Chapter 63: Misunderstanding

Fight or flight.

This is the only thing that he could think of while he scooted away from the mare of his fears. He could not believe that she would come back to finish the deed, he thought that they both fixed things up after yesterday’s debacle.  Apparently he was wrong though...

He does a quick scan of area around him to search if there is something nearby that he could use. He tried to find literally anything that he could use as a defensive measure. The closest usable thing he could see is a restaurant sign. (belonging to closed restaurant, somepony forgot to return it inside...)  There is a blackboard on the sign revealing all of the cliched soup of the day things you usually see on these signs written on a blackboard, which would've  been great for him... but it is too far to be of any use. He is wondering why Rarity hasn't already thrown a volley of needles at him, but he isn't really complaining.

"Dusk, I-I need to talk to you for a moment... okay...” Requests the alabaster unicorn with the tone of sadness.

She didn’t specify the topic so Dusk briefly ‘hesitates’ with his answer, as he looks for any possible escape route. But unluckily for him, the two were in the middle of a large open area with no tight, narrow passages to slip into. He temporarily stops his search, as he decides to say something. “W-What about?” He asks with the slight twinge of fear.

“About yesterday’s events.”

He completely stops any plans of escape as he hears about this. He thought logically for a second, ‘Why would she talk about this if she wanted to harm me?’ He sits up, and curiously looks into her sapphire blue eyes as he beckons her to, “Continue...”

She frowning regretfully, as she explains. “I’m so sorry about yesterday, I just don’t know what came over me. Everything was such a blur that day, and I lacked self control. And now from the few minutes I have seen you for, I can already tell that you are scared around me; you fear me, and that hurts, it really hurts.”

He could see her grim, sullen look as she finishes, and he understood her words, but he had not let down his guard for a second. He is curious about something that she said just before. "Let me ask you something, why do you think I'm still scared of you?"

She didn't even need time to think of her answer. "Well, uh... firstly, you seem to be looking around the area quite frequently. Secondly, you look tensed up, as if you are readying yourself for a fight.” She grimaces as she says this. “And just to prove my point...”

She launches every single needle she held straight down to the ground, between herself and Dusk. He looks at the needles with horror, and then he looks back up at Rarity with the same look, before trying to run away from the mare. She already knew that he would do this, and so she had already cast a levitational spell on the stallion, holding him in place. After struggling, in the magical field and getting nowhere, he just gives up and waits for her to do whatever she is planning. He just didn’t have it in him anymore.

"I’m sorry that I had to do that Dusk. I know that you are scared of these needles, but I didn’t bring them here for this reason.” She expected him to listen to what she had to say. Since he had no choice, he does so. “It is all a big misunderstanding. Remember when I threw all of these needles at you yesterday? Well I need to pick all of them up, since there have been some ponies who have entered the Boutique, complaining about stepping on these sewing needles. And since I'm the only tailor in town, they made the connection of where they came from. I've been picking these up for the past half hour, and I'm nearly finished."

"That's... good... I guess..." He did hear what the mare had to say, but he wasn’t really focusing on her, he had his eye on the needles in front of him. He has never felt so scared of an object like this in his lifetime. He could see visions of painful death playing in his mind. He heard a pained sigh from Rarity as she levitates the needles away from Dusk, and puts them back in a small, clear circular container As soon as she does so, Dusk started to feel more safe around her. Actually, 'more safe' is a bit of an understatement, he felt completely fine around the mare that he may no longer fear.

Rarity then questions his actions, since he is now acting differently around her. "Dusk, are you feeling alright, because you seem to be acting very strangly right now."

He chose to tell her as it is. "As a matter of fact, I feel quite good right now, which is quite weird of me. I know what I'm like, if I fear something, then I panic at the sight of it, and I start to imagine horrible things involving the fear in question, and myself. And one thing that I can say with confidence, is that I'm not afraid right now. I'm not even scared by the fact that you are still holding me in a levitational field, and that you could possibly do anything to me." He then realizes what may have gotten him so worked up before, but before he could speak, the levitation spell dissipates and he lands on the ground.

Secretly thankful that she didn't have to levitate him for any longer, she expresses her happiness of the matter. "Well that's good to hear Dusk, I'm glad to hear that you are not as terrified of me anymore. In fact, I don't think you were ever scared of me, I believe that you are actually more scared of the needles that I used."

