Chapter 39

It was Fluttershy’s big day. She was on her way to CHS for her fundraiser presentation, driving her little SUV down the streets of Canterlot, her knuckles turning white as she firmly gripped the steering wheel.

As she saw the school approaching on the right, she really wanted to just keep on driving rather than going through with what she had been essentially pushed into doing. She drove past the front entrance and turned into the rear lot to find a spot to park, feeling the bizarreness of it all, using the parking lot for the very first time. She had gone to this school for four years, but never had a vehicle at the time, so she came on foot everyday, unless one of the other girls gave her a ride. To come back to the place as an adult, driving her own vehicle felt so alien to her.

Fluttershy found a spot to park and turned her car off, then removed the keys from the ignition. She held onto her keys for a moment, nervously pondering on what she was going to be doing in less than an hour, until she noticed the keys making a jingling sound in her trembling hand.

She put the keys in her brown leather bag that she used as a briefcase, then looked up into her rear view mirror, reaching up to adjust it so she could see her own face in the reflection. She had decided to wear her usual green skirt and white tank top with the green boots, mostly for her own comfort, but she also decided to add her light gray business jacket over her top, the one that she could wear to job interviews or to the bank and so on. She felt that it made her look more professional, and today was as good a day as any to wear it.

“You can do this, Fluttershy…” she thought to herself as she looked into her own eyes…her teal, immortal eyes. She thought about how nothing could destroy them, not even firing a bullet directly at her pupil at point blank range would cause any damage, not even a scratch. “Nothing can hurt you. There’s nothing to be scared of…it’s just nine hundred pairs of eyes that’ll be watching you…” Her eyes started to get wider as she thought about standing up alone in front of a sea of faces watching and listening to her every word. “Oh my goodness…how am I going to get through this?”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “What did Rarity say to do?” she thought to herself, staring into the black space of her mind. “Oh! I just have to think about all those teenage boys’ hard dicks…” She scowled suddenly then shook her head, scrunching her nose. “NO! That won’t help…What the heck was Rarity thinking??”

Fluttershy shook her head, deciding that sitting there in her car wasn’t going to help her. She picked up her brown bag and opened the door to step out, then walked to the back hatch to open it up and lift out an animal carrier.

She walked around the building from the parking lot, carrying her things with her to the front entrance of the school as she walked along the curved path that led to the front doors. She made a point of looking at the statue in the middle of the yard, thinking about the portal, wondering what was going on in the other world, what Princess Twilight might have been doing…

“Do you think it’ll ever open again?” a familiar voice asked…a voice that Fluttershy hadn’t heard in quite a few years.

The shy girl jumped slightly as she turned to see who it was. She smiled and greeted the woman, who was standing on the steps by the front doors of the school. “Oh! Hi Vice-Principal Luna, how are you?”

Luna smiled back. “I am well. It’s good to see you here, Fluttershy.” She gestured to the doors with her hand. “Come with me to my office, we have a few things to discuss before your presentation.” she said as she turned to enter the building, opening and holding the door so the shy girl could carry her things inside.

Fluttershy felt a strong sense of nostalgia as she entered the front lobby, seeing the same burgundy banners hanging from the second level walkway, now starting to look very sun-faded, the smooth blue marble floor, the trophy cases lined up in between the hallway entrances…it all brought the shy girl back to her days of being young, coming to school, being shy around the other students, attending class with her friends…and of course, the magical enemies they faced-off against. It all seemed like eons ago, especially now that her life had taken a new turn into the unknown, everlasting future.

As they walked down the hall to Luna’s office, Fluttershy noticed they still had the same green lockers lining the halls, which were starting to look pretty worn and beat up in their old age. Some things were different however, like the posters advertising different after-school events and various students’ artwork hung up on the walls, and some of the hallway walls had been painted a different colour to update the look of the place since she was last there.

The one thing that was exactly as she remembered was the smell. It reminded her of a hospital or a hotel lobby with a swimming pool, a clean smell that was renewed to its full strength every night as the janitors made their rounds, keeping the place sparkly clean with the impeccable shine that it always had.

It felt strange for the shy girl to be there again. Even though she knew it was the same old school that she had attended and spent countless hours at, coming back in her adulthood made it feel different, as if it wasn’t really the same place.

They finally arrived at Luna’s office. Fluttershy watched as the blue-haired woman unlocked the door, then opened it, gesturing the shy girl inside.

