Enchantè

Chapters

A Promise and a Pink Surprise
A Royal Meeting and a Talent Revealed
Reaching Out
A Few Awkward Moments
Confrontation
Confirmation
Diplomacy
Tears and Preparations
Cold Truth
Secrets Revealed
Interrogation
Pyrrhic Victory
Angel Alone
Fluttershy Unleashed
Redemption

A Promise and a Pink Surprise

For the next few days Pawise did not accomplish very much. He stayed mostly in his room. He moved in a daze, he was barely responsive, hardly ate and he seemed to sleep for only a few minutes each night.

Zecora visited him every day, having seen this “ailment” before, and wisely knowing he needed some time to himself.

One day he roused himself to ask, “Zecora, who is that pony? Can you tell me anything about her?”

She nodded and said, “I will tell you what is generally known, but for more detail you must speak to her…on your own.”

Pawise blanched. “I...I don’t think I can do that. What’s wrong with me?”

“Your condition seems quite clear: it’s plain you are in love, my dear.”

Pawise grew silent again. In love? He had never been in love before, and there was a part of him that didn’t like this…loss of control. All his life, he’d been the master of his emotions. The closest he’d ever come to feeling this way had been the night before his finals, when he’d worked so hard for so long towards a goal, and stood the chance of losing it all. Love was something with which he had no personal experience.

But he had his parents’ example to fall back on. As gruff and as prejudiced as he knew his father to be, he also knew he and Mom loved each other deeply. He thought a moment more, while Zecora patiently waited for him to sort out his feelings. He’d have to ask them what to do, but there could be a problem: his one brief glimpse of…Fluttershy, that name sounded like music to him, had revealed she’s a pegasus. His Dad would not like that. Assuming she herself wouldn’t have a problem with a unicorn even speaking to her, let alone one feeling the way he does about her. A big assumption.

Then a horrible thought occurred to him: what if she’s seeing someone, or…or even…Celestia forbid…already married?

Reading the turmoil of his thoughts on his face, Zecora gently spoke, “There is one more thing I can do. I can introduce her to you.”

Hope filled Pawise’s heart at these words.“Really? When?” he asked.

“We must know each other first,” and then her expression hardened, “I would not see her heart be burst.”

“Oh.”

Even in the midst of his conflicting emotions, he could see the logic in her attitude. Despite himself, his admiration for Zecora grew. She must care very much about Fluttershy for her to make sure he would be safe to introduce him to her. After all, he’d just arrived there, and knew no one but Zecora. And outside of some brief descriptions about her from his professors, he hardly knew Zecora at all. It only made sense to wait. Or so his brain was telling him. His heart though…his heart spoke a different story.

Zecora stood and said, “Focus on your work my friend, this matter soon will find its end.”

“Okay. And Zecora?” She turned back to look at him. “Thank you. I won’t disappoint.”

She smiled and then left him alone.

The next day he got up bright and early, and ordered a huge breakfast. When had he last eaten? He couldn’t remember, but he fell to as if he’d been starving. Afterwards, he decided to go for a walk, the first time he had left his room since arriving at Ponyville. The first pony he met was a very enthusiastic bright pink mare that ran up to him and introduced herself.

“HI! I’m Pinkie Pie! Who are you?!”

She was shaking his hoof so fast it was making him slightly dizzy, so he gently disengaged himself and managed to reply, “I’m Pawise.”

“I’ve never seen you before! When did you get to Ponyville?"

She seemed so friendly he regained some of his focus, and replied, “Just a few days ago. I’ve been up in my room at the Inn mostly, but I thought I’d come out for some air.”

Pinkie took on a concerned look. “Up in your room? For days? No wonder I didn’t see you, and I know every pony in Ponyville! Were you sick?”

“Kind of.”

Pinkie grew even more concerned. “Then you should go see the doctor! What are we waiting for?!”

She got behind him and started pushing him in the direction of the clinic.

Even though she was smaller than he, her earth pony strength was able to get him quite a distance before he could grab a light post and cry out, “Hey! Wait! I don’t want a doctor!”

“Nonsense!” she cried. “You just…(grunt)…need…(shove) a professional!”

“Pinkie Pie! What in tarnation are you doin' ?” said a blonde pony wearing a cowboy hat.

Pawise looked at her and cried, “Help me!”

Pinkie, slightly out of breath, continued to pull on the stallion and wheezed, “I’m…trying…to get this…pony…to a doctor!”

By now Pawise was completely horizontal, hanging desperately onto the streetlamp while Pinkie put all her strength into pulling his legs. They were starting to draw a crowd.

“Let him go, you silly filly!” The blonde pony grabbed Pawise’s midsection and started pulling in the opposite direction.

“I can’t take this!” cried Pawise. “Ow!”

At his “ow” both mares let go of him at once. “I’m so sorry, Pawise! Are you okay?” asked Pinkie.

Still hanging onto the post, Pawise looked up at her and quickly said “I’m okay, I’m okay! Just don’t pull me anymore!”

The blonde pony reached down and helped him up. “You sure yer alright there, partner?”

As he nodded and continued to catch his breath, the small crowd dispersed, most chuckling to themselves over another example of ‘Pinkie Pie.’ “Well ah’m Applejack. Pleased to meet ya!”

“And I’m really, really sorry, Pawise!” said Pinkie, looking very contrite with her ears folded down.

Pawise smiled at her, and said “No real harm done…umm…Pinkie.” He was starting to see the humor in the situation, so he added, “you really know how to make a first impression!” He turned to Applejack. “Pleased to meet you too, Miss Jack.”

“Aw shucks! No need to be so formal! Just call me Applejack!”

"Okay…Applejack. I’m Pawise.”

“Been in Ponyville long?” she asked.

“No!” cried Pinkie. “He’s only been here a few days, he hasn’t left his room because he’s been sick, and he needs to see the doctor!”

Pawise blinked at this sudden profusion of words, but Applejack seemed to take it in stride.

“It’s okay, sugarcube. We’ll get him help if he needs it. That true, Pawise? You been sick?”

“Sort of. As I was trying to explain to Pinkie here, it’s not something with which a doctor can help.”

“GASP! I see now! You’re in love!” cried Pinkie.

Pawise’s head snapped up at this. “How did you know?”

“It’s written all over yer face, darlin', ” added Applejack. “Is it someone here in Ponyville?”

Pawise grew suddenly shy. “I…I think so. I only saw her the one time, for the first time, and…”

“OOOOO! Love At First Sight! This is SOOO exciting!” cried Pinkie. “Who is she?”

“PINKIE!” cried Applejack. “That’s none uh our business!”

“Well, YOU asked him if it’s someone here in Ponyville!” she pouted.

“That’s not the same as asking the mare’s name! It could be anypony!”

“Ladies, please. I couldn’t say right now anyway. I promised somepony I would wait for her to introduce us.”

Both mares nodded at once. “You want to get to know her first. That’s sweet,” said Applejack. “Pinkie’s right; this is exciting! But you need some time.” She smiled and added, “Ah think we’re gonna get along just fine, Pawise. You just come on out to Sweet Apple Acres when you get the chance. The first basket of apples is on me!”

“And you’re welcome at Sugarcube Corner, Pawise. That’s where I work! Best cakes, pies and muffins in Ponyville!”

“Thank you, ladies. I certainly will” said Pawise, while making a mental note to steer clear of Sugarcube Corner for a few days at least. Just as he was turning away, and thinking he’d made his escape, there was another loud gasp from Pinkie.

“What am I thinking?! We have to throw you a ‘Welcome to Ponyville Party’!”

“Umm…that’s okay. No need to make a fuss.”

“Oh, it’s no fuss at all! It’s what I do! I’ll arrange it as soon as I can!” And with that she skipped off, singing “lalalalala!” to herself.

Pawise stared after her, still a bit dazed. “I’m going to have a party, aren’t I?” he asked Applejack.

“ ‘Fraid so, partner. A course you don’t hafta go, but it would be a nice way to meet everypony.”

“Does she do this with every new pony?”

“Pretty much. Don’t worry none, though. Ah’m sure you’ll like it.”

“If you say so.” Then a thought hit him. “Wait…did you say…everypony will be there?”

“Sure, most of them. Why...” then her voice trailed off. “Ah see. That could be a problem.” Then she added, “If she's there, you don’t hafta speak to her.”

Sweat started to form on his brow. “If she’s there, I’m not sure I can be in the same room without giving myself away. You ponies picked up on it quickly enough.”

Applejack thought a moment. “Here’s what we’ll do: we have the party at mah ranch, and give everypony a few weeks’ notice. That way it will be outside, with plenty o room. You two could be yards away from each other!”

Pawise brightened. “That just might work!” He looked at her with new found affection. “Thank you, Applejack. You don’t have to do this, but I thank you.”

“ ‘T’aint no problem, Pawise. Jus’ the neighborly thing to do.”

As she trotted off, Pawise watched her go. Ponyville was nothing like he’d expected! If there’s more ponies as nice as Applejack, or even as enthusiastic as Pinkie, but not as enthusiastic, he may just enjoy living here.

A Royal Meeting and a Talent Revealed

At a café the following bright morning, Zecora joined him for breakfast and together they discussed their plans for research. During their discussions about some of the more exotic creatures residing in the untamed forest, Pawise also discovered quite a bit about Zecora. Apparently she herself had only been in Ponyville a few years, and until Princess Celestia had sent the now Princess Sparkle to live there Zecora had been something of an outcast. The way her status had changed had also been an adventure in itself, one had that started with the usual misunderstandings, but ended with some comic interactions.

In her telling, he also learned a lot more about Fluttershy and the other five mares about whom he had only the briefest descriptions. He had not yet met Rarity, Rainbow Dash or Princess Sparkle, but he was surprised to learn he had already met the same Applejack and Pinkie Pie mentioned in the few records. He was also surprised to learn Zecora not only knew them, but was now considered fast friends with them all. It was somewhat intimidating, for these six were the wielders of the Elements of Harmony. Not for the first time since he’d come to Ponyville he wondered why unicorns like his Dad did not have a better opinion of this little hamlet and its occupants. Then he had to admit to himself he probably would feel the same way if he hadn’t come here.

To lighten his mood, he told Zecora about his meeting with Pinkie Pie and Applejack the other day, which she found quite funny. He also shared with her his concern about inadvertently meeting Fluttershy at the party being planned for him, but she told him not to worry. She let him know he had already gone a long way towards earning her trust by not revealing his interest when asked directly, an act that had shown maturity, patience and honesty. Pawise blushed. Coming from somepony he had come to so respect in the short time he’d known her, this was high praise.

Even so, he still had doubts about his own worthiness. Fluttershy was a pony who had with her friends held the fate of Equestria in her hooves. How could he ever hope to impress such a one? His head was now in total war with his heart: he couldn’t deny his feelings, but somepony like her was obviously so far above him she may as well have been one of the stars in the sky.

These were the thoughts that occupied his mind as they got up from breakfast to make their way into the Forest. So preoccupied was he that he did not see the pony in front of him until he had bumped into her and made her drop the book she had been reading as she walked.

“I’m sorry! Here, let me get that for you!”

“That’s quite alright,” the pony said. “I wasn’t watching where I was going either!”

As both their horns lit to lift the tome, Pawise got his first good look at the pony he’d almost knocked over. He couldn’t believe his eyes. An Alicorn!

“W...Wait…” he stammered, “you have to be…Princess Sparkle?”

She smiled at him and said, “Yes, but I really prefer to be called Twilight.”

Pawise quickly knelt. “Your Highness!”

Twilight frowned, and said, “Please don’t do that.”

“Your Highness?”

“Please don’t kneel. I’m not on official business, and I never like ponies to treat me different.”

Pawise awkwardly stood, but had trouble meeting her eyes. He had only met Princess Celestia the one time at his graduation, and he had been in such awe of her he did not meet her eyes either. When he did force himself to look at Princess Sparkle he saw kindness, but also a bit of sadness.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I did not mean to offend.”

“Please call me Twilight, and I’m not offended. What is your name?”

“I’m called Pawise, if it pleases you, Your High…I mean…Twilight.”

Twilight smiled a bit at that. Residents of Ponyville had for the most part gotten used to her, having known her before she’d become an Alicorn, so it was rare for her to meet somepony behaving in this way. Still, she was very uncomfortable being treated as a princess, but she knew it wasn’t his fault.

