Chapter 7: Manly Tears

Fluttershy's tender hug consoled me as she sang me a soft lullaby, trying, successfully, to lull me to sleep. She was a perfect friend, and she always knew how to make things better.

However, I didn't dream. I slept for a full twenty four hours, but without even a hint of a dream. It was a blissful escape from reality. All good things come to an eventual end, though, and I woke up by falling off the bed. I feel like I do that a lot.

I went to work, made about a hundred bits, and flew back to Fluttershy's. Instead of finding my fur-and-feather friend, though, I found a carefully handwritten note.

I went to the hospital to visit our friends. You should, too. What happened was nopony's fault. Please, just try to forgive and forget. –Fluttershy

P.S., Slender is at Rarity's. Not sure why, and I don't want to know.

I crumpled up the note in a period of momentary rage.

How dare she?! I can't believe this! How could she say that?! I thought. Then I realized that she was completely right. He didn't know that I liked him (a lot), and he was still a very nice pony. So, I flew to the now very familiar hospital.

As I entered the room, I saw that both of its inhabitants were asleep. Necktie was cradling his guitar like a baby. There was no sign of Fluttershy, so I simply looked around the room, stepping quietly.

I saw pill bottle on the side table simply labeled "Sleeping Pills". I shrugged, popped a few in my mouth, and sat down in a chair. It was another dreamless sleep.

I woke up, but kept my eyes shut. Rainbow Dash and Necktie were talking, and Necktie was saying exactly what Rainbow would have wanted to hear. He was the ultimate smooth talker. I was wooed by him just by listening! In all honesty, I should have let them know I was awake, because they were starting to get very personal.

I heard a few string get plucked on Necktie's guitar, then heard a question that surprised Rainbow Dash as much as it did me, judging by her gasp.

"Rainbow… I know I haven't known you for too long, but I feel like we have a lot in common. Would you like to go on a date with me when we get out of here today?" he said, sounding incredibly confident. My eyes started to water, but I kept them shut and kept quiet.

"I'm… thrilled that you would ask me this…" she began.

"So, is that a yes?" he asked, sounding hopeful.

"But I'm afraid that, as my friend Applejack put it, my barn doors don't open that way. I… prefer mares." She said. That surprised me more than anything. It took all of my self control not to audibly gasp. "Actually, I prefer one mare in particular."

There was a pause, and then Necktie spoke.

"Her? You 'prefer' Velvet?" He said, suddenly sounding as cold as steel. Either he was jumping to conclusions, or she had pointed to me. I realized that if I "Woke up" now, it would seem very suspicious.

I was saved by nurses barging in loudly and announcing to Necktie that he was free to go. I took the opportunity and feigned waking up with a start.

"Oh, hey guys. You're awake!" I said.

"Yup, and Necktie here has just been cleared for release," said the nurse. "Rainbow Dash will, hopefully, be released later today." Necktie just looked at me, put on his saddlebag, and went out the door. I tried to follow him out and ask what was wrong, but he flew off at speeds way too fast for me to keep up with.

I gave up and just went to the boutique that I saw was on the street corner. It was a large elegant building, looking far too fancy to fit in with the rest of this happy, but somewhat drab, town.

I went inside and saw Slender looking tortured as he tried on outfit after outfit.

"Help me." He said, looking at me with big eyes. "I've been here for hours."

"Yes, you have, and we're almost done. I'm paying you, remember?" said Rarity, coming out from a closet holding a hat. She put it on his head.

"No, this won't do." She said. "I give up, for now. I can't seem to find anything that looks good on you!"

"Gee, thanks," said Slender, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, hello Velvet!" she said, noticing me. She remembered something. "Wait here! I made something just for you!"

She ran off, and I looked to Slender. He just shrugged. She came back in with an amazing black and white jacket.

"I made this after meeting you. It's made out of velvet!" she said, handing it to me. "Try it on!"

I didn't have much of a choice, as she lifted me up with magic and put it on me anyways. It was very soft, very comfortable, and it fit me perfectly.

"I love it! How much does it cost?" I asked.

"Nonsense," she laughed. "It's a gift! Please, take it!"

I thanked her, and then saw an outfit on a model that would fit a certain necktie wearing pony perfectly. It was a black leather jacket, sunglasses, and a fedora. It was simple, but it would turn his simple necktie into a full outfit that suits him perfectly. Rarity noticed me eyeing it.

"Have a special stallion in mind for that outfit? You'll have to buy that one, I'm afraid." She said. I gave her the bits and she put in a clothing box.

"Enjoy your new clothes!" she called out after us as Slender and I left.

As we searched for Necktie, I talked with Slender. I learned a little bit about his past, but anything involving Necktie other than living together with their mother wasn't talked about at all. Slender himself didn't have very many things happen in his life, but he hopes to one day become a drummer. I suppose that explains the drum set cutie mark.

