A certain ditzy, cross-eyed pegasus fluttered about amidst the clouds high in the sky above Ponyville. Strapped around her body was a large mailbag nearly overflowing with a plethora of paper and packages. So filled in fact, that it drooped below her hooves as she flapped her wings with all her might just to stay afloat. Inside were countless letters addressed to other residents in Ponyville, heart-shaped containers filled with chocolate delights, and even the occasional piece of jewelry that someone dared to send via the mail system.

When it came to delivering mail, Hearts and Hooves day was the busiest day of all.

Squinting at a piece of paper, she double-checked that the next batch of packages were the correct ones, then gently lowered herself onto a grassy patch in front of Fluttershy's cottage. The atmosphere of the day was gorgeous, with the sun wrapping the earth below with a blanket of warmth as it shined high in the sky. The air was filled with sounds of birds chirping, and several squirrels scurried about as she walked towards the cottage. She pulled out the article to be delivered as she walked up onto the front porch, triple-checking its intended recipient by holding it at varying angles toward her misaligned eyes.

The letter itself was very pink, and had the name 'Fluttershy' written exquisitely upon it, though the sender's name had been omitted. It had even been sealed with a heart-shaped piece of wax, still warm to the touch, and somehow felt extra soft in her hooves as she admired the craftsmanship for such a simple thing. Nevertheless, she admired it just a few moments before dropping it off into the mailbox, knowing fully well that there were hundreds more waiting to be delivered elsewhere. A postmare's job was truly never done.

In her backyard garden, Fluttershy noticed the mailpony taking off into the sky. A small surge of anxiety overcame her at the prospect of receiving a letter from an unknown source and an unknown reason. It wasn't exactly common for her to receive letters in the first place, either. Did she owe somepony money? Was she being delivered bad news of some sort? The possibilities buzzed around in her mind as she wiped the sweat from her brow, put down her trowel by the flowers she'd begun planting, and walked around to the front of her cottage to retrieve it.

She opened the mailbox with a creak, surprised to see the extravagantly-decorated letter addressed to her name. She pulled it out of the box and held it in her hoof, eyeing the heart-shaped seal in the center. Upon realizing the date, yet another surge of anxiety overcame her. To any other pony, of course, such a letter would have been a welcome surprise at first sight. But to Fluttershy, it only brought worrisome questions. That was, until she read it.

Dearest Fluttershy,

In all the time we've known each other, I can say with utmost certainty that every waking moment we've spent together has been sweeter than the last. You are the most kind, thoughtful, and pleasant pony I've ever had the pleasure of calling my friend. You've always been there for me helping me realize so many things about myself, despite my many flaws.

And so, upon this special day dedicated to expressing such feelings, I'd like to do that now.

After the many moons I've spent getting to know you as a friend, I've come to realize something. Something I'd never expected to feel. And that feeling is love, to put it bluntly. Love for your kindness, love for your thoughtfulness, love for your gentle timidness, and love for the confidence you may not always feel, but I know you have. In truth, I think I've felt it all along, but it has only been recently that it dawned on me. I just can't keep it to myself any longer.

But I'm also afraid of making you uncomfortable. Despite feeling an overwhelming urge to express this to you, I know how much anxiety it might cause for you to be put into such a powerful position over another's feelings. So, I've decided to remain anonymous in this heartfelt outpouring, and allow you to decide how to continue, if at all. Please, do not feel it necessary to pursue any actions upon receiving this letter, and please accept my most sincere apologies if this causes you any stress, in any capacity, for any reason whatsoever.

With Love and Kindness,

Anonymous

Fluttershy felt a wave of warmth and joy wash over her as she read through the letter. The smile on her face grew larger with every word. It was the nicest, most affirming thing she'd ever received from somepony. So nice, in fact, that by the time she'd finished reading it, her knees had begun to felt weak and she gently collapsed to the ground in front of her mailbox, clutching the letter with both hooves and admiring it for several moments after reading it.

The sounds of hooves on a nearby pathway filled her ears. Rarity had been walking up the path towards Fluttershy's cottage to invite her out for an afternoon at the cafe, as it was their usual Hearts and Hooves Day tradition to do so.

"Fluttershy?" Rarity called out from behind her. "Why are you laying around in the dirt in front of your mailbox?"

