Fluttershy has a lot of training to do

Raiden couldn't believe his ears, "Fluttershy, these missions are dangerous, I'm not gonna let you endanger yourself"

"But I need to be near you, it's scary and all but when I was with my friends, as scary as it was I knew I had to be there to help them, I need to do that now", Fluttershy argued.

"No, out of the question, I'm not gonna risk your safety", Raiden said.

Fluttershy groaned, "But Raiden, I need this, I don't like feeling helpless, if anyone can help me be more confident and more useful it's you, Snake and everyone else, please Raiden, I care about your safety"

"Well I care about yours, besides you're gonna end up going through intense training before they even consider you for the battlefield, and no offence but you're kinda delicate"

"I know I am, maybe you can help me on that, truth be told I don't like this feeling of being so shy, I've attempted to overcome it but I tend to relapse"

"Fluttershy"

"No, let me finish, now I realize this is a lot but I'd like to think I ended up in this world for a reason, and that reason is to help you win this war against Liquid Snake and finally overcome my shyness"

Raiden sighed, "This isn't the best way, please Fluttershy, I don't want you going through any trauma"

Fluttershy pouted, "I'm going to learn this stuff one way or another"

Raiden face palmed, "You really want this?"

Fluttershy nodded.

"Even though you've barely been here two days and you don't really know what you're getting yourself into?"

"Hey the first night me and my friends really got together we fought an Evil Alicorn", Fluttershy argued.

"An ali-what?" Raiden asked.

"Alicorn, it's a winged Unicorn, only 4 exist in my world"

"Including the one you fought?"

"Yeah, that was Princess Luna, one of the princesses of my world"

"Oh right, I remember you saying something like that to Snake about a evil sister turned good, wow, hell of an accomplishment on your first night"

"Yes, I even did some stealth stuff in a town of Equality loving ponies"

Raiden raised his eyebrow, "A what?"

"Long story...but seriously, I need this Raiden, I want to be able to help this cause, and I need to know you and the others will be safe, more importantly, I don't want to be afraid anymore", Fluttershy looked at Raiden with pleading eyes.

Raiden sighed, "Great, cute eyes...ok fine, but this isn't gonna be easy Fluttershy", Raiden warned.

"I know, but I'm ready for it, I once trained with my friend Rainbow Dash, and she's pretty tough, so I think I got this"

Raiden sighed, "Anyway we'll start tomorrow, I just wanna remove my cybernetics and heal up"

Fluttershy nodded, "Alright, would you like me to make you a snack?"

Raiden waved his hand, "No I'm good"

"Oh...alright then"

Fluttershy then went about her business, Raiden was concerned, "I hope you know what you're doing 'Shy", Fluttershy said.

The next day, the plane landed in a desserted area, everyone was outside while Fluttershy was waiting for her training to start.

Raiden was on his way out, no longer a Cyber Ninja, then Snake approached him,

"This isn't a good idea Raiden, she's not capable of something like this, she's gonna get hurt", Snake said.

"I tried telling her but she's really insistent on this", Raiden said.

"Well we'll just let her try the basics, maybe she'll come to her senses", Snake said.

"Hopefully", Raiden said.

Outside Fluttershy is jogging in place to warm up, Akiba having a small laugh at her expense.

"She's such a weirdo"

Meryl turned to him, "Don't call anyone else a weirdo"

Akiba took some offense to that, then noticed Snake and Raiden come outside.

"Fluttershy, before we start, I'm gonna ask again...do you really want to do this? You might have to kill someone", Raiden said.

Fluttershy shook her head, "No I don't, Snake avoids it, and he does fine"

Snake turned to Raiden, "She's right, it's possible to be non-lethal", he turned back to Fluttershy, "But it's also a lot harder to pull off"

Fluttershy nodded, "I'm ready"

As the two approached, Fluttershy said one thing, "Oh by the way Raiden...you look much more handsome without the ninja thing"

Raiden blushed a bit, "Don't try to butter me up Fluttershy, you have training to do", he looked away, earning a small chuckle from Fluttershy.

