Originally uploaded to Pastebin: December 3rd, 2020
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An Anon posted this:
https://derpibooru.org/1590350
Followed up by another saying: "If you hand her a card like that she’d move mountains to get it filled out."

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>A box of assorted sexual paraphernalia soars out of your open front windows.
>Followed by the pony trying to seduce you with them.
>Fluttershy squeaks as she makes contact with your rose bush.
>She tries to extract herself as delicately as possible, but the thorns have already left their mark.
>You lean on the windowsill, your disapproval plain.
>"I-I'll take that as a no."
"Mhm. Try not to break my garden as well on your way out."
>She winces, though not from the rose thorns.
>"I can buy you a new chair if that helps..."
"Don't bother. I'll get one from someone I can trust."
>Fluttershy, now free of the bush, withdraws slightly.
>"I'm trustworthy..."
"No. You're not. Three days ago I told you not to tamper with my peace-lily, and what did you do?"
>"..."
"You set it on fire. Then asked me if arson was my fetish."
>"It was worth a shot though, right?"
"Fluttershy, I'm a patient man, but even I have my limits. Next time you break something of mine, I'll break you; understand?"
>She looks down, fidgeting with a tuft of grass, "Okay..."
"No no, look me in the eye."
>She does so.
"Understand?"
>"Yes, Anonymous; I understand."
"Alright then, good. Now go away, I have to find a carpenter to replace my chair."
>You wave a hand at the box next to Fluttershy, its contents strewn all over the grass.
"And take all that with you too, I don't want the neighbours thinking I'm some kind of pervert like you."
>The pony nods glumly and goes around picking up the varied and colourful phallic objects with her mouth, depositing them in her box.
>Once done, she looks up at you.
>"Is there -anything- I can do to attract you?"
"No. We established that a long time ago."
>"But I put so much... -effort- into all this!"
>You cock an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry, is that supposed to be my fault? I've been very clear regarding my lack of reciprocity here, Fluttershy. Just because you're trying hard at something doesn't mean it's worth it. If I bang my head against a wall for a year in order to break it down that doesn't entitle me to some kind of reward. Well, other than brain damage."
>"But it's been years!"
"Years of head-banging."
>"But I feel like I should have made -some- progress at least! I-I spend so much of my time doing this, I can't back out now!"
"Of course you can. Ignore the sunken-cost fallacy and just walk away; you've not gained anything by doing this for the last... how long has it been now?"
>"Five years, three months, and six days." she states without skipping a beat.
"Right."
>You shake your head, sighing.
"Think of everything you could have accomplished during that time. You could have found a nice stallion and settled down with him. Instead you're still here after five years," you gesture a hand at her box, "trying to convince me that horse dongs are part of a balanced breakfast."
>"They -are-!"
"Maybe for you, but I like to think I have a healthier outlook on life and my own sexuality than you."
>"Everyone has a fetish, Anon..."
"That's what someone who spends all day thinking about sex would say. Some of us are normal, not that you'd know what that is. Now go away, I have things to do--"
>"Wait wait wait! Before you close the windows."
>You pause, each hand on either one of the glass doors.
>Fluttershy sucks in a deep breath, then lets it out.
>"Please can you give me -something-. Just -something- to make it seem like all this was worth it?"
>You try to look as unimpressed as possible, but she holds your gaze steadily.
>Throw up your hands and turn away, the windows left unshut.
"Alright. Alright! Tell you what, wait here."
>You head back into your house and are gone for a few minutes.
>Fluttershy takes the time to extract and re-examine a girthy, dark red replica of a shlong that she was particularly fond of.
>"Maybe next time, Brutus."
>She gives it a stroke and gently settles it back in its box before you return.
>When you do, you're holding a sheet of sturdy crafts-paper.
"Here you go," you say, extending the sheet to her.
>Fluttershy cocks her head, then tentatively takes it from you.
>She stares blankly at the ten-by-ten square grid you had drawn on it.
>"Um, are grids your feti--"
"Let's call that a rewards card."
>She nods, smiling.
>"Right!"
>And frowns.
>"What?"
"Every time you do something nice for me, whether helpful or positive that I ALONE APPROVE OF," you make a point to emphasise that last bit. "then you can mark off one of the grids with a tick, cross, dot, whatever."
>She nods slowly as you speak.
"Once all the boxes are checked off, I'll give you something in return."
>"...I have to do a hundred nice things for you?"
"Yep."
>"That's..." she looks again at the one hundred neatly arranged boxes you had laid out, "a lot."
"Sure is. If you want something nice, you'll have to work for it."
>"Well, what do I win if I do all of this?"
"Eh, I dunno," you casually wave a hand as though dismissing the question, "I give you a peck on the cheek, let's say that."
>Fluttershy gawks at you, her body stock still.
>"Y-you're saying that if I fill out all these boxes..."
"Mhm."
>"You'll... -actually- kiss me. -Willingly-?"
"Sure. But you have to earn it."
>"A-and this is a... a -promise-? Like a real one? A real, actual promise?"
>You give a faint shrug.
"Sure; I promise."
>At first she doesn't move, eyes darting between the you and the paper you'd given her.
>Then starts hyperventilating.
>"O-oh my gosh. Oooh my gosh."
"Yeah, you can get excited, but--"
>"I-I have to go-- I have to plan all this! Thank you, Anon, thank you!"
>She erupts from the ground and takes flight so fast she leaves a small crater where she was sitting, and a mild sonic boom rattles the windows of your house.
"Hey!" you shout after her, "You didn't take your stuff!"
>You glare after the pegasus before turning your ire towards the box of deviancy.
>Then glance left and see your neighbour, Golden Harvest, shaking her head in disapproval.
>"I thought better of you, Anonymous; displaying things like that to the whole neighbourhood!"
"Yeah well you're free to take whatever strikes your fancy, Carrots."
>The pony makes a disgusted noise, "What kind of mare do you take me for?"
>She glares at you.
>Checks over her shoulder.
>Eyes the rainbow of shafts again.
>Bites her bottom lip in thought.
>Then hurriedly gestures you and the box over.