On any normal day, Fluttershy would have been embarrassed for being caught off guard like that, but today, the ecstasy of receiving her letter overpowered everything else. "I was just...reading the mail," she said dreamily.

"Alright..." Rarity's voice trailed, still bewildered at her behavior. She peered around her and noticed the letter. "If I may I ask...what are you reading?"

"Oh, it's nothing," she replied out of instinct, stuffing the letter away in her mane as she returned to her hooves.

"Oh, my apologies darling," Rarity replied. "I can be a tad too prying sometimes, can't I?"

The affirming words her secret admirer had written about her echoed in the back of her mind. They gave her the confidence to open up a little bit, so she pulled the letter out to show her. "It's okay," she said with a timid smile. She gave Rarity the letter.

She read it. Immediately, her eyes widened and scanned through the words written on the paper, and a smile grew on her face.

"Oh..." said Rarity. "Oh. Oh my. This is absolutely delightful. Fluttershy, you have a secret admirer!" She exclaimed, quite loudly.

"A secret...admirer?"

"Oh yes, very much so," Rarity continued, her voice giddy with excitement. "I've read countless novels about romance, and I've read countless novels and mystery. This combines the two of them in the most beautiful way possible."

"Romance? About me?"

Rarity smiled and rolled her eyes, putting a hoof around Fluttershy's shoulder. "Of course, darling. It was only a matter of time until somepony took romantic interest in you. And by the looks of it, they're quite fond of you. And literary, at that." Rarity almost swooned over the letter herself as she gave it a second glance.

Fluttershy felt another wave of happiness wash over her, causing Rarity to grab her before she fell to the ground again.

"What are you going to do?" Rarity continued, getting her back up onto her hooves.

"Oh, I don't know," she replied. "Maybe I should just...keep the letter and wait until they send another?"

Rarity looked at her confusedly. "I suppose that might work for some, darling. But in this case, I'm afraid the onus is on you. Whoever this secret admirer is, they've made it clear they're just as shy as you are."

Fluttershy looked at her blankly.

"Almost as shy," Rarity corrected herself.

"But...what if..."

"If what? If you love each other too much?"

The prospect both terrified and delighted her. All her life, she'd spent so much time giving most of her love and attention to her animals. She loved them just as much as she loved her friends, sometimes even more so. So giving that love to somepony else almost felt selfish. But on the other hoof, the long winters with most of the animals going into hibernation had always left her feeling rather lonely. She mused about the prospect of having somepony to sit around the fire on a chilly winter afternoon, sipping tea and having intelligent conversation. And truthfully, she'd never really given the prospect of romance much thought, but was starting to consider it as a real possibility.

Fluttershy glanced at the letter one more time and couldn't help but smile again. "Will you help me?" She asked meekly.

Rarity's eyes lit up, as if she'd been waiting in anticipation for those exact words.

"The first rule of seeking out a secret admirer is to always remain open to the possibilities," said Rarity.

Fluttershy stood awkwardly beside her in the middle of Ponyville as dozens of its residents walked to and fro around them.

"Now," Rarity continued, "I want you to sit here with me, and do one of my absolute favorite things: pony watch."

"Pony watch?" Fluttershy replied.

"It's quite simple," said Rarity. "We watch as everypony walks about the town, and secretly try to guess at what they're doing, and why."

"Isn't that a bit...intrusive?" asked Fluttershy.

"It's only intrusive if you act on it, darling," she replied. "Here, watch me. This one, with the stylish scarf? That's somepony who knows how to dress to the occasion."

"But, it's not even cold outside," said Fluttershy.

Rarity seemed flummoxed. "Yes, but...it's in style."

Fluttershy had no reply.

"Oh, alright," Rarity continued. "I suppose fashion isn't on the top of your priorities, no offense intended."

"None taken," Fluttershy replied.

"Hmm...what about that one over there?"

"The one carrying that heavy cart?"

"Yes! They seem awfully strong. And handsome, too."

Rarity gazed a couple seconds too long.

Fluttershy seemed less interested. "I don't know...what if they hug too tight? Or feel too bulky?"

Rarity had to stop herself from letting her mouth go agape. "I suppose those are legitimate concerns..."

