Quest for Harmony-EDIT IN PROGRESS (Note: changing story to present tense)

Now that she’d gotten her money back from the thief Rarity, Twilight headed toward the forest. She’d heard a lot of gossip about a pony who lived in the woods, and feared nearly everyone. After hearing Applejack’s mentioning Fluttershy, and something about the forest, the violet unicorn put two and two together.

“Come, Spike,’ said the unicorn, picking up her assistant by the tail and putting him on her back.

The baby dragon struggled at first, for he yearned to be with the beautiful thief, but he soon realized his mentor would not turn him loose. Reluctantly, he obeyed the violet unicorn.

“Hold on tight,” warned the mare.

Spike firmly grasped her mane, and Twilight raced toward the Everfree. At the very edge, she slowed. Was that singing she heard?

Peering through some thick bushes, Twilight witnessed a smallish yellow pegasus, teaching some birds to sing in a choir.

Judging by the dirt on the yellow mare’s fur and tangled mane, she was obviously very poor, obviously a peasant mare. Yet, there was a beauty to this mare, subtle though it was. Emanating from her, Twilight could also sense a deep kindness.

Convinced that the yellow pegasus was not a threat, Twilight approached her.

“W-who are you? W-why are, um, you h-h-here?” stammered the pastel mare, seemingly scared out of her mind.

“My name is Twilight Sparkle,” announced the lavender unicorn. “Princess Celestia sent me here-”

Before the lavender mare could finish, the yellow pegasus paled, then turned and fled , leaving nothing but a trail of tears in her wake.

“What? Another pony doesn’t trust me? Why did she panic? Why’s she so afraid?” muttered Twilight.

She attempted to follow where the pegasus went, but the yellow mare knew these trails much better than the unicorn; after all, the woods seemed to be the pegasus ’s home.

After being whipped in the face by a few dozen branches, tripping over countless twisted roots, and having her assistant get knocked off her back numerous times, the unicorn gave up. She turned back toward Ponyville, but then she heard, in the far distance, singing.

The voice of the singer was beautiful, almost mystical, and Twilight followed, as if bewitched.

Again, she halted, this time at the edge of a secluded clearing, with a small cottage in the center.

The building was made of wood, mud, and grass, and a small garden was in front of it. What really caught Twilight’s eye, however, was the huge variety of animals, all relaxing around the clearing. And in the center of it all was Fluttershy. The light yellow pegasus had her eyes shut, and was singing an old folk song that told of an ancient forest goddess, from a tale older than even the Alicorn Sisters.

Snow White, Snow White, o Lady clear!

O Queen beyond the Western seas!

O Light to us that wander here

Amid the world of woven trees!

Gilthonel, a Elbereth!

Clear are thy eyes and bright thy breath!

Snow White, Snow White, we sing to thee

In a far land beyond the sea!

O stars that in that sunless year

With shining hand by her were sown

In windy fields now bright and clear

We see your silver blossom blown!

Elbereth a Gilthonel!

We still remember, we who dwell

In this far land beneath the trees,

Thy starlight on the Western seas!

As Fluttershy sang, the entranced Twilight stepped out of her hiding place, edging closer as the beautiful voice continued, and by the time the song ended, Twilight was almost muzzle to muzzle with the skittish mare.

As Fluttershy opened her eyes, the lavender unicorn found herself drowning in two turquoise blue seas.

Fluttershy yelped and darted inside her cottage, crying out, “Don’t hurt me! I don’t have any money or valuables! Please, leave me alone!”

“Easy,” Twilight called after her, “I won’t hurt you!”

By this point, Fluttershy had barricaded herself in her cottage, peering out through a small window.

“Why should I trust you? How do I know you aren’t a collector, or worse, one of those nobles who come out here to torment me because of my poverty?”

“ I’m not here to hurt you, Fluttershy! I just heard you singing, and it was so beautiful, I had to come closer and listen.”

“Oh…” At this, the pegasus opened her door, if only a fraction. “I-I didn’t know. W-what do you want?”

“I was sent here to make friends, and Applejack told me to come and see you .”

“Applejack? I knew her when we were both young, not much more than foals! How is she?”

“She’s a slave…”

At this, Fluttershy’s eyes went wide for a moment, before rolling back into her head, as she passed out on the floor.

Twilight had no idea what to do- she half-heartedly poked the unconscious mare with a hoof, then patiently sat down nearby.

After a few minutes, Fluttershy woke up.

“I hate slavery,” hissed the yellow mare. “I was almost taken as a foal, but I got away. Where is Applejack?”

“She’s with me; I tried to set her free, but she refused, on the grounds that I paid for her, and therefore I should keep her.”

“That sounds like her- noble, brave, and honest- if a little too stubborn for her own good. But if you set her free- I guess I can trust you. But pray, what would a Canterlot noble want with a simple peasant like me?”

“ How’d you know I was from Canterlot?”

“ You’ve quite a distinctive accent. But tell me, where is Applejack? And if you’ve seen her, have you seen another of my foalhood friends- Rainbow Dash? While I lived in Cloudsdale, before I fell to earth, Rainbow was my guardian- she kept me safe. Then she met the Wonderbolt foals- things went downhill pretty quickly after that. I got kicked out of Cloudsdale because of my weak wings, and Rainbow was busy with the Wonderbolts, so she couldn’t stop them that time… I fell from Cloudsdale, but, thankfully, a farm pony saved me- Applejack. Only- when I fell, I lost the use of my wings. I can’t fly…”

“Not at all? That must be horrible..”

“I can fly a little, but not too high or too long. Oh, and I can flutter! But that’s about all…”

“Oh… Listen, Fluttershy, some of your friends are at the Ponyville library. Would you like to come visit them?”

“Oh yes, I would like that very much!”

The yellow mare said something in a strange language, which Twilight recognized from her studies as the Common Tongue of all wild animals.

“I told my dear animal friends I will be gone for a while, but I will return. Please, show me to the library so I can see Applejack and Rainbow!”

Twilight nodded, and started back to Ponyville- or at least, she thought she did. However, not more than 5 minutes later, they found themselves back at the cottage. Twilight didn’t know her way around; she was going in circles.

“Er- perhaps you should lead, Fluttershy…”

The yellow pegasus laughed a little, but immediately apologized, then started down a deer trail.

“This leads to town, though I don’t usually show strangers. But if you know my foalhood friends and they trust you, you’ve proven your worth. But please, don’t ever tell anyone about my way home!”

Twilight nodded and the two ponies headed for town.

After a while, the two made it to a regular trail, which turned into a road, and eventually led them right to the edge of town, where a large crowd was gathering...