Fluttershy smiles.

A small, faint line always carved on her pale face, not quite a real smile but good enough. Small enough to not draw attention, big enough to stop any questions. She always remembers to put on that smile, even when her eyes dart to the wall.

She visits Twilight to return a book and once her friend turns over, her eyes dart to the wall. Hanging on the wood, there is a small frame. A picture of the entire family on the wedding day. The groom's parents hugging, the newlyweds smiling to the camera and the mare of honor holding the ring bearer so he fits on the picture. All of them, beaming with happiness. Twilight thanks Fluttershy for returning the book and she says is nothing, all while keeping her smile on.

Always keeping her smile on.

It happens everytime, on every house she visits. There´s always a picture. On Applejack´s it hangs over the chimney. A bulky stallion, a cheerful mare, a baby on her arms and under them, a young colt and a freckled foal.

Rarity keeps her on the boutique, barely visible behind the counter. Still, Fluttershy can't help but look. She nods and pretends to listen to her friend while taking a cup of tea but in reality her full attention is on the picture. The elder sister looks annoyed, her elaborate dress a stark contrast to her family tacky outfits. She still poses though, despite her embarrassment she stands alongside her little sister and parents.

On Pinkie´s bedroom, two frames lie on the nightstand. One in sepia tone, the uptight family doing its best to not crack as the cheerful filly makes a silly face. The other is on bright colors, the bakers, their assistant and their babies; all covered in birthday cake after an intense food fight.

Fluttershy smiles. She remembers to do so on every house.

Except hers.

She returns to her cottage where all her animal friends await for her. She thanks them and hugs them but she can´t smile. She can´t smile when watching that empty wall. There is no frame, no picture. No brothers, no sisters, no cousins nor aunt or uncle. Her parents reduced to a single postcard.

Then there's a knock on the door. She finds Rainbow Dash standing on the doorway, blowing her mane like she always does when she is nervous about something. Fluttershy stands and listen to Rainbow ramble for a long while. About their last trip together, about it being extremely lame, about the butterfly thing being kind of cool looking but still lame, about not having such a terrible time, about how she actually likes hanging out with her, about how they have been friends for so long she is practically family, how Fluttershy is the closest thing to a family she has, almost like a sister but not quite.

Fluttershy listens to all of this but says nothing. Her patience finally over, Rainbow hands a package and flies off, not one to give explanations. Fluttershy unravels the package and finds a picture frame, an image of both pegasi standing together. Rainbow is blushing, clearly not wanting to be there while Fluttershy beams, following the photographer orders to stand closer to Dash.

Hovering slowly, not making a single sound, Fluttershy moves to the wall and hangs the picture. Despite her efforts, it doesn't stand straight, always falling to one side, not quite hanging on the wall. But she leaves it anyway, not moving it from that wall, since that place is the first thing she sees every time she crosses the front door.

And since then, everyday when she comes home Fluttershy does one thing....

She smiles.