They gazed a few more seconds, until another potential suitor caught Rarity's eye. "Oh!" She exclaimed. "Do you see that one over there? The handsome one? With that stack of books?"

"Um..."

"He just came out of the library," Rarity continued, "now that to me is a sure sign of somepony who is well-read. That might very well be your secret admirer."

As they watched him continue on his way, he came closer and the stack of books Rarity was referring to turned out to be a stack of comics.

"Or," Rarity said while gently nudging Fluttershy's gaze in a different direction, "he may just be some random pony."

"So, what you're saying is...he might be my secret admirer, but he also might not be?"

"Correct," Rarity replied, seemingly unaware at the ridiculousness of her answer.

"I don't think this is right for me..." said Fluttershy. "Isn't there another way? Something easier, and with less...decision-making?"

"Hmm" Rarity pondered for a few moments. "Yes, but we'll need help. Follow me."

Fluttershy followed Rarity as she trotted through the town and towards its outskirts, keeping an eye out for potential secret admirers on the way. They eventually were standing in front of someplace all too familiar.

"Twilight's castle?" Asked Fluttershy.

"I believe she might have a way to track the letter's sender, so to speak, using a spell of some sort."

"Why do you think that?"

"When in doubt, ask Twilight," Rarity replied.

That certainly seemed easier to Fluttershy than trying to guess at random, so she agreed and they knocked on the front door.

Twilight answered. "Fluttershy, Rarity! It's so nice to see you. Are you not having your usual Hearts and Hooves Day afternoon outing?"

"We aren't," replied Rarity. "There's something much more important that has arisen: Fluttershy has a secret admirer!" She exclaimed loudly, again.

A smile lit up on Twilights face. "That's wonderful!"

"We were wondering," said Rarity, "if you might have a way of...tracking who it came from?"

"Hmm," she pondered for a little bit. "Yes, I know of a spell that Cadence mentioned awhile back. I'm a bit rusty on love-related spells though, so you may have to bear with me." She opened the door further and invited them inside. It closed shut with a loud thud, their hooves clacking on crystalline floors as they relocated to someplace more conducive to messing with magic.

"Love-related magic is tricky," Twilight said as they made their way through the long halls toward her library. "I'm usually quite comfortable with the other forms, but these kinds of spells have always eluded me. So I hope I'm able to be of assistance."

"Absolutely fine, darling," said Rarity. "We'll get to the bottom of this mystery sooner than later, I'm sure of it. Any help along the way is much appreciated."

They arrived at the library and Twilight immediately began magically levitating several dusty books off her shelves, piling them onto an already messy table. She then began sifting through multiple books at once, making several odd grunts and other noises as Rarity and Fluttershy watched her.

"I know it must be here somewhere..." she mumbled to herself as Rarity and Fluttershy watched patiently. "Ah ha!" She exclaimed. "Here it is: a spell for pinpointing the true location of love's desire. Neat!"

She returned to her hooves and carefully read through the spell once more, then focused her thoughts and magic on the love letter that had been placed on the table beside it.

"Are you ready?" asked Twilight.

"...I suppose so..." Fluttershy replied meekly.

Twilight took that as a yes, and cast the spell on the letter. It became engulfed in a fiery pink aura and levitated into the air for a few moments. Then it spun around a bit, rotating back and forth as if it were looking for something. And finally, after just a couple seconds, it immediately shot in one direction straight toward Fluttershy and attached itself to her face.

"Get it off me! Get it off me!" She shrieked, desperately trying to scrape it off with her hooves. It flapped about wildly, practically glued to her forehead, and refusing to be detached.

Twilight smacked her own forehead, immediately realizing her mistake. Meanwhile, Fluttershy began galloping around the room, frantically whacking her wings against herself as she did so. But the letter was relentlessly motivated to follow her wherever she went.

"I know what's wrong," Twilight sighed. Yet another love spell gone catastrophically wrong. "I used a spell that indicates where love's desire is directed toward, not sourced from."

"Oh, that would make sense..." said Rarity, casually watching Fluttershy roll around on the floor several paces away from them. She tried to hold the letter in her hooves while laying on her back, but it kept breaking free in its attempts to be on her face. "It's indicating that the love letter addressed to Fluttershy is...directed to Fluttershy," Rarity concluded.

