how she turned into a “raging she-demon”, and realized how much of a monster she truly was.  Now reformed, she tried to seek acceptance once again, but everyone resented her, and rightfully so.  Basically everyone in CHS held a grudge against her, with the exception of Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy.

“The old me was just…awful…” Sunset said, feeling a warm streak on her face as a single tear travelled down.

Coppermane couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  Apparently, he’s only ever known the “good” Sunset Shimmer.  He never knew the “bad” version.  He couldn’t even imagine Sunset being anything other than awesome.  And studying her face further…was that a tear?

“Well, Sunset,” Coppermane said, “I can already tell you that the Sunset Shimmer I’ve always known has been nothing but awesome.  Honestly, it’s hard for me to picture you as…well…a bully.  You’re one of the coolest girls I’ve ever met.”

Sunset smiled a little at this, but her remorse for her past overshadowed that little glimmer of light, causing her expression to darken once more.  “Well…thanks Coppermane.  Unfortunately…a lot of people still look at me and see a monster.  After the incident…I just felt so alone.  I was scared to even approach the girls for a while, just because I was afraid they would hate me.  I mean…I’ve won most of everyone’s trust back to some degree…but there’s still a fair number of classmates who hate me…and…well…they have every right to.  Who wouldn’t hate after everything I’ve done…?”

“Hey, don’t say that,” Coppermane said.  “There’s plenty of people who wave at you and say hi.  I’ve seen it for myself when we walk to Physics together.”

Sunset sighed.  “I just can’t help but feel like everyone still had this deep-seated grudge against me.  On the surface, they might like me, but deep down…”

“Sunset, don’t think like that,” Coppermane said.  “I’m sure if given some time, they’ll warm up to you.”

“Coppermane, let me ask you something,” Sunset said, “How would you feel if one day, Hoops and Score came up to you, and said they’ve changed their ways.  What if they tried to be your friend?  Think about that.  After all the horrible things they’ve done to you…after almost completely separating you from your friends…separating you from Fluttershy…how would you feel?”

Coppermane opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.  Sunset let her head hang low in shame.  She was looking away from Coppermane, but he could still see the sheer amount of regret in her eyes.  He saw something he never expected to see from a girl like Sunset:  fear.  However, after hearing about everything she’s been through, seeing Sunset so scared didn’t seem that foreign anymore.  He saw a tear run down her face as she looked down with compunction.  Coppermane has always seen Sunset carry herself so confidently, and always seemed so happy.  But now, Coppermane was seeing under the surface, deeper into Sunset’s true feelings.  He looked at Sunset’s dispirited expression, and saw one thing:  guilt.

Wow…poor Sunset…

Beneath that tough, pretty exterior was a sensitive, vulnerable girl.

Coppermane thought about Sunset’s question.  What if Hoops and Score tried to be his friend after everything they’ve done to him?  He wanted to make Sunset feel better, but at the same time, he knew he had to be honest.

“Well, I see your point, Sunset.  I won’t deny that I would be rather taken aback if they tried to be my friend after all this,” Coppermane said, making Sunset’s expression sorrow even further.  “But, I think after some time passes, and if they really try, I could warm up to them.”

This made Sunset look at Coppermane.  “Really?” she asked incredulously.  “Even after everything they’ve done to you…you could forgive them?  You would give them a second chance?”

Coppermane shrugged.  “Forgiveness would definitely take a long time, but a second chance?  I believe everyone deserves a second chance.  And…if it makes you feel any better…” he said, putting his hand on Sunset’s shoulder, “For someone who never knew the old Sunset Shimmer, you’re one of the nicest, coolest girls I’ve ever met, and it’s seriously hard for me to imagine you being anything other than awesome.”

Sunset couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  After hearing about everything she’s done, he doesn’t hate her?  Nice?  Cool?  Did he really think about her like that?

Sunset managed a small, yet sincere smile.  “Y-You really think so?”

“I know so,” Coppermane said.

Sunset was flattered, but the light was short lived.  Her inner fear and insecurity made her expression go somber once again.  “I don’t know, Coppermane.  It’s just hard sometimes…”

Coppermane looked at Sunset with worry.  Seeing Sunset like this was really tugging on his heartstrings.  “Well, Sunset, if you ever need help, your friends are always here for you.  Rest assured we all love you, and we’ll always stand up for you if someone berates you for your mistakes.  And if you ever want to talk about these things, or if you just want to vent, I’ll listen to every word.  Trust me…I know what it’s like to be alone…”

Sunset sighed.  “Coppermane, how could you possibly know what it’s like to have everyone hate you?  You have no idea what it’s like to be all by yourself with nobody t—” she stopped when she had another epiphany.  Her eyes went wide.  Once again, she failed to realize something.  Coppermane knows exactly what it’s like to be all alone.  To have everybody hate you…and in his case…unconditionally hate you.  Coppermane knew almost verbatim what it felt like.  The agony from his experiences is what fueled his revelations at the musical showcase.  It’s why he was so scared of the group when they first met.  It’s what allowed him to invoke the magic of friendship, and unlock his element.  It’s why he fell for Fluttershy, because she was the first person to reach out to him and give him a chance.  Sure, the rest of Sunset’s friends tried to be sympathetic and compassionate towards her, but in reality, they’ve never experienced the torment firsthand.  Coppermane has.  He could actually feel for her…and Sunset realized she could feel for him too.  He knew exactly what it’s like.  Sunset cursed herself inside.  How could she be so ignorant?

“Coppermane…I…I’m so sorry…I totally forgot—”

“It’s fine,” Coppermane said.  “That’s all history now…and your past is too.  And there’ll always be people who don’t like you, Sunset.  That’s just a fact of life.  Just remember that for every person who isn’t very fond of you, there’s a friend out there who cares about you and adores you…including me.  Remember who you truly are:  a nice, cool, beautiful, awesome girl, who I know would do anything for her friends.  And we would do anything for you.  You’re a good person, Sunset.  Don’t let a few negative opinions make you forget that, because in my opinion…you’re a great friend,” he said with a wink.

Sunset felt her eyes welling up again, but not from guilt, from consolation.  It was so flattering to hear Coppermane praise her like this. As she thought about it, since the incident, she really has come a long way.  Sure, there would still be people out there who hate her, whether it’s for her past mistakes or not, but dwarfing those people were a plethora of classmates who have forgiven her.  And to hear from someone who never knew the old Sunset Shimmer that they can’t even imagine her being a bully?  That alone made her happy beyond belief.  She still felt extremely remorseful for her mistakes, but she also had the greatest friends any girl could ask for.  And Coppermane was right, they would always be there for her to help ease her pain.  To reassure her that she’s not a monster.  They always have been…

Coppermane spoke up again.  “Hey…um…I’m sorry for bringing up the Fall Formal Princess thing.  I didn’t think it would stir so many memories.”

Sunset smiled for the first time since they started this conversation.  “It’s fine.  I’m sorry I snapped at you.  I forgot that you never even knew the old me.  But…I’m glad you know about her now.”  She pulled Coppermane into a big hug, completely ignoring the fact that he was sick.  She held him tight in her arms.  “Thank you so much…”

Coppermane was a little surprised at first, but soon smiled and warmly reciprocated.  “Anytime, Sunset.  Remember, if you have any problems, we’re always here for you.”

Sunset’s revelations added a whole new dimension to her that Coppermane never expected to see, but he was glad he could now.

“Rarity was right,” Sunset said.

Coppermane rose an eyebrow.  “Hmm?”

Sunset realized she said that out loud, and pulled out of the hug, blushing a little.  “Um…n-nothing…”

Coppermane looked at her quizzically, and just shrugged.  Probably something private between her and Rarity.  None of his business.  Coppermane felt another round of chills hit, making him wrap his blanket around himself tighter.  After another coughing fit struck, he spotted his beautiful girlfriend approaching him with a bowl in her hand.

“Coppermane!  Your soup’s ready!” Fluttershy said sweetly.

Coppermane smiled upon hearing her sweet voice again.  He adjusted himself on the couch, sitting up straight so he could better eat.  Fluttershy handed the bowl to him, and he set it in his lap.  He looked down to see chicken, vegetables, and various spices floating in a pool of broth.  His mouth watered at the aroma.

“Thank you so much, Fluttershy,” Coppermane said, smiling.

Fluttershy smiled and blew him a kiss.  “You’re very welcome.”

Coppermane smiled, and took his first spoonful.  Wow…Fluttershy really could cook!  His taste buds danced at the flavors.  He swallowed, and the hot broth hit the abraded area of his throat, sending a soothing sensation throughout his body.

“Ahh…that’s the stuff…” Coppermane said, enjoying the soothing feeling.

Fluttershy smiled at his blissful face.  “Sunset, would you like some?”

Sunset’s face lit up.  “Sure, why not?”

Fluttershy smiled and went back to the kitchen to get Sunset and herself some soup.

“Gosh, I love her so much,” Coppermane said, making Sunset giggle.

Sunset migrated to the armchair so Coppermane and Fluttershy could sit together.  Fluttershy brought a bowl back for herself and Sunset, and the three spent the rest of the evening eating soup, talking, and watching a couple movies.  Coppermane might’ve been sick today, but it was still amazing.  Getting closer to one of his best friends…being able to make his girlfriend smile by letting her take care of him…a successful day in Coppermane’s book.

Fluttershy wanted Coppermane to get plenty of rest so he could be good and healthy for school tomorrow, or at least feeling better than he did now, so she decided that it was time for her and Sunset to leave.  Fluttershy took Coppermane’s temperature one more time.  101.5.  It’s been decreasing all day.  At this rate, he should be fine for tomorrow, which made Fluttershy happy.  It’s a good thing Sunset stuck around, because she could give Fluttershy a ride home.  The group stood in the entrance hall with Sunset by the door, and Coppermane and Fluttershy standing close.  Coppermane supported himself on the wall with Fluttershy giving him some last minute instructions.

“Remember, take some ibuprofen before you go to sleep, okay?  And drink plenty of fluids,” Fluttershy said.

“Okay, I promise,” Coppermane said, but she wasn’t done…

“Text me with your temperature in the morning, and tell me how you feel.”

“Okay, Fluttershy, okay,” Coppermane said, chuckling a little.  “I’ll do all those things, don’t worry.”

“Make sure you get plenty of sleep, okay?”

“Yes, I promise,” Coppermane said.  “Jeez, are you my girlfriend, or my mom?”

Fluttershy giggled, her face turning a slight shade of red.  “I only want you to get better.”

“I know, I know.  I just like teasing you,” Coppermane said.  “Hey…um…thanks for taking care of me today.  I…I really appreciate it.”

Fluttershy smiled.  “You're very welcome, Coppermane.” She lifted her head to give him a kiss on the cheek.  “I love you.”

Coppermane lifted his hand to touch his cheek, warm from her sweet lips.  “I love you too.”  Another wave of chills hit him, making Fluttershy whimper sympathetically, putting her hand on his heart.  Coppermane smiled at her condolence.  “I’ll be fine, I promise.  You should probably be going.  I’m sure Angel and all your pets miss you.”

Fluttershy giggled, and gave him one more kiss on the cheek before she joined Sunset at the door.  Sunset opened it up, and Fluttershy started to follow her out, but she couldn’t help herself from sneaking one more glance at her boyfriend.  She turned around, only to catch him checking her out.  She noticed his eyes were aimed a bit…lower than usual.  He saw her glance back, and quickly darted his vision away, biting his lip.  His face turned to a bright shade of red.  Fluttershy’s cheeks went rosy as well, but she couldn’t help but giggle.  He was so adorable when he blushed!  He looked back up at her, and his face went even redder when he saw her smiling at him.  Fluttershy blew him a kiss.

“I love you…my prince,” Fluttershy said.

Coppermane’s heart fluttered.  Hearing those words…it was music to his ears.

Coppermane blew a kiss back, making her blush.  “I love you too…my princess.”