“I see you’ve met Zecora.” Here she and the zebra embraced like the friends they were, an act that further left Pawise in awe. It’s not as if he had not believed Zecora when she had told him of her relationship with the Princess, but this was the first time he’d seen the evidence of it with his own eyes. This was all going to take some getting used to.

"This Forest has creatures both dark and fey, it's best to come here only at day," Zecora said as they entered the Everfree.

"So the really dangerous ones come out at night?" Pawise shuddered. "Is that the only thing I should know?"

She shook her head. "Mighty storms can soon appear, no pegasi controls the weather here." She reached into one of her pouches, and removed two hooded camouflage cloaks. She gave one to Pawise and said, "These garments will hide us and mask our scent, if rains should come we won't be as wet."

Pawise gratefully donned his, and asked, "So we're safe now?"

Again she shook her head and said, "It's never safe in the Everfree, for now please stay quite close to me."

Heeding her warning, Pawise followed her closely and tried to see everywhere at once as they walked along the path.

It wasn’t long before they met their first challenge: the crackle of leaves under foot some distance ahead of them. Quickly, under Zecora’s direction, they left the path and hunkered safely down behind some large rocks, upwind and out of sight.

After a few tense minutes, a pack of Timberwolves, five in number, came into view. Pawise was too fascinated to be scared. He had never seen such creatures before, having only read about them. If only Mrs. Ironwing, his Mythology professor, had been here. This had been one of the subjects she and he had “debated” for she had maintained such creatures existed only in obscure history.

As he shifted his weight to get a better view, he accidently stepped on a twig that broke with a loud POP! Instantly, all five of the creatures’ heads snapped up in their direction. Growling low in their throats, the group split into three and two, and came cautiously up the hill towards their hiding place.

“We have to go now, young Pawise, to stay here now would not be wise.”

Pushing him behind her with one back hoof, she reached into one of her pouches and withdrew a strange powder, and blew it at the group of three that was approaching on their right. The powder coalesced into white tendrils that drifted down the hill and enveloped the three in its substance. Immediately, they began to cough and sneeze, then turned and fled back the way they’d come. Three down.

Just as she was about to blow the remaining powder at the last two, Pawise stood and lit his horn. Instantly, the remaining two wolves’ expressions changed from anger and confusion to joy, and they began to wag the twig parts of them that passed for tails. Concentrating fiercely, Pawise lifted a small rock and made it bounce playfully in front of them. Once he had their attention on the rock, he made it sail clear out of sight, and the two remaining wolves bounded happily after it. As soon as they were out of view, he collapsed panting.

“That’s all I can do,” he wheezed, “thank Celestia it wasn’t all five of them!”

“Follow me, my hut is near, there we shall be safe from fear.”

Getting to his feet, he heavily replied, “Lead the way.”

Once they were safe in Zecora’s hut, she began to make them some herbal tea. She asked him how he had made the wolves change their demeanor, and he replied, “It’s something I’ve been able to do since I was a foal. I made them see me as a friend, but before today I’ve never tried it on anything larger than a dog, and even then it was only the one. It’s how I got my Cutie Mark, and why my parents named me Pawise, I guess because I’m “paw-wise.” They both laughed.

Then Zecora became thoughtful.

“Sweet Fluttershy loves creatures too, this is a trait she shares with you.”

“Really? I knew she was an animal caretaker, but I didn’t know why she did it.”

“Her Cutie Mark is butterflies three, with creatures she prefers to be.”

So she loves animals! He couldn’t believe they actually had such a thing in common, for he’d never heard of a pegasus that had long interest in anything below the clouds. For that matter, most unicorns didn’t have much use for animals either, besides the odd pet. So she and he were both considered unique. Maybe he had a chance after all.

Reaching Out

Dear Mom and Dad,

Ponyville is nothing like I expected! From the time I first stepped off the train until now, I have had almost every preconception shattered. Sure, it is a very small town, and yes, there seems to be a representative from every pony race living here, but Dad? They’re all *happy. Ponyville seems to have discovered something I have not seen before in such abundance: harmony.*

That’s not to say everypony walks around with big, goofy smiles on their faces...that would be creepy. Nor are they all friendly all the time. Just the other day I accidently bumped into an old donkey that was wearing a really bad toupeè, and he gave me an earful before I could apologize. Once I was finally able to say ‘sorry’, he immediately softened up and asked me if I was new here. When I said yes, his next words were, “So you’ve met Pinkie.” A statement, not a question. Then we both laughed.

To fully describe Pinkie D. Pie would be a volume in itself, but for now I’ll just say she wants everypony around her to be happy. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but her enthusiasm is quite catching, and so I find myself being friendly to strangers just for the sake of being friendly. Seems I’m losing my “big city” attitude.

You both probably knew this, but a Princess lives here. She fits right in with Ponyville, for she too is nothing like I expected. She has no guards, no palace, and she wants to be called Twilight! She lives in a *library, for Celestia’s sake! She is one of the most humble ponies I have ever met, but to me she also seems a bit sad. If I had to pin it down, as crazy as it sounds, I don’t think she likes being a Princess.*

As I understand it, being a Princess wasn’t her choice. I don’t know all the details, but I do know her five friends were part of it. Even so, the sense of magic around her is very powerful, almost as strong as what I felt the one time I was in Princess Celestia’s presence.

I think Princess Sparkle, or Twilight as she prefers to be called, isn’t done with her purpose. I don’t know her at all, but judging from the way my notions have all been shattered it wouldn’t surprise me if an even greater role awaits her. If that happens, you can be sure it will effect Equestria Herself.

My studies and research are going well. My guide and associate is a zebra (yes, Dad, a zebra) named Zecora. She hails from The Equine Republic of Kenya, and judging from Zecora herself, it’s an exotic place. Hers must be a passionate people, for though she speaks Equestrian quite well, she speaks it in rhyme! She told me our language sometimes lacks the emotion she wants to convey, so she usually speaks as if she’s reciting a poem. I have to admit it took some getting used to.

Our first foray into the Everfree Forest was an interesting one! Not an hour after entering the Forest, we ran into some Timberwolves! Don’t worry, Mom, don’t worry, I wasn’t hurt at all. Zecora actually has her home right in the Forest, so she knew how to handle them, but I was able to use my Talent and divert two of them away. I’ve *never tried that on a wild animal before, and I’m not sure I could do it again right now, but it was great to be able to increase my abilities on such short notice. I feel I’ve only scratched the surface.*

I’m enclosing some pictures I took while walking around town. Those photographs of the apple orchard are of a ranch owned and operated by a country pony named Applejack and her family. That’s her with the blonde mane, and that big guy is her brother, the appropriately named Big Mac. I think they have a little sister and some other family members, but I haven’t met them yet.

Just like most of the Ponyville residents, Applejack is altogether nice, for she gave me a basket of the sweetest, most juicy apples I have ever tasted! I’m starting to drool just thinking about them, and I would have sent you both some…but I ate them all! They were that good! The Apple Family makes a special cider only once a year, and if I’m still here when that happens I’ll try to send you a few bottles.

My room at the Inn quickly became too small, with all the notes and maps and research papers I’ve been writing, so I rented a small house right on the Market Square. My monthly stipend from the Academy covers it all, but some more bits would be a good idea (cough hint cough).

The only thing I miss besides you two and my friends from school are those outstanding soft pretzels our city is known for. If you can send me the recipe, Mom, maybe I can get Mrs. Cake, one of the owners of the Sugarcube Corner bakery, to make me some. Who knows? They may catch on here, because I don’t think Ponyville ever had a big soft pretzel. Or a Filly Cheese Haysteak, for that matter.

Signing off for now. I’ll write you again as soon as I can. I love you both!

Your Son,

Pawise

P.S. I think I’ve fallen in love with a mare named Fluttershy. I really don’t know how to approach her, so I haven’t even spoken to her yet, but she fills my every waking moment. Please help me!

P.S.S. She’s a pegasus. Don’t flip out Dad.

A Few Awkward Moments

As soon as he’d finished his letter, Pawise went in search of the post office. When he did find it, and walked in, there appeared to be only the one employee working the counter. There was one other customer ahead of him, another stallion with what looked like an hourglass as his Cutie Mark. He was wondering what such a Mark could possibly indicate as the pony’s talent, when he got a good look at the mare running the counter. He tried not to stare, but one glance told him she has esotropia: she’s cross-eyed. Thank Celestia she didn’t see his surprised look, for she seemed like a sweet mare, if a little too preoccupied with the other stallion.

Now he was glad of the delay, for it gave him time to compose himself and get his feelings under control. He of course didn’t know her, but he felt a wave of both pity and anger wash over him: pity that she had obviously been poor as a filly, and such an easily treatable condition had not been addressed, and anger towards whomever her parents or caretakers had been. At the very least she could have been given corrective glasses, but now that she’s grown the condition is permanent.

The mare finally looked up from her flirting and saw Pawise because she quickly leaned over the counter and planted a kiss on the hourglass stallion’s cheek, then sent him out. Pawise, from the quick look he exchanged with the other stallion, guessed that he had not been expecting the kiss, but the stallion looked pleased all the same. They both nodded at each other as he walked out.

“Mailing a letter, sir?” she asked as he approached the counter.

Despite himself, Pawise kept his eyes down when he replied, “Yes, this going to Fillydelphia.” He held the letter out to her, but she didn’t take it. After what seemed like an eternity he looked up at her to see what was the delay. She was looking right at him, more or less, waiting and smiling.

“You’re new to Ponyville, aren’t you?” she asked.

He felt like a clump of dirt. “Yes, Miss, and I’m so sorry for not looking at you!”

“Please don’t worry about it! I’m used to it.”

He felt even worse, for she really was a sweet mare. “Okay…”

"So that’s regular postage to Fillydelphia…two bits please.”

Pawise fumbled for the money and laid it on the counter. The mare hummed to herself as she wrote out his receipt, then turned to place the letter in one of the postage bins behind her. As she turned, she tripped over one her own hooves and went sprawling.

“Oops!” she cried.

Full of concern, Pawise leaned as far over the counter as he could and asked, “Are you okay?! Are you hurt?”

The mare was laughing at herself. “No, no…I’m fine. Just a bit clumsy.”

Pawise stretched as far as he could and extended a hoof to her. “Please. Let me help you.”

Still laughing at herself, she took his hoof and allowed him to help pull her up. When she did, Pawise looked her full in the face, and smiled.

Looking at her name tag, he said “That was quite a tumble Miss…Hooves.”

Dusting herself off, she said, “Call me Derpy. All my friends do!”

Pawise smiled. “Okay, Derpy. I’m Pawise.”

Derpy smiled back. “So you’re Pawise! I was wondering who was getting all this mail from Canterlot. Why haven’t I ever seen you?”

Pawise blushed as he said “I…wasn’t feeling well for a few days, so I stayed in my room.”

“But you’re better now?”

“More or less. For one thing, I met Pinkie Pie!”

Derpy and he shared a laugh over this, and then she tilted her head to one side and asked, “Still feeling awkward about my eyes?”

To his surprise, he answered, “No…no I don’t,” as he looked her full in the face and smiled.

She returned his smile and said, “I’m glad. I don’t like making other ponies uncomfortable.”

“I’m not anymore. See youse later!”

She covered her mouth with her hoof to suppress a giggle. “You really are from Fillydelphia! No other ponies say ‘youse!’"

Pawise laughed, “Yes, sometimes I still say that! Take care!” She waved good bye as he left.

It took him two hours realize: she did that fall on purpose!

It was almost noon, so Pawise made his way over to the café and looked for Zecora. It wasn’t like her to be late, so he ordered a limeade and took their usual outside table to wait.

He had his head down going over some notes, and so he did not see her when she walked up…with a friend. He was getting to his feet to say hello when he noticed the mare standing next to Zecora. In shock he knocked his drink over, splashing them both!

As they both stood there with limeade dripping out of their manes, Zecora smiled and said, “Dear Fluttershy, this is Pawise. Pawise, please meet Fluttershy.”

Pawise was completely mortified! “I’m so sorry! Let me get you both a towel!”

He looked over to the waiter’s station and quickly levitated two dishtowels over to them, inwardly cursing his awkwardness. As Fluttershy wiped the drink off her head, he tried to think of something else to say, and was completely speechless.

