Ch. 4: The Nymphequi

Fluttershy awoke to the sound of her bird friends. Her body still sore, unwilling to even look as she thanked them...

"Remnant?" She whispered. Her eyes opened to see not just her bird-friends, but all her friends. "H-Hello everyone. What's the occasion?"

"How about those marvelous butterfly wings!" Rarity scoffed under her breathe in jealousy. Applejack jabbed a knee to the unicorn's side.

"More importantly, are you feeling alright?" The ranch-pony asked. Fluttershy looked more like Rarity than her normal buttery hue.

Fluttershy stared at them as their looks of worry intensified the longer she stalled. What would they think? Would she be discarded as a traitor, maybe even banished if Twilight told the princesses?! They would never understand, not even she understood what happened. So she would tell them all they could...all that she knew for certain. Rainbow Dash waved a hoof in front of Fluttershy.

"Hello! Earth to Fluttershy!" Fluttershy looked back to Rainbow dash, then to the others.

"Yes...I'm fine. I just met somepony that needed me...to watch over his foals."

The group turned to each other and slowly huddled in. She wasn't sure how, but she could hear each of them perfectly as they whispered.

"She's obviously still recovering." Twilight said.

"The poor dear." Rarity added.

"Think we should give her a get well party?" Pinkie giggled softly, readying her party cannon.

"The only remedy of a illness this bad is good ol' fashion rest." Applejack scolded. Pinkie pouted and hid her cannon.

"What if she is telling the truth?" Rainbow Dash asked softly."She's not exactly the lying type."

"I am telling the truth!" Fluttershy frowned angrily. "If you don't believe me, t-then you can all leave!" She huffed. The group gasped in shock.

"But Fluttershy you have-ta admit what you're saying is a little far-fetched." Applejack stated as the rest nodded.

Twilight added. "If you were talking care of some foals, while feeling sick-"

"I wouldn't watch over anyone's foals if I didn't feel well. I was ill...after watching the foals!"

"Darling if you caught something after taking care of some younger ponies that could have affected Ponyville School, and I live with Sweetie Belle. I could have been at risk! I can't be bed-ridden, I have a private party with Canterlot royalty in a week!" The group glared at Rarity, until she added. "...and what about Scoot-a-loo and Apple bloom they could have contracted this illness, and that could have made us all-"

"Well if-if you're all worried, then why did you all come and visit me?!" Fluttershy buried her head into her pillow as she began to cry. Maybe it was all just a very scary dream, from leaving her cottage to becoming a queen for a changeling that believed she could change his kind back. I did sound far-fetched...it did seem ill responsible for her not to tell Cheerilee. None if it sounded like what Fluttershy would do. Yet she felt..no she knew this was true. It had to be.

"I'm not sure about everyone else, but I came because when I needed your kindness, you were willing to help." A voice called from behind the crowd. Fluttershy's tears seized at the sound of that pleasantly familiar voice. Slowly the voice shuffled through the bears, beavers, birds and Flutter's pony friends. "I was in such a hurry that I forgot to tell you my name." Fluttershy already knew who he was. She turned to greet him, and was pleasantly taken aback by his altered form.

"My name is Zerene." Finally her somepony was there in her time of need. Somehow her friends just didn't understand her reasoning, surely he could make them see. "I'm terribly sorry that I my kids kept you up for whole days though, I'm here to assure your pony friends that no children at your school will be getting sick. She's come down with moth dew which turns feathered wings into butterfly wings...which she got from my foals innocently trying to heal her wing a few days ago."

The group sighed in relief, and only Rarity jumped right up to Zerene to ogle his exotic butterfly wings. Pinkie Pie let out a gasp of 'aw' as ten butterfly-winged foals floated past Zerene, then one by one They excreted an iridescent mist as they cuddled around their mother. Fluttershy stared lovingly to her foals, each one a mix of Zerene her color. Zerene gave a soft chuckle "They haven't yet controlled their abilities..my apologies, Fluttershy."

"It's quite alright Zerene, I'm just so happy I could help out. In fact why don't you stay with me. Uh-until you get your hooves settled in Ponyville of course-if that's okay with you."

"Why... how kind of you Fluttershy." Zerene gasped. He flew over to Fluttershy and kissed her happily on her forehead.

Twilight watched suspiciously at Zerene kiss to Fluttershy. She had read about the forgotten race of pony that hailed from the Kingdom of Nymphalidae. They flew by butterfly wings, and had a special magic unlike the three tribes. Although her book never explained what, Twilight was beginning to have an idea, but she wasn't going to act on gut instincts alone. She needed to study up. She didn't want another 'Mi Amore Cadenza' incident. With their fears sated the ponies headed back to their homes, and Zerene and Fluttershy resumed their cultivation for the Nymphequi.

Zerene knew one mother would not only limit his offspring's power, but his own. Fluttershy's infection to his moth dew would only last so long until she built up a resistance to the mist, but by then he was sure he would have more elements under his control, all if he was skilled enough.