>The following morning, you wake up.
>You go about your business; go to work; get home; make dinner; and find yourself sitting in your comfy armchair listening to some quiet jazz on the phonograph later in the evening.
>It's then you realise that you just went an entire day without so much as seeing Fluttershy.
"Huh." is all you can muster.
>Your grid idea must have worked.
>She'll have found the idea of doing things you actually approve of so off-putting that she can't possibly bring herself to bother you.
>"This is certainly what's happened", you tell yourself as you climb into bed later that night.
>It takes you about 30 minutes to squash the feelings of absolute dread building up inside you as you remember the look of elation on her face before taking off the previous day.
>"Everything is going to be fine", you think to yourself as you fall into a restless sleep.

>You narrow your eyes at the pony on your doorstep.
>Fluttershy meets your expression with a neutral one.
>"Anon," she starts slowly, unfolding her grid, "I cleaned out your gutters."
"And when did you do this?"
>"Last night."
"In the dark?"
>"I didn't want to bother you, so yes. I did it by lamp-light."
>After a moments hesitation, you retrieve a set of ladders from your garden shed, prop them up by your house, and ascend them to investigate.
>Sure enough, your gutters are free of leaves and other muck.
>They're gleaming, in fact.
>...
>This is an ill omen.
>You head back down your ladders and confront the pony, who is still clutching her grid to her chest.
>"Did I do a good job?"
"You... did."
>"Do you, approve...?"
"Uh. Yes, I suppose I do."
>She breaks out into a smile and excitedly ticks the first box.
>"My first one! Okay, I'll come find you again when I find something else to do!"
>Still holding her grid against herself like it's the most precious thing in the world, Fluttershy takes flight.
>She then spends the entire rest of the day leaving you alone.
>You find that in the ominous absence of Fluttershy, you've never been more terrified in your life.