“Have a seat.” Luna offered as she sat behind her desk.

Fluttershy set her things down and sat in the little metal chair facing the desk. She looked at her former Vice-Principal, letting the memories of her time in the building start flooding back to her mind, triggered by the familiar surroundings from her youth.

Luna still dressed the same, wearing that light purple shirt with the big white collar and the belt around the waist, along with the dark blue pants. Her skin was a dark shade of blue, but it was softened by a pastel lightness, and she still had the same long, wavy hair with different shades of blue waving along its length.

When she saw Luna at the front door of the school, Fluttershy noticed right away that she was wearing a pair of thin framed glasses. Now up close, Fluttershy could see the age on the woman’s face that wasn’t there when she was a student. She had a few locks of white hair in her bangs and in front of her ears, and she had crows feet starting in the corners of her eyes, as well as lines starting around her mouth that traveled up her cheeks to the sides of her nose. She looked like a woman who had spent a lot of time smiling, despite the fact that she could be a tough character if you ever got on her bad side…something that always seemed to be a common trait for someone who was a Vice Principal.

Luna looked back at Fluttershy before putting on a smile of pride for the shy girl. “I must say, young lady, I was blown away when I learned that you co-own the animal shelter now.” She said. “When your partner called here to propose the fundraiser to us, and mentioned that you owned the place with him, my sister and I were so thrilled to hear it. We haven’t forgotten about you volunteering there and handing out those flyers every Wednesday out front by the statue. We always admired your dedication.”

“Oh, thank you, Vice-Principal Luna.” The shy girl replied, rubbing her arm nervously.

Luna chuckled. “Please, just call me Luna. I’m not your Principal anymore.”

“Oh, OK. Sorry.” Fluttershy replied.

Luna smiled again, then shook her head a little bit. “You’re still that same timid person, Fluttershy, but look at you…I can’t believe how you’ve sprouted in to such a lovely young woman.”

Fluttershy blushed. “Oh, thank you.”

“I mean, you’re just as tall as me now. I remember when all you girls were just petite little cuties.” Luna said, reminiscing on the time that the unusual group of girls attended her school. “Say, how are the other girls doing?”

“Good!” Fluttershy nodded. “Um, Rarity is running the Carousel Boutique now…”

“I heard…” Luna replied, nodding back. “Good for her, she is doing very well there from what I’ve heard.”

“Oh yes, she is.” She replied. “Um, Applejack is running the farm with her brother and sister…” the shy girl continued.

Luna chuckled. “I would expect nothing less from the Apple family.”

Fluttershy giggled a bit. “Rainbow Dash is working for Canterlot Expedited Delivery…she’s done very well there…you know, because of her speed…She’s already a senior supervisor there. She’s doing very well for herself. And she still plays sports on the side in some of the city leagues.”

Luna was leaning her chin on her fist, smiling as she listened about all of the girls’ lives now. “Good for her.” She said. “Ms. Dash could always excel at anything she put her mind to.”

“Um, Pinkie Pie still lives at home, but she works for a Catering company and does her own party planning on the side.”

Luna giggled. “Oh of course, Pinkie Pie.”

“Twilight just went back to school last week in the big city. She plans to go for…” she paused, scratching behind her ear as she thought about it. “Well, I actually don’t know how many more years…”

Luna waved her hand as she shook her head. “They’ll have to kick her out before she quits, I’m sure.”

The shy girl giggled. “Yeah, probably.”

“How is Sunset Shimmer?” Luna asked, suddenly showing great interest in the red-head’s progress in life.

Fluttershy took a deep breath, then smiled. “She’s great. She finished school last year and is looking for work now. She took law and forensic sciences…she wants to be an investigator.”

Luna smiled warmly. “Sunset Shimmer was always such a bright girl…especially after you girls got her set on the right path. Thank god all of you were there for her.”

Fluttershy nodded humbly. “We all still see each other almost every weekend.”

“That’s so wonderful to hear.” Luna replied with a smile. She then leaned back in her chair, folding her arms. “So, Fluttershy. Are you married? Have kids?”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened for a second at the unexpected question. “Oh, um…no. But I have been seeing a guy for the past five months.”

Luna’s eyebrows went up. “Oh, good for you!…is it serious?”

“Um, pretty serious, yeah. We live together.” The pink-haired girl answered.

“What does he do?” Luna asked.