Fluttershy saved him the trouble. “Pleased to meet you, Pawise,” she said, as she sat and rubbed the towel through her mane.

Pawise felt his knees go weak, and had to sit down. It was the first time he’d heard her voice, and it was sweeter and lovelier than he’d imagined. With an effort, he got his own voice back.

“H...How are you, Fluttershy? AND Zecora!” He remembered just in time.

Fluttershy quietly said, “I’m fine.”

Zecora just smiled at him, and later on he would realize that she had taken the towel from him, but instead of using it she had simply passed a hoof over her face and been completely dry.

Right now he only had eyes for the beautiful mare in front of him. He was also too enraptured to notice his notes were dripping as well. Zecora used her towel to gently blot them dry and said, “Our research can wait a day; you two sit and have your say.” With that she hugged Fluttershy, waved goodbye to Pawise, and then left, leaving the two of them alone.

“Why don’t we get another table?” said Fluttershy, "if you don't mind?" she added.

“What? Oh, no I don't mind, we should!”

Once they were settled, Fluttershy said,” I think you are more nervous than I am. If that's okay to say!"

That put Pawise greatly at ease. “Of course it's okay, but you’re nervous?”

She nodded. “O my yes. But I’m doing a lot better. It wasn’t that long ago I would have run from here if I had a drink spilled on me in front of all those ponies. But it also helps that Zecora has told me so much about you. I’ve never before met a stallion, or any other pony, who had a Cutie Mark for an animal talent. Please tell me about it. Only if you want to, of course."

With that they fell into easy conversation for the next few hours, comparing their talents and interests. He also talked about his home in Fillydelphia, and his parents. She in turn talked about her original home in Cloudsdale, her parents and how she moved to Ponyville. When he mentioned his meeting with Pinkie Pie and Applejack, she laughed, a lilting sound that touched him deeply. It seemed as if no time at all had passed when she finally said,

“I’d better go now, Angel Bunny and the other animals need to be fed.”

Pawise rose to his feet. “I would be honored if I could see you again, Fluttershy.”

She blushed, and said, “I think I would like that.”

Pawise sat and watched her go, his heart filled almost to bursting. Just as she reached the bridge, she turned back and smiled at him.

Confrontation

Pawise’s new one story home was small, smaller than his rooms at the Academy, but he loved it. It was white Tudor on the outside, and wood paneling on the inside. He had one bedroom, a study (with books and scrolls scattered every which way) a fireplace, kitchen, bathroom and a small veranda with ivy climbing the walls.

As a scholar, he had appreciated the extra light that came in during the day for his studies, but until now he’d never actually appreciated the beauty. A day or so ago he wouldn’t have cared about aesthetics. Now, after his date with Fluttershy, beauty was all he saw.

He sat on his veranda in the morning sunlight and sipped a cup of coffee, musing. When had the sky gotten so blue? And those flowers being sold in the Market, how had he not noticed them before? A breeze brought their sweet scent to him, and he wondered which were Fluttershy’s favorites.

His house was actually on the Market Square, facing outwards, so he had an excellent view on this lazy Saturday to watch the ponies coming to and fro. The hustle and bustle of the shoppers reminded him of his big city home. The only differences here than there was of course there are fewer ponies, and also they were all much more laid back than in Fillydelphia.

With few exceptions, nopony seemed to be in any sort of a hurry, except ones like Mr. and Mrs. Cake who trotted swiftly by. They were probably making a special delivery. Pawise smiled to himself, for that must mean Pinkie is watching their foals.

He’d not yet visited Sugarcube Corner, but he’d heard a rumor that the Cakes, two earth ponies, had somehow given birth to a pegasus AND a unicorn! He didn’t know such a thing was possible, but once he’d gotten to know the Cakes better he’d have to see for himself. He could only imagine his Dad’s reaction. For that matter, his last postscript to his Dad probably didn’t go over too well, but he didn’t care: nothing else was more important to him than Fluttershy.

Even if he didn’t know it was Saturday, he could have guessed from all the little fillies and colts racing about the square, free from school. Some were shopping with their parents, others, like that one group of three, looked to be on a mission, if the expressions of determination on their faces was any indication. He noticed all three of them did not yet have their Cutie Marks, so he guessed they were either younger than they looked, or their Marks were late in coming. It was probably a source of consternation for them, but he couldn’t relate as he had gotten his Cutie Mark quite early.

He had just gone back into his kitchen for another cup of coffee, when there was a knock on his door. Thinking it was Zecora, he was greatly surprised to see a strange pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane standing there.

She said, “Are you Pawise?”

He was a bit surprised she knew his name, but he said “Yes, I’m Pawise. Who might you be?”

She answered, “I’m Rainbow Dash. Can I come in? I need to talk to you.”

His eyes grew wide. “YOU are Rainbow Dash! I’ve heard so much about you!” Standing aside he said, “Please come in! This is an honor!”

Dash looked a little confused, as this was not the reaction she was expecting, but she came in.

“Please have a seat. Can I get you anything?”

She waved him off. “No, I’m fine. I’m here about Fluttershy.”

If he had not already been standing he would have jumped to his feet. “FLUTTERSHY?! What’s wrong with her?! Is she hurt?! We have to help her!” He would have turned and ran out the door if she hadn’t stopped him.

“Whoa, buddy! She’s fine.” She let go of his tail as a look of profound relief crossed his features, and he collapsed onto the floor.

“Thank sweet Celestia,” he breathed.

An involuntary look of sympathy appeared on Dash’s face, but she stuck to her mission. Speaking softer than she’d intended, she asked him, “So you really do care about Fluttershy?”

Looking up at her from the floor, he simply said, “I’d die for her.”

A small tear appeared in Dash’s eye, but she brushed it away as he got to his feet.

“Is that what this is about? You’re looking out for Fluttershy?” he asked.

She nodded and said, “Fluttershy is closer than a sister to me, she’s my very best friend.”

Pawise bowed his head. “I wish I’d met her years ago, for now I regret all the time I’ve not known her.”

“See, that’s just the point,” said Dash, “you don’t know her, how can you be in love with her?”

Pawise looked her in the eyes. “I honestly don’t know. Everything I’ve been taught, all my logic, all my common sense, tells me that this is nuts: nopony can fall in love like this. But the quietest voice, the one in my heart, is the most insistent, and the one I can’t ignore. And I’ve tried.”

“What if she were ugly? What if she looked like an old donkey? Would you love her then?”

He nodded his head and smiled. “Yes. The moment I saw her, something inside me fell into place…it was like…my soul suddenly became…whole.”

Dash’s face was unusually thoughtful. “You almost have me convinced. But for Fluttershy’s sake, I’m just going to say: don’t you ever, EVER hurt her.”

Pawise stuck out his hoof. “You have my word.”

Rainbow Dash hesitated a moment, and then shook it.

As she got up to leave, Pawise asked, “Won’t you stay for a while? I’m not expecting any other company, and I’d really like to hear about you. Is it true you’re the only pegasus that can perform a Sonic Rainboom?”

Dash’s eyes narrowed. “Are you trying to flatter me?”

Pawise was shocked. “NO! I wouldn’t do that! But you are famous. Even my Dad gives you credit, and if you knew my Dad you’d know that’s nothing short of a miracle.”

Dash smiled. “You’re alright, Pawise. But I didn’t come here for me, so we’ll have to do this some other time.”

“Alright,” Pawise said. “Maybe I’ll see you at the party?”

Dash slapped her hoof to her forehead. “That’s right! That random filly has to throw a party for almost everypony that shows up here!” She sighed, “Yes, I’ll be there. Pinkie’s my friend, so I hate to disappoint her.”

Pawise smiled. “You all seem to care so much for each other in this town. I like it.”

Dash grinned. “You sound almost as mushy as Rarity.”

“Who?”

“Rarity. She owns the Carousel Boutique.”

“Oh, that. No, I’m not much into fashion.”

“Me neither.” She smiled. “We may just become friends after all, Pawise.”

“I’d like that.”

She nodded once, and then flew out the door. Pawise watch her fly away, and as she picked up speed, she started to form a rainbow contrail behind her. A few seconds later, there was a resounding “BOOM!!” as she broke the sound barrier, leaving a cascade of colors radiating outwards. The windows all around the square shook, and everypony looked up and went “Ooooo!” Pawise was no less awestruck.

“So that’s a Sonic Rainboom! I wish my folks could’ve seen that!”

Confirmation

Lorewise sat back and lit his pipe. As the wildberry and hickory scented tobacco wafted through the air of his private train cabin, he looked down at the letter from his son once again.

He could not understand where he’d gone wrong. He had never missed an opportunity to impart the great history and noble lineage of the Unicorns to his son. He had made sure he been accepted into the most prestigious college, to study with the premier professors in the capitol city. As much as he could, he had guided his son in the direction of a future life any Unicorn would be glad to have.

But now this.

He knew, he knew his son being sent to Ponyville was a bad idea and some sort of punishment. There had to have been some official at that Academy whose bad side his son had gotten on; something he did or said that made them want to take his dreams and trod them under hoof. And judging from this letter, his son was still too naïve to realize he had been set up for failure.

All this talk of “happiness” and “harmony.” “Ignorance” and “gullibility” more like! ‘The goal of life isn’t to be happy’, his own father had told him, ‘but to make sure your family is provided for at any cost. Take care of your OWN.’ These were the wise words he had lived by, how he had made his fortune, and what he thought he had taught his only son.

Lorewise put down the crumpled letter and stared out the window at the passing scenery. They’d be in Ponyville in a few hours. Maybe there was still time to talk sense into his son. He had to make him understand that (1) you cannot fall in love with somepony at first sight and (2) being involved with a pegasus was something our Family just did NOT do.

He looked down at his wife sleeping on the soft cushion beside him. Her head had shifted onto on his shoulder once he sat back, and every once in a while she made that little snort in her sleep that he always found so endearing. She had been and was still everything he desired.

He had met Willow when they were both quite young, and just like every decision he made in his life, he had decided soon after meeting her she would be his wife. Even as a young Unicorn he had known what he wanted and he knew he would have to put out effort to get it. But falling in love with her had been a long process, as any sensible pony knew. Her mane had a few grey hairs in it now, her face had a few more lines, but she was even more beautiful than when he’d first laid eyes on her. Her presence always put him at peace, and he would need every ounce of it when he confronted his son. His arguments with Pawise had always gotten heated whenever they faced each other alone, but never so much when his Mother was present. So she was his not-so secret weapon.

Even so, she’d not reacted the way he thought she should have when she had read the last part of this letter. She didn’t seem to mind their SON was interested in a pegasus. Not for the first time, he wondered if her coming with him might be a mistake. He knew though, there was never a question about it, for Willow was the one pony he could never refuse anything she wanted. Still, he held onto the hope she’d support him in his efforts to make their son see reason, for all this talk of “harmony” and “happiness” may be fine for such rustics as the residents of a sleepy town like Ponyville, but it had no place in the cutthroat dealings of the world in which he had not only survived but prospered. In a few hours he would find out.

Pawise, completely ignorant of the coming storm, was spending the day with Fluttershy and Zecora at her hut. Every day he became more and more fascinated with Fluttershy and her abilities. At times he forgot to take notes on his studies, for even though he’d lost his focus for anything but her, he was still on a fact-finding mission from the Academy about the creatures here and needed to make regular reports. When he got too far behind, Zecora helped him out. Also, as well as she could, she made sure they did not encounter animals that were too dangerous, for she knew until Pawise became a little less dreamy, he would probably not be up to the challenge.

Fluttershy had brought her pet she called Angel Bunny with her, but so far he and Pawise were at odds. Pawise had tried to win him over progressively, without using his Talent, but the little leporidae was having none of it. Pawise loved animals, and while his Talent projected that love onto creatures, and usually caused them to return it, this bunny obviously saw him as a threat and a competition for Fluttershy’s affections, so it probably would not work on him. Besides, Pawise thought to himself, he's a bit of a jerk. Right now, he was sitting up and staring at Pawise with his forelegs crossed and tapping one hind foot. He ignored the carrots Fluttershy had tried to get him to eat, making Pawise the entire focus of his “bunny Mojo.”

Oh well, Pawise sighed,‘faint heart ne’er won fair pony’ as the saying goes, so if I could withstand a confrontation with somepony like Rainbow Dash I should be able to make peace with a small rabbit. She’s worth every effort.

