THE FLUFF MEME!

[millionbitpipes]

THE FLUFF MEME



YOU ARE GOING TO BE HAPPY

1. Sick day. You're down with the flu or some injury. Whatever the reason, you're bedridden or at the hospital. Aren't you lucky that that someone came to visit you?

2. Date night. You've made special plans to show that special someone just how much you love them and nothing can go wrong tonight.

3. Cheer up. One or both of you is feeling down and it's time to get out of that slump by either finding a way to distract yourself or talking it out with the other person.

4. Love confession. Your stomach is doing flip flops and your heart is racing, but you've read all the signs right, and it's time to let that other person know you feel the same way.

5. Special gift. Maybe it's the first time, or maybe this is the gift that really counts. Birthday, Christmas, or just a random present, you've been planning and saving up for this one and are hoping that special person will like it.

6. Last time (for awhile). One of you is going away for some reason (it can be as simple or angsty as you want it to be) and you may be back or you may not, but you want to spend the time you've got left where you are with someone special.

7. CUDDLES. It's time to get some damn good cuddling already. Do it. Now.

8. Shared dessert. Whether it's because you're both cheap or you're one of those cute, lovey-dovey couples who love sharing desserts, the two of you are sharing that delicious ice cream sundae or cake with one another. Did some of it get on your partner's nose? Or maybe you want to go ahead and take a bite out of the cookie sticking out of their mouth.

9. Need a friend. You just want to hang out with the guys/girls and have a little fun.

10. I'm sorry. You had a fight with someone and now it's time to kiss and make up. . . or at least make up.

11. A moment at home. There's nothing better than enjoying a peaceful day without anything to worry about. Maybe you'll share a book with a friend, or just enjoy some tea and catch up.

12. Been so long. You're back after a long trip somewhere and now it's time to meet up with someone you've missed a lot and make up for lost time!

13. I'll defend you until the end. You're going to fight for that person and you're going to let them know it or show them, whichever comes first.

14. Pillow fight. You're both feeling the need to have some friendly horseplaying, and what better way than with pillows?

15. Wild card. Actually, no, there is no wild card. There is only Denny's. You're at Denny's now, no matter what time of night it may be. Denny's.

Comments

[appletastic]

Now there was a voice she hadn't heard in a very long time. Applejack's ears twitched as she followed the voice, and she gasped when she caught sight of the source.

To see a human in this Equestria was strange enough: that it was Mindy from so long ago was stranger, and that she was just barely alive? It made her heart ache.

"Mindy! Sugarcube, what happened to you?"

She offered her hoof worriedly.

[hit_girl_mindy]

"Oh, yeah," she muttered, eager to dust herself off but lacking the drive very much at the moment. "Lots of stuff. Most of it not so good. Boy, you thought the ship was a shitty place to go, trust me, you ain't seen nothing yet."

She groaned, lurching forward until she was at least sitting up, still feeling the pain from the latest encounter in the Arena along with the torture before it. "Let's say, for the sake of not offending your tastes, I wound up in a pretty nasty place. Be glad you're...so this is the orchard, huh?"

[appletastic]

Applejack sat and quickly started fussing, brushing Mindy's hair aside to get a better look. She could feel her stomach churning and her heart dropping. Who would do this to her?

"Not saying Equestria's all sunshine and roses, but you'll be safer here. Come on, let's get you comfortable, and maybe you can tell me about it."

She looked like she was in too much pain for a hug for the moment, but Applejack lowered herself.

"I know I'm a bit short for a ride, but you can lie on my back. I'll get you inside."

[hit_girl_mindy]

"S-sure," Mindy said, not one to argue right now. She could be as tough and as hard ass as she liked, but the truth was, she was in pain, and she was scared that she couldn't come back from this. Her usual swagger had been lost in the few days of beating on her body, and what resolve she'd had was put to test watching friends of hers die, all her age, slightly older and one girl heartrendingly young.

"Can't be that place," she said, clinging to Applejack's back. "But you sure you want to hear this? Like I said, last chance to NOT hear something awful."

She wanted to talk to somebody, even if she was too proud to say it aloud, and she'd always been fond of Applejack.

[appletastic]

"Look, I'm no stranger to awful. We've got a pony who's the goddess incarnate of death absorbing family and friends, for one thing."

Applejack gently carried Mindy to an indoor couch, fortunately comfortable enough for a human. She hurriedly retrieved water and some of the salad and bread from earlier.

"What's going on?"