>The next day, you're chatting to Golden Harvest over the garden fence about her recent adventures.
>"I-I mean I thought I could handle it, but I guess not! I swear I used to be much more limber when I was younger; I'd have taken it to -at least- the half-way point before it was too much, but now I can't handle a quarter!"
>She shakes her head.
>"I think I'm going to need -much- more practice."
"Uh huh, right. Yeah, I didn't need to know -any- of that."
>"Well I just thought you'd be interested since you had a whole box of them--"
"They weren't mine; listen Carrots, I gotta go, I need a shower."
>"A shower? You're not dirty."
"I wasn't until about ten minutes ago, no."
>With that, you both part ways, but as you turn you find Fluttershy watching you from a respectable distance.
>This time, she's holding a basket.
>"Good afternoon, Anon!"
"Hello Fluttershy. Keeping your distance this time?"
>"Yes! I won't come closer unless you ask me to. I brought you a gift too if that's alright?"
>You narrow your eyes.
"Better not be like the one you left on my front lawn the other day."
>"Nope! Though, um, you don't happen to still have that, do you?"
"I, uhh."
>You glance at Carrot's house.
"I threw it in the trash."
>She winces.
>"Okay... W-well anyway, I got you lunch!"
>You conjure memories of previous foodstuffs inflicted upon you by Fluttershy.
"I'm sceptical, but go on."
>The mare sets the basket down and gently removes the cloth.
>"So! We have cheese and onion sandwiches, a strawberry jam tart, an apple, a peach, and a bottle of orange juice!"
>She pushes the basket nearer to you.
>"I hope you like them!"
>You stride over and peer down at the contents.
>It's all there, as described.
>You pluck one of the sandwiches out and peel back the bread, looking for any signs of crushed white powder or whole tablets.
>Nothing; the rest of the goods look to be in order as well.
>You straighten up and nod.
"Looks fine."
>"Good enough to eat?"
"Seems that way."
>"Sooo, try some?"
>You grimace, and eat the sandwich you'd inspected.
>Tastes divine; far better than the crap you normally make yourself for lunch.
>You swallow your food, and some of your pride.
"It's... really good, Fluttershy, thank you."
>She swells with glee and reaches into her mane, extracting her treasured grid and unfolding it.
>"Aaaand that's two! Ooh, this is really kinda fun, I'll see you tomorrow!"
>Before you can stop her, she's gone.
>The lunch was excellent, even if you did take every bite with a worried expression.

>You wonder how long she can keep this up for.
>Surely not for 98 more days, right?

>"Good morning Anon, I watered your plants!"

>"Hello Anon, do you need me to do any shopping for you?"

>"Your shirt has a tear in it, want me to sew it up?"

>"I made cookies! Th-this batch is fine, honest."

>"Good evening! Mind if I sweep your patio?"

>"Your house looks like it could do with a touch-up; could I please get my paints?"

>"Did you need me to take that back to Applejack for you?"

>"I've made you a blanket! I hope it's big enough..."

>"You look tired, do you want to lie down for a little bit? I can carry on cleaning up the shed."