He was watching and listening to Fluttershy as she spoke about some of the more exotic creatures she’d encountered in the Forest. While he heard every word she said, and responded appropriately when required, he was also watching the play of the evening sunlight on her mane, and the way her eyes lit up as she spoke about her passion. She was now speaking of her earlier encounter with a dragon, and the effort it took for her to conquer her fears in order to save her friends.

“I don’t blame you, Fluttershy, for being afraid of a dragon,” Pawise said, “but isn’t there a dragon living here? I seem to recall seeing one walking about town.”

“Yes, but Spike is a baby dragon, and I’ve known him for years. He’s Twilight’s assistant, and a good friend,” she said.

“What will you all do when he reaches his full size? I don’t suppose he’ll still be able to live in Ponyville when that happens.”

“He actually DID reach his full size once, when one part of his dragon nature took over and he started grabbing everything he could, including Rarity!”

“Rarity? That’s the unicorn that runs the Carousel Boutique, right? Why’d he grab her?”

Fluttershy blushed a little as she said, “It’s an open secret, but Spike has a crush on Rarity. Love makes ponies, and dragons it seems, do strange things.” Here she met his eyes briefly and cast her eyes downward, blushing even more.

Pawise smiled. “A dragon and a unicorn. Just when I think nothing else can surprise me in this town, I get proven wrong once again. So how did he shrink back down?”

“He returned to his original size once he realized he’d put Rarity in danger. I believe he’d do anything for Rarity, but I’m not sure how she feels about him.”

Unrequited love. Pawise had never before met a dragon, nor ever expected to, but now he felt an odd connection to a kindred spirit, even one as strange and foreign as a dragon. Although from the way Fluttershy reacted towards himself, he thought his feelings for her might be mutual. He had yet to declare himself to her, for fear of freaking her out, but for now he saw signs from her that he hoped indicated she would not be adverse to his affections. Even though he had no prior experience in love, he instinctively knew he had to be patient, for she was worth the wait.

The Sun was beginning to set as Zecora cleared her throat and said, “Soon Moon will rise, the Sun must sleep, and pony folk should do the same. We’ll meet back in the Forest deep, when Sun fills sky at dawn again.”

Pawise and Fluttershy looked out the hut windows, surprised at how much time had passed. They both got to their feet, with Angel Bunny making a point to stand between Pawise and Fluttershy.

“You’re right, Zecora, we should be going.” Pawise turned to Fluttershy. “May I walk you to your cottage?”

Even though Angel frantically shook his head ‘no’, Fluttershy quietly replied, “That would be nice.”

They both waved goodbye to Zecora as they left her hut. She for her part watched the dance of their emotions with not a small measure of wistfulness on her own. It had been many years since she’d been home, and she wondered to herself if that special friend of hers was still waiting. With an effort, she pushed thoughts of him aside, and gave her attention back to her mission. If she succeeded, she would benefit not only her own faraway home but all of Equestria as well. For now, though, she was content to bask in the glow of these two lovers, even if it meant not much work was getting done.

The walk back to Fluttershy’s cottage was uneventful, even though Pawise had to watch his step as Angel Bunny kept trying to trip him.

When they reached her door, the bunny made such a nuisance of himself hopping up and down between them that Fluttershy finally said, “It’s alright, Angel, I’ll be just a moment. Go inside.” When he stubbornly refused, she actually had to pick him up, place him inside and close the door. He could be heard banging objects and slamming cabinet doors, so Fluttershy was embarrassed and said, “I’m sorry about Angel! He really does like you, he just needs some time.”

Pawise’s heart skipped a beat as he said, “And you? Do…do you like me?”

Fluttershy stood there for a few moments, blushing fiercely, when all of a sudden she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. Then, as quick as she could, she turned and ran back into her cottage and shut the door.

Even though he wasn’t a pegasus, it seemed as though Pawise’s feet never touched the ground as he made his way back to town. His euphoria lasted right up until the moment he looked and saw his parents waiting for him at the door of his home.

Diplomacy

“Mom! Dad. This is a surprise. What are you both doing here?”

Before his father could speak, his mother said, “We were worried about you.” Looking him over, she added, “You haven’t been eating well. Let’s go inside. We can talk there, and I can get you a real meal.” Giving her husband a ‘not now’ look, she and Lorewise followed their son into his home.

Pawise immediately tried straightening up the place, but his Mom shooed him to a seat, sat her husband down across from him and said, “Now you boys talk nice. I’m going to go see if this son of ours has anything decent in his kitchen I can prepare for us.” Giving them both a warning glare, she added, “Talk. Nice.”

Father and son silently sat across from each other, each looking anywhere but in the eyes. Finally Pawise said, “Soooo…how was the trip?”

“Fine.”

“That’s good. See much of Ponyville yet?”

“We just got here.”

Pawise tapped one hoof on the floor, trying to keep his temper in check. “I really like it here.”

“I’m sure you do.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just what I said: you like it here.”

They both got to their feet, and were about to unload on each other, when Willow walked back into the room and said, “Just as I thought: nothing good in there!” Nudging her son to the door, she said, “Let’s go do some shopping. We can go to that nice bake shop you were telling us about.” Turning to her husband, she gave him a soft kiss and said, “We won’t be gone long.” Before he could reply, she and Pawise made their way out the door.

The evening air had a nice springtime aroma to it, and all around them the various shops and restaurants were just lighting their lamps, casting a soothing glow. A few other ponies were out and about, doing some late night shopping and dining. The night was clear. The moon was waxing high overhead, competing with the stars for loveliness, in stark contrast with Pawise’s conflicting emotions.

“Thanks Mom,” he said, as they walked along.

“Whatever for, dear?” she asked.

Pawise turned to her. “You know.”

Willow returned his look. “Your Father loves you very much, son.”

Pawise stared ahead as he walked. “Yes, but he doesn’t like me.”

An expression of sadness crossed her face. “You two don’t like each other.”

They arrived at the Sugarcube Corner bakery just as another pony was walking out with a bag of sweet pastries in her mouth. “Goo' eve' ing!” she managed.

Pawise smiled. “Good evening, Carrot Top.” Willow smiled at her as they went inside. Pinkie was helping one other customer when she looked up and saw Pawise and Willow.

“Oh, HELLO!” she said. “You must be Pawise’s Mom! Welcome to Sugarcube Corner! AND to Ponyville!”

Willow raised one eyebrow. “Now, how did you know I’m his mother?”

Pinkie took a deep breath and said, “Well he looks just like you and Pawise doesn’t have any sisters and I’ve never seen you before so you must have come in on the last train because you and your husband Lorewise are worried about your son and we’re (GASP) having a party tomorrow for him and it will be SUPER nice ‘cause it’s going to be at Applejack’s farm and oh please please PLEASE won’t you come?”

Willow’s mouth hung open, but Pawise grinned and said, “This is Pinkie Pie, Mom.”

“Pleased…pleased to meet you,” she said.

“I’ll be right with you!” Pinkie said as she turned back to her customer.

“Let’s go have a seat,” Pawise said as he and she made their way over to a table.

“How did she know all that?” she asked as they sat down.

“I probably mentioned your names once to her a few days ago. Pinkie remembers anything and everything she hears.”

Willow looked over at her. “I’m not sure I like being able to be read so easily by a stranger.”

“She doesn’t mean any harm. Pinkie is the one-pony welcome party for Ponyville.”

“Speaking of that, what is this party she mentioned?”

Pawise sighed and grinned self-consciously at the memory. “We had an…interesting first meeting when I arrived here, and then she and Applejack decided to throw me a welcome party.”

“Applejack. That’s the pony who gave you those apples you didn’t share?” She smiled at him.

Pawise’s cheeks flamed red as he placed one hoof behind his head. “Yeah…she’s good that way!”

Willow laughed. “I’m just teasing you, son! At least I know you had one good meal!”

Pinkie bounced over and said, “What can I get you two?! We have pound cakes, muffins, OOO! You should try those with fresh butter! Apple pies, doughnuts, what will it be?”

“It all sounds wonderful, dear,” said Willow. "A dozen blueberry muffins would be delightful.”

“Oki doki loki!” said Pinkie as she went to fill their order.

“That’s to go, dear,” Willow called after her.

Pawise looked crestfallen. “Do we have to go back so soon?”

“We can’t keep your father waiting, son.”

Pawise looked angry. “I just don’t feel like arguing with him.”

“It doesn’t have to be an argument, son. We, your father and I, just want what’s best for you.”

“I’m not a foal, Mom. I like it here: everypony is friendly, the Everfree Forest is captivating, and I may have found my soul mate.”

Willow sighed. “That’s what concerns your father and me the most, son.” She held up a hoof to forestall his protest. “I don’t care if she’s a pegasus or a griffon, I just need to know if she feels the same way about you.”

Pawise looked down. “I don’t know. I haven’t told her how much she means to me.” Willow reached across the table and patted his hoof, while they both lapsed into silence.

Pinkie came cautiously over to the table. “Is…is everything alright here?”

Pawise summoned up a weak smile. “Yes of course, Pinkie. Four bits?”

Pinkie said, “No, it’s on me.”

“Thank you dear,” said Willow as she got to her feet. “We’ll certainly come to your party.”

Pinkie’s face lit up like a light bulb. “That’s great! Eight o'clock tomorrow evening at Applejack’s! Formal attire optional!” She rushed forward and gave Willow a big hug, and as she did she whispered, “Fluttershy likes him very much.”

Willow was at first startled, but then gave Pinkie a look of gratitude. She hugged her back and whispered, “thank you.”

Lorewise had just about reached the end of his patience, and was starting out the door, when the two returned. His wife was carrying a big bag of what smelled like outstanding warm muffins with butter. His son didn’t meet his gaze.

“You two were certainly gone long enough. Are those muffins?”

Willow placed them on the table and went to get some clean plates. “Yes,” she called from the kitchen. “Have a seat, I’ll serve them up.”

Pawise and his Dad resumed their former places as his Mom returned with three plates and some butter knives, then busied herself making sure everything was just so. For the next few minutes there was nothing but the sound of their chewing.

Finally Pawise said, “Let’s hear it, Dad. Just don’t think you’re going to change my mind about anything.”

Pawise wasn’t ready for his Dad’s question. “Is she important to you?”

Pawise took a moment to regain his composure. He’d been braced for an onslaught, and had been marshalling his arguments, but this response surprised him. “Yes. Yes she is.”

His father nodded. “Then she’s important to me. When can we meet her?”

Now Pawise was completely taken aback. “I…I guess at the party tomorrow night.”

“What party?” Lorewise looked at his wife.

“His friends are throwing him a welcome party tomorrow night. I said we’d be there.”

Lorewise looked back at his son. “Then we must honor our engagements. What time is it?”

“Eight o'clock. Formal attire they said, but we don’t have to.”

“Nonsense,” replied his father, “Formal attire will be fine.”

“Are you sure, Dad? It’s probably not going to be like a party back home.”

Lorewise smiled. “We’ll manage. And don’t worry; I won’t embarrass you.”

Touched by his Dad’s concern, Pawise said, “Dad? I…I don’t know if she loves me. And at this point I’m scared to find out.” His face showed such wretchedness it pierced Lorewise like a knife.

“Look at me, Son. Never, ever allow fear to have mastery. If she’s worthy of you, she will at the very least be honest with you. And that’s all one can ask.” Turning to his wife, he said, “These are really good. Where did you get them?”

With that the conversation turned to Ponyville, and Pawise told them everything that happened to him, all the ponies he’d met and befriended, his first date with Fluttershy, everything but his first kiss. That he kept to himself.

After a few hours his Dad stood and said, “We’ll be at our room at the Inn. Let’s meet in the morning, say seven o'clock? You can show us this town you like so much. And if these muffins are any indication,” he added, “then perhaps there’s more to this place than meets the eye.”

Pawise stared at his Dad in disbelief. Finally he said, “Dad? I have to say I thought you were against everything I’m doing.”

His father fixed his gaze on him. “I am. But I remember what it was like when I was your age. Your ‘muffin trip’ allowed me some time to think, as I’ve no doubt your mother intended.” Here he turned and looked at his wife, who’s eyes were wide and innocent. He turned back to his son. “Just do one thing for me: if you do have any serious doubts, do not keep them from your mother and me.” He reached out and gave his son’s shoulder a pat. “See you in the morning.”