Fluttershy’s heart did a pirouette.  She would never get tired of hearing him say those heavenly words. She gave him one more wave before walking out the door to join Sunset in her car, closing the front door behind her.

Coppermane didn’t know why he got so embarrassed when she caught him looking at her.  She's his girlfriend, after all.  He’s allowed to check her out…right?  Eh…it’s probably just the way his brain’s wired.  Either way, Coppermane knew he was the luckiest guy in the world to have a girl as lovely as Fluttershy.  When his princess smiled, there wasn’t a prettier sight in the world.

Now, following his girlfriend’s instructions, he immediately started getting ready for bed.  Tomorrow would be his first day of school after the showcase and Formal…assuming he felt better.

Sunset ==> Coppermane, 10:05 PM

Hey, thanks for talking to me earlier today.  I feel a lot better after getting that off my chest.  It’s been an honor getting to know you these past few weeks, and I’m glad we’ve been able to help you as much as we have.  Hopefully you’ll feel better enough for school tomorrow, because I can guarantee you, you’re one of the cool kids now, and will be treated as such, haha.  Hope you get better soon, and thanks again :)

Ch.18: Passion

Coppermane ==> Fluttershy, 6:17 AM

Temperature is 99.0.  Throat is still a little sore, and my head is a little swimmy, but I think I can come to school today.

Fluttershy ==> Coppermane, 6:22 AM

Yay!  Take some ibuprofen before you leave, okay?

Coppermane ==> Fluttershy, 6:25 AM

Yes, ma’am, lol.  See you soon.  Love you :)

Fluttershy ==> Coppermane, 6:31 AM

I can’t wait.  I love you too! :D

It was the first day of school since the musical showcase and the Fall Formal, and Coppermane was on his toes.  So much happened over the weekend, and Coppermane had no idea what to expect as far as how his fellow classmates would see him.  That’s not the main reason why he was apprehensive, though.  His unease stemmed from the fear that Hoops and Score would be lurking around every corner to get back at him.  Coppermane couldn’t imagine them being anything other than pissed after the showcase, and hungering for revenge.  He didn’t have any classes with them, yet they always seemed to know where he was.  They passed by him a fair number of times in the hallways on his way to class, and they knew where his locker was.  Hopefully, nothing bad would happen today, but nevertheless, he had to be on alert.

On the way to his first class, Coppermane was on his toes. His mental radar was scanning at every corner, just waiting for one or both jocks to pounce.  Luckily for him, it never happened.  In fact, he actually received a lot of praise as he walked down the halls.  He caught a few girls looking at him, making them dart their gazes away, their faces turning red as they giggled. Some even waved.  Coppermane would feel his own face heat up as well.  He's never had girls checking him out before in that way. CHS had a lot of pretty girls, which made it even more humbling.  Aside from Fluttershy, he’s never had girls taking glances at him before.  Some of the athletes came up and complimented Coppermane on his performance at the showcase.  Some of the fashionistas came up to him and asked him if his hair color was natural, and were rather impressed when they found out it was.  All of this happened within the first fifteen minutes of entering the building, and Coppermane found himself quite humbled.

Now, he was sitting in Film Studies, talking with Rarity while they waited for class to start.

“I’m delighted to see you’re feeling better, darling,” Rarity said.

“Yeah, no kidding,” Coppermane said.

“Fluttershy took good care of you, did she not?”

“Oh, she did,” Coppermane said.  “She made tea, cooked me soup, let me get plenty of sleep, and even gave me a back massage.  And…wow…Fluttershy has magic fingers.  Yeah…she took care of me alright.”

“How lovely!” Rarity said.

“Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask you something,” Coppermane said.  “How was the rest of the Formal after we danced?”

Rarity’s expression went somewhat sour.  “Well…actually…shortly after you and Fluttershy were crowned…Blueblood approached me.”

Coppermane’s eyes went wide.  “Seriously?” he asked.

“Mmmhmm,” Rarity said.  “He asked me for a dance.”

“You’re kidding,” Coppermane said incredulously.  Rarity shook her head, boggling Coppermane’s mind.  Blueblood had the nerve to ask her for a dance after he broke her heart?  “Well…what did you say?”

Rarity grinned.  “I simply scoffed at him and walked away.”

Coppermane chuckled.  “Good for you.  You deserve better than him.”

Rarity blushed.  “Well…thank you for dancing with me.  Honestly…it saved my night.”

Coppermane smiled.  “I was happy to help cheer you up.  Besides…it was fun.”

Suddenly, the bell rang, and soon after, a voice came over the intercom.

“Hoops and Score, please report to the main office.”

Suddenly, everyone in the room looked at Coppermane, and started snickering.  Coppermane bit his lip, feeling his face heat up.  Practically all of CHS was at the musical showcase, so they knew what was up.  He turned to Rarity, who was smirking as well.

“And so it begins…” Coppermane said, looking nervous.

“It’ll be okay,” Rarity said.

Coppermane could already picture the jocks hunting him down after they got out of Principal Celestia’s office.  Or worse…they might go after Fluttershy.  With this in mind, Coppermane went for his phone.

Coppermane ==> Fluttershy, 7:23 AM

Hey, keep an eye out for Hoops and Score today.  I imagine they’ll be pissed when they come out of Principal Celestia’s office.

“No phones in class, please,” the teacher said.

Coppermane flinched.  “Sorry…” he said, promptly putting his phone away.

The teacher talked for a little while, and then started up the movie for the day.  Film Studies was the best way to start the day.  All you do is watch movies and occasionally answer questions on them.  It was perfect for a bunch of groggy high school students.  Everything was going alright…until about twenty minutes into the movie.  Another voice came over the intercom.

“Coppermane, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy, please report to the main office.”

Coppermane’s heart dropped, and he felt everyone’s eyes on him.  Crap…he completely overlooked the fact that they would probably need to hear from both fronts.  He looked over at Rarity, looking as surprised as he was, pursing her lips.

Why just the three of them, though?  Why not the entire group?

Either way, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were probably on their way already, and he couldn’t keep them waiting.  He gave Rarity a wave goodbye, and quickly made his way out of the room, feeling everyone’s gaze follow him as he departed.

Coppermane took a deep breath and opened the door, only to see that he was the first one there.  Looking back at him were Principal Celestia and Luna…as well as two very angry-looking jocks.  Coppermane flinched when he saw them, and felt sweat creeping up out of his skin.  They did not look happy.

“Coppermane, thank you for coming down here so quickly,” Vice Principal Luna said.

“Please have a seat.  We’ll wait for a moment for the other two,” Principal Celestia said.

Coppermane gave a nervous smile as he took the seat furthest from the jocks.

“So…um…wh-what’s this about?” Coppermane asked nervously.  But before they could answer, the door opened again as Rainbow Dash entered, closely followed by Fluttershy.  Upon seeing his beautiful girlfriend, Coppermane immediately felt a little more relaxed.

“Thank you for coming down you two,” Principal Celestia said.  “Please have a seat."

Rainbow Dash took a seat in the middle of the jocks and the couple.  Fluttershy took a seat next to Coppermane, and wasted no time in finding his hand.  Coppermane immediately felt more at ease when she interlaced her fingers with his.  Coppermane couldn’t help himself from giving her hand a quick kiss, hearing her giggle as he did so.

“So, what’s this about?” Rainbow Dash asked, obviously not thrilled to be here.

“Well, we’ve been trying to get some insight on Hoops and Score’s bullying history,” Principal Celestia said.

“We’ve heard what they had to say, but now we want to hear your side of the story,” Vice Principal Luna said.  “We called you three down because they specifically mentioned you.”

“Well, what’ve they told you?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Hoops suddenly spoke up.  “About how Coppermane almost jumped us when we were trying to talk to her,” he said, pointing at Fluttershy.

“Just trying to introduce ourselves, and Coppermane threatened us out of nowhere,” Score said, trying to act innocent.

“Out of nowhere?!” Coppermane snapped.  “Are you serious?  You two were pressuring Fluttershy to hang out with when she clearly said no, and after she told you to stop.”

The principals both raised an eyebrow.  They hadn’t heard this bit yet.

“Maybe, but surely it didn’t warrant a threat,” Hoops said.

“You two were scaring her.  How could you not see that?  And this was right after you jumped me for the umpteenth time!” Coppermane said.  He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  They were trying to justify their actions?

“Is this true, Fluttershy?” Vice Principal Luna asked.

Fluttershy was rather stiff, also in disbelief at what she was hearing.  She looked up at the Vice Principal.

“Y-Yes…” Fluttershy said.

“Hmm…interesting…” Principal Celestia said, writing something down on a document.  Presumably a pseudo-log of what they were saying.

Fluttershy’s response seemed to shut the jocks up.

“So…what else did you tell them?” Coppermane sneered.

“Coppermane…y-you’re hurting my hand…” Fluttershy said timidly.

“Oh…sorry…” Coppermane said, letting go of her hand, gently massaging it as she rested it on the arm of the chair.  She smiled at the gesture.

Before the jocks could speak, Rainbow Dash spoke up, asking the principals a question.

“Did they mention that I caught Hoops pinning Coppermane against the lockers by his shirt?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“They did what?” Principal Celestia asked.

“Yeah…after he called us douchebags…” Hoops said, sounding like a little kid.

“Oh, give me a break,” Coppermane said.  “That was right after you hit on Fluttershy in front of me, even after I clearly told you she’s mine, and after you jumped me again.”

“I don’t think you told us that part,” Vice Principal Luna said, looking at the jocks.

“This is so unfair!” Hoops said.

“You’re just siding with them because they make the school look good with their pony ears and wings!” Score said.

“Hey, it makes us look cool,” Rainbow Dash retorted with a smirk.

“And it’s the only thing that makes your stupid band seem even halfway decent,” Hoops said, making Rainbow Dash’s eye go wide in offense.

“Hey! Don’t talk about my friends’ band like that,” Coppermane snapped.

“And you,” Score said, scolding Coppermane.  “Don’t think you’re cool just because you grow a ponytail when you play music.”

“I’ll have you know, you’re talking to the Fall Formal Prince and Princess,” Rainbow Dash said.

“What?!” the jocks said in disbelief.  Coppermane and Fluttershy blushed profusely.  They still couldn’t believe they had the title of Prince and Princess.

Rainbow Dash chuckled.  “That’s right.  They’re part of CHS history now.  What have you two done, besides being total jerks?  If he isn’t one of the cool kids now, I don’t know what he is.”

“Whatever,” Score said.  “It’s just a stupid title.”

“I still don’t know what your girlfriend sees in you,” Hoops said.

Rainbow Dash scowled.  “What are you trying to say about my friends, huh?”

“Hey, it’s not my fault if his girlfriend is stupid,” Score said.  “She might as well be just as lame as he is to fall in love with him.”

“Hey!” Coppermane snapped, banging his fist on the arm of the chair, making everyone in the room flinch.  “Don’t you dare talk about my Fluttershy like that!”

“That is enough!” Vice Principal Luna said, raising her volume, silencing everyone.  She turned her head to the jocks.  “That behavior of yours is exactly why we’re here.”

Fluttershy placed her hand on Coppermane’s heart.  “Coppermane…please calm down…”

Coppermane looked to his side, and saw Fluttershy’s concerned face.  Simply looking at her eased his mind.  His expression softened as he placed his hand over hers.

“S-Sorry…” Coppermane said, relaxing back in his chair.  Fluttershy squeezed his hand, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Now then…back to business.  Coppermane, have you had any other encounters?” Principal Celestia asked.

Coppermane’s eyes went wide, and a big, almost devious smirk grew on his face.  He could see very worried looks on the jocks’ faces.

Coppermane proceeded to tell them about other times Hoops and Score have bullied him.  He told them about the first time they jumped him.  They just walked up to him, belittled him, and knocked his books out of his hands before pushing him over and kicking him in the stomach.  He told them about the time they did it, and when Twilight and Fluttershy came to help him.