>This goes on day after day, and truthfully you find yourself getting used to it.
>One day, you're over at Golden Harvest's house having tea in her kitchen.
>"And wouldn't you know it, all I needed to do was practice and presto! I can take just about everything again."
>You take a long sip of your tea.
>She beams at you.
>"You wouldn't know it, but I'm sat on one right now!"
>You sip for even longer.
>"Can't even feel him!"
>Sip.
>"I've taken to calling him Brutus, you know."
>Lower your teacup.
"Why the hell am I so calm about this."
>"Ooh you're just being dramatic. Want a refill?"
>She stands up, accompanied by a loud 'shhlllk'.
>You close your eyes and try to ignore what you just saw.
>"I've noticed a lot less shouting from your side of things recently. Have you and Fluttershy finally made peace?"
"I wouldn't call it that. More a temporary cease-fire."
>"Oh? And how did you manage that?"
"Just gave her a big old list of tasks to do and said I'd give her a kiss once it was done."
>"Aww, that's sweet of you. Very responsible too, drawing up a document like that."
"Wouldn't call it a document, more a quick scribble along with a half-hearted promise."
>Carrots sits back down on her chair, not even wincing as she does so.
>You shudder.
>"What do you mean?"
"Well," you snort, "I'm not actually going to kiss her, obviously."
>Golden Harvest frowns at you.
>"That's rather deceptive, Anonymous."
"Oh come on, it's not that bad."
>"She's been doing a lot of nice things for you lately; I see her cleaning this, organising that. It wouldn't be very sporting of you to not give her something after all this."
"Carrots, she's been nothing by hell for five years; I'm entitled to a break. Besides, she's doing it of her own volition, so it's her problem not mine."
>Your neighbour gives you a hard look.
>"You gave her a piece of paper to formalise this, yes?"
"Right."
>"As well as gave her a proper verbal promise that she heard and acknowledged?"
"Kind of? Verbal promises don't mean anything in law, Carrots." you raise the cup for another drink.
>She raises her eyebrows in shock.
>"Maybe not where you're from."
>...
>You slowly set your teacup back down, suddenly wary.
"What do you mean?"
>"Anonymous, here in Equestria a verbal promise is just as binding as a written one. If you gave Fluttershy a document of any sort, as well as a promise in regards to a reward for her services, then that is binding."
"In what way?"
>"In a magical way."
"Oh please--"
>"You're not from around here, Anon, you don't know how it works."
>Golden Harvest places both hooves on the table and takes a moment to muster her words.
>"Equestria is filled with... latent magical forces. The world itself breathes. Us earth ponies use it to help us commune with nature; pegasi use it to change the weather; unicorns use it to change the world around them."
>She continues after a short pause to further gather her thoughts.
>"I don't understand it fully - you'd have to ask a unicorn as to the specifics - but promises have power in this world. You're tempting forces larger than yourself if you go around making and breaking promises like that."
>You laugh nervously.
"Come on, Carrots, stop pulling my leg."
>"Anon, you live in a world where friendship is a tangible form of power. I once witnessed with my own two eyes Twilight Sparkle using friendship to defeat Discord years ago. Who are you to say that the promises we make to each other aren't just as magical?"
>The tea in front of you doesn't seem all that appetising anymore.
>Swallowing to wet your now apparently dry throat, you venture a response.
"So I... have to go through with it."
>"I would think so, yes. Don't be so sombre, it's just a kiss, it could have been worse. Besides; maybe once it's over and done with you'll not be so flippant in making promises anymore."
>You slowly stand up.
"I uhh, I think I need to lie down. Thanks for the tea, Carrots."
>She glances at her clock.
>"Yes, I suppose it's getting on a bit. I needed to get in my daily practice anyway."
>The mare smiles at you.
>"Thanks for stopping by, Anon. You sure you don't want to watch?"
"I promise you that I don't."

>As Fluttershy hums to herself and floats about your living room, dusting cobwebs, you watch in silence and think about what Golden Harvest had said.
>Once done, the pegasus lands and looks to you.
>"All done! Did I do a good job?"
>You make a small effort to turn your head from where you're sat in your armchair and survey the room.
>Spotless, as expected.
>You look down at the pony and nod.
>She clops her hooves together happily and marks off another square.
"So uhh, how many of those have you got left?"
>"I've goooot... thirty one!"
"So few? That's gone... fast."
>"I know, hasn't it? Ooo, but each day brings me closer to my final reward~!"
>She bats her eyelids at you playfully then goes back to admiring her progress.
>You give her a weak smile.
"Hey, uh, I've been meaning to ask."
>She looks up from her grid, expectantly.
"This isn't... -binding-, is it?"
>She cocks her head.
>"What do you mean?"
"You know, this whole arrangement we have. If you end up doing it all and I don't kiss you, it's nothing, right?"
>Fluttershy frowns.
>"I... well no, Anon, that's not how this works."
>You feel your stomach flip.
>"You made a promise. That's why I've been taking it so seriously."
>She puts a hoof to her mouth, her eyes widening.
>"Y-you're not intending to break it, are you?!"
"...If I do what will happen?"
>"Anon you can't break a promise. It's... well you just don't do it! Terrible things have happened to ponies who make and break promises."
>She stands up, momentarily breaking her own little rule of keeping her distance to come up on her hind legs, resting her front hooves on your knees.
>"Tell me you're not going to break the promise! Oh Anon, I couldn't bear to see anything happen to you!"
>Your hands are gripping your arm rests; knuckles white.
"I-I won't..."
>She studies you, her eyes full of concern.
>"Okay. Okay good. That's... good."
>She gets down again and retreats a short distance.
>The mare manages a smile again.
>"You had me a bit worried for a moment there!"
"Yeah, haha, me too..."
>What have you done.