“Wait,” said Pawise. “Let me walk you to your room.”

He shook his head. “We know the way. You get some sleep.” His mother came forward and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Thanks Mom,” he told her.

“Good night, sweetheart.”

Tears and Preparations

“…and this is the Golden Oaks Library. Princess Twilight lives here, with her dragon assistant Spike.”

Lorewise stared at the building, trying to process what his son had just told him. “Let me understand this: a princess lives here with a dragon?”

Pawise smiled. “He’s not full grown, nor even close to his full height yet.”

Lorewise frowned. “That’s not the part that’s bothering me, for obviously he’s not full size if he lives here. Why would a princess choose to live in someplace as mundane as a library?”

“As I wrote you before, she’s one of the most humble ponies I have ever met. But don’t let that calm exterior fool you: I think she can be quite formidable when challenged, if half the stories I’ve heard are true.”

“I think it’s wonderful she chooses to live here among her subjects. I love the idea of being able to meet a princess on a daily basis. One can never get in to see Princess Celestia or Luna,” said Willow.

Nor should one be able to, thought Lorewise.

He tried to imagine the chaos that would ensue if anypony that worked for him could just saunter up and start a conversation, as if they were equals. His company would fold in half a season! How much more damage is being done to the proper hierarchy by this renegade princess?

“Does she at least walk around with guards? Or does she eschew that tradition as well?”

Pawise caught the tone of his Dad’s voice, but chose to ignore it. “You can ask her when you see her, Dad. If we don’t run into her today, she’ll most likely be at the party.”

“Will I be able to tell who she is?”

Pawise gritted his teeth. “It would be kind of hard to miss an Alicorn.”

“Don’t take that tone with-“ Lorewise began, but his wife cut him off.

“I’m sure she’s lovely and will stand out on her own. Let’s see some more of the sights. Where is this Everfree Forest?”

She placed herself between them as they scowled at each other.

After a moment Pawise reluctantly said, “It’s southeast of town, just past the big Rock Pile on Sweet Apple Acres. But there’s not much to see of it from the end of town, and I don’t think going in there is a good idea.”

“Because of all the monsters?”

“YES, Dad. Because of all the monsters.”

Lorewise gave his son a disappointed look. “What did I say just last night about ‘fear’?”

“It’s less about ‘fear’ and more about ‘common sense’, Dad. Nopony just blithely strolls through the Forest, at least none with brains.” His father chose not to take the bait.

“What about that zebra? Doesn’t she live in there?” he asked instead.

“Zecora has lived in there for years, yes, but she’s an expert on the Forest.” Pawise added, “She’s not only my guide, she’s my friend. She introduced Fluttershy and me. And she saved me from some Timberwolves. I wouldn’t be here now if it weren’t for her.”

“Then we owe her a debt we can never repay!” his mother said. She reached up and gave her son a tight hug, and started to cry.

Pawise sat down so she wouldn’t have to reach so high, and hugged her back.

“It’s okay, Mom…it’s okay.” He shot an accusing look at his Dad over her shoulder, who in turn had the grace to look embarrassed. Willow dried her eyes and looked up at her son.

“I remember you saying that in your letter, but it didn’t seem real to me then. Now it does.”

Lorewise’s temper evaporated as the mercifully brief image of his son lying dead passed through his thoughts. With an effort, he held back his own tears and said, “I’m sorry son, I didn’t mean to speak ill of her. Can we meet her as well?” Between his mother’s reaction and one of his father’s rare apologies, Pawise’s temper left also.

“Sure, Dad. I’m supposed to meet her in an hour, but I’m sure she’ll be at the party tonight.”

“If you’d rather we wait, that’s quite alright. I know you have work to do.”

Pawise shook his head. “No, this party is turning out to be bigger than usual, as I’ve been told, so we won’t be going out into the Forest today. I’m sure she will love to meet you both.”

At twelve noon on the dot Zecora arrived at the café. After Pawise made the introductions, Willow broke down again and hugged Zecora profusely, thanking her over and over again for her son’s life. Even Lorewise was moved and offered to repay Zecora in any way he could.

Like his wife, he’d suspended belief in his son’s near miss, but unlike her he had done so because he had been angry and disappointed. Now seeing her standing there, and listening to her odd way of speaking, the fact that his son had almost died hit him like a blow to the stomach.

Zecora said, “There is no debt, for your son saved me; of five wolves I only stopped three.”

“See Mom? We saved each other. I told you not to worry.”

“You wait until you have foals of your own, then tell me ‘not to worry.’"

Turning to Zecora, she asked, “Do you have children?” If the question bothered her, she didn’t let it show.

Just as she was about to answer, another unicorn walked up and said, “Darling! Where EVER did you get that dress?” They all turned to cast puzzled looks on the unicorn, who was addressing Willow.

She looked down at her own outfit. “This? I got it in Canterlot. Do you like it?”

“Like it? I love it!” she exclaimed. She then said, “WHERE are my manners? I’m Rarity, fashion designer and owner of the Carousel Boutique. How do you do?”

Pawise said, “So you’re Rarity! Fluttershy has told me about you, but I haven’t had the chance to meet you before now.” He indicated his group. “I know you know Zecora, but please meet my mother Willow, and this is my Dad Lorewise. I’m Pawise.” Rarity’s eyes grew big as saucers.

“Pawise! Then you’re Fluttershy’s paramour! Enchantè!” Pawise turned bright red.

Lorewise smiled. “We’re enchanted to meet you as well, Miss Rarity. Excuse me, or is it ‘Mrs?”

Rarity pouted, “It's “Miss” for now. But I shan’t be a '‘Miss'’ forever!” Changing the subject, she said, “Oh, but this is perfectly splendid! Here we are on a perfectly gorgeous day, and we’re about to have the most wonderful party! I simply cannot wait to show off my fashions tonight!”

Pawise asked, “‘Fashions’? But I thought this was going to be just a welcome party?”

Rarity laughed and tossed her mane. “Oh darling, DARLING! There’s always time for fashion! And this will be a formal soirèe so you can be sure I’ll have my Spring Line featured!” Then her eyes grew even rounder as she exclaimed, “I- DEE- aa! You simply must allow me to pick out your outfits for tonight! This will be simply delightful!”

Willow said, “That’s quite generous of you dear, but I-“

“Oh no, no no! I must insist! It is no trouble at all!” With that she took Willow by her upper foreleg and whisked her off, leaving Pawise and his Dad no choice but to trot quickly to keep up. Zecora smiled calmly, and followed at her own pace.

Cold Truth

After a few frantic hours with Rarity, Pawise and his parents each had a new outfit for that night. Rarity had even persuaded Zecora accept one of her garments, which had not been easy as she usually preferred her native look. Rarity had surprised her by presenting her with a gown that perfectly complimented her style, which was a project Rarity had been secretly working on for some time. This was an example of not only Rarity’s friendship with Zecora, but also a business move. If she could make something Zecora would like, perhaps it would catch on in her zebra country.

They all thanked Rarity as they made their way out. She had refused payment, even though Lorewise tried again and again to do so. He was greatly impressed with her creativity, but somewhat disappointed she was giving away such fine work.

Typical of Ponyville, he thought to himself. Here is a Unicorn with real talent, and yet she gives away some of her finest examples.

There was the possibility she’s generating free advertising, but he doubted there were enough ponies in Ponyville who would see these outfits to make a good return on her investment. Even so, there was no denying her talent, and his wife absolutely loved her dress, so he made a mental note to mention her to some fashion moguls once he got back home.

After parting company with Zecora and then meeting at Pawise’s home, Willow said, “I believe we have just enough time for me to visit that spa before the party.” Here she gave both her males a kiss, then said, “You two behave, I’ll see you in a bit.”

They watched her as she skipped off out the door, then turned to each other. The silence grew for a moment, then Lorewise said, “It’s time for you and I to talk.”

“What about, Dad?”

Lorewise sighed, “You are my only son and I love you, but I don’t know why we usually get into an argument. I just want to know you are sure," and here he indicated Ponyville, "this is what you want.”

Pawise smiled, “You asked me to tell you if I have any real doubts, Dad. The only thing of which I’m not sure is how Fluttershy feels about me. But I guess I’ll find out tonight, for I’m going to take your advice and simply ask her.”

Lorewise’s chest swelled with pride. “That’s my son!” Here he hesitated, and then said, “Your mother and I talked about this last night. I still do not believe a pegasus is good enough for my son, but she convinced me this mare makes you happy, and that’s all I really want.”

“She really does, Dad.”

“Then why wait until tonight? Go ask her now.”

“Now?! As in…right now?!”

“What better time?” his father replied. “Would you rather wait until some moment at the party, only to find out the worst and then have to find some excuse to leave? How awkward would that be? No, it’s much better to know beforehand.”

Pawise sat and digested his words, then got to his feet. “You are right, Dad. The time has come. Wish me luck.”

His father scowled. “You don’t need “luck.” You are a Unicorn, and you are my son. Go.”

The entire way to Fluttershy’s cottage, Pawise went over and over what he should say, and how he should say it. He finally decided to simply be direct: tell her how he felt, and wait to see if she responded in kind. Even though that way was potentially more painful, it was the best way, he thought, for he would not be putting any undue pressure on her to say what he wanted her to say. Her response would come from her heart, he reasoned, and as his Dad had said, would be the honest one. Even so, he still had to take a few calming breaths as he steeled himself, and knocked on her door. After a moment it opened, and there she was.

“Oh my! Hello, Pawise!”

“Uhh…hello, Fluttershy! Can…can I talk to you?”

“Of course.” She stepped aside. “Please come in. Have a seat anywhere.”

Pawise had never before been inside her cottage, so he was delighted to see all the birds and little creatures who made their home there, only they seemed quieter than he expected. Even Angel Bunny was behaving himself off in a corner eating, pausing only to give Pawise a dirty look before he resumed his meal. She placed herself delicately on the couch beside him. He wasn’t expecting her to sit so close, so for a moment he had trouble breathing.

She turned a soft gaze up at him, and asked, “What did you want to talk to me about?”

For a moment more he continued to falter. Then, remembering his Dad, he took a deep breath and said, “I love you, Fluttershy. I have loved you from the first moment I saw you.” He shut his eyes and waited.

There was a long pause, during which the universe seemed to be in stasis, then she spoke: “How delightful!”

This…this was not the response he had expected at all! He opened his eyes and looked at her, and his entire body went cold with fear. Her eyes had turned green and become catlike, and she was grinning evilly up at him. When a lizard-like tongue flicked out and licked her lips, it was all he could do to keep from screaming.

Quickly backing away from her, he said, “Who…what ARE you?! What have you done with Fluttershy?!”

She laughed, and as he watched in horror she morphed into some sort of unicorn creature, but with insect wings and fangs. Angel Bunny was laughing as well, as he morphed into a similar creature, only smaller. All around him, what he thought had been various animals turned back into their true forms. Changelings! Fear gripped him for a moment more, and then he stood and lit his horn.

“WHERE IS FLUTTERSHY, YOU MONSTER?! I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU'VE HURT HER!”

Even though he had never levitated anything larger than a suitcase, in his rage and fear for Fluttershy he tore a huge chunk out of a wall and sent it hurtling towards the creature. The mocking laughter died in her throat as she saw her danger and ducked just in time.

Now it was her turn to become angry. “GET HIM!!” she yelled to her minions.

As one they swarmed him: biting, clawing, punching from all directions. He was able to knock a few aside, but for every one he repelled another took its place. Soon, bruised, bloody and beaten down they held him as he continued to struggle.

Due more to anger than pain, he clenched his teeth and demanded, “Where. Is. FLUTTERSHY?!”

The Changeling Queen leaned in close and said, “Oh, she’s safe for now. She’s such a delightful creature, and so loved by all, it would be such a waste to lose so much delicious emotion! Even now, your feelings for her are intoxicating!” She stood up and began to pace the room.

“I can see now I should have attacked a small place like Ponyville before. There is so much love and happiness here, my children and I will soon be strong enough to challenge Celestia herself! Once we take over Ponyville, and my children have increased in number, we will begin our conquest anew. The only one who could have stopped me at this point was that fool Discord, and I have you to thank for giving me the solution!”

Pawise turned cold. “What do you mean?”