“And then…well…you two saw for yourselves what happened at the musical showcase,” Coppermane said.

The principals looked rather shocked.  What happened at the musical showcase was most major incident, but to know that this has been happening since his first day here?

“Well, thank you for bringing this to our attention,” Vice Principal Luna said.

“You three are free to go,” Principal Celestia said before turning to the jocks.  “And as for you two, we will decide your punishment later, but until then, you’ll be in ISS, effective immediately.”

“What?!” the jocks said.

“Are you really that surprised?” Rainbow Dash remarked, earning a scowl from the jocks.  Despite that, she kept a smug look on her face.

“We’ll call a hall monitor down to escort you to the ISS room.  Coppermane, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, thank you for your time,” Vice Principal Luna said.

“No problem,” Coppermane said, sounding relieved.  He wasted no time, and booked it out of the office, dragging Fluttershy with him.  Rainbow Dash followed shortly after.

“This isn’t over, ponyboy!” Score shouted as they left.

Oh, I think it is, my friend.  I think it is…

Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Coppermane rendezvoused outside, with Coppermane looking relieved.

“See you in English, Cop.  Looks like they won’t be bothering you any time soon,” Rainbow Dash said with a smile and a wink before walking back to class.

Fluttershy walked up to her boyfriend, who looked rather shaken.

“Are you okay, Coppermane?” she asked, rubbing his shoulders.

“Yeah…yeah.  I just can’t believe they had the audacity to defend themselves like that,” Coppermane said.

Fluttershy smiled, but suddenly coughed a little, piquing concern from her boyfriend.

“You feeling alright?” he asked.

“Mmmhmm.  Just a cough,” Fluttershy said.  “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.  I think my fever’s gone down, and my throat’s starting to feel better,” Coppermane said.  He felt Fluttershy tighten her grip on her shoulders.

“Well, I'm glad, because that means I can do this,” Fluttershy said before giving Coppermane a tender kiss.  He was a little surprised initially, but quickly relaxed into it.  Coppermane brought his hands up and rested them on her waist, making her giggle.  She felt him pull her closer, and in return, she put her hands on his neck, lightly caressing him, eliciting a groan from him.  Fluttershy could kiss her Coppermane all day.  His lips were so tender and sweet…

When they needed to breathe, they pulled away, gazing into each other’s eyes.

“Can I…um…walk you to class?” Coppermane asked bashfully.

Fluttershy’s face lit up.  “Of course.  I’d love that,” she said with a sweet smile.

Coppermane smiled back and gave Fluttershy one more tender kiss before reluctantly releasing her from his arms.  He offered her his hand, which she gladly accepted.  They interlaced fingers, and walked hand in hand back to class.

“Hey, how do you do this problem?” Coppermane asked.

“Oh, that one?  Don’t use kinematics; use conservation of energy,” Sunset said.

Coppermane looked over the problem one more time, and his eyes went wide.

“Oh…now I see it.  Thanks,” Coppermane said, to which Sunset smiled.

Sunset and Coppermane sat across from each other working on Physics problems together to prepare for their test this Friday.  They liked days like this where the teacher turns the students loose to freely work on problems.  Not only was it helpful in an academic sense, but it gave Sunset and Coppermane some time to talk.  Sunset didn’t have a study partner before she and Coppermane became friends, and she was delighted to work with him.  He was better at certain subjects than she was, and vice versa, so it was a good trade-off.

“Hey, do you know where Fluttershy is?” Sunset asked.  “I haven’t seen her all day.”

Coppermane sighed.  “Yeah…well…she got sick.”

“Aww…” Sunset said sympathetically.  “Let me guess…she got it from you?”

“Well, not entirely.  She just has a fever.  Still though…” Coppermane said, looking worried.

“That’s a shame,” Sunset said.  “Well, hope she gets better.”

“I do too, Sunset.  I do too,” Coppermane said. “Anyways, I’m going over to her house later on to take care of her.”

“Aww, that’s sweet of you,” Sunset said.

Coppermane blushed.  “It’s the least I can do.  I don’t know if I’ll be as good of a caretaker as her, but I’ll definitely do my best.”

“Y’know something?” Sunset said.

“What?” Coppermane asked.

“I…um…” Sunset tried to say, blushing majorly.  “N-Never mind…”

“C’mon.  What is it?” Coppermane coaxed.

Sunset’s cheeks went red as she smiled timidly.  “I…um…I really wish I could have something like what you and Fluttershy have.”

Coppermane blushed himself.  “Really?”

Sunset nodded, still blushing.  “Y-Yeah.  But…it’s probably never going to happen.”

“Aww, don’t think like that,” Coppermane said.  “Just remember what we talked about on Sunday.  Don’t forget who you are.”

Sunset couldn’t help but feel skeptical.  She knew Coppermane meant well, but when she tried “remembering who she was”, the image of her as a giant monster at the Formal came to mind, negating any positive thoughts she might’ve had.  She offered Coppermane a small smile to humor him, but on the inside, she couldn’t help but harbor some incredulity.

Coppermane ==> Fluttershy, 1:30 PM

Hey, what kind of soup do you want?  I’m gonna stop by the store on my way over.

Fluttershy ==> Coppermane, 1:34 PM

Oh, I’ll be fine Coppermane.  You don’t have to do that.

Coppermane ==> Fluttershy, 1:40 PM

Hey, c’mon.  You took such good care of me the other day, it’s the least I could do.  Besides, I like cooking for you.  I have a recipe for a vegetable and fish soup I think you might like :)

Fluttershy ==> Coppermane, 1:44 PM

You’re so sweet, Coppermane.  That sounds delightful.  Thank you so much!

Coppermane ==> Fluttershy, 1:51 PM

Anything for you.  I’ll be over there as soon as I can once school lets out. Love you :)

Fluttershy ==> Coppermane, 1:53 PM

Thank you so much!  The door will be open, so just come on in.  I love you too :)

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Fluttershy’s turned her attention to the front door, and heard the mechanism click.  It opened up to reveal the familiar reddish-brown, windswept hairdo that always made her heart skip a beat.

“Fluttershy?” Coppermane said.

“Hi, Coppermane!” Fluttershy said with a smile.

Coppermane walked inside with his bags of groceries.  Fluttershy laid on her couch with a comforter blanket around her, holding Angel.

“Where can I put these?” Coppermane asked.

“The kitchen is fine,” Fluttershy said.

Coppermane smiled and took the groceries over to the kitchen, placing them on the counter.  He went back over to the couch and knelt by his sick girlfriend.  A wave of chills hit her as he felt around her face.

“How do you feel?” Coppermane asked.

“I…I’m fine.  Just cold…” Fluttershy said as she shivered from more chills.

“But, no sore throat, right?” Coppermane asked.

“Nope,” Fluttershy said with a smile.

Coppermane smiled and cupped her face.  “Well good, because that means I can do this,” he said, leaning in to give her a kiss.  Fluttershy melted in bliss, giggling at the sweet irony.

Coppermane pulled away and gave her a smirk.  “Two can play at that game,” he said, making Fluttershy blush.  Angel hopped over and nuzzled Coppermane’s arm.

“Hey, Angel.  Long time no see,” Coppermane said, petting the little bunny on his head.

Fluttershy giggled.  “He really missed you.”

“Aww…I’ve missed you too, bud,” Coppermane said. "So, where do you keep your thermometer?”

“It’s in the cupboard next to the fridge,” Fluttershy said with a smile.

“Alright. I’ll get you some more water while I’m at it,” Coppermane said, taking her cup with him.  He turned to Angel.  “Take care of her while I’m gone, okay?”

Fluttershy laughed.  Coppermane was just so cute!  As he got up, Angel hopped out of Fluttershy’s lap. Well, so much for that. She just laughed and rolled her eyes.  Animals will be animals, right?  Fluttershy knew this fact better than anyone.

Fluttershy watched in admiration as her boyfriend zipped around the kitchen.  He was such a sweetheart.  How did she get so lucky?

In only a few seconds, Coppermane was back with a full glass of water for her, along with some ibuprofen and a thermometer.

“Here, open up,” Coppermane said, putting the thermometer in her mouth.  It took a few seconds for it to beep, and when it did, Coppermane took a look.

“100.8,” Coppermane said with a worried expression.  “Here, take the ibuprofen.  I’ll go clean this off really quick.”

And Fluttershy did just that, taking her medicine as Coppermane put the thermometer away.  As Coppermane cleaned the thermometer off, he heard Fluttershy shivering, making him pick up the pace.  He put the thermometer away, and quickly returned to his sick Fluttershy.

“Want me to get you another blanket?” Coppermane asked.

Fluttershy blushed.  “Well…actually…c-could you maybe…d-do something else for me?”

Coppermane looked at her attentively.  “Sure. What do you need?”

Fluttershy’s face went even redder.  “Will…Will you hold me?  I mean…only if you want to…”

Coppermane’s heart fluttered as a smile grew on his face.  It had to be one of the cutest things she’s ever asked of him.  His girl was such a sweetheart. He was more than happy to oblige.

“Sit up for a second,” Coppermane said tenderly.  Fluttershy did just that, and Coppermane sat on the couch behind her.  He positioned his legs such that they were on either side of her.  Fluttershy smiled and snuggled up with Coppermane.  He put his arms around her, eliciting a blissful moan from her as she melted in his embrace.

“Will this suffice?” Coppermane asked.

Fluttershy looked up at Coppermane, and gave him a delicate kiss on the cheek.  “It’s perfect,” she said tenderly.  Suddenly, another wave of chills hit, making her tremble.

Coppermane instinctively pulled the blanket up to cover her more, and squeezed her tighter in his arms to keep her warm.  “It’s okay.  I’ve got you,” he said as he started brushing her hair.

Fluttershy felt waves of bliss flow through her as he brushed her hair.  She felt so warm and cozy in his arms…and so safe.  She let out a mighty yawn, sinking even more into her boyfriend’s arms.

Coppermane smiled.  Fluttershy had the most adorable yawn.

“Why don’t you get some sleep?  You look tired,” Coppermane said.

“A-Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked.  “I mean…if you have other things to do…”

“Shh…” Coppermane said, brushing her hair.  “Don’t worry about me.  Right now, all that matters to me is you.  Get some sleep.  I'll keep you warm, and I’ll be right here when you wake up, I promise.”

Fluttershy nearly teared up at his words.  Could her boyfriend be any sweeter?  She turned over onto her stomach to get more comfortable, and so she could look him in the eye.

“I love you so much,” Fluttershy said with her hand over his heart.

Coppermane gave her a smile, and a quick peck.  “I love you too,” he said, continuing to caress her soft hair.  Fluttershy smiled, and rested her head on his chest, her eyelids growing increasingly heavier.

“Sweet dreams, beautiful,” Coppermane said, kissing her forehead.

Fluttershy smiled and nuzzled his chest.  She felt so humbled to have such an affectionate boyfriend.  Despite being ill, Fluttershy felt so at peace.  Being in Coppermane’s arms, feeling his warmth, the steady rise and fall of his chest, and the wonderful sensation of him brushing her hair made her feel so tranquil.  After only a couple minutes, Fluttershy was out cold.

Coppermane continued to brush Fluttershy’s hair as she slept.  She looked so adorable lying on his chest.  He loved watching her sleep.  It was an opportunity to admire her from up close, and take in the sheer majesty of her beauty.  He still couldn’t figure out how a girl like Fluttershy could ever love him like she did, but he almost didn’t care.  She loved him…and he loved her…and that’s all that mattered.

Coppermane couldn’t help himself.  He reached for his phone on the coffee table and snapped of picture of himself and his beautiful slumbering Fluttershy.  She looked too cute for him not to snap a photo.

He set his phone back on the coffee table, and continued to brush Fluttershy's hair, watching in adoration as she slept.  He leaned down to give her a kiss on the forehead.