"You sound so cute when flustered"

Raiden looked annoyed, "Just start your training"

Fluttershy nodded, "Ok, guide me"

"Just start with some basic exercise, like push-ups, give me 20", Snake said.

"Ok", Fluttershy went for the push up.

After a minute, Fluttershy seemed to be struggling, "Come on, almost there!"

She pushed up to the top, "One!"

Then she plopped on the ground, Akiba burst out laughing, "Wow, all that and she can only do one!?"

Raiden looked annoyed, "Seriously?"

Fluttershy looked to them, "Sorry, I'm a little rusty, I don't do this stuff too much, and when I do, I'm used to using my wings, not my hooves"

"Fine, try it with your wings", Raiden said.

Fluttershy did so, a little better than the push-ups.

"Well she's got that at least", Snake said.

Fluttershy tried some other stuff, she struggled with the sit-ups, only doing like 5 before she started whining about the burn in her abs.

Then she tried jumping jacks, but she tripped.

She tried pull ups, but she couldn't lift up, she tried cheating a bit by using her wings but Raiden caught her.

"Don't even think about it Fluttershy, no wings"

Fluttershy pouted and kept struggling, to no avail.

The day went on and it looks like she barely made progress, she had a hard time with the simple stuff.

"Fluttershy, you can't expect to be on the field if you can't do something as simple as a regular push-up", Raiden said.

Fluttershy panted, "I'll keep trying, I swear!"

Raiden shook his head, "This is a bad idea, you're not cut out for this, I'm sorry but I can't continue this, I won't watch you put yourself through this, you don't need to fight, that's nothing to be ashamed of"

Fluttershy looked saddened, "But Raiden...I want to learn, I want to help you"

"I'm sorry 'Shy, but I don't want you getting hurt", Raiden said.

"But..."

Snake turned to Raiden, "No one's good off the bat, let her keep trying if she wants, a little training never hurt anybody"

Raiden looked to Snake, "She can't do it, she's too gentle"

"Yeah, she makes Otacon look tough", Akiba said, much to Fluttershy and Otacon's annoyance.

"Akiba, you barely count as a soldier, so you shouldn't talk", Raiden said, then he turned to Fluttershy, "Go rest up, you can try again tomorrow"

Fluttershy eagerly nodded, "Ok, thanks" she flew by, then went back to kiss his cheek, "Thanks for giving me a chance"

Raiden grumbled a bit, "Fine, just go Fluttershy"

Fluttershy nodded and went in, Snake turned to Raiden, "You really care about her, kinda weird since you barely know her, but considering she's from a land where Harmony reigns supreme, maybe she radiates it a bit"

Raiden eyed Snake a moment, then simply went inside.

When he got inside, he saw that Fluttershy had fallen asleep on the floor, "Looks like she wore herself out", he went to her and picked her up, taking her to her bed and placing her down.

"Fluttershy...you're the sweetest thing, you shouldn't have to do this, but I guess Snake's right, you do deserve a chance"

He left her there for her to nap and left the room, "Sleep tight"

The next day Fluttershy tried again, doing a bit better with the push ups and other stuff, but she was still having a little trouble, she wasn't used to much physical exercise other than using her wings.

After finally getting the 20 Push-Ups after what seemed like forever, they tried doing the sit-ups again but her abs hurt.

"I can't, it hurts, my stomach feels like it's on fire"

"That's good, it means you're burning fat", Otacon said.

Fluttershy glared, "I'm not fat!"

Otacon stepped back, earning a chuckle from Akiba & Drebin.

Raiden approached her, "Come on, you just need some motivation, I'm sure you can do it"

Fluttershy had an idea, "I know what to do, Raiden come over to me and hold my lower hooves, keep your head close"

Raiden did so, "Ok, now what?"

Fluttershy laid back, and did her sit up, but when she got to the top, she kissed Raiden's cheek, much to his awkwardness, "What was that?"

"My motivation, eveytime I do a sit-up, I get to kiss you, or you can kiss me"

Raiden blushed, "This is highly irregular!"

Akiba then made mock kiss noises, until Meryl elbowed him, making him stop.