Dusk looks a little bit annoyed of what she said. “I was going to say that first, since this seems like a pretty accurate assumption, but I personally believe that I will never be the same around you again. I believe that I will still be quite wary around you in the future, since one does not simply forget such a horrific experience. I forgive you and all, and I still think that you’re a nice mare, but memories like that do not go away. Just remember that, okay Rarity."

She slowly nods, obviously not fully satisfied with what he said. She knew why he had said this though. "Yes, I know Dusk. So I'm guessing that borrowing you for the Boutique is put of the question?"

This got a small smirk from the stallion. "Most definitely, yes. I don't think I want to be going in there anytime soon." Says Dusk

"Tis a pity." She complains in a very non-serious tone. She could see Fluttershy among the group of ponies in the centre of the town. She is about two hundred metres from where the two were, and Rarity then remembers to tell Dusk something that has been bugging her throughout the day. "Dusk, I need to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Would it be possible for you to smile around her more? She told at the spa, that me that you never seem to be happy around her.” Says the tailor.

“What? Why would she say that?” He doesn’t really seem to recall any moment where he wasn’t happy to be around Shy. (If you count out the incidents involving her)

“I’ve noticed that you don’t seem to show that many positive emotions, and that you always seem to be frustrated about something, even when you aren’t. You need to be more emotive around her because she like it when you’re happy, you are just not showing it to her.”

He thought back to the moments where he may have felt truly joyous around Fluttershy. There were quite a lot of good moments that have happened between the two, but something that disturbs him is that Rarity was right. He has almost never shown any real signs of happiness, despite him feeling quite good on the inside. Sadly, he isn’t very good at showing any real positive emotions.

He dejectedly looks back at Rarity "I think I know what you mean. I'll try my best to be more emotive.”

Rarity looks back at Fluttershy, who looks like she is about to say something. She tells Dusk something while her best friend was still out of earshot. "One last thing, while we were both in the spa, Fluttershy told me something else. She kept on telling about how much of a nice stallion you are, and how she likes spending time with you. I approve of this relationship, because I’ve noticed that she now seems that little bit more happier now.”

“Really? She really said that?” Asks the stallion, hoping tat he had heard correctly.

“But of course.” She say, confirming Dusk’s suspicions. She now focuses on Fluttershy as she greets her shy friend. “Good evening Fluttershy, I was just talking to Dusk about the unfortunate incident yesterday."

"Did you? Umm.. well.. did it go well?" Asks Fluttershy with an air of uncertainty, as she thought of the bad things that could've  happened between the two.

"Surprisingly so in fact." She says with a hint of pride. "Dusk and I have finally made up after yesterday's events."

Dusk continues where she left off. "As it turns out, I don't have an immense fear of Rarity. While this is all well and good, it turns out that I have developed a new fear of needles. Go me..." He finishes in an annoyed, yet sarcastic tone. It could have been worse for him, he considers it lucky that he is afraid of an inanimate object rather than the mare who owns them, since he considers her a good pony to be around. He isn't sure if he should consider her as an acquaintance, or a friend.

Fluttershy is nonetheless pleased with the results of their reconciliation, as she expresses her happiness to the two. "But that is great news you two. I'm  so glad to see that both of you are comfortable, and friendly around each other again." Her happy smile is contagious, as Dusk starts to cheer up again.

"Well, it does feel good knowing that I can stay around Rarity without having to recoil in fear." Says the relieved sounding stallion.

"And it's quite good to know that somepony I know is no longer scared of me." Adds in alabastr unicorn. “It’s actually quite a relieving feeling.”

“Heh, you can say that again.”

----------

It took a few more minutes before Dusk and Fluttershy decided to leave the clothing designer to return back home. Dusk considered it quite lucky that he didn’t find anymore needles lodged into the ground. He didn’t know how he would react if he actually did find a needle, but based on what has happened to him throughout the day, he doesn’t think that it would end too well. He knows that he could be quite unpredictable at times.

As the two walked back, he tried to follow Rarity’s advice, and try to show more positive emotions, but he is somewhat unsuccessful. Sadly, despite his best attempts, he did not find any possible time where he could genuinely smile without it being forced. He thought that a forced smile would be a bad idea, because firstly, it was easy to tell whenever somepony forced a smile, and secondly, it doesn’t really convey the right emotions as a normal one. He would possibly work on it later.

He is currently in Fluttershy’s cottage, and he felt something he had never expected to feel so early in the evening, exhaustion. It isn’t the physical type of exhaustion, when somepony does a strenuous amount of exercise. No, it was more of the mental type. He has gone through quite a considerable amount of phychological pain throughout the day, and it has been quite overwhelming for him.

He looks out of a nearby window, and he could still see that it was light outside, but since it was still winter, he knew that it would get dark very quickly. The sun is slowly approaching the edge of the horizon, soon to be overtaken by Luna’s very own celestial being. He is surprised with the total lack of snow which fell on the town of Ponyville, considering that it was in the middle of Winter, but he knew that snow was coming soon. It is unusual for him to feel sleepy at such an early time, but at the moment, he doesn’t really care too much. He knows that Fluttershy is still outside of her cottage, feeding all of the animals which took up residence near her home. He had offered to help her out with her animals, but she had simply denied his request, saying that she doesn’t really need the help. Now normally, he would object and still offer some assistance, but he didn’t have the motivation to object.

‘I feel so useless right now... I wish I was able to do something productive.'

He then saw Angel aimlessly moving across the living area. He had quite a bored look as he slowly moved towards the nearby kitchen. An idea then hits Dusk.

'Wait a second, I suppose I can help out Shy by feeding Angel. Although it may pale in comparison to what she is doing right now, I could... go and... Damn it.'

As it turns out, the pet rabbit wasn't actually moving around aimlessly like he thought at first. As it turns out, Angel was actually moving towards the kitchen because Fluttershy had already set up a small ceramic bowl filled with various vegetables for Angel. (mainly carrots) There were small strips of lettuce, and chopped up carrots inside, which is backed up by cherry tomatoes and other vegetables you'd normally see in a salad. All of the food in the bowl looks surprisingly fresh. It is a rather simple salad, but quite a well done salad for an animal. It is like he is treated like part of her family.

With no other discernable use the he could think of, Dusk decides to have a quick bath so he could try to reinvigorate himself, and escape from the lulls of sleep. He wanted to at least be able to enjoy dinner with his marefriend before he went to sleep.

----------

Dusk had quickly finished washing himself in the bath and he felt a lot more awake than he was before, just as intended. Fluttershy had just gotten back inside the house, carrying an empty bag of food on her back. She looks slightly dirty after spending all that time with her animals, but she told Dusk that she would first make some dinner for the two, before having the shower that she needs. The stallion discreetly celebrated when she told him that she was going to be making a pizza.

The two conversed about various different subjects while the mare prepared the meal for the two to enjoy. When Dusk offered to help, Fluttershy let him join her in the medium sized kitchen of her. She gave him a ‘chef’s knife’ and three moderate sized tomatoes, as she told him to chop them up into thin slices. He pulled out a chopping board, and got a firm grip on the knife handle with his forehooves, as he began to slice the first tomato into thin slices. He could see that Fluttershy had a lot more different types of ingredients on her part of the kitchen bench, as well as a pre-prepared pizza base on the side. Dusk continues to do the job that he was allocated when he started to go a little bit dreary eyed.

It was then, during the middle of the last tomato when Dusk had to stop when he noticed that the sharpened blade of the cutting tool had ended up right over his other unprotected forehoof. He had stopped the blade mere centimetres over the top of his right forehoof, as he safely places the large blade onto the side of the bench. His eyes were starting to blur up, and so he begins to rubs his eyes in the attempt to ward of his exhaustion. He then remembers what had nearly caused the accident in the first place. During the slicing of the tomato, he had lost his concentration and attention due to his craving for sleep, and he was paying absolutely no attention as to what he was doing.

He tells Fluttershy this, and despite her disappointed reaction, she starts to direct him upstairs to the large bed that the two slept in. Dusk is saddened to see that the sun hasn’t even fully disappeared as she moves him onto the bed. (He hates going to sleep this early) She gives him a kiss good-night as she shuts the blinds, and quietly exits the now occupied room. Dusk fell into the clutches of sleep almost immediately after.

It was a long day... Next Chapter: Chapter 64: Normal Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 30 Minutes