“I love you…so much…” Coppermane said softly.

He gave her a light squeeze as he continued to run his fingers through her hair.  He would never leave her side.  Not now…not ever…

Fluttershy laid on top of Coppermane, looking down on him, gazing into his warm, chocolaty brown eyes.  Her comforter blanket was draped over the both of them to keep them warm.  The ibuprofen had really worked well.  Fluttershy’s temperature was down to 99.4.  Still technically a fever, but she felt so much better than before.  And now, she was cuddling with her affectionate boyfriend as he held her in his arms and gave her that heart-melting smile she loves.  What could be better?

Coppermane loved cuddling with Fluttershy.  He felt so close to her, and he loved holding her.  He found that he rather liked it when she laid on top of him.  He didn’t know why, but it made him feel warm inside.  Maybe it was also her adorable smile, or maybe it was her hand on his heart.  Whatever it was…he loved it…and he loved her.

“D-Did you miss me at school today?” Fluttershy asked bashfully.

“Well…not to disappoint you or anything…” Coppermane said with a smirk.

“Oh…y-you didn’t…?” Fluttershy asked, sounding genuine.

“Fluttershy, I’m kidding.  Of course I missed you,” Coppermane said, smiling and brushing her hair.  “What makes you think I wouldn’t?”

Fluttershy blushed, feeling a little embarrassed.  Now she felt a little foolish for acting hurt.  He was only teasing her.

“Oh…I-I don’t know,” Fluttershy said.  “I-I missed you.”

Coppermane smiled, feeling flattered.  She was just too cute.  He continued brushing her hair, grinning at her blissful expression.  It made him so happy to give her affection.

Fluttershy moaned as Coppermane caressed her.  The gentle sensation made her feel warm inside.

“Fluttershy…you’re so pretty…” Coppermane said as he stroked her hair.

Fluttershy blushed profusely.  “You…You think so?”

Coppermane smiled and nodded. “Everything about you.  Your beautiful eyes…your adorable smile…your gorgeous figure…”

Fluttershy felt Coppermane lower his hands onto her waist, making her sigh in bliss.  Then, he did something that she did not expect.  He started massaging her waist.  He caressed her body gently…almost…sensually.  It evoked a moan from Fluttershy.  He’s never touched her like this before.  It was new, but even so, she loved it.  She brought her own hands up to start caressing Coppermane’s neck, eliciting a contented sigh from him, making the warm feeling inside her escalate.

“Coppermane…do…do you really think…I’m that pretty?” Fluttershy asked, trying to talk through the pleasure of him stroking her waist.

“I really do,” Coppermane said, loving how she was rubbing her neck, and her blissful expression as he stroked her waist.  “I don’t deserve a girl as perfect as you…”

Fluttershy’s heart melted.  His words were so sweet, and the way he was touching her felt amazing.  Fluttershy felt so warm inside.  She looked down at Coppermane’s lips, and they’ve never looked so sweet.  She couldn’t help herself any longer.  She leaned down and gave Coppermane a passionate kiss.  As their lips connected, Fluttershy felt her heart ignite with lust.

Coppermane melted at the feeling of Fluttershy’s delicate lips.  He felt her massage his shoulders more…voluptuously.  He returned the favor by pulling her closer, continuing to caress her delicate waist, feeling her quiver in his arms as he did so.  Her moaning and quivering as he touched her only fueled his passion more.  He didn’t even care that she was sick.  The ecstasy from kissing and touching her pushed any hesitancy out of his mind.  He could feel her love emanating from her lips as she kissed him.  It was pure bliss…

Fluttershy felt her lust escalate as his lips molded against hers.  Guided only by hormones, she slipped her hand up Coppermane’s shirt to touch his bare skin, feeling him tremble.  He groaned as she caressed him, only encouraging her to feel more.  His skin was so smooth…

When the need to breathe finally outweighed their lust, they pulled away.  They were left panting hard with trembling lips, wanting more.

“Someone’s…feeling better…” Coppermane said, grinning, breathing hard.

Fluttershy blushed profusely.  “I…I guess I got…a little carried away…” she said, trying to catch her breath.  “S-Sorry…”

“Oh, don’t be sorry,” Coppermane said as both of their breathing normalized.  “I actually…really liked it…”

Fluttershy saw Coppermane’s expression shift to one that was bashful…yet with a certain look in his eyes.  Suddenly, she squeaked as she felt Coppermane’s hand slip up the back of her shirt.  He started gently and voluptuously massaging her skin, evoking a moan from her, and making her shudder in his arms.  The sensation was electrifying.  Fluttershy looked down, and saw that Coppermane’s face was now devoid of timidity.  It had been replaced with the look she saw in his eyes before.  As he stroked her skin, his face conveyed one thing.  Lust.

Coppermane couldn’t believe she was letting him touch her bare skin like this.  He felt his heart quickly escalating as he caressed her.  Hearing her whimper, and feeling her quiver as he touched her finally pushed him over the edge, and he pulled her into another passionate kiss.  He heard her moaning even more as their lips molded together, further fueling the warm feeling inside of him.

Fluttershy relaxed into a sea of euphoria as Coppermane kissed her.  She involuntarily quivered in his arms as he stroked her bare skin.  The gentle caressing was so electrifying…

But then, Fluttershy felt something weird against her lips, making her squeak.  It took her a moment to realize what it was.  His tongue.

Fluttershy surprisingly didn’t break the kiss, but instead found herself giggling as his tongue caressed the inside of her lips.  She was astonished that he was being so bold. It was a whole new side of him, but she loved it.  After a few seconds of enjoying the feeling of his tongue on the inside of her lips, she slowly opened her mouth, granting him entry.  Their tongues played bashfully, such was their nature, but it didn’t make it any less wonderful.  It was euphoric, and only made the lustful ember inside her burn brighter.  Fluttershy felt like she was floating on rainbows.  His tender, loving lips…feeling him gently caress her bare skin…and the sensation of playing with his tongue…Fluttershy never thought she could feel this good in her life.

Coppermane heard Fluttershy moan as he played with her tongue, only encouraging him to massage her skin more.  She felt so soft and smooth.  He felt Fluttershy straddle him with her legs, deepening the kiss even further, and evoking another moan from him.  He thought he had already shared the most amazing kiss with her at the musical showcase.  This kiss completely overshadowed that one.  Coppermane never thought he could feel so good.  Her lips have never been so sweet and delicious…

Fluttershy guided her hands down and back up Coppermane’s shirt again to rub his skin, hearing him groan as she did so.  She never imagined making out with him would feel so amazing.  She could his love pouring from his lips, making her melt with every passing second.

Fluttershy’s mind was clouded with the smoke from the lustful flames within her.  She felt a sudden urge to feel more of him.  Guided by nothing but her own desires, and hormones, she slowly guided her hand down his bare skin.  She gently caressed his chest, his stomach, and his abdomen, evoking a moan from him at every destination, until finally…

Coppermane let out a sharp gasp as he felt Fluttershy’s hand hit a certain sweet spot.  The sudden shock caused him to break the kiss, leaving him and Fluttershy panting for breath, and stunned expressions.  They slowly but surely caught their breath before they spoke.

“Wh…What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked, her hand lingering on his groin.

Coppermane bit his lip.  He was about to sound like the biggest jerk in the world, especially after sharing such an intimate and passionate moment with her.  He probably already looked like a jerk for breaking the kiss after she went for his crotch.

It took all of his willpower for him to subdue his raging desires, doing his best to push out all the alluring images and luscious thoughts that were begging for scrutiny.  He could practically hear the angry mob of hormones inside him as he took Fluttershy’s hand and guided it away.

“Fluttershy…um…m-maybe we…shouldn’t do that yet,” Coppermane said.

Fluttershy looked hurt.  “Wh-What do you mean?”

Coppermane felt a tug at his heartstrings at seeing Fluttershy’s expression.  “Fluttershy…I love you…but…we haven’t even been dating for a month yet.  I…I just feel like we’ve been moving a little…quickly…y’know?  I just don’t want to move too fast…”

Fluttershy didn’t speak.  Her face turned to a bright shade of red, looking down at Coppermane’s chest to avoid eye contact.

Coppermane pursed his lips.  She must think he’s a selfish jerk right now.  Her silence worried him.  What was going on in her head?  What was she thinking?

“Fluttershy…you understand…right?” Coppermane asked, brushing the hair out of her face.  “I…I care about you…I care about us…and…I don’t want us to make a mistake we’ll regret later on.”

Fluttershy continued to look down in shame.  Her eyes began to well up, some tears escaping her eyes.  A few landed on Coppermane’s shirt and neck.

“Oh…o-okay…” she said dejectedly.  She felt so embarrassed and ashamed.  Tears continued to escape her eyes.  “I…I’m sorry…”

“Hey, hey, don’t cry.  I’m not mad.  It’s alright,” Coppermane said, rubbing her back as she laid her head on his chest.

Nice going, jerk.  You made her cry.

“I…I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” she said, sobbing into Coppermane’s shirt.

“Shh…I know you didn’t.  It’s okay.”

“Y-You must think I’m filthy…”

You made her cry, and feel insecure.  You’re an asshole, dude.

“Hey, don’t say that.  Fluttershy, look at me,” Coppermane said.  It took a second, but Fluttershy eventually looked up, revealing bloodshot eyes.  Coppermane lifted his hand to cup her face, drying her tears as well.  “I…I do want that…I really do…just…not right now.  I’m just thinking about our future…and…I think it would be healthier for us to wait.  I don’t think any less of you, I promise.  You’re still the sweet, delicate, beautiful princess who won my heart, and nothing will change that.”

Fluttershy was silent for a moment, just staring into Coppermane’s eyes.  Coppermane was worried she would ask him to leave for being such a selfish jackass, but to his surprise, Fluttershy offered a small, yet sincere smile.

“You…you really mean that?” Fluttershy asked, placing her hand over his heart.

Coppermane smiled with relief, and gently caressed her face.

“Really and truly.  I’ll always be your prince, Fluttershy,” Coppermane said.

Fluttershy felt a wave of relief wash over her, making her smile warmly.

“And…I’ll always be your princess,” Fluttershy said, eliciting a heartwarming smile from Coppermane.

“Hey…um…I’m sorry for being such a jerk about this…especially in the…well…in the heat of the moment,” Coppermane said with red cheeks.

Fluttershy felt her face heat up a little as well, but she still smiled.

“Oh, it’s fine, Coppermane.  You’re right.  W-We should wait,” Fluttershy said.  She may have been a little embarrassed, but it was great to know Coppermane was thinking about their future together.  He was right.  Maybe they have been moving a little fast.  Maybe it would be healthier to take it back a notch. They were still young, and had all the time in the world.

“But…um…just for the record…that was…really great…making out with you and all…” Coppermane said, his entire face going red.

Fluttershy’s face turned to a similar hue.  “Y-Yeah…i-it was…”

Coppermane chuckled at her blushing face.  He reached up to brush the hair out of her face.  “You’re so cute.  You know that, right?”

Fluttershy’s face went to the brightest shade of red possible.  She reached up to touch his hand, caressing her face.  She gave him an adoring smile.  His words were just too sweet…

“Coppermane…I…I love you so much,” Fluttershy said, tearing up.  “I…I don’t deserve you…”

Coppermane’s eyes went wide as a tidal wave of joy washed over his heart.  Did she just say that?  She doesn’t deserve him?  Even after he was such a jerk to her?  She really was the biggest sweetheart in the world.  He had only one response for such beautiful words.  He pulled Fluttershy into another passionate kiss, feeling her melt in his arms as he did so.  He felt some of her tears fall on his face as they kissed, but it only fueled his love more, and made him start to tear up as well.

Fluttershy felt tears escape her eyes as he kissed her.  She fell into a sea of bliss once again.  She felt so beautiful and loved.  She was the luckiest girl in the world to have him.