“He’s a m-mechanic.” Fluttershy replied.

“Oh, nice! Is he a graduate of CHS as well?” Luna asked, adjusting her collar.

The shy girl’s eyebrows went up. “Oh, um…no. He’s not from around here. He’s…um…older,” she answered, rubbing the back of her neck nervously.

The VP nodded. “Very good. I’m glad to hear you’re happy…you were always so shy, good on you for not letting it hold you back. And he’s a lucky guy to have a young woman like you, I hope he knows it.”

Fluttershy smirked. “Hm. I make sure of that.”

Luna chuckled at the quip made by the shy girl, not expecting to hear such a thing from her. After a deep breath, she nodded to the small cage. “You have something in there?”

Fluttershy glanced down at the carrier. “Oh! Yes, this is Link…”

She bent down and opened the cage, letting the Lynx kitten out and lifting him onto her lap. He had nearly doubled in size since she first got him and he was doing very well by himself around the house now. “I was going to show him in the presentation…”

Luna’s eyes widened. “Is he from the shelter?”

Fluttershy shook her head. “No, he lives at home with me. My boyfriend found him in the woods up north…his family was killed in a tragedy and he was all alone.”

“So your boyfriend brought him home for you to look after him?” Luna asked with a smile. “That’s so sweet.”

Fluttershy nodded. “Yeah…he means the world to me. Well, actually…they both do.”

“So, is he a Bobcat, or…?” Luna asked.

“He’s a Lynx.” Fluttershy answered.

Luna’s eyebrows went up. “Ah…hence the name Link…makes sense. Well, he is just beautiful, Fluttershy.”

“Oh, thank you.” Flutterhsy smiled. As the kitten curled up on her lap, the shy girl lifted one eyebrow, looking back at Luna. “Where’s Principal Celestia?”

Luna leaned on her elbows on the desk again. “Well, unfortunately she will be busy with the Superintendant this afternoon, so she won’t be attending the assembly, but she asked me to make sure you come by her office after so she can see you before you go.”

Fluttershy smiled. “Oh, of course I will. Thank you, Vi-…um, Luna.”

Luna smiled, then took in a deep breath as she leaned back in the chair again. “OK, so what’s on the agenda for this presentation?”

Fluttershy’s heart skipped a beat as she was suddenly reminded of why she was there. Reminiscing with Luna these past few minutes had put her in a state of false relaxation, but now she was back to being jittery as ever.

“Um, w-well…I’ll be talking about our c-current budget, w-what equipment we’re looking to invest in, our fundraising goal…” Fluttershy started as she fidgeted with her hands on the kitten’s back.

Luna raised an eyebrow at her former student, who she was starting to remember now as being so painfully shy. “Are you going to be OK up there, Fluttershy? Are you nervous?”

Fluttershy quickly nodded, not wanting to appear weak in front of Luna. “Um, I’ll be OK.”

“OK, then.” Luna smiled back.

The two women discussed the presentation for about twenty minutes until it was nearing time for the assembly to begin.

“Well Fluttershy, it’s almost time. I’d better get the students moved into the gym.” Luna said, picking up the light gray microphone stand from her desktop. She held it to her mouth, pressing the button on the base. “Can I have your attention, teachers and students? The assembly will be beginning soon, if I could have all classes make their way to the gym and find their seats, it would be greatly appreciated.”

Fluttershy’s stomach started to twist up inside her as she thought about every person in that entire building gathering into that one room just to see her.

Luna set the microphone down and stood up from her desk. “OK, we’d better make our way to the gym too.”

Fluttershy took a deep breath, then placed Link back into his carrier, closing the wire-frame door and picking up her brown bag as she followed Luna out of the office.

As they walked down the hall, Fluttershy remembered exactly how to get to the gym, having gone there countless times for classes during her time at the school, even though she always hated phys-ed. There were many other students walking along with them in the hall, heading to the same destination as they were.

She looked ahead of her at Luna, who was walking slightly in front of her, now noticing that the blue-haired woman looked much smaller than she remembered. Fluttershy hadn’t realized how much taller she had gotten since those days, she remembered how the two Principals seemed to tower over everyone else in the school…almost like they were gods among men.

They entered the gym, which was already almost full. The seniors had taken their spots on the bleachers at the back and the sides, and were shouting brash remarks back and forth to one another, they way young teenagers always did. Fluttershy remembered Dash being exactly the same way. Most of the floor was also full, and was on its way to being completely packed in a few more minutes.