She laughed again. “Discord is FRIENDS with Fluttershy! Can you believe it? He’s immortal, but YOUR relationship with her has him worried he may lose her! How pathetic! He is so blind right now, he cannot tell it is one of my children keeping him occupied, instead of his precious Fluttershy! By the time he realizes, it will be too late, and we’ll have taken over Ponyville!”

She turned cold eyes on him. “But now, there’s the question of what to do with you. I could kill you, replace you and even your own parents wouldn’t know the difference. But you truly fell in love with Fluttershy, and at your first sight of her! Do you have any idea how rare that is? No, my little love-sick fool, I think I’ll keep you around for a bit. You are far too delicious to lose.”

Turning to her minions, she said, “Tie him up and take him to the Forest. We can feed off him and his beloved later!” As she spoke, she morphed back into Fluttershy. When they had gagged him and were beginning to drag him off, she said “Don’t worry, Ponyville will get its fairytale ending tonight when you two announce your engagement! The surge of emotions will make me stronger than ever before!”

As they took him away, the last thing he saw was one of the Changelings turn into a perfect replica of himself.

Secrets Revealed

Lorewise sat out on his son’s veranda, smoking his pipe. He tried to imagine what his son was going through right now, and then he remembered what it was like when he had declared himself to Willow. The two situations could not have been more opposite. He and Willow’s relationship had the blessing of both sets of parents, while Pawise’s choice was not only questionable, both he and his wife had doubts he truly was in love. Lorewise now believed his son thought he was in love, but having never met the fair young pony he had no way of knowing how she is as a person.

He sighed. I guess my son will soon learn, he thought to himself, though he could not blame the young lady if she told him she wasn’t in love with him.

“Love at First Sight” only happens in fairytales, written by fanciful authors with no real grasp of reality. True love, experience had shown him, takes time. A seed is planted and then hopefully it grows.

Pawise has ever been the impatient one, his father knew, but this time he hoped the pain would not be too great for him. He would have spared him all this if he could, but he knew he could not protect his child forever, though Celestia knows he’d tried.

While he sat musing, the evening had come. There was an undeniable excitement in the air, as he observed ponies apparently getting ready for the party. His opinion of Ponyville had not changed very much, but he could not deny the overall sense of peace he observed from its inhabitants.

Whatever they have going on in this town, it must be working for the poor fools. The strongest personality he had met had of course been another Unicorn, but even she was giving away her profits. And yet…and yet they are happy. He couldn’t understand it, so he filed it away for later consideration. As he looked, he saw his wife trotting merrily up to him, her mane perfectly coiffed and resplendent in her new gown.

He rose to meet her. “Aren’t you ready yet?” she asked. Lorewise smiled down at her. Rare indeed were the times he wasn’t happy to see her.

“There’s still time. I’m just waiting for our son to come back from his ‘adventure of the heart.’

“What do you mean?”

“I sent him to go declare himself to his ‘belovèd.’

Willow stared at him. “Why did you do that?”

Lorewise met her gaze. “It’s better for him to know now than find out at the party. I told him so, and he agreed.”

Willow looked at him a moment more, sighed, and said, “No, Lore. This wasn’t a business arrangement, which had a deadline that needed to be met. Our son thinks he’s in love, yes, but that young lady probably needs more time.”

Lorewise grew silent. He looked away, and finally said “So I’ve sent my son to get his heart broken. For nothing…”

“Oh, Lore…” She rushed inside, came around to him and hugged him tight. “It will be alright. He is his father’s son and he’s strong enough to weather this storm. He learned that from you.”

Lorewise hugged his wife, and then wiped away a tear. “No. He has his emotional strength from you. As do I…” As they sat and embraced each other, Pawise came walking in.

“Son!” they both said at once. “What happened?” his mother asked.

“What do you mean, ‘what happened?’,” he said. Both his parents exchanged puzzled looks.

“Didn’t you go talk to Fluttershy?” his father asked.

“Oh! Oh, uhh…yes! Yes I did!” His parents waited.

Finally his father said, not without some irritation in his voice, “Well? What did she say?”

The creature started to sweat. If he failed this mission, he didn’t know what his Queen would do to him, but he knew he didn’t want to find out. “She…said…'okay’?”

His parents looked at each other again. “‘Okay’? ‘OKAY?!’ You tell her you love her, and all she says is ‘OKAY’?!” his father bellowed.

“Lore!” his wife said. Turning to her “son” she said, “It’s alright, she probably was not ready to tell you how she truly felt.”

“Yeah, that’s it!” the Changeling replied. “No, wait…we’re getting married!”

“WHAT?!” his father yelled. Willow just stared at him.

“I don’t think you are yourself right now,” she said.

The Changeling’s borrowed face took on a look of absolute terror. “How did you know that?!”

“You’ve had a shock, and you’re not thinking clearly. Why don’t you go lie down?” she gently said.

“Yeah…yeah I’d better lie down. Good idea!” He cautiously walked past them as they both continued to stare at him.

“That’s the bathroom,” she said as he opened the first door he came to.

“Right! I knew that!” He slowly opened another door, peeked in, gave a sigh of relief, and then went inside.

“We’ll be just outside dear,” she called out to him. Turning to her husband she whispered, “Let’s go.”

Lorewise looked at her and whispered back, “We can’t leave him! He’s not well!”

Willow took him outside before replying.

“That’s not our son.”

Pawise awoke on his side. The creatures had bound him very tightly for the trip through the Forest, but must have removed his restraints once they’d thrown him in here. A bowl of water and some stale bread lay next to him. That gave him some hope, as they were obviously not planning on killing him just yet, but they’d put some kind of nullifier spell on his horn.

So the first step is getting it off. If he could use his magic, he could get free. He looked around. In the dim light, he could just make out he was in a cell. It was some sort of cave, probably underground if the lichen and damp was any indication.

As he tried to break the spell, a soft voice said, “Who’s there?” It was coming from the next cell over. He knew that voice!

“Fluttershy?”

“Yes, I’m Fluttershy. Who are you?”

“Fluttershy! It’s me, Pawise! Are you hurt?!”

“P…Pawise? No, I’m not hurt, but...do I know you?”

Pawise started to feel uneasy. “Yes…don’t you remember? We started dating about a week after I got here.”

“Oh my…that can’t be true” she said. “I’ve been down here for quite some time and…I haven’t been on a date in a long time before that.”

With these words Pawise’s uneasiness turned to full blown horror. “No…no it can’t be. It…it was the Changeling all along.” Suddenly he was revolted. “I kissed a Changeling?!”

“Oh,” said the soft-voiced mare, “Why did you do that?”

Pawise’s cheeks burned red. “I…I thought she was you.”

“Oh my.”

“I’m so sorry.”

There was a long pause, and then she replied, “It’s alright, you didn’t know. Was she kind to you?”

Pawise took a moment and then said, “She was the sweetest, kindest and most beautiful mare I have ever met. I would do anything for her.”

“Because you thought she was me?”

“Because I thought she was you.”

There was a long silence, and then he could hear her crying softly. “Fluttershy? Please don’t cry. I’ll get you out of here, I promise.”

“That’s not it,” she sniffed. “It’s just that you seem so sweet, I wish I had met you.”

Pawise didn’t know what to say. Things had become far more complicated, besides the fact they were both now prisoners of an insane Changeling Queen.

Finally he said, “Tell me what happened. How long have you been here?” After a few more sniffles, she began.

“It’s hard to keep track of the days, but I think I’ve been down here almost a month. It was late one night right before a scheduled rainstorm, and I was out tending my animal friends. The promise of thunder always makes them nervous, so I was spending a little more time with them outside than normal. Suddenly I heard what sounded like a poor creature in pain, out in the Forest! Now, I never go in there at night if I can help it, but the poor thing needed my help. So I ran in, and started looking for it. It wasn’t where I’m sure I first heard it, but deeper in the Forest. So I followed the sound. A few minutes later I found it: a little bunny like Angel, just sitting in one spot and crying. I walked up to it, and tried to soothe it, but then it stopped crying and just…looked at me in a way I’ve never seen an animal look at me. Then…then it turned into a Changeling, like the ones my friends and I fought in Canterlot so long ago. I screamed, and then there were more of them! I tried to fly off, but there were too many of them and they surrounded me. I tried then to use my Stare, but they covered my eyes and took me here. My…my eyes are still closed somehow…I can’t see. I could only hear somepony laughing and then…then the pony’s voice changed to mine! I don’t know why I’m here, but I know my friends are in danger…and I can’t get out.”

Pawise was glad he could give her some bit of good news. “As far as I know, your friends are fine, but I think I know why the Queen chose you and not the others.”

“Why?”

“Because of Discord.”

“Discord?! But he’s my friend, he wouldn’t help her!”

“That’s…that’s just it. He is your friend, and the only one that could stop her now. And…it’s my fault he’s not doing so.”

“YOUR fault?”

Pawise felt crushed, but she had to know.

“She told me. Discord thinks he’s going to lose you… Because of me. Because I…because I fell in love with you…fell in love with somepony I thought was you, she was able to…to USE your friendship to keep him occupied.”

Pawise stopped for a moment, then went on. “This is all my fault. She’s going to announce “our” engagement at the party tonight, and the resulting emotional surge will give her all the power she needs to take over Ponyville.”

“What…what party?”

“Pinkie Pie and Applejack’s welcome party for me. It’s blown up into a full formal engagement, and just about everypony in Ponyville is going to be there at eight o'clock tonight.” Fluttershy was silent, thinking about all he’d said.

After a few moments she quietly spoke. “It’s not your fault.”

“What?”

“It’s not your fault. Nopony can know when they’ll fall in love, it’s that mean Changeling’s fault! She took advantage of us for her own gain. We have to stop her!”

Even in the midst of their danger, and though he knew she meant it only as it referred to their immediate situation, he still loved the sound of her saying “we.”

“Okay, first we have to get out of here, and warn the others. And I think we only have about two hours left to do so.”

“But how?” she asked. “I’ve tried everything I can do, and I’ve still been down here all this time.”

He couldn’t keep the emotion out of his voice as he said, “You are not alone anymore, Fluttershy. WE will think of a way.” Both fell into silence.

After a few minutes, Pawise asked, “Are the bindings over your eyes physical, or is it some sort of spell?”

“It’s definitely a spell.”

“Okay, then it’s probably the same sort of nullifier magic she put on my horn.”

There was surprise in her voice. “You are a unicorn?”

“Yes, didn’t I mention that before?”

“I’m sorry, no, you didn’t. It’s perfectly fine. I just can’t see, and I thought you were another pegasus.” There was another pause.

Finally he asked, “You don’t like unicorns?”

She laughed, a sweet sound that dispelled the gloom for a moment. “Of course I like unicorns! Two of my very best friends are unicorns. Well, technically one of them is an Alicorn now, but we’ve all been friends a long time.”

She sighed. “I wish Twilight was here. She knows just about everything there is to know about magic, she would know a spell to break this spell.”

Pawise had zoned out in euphoria as soon as he’d heard her say, “of course I like unicorns!” but came back to the present when she mentioned Twilight.

“Break the spell…break the spell…that’s it!” He jumped to his feet. “Don’t you see? Nullifier magic works because the pony is trying to break the spell! If we deny the spell its source, it will dissipate on its own!”

“How do you know that?”

“Professor Stonespire’s Advanced Classes of Applied Magic, two years” he said. “I studied at the Royal Academy in Canterlot.” He smiled. “I’m guessing the Changeling Queen didn’t know that.”

“But how do we do this?”

Sounding just like his professors, he said, “The method is simple in theory, but difficult in application. You want the use of your eyes, I want to use my magic. Clear your mind, concentrate on your other senses, everything but your sense of sight. I will withdraw my magic until there’s nothing left for the spell to affect.”

She sounded scared. “I…I don’t think I can do that. I’ve been in the dark for so long, all I can think about is trying to see, and get out of here.”

Snuggling as close as he could to her from his cell, he said, “Listen to me, Fluttershy. The Changeling Queen had to have imitated you perfectly, in order to fool your friends for so long. That means even though you and I have never actually met, you are still the most wonderful pony I know. You are braver and stronger than you realize, you CAN do this. Think about your friends, think about the animals that need you, think about everything but trying to break the spell. You can do it!”