Slender continued searching, and I went back to Fluttershy's. Angel was there to greet me, which was surprising. I hadn't seen him in a long time. The door opened and Fluttershy stood in the doorway.

"Rainbow Dash told me everything." She said. "Do you know where Necktie is?"

"I don't. Slender is out looking for him." I said. She hadn't even noticed my jacket, which frustrated me. "I had to go to Rarity's and get some stuff first with him. Like, this jacket and some stuff for Necktie,"

"It's a very nice jacket, but you still need to find Necktie." She said. "Twilight got another letter from Celestia inviting him and Slender as well. It will seem rude if he doesn't go. And, besides, isn't that Slender, right there?"

I looked behind me and, sure enough, Slender was following behind me."

"Dude, what the buck?" I said. "You are supposed to find your brother!"

"Yeah, I found him. Judging by how fast he's flying, he trying to break the sound barrier." he said calmly.

"What? Why? Isn't that a bit dangerous?" I said, worried.

"Well, when he gets in any mood that isn't happy, he tends to try to do very dangerous, and sometimes painful, things. And I think it's going to happen pretty soon. He's not the kind of pony to fail at something." Slender said.

I started to speak, but was cut off by an explosion in the distance.

A smoking figure streaked by above us, then went straight up. It slowed down, then lazily flew off to land an a lonely cloud. I could tell that it was Necktie.

I flew after it, but the cloud was inconceivably high. By the time I landed, I was too light headed and out of breath to talk to Necktie. He turned ad saw me, looking annoyed. Then he saw my condition and got panicked.

"What are you doing here? This is way to high for a normal pony!" he exclaimed. I couldn't reply due to lack of oxygen.

"Am I going to have to take you back down?" he asked. I replied by blacking out after falling off the cloud.

I woke up feeling serious deja-vu. I was in Fluttershy's bed, tired and sore, and I almost fell off the bed again.

"Well, well, well. Look who made a quick recovery." I heard Necktie say. I saw him walking towards me wearing the outfit I got him.

"You got the outfit!" I said. He chuckled.

"I'm sorry about causing you so much worry. I just... had to relieve some stress." he said, turning away.

"I know what happened." I said. Necktie was silent for a very long time, then he turned his head towards me. I looked into the eyes of the invincible pony, the pony who felt no fear, even at the hand of a monster. I looked into the eyes of the love of my life and saw a single tear.

"She is the only pony I have ever confessed my feelings to. Not only do I get rejected, I get rejected for another mare. That hurts deep." he said, more tears forming.

"ever since my dad passed, I've been afraid to actually show my true feelings. I've only ever been tough or happy. Never mad, never ever sad enough to cry..." he continued. "I can finally accept that I am not good enough for anypony. I will never have a special somepony."

"Hey, don't talk like that. I know for a fact that there is a mare in this town that is in love with you." I said, getting out of bed and walking towards him.

"Really? Who could love me?" he asked, sounding dejected.

"Me." I said, kissing him. It was exactly what I'd always hoped. Just, you know, wet with tears. He pulled back, startled.

"She is the only pony I have ever confessed my feelings to. Not only do I get rejected, I get rejected for another mare. That hurts deep." he said, more tears forming.

"Ever since my dad passed, I've been afraid to actually show my true feelings. I've only ever been tough or happy. Never mad, never ever sad enough to cry..." he continued. "I can finally accept that I am not good enough for anypony. I will never have a special somepony."

"Hey, don't talk like that. I know for a fact that there is a mare in this town that is in love with you." I said, getting out of bed and walking towards him.

"Really? Who could love me?" he asked, sounding dejected.

"Me." I said, kissing him. It was exactly what I'd always hoped. Just, you know, wet with tears. It felt as if sparks were hitting my lips. He pulled back, startled.

"I'm sorry," I said, blushing furiously. " I shouldn't have-"

"No." he interrupted. "Actually... I kind of liked it."

He pulled me in for another kiss, but before our lips could connect, the door burst open.

"Hey, Necktie, you forgot your guitar at- oh, my bad." Slender said, backing out.

"It's fine," Necktie said, walking over and getting his guitar. Slender just closed the door and trotted off to town. "Now, where were we?"

Hey, readers. BigBadFluttershy here. I've been waiting for the right moment for the pairing to start, but I decided to make it the right moment. When two characters are made for each other, they don't have to wait to pair up. Also, sometime in these next couple of chapters, we will have a new character com in, and a possibly controversial pairing. Still accepting OCs, and I am willing to accept any pairing ideas for Slender (as long as they don 't clash with my plot plans.) As always,

The pony who only cares a little bit, BigBadFluttershy