"Please Raiden, you're really cute, so it gives me motivation"

Raiden turned to Snake, who simply shrugged, "Go for it, no big deal, whatever helps her"

Raiden sighed, "Fine, but don't go around telling people"

Fluttershy nodded and went back to the sit ups, kissing Raiden with each successful sit-up, Raiden wondering how it came to this.

After a little more exercise, Raiden came up with an idea.

"Ok Fluttershy, I want you to run a course"

"Ok, sounds easy enough"

"An Obstacle course", Raiden said.

Fluttershy looked confused, then saw some obstacles planted, tires, rope climbing and hurdles.

"I'll keep it simple for now, just run through there, and we'll see how fast you can do it"

"I'm not so sure I can do that"

"Of course you can, just do your best", Raiden said.

Fluttershy nodded, "Ok, for you Raiden", Fluttershy went to the course and got ready.

"On your mark, get set...GO!" Raiden said and Fluttershy ran.

First came the tires, which she stumbled over at first and made a mess, but tried pressing on, tripping after she finished.

Raiden cringed a little but he figured let her keep trying.

When it came time to climb the wall, she tried cheating by using her wings to fly up but Raiden called, "No wings Fluttershy!"

He heard her groan as she struggled to climb up, but fell each time, finally after about 5 minutes she got over the wall and went to the hurdles.

She jumped a few times and actually did well, maybe natural instinct, though halfway through she tripped over a hurdle and then fell into a bunch of other hurdles, causing a mess.

Raiden ran to her, "Fluttershy, are you hurt!?"

Fluttershy popped her head out, she looked humiliated, "Not too much, well on the outside at least"

They then heard some laughing from Akiba, "Holy shit that was the most funniest thing, stuff like that should be sent to those wacky home video type shows, man that was a train wreck with wings", he continued laughing, eventually causing Fluttershy to burst into tears.

"I can't do it! I'm a failure!" she flew inside the cargo plane.

"Fluttershy wait!" Raiden called, then angrily turned to Akiba, "What the hell was that about!? I told you along with everyone else that she's sensative! You didn't need to laugh at her like that! Way to be a jackass!" Raiden then went in the plane to look for Fluttershy.

Snake approached Akiba, "You're not perfect either, but I'm guessing that's why you taunt her, to feel better about yourself, is that it?"

Akiba was speechless, soon the others simply left, leaving Akiba to feel like a drag.

Raiden looked for Fluttershy and heard whimpering in their room, he looked in and saw her sobbing face down on her pillow, he then approached her, "Fluttershy?"

She looked up at him, tears falling from her eyes, "I'm sorry for wasting your time"

Raiden stroked her mane, "Don't be, you tried hard and that's all that matters"

She continued sobbing face down, so he picked her up and pulled her into a hug and sat back on his bed, "Listen, don't listen to Akiba, he's just a real jerk sometimes"

"It's not what he said, it's the fact that I couldn't do it, though his laughing and rude remarks did help, as well as bring back painful memories of when foals in school would laugh at me for not being able to fly as well as the others"

Raiden stroked her hair, "You used to be a weak flyer?"

"I still am pretty much"

"That's not what I saw the other day, you flew in to save me from those Metal Gears, that's some good flying"

"Because I needed to, I had to help you, I got scared of the idea of you getting left behind"

"Because you were motivated, like the sit up kissing, you can do this Fluttershy, granted I would prefer it if you didn't because I don't want you to get hurt, but I do think you can do it, you sound like such an amazing girl"

Fluttershy weakly smiled, "Thanks Raiden, you're the best thing since I landed in this world"

Raiden nodded, "And I'm happy I found you"

Fluttershy kissed Raiden's cheek again, "I love you"

Raiden simply nodded, "Yeah, sure thing", he laid Fluttershy down next to him, "Just rest up, we can try again later if you'd like, for now you need a nap"

Fluttershy nodded, "Ok, I will, thanks", she drifted off to sleep while Raiden laid back and thought about a lot of things, Fluttershy, his mission, the fate of the world...Rose.

Raiden eventually fell asleep himself, with Fluttershy near him, both at peace for the moment.

Probably a bit mushy but it comes like that to Fluttershy, plus Raiden seems to have a sensitive streak when not fighting, but soon enough Fluttershy will be ready.