[hit_girl_mindy]

"No kidding? Damn. Equestria is was more hardcore than I thought. You'll have to tell me about it sometime.

Once settled in, Mindy lay on the couch a moment, groaning but at least feeling better than being sprawled out in an orchard. She took a sip of the water, sighing, shaking her head.

And so she told her about the Panem: a world run by ruthless government thugs, who grabbed offworlders and forced them into the Hunger Games, where they were forced to eat the scraps they were given, live off the land and kill others in an attempt to win and not have to compete. In the end there was only one winner everytime, but you never stayed dead. They brought you back.

Recently, one of their top torturers were killed, leading Mindy to be incarcerated, tortured mercilessly, branded in the face and then thrown into the Games again, finally taken out by a mercenary. Oh, and they could apparently bring her dead dad back and had, only to shuffle him away lickety split.

"See. Told you it was fucked up."

[appletastic]

The horror on Applejack's face became more and more pronounced with every word. Even in their darkest times, the people of Ponyville always believed in friendship, right? Though they fought, though they struggled, they would certainly never do anything so cruel.

And so the second Mindy finished her sad tale, Applejack very carefully tucked her muzzle against Mindy's shoulder, doing her best to provide comfort without hurting her more. It was a struggle not to cry.

"...how...how could they treat other beings that way?"

[hit_girl_mindy]

"Because they don't look at us like that. The whole point of doing what they do is so they can keep their version of the world preserved. We work for the benefit of the Capitol, and are punished as they see fit. I'm not even going to give you nightmares by telling you what they do to people who disobey them, or even what they do to some people so they can stay eternally pretty. Just know that I never wanted to tell you all this...its an awful place."

She stroked the pony's mane lightly, not trying to insult her. She wasn't just a horse or something.

"Sorry if I ruined your day. Mine's been...well, pretty damn awful."

[appletastic]

"...I'm thinking all of Equestria needs to give them a lesson in friendship," she growled. But now wasn't the time. Instead, she stayed close, lifting a hoof to gently comfort Mindy instead.

"Never. No matter what, I'm always happy to see you again---and I sure hope you can stay a while."

[hit_girl_mindy]

"I would hate to see Equestria anywhere near the type of horrible these people do," Mindy admitted. "I'm glad you're not there. It's heartbreaking if you don't know what's coming, and, well, if you have a heart."

Mindy sometimes doubted she had one herself sometimes.

"I hope so too. This place is...well, it feels good, honestly. I feel less like my life is doomed and broken. I FEEL a little less broken, even."

It was what she was telling herself anyway.

[appletastic]

Applejack nuzzles her friend's cheek, looking absolutely devastated. "We're here for you. And if Calice or anypony else tries to send you back there, I'll sure have something to say about it."

[hit_girl_mindy]

"Calice?" She had no idea who that was, maybe someone important in this world? She didn't know.

Mindy shook slightly, and she sighed, shaking her head. "I don't wanna think anymore. I don't suppose you have any hard cider around here, do you?"

[appletastic]

"There's a bar in town, but there are enough ponies around who know what human adults are supposed to look like that I don't think they'd let you by," she sighed. "But I can fix you anything you want to eat."

She looked haunted for a moment. "Calice is the name of the death pony I was talking about. She's been dragging off-world visitors into this Equestria and keeping souls hostage."

[hit_girl_mindy]

Damn. Well, it was worth a shot anyway. She would have liked a little of the oblivion. She sighed, her head in her hands a little.

"'S fine. Whatever you think is good. I'm gonna try to avoid the death pony and stay here. I'm not in the mood to deal with anymore death, you know?"

[appletastic]

"I know," Applejack whispered.

When she retreated to the kitchen to retrieve food for Mindy, she finally let that pesky sob escape. By Celestia, what kind of monsters had Mindy been thrown to? It took her a moment to wipe her eyes and get things ready, but soon she arrived with some snacks on a tray.

"...we ended up with far too much frozen apple when we had to rush to save the crops, so we're having apple slushies for the next little while. Thought you might like to try one."

[hit_girl_mindy]

While Applejack was gone, Mindy could let a few tears go, finally. Clementine. Ellie. Chibi Usa. Hotaru. Dave. She'd failed all of them in one Arena. Some former victor she'd been. Sure, she'd been mercilessly tortured before they through her in, and she still had that ugly brand on her face, but she was supposed to save these people, not get them killed. She hadn't even been able to take out that one eyed bitch assassin.

She wiped her eyes, sighing. Thinking just made things worse.

Mindy did at least manage a smile here. "Sure. Sounds interesting."