Fluttershy was...well, shy. Few ponies really know if she was named for that reason or if it was just coincidence, but even her best friends agree that it's a fitting name. Even with this being the case, she was literally the kindest pony you could ever hope to know. It was no coincidence that the Element of Kindness chose her as its bearer after all. Still, her shyness was sometimes cumbersome when it came to meeting new ponies...

Especially colts and stallions.

You see, along with shyness, Fluttershy was blessed with profound natural beauty...the kind that one would have to purposefully hide for it not to be seen. While her friend Rarity would have given her horn for such a gift, Fluttershy considered it a curse of sorts sometimes. When she would love to hide and blend in for example, her image made her stand out among a crowd of other ponies – even her own friends. That was not to say that she did not want a special somepony of her own one day, but those that attempted to court her did not understand her. They were too pushy, or impatient, or even mean...sometimes a combination of all these. Even before becoming the Element of Kindness, Fluttershy avoided ponies like this.

In addition to these things, Fluttershy also had a plethora of secrets...some of which even her closest friend Rainbow Dash did not know. These secrets kept her at a distance from other ponies, even if she didn't mean to. It was something that had caused a great many annoyances among her friends. She loved her friends and treasured them...but there were just some things she wasn't ready to tell anypony about.

She enjoyed spending time with her friends, namely Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Rarity would have a spa day with Fluttershy every Thursday, and Rainbow Dash would stop by whenever she felt like to have the pink-maned pegasus watch her do a new trick or two. Twilight Sparkle unfortunately would often be busy with studies, and Pinkie was...well, Pinkie. The last mare, Applejack, rarely had time for anything outside of her chores, save for the winter time. While Fluttershy was happy enjoying her time with the two friends that consistently had free time, she also had her own chores to do concerning the animals she sheltered and provided for.

Still...when night would come to a close and all her charges had been taken care of, she was lonely...the young pegasus longed for a romance to call her own.

Rarity had many suitors awaiting her, as did Twilight Sparkle, and even Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie did not seem interested at the moment, and Applejack was too busy for any such thing. Was it wrong then for Fluttershy to be so withdrawn? Was she being too picky? Questions like these would plague her mind on a nightly basis, and it only became worse as time went on.

Today was a day like any other for the kind pegasus, and she woke with the sunrise, as she always did. Her pet bunny named Angel hopped off of the bed as she woke, and smiled up at her as she yawned cutely and stretched.

Fluttershy climbed out of her blanket and quickly made her bed before facing the bunny with a smile. “Good morning, Angel. Are you hungry?” As expected, the small white animal nodded furiously as he pointed towards the door. “O-okay, Angel. I'm going. I'm so sorry for making you wait, you must be so hungry.” The bunny rolled his eyes and sighed, which caused the pegasus to giggle. “Well since you've been good, I'll make you fresh salad with carrots, apples, and a cherry.” As she left, her companion bounded out the door after her and downstairs, eager to start the day.

After making sure her charges were all fed and taken care of, Fluttershy headed for the marketplace to gather supplies. Since Fluttershy didn't have a normal job, her friends didn't know how she made money. This was one of her secrets that she was uncomfortable with, especially since it had much to do with her past...so like always, she promised herself that she would reveal all to her friends one day.

“Howdy sugarcube!” shouted a certain stetson-wearing mare, causing the demure pony to nearly jump out of her skin.

After a few seconds of catching her breath, the pegasus replied, “Oh, h-hello Applejack.”

The cowmare smiled and gestured to her large cart of apples. “Y'all here fer yer usual?”

“Oh, um yes.” the pegasus responded with a smile as she reached into her saddlebag and fished out a pouch of bits. She pushed a number of them to the orange earth pony with a kind expression. “I-is that enough?”

Applejack nodded with a smile. “Same price ev'ry time, 'Shy.” She then hoofed two bags of apples over to the other mare. “Two dozen apples for ya. Thank ya kindly.”

The yellow pegasus tied the two ends together with startling speed and hung them around her back, behind the saddlebag. “Thank you so much, Applejack. I just can't get enough of your apples.”

Applejack chuckled heartily and smiled. “Ah reckon if ya could get enough, Ah'd go outta business. Yer mah best regular customer, y'all know that.”

Fluttershy turned to her friend as she walked away and smiled. “Well I can't help it if your apples are so good. Thank you again, Applejack. I'll be back next week.”