“My friends…my animals need me. I’ll try!” With that they both fell into silence; she concentrating on hearing, feeling, touch…while he thought only of her. After a few minutes, he could sense the magic getting weaker, but it wasn’t enough! He had to make this work, for her sake.

Then inspiration hit him, and he began softly to sing.

One day as Sun was rising and the flowers soft with dew,

A pony went a-roving, to see some sights still new.

He left his home, he went alone, though others called him back,

He sought a trail where Moon had sailed,

‘Til he found that which he lacked.

In Forest old, through ways untold he found a laughing stream,

And seeing there a Maiden Fair,

Whose eyes were like a dream.

“Wither do you wander?” asked the Maiden seeing him.

“This is no place for Mortal Folk, you cannot stay within.”

“Long have I sought,” said he “and thought,”

“I’d never find my way,”

“You are the One for whom I’ve come,”

“Please send me not away.”

“I cannot be your Fate,” said she “for Mortal you remain.”

“So I before you soon will fade,”

“When Sun fills sky again.”

And as she spoke the sunbeams broke,

Then hastened her from sight,

In vain he sought the One that brought,

His Darkness to the Light.

Yet on the ground he searched and found,

A flower from her mane.

Now home he stays no more to stray,

He knows they’ll meet again.

“That was beautiful,” said Fluttershy. “I…I think it might have worked. I can see…a little. How is your horn?”

“I’ll try a small spell,” said he. His heart beating rapidly, he slowly willed his horn to ignite. For a few moments nothing happened. Then, almost imperceptively, the pebble he was looking at started to shake, and then slowly lifted into the air. “There’s still some residue, I can’t use my full power. But” and here he stood and concentrated on the lock to his cell, “it may be enough.” There was a click as the lock opened, and he gently pushed the door. He was free! Quickly moving to her door, he did the same to her lock. Slowly, leading her by one hoof, she came out of her prison. He waved a hoof gently in front of her face. “Can you see me?” he asked.

“Just barely,” said she. “I think…I think if we get out of here, and away from the source, the spells will be completely broken.”

“Then stick close…we’re leaving this place. Now.”

Interrogation

“Where are we going?” Lorewise yelled to his wife as they both ran up the streets of Ponyville. They rushed past many ponies making their way to Applejack’s farm for the party, causing a few of them to stop and stare at them as they ran.

“We have to find Princess Twilight! She’s the only one that can help us!” she panted. Neither of them were young ponies anymore, and the pace was taxing them both, but fear for their son made them go on.

“Are…you…sure…she can help?” he breathlessly asked.

She spared a glance at him over her shoulder. “She’s the only help we have.”

Lorewise still had his doubts, but he knew his wife was right. He could only hope this was a Princess in more than name. Soon, they found themselves in front of the Golden Oaks Library, and they hammered frantically on the door.

“Princess Twilight! Princess Twilight!” called Willow.

“Alright, alright already! Don’t break it down!” they heard from the other side. The door opened, and they found themselves face to face with the smallest dragon either of them had ever seen, dressed in a tuxedo! In any other situation they would have found the sight amusing, but they were far past that now.

“What’s the rush?” the dragon asked.

“We need the Princess now! It’s urgent!” cried Willow.

“I’m coming” said a voice further in. Soon she appeared at the door, dressed in a satin gown and wearing her full regalia.

Seeing her for the first time, even Lorewise fell to his knees with his wife and said, “Your Highness! Our son is in trouble!”

“Please stand and come in, and tell me everything! Spike, let everyone know I’m going to be late.”

Spike ran off to Applejack’s, while Lorewise and Willow made their way inside. Motioning for them to sit, she asked, “Now what’s going on?”

Quickly, they both explained their “son’s” odd behavior after his speaking to Fluttershy.

When they’d finished, Twilight asked, “So you don’t think that’s him?”

“No, Your Highness,” said Willow. “I know my son, and whatever that is in his home, it’s not him.”

Twilight got up and began to pace. “If it’s not him, then logically there’s only one other thing it could be, barring an illusion spell.”

Stopping to face them she ordered, “Take me to him. I just hope I’m wrong.”

The fake Pawise was still lying across his victim’s bed, growing more nervous with each passing minute. In order to impress his Queen, he’d volunteered for this duty, but now he was having second thoughts.

Like most drones, he was not a great thinker, but the assignment was supposed to be an easy one. His Queen had been observing Ponyville for months, long after their defeat at Canterlot. By blending in and listening, she’d hit upon a plan to take over the town, but the only snag she hadn’t foreseen had been the reformation of Discord and his relationship with those same mares that had beat them before. She had to find some way to take him out of the picture, but nothing had presented itself until this unicorn had shown up.

He had to admire his Queen’s brilliance: reading the unicorn’s reaction to Fluttershy, kidnapping her and taking her place, encouraging the relationship. Discord’s reaction had been a long shot, but this is why she’d purposely taken the one pony she knew he was especially fond of. Now another of his kind was keeping Discord occupied while he and his Queen were going to announce their wedding tonight at the party.

But the Changeling was in trouble. His victim’s parents had been acting strangely towards him since he’d first shown up. Though his Queen had assured him ponies lacked the wit to see through his disguise, he was starting to have his doubts. If the plan failed, it would be entirely his fault.

Just then he heard the front door open, and his “mother” called out, “Pawise? Can you come out here? There’s somepony here to see you.”

Just a few more minutes, he thought to himself, and I can go meet the Queen and get this over with. He could fool these ponies!

Bracing himself, he sauntered out the bedroom. “Yes, Mother?” he said, barely keeping the smirk off his face. All amusement and self-confidence died when he saw who was with them. He had to think fast.

“Oh! Hello Princess!" he said. "Shouldn’t…shouldn’t we all be at the party now? I better go get dressed.”

Twilight stopped him with a single word: “No.”

This is getting worse! “But…but it’s MY ‘welcome party’! I can’t be late!”

Twilight was imperious, as Lorewise and Willow stood with her and watched. “You are not going anywhere until you tell me who you are and what you’ve done with Pawise.”

As he started to protest, she held up a hoof and said, “Don’t bother. I don’t know who you are, but there’s one way of finding out.” As she lit her horn, the Changeling’s nerve broke, and he tried to rush past them out the door.

Lorewise tackled him, gripped him by his throat and screamed “Where is my son?! Where IS he?!” He drew back one hoof and was about to start beating him when Twilight stopped him.

“There’s an easier way.” She lit her horn and passed its light over the fallen pony. All three were horrified when his true form was revealed. Willow pulled her panting husband off it, while Twilight held the Changeling aloft in a force field.

It twisted and shrieked, “Let me go! Let me GO!! The Queen will kill me if she finds out!”

Her expression a mixture of disgust and pity, Twilight answered in a dangerously soft voice, “The Queen is the least of your worries. I’M here.” Drawing him close, she forced him to look her in the eyes. “Where is Pawise?”

The Changeling felt he had nothing more to lose, as he knew his life was now forfeit.“Go suck on a rotten apple, you stupid pony! I’ll tell you NOTHING! I’m dead anyway!”

Lorewise growled, “Let me have him, Your Highness! He’ll talk to ME!” Twilight didn’t answer, but her eyes had narrowed into slits. Slowly, surely, the force field in which she held him was starting to shrink.

“Wait! What are you doing?!” cried the creature. The field continued to shrink as Twilight remained silent. Now the creature could barely move, but he tried one last act of bravado.

“You…you wouldn’t! Our Queen told us you’d be no threat!” squeaked the Changeling.

“Did she?” said Twilight, as she continued to compact the field. Now it was having trouble breathing, and started to gasp for air. The creature tried once more to keep silent, but then it looked in Twilight’s eyes, and saw no mercy there. Willow hid her face in her husband’s shoulder.

“All…alright! Alright…I’ll…tell…you! Just…let…me go!” it wheezed.

Instead of doing so, Twilight only stopped the shrinking and held it there. “Start talking.”

“He’s…he’s….(gasp) in the Forest! In…in a cave north…north of Froggy Bottom Bog! He’s…still (gasp)…alive! Now…please…please let me go!”

Twilight then released the pressure, and lowered him to the floor, where he collapsed gasping for air. She stood looking down at the miserable thing, while Lorewise stared at her with newfound respect and awe. His son had been right about her! Twilight wasn’t done.

Leaning close, she said, “Where is your Queen? I want to know everything!” All defiance gone, the Changeling proceeded to tell her all he knew, causing them all to gasp in horror when he was done.

Turning to Pawise’s parents, Twilight said, “I have to stop the party! Wait here with him, I’ll be back as soon as I can!”

“But what about our son?!” cried Lorewise.

“I promise you sir, once I go I’ll bring back help, and then we’ll all go to save him and Fluttershy! Trust me!” Without waiting for an answer she teleported away. As soon as she left Lorewise rounded on the creature.

“On your feet! You’re taking us to our son!”

“But Lore! The Princess said—“his wife began.

“We CAN’T wait! Despite what this thing said," giving the cringing Changeling a kick, "our son could be hurt! We need to go NOW!” Willow had a brief moment of indecision, and then her look of determination matched her husband’s.

“Wait here!” Running into the bedroom, she jerked a sheet off her son’s bed and ran back. Rolling it into a makeshift rope, she said, “Hold him!” Quickly she bound the creature’s wings tightly onto its torso, and then jerked him to his feet.

Grabbing him by the neck, she placed herself an inch from his face and snarled, “That’s our son you captured. Lead us to him, or I promise you’ll wish you’d died when the Princess had you!!”

For the second time that night, the creature looked into a pony’s eyes and saw no mercy.

No mercy at all.

Pyrrhic Victory

“Fluttershy” was growing rapidly more impatient by the minute. Not for the first time, she scanned the crowd, looking for that fool who was impersonating the unicorn.

Standing near the stage, a pony was trying to engage her in conversation, which she had a hard time hearing over the music. She managed to smile and answer back, but it was all she could do to keep from screaming in frustration and rage.

For months, months she had watched all those wretched mares, mere ponies that had beaten her before by nothing more than dumb luck. Learning their lives’ details had not been much of a challenge, as these inferior beings were so open and trusting! Fooling that simpleton Discord had been the only real obstacle, for though a fool he remains he is still the Master of Chaos, and not one to be left out of her plans.

She still couldn’t believe how easy it had been after that once the gears had been set in motion. And now, NOW that imbecile impersonating the unicorn is late! The party had been going on for well over an half an hour, so she’d been forced to make small talk, dance, even hug a few because some of these ponies just didn’t make do with ‘hello’. In short, be the sweet pony she needed to be to pull this off. But it had become unbearable, especially so close to her victory.

She and the unicorn were supposed to meet at the party and be seen talking to each other quietly, laughing together, sharing each other’s plates, etc. all to fuel speculation about their intentions. Then, when the moment was right, and the unicorn was supposed to be introduced, she'd walk up next to him and they would announce their “engagement.” Her mouth involuntarily watered just thinking about the emotional wave, and she had to discreetly dab her mouth with a napkin.

She looked around once more. Still no sign of him, curse it, but all the other mares she hated were there, along with what looked like most of Ponyville. The only one missing was that insufferable “Princess!” No, wait…there she is, off in the distance. She seems to be looking for someone too…

Twilight’s first stop had not been to the party. She knew she had to let Princess Celestia know Changelings had broken the truce and were now in Ponyville, so she had teleported to the Library and wrote out the quick facts on a scroll.

Now to find Spike.

Porting herself to Applejack’s farm, she quickly began searching for him. It looked as though the whole town had turned up for what was supposed to have been a simple ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party. Once Applejack and Rarity had gotten involved, though, it had turned into this.

Wherever Rarity was she knew Spike couldn’t be too far away. She couldn’t find them from the ground level, so she took to the air and scanned the crowd.

Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rarity had outdone themselves. There were colored lanterns in all the trees, streamers and banners, balloons on all the tables, and a stage where a DJ booth with laser lighting had been set up. Some ponies were lined up in back of the open stage, preparing for the fashion show. Right now a dance was in session, with the music almost deafening as ponies danced in the area just in the front of the stage.

Expecting to find Rarity near the fashion ponies Twilight swooped down. It was her, adjusting some of the gowns she’d designed, but Spike was nowhere in sight. Pulling Rarity unceremoniously aside, she said, “Where’s Spike?!”

“I saw him over there by the buffet. Is something wrong?”