Fluttershy followed Luna to the front of the noisy room, where they stood slightly off to the side in front of the stage as they watched more and more students pile into the gym. The shy girl was glad that she wouldn’t have to do the presentation on the stage at least. She was looking at the same old purple curtains that still hung there, drawn closed at that moment as Fluttershy remembered playing tambourine with the Rainbooms on that very stage all those years ago. She remembered seeing the sirens up there, singing their evil songs, taking control of everyone’s mind as they executed their plan to get their hands on the girls’ magic.

The place was almost exactly as Fluttershy remembered, in fact. The big windows were the same, the light beige walls with the blue accents were the same, the hardwood floor was the same as well as the purple ceiling with the black, fancy metal rafters running along the top of the room.

The floor was eventually full, and the students entering the gym had slowed to a trickle. Luna finally stepped up to the center of the room in front of the stage. She held her hands out as she began to speak.

“Quiet down…can I have everyone’s attention, please?” she said loudly as the noise in the gym started to die down.

Once the room was quiet, with the exception of the odd cough, snicker and murmuring of voices in the back, Luna continued. “OK Wondercolts, we are having this assembly to learn about a fundraiser that is being held by the local animal shelter to expand their facilities, so they can properly care for more of the local animals that are in need of help. We have a very special guest here today who is going to speak to all of you about it. She is a former Wondercolt herself, and I would like you all to welcome her back and to pay close attention to her.”

Luna turned to Fluttershy, gesturing for her to join her at the front. The shy girl’s heart was beating like a jackhammer as she picked up the cage and walked up to join Luna’s side. Her fingers were shaking and her breath was elevated…she could feel her face warming up as she began to blush at the sight of 1800 eyes all locking onto her.

“Students, this is Fluttershy. Let’s give her a Wondercolts welcome.” Luna announced, which was followed by an applause of hands and shoes being patted against the floor to sound like hooves on cobblestone. This must have been a new thing that they did, Fluttershy didn’t remember them doing this when she went to the school.

The pink-haired girl stood in front of the sea of students, none of them looking familiar to her. It had been so many years since she attended the school that her entire generation had made its way through, leaving behind nothing but a swarm of young strangers…all staring at her right at that very moment.

Luna took a few steps back to the left of the shy girl, and stood to watch the presentation while keeping an eye on her students. She watched as Fluttershy stood there for a moment, staring motionless at the crowd. Luna started to wonder if the shy girl was going to be able to handle what she was about to do, after all she had always been extremely shy…in fact, it was starting to come back to Luna at that moment just how hopelessly timid this girl actually was, and was now realizing that she hadn’t grown out of it at all in her adulthood.

Starting to feel nervous for the girl, Luna crossed her arms on her chest, holding her index finger curled up in front of her mouth as she watched to see if Fluttershy was ever going to start speaking.

Just then, there was a loud shout from the left rear of the crowd from one of the senior boys who had evidently found Fluttershy quite attractive. “YYYeeeeoooowwwww!!!” he howled as his friends snickered around him.

Luna looked in his direction, rolled her eyes then pointed to the door. “Hennessey…office.”

The kid groaned as he got up and climbed down from the bleachers on the left side, then made his way to the door to leave the gym.

Fluttershy was secretly glad for the disruption since it took the attention off of her momentarily, but the sea of eyes slowly returned to her bit-by-bit as the snickering of the kid’s friends subsided.

She found herself standing there again, her heart racing in her chest, her jaw clenched as she fidgeted her fingers at her sides…wanting to just run out of that gym right then and there.

“Come on Fluttershy, say something…” she scolded herself.

She had to do it. She had to start talking and get it over with. It was only going to take…an hour? “Oh my goodness…”

She took a deep, shaky breath inwards, feeling like she was standing somewhere she shouldn’t have been, like the middle of the ocean…or the edge of a volcano.

She finally opened her mouth to speak.

“Um…”

Author's Notes:

No way was I going to write out that whole presentation, then make you guys read it. lol
I really enjoyed writing this chapter. It was cool bringing the story back to the roots of the show, being at school and Fluttershy being nervous like always. I tried to give it that sense of nostalgia as well, you know that feeling you get when you come back to a place from your youth as a adult and how it kind of feels the same, but different at the same time...