“See ya, sugarcube. Y'all take care now.” the earth pony called as her friend walked away. After the mare was out of earshot, the earth pony shook her head with a sigh. “Poor filly needs ta take a break sometime.”

“You're one to talk, AJ.” shouted a voice from above.

Without even having to look, the cowmare smiled and shrugged. “It's different with me RD. Ah got mah whole fam'ly to look after. Fluttershy's got them animals, but Ah think they could take care of 'emselves. That girl needs a colt in her life.”

The rainbow-maned pegasus floated above her friend with a grin. “Again, you're one to talk.”

“Will you git outta here? Yer gettin' a big head again and botherin' me!” the farm mare shouted.

The speedster pegasus giggled and nodded. “Alright fine, I'll leave you alone.” She then smirked and pointed a hoof at the earth pony. “For now...”

The farm mare sighed sadly as she watched the rainbow streak retreat. “G'bye sugarcube. Ah'll tell ya someday...”

As night began to fall, Fluttershy finished with her chores and sat down on her front step with a cup of tea, the same as she always did, awaiting her nightly visitor. It didn't take long before the soft beating of wings on the night air caused the pegasus to look up, only to see the embodiment of night itself approaching.

She bowed respectfully to the being. “Good evening, Princess Luna.”

The young alicorn sighed and rolled her eyes. “Please rise, dear Fluttershy. We have asked thee to refer to Us simply as Luna, as a friend shouldst.”

The pegasus giggled and rose to her hooves. “And I've asked you to practice your modern speech.”

The princess was about to retort, but decided against it and nodded. “You are correct. Apologies, I still find myself slipping into the old tongue without knowing it.”

“It's okay Luna, really.” the humble pegasus responded with a smile. “Besides, I think it's endearing.”

The elder being nodded with a soft smile. “I appreciate your patience with me. Adjusting to this new time is proving more difficult than I originally thought it would be.”

The pegasus nodded with a smile. “It's okay, Luna. I'll always be your friend and help in any way I can.” She then turned towards her cottage. “Would you like to come in for some tea?”

“That would be lovely, Fluttershy. I thank you.” the lunar princess responded with a smile.

“Oh, but I just don't know. I-I just haven't found anypony that I like is all.” the pegasus commented as she sipped her tea.

The two mares' conversation had started out innocent, but had quickly delved into a subject that the shy mare always tried to avoid: her romantic life. It was, in fact, nonexistent...but that didn't stop the princess from trying to help.

“Well...what if I were to assist?” the dark blue mare suggested.

Fluttershy thought it over for a moment, and realized that her shyness would alienate everypony that tried to court her. The princess did know her better than most – perhaps not as well as Rainbow Dash, but then no other pony knew her that well. Still, it couldn't hurt...could it?

Fluttershy looked down at her tea and sighed. “I don't know...I just feel like maybe my special somepony can't be found in Equestria.”

“By what you have explained, that may be true.” the alicorn said, causing the pegasus ears to flatten against her head in hopelessness. “But,” she started with a grin, “there may be ways around that problem.”

“Wh-what do you mean?” Fluttershy asked, now utterly confused.

The alicorn stood and nuzzled the pegasus with affection. “Do not worry yourself on the matter, my friend. I will take care of it, I promise. Now sleep...I will be back tomorrow with news concerning my search.”

“R-really? You would do this for me?” the pegasus asked in disbelief.

The princess smiled and nodded. “You have given me your friendship, and in doing so, happiness. It is only right that I return the favor, as a good friend should.”

Fluttershy was however, reluctant to allow a princess to do work on her behalf. “Oh, b-but I am happy, Luna.”

The lunar alicorn shook her head with a warm smile. “Not as happy as you could be, little one. Now sleep...I shall return tomorrow.”

The gentle mare was still unsure, but was not about to argue further with a princess. “O-okay then. Th-thank you, Luna.”

Luna opened the door to the cottage and smiled back at the pegasus. “As Rainbow Dash would say, 'We are friends...and friends look out for each other.'” And with that, she disappeared into the night sky.

Fluttershy lay in her bed and watched the full moon out of her window, its soft light warming not her body, but her heart. Still, it also caused another feeling to stir within her again...the feeling of loneliness. She wished with all of her being that she could have a special somepony beside her to sit on nights like this and just stare at the moon, talking about everything...and nothing. It was a silly notion after all, but one that her heart always ached for.

As she finally turned away from the window, Fluttershy sighed sadly as she closed her eyes. “Where are you, my prince?”