>The days tick by, and Fluttershy continues to be of great help.
>Each and every thing she does is done to the best of her ability, and you can't reasonably assert that she's not done a good job.
>From cooking, to running errands, to even fixing your phonograph, she proves herself to be a fountain of useful skills.
>If she found a stallion, she'd make the perfect housewife.
>But as the final day draws near, you find yourself becoming more reluctant to continue.
>Golden Harvest is right; it's just a kiss, not anything major.
>But it's been hanging over your head for so long it feels like it's something far more.
>What if it's the start of something worse? What if it emboldens Fluttershy to even more wretched acts of perversion?
>You think back to the box of dongs.
>And your next door neighbour.
>And how when you listen closely late at night you can hear her gasping and moaning from the other side of your bedroom wall.
>Fluttershy is entirely to blame for that. What other horrors could she unleash?
>You make your decision.
>This ends tomorrow.

>It's day 100 of your promise.
>These last weeks have made you restless.
>You stand on your front doorstep; you didn't bother to get dressed today and wear only your underpants and evening gown.
>A mug of coffee is in your hand.
>Fluttershy crests the horizon, flying towards you.
>She lands before you and grins.
>"Good morning, Anonymous!"
>The pony unloads a bundle she was carrying across her back.
>"Like you wanted, I redressed all your pillows; now they're good as new! I used fresh feathers from some of my bird friends, so they're extra fluffy!"
>She lays out each pillow before you, then sits on her bottom and looks up at you, awaiting your judgement.
>You don't look at the pillows, and instead regard the mare with weary eyes and a stoic manner.
>After half a minute, you speak as bluntly as possible.
"I don't approve."
>Her grin vanishes, her jaw dropping open slightly.
>"Wh-what?"
"I don't approve. You did a terrible job."
>"You didn't even look!"
"I don't need to look. I hate what you've done and I don't approve. You can't mark off the square."
>Fluttershy looks between the pillows and you, her eyes starting to glisten.
>"B-but I spent all night on them...! Anon, I'm so close!"
"Be that as it may, ultimately, these pillows require my approval. That was part of the agreement, that only I may approve them. As it stands, I don't like them. Better luck next time."
>Fluttershy fights back her tears, wiping them with a foreleg.
>"But... why?"
>You give her a pained look.
"I can't let you win, Fluttershy."
>She thinks for a moment, then nods.
>"You're... right. You're right, you have to approve it..."
>The pony sniffs, trying not to cry.
>"I'll um, be back tomorrow. I hope the pillows are at least good enough to sleep on."
>She turns to leave; opting to walk rather than fly.
>As she goes, you allow yourself to smile.
>Bingo; you've found your loophole.
>She can't cash in the promise if she never fulfils the terms.
>Anon, you genius.
>You sigh, feeling a burden lifted from your shoulders.
>It was a fun few months, having Fluttershy do chores for you like this.
>Maybe you could trick her into doing it again. Maybe for a thousand days? Ten thousand?
>Knowing her, she'd probably do it.
>You look down at the immaculate pillows laid before you.
>Crouching, you poke one with your free hand.
>She wasn't kidding, these are incredibly plush.
>You feel one a bit more, squeezing it.
>Soft fabric, just enough give, no feather tips poking through.
"Wow," you mutter to yourself, "you really outdid yourself with these."
>As you squeeze the pillow, the hairs on your arms begin to stand on end, and for some reason you start to taste copper.
>...
>The mere shock of the force that suddenly slams into you dulls the pain somewhat as you're flipped backwards over your doorstep and against the hardwood door with a reverberating slam.
>You crumple forward to the ground on your hands and knees, gasping; your world spinning.
>Your mug is shattered, its hot contents now soaking you.