“Get the other girls together except Fluttershy and meet me over inside the barn!”

“Fluttershy? Whatever is the matter with her?”

“I can’t explain right now, just please do as I say! I have to find Spike!” Rarity looked at her as if she was going to ask another question, but then she nodded to Twilight and ran off. Twilight took to the air again. She had to thread her way through some pegasi that had decided to do some intricate dance numbers in the air, but there he was! She zoomed down, just in time to see him stuffing what looked like an entire jewel cake in his mouth.

“Spike! I need you to send this letter to the Princess!” she shouted.

“Mmmf?” said Spike. Holding up one claw in a “just a sec” gesture, he swallowed the last of the cake and said, “What?”

“Send this to the Princess! NOW!”

“Oh! Right away, Twilight!” As he reached for the scroll, he was jostled by some other ponies around the buffet table. He almost dropped it, but he managed to grab the scroll with one claw and then took a deep breath and shot out flames, sending the letter. The ponies in the area “oooo’d” and “ahhhh’d” at the sight of the fire, thinking it was all part of the entertainment.

“Now get on my back!” said Twilight. As soon as he did so she took flight.

Once they were above the crowd and away from the music, Spike asked, “Where are we going in such a hurry? The party is just getting started!”

“No Spike,” said Twilight. “I’m afraid it’s over.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll explain later.” Quickly she searched for Fluttershy from the air. Then Twilight froze. There she was, surrounded by other ponies.

Twilight thought quickly. If I confront her, there’s no doubt she’ll fight me, and ponies will get hurt. Also, she’s probably not alone! Sweet Celestia, what do I do?

The Princess was certainly on her way, hopefully with the entire Royal Guard, but Twilight had no idea how many Changelings there are, nor who they are. She could use the same spell she used to expose the fake Pawise, but that would take too much time, as it had to be done for each pony.

These were the thoughts that filled her head and her heart with anxiety, but she hovered there a moment too long.

The fake Fluttershy looked up and saw her, and as their eyes met she knew she’d been discovered. But HOW?! All the planning, all her success ruined! Everything is ruined! With nothing more to lose, the Queen grabbed the first pony she could, dragged her around the neck and flew up to the stage.

“Fluttershy!! What are you doing?!” the pony yelled.

“Shut up!” she screamed. “You!” She pointed at the DJ. “Turn that blasted noise OFF!!” As the music died everypony screamed as the Changeling Queen changed back to her true self.

“Let her go! Don’t hurt her!” cried Twilight as she landed on the stage. As Spike jumped off her back and stared in shock, Twilight took a step forward. “It’s over! Princess Celestia is on her way.”

Gripping the struggling pony more tightly the Changeling cried, “Fool! It’s over when I say! MINIONS! ATTACK!!” To Twilight and the other ponies’ horror, a mighty horde of Changelings erupted out of the trees surrounding the party area, and began to swarm the stage.

“Spike! Get out of here!!” cried Twilight as she blasted as many Changelings as she could.

“I won’t leave you, Twilight!” yelled Spike, as he inhaled and then sent a flume of fire towards the swarm, causing a few to scatter out of the way.

It was complete pandemonium with ponies running for their lives. Soon, Twilight and Spike found themselves surrounded by Changelings. Spike’s fires were spent, having never used so much at one time before, and he fell to his knees panting. She cast a protection bubble around herself and him, but didn’t port away for fear of what the Queen would do to her hostage. She could just see the Queen past the mass of Changelings throwing themselves against her barrier.

The Queen was laughing, still tightly holding onto her hostage, when a noise like a missile sounded behind her. Rainbow Dash! Dash swooped in and grabbed the pony out of her startled hooves, set the pony down on the ground and then spun back towards the stage.

“Hang on, Twilight! I got this!” she cried.

“Yer not alone, Rainbow!” yelled Applejack. The Changeling horde turned as one to see Applejack, Pinkie, Rarity, Big Mac and even some other ponies join the fight.

The Queen took to the air and screamed “Get them! GET THEM! I WON’T LOSE AGAIN! I WON’T!!”

Now the two sides met like waves crashing upon rocks. The Queen concentrated on Twilight, shooting beam after beam down at her. Twilight blocked the attacks from her and the many Changelings still surrounding them while protecting Spike. But she was joined by Rainbow Dash, who was a multi-colored blur knocking Changelings from the air. Applejack and her brother fought side by side, bucking Changelings left and right as if they were trees.

Rarity’s hooves flashed as she spun and kicked, much to the surprise of the others, Changelings and ponies alike. “You ruined my gown AND my fashion show, you monsters!!” she cried.

The only one who looked like she was truly enjoying herself was Pinkie, who danced and dodged between the Changelings, moving just in time for them to smash into each other, even if they tried to strike her from behind.

“Missed me! MISSED ME!” she laughed, as some fell unconscious after smacking headfirst into each other. Soon there was a pile of dazed and incapacitated Changelings around her, all the fight knocked out of them. Even the town ponies did their best, fueled by anger at the invasion.

Now the tide had turned against the enemy. Twilight, freed from worry about Spike, joined the fight in earnest. Blasting the few that remained near her, she flew up to the Queen and encased her in a force field.

“NO! NO!!" the Queen screamed. Beneath them, the fight was drawing to a close as more and more of her number fell defeated to the ground. Then she laughed.

“Haven’t you forgotten somepony?” she sneered.

“Fluttershy!” said Twilight. “Where IS she?!”

“Release me, or you’ll NEVER see her again!”

Angel Alone

Life with Fluttershy had been a dream for Angel Bunny. Ever since he’d made her his pet, she had fed him, played with him, taken care of him. No more grubbing in the dirt, no more running away from predators, no fear of any kind. Now all that had changed.

When she hadn’t come back after a few hours that one night, he had gone out looking for her. She had never been out so long, and besides, he was hungry. He could have fed himself, but why bother when he had a perfectly capable pony at his beck and call?

He followed her tracks where they led into the Forest, and that’s where they stopped. He could see her hoof prints on the ground, but they were jumbled up with a great many more, along with a very strange scent.

From there the tracks disappeared, so they must have flown away. With Fluttershy! He knew he needed help to save her. So he raced back to the cottage, only to stop dead in his steps just inside the Forest. From his vantage point, he could see a great many animals, creatures he recognized, going in and out of the cottage. But the wind had shifted to his direction, and he caught that same strange scent.

Those weren’t the animals he knew.

As he watched, the cottage door opened, and out came Fluttershy! He was almost beside himself with joy, and was just about to run to her, strange animals or no, when he saw her strike one of the creatures and speak roughly to it! He had never seen her behave that way! Then fear gripped him as the chastened “animal” cautiously picked itself up and turned…turned into a pony! He looked at Fluttershy more closely.

Rabbits have excellent vision, a necessity for an animal that is featured highly on most predators’ menus. Even so he could scarcely believe what his eyes were telling him.

That wasn't Fluttershy.

He had never seen a look so evil in any creatures’ eyes, let alone hers. He didn’t understand what had happened, but he knew this place was no longer safe. So he crept away, dug a quick burrow into the ground and tried to think.

He could sense a storm approaching. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d spent time outdoors during a storm, but he knew he wouldn’t like it. Also, the falling rain would cover the sound of a predator approaching, making the storm a good time to get eaten. So he huddled miserably in his makeshift shelter, and hoped it would pass quickly.

As he waited, he realized that Fluttershy’s friends could help, if only he could tell them. The problem is his pet is the only one of these ponies that is smart enough to be able to speak with him, so how could he make such other dull-witted creatures understand? But then he remembered that creature that had turned into a pony. What if there were more of them? And what if Fluttershy wasn’t the only one who had been replaced? He didn’t know what to do. If he went into town, he stood the chance of being caught by those monsters with pony faces. If he didn’t find help, he knew he may never see Fluttershy again. The dread he felt from this last thought decided him: he’d risk going into town. Having made up his mind, he dashed from his hiding place and sped as fast as he could into Ponyville.

The storm had made the streets of the town deserted, besides being unbearably muddy. Angel slipped and slid through mud that soaked his fur, but he concentrated on his hearing and his nose to detect any ponies with that odd scent.

Crouching under an awning outside a shop, he tried to remember where any of Fluttershy’s friends lived. He’d only ever been taken into town by her, and had never needed to pay attention to where they’d been going. Now he wished he had. Then he remembered one of the places smelled like cakes and other sweet things, so he followed his nose to Sugarcube Corner. He remembered seeing that pink pony there a lot, and he hoped she was there now.

Making his way to the shop, he kicked on the door until somepony opened it. It was the pink one!

“Oh, you poor thing! What are you doing out here? Come in out of the rain!” she said.

He followed her inside, leaving a trail of muddy paw prints, and then began hopping up and down while pointing at the door. He had to make her understand!

“We can’t go back out there, silly! It’s too wet! Wait until the storm is over, and then I’ll take you back to Fluttershy.”

As Angel shook his head ‘no!’ several other ponies made their way into the shop to get out of the rain. As they did, Angel caught a now familiar scent, and he slowly turned to face the its source. It was her, the one who looked like Fluttershy! He backed away, and then turned and ran into the kitchen and out the rear exit.

“Hey, WAIT!” called Pinkie.

“Fluttershy” had spotted him, but she put on her sweetest voice and asked, “Oh my, Pinkie! Was that Angel?”

“I think so,” she said, “but he was so covered in mud it was hard to tell.”

“Oh, then it couldn’t have been him. He never leaves my cottage, especially during a storm. Still I better go look for the poor thing.”

She went out the back, with Pinkie following her. They stood and looked out the door.

“Do you see him?” Pinkie asked.

“No…it probably wasn’t Angel. Whichever poor bunny it was, he’s long gone now.”

Angel was indeed ‘long gone’. As soon as he’d made it outside and escaped, he ran as fast as he could back to the Forest outside Fluttershy’s cottage, and hid himself again.

None of them can be trusted. Couldn’t that pink pony smell her? He finally decided that she couldn’t, and that meant nopony else could either. Which meant he’s alone.

So began a pattern of waiting and watching. His days consisted of foraging for food, avoiding predators and all creatures with that scent, and watching the cottage for the real Fluttershy. He saw the fake one many times, and each time he did he felt both fear and anger. He saw her friends come and go, but he didn’t dare approach them while that imposter was there.

Once, he even saw a creature that looked like himself, in the company of the fake Fluttershy. This was almost too much for him.

Almost a month had passed, and he had just about given up hope, when he came back to his post one evening after looking for some food, only to see the door hanging open, and all the creatures gone. Cautiously, he crept up to the house and peeked inside. It looked as though a storm had blown through his home. The furniture was all out of place, cages were broken, and there was even part of a wall missing! Something bad had happened here.

He was just turning to leave when he sensed a creature behind him. Without waiting to see who or what it was, he started to run out the back and escape again, when he heard the creature speak.

“Angel Bunny? What happened here? Where is Fluttershy, my dear?”

The bunny stopped in his flight, and looked behind him. It was the black and white striped pony, with a very worried look on her face. Just to be sure, he cautiously hopped up to her and sniffed her. The scent of those creatures was all around him, but he could not smell any on her. She’s real! He rushed forward and hugged one of her legs, and started crying.

Zecora knew this could not be the same Angel Bunny she’d seen the day before. For one thing, this animal looked like he had been living rough for some time. Fluttershy had always been meticulous in his grooming, and this one had burrs in his fur. For another, he looked like he had lost weight, something that could not have happened in so short a space of time. Neither one of these things would have been true if Fluttershy had been taking care of him.

Looking around, the cottage looked like it had been the place of a battle, with none of the animals here. If she had not come by to walk with Fluttershy to the party, she never would have seen all this. Whatever was going on was serious enough for her to realize she’d need her potions. She debated going into town first, to warn Twilight, but her home was closer, so this decided her.

Speaking to the sobbing rabbit, she gently said, “Do not cry little one, for hope is what we need. Climb onto my back, to my home we’ll go, to get help with all speed.”

After he had seated himself, she said, “Hold onto me very tight, this will be a rapid flight!” So saying, she sped out the door and back into the Forest.

Night had fallen.

Fluttershy Unleashed

If the circumstances had been any different, Lorewise and Willow might have enjoyed their time in the Forest. Despite their son’s warnings, no “monsters” sprung out at them, