It was a cloudy day in Cloudsdale. Fluttershy smiled and laughed at the irony inherent in her name. She might be a weak flier, but she was not shy. She was a socially active, outgoing pony who liked to interact with others. She wasn't that good at sports, even if her mother had signed her up for Flight Camp that one year as a filly. But her weak wings were made up for by a strong personality.

"Hi, Fluttershy!" said a passerby. She was in the category of ponies Fluttershy recognized but did not know the name of.

"Hi! How are you doing?" This same sort of event occurred several times on her way to her house. Once at her house, she let Angel get onto her back, and then she walked outwards. The truly microscopic bunny nervously looked around, but it was still cheerful as it held tightly onto Fluttershy. Even with her weakened wings, Fluttershy's status as a pegasus put an extra spring in her step that made it fun to walk. She continued on to nowhere in particular, greeting everyone on her way there. Until, eventually, she encountered him. "Hi, Fluttershy."

"Hi, Gustspeeder!" Angel was getting much more nervous.

"My dad's a Wonderbolt!"

"I know, Gustspeeder. You've told me before." Fluttershy punctuated the sentence with a loud, friendly giggle.

"Do you think I could be a Wonderbolt, Fluttershy?"

"You're a pretty good flier. Way better than me."

"You're good... in other ways."

"Aw, thanks. You're a great friend, Gustspeeder. There's nopony else quite like you."

"You're great, Fluttershy. I wish I could spend, uh, more time with you."

"That'd be neat. You ought to take me flying some time."

"Yeah, I'd take you while flying." There was a pause, and Angel scratched at Fluttershy's mane, but she shook him off. "Hey, how'd you like to see something really neat?"

"And what would that be?" asked Fluttershy.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?"

"I guess not. So where do I go?"

"Well, it's in my dad's house..."

"Sure! I'll come right in!"

"Specifically, down here." He pointed towards a damp downward stairway of clouds.

"In the basement?"

"Yeah." Fluttershy shrugged and then walked down the steps. "So... what's the surprise?" Gustspeeder pulled the basement door down hard and locked it.

"This." And with that he lept forward.

About a year later, Fluttershy was sitting on her own roof at her residence in Ponyville, next to her most trusted friend in the world, Angel. Even before the incident, animals had been inexplicably friendly with her, but afterwards they consisted the vast majority of her friends. Any interaction she tried to make with another pony filled her with discomfort.

At this point, she considered her name. It was kind of fitting, if you thought about it. She did remember on some level what she was like before, but she could never go back to that personality. She was much shier now, but for good reason. You have to be careful. If you go around trusting everyone you meet, Celestia only knows what will happen to you...