>As you stare in shock at the floor, dazed and trying to make sense of it, another surge of ethereal force punches you in the stomach, lifting you a good foot off the ground before yet another crushes you back against the stone, winding you. 
>The concussive impacts were enough to temporarily deafen you; your ears ringing.
>You think you can taste blood, but you're not sure; you try to suck as much air back into your lungs as you can.
>Fluttershy, who wasn't that far away, turns around upon hearing the commotion.
>She stares dumbly at you, now a tangled mess on your porch, then at the pillows.
>The mare is still as she tries to fathom what happened, torn between rushing to help you and keeping her distance.
>Then, she hastily reaches into her mane and unfolds her grid.
>Your hearing now returning to you, you're only just aware enough to hear a delighted cry from Fluttershy.
>You stagger to your feet, still clutching just the handle of your late coffee mug.
"Wh- whah." is just about all you can manage.
>"Anon! Anon look!"
>Leaning against your door frame for support, you give a bewildered look to Fluttershy, who is hovering before you, wings flapping and utter elation on her face.
>"Look!" she says again, forcing the well-worn paper into your free hand.
>You stare dumbly at it.
>Each square in the grid had been carefully crossed off with a pencil; grey lines of varying lengths and angles adorning the sheet.
>But in the bottom-right hand corner, on the 100th square, is a bright blue, pristine, cross.
>It glows with a soft light.
>You run your thumb over it; it's warm to the touch.
"O-oh," you say shakily, "I-I suppose it's filled itself in, h-haha."
>Swallowing the lump in your throat and possibly a bit of blood, you give a now genuinely pained expression to the mare.
"Woo hoo?"
>Fluttershy can scarcely believe what's happened, and does a backflip of her own in the air.
>"I can't believe it! I've never seen a promise react so strongly before! Anon, I've done it! I fulfilled the terms!"
>The mare lands before you and beams.
>"Now you have to give me my reward!"
>...
>You don't move for a while, your knees still tremble a bit from your entire body aching.
>Wetting your lips, you look at your right hand still clutching the mug handle, and drop it.
>Fluttershy waits patiently.
>"Don't delay now, Anon, I've waited a long time for this!"
>You raise the paper in your other hand, glancing again at the shining blue cross.
>Then you look fearfully at the sky, as though fearing sudden retribution from the heavens.
>Nodding to yourself, you fold the paper up again and hand it back to Fluttershy.
"Fine, a-alright, you win."
>Wincing from the pain, you go down on your knees before the pony.
>She steps forward, her confidence now returning to normal and quivering from anticipation.
>Taking the mare's chin in your hand, you lean forward and lightly kiss her on the cheek.
>It leaves a little speck of red.
>Then, you stand back up.
>Your eyes dart to the clear blue above you.
"That was good, right?" you ask the sky, "That was fine?"
>Fluttershy strokes her cheek with awe.
>"Wow... A real kiss!"
>She sighs, happily.
>The two of you are silent for a while; Fluttershy in post-smooch bliss, and yourself in God-fearing anticipation.
>Eventually, the mood settles.
>The mare before you unfurls her wings and hovers off the ground.
>"That was magical, Anon."
"Y-yeah, it definitely was."
>"Thank you."
"You're, um, you're welcome."
>"Are you alright?"
"I think I'll be fine. Just bit my tongue, I think.", you glance up again, "I hope."
>The mare fiddles with her mane a bit, hesitating before saying:
>"Sooo I'll see you around, okay?"
"R-right."
>"Maybe tomorrow?"
"To do what, exactly?"
>"I don't know; maybe I'll sweep your porch."
>She looks down at the shattered porcelain and coffee splashes.
>"It's kinda messy."
"Okay? And then what?"
>She shrugs.
>"We'll have to see. I kinda like helping you. It's better than getting shouted at all the time and thrown into your rose bush. Not that I don't like your rose bush. It's very lovely."
"Yeah, it is. And yeah, I suppose it is better isn't it?"
>"Mhm. Tomorrow then?"
"Sure."
>"You won't shout at me if I do?"
"...No?"
>Fluttershy slowly grins at you, a playful look in her eye.
>"Do you promise?"

The End.