After a long, passionate kiss, they pulled away, gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes.

“Y’know…there's still the soup ingredients in the kitchen,” Coppermane said.  “How about I cook you some dinner?”

Fluttershy’s face lit up.  She had completely forgotten about that, and it seems like he almost did too.

“I’d love that,” Fluttershy said.

Coppermane smiled, and proceeded to sit up, forcing Fluttershy to sit up with him.  She scooted off of him to allow him to get up and head to the kitchen, but not before giving her one more peck on the lips.

About forty-five minutes later, Coppermane and Fluttershy enjoyed dinner together, sitting on the couch and watching movies.

As they relaxed together, Fluttershy pondered to herself about tonight, and knew one thing for certain:  Coppermane did an amazing job of taking care of her today.

Ch.19: Stars

Tranquility.  Serenity.  Nothing but the rustling cherry blossom trees in the wind making a sound on the cliff ledge.  Cherry blossoms dotted the cool grass, and in the distance, lanterns outlined tents and stands, adding to the amazing view.  The moon shined in its full glory, making the landscape glow, and complementing the millions of stars.  Even the belt of the galaxy was visible, igniting the sky with colors.  A breathtaking sight, and a certain couple was taking it all in.

Coppermane laid against a tree, beholding the gorgeous sight, and holding his beautiful girlfriend in his arms.  Despite the breezy conditions on the ledge, Fluttershy’s body provided all the warmth he needed.  It felt so good to hold her.  When she was in his arms, he felt almost at one with her.  She looked adorable lying on his chest, and it felt great to have her hands over his.  He gave her a kiss on the cheek, making her giggle.  Before he could totally pull away, she lifted her hand to bring him back, connecting their lips once again.  Coppermane didn’t fight one bit.  The one thing he liked more than cuddling with her was kissing her.  Her lips were like candy.  He was the luckiest guy in the world to have a girl as sweet as her.

After a moment of total bliss, they pulled away, and returned their attention to the gorgeous vista.

“Have you ever seen such a beautiful view?” Coppermane asked.

“It’s breathtaking,” Fluttershy agreed.  She snuggled up more with her boyfriend.  “Thank you so much for bringing me here, Coppermane.”

Coppermane gave her a light, loving squeeze.  “Anything for you, Fluttershy,” he said, kissing her on the cheek again.

Fluttershy smiled, feeling his lips on her cheek.  There was no place she would rather be than with her loving boyfriend.  He was so affectionate and sweet, and always made her feel special.  His warmth felt like his love radiating from his body, melting Fluttershy’s heart with every passing second.  She was so lucky to have him.

Fluttershy glanced to her side, and saw something that perplexed her, but also warmed her heart.

“Coppermane…look,” Fluttershy said, pointing to her side.

Coppermane turned to his head to see something rather mystifying, yet sweet at the same time.

Lying close to the edge, not too far from where they sat, were two ponies.  One was a white unicorn, and the other was a creamy-tan pegasus.  They laid next to each other, cuddling. The pegasus laid her head on the unicorn’s shoulder as they marveled at the outlook.  As weird as it probably should be to see two random ponies next to them, Coppermane and Fluttershy found themselves more heart-warmed by the sight than anything.

“Isn’t that just the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?” Fluttershy said, ever the animal-lover.

Coppermane chuckled in agreement.  “They sure look happy.”

Coppermane and Fluttershy found themselves watching the two ponies as the pegasus lifted her head from the unicorn’s shoulder.  They looked into each other’s eyes before sharing a loving kiss.

“Aww…” Fluttershy said.  Coppermane couldn’t help but smile as well.

The two ponies pulled away, and the pegasus snuggled up with her unicorn again.  The unicorn kissed her on the forehead before leaning his head on hers.

“I love you, Fluttershy,” the unicorn said tenderly.

The pegasus smiled as she nuzzled the unicorn lovingly.  “I love you too, Coppermane.”

Wait…what did they just say?

Coppermane and Fluttershy glanced at each other, both with a mystified expression.  Did they just say…Coppermane and Fluttershy?  They looked back at the ponies, and studied them a little further.  The pegasus had a flowing pink mane, and a cream-colored coat…looking a lot like Fluttershy.  The unicorn had a pastel-white coat, and a uniquely colored reddish-brown, unkempt mane…looking like Coppermane.

“Coppermane…is…is that…us?” Fluttershy asked.

“It…it is…” Coppermane said in shock.

As admittedly eerie as this was, Fluttershy and Coppermane found themselves in a state of total wonder.  They observed the pony couple some more, and after this revelation, found the sight even more heartwarming.  The ponies looked so happy together.  So serene.  So…in love.  Was that really them?

The couple slowly turned their attention from the ponies back at each other.  Their faces conveyed one expression:  amazement.  Slowly, they felt their faces gravitating closer.  Coppermane brought his hand up to cup her face.  Fluttershy felt her eyes close as Coppermane leaned in…

RING RING RING

Coppermane’s phone alarm suddenly went off, jolting the couple awake.  Coppermane and Fluttershy blinked for a moment, a little flustered.  Fluttershy laid on top of Coppermane, looking down on him as he gazed back up at her.  They must’ve accidentally fallen asleep together.  Coppermane shook his head to wake himself up before reaching over to the coffee table to turn his alarm off.  He looked back up at Fluttershy, and started to blush.

“Um…g-good morning…” Coppermane said bashfully.

Fluttershy blushed.  “G-Good morning.”

Fluttershy slowly sat up on the couch, allowing Coppermane to sit up too.  Both of them were still a bit flustered, and sat awkwardly on the couch for a moment to process their thoughts.  They couldn’t even remember much of what happened last night.  The last thing they remembered was watching movies while eating soup.  Their empty bowls were still on the table, so maybe they just drifted off?  Either way, they didn’t mind sleeping together at all.  In fact, after spending a few consecutive nights together, they admittedly felt a little withdrawal when they slept alone.  Coppermane couldn’t deny feeling rather empty at night without Fluttershy in his arms, and Fluttershy missed Coppermane’s warmth.

“Um…Fluttershy?”

“Yes?”

“Did…did you dream about a ledge?” Coppermane asked.

Fluttershy bit her lip.  “Um…I…I did.”

Coppermane pursed his lips.  “Did…did you see the pony couple too?”

Fluttershy looked at Coppermane, and smiled.  “Yes…I did,” she said, placing her hand on his knee.

Coppermane felt her hand on his knee, and turned to look at her.  Her heartwarming smile made him smile.

“They looked so happy together,” Fluttershy said.

Coppermane turned himself towards Fluttershy, lifting his hand to caress her face.  He gave her a quick, yet tender kiss.

“We looked so happy together,” Coppermane said, his hand lingering on her face.

Fluttershy smiled, lifting her hands to caress his.  As soon as she touched his hands, his eyes went wide.

“Oh…s-sorry…do…do you not like that?” Fluttershy asked, pulling her hand back.

“No…I…I just figured out why my alarm went off,” Coppermane said.

Suddenly, the same epiphany occurred to Fluttershy too.  It was a school day.  That would explain why it was still dawn outside.  Coppermane immediately went for his phone to check the time.  6:20.

“Oh thank goodness.  We’re fine,” Coppermane said, sounding relieved.

“Do you need to go home?” Fluttershy asked.

“Nah, I have my backpack. It's got everything I need,” Coppermane said.  “Hey, this means I can give you a ride.”

Fluttershy’s face lit up.  That’s right, he could!  With that thought in mind, Coppermane and Fluttershy proceeded to get ready for school.

Coppermane sat alone in his room, doing some work and just relaxing.  After being sick last weekend, and a crazy week at school, he was looking forward to a few hours of unwinding.  Not to say he wasn’t excited for what was happening later today.  This evening would be spent with none other than his beautiful princess.  Usually, they have their weekend date on Saturday, but they decided to reschedule for tonight since Applejack invited everyone to her house tomorrow for a bonfire.  Coppermane couldn’t be more excited for that.  A bonfire was something he always wanted to do, but never could since he had no friends.  Now, he had a plethora of them!  This weekend was going to be fun, and what better way to start it off than with his gorgeous Fluttershy.  He wouldn’t have to go pick her up for a couple more hours though, so he had this time to unwind.

As Coppermane relaxed, he took the time to reflect.  His mind wandered all the way back to his first day at Canterlot High.  He thought he couldn’t escape the bullying.  Hoops and Score showed up and took the role of his Crystal Prep bullies, and continued to make his life miserable.  He thought he was doomed to live like that forever.  He thought every day would be spent trying to survive physically and mentally from the bullying.  He thought he was worthless, and his life had no meaning.  He thought he was a mistake, and never meant for this world.  He thought his life would forever be a cold, infinite void with his inner demons taunting him, and no escape in sight.

But then…all of a sudden…his demons ceased speaking.  For the first time ever, it was silent.  In the distance, a faint light appeared.  A glimmer of hope…in the form of a beautiful girl.  Fluttershy.  At the time, Coppermane had no idea how fateful that first encounter with Fluttershy truly was.  Little did he know, this gorgeous, timid girl was his savior.  She would be the one to illuminate the darkness, and silence his inner demons once and for all.  She would be the one to not only become his best friend, but give him a plethora of best friends who all loved and cared about him.  She would take his sad, pathetic life, and make it amazing.  She would become his entire world.  She would become his most precious…

Coppermane almost laughed when he thought about how much his life has changed.  Granted, he was still very shy, but with one major difference.  He wasn’t scared anymore.  He felt free, and he had his best friends to thank.  Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Flash Sentry, Rarity, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, and of course, Fluttershy.  Coppermane was truly lucky to have such an amazing group of friends.  Each one was unique in their own way, and Coppermane loved them all.

He needed a special way to thank them all.  Realistically, there would be no way to completely repay them for everything they’ve done for him, but he’d be damned if he didn’t try.  They’ve completely turned his life around for the better.  He was forever in their debt.  But how was he going to thank them?  Well, he’s been working on that all week.  He decided the best and easiest way to thank all of them…would be with personal letters.  Unoriginal?  Sure, but it would be a great way to express his appreciation for everyone individually.  Each one of them has done something unique to help him, and there were many things he wanted to say personally.  He’s been working on these all week, and tomorrow would be the perfect time to present them.

With that in mind, Coppermane ramped up production.  He had a lot of work to get done before tomorrow.  He would have a break when Fluttershy came over, but after that, it was back to work.  He had to make sure these letters were flawless.  His friends deserved nothing but perfection.  These letters, at the very least, would give his friends some insight to his appreciation for what they’ve done for him.  He only hoped they would like the gesture.

“Thank ya kindly for coming y’all,” Applejack said to all her friend around the fire pit.

“No prob, AJ,” Rainbow Dash said.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” Sunset said.

“Thank you for inviting us, darling,” Rarity said.  “This is simply delightful.”

“Agreed,” Flash said.

“The pleasure’s all mine!” Applejack said.

Coppermane was having a great time.  Just sitting around the warm fire-pit at dusk surrounded by his closest friends, chatting and laughing.  Even better, Fluttershy sat next to him, holding his hand.  There was no place he’d rather be.

Coppermane was a little antsy though.  He knew at some point he was going to have to give everyone their letters.  He was still apprehensive about what they would think.  Would they like them?  Well, the only way he was going to find out was if he spoke up.  Why was he so worried, anyways?  These were his best friends.  They wouldn’t ridicule him for trying to do something nice for them, right?

Apparently, he wasn’t doing a good job at hiding his stress, because he felt Fluttershy squeeze his hand.  When he looked over at her, she had a worried expression.

“Are you alright, Coppermane?” Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane pursed his lips.  Great…he was worrying her.

Alright, Coppermane.  You’re going to have to do this at some point.  You need to thank them.  They deserve it.

Coppermane offered a smile to Fluttershy, making her worried expression diminish.

“Yeah…I’m fine,” Coppermane said.

“Everything okay over there?” Twilight asked.

Coppermane looked at Twilight to see everyone staring back at him.

Well...I have their attention.  Let’s do this…

Coppermane smiled.  “Yeah…yeah…I’m fine.  Um…c-can I say something?”

“Of course!” Pinkie Pie said excitedly.

Coppermane took a deep breath.  “I…I just want to say to all of you…thank you.”

“For what, darling?” Rarity asked.

“F-For everything.  For the best three weeks of my life,” Coppermane said.  “I…I don’t think you all really understand how much you’ve done for me.  You’ve changed my life.  Completely turned it around for the better.  Thanks to you all, I have an amazing life.  I’m truly lucky to have met you.  If I never knew you all…I don’t know where I’d be.  Honestly…I probably wouldn’t even be here anymore.  You’re the friends I’ve wanted my whole life.  And…I didn’t realize how much I truly need you all until the week leading up to the Formal.  That week, as awful as it was, it made me realize how much you all mean to me.  Y’know, I almost have to thank the jocks, because after that whole debacle, I just feel so much closer to you all.  These past three weeks have been absolutely insane.  Filled with ups and downs…but I wouldn’t trade it for the world…because now I have the greatest friends I could ever ask for.  I still have that collage you all gave me for my birthday.  It’s hanging right above my bed, so it’s the first thing I see every morning.  Every time I look at it, I’m reminded that I’m not alone anymore.  You all have given me the greatest gift of all.  Friendship.  I can’t even articulate how grateful I am for everything you’ve done for me.  It goes above and beyond anything I could’ve imagined…or anything I thought I deserved.  All I can really say is…thank you.  From the bottom of my heart…thank you.”

Coppermane was so lost in his speech, he failed to notice half the girls, namely Rarity, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Sunset, were in tears.  They all had big smiles on their faces.

Applejack sniffled.  She was on the verge of tears as well, and Applejack usually wasn’t one to cry.  “Y’all are absolutely welcome, sugarcube.”

“Coppermane, it’s been amazing getting to know you,” Sunset said, wiping her tears.

“And you’ve grown so much,” Rarity said, cleaning the tears off her face.

Rainbow Dash snickered.  “I don’t even recognize you as the shy guy we first met.”

“I know, right?” Pinkie Pie said.

“I remember him being so scared to perform in front of everyone,” Flash said, making everyone chuckle.

“It’s an honor to have you in the group, darling,” Rarity said.

Coppermane felt tears building up behind his eyes from hearing their praise.  But he wasn’t done.

“Well…thank you guys.  But…that’s not all I have,” Coppermane said.  Before anyone could say anything, he got up out of his seat.  He reached into his pocket and withdrew seven envelopes.  “As a way of thanking you all on a more personal level…I…well…did something really cheesy.  I…um…wr-wrote you all letters.”

Rarity gasped.  “Oh, sweetheart!  You didn’t have to do that.”

Coppermane chuckled.  “Well…I did anyways…and I have them right here,” he said, holding them up.  He proceeded to walk around the circle, and give everyone their respective letters.  He took the time to customize each envelope to fit their various personalities, using colored envelopes and graphics.  It was extremely cheesy, but he had to make this as meaningful as possible.  He was happy to go the extra effort for his friends.  He was happy to see everyone smile when he handed them their letter.

“Can we open them now?” Pinkie Pie asked eagerly.

“Yeah, of course,” Coppermane said.  Immediately, everyone tore their envelopes open, anxious to read what Coppermane had written to each of them.

Applejack’s envelope was orange, with a graphic of three red apples on the back.

…

Dear Applejack,

Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.  Thank you for helping me on my birthday when I had that meltdown concerning Fluttershy’s safety.  Thank you for giving me the reassurance I needed to get back on my feet.  I know I can’t protect her from everything, but I’ll be damned if I don’t try.  I can promise all of you that I will do everything in my power to keep Fluttershy safe.

Thank you for just being a great friend.  You are one of the coolest girls I know.  You’re smart, talented, strong, honest, pretty, and hardworking.  You’re a great bassist, and I love your southern drawl.  I really admire how you put so much effort into everything you do, no matter how trivial it may be.  I wish I could have that kind of dedication.

Most of all though, thank you for being one of the few people to turn my life around.  Thanks for being a great friend, and thanks for being you.  I am evermore in your debt for everything you’ve done for me.  If you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.  It’s the least I could do.  It’s truly an honor to call you my best friend.

I wish you the best of luck with all of your future endeavors.  Again, thank you.  Thank you so much.

Your Best Friend,

Coppermane

…

“Aww, sugarcube!  C’mere!” Applejack said, standing up to give Coppermane a big hug.  “Thank ya kindly for the letter.  Y’all are just the sweetest thing!  Ah’m proud to call you ma friend.”

“You’re welcome, Applejack.  Right back at you,” Coppermane said, reciprocating her hug.

Rainbow Dash’s envelope was blue, with a rainbow lightning bolt on the back.

…

Dear Rainbow Dash,

Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.  Thank you for standing up for me against the jocks.  If it weren’t for you, I probably would’ve ended up in the hospital.  Thank you for vouching for me when we were in the principal’s office.  I can’t believe they had the audacity to defend themselves like that.

Rainbow, you are indeed awesome.  You’re cool, talented, pretty, energetic, passionate, and loyal.  You’re an amazing guitarist.  I seriously wish I could play as good as you.  Honestly…I wish I could play period.  It’s amazing how great you are at sports.  Seriously, captain of every sports team at CHS?  That’s impressive.

Most of all, thank you for just being you, for being awesome, and for always being there for me.  Thank you for being one of the few people to help make my life amazing.  I am forever indebted to you.  If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.  It’s the least I could do.  It’s been awesome getting to know you, and I’m humbled to call you my best friend.

Good luck in all your future endeavors, and again, thank you for everything.

Your Best Friend,

Coppermane

…

“Darn it, Coppermane, c’mere!” Rainbow Dash said, getting up to give Coppermane a big hug.  “Thanks a lot.  I’m so glad we’ve been able to help you.”

Wow…Coppermane must’ve done something right to get a hug from Rainbow Dash.

Pinkie Pie’s letter was pink, of course, with a graphic of three balloons on the back.

…

Dear Pinkie Pie,

Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.  Thank you for throwing me my first ever birthday party.  I can’t wait to see what other parties you come up with.  I’m usually not a big fan of parties, but when you throw them, I just have a blast!  If you ever throw a party, you better believe I’ll be there (unless you don’t want me there, that is).

You are by far the bubbliest and most energetic girl I’ve ever met.  You’re unpredictable, and I never know what to expect from you next.  That uncertainty about you is one of the reasons why you’re so awesome to have around.  You never fail to spice things up.  You’re cool, pretty, talented, enthusiastic, and so much fun to be around.  You always know how to brighten up anybody’s day, no matter how bad their day is, and I really admire that.  I wish I had your ability to make people smile.

Most of all, Pinkie, thank you for being you, and for being one of the few people to help me.  It means so much to me, and I’m forever in your debt.  If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.  It’s the least I could do.  You’re amazing, and I can’t wait to see what my future holds with all of you.

Good luck in all your future endeavors, and again, thank you for everything.

Your Best Friend,

Coppermane

…

“AAH!!!” Pinkie Pie squealed before lunging at Coppermane, pulling him into her arms.  “You’re the best!” When she got no response, she realized she was squeezing the life out of him again, and lessened her embrace a little, allowing him some oxygen.  “Sorry.”

“It’s…fine…” Coppermane said panting.

“Thank you so much for the sweet letter!” Pinkie Pie said, giving him a light squeeze in her arms.

“The pleasure was mine, Pinkie,” Coppermane said.

“And don’t worry!  If I throw a party, you’ll absolutely be invited!”  Pinkie Pie said, making Coppermane smile.

Flash’s letter was blue with a shield graphic on the back.

…

Dear Flash Sentry,

Thanks for everything you’ve done for me.  Thank you for being the one to reach out to me when Fluttershy and I broke up.  If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve lost you, the girls, and worst of all, Fluttershy.  Thanks for giving me a spot in your band.  It’s so much fun, and it’s awesome that you and I can pony up now.

You’re the best guy I know, and you’re the greatest bro I could ask for.  Whenever we hang out, it’s a total blast.  It feels great to have a best guy friend I can turn to whenever I need it.  I really wish I had your skills on guitar.  I honestly wish I could play guitar period.  I feel very privileged to have a talented friend like you.

Most of all, thank you for being you.  Thank you for helping me when I needed it, and for being a great friend.  I am forever in your debt.  If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.  It’s the least I could do.  I’m proud to call you my best friend.

Good luck in all your future endeavors, and again, thank you for everything.

Your Best Bro,

Coppermane

…

“Copper, you’re the best,” Flash said, giving Coppermane a high-five.  He gave him a pat on the shoulder.  “It’s an honor to have you in the band.”

Coppermane smiled.  “It’s an honor to be in the band.”

Rarity’s letter was indigo with a graphic of three blue diamonds on the back.

…

Dear Rarity,

Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.  Thank you for putting up with me when I asked about my first date with Fluttershy.  It helped more than you know.  And just for the record, my first date with her was amazing, and your reassurance helped me be confident, or more confident than I would’ve been on my own.

Rarity, you are one of the nicest girls I know.  You’re generous, talented, caring, beautiful, and…well…fabulous.  I admire your attention to detail.  No matter what, you always go the extra mile to make sure something will be perfect, especially in the amazing outfits you create.  Seriously, how do you do it?  It’s really impressive.  I admire your skills on the keytar.  I wish I was half as good as you.  You have no idea how proud I was of you when you told me about scoffing at Blueblood.  You deserve better than that idiot, and like I said at the Formal, your prince is out there somewhere.  It’s only a matter of time.

Most of all, thank you for being one of the few people to reach out to me.  Thanks for being you.  You have done so much for me, and I am forever in your debt.  If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.  And if you feel upset and want a shoulder to cry on, I’m always here for you.  It’s an honor to call you my best friend.

I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors, and again, thank you for everything.

Your Best Friend,

Coppermane

…

“Darling…thank you so much!” Rarity said, getting up to give Coppermane a hug.  “You are just the sweetest thing.  It’s an honor to call you my friend, dear.”

Coppermane reciprocated.  “I’m always here for you, Rarity.  Thank you for everything.”

Sunset’s letter was red with a graphic of a sun on the back.

…

Dear Sunset Shimmer,

Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.  Thank you for being the first to get Fluttershy and I alone.  I look back on the first time Fluttershy and I really talked, and I laugh.  We were so nervous, and I was completely oblivious to the signs she dropped hinting that she had a crush on me.  Thanks for being the one to break the ice for us.  If you hadn’t done that, I don’t think we would be together today.

You are one of the coolest girls I know.  You’re nice, awesome, talented, beautiful, and smart.  Honestly, if I didn’t have physics with you, I’d be screwed.  And it’s still hard for me to picture you being anything other than awesome.  Everyone deserves a second chance, and I think you’re using yours beautifully.  After the day we talked, I have much more respect for you.  Anybody who can carry themselves like you do is one to be admired.

Most of all, thank you for being you, and for being one of the few people to save me.  Your help has done more for me than you know, and I owe you everything.  If you ever need help, don’t hesitate to ask.  If anyone ever bullies you because of your past, you better believe I’ll be all over them.  You’re a good person, Sunset.  Remember that, please?  I feel privileged to call you my best friend.

I wish you nothing but good fortune in all your future endeavors, and again, thank you for everything.

Your Best Friend,

Coppermane

…

“Coppermane, get over here!” Sunset said, holding her arms out.  Coppermane gladly obliged, walking over to Sunset to be pulled into a big hug.  “You’ve grown so much.  We’re so proud of you.  Thank you for everything.  I’m so glad we’re friends.”

“It’s been amazing, Sunset.  It’s been amazing getting to know you,” Coppermane said.

Twilight’s letter was purple with a sparkling star graphic on the back.

…

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.  Thank you for helping me with my stuff that one day after the jocks jumped me.  I had no idea how fateful that encounter would be, and I had no idea it would be love at first sight for Fluttershy and I.  Though, I guess you knew about us from the beginning, right, Miss Princess of Friendship?  But seriously, thank you for helping me.  You and Fluttershy gave me the first glimmer of hope I’d seen in a while.

Twilight, you are quite the enigma to me.  I’m still trying to process everything you told me after the showcase, but I think I have a general idea.  Nevertheless, it’s still mystifying to me.  That being said, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re one of the nicest girls I’ve ever met.  Or one of the nicest mares I’ve ever met.  I’m not sure what to call you at this point, but you’re still awesome.  All joking aside, you’re pretty, talented, compassionate, nice, and super smart.  You’re a fantastic singer, and a great friend.  I can definitely see why you’re the Princess of Friendship.  In my eyes, you’ve definitely earned the title.

Most of all, thank you for being you, and for being one of the first people to reach out to me.  You’ve done more for me than you realize, and I’m forever in your debt.  If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.  It’s the least I could do.

Good luck in all your endeavors, and again, thank you for everything.

Your Best Friend,

Coppermane

…

“Aww, c’mere, you!” Twilight said, hugging Coppermane.  “You’re so sweet!  Just like back in Equestria.  Thank you so much!  Y’know, pony Coppermane wrote me a letter as well.  Now I have two of them!”

“Well, hopefully mine’s as good as his,” Coppermane said, making Twilight laugh.

Coppermane was released from Twilight’s embrace, and looked around to see everyone smiling back at him.  Success.  Seeing their smiles made all the work worth it.

Rainbow Dash looked at Fluttershy, and realized something.  “Hey, doesn’t your girlfriend get a letter?”

Coppermane and Fluttershy shared a glance, and smiled at each other.

“She already got hers,” Coppermane said, making Fluttershy blush.

“Ooh!  A love letter, I presume?” Rarity asked teasingly.

Coppermane blushed.  “Um…maybe?”

Fluttershy was blushing quite profusely as well.

“Aww, you two are so sweet!” Rarity said.

“Ah’m so glad y’all found each other,” Applejack said.

“You two are perfect together,” Sunset said.  “I’ll bet Coppermane wrote you the sweetest love letter ever.”

Coppermane blushed profusely.  He heard Fluttershy giggling next to him, making his face heat up even more.

“Well…I mean…I tried…”

Fluttershy giggled.  “And you did an amazing job, Coppermane.”

Coppermane and Fluttershy spent their weekend date as they usually do:  cuddling while watching movies.  It was reminiscent of their first date, and has become one of their favorite activities.  Though half the time, they didn’t even watch the movie.  They just used it as background noise as they cuddled together.  They would get so lost in each other’s eyes that the world around them would seem to fade out, leaving just the two of them.

“Alright, I’m going to go to the bathroom real quick.  Be right back,” Coppermane said, giving Fluttershy a peck before heading to the lavatory.

Fluttershy watched in admiration as her boyfriend walked away.  How did Fluttershy get such a cute guy?  She didn’t know, but she wasn’t complaining one bit.

By force of habit, she panned around the room, and in the corner of her eye, she spotted a piece of paper beneath Coppermane’s bed.

What in the world?  What was it?  Oh no…was it another suicide note?  No…it couldn’t be.  She immediately grabbed the piece of paper.  If her boyfriend was having suicidal thoughts again, she wanted to know.

As she looked at the sheet of paper, her face shifted to one of, not horror, but astonishment.  This wasn’t a suicide note.  It was something else entirely.  At the top, her name was written in black pen.  Why would her name be at the top like that?  As she read further down, her heart was sent aflutter.

“Birthday:  March 15th, favorite movie:  The Aristocats, favorite things:  animals, spending time with her friends…” Fluttershy read.  This was all information…about her.  She continued to read, and as she did so, her heart melted in happiness.

Tell her she’s beautiful?  Shower her with affection?  Random gifts?  Protect her?  How lucky you are to have an amazing, beautiful, adorable girl like her in your life?  Oh my gosh…Coppermane…

Fluttershy was beside herself.  Tears streamed down her face.  A list…all about her.  She couldn’t believe it.  But that wasn’t the end.  At the end of the list, there was a bullet point that had been circled numerous times.  Inside, it read:  Finish your love letter to her.  Show her all the reasons why you love her so much.

Coppermane came back from the bathroom, and saw the piece of paper in Fluttershy’s hand.  He also saw her crying.

“I’m not having suicidal thoughts again, I promise,” Coppermane said, assuming the worst.

“I…I know…” Fluttershy said, unable to stop crying.

“Huh?” Coppermane said, puzzled.

Fluttershy showed him what she found, and upon seeing it, Coppermane’s face flushed red.

“Oh…you…you found that?” Coppermane said, rubbing his neck.

“Coppermane…you…you wrote a list about me?” Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane knelt down next to Fluttershy, drying her tears with his fingers.

“Yeah…I…I did,” Coppermane said.  “I made it the day after we got together.  You’re my first girlfriend, and I didn’t want to mess up.  I wanted to make you smile, so I began jotting down ideas for how to make that happen.”

Fluttershy sniffled, unable to stop the tears of joy.  “You…You thought about all of this?”

Coppermane nodded, his face still bright red, clearly embarrassed that she discovered his list.  “Yeah…I did.  I…I just want to make you happy, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy couldn't believe it. "Coppermane…you're just the sweetest guy in the world."  She pulled him into a big, warm hug.  "I love you so much."

Coppermane's face was hot with embarrassment, but felt a little better when Fluttershy hugged him. He embraced her back, feeling her relax in his arms.

“I love you too,” Coppermane said.

They stayed in each other’s arms for a while, just savoring the warmth of their significant other.

“Um…Coppermane?” Fluttershy said.

Coppermane released her from his embrace, placing his hands on her waist as she rested hers on his shoulders.

“Yes?”

“Um…d-did you write me…um…a love letter?” Fluttershy asked with hope in her eyes.

Coppermane’s face went even redder.  It would appear that she saw the end of the list.

“Um…y-yeah I did,” he said, making Fluttershy beam.  “I…I was going to give it to you after our date today…but I guess since you know about it…I-I could give it to you now.”

Coppermane got up and walked to his desk, picking up a light-green envelope with a graphic of three butterflies on the back.

“I…I wrote it the week we broke up,” Coppermane said.

“R-Really?” Fluttershy asked.

“Y-Yeah,” Coppermane said, rubbing his neck.  “I…I missed you more than I could bear, and I needed to get my feelings out.”  He held the letter out to Fluttershy, who gladly accepted it.

Fluttershy felt a sudden urge to reveal a certain secret of her own.

“Coppermane…thank you.  Um…I…I actually…um…I wrote you a letter too,” Fluttershy said.

Coppermane’s face lit up.  “You did?” he asked as he sat down across from her.

Fluttershy nodded, blushing profusely.  She went into her backpack, and pulled out a white letter with a treble clef graphic on the back.  “I…I was going to give it to you after our date.  I wrote this the week we broke up too.  I…I missed you so much…and…oh gosh I still feel awful about what I did…” she said, starting to tear up.

“Hey, don’t cry,” Coppermane said, lifting her chin up.  “That’s all history.  We’re together now, and that’s all that matters, right?”

Fluttershy smiled.  He always knew what to say to cheer her up.  “You’re right.  But either way, I-I wrote this for you,” she said timidly, holding the envelope out to him.

“Wow…thank you, Fluttershy,” Coppermane said.  “So…um…d-do you want to go first?”

“You…you want me to read it now?” Fluttershy asked.

“Well…if you want…I could read mine first,” Coppermane said, trying to steer the conversation.  Not that he didn’t want her to read his, but he was apprehensive about how she would react.

“I mean…I could go first,” Fluttershy said, trying to subtly maneuver the conversation in her favor.

Coppermane could already see this going back and forth for a long time, so he came up with a solution.  He stood up, and walked over to his desk.  He had his back turned to Fluttershy so she couldn't see what he was doing.  Once he was ready, he walked back and sat across from Fluttershy with two fists out.

“Okay, in one of my hands is a quarter.  If you find it, you read yours first.  If you don’t, I go first,” Coppermane said.  Sure, he could’ve flipped it instead, but he wanted to save himself the embarrassment.

Fluttershy giggled at his idea, but she was willing to go with it.  It was a fifty-fifty chance, so it was fair.

“Okay,” Fluttershy said.  She took a moment, but eventually selected Coppermane’s left fist.  He opened it up to reveal…a quarter.

“Crap,” Coppermane bluntly said, making Fluttershy giggle.  “I…I guess you’re going first then.”

Fluttershy smiled, and immediately went for her letter.  However, before she opened it…

“A-Are you sure, Coppermane?” Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane nodded.  “Y-Yeah.  You won fair and square.  G-Go ahead.”

Fluttershy smiled, and opened the envelope up.  She took a light-green piece of paper out, folded up into thirds.  She took a deep breath, and unfolded the letter…

…

To the love of my life,

When I first saw you, you instantly captivated me.  You took my breath away.  The moment I met you, I knew you were special.  I thought you were one of the most beautiful girls in the world.  Little did I know how amazing you truly are, and how much of an impact you would have on my life.

You were the first person to take a chance on me. You reached out to me when nobody else would, and rescued me from my internal nightmare. On our first date, you promised you would always be there for me, and you've never left my side since. You saved my life. You found me, and led me to the light. You are my light. For that, I am forever in your debt. Because of you, I feel like I'm worth something. Because of you, I'm happy.

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I think about is how I’m going to make you smile today.  If I can make you smile, I’ve succeeded for the day.  I live every day of my life to make you happy.  I would give up everything just to see that pretty smile. You make me feel whole.  You make my life worth living.  You take care of me when I’m sick.  You show me that I’m a good person.  You give me the strength to keep going, yet you still make my knees weak.  You are the reason I get up in the morning.  You’ve given me so much, and it has done more for me than you realize.

But Fluttershy, this letter isn’t about me, it’s about you.  You are the most amazing girl I’ve ever met.  I’ve never wanted anyone more than I want you.  I adore you so much.  You never cease to amaze me with everything you do.  You’re sweet, delicate, kind, generous, compassionate, selfless, and just the cutest thing.  Watching you take care of your animals is one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen.  I admire your kindness so much, and I have the utmost respect for you.  You’re the sweetest girl I’ve ever met; the biggest sweetheart in the world.  That cute little voice of yours is music to my ears.  I love cuddling with you, and holding you in my arms.  You look adorable when you lie on my chest, and when you nuzzle me, it melts my heart.  It’s the cutest thing ever when you act shy, especially when you blush or play with your hair.  Your lips are as sweet as candy, and I could kiss them all day.  When we kiss, I feel my troubles fade away, and all is right in the world.

When I said I thought you were one of the most beautiful girls in the world, I was lying.  Fluttershy, you ARE the most beautiful girl in the world.  Your infinite beauty knows no bounds.  Somehow, against all odds, you get prettier every time I look at you.  When I see you, my heart skips a beat.  Your soft, cascading pink hair, your perfect figure, and your gorgeous teal eyes.  The stars are jealous because your eyes twinkle brighter than they ever could.  When you smile, there's not a prettier sight in the world.  I love singing for you because I know it’s a surefire way to make you smile.  You’re just gorgeous.  I don’t deserve you.

But Fluttershy, the biggest reason why I love you is because you saved me.  When you came into my life, for the first time ever, I felt happy.  YOU make me happy.  I spend every day trying to thank you for everything you’ve done for me, because it goes above and beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined.  Anything I thought I deserved.  You gave me a chance when nobody else would, and for that, I will be forever thankful.

If I listed all the things I love about you, it would take the rest of my life.  Just know this, Fluttershy.  I love you with all my heart.  The magic of friendship is strong, but my love for you is stronger.  You’re the one.  I found you.

You’re my beautiful princess, Fluttershy, and I will love and adore you for all eternity.

With all my love,

Your Prince, Coppermane

…

Fluttershy was beside herself yet again.  Her hand was over her mouth in disbelief as tears of joy drenched her face.  She read certain sentences over again, taking in the sheer sweetness of it all, melting her heart over and over again.  She would cherish this letter until the day she died.  A constant reminder of how much Coppermane truly loved her.

She bashfully looked up at her boyfriend.  His face was bright red…probably as red as her.

“Well…d-did you like it?” Coppermane asked.

Fluttershy tried drying her tears, but it was no use.  She was too happy.  She could barely speak.  All she could muster was a small, yet sincere nod.

Coppermane scooted closer to Fluttershy, lifting her chin up to look at him.  Her eyes were completely bloodshot, and she had the biggest smile on her face.

"I meant every word and more, Fluttershy," Coppermane said.  "Even that letter doesn't come close to describing how much I love you."

Fluttershy couldn’t hold back any longer.  She tossed the letter off to the side, and lunged into Coppermane’s arms, tackling him to the floor as she gave him a passionate kiss, pouring all her love and joy into it.

Coppermane was surprised at her tenacity, but didn’t fight it one bit.  She’s never kissed him so passionately before, and Coppermane melted in total bliss.  Some of her tears fell on his face, but he didn’t mind.  It thrilled him to know how happy she was.  He let her lead for the most part, enjoying every second.  He could feel her love through her lips, exciting his heart with every passing second.

When Fluttershy’s lust finally subsided, she pulled away, allowing Coppermane to sit up.  Both were left panting for breath, and Fluttershy’s face was bright red.

“Coppermane…that was the sweetest thing I’ve ever read.  I loved every word.  Thank you…thank you so much,” Fluttershy said, giving Coppermane a big hug.  She felt Coppermane embrace her, making her melt in his arms.  His warmth was like feeling his love emanate from his body.  His love for her.  Fluttershy was truly the luckiest girl in the world.

“So…I guess it’s my turn now?” Coppermane said.

Fluttershy’s heart dropped.  She completely forgot.  Coppermane still had her letter to read.  They pulled away from their embrace.

“Y-Yeah…it…it is,” Fluttershy said, clearly nervous.

“I mean…if you don’t want me to…”

“Oh no, it’s fine.  I want you to read it.  Besides, I-I read yours.  It’s only fair,” Fluttershy said, playing with her hair.

Coppermane smiled, and grabbed her letter.  Opening it up, he found that she had packaged it much like he did, with the white piece of paper inside folded into thirds.  He looked up at Fluttershy one more time.  She was playing with her hair, blushing majorly.  She made eye contact with him, and offered the cutest little timid smile.  Coppermane smiled back, and returned his attention to her letter.  He took a deep breath, and proceeded to unfold the paper…

…

To my amazing Coppermane,

When I first met you, I knew there was something special about you.  To say you’re amazing would be a huge understatement.  I have so much respect for you.  You survived years of bullying, abuse, and isolation, yet despite that, you didn’t become bitter.  You are the sweetest, kindest, most empathetic guy in the world.

I can still remember the day we first met, and how you acted.  You were so shy.  So scared.  Now, I don’t even recognize you as that frightened little boy.  You have grown so much as a person, and it makes me so proud to think about how far you’ve come.  You don’t pretend to be someone you’re not.  You’re just…Coppermane.  I love how honest you are with yourself.  I love how genuine you are.

Coppermane, you are just the cutest guy in the world!  I love how you always go the distance, just to make me smile.  When I’m with you, I feel beautiful.  When you blush or act shy, it’s so adorable!  I love it when you play with my hair and cup my face.  It makes me melt every time. You’re always so gentle and affectionate.  You always know what to say to cheer me up when I’m sad.  You tell the corniest jokes, but I love every one of them!  When I see your smile, my heart skips a beat.  I love it when you hold me.  You’re so much stronger than you look!  When I’m in your arms, I feel safe.  I rest easy at night knowing you’ll protect me no matter what.  I love gazing into your warm, chocolaty brown eyes.  Your hair is amazing.  Its coppery highlights take my breath away every time.  You’re just so handsome!  When you kiss me, I feel at peace.

You’re not alone anymore.  No matter what happens, no matter what challenges we face, and no matter what obstacles we encounter, I will always stand by you.  The past is history, and you shouldn’t dwell on your mistakes.  What’s important is who you are now, and Coppermane, you are the most amazing guy I’ve ever met.  Remember, the future is always bright, and this time, I will be there for you the whole way.

You put me on a pedestal.  You treat me like a princess.  You make me feel special.  You make me feel safe.  You make me feel beautiful.  You make me feel loved.  I know you’ve said many times that you’ve been a bad boyfriend, but nothing could be further from the truth.  I couldn’t ask for a more perfect prince if I tried.

Most of all…you make me happy.  You’ve made me happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life, and I feel truly humbled to call you mine.

You’re the guy of my dreams, Coppermane, and I love you.  Forever and always.

With all my love and affection,

Fluttershy

…

Wow…

Coppermane was speechless.  He was trying his hardest not to cry, but the last line forced a tear down his face, followed by many others.  He reread certain lines over and over again, relishing the sheer beauty of each sentence.

What an amazing letter.

Coppermane could finally see how much Fluttershy truly loved him, and it warmed his heart unlike anything else could.  He had the biggest smile on his face.  His happiness was unfathomable.

Coppermane looked up at his girlfriend, whom was blushing majorly while playing with her hair.  Upon making eye contact with him, her cheeks went even redder.

“D-Did you like it?” Fluttershy asked bashfully.

Coppermane’s heart exploded with lust, and he pulled Fluttershy into his arms, giving her sweet lips a passionate kiss.

Fluttershy was initially startled, but quickly relaxed into it.  His lips were overflowing with passion, joy, and love.  Fluttershy drank it all in as she melted in Coppermane’s arms.  She savored every passing second of his soft lips.  There was no better feeling in the world.  His lips were intoxicating.

Coppermane’s lustful spell eventually abated, and he pulled back, leaving both of them panting for air.

“Fluttershy…that was the most amazing thing I’ve ever read.  Every word…every sentence…it was beautiful,” Coppermane said.  “Y-You really love me that much?”

Fluttershy smiled, and cupped his face.  “With all my heart.”

Coppermane's heart melted at her words.  He felt the lustful ember within him reignite, and he pulled Fluttershy into another passionate kiss. Her lips were so intoxicating and sweet.

The couple kissed in total euphoria.  Their love emanated from their lips.  Now, their passion for each other was fueled even more by their respective letters, making it feel even more incredible.  In that moment, the world around them seemed to vanish, and nothing but their love mattered.

“Aww!” the girls said, making Flash chuckle at their reaction.  Coppermane and Fluttershy felt their faces heat up.  Their mutual bashfulness made everyone giggle even more.

“I’ve already got your whole wedding planned!” Pinkie Pie said.

“I’ve started thinking about how I’m going to design your wedding dress, Fluttershy!” Rarity said.

Applejack chuckled.  “Seriously, girls?”

“Oh, come on, Applejack!  There’s no way they’re not going to get married,” Pinkie Pie said excitedly.

The couple’s faces were bright red, too embarrassed to speak.  The girls just giggled again.  Coppermane and Fluttershy knew where they were, though.  They were still young, and had all the time in the world to think about serious things like that.  Though…in their own heads…they entertained the thought of being married one day.

“In time, Applejack.  You never know!” Rarity said with a giggle.

The other girls giggled with her, and then everyone returned to doing their own thing.  Some of them looked back at the fire, and some looked at their letters again.  Some looked up to the sky to stargaze.  Some talked amongst each other.  Coppermane, on the other hand, looked around at each one of them with a smile on his face.  As crazy as these past three weeks have been, this was just the beginning.  The beginning of an era.  A beautiful era of happiness for Coppermane, and he wouldn’t be alone.  These amazing people around him would always be there for him.  With his friends, he was unstoppable.

Coppermane leaned back, and looked to his side to behold his lovely princess as she gazed up at the stars.  He took a moment to drink in her infinite beauty.  The astral sea reflected so wonderfully in her gorgeous eyes.  The fire and starlight illuminated her flawless skin, making her practically glow.  There wasn’t a prettier sight in the world.  He squeezed her hand, making her look down at him with that adorable smile.  He blushed and pat his lap, gesturing for Fluttershy to sit there.  She gladly obliged, walking over to Coppermane, and sitting down as he embraced her.  She took his hand, interlacing their fingers.  Coppermane offered a smile, and leaned in to give her a tender kiss.  Her lips were as sweet as she was.  Coppermane could kiss his Fluttershy till the end of time.

They pulled away and Fluttershy gave Coppermane a nuzzle before they returned their attention to the night sky.

As they took in the celestial beauty of the night sky, a shooting star pierced the astral void, evoking a gasp from everyone.

“Oh my!” Rarity said in amazement.

“That was awesome!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Ah’ll say,” Applejack said.

“Make a wish everyone!” Pinkie Pie said.

Coppermane glanced around to see everyone close their eyes, making their wishes.  He kept his own eyes open, though.

“Coppermane?” Fluttershy asked, placing her hand on his heart.

“Hmm?” Coppermane asked.

“Aren’t you going to make a wish?” Fluttershy asked with a smile.

Coppermane shook his head.

“Why not?” Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane looked around the bonfire, making eye contact with some of his best friends.  They offered him a smile, warming his heart.  He looked back at Fluttershy, and gave her a loving squeeze.

“I already got my wish,” Coppermane said tenderly, taking Fluttershy’s hand, and interlacing their fingers.

Coppermane watched in glee as Fluttershy’s face beamed from his words, offering an adorable smile.  To Coppermane, Fluttershy’s smile was the most beautiful thing in the world.  Not even the astral sea of stars in the night sky could compare.  He leaned in to give her a passionate, yet tender kiss, feeling her melt in his arms as he did so.  As they kissed, Coppermane and Fluttershy felt one thing.  Love.  True love, speaking to them through their lips, like magic.  Their relationship was still young, but their love for each other was undeniable.  Whatever the future held, they would traverse it hand-in-hand.  As long as they had each other, they could conquer anything.

They pulled away, and gazed lovingly into each other’s eyes as they held hands.

“I love you so much…my beautiful princess,” Coppermane said.

Fluttershy blushed, and smiled back.  “I-I love you so much…my handsome prince.”

Coppermane blushed, and gave Fluttershy one more peck before she returned her attention to the night sky.  Coppermane gave her a light squeeze, and took a moment to look around the circle.

As Coppermane panned around the bonfire at his friends, and looked up at the celestial sea in the dark sky, he did come up with one wish.  All he wanted was for this single moment to last forever.  A little silly, sure, but sincere nonetheless.  It was a rare moment where everything was perfect.  Spending time with his friends, holding his lovely princess in his arms, and gazing up at the night sky in all its astral majesty.  The world around them seemed to disappear.  In that moment, only him and his friends existed.  Nothing but the crackling of the fire made a sound.  Nothing but the flames and night sky offered illumination.  So peaceful…so serene…so tranquil…

He gave Fluttershy a kiss on the cheek before returning his attention to the celestial night sky.  His mind drew lines between the stars, forming a vague constellation of two ponies.  It was probably Coppermane’s mind perceiving things from nothing, but nevertheless, it was heartwarming.  It was like the universe was speaking to him.

Coppermane let out a contented sigh as he cuddled with his sweetheart.  He could almost see his future.  The image was distorted by uncertainty, but he knew one thing for sure.  It was brighter than ever.  For now, though, the future could wait.  For now, this moment belonged to him and his friends; to him and his beautiful princess.  For now, nothing else mattered.  For now…all was right in the world.