"Precisely," Twilight replied.

"Help me!" Fluttershy called out desperately. The letter was completely covering her vision as she continued to flail about wildly.

"Oh, sorry," Twilight quickly replied. She cast a reversal on the spell, which caused the love letter to fall harmlessly to the floor at Fluttershy's hooves. Fluttershy took several steps away from the letter, trying to catch her breath after being mercilessly attacked by a piece of paper.

"That didn't work," Fluttershy said, exasperated. Her mane had become a tangled mess.

"Well," said Rarity. "Maybe there is an opposite spell? Or something?"

"I'm afraid not," said Twilight. "At least, not that I know of. And to be honest, I'm afraid I might mess things up worse than I already have." She shifted nervously. "Love is kind of chaotic in nature."

"Oh, poo..." said Rarity. "I suppose we'll have to find another way, then."

"Maybe we can just...I don't know...try again some other day?" said Fluttershy.

"I suppose so, darling, but if romance novels have taught me anything, it's that love should be spontaneous. Instinctive."

Fluttershy sighed. Apparently she was basing her help from somepony whose advice stemmed from romance novels. "I ...suppose we can give it one more try."

"That's the spirit," Rarity replied.

"If I may suggest," said Twilight as she began closing some books, "try seeing what Pinkie Pie has to say. If anypony is spontaneous and instinctive, it's her."

"Pinkie Pie?" They said simultaneously.

Twilight shrugged. "She might not be a romantic, but she's also got an 'in' on everypony in this town. And probably most of Equestria, come to think of it..."

"That does sound like a promising idea," said Rarity, grabbing Fluttershy's hoof in excitement at the prospect of continuing the Hearts and Hooves Day scavenger hunt this day had become.

She led her out of the library in a hurry, and after a few brief minutes later, they'd arrived at Sugarcube Corner. Inside, dozens of nervous customers were lining up to buy heart-shaped cupcakes and various varieties of pastries. Nearly all, of course, were there because they'd forgotten to buy gifts in the days prior. Pinkie Pie herself was zipping between the kitchen and the front counter at ridiculous speeds just to keep up with the demand.

"Pinkie Pie?" Rarity called.

"Yes?" she replied before disappearing behind a swinging door to the kitchen.

"Could we..." Rarity's voice trailed as Pinkie Pie continued taking orders and retrieving goods while simultaneously having a conversation. "Could we speak to you for just a few moments in private?"

"Sure thing!" she replied, spending two seconds to take a couple bits from the latest customer, throw them into the cash register, go back into the kitchen to restock the cupcake display, and to put up an 'on break' sign on the counter. She quickly escorted them into another room, much to the dismay of the ponies who were still waiting in line, watching the clock tick by on the wall in front of them.

"So, what can I do for you?" Pinkie said instinctively. "Sorry...I've been selling a lot at the counter today..."

"Actually darling, we do need something," said Rarity. "Well, Fluttershy does."

Fluttershy thought that Rarity needed this as well, in a vicarious sort of way, but decided that thought was better left to herself.

"Would you happen to know who may have written this letter?" said Rarity.

Fluttershy pulled it out of her mane gingerly and gave it to Pinkie Pie, who studied it intensely.

"Hmm...pink parchment, curly writing, exquisite grammar...did you write this, Rarity?"

Her face blushed. "Who? Me? What, I--Certainly not! I mean, not certainly. I very much like Fluttershy, but not like that." She became flustered. "That's not what I mean..."

Fluttershy wasn't sure how to react to Rarity's sudden embarrassment.

"Ohhhh," said Pinkie Pie, "This can't be written by you, Rarity. Because the paper is infused with magical energy!"

"I beg your pardon?" Rarity replied indignantly. "I may not be a maestro of magic, but I certainly know a thing or two!"

"Sorry," Pinkie Pie continued. "I meant special magical energy." She sniffed the paper up and down with her nose. "Yup, that's the stuff alright. I smell it all the time whenever my Pinkie Sense goes off."

"You...smell the magic?" Asked Fluttershy, perturbed and intrigued at the same time.

"Sure do!" Pinkie Pie replied joyfully. "I'd recognize it anywhere there's something crazy about to happen. Side note: did you know that good things smell like strawberries and bad ones smell like swamp gas?"

"What does the letter smell like?" Asked Rarity.

Pinkie Pie sniffed it again, very thoroughly. Her face contorted into a mixture of content and disgust. "Hmm, it smells like...blueberries, pickles, rutabaga, walnuts, and a hint of lime."

They were silent for several moments.

"Wait..." Pinkie Pie's voice trailed as she went in for another whiff. "And also mint. Specifically, lavender mint."

Fluttershy was impressed, at both Pinkie Pie and her secret admirer. Lavender was one of her favorite scents.

"...What does that mean?" Asked Rarity.

"I have no idea," Pinkie Pie stared at them blankly, smiling.

Suddenly, the realization hit her like a softly padded ton of bricks. Fluttershy immediately took the letter and placed it back in her mane, trotting out the door, leaving Rarity and Pinkie Pie behind to stare at each other.

"Do you know what she just left for?" Rarity asked, confused.

"Nope!" Pinkie Pie replied quickly, but succinctly, as she rushed out the door to attend once more to her duties.

Fluttershy trotted quickly back to her cottage as countless thoughts buzzed around in her mind. She felt anxious and nervous and excited all at once, bundled up into one big ball of emotions. It was nauseating, but she couldn't help but smile as she came closer to returning home. The anticipation was overwhelming, and her heart pounded with every step along the way. For some reason, she just felt like whoever had written the letter was going to be waiting for her, though she had no logical reason to believe so. She supposed that's what Rarity meant about love being spontaneous and instinctive. Compared to her normal routines -- the routines that gave her a sense of safety and stability -- this was completely out of the ordinary.

She burst open her front door, expecting to be presented with her secret admirer. But after a quick scan of the room, she saw nopony. Not even Angel Bunny, who would have normally been demanding cuddles and affection by now. The nervous smile on her face quickly dissipated from feeling let down by her own anticipation, her heart still beating like a hummingbird as she slowly began to relax. She began to wonder if her instinct was wrong, and her secret admirer was someone else. Or worse, nopony at all, and that this had all been some kind of cruel joke.

Fluttershy sighed. "Oh, why can't you just appear..."

But then, in a poof of magic and wearing a blindingly pink tuxedo, he did.

"You rang?" said Discord.

She looked at him and felt woozy. Shocked and bewildered by his sudden appearance, the words on the letter echoed in her mind as she looked at who had been behind them all along. Her heart began pounding faster again, drowning out her hearing with thuds and making her feel light-headed. She was looking right at her secret admirer, and everything clicked into place immediately. In a moment of pure happiness, she flung herself at him, wrapping her hooves and wings around his body in a tight embrace.

"Oh, Discord," she replied before nuzzling herself into him further. After all the years of friendship, all the time they'd spent together, she never truly realized just how much Discord meant to her. And how much she apparently meant to him as well. She didn't want the embrace to end, but eventually it did.

Fluttershy looked at him and glanced away. "I...don't know what to say."

"There's no need," he replied softly. "You can say as much or as little as you'd like. Any amount is fine by me."

"I'm just so..." She tried to think of how she felt in this moment, and there was only one word that came to mind. "Happy."

Discord smiled as he wrapped himself around her, not too tightly, but just enough to provide a gentle embrace.

"As am I," he replied.

Fluttershy expected a joke, or a funny gag, or something. But instead, there was nothing. Just the warm, heartfelt embrace of someone who greatly appreciated her, and who she appreciated in return.

"I should have known it from the start," she chuckled to herself, her heart finally beginning to slow down. "I can't believe it took me an entire afternoon to figure out you'd be waiting for me right back at home."

"Love is blind," Discord replied, poofing a cane and blindfold onto himself to exaggerate his statement.

She laughed, genuinely and wholeheartedly, completely unabashed at expressing herself. She felt all her inhibitions dissipate, as well as the reservations about the way she came across to others. And so in that moment, she realized why she loved Discord. He was the silliest, most uninhibited, secretly-a-romantic draconequus she'd ever had the pleasure of calling her friend. For almost all intents and purposes, Discord was everything she was not, but often wished she could be. And that gave her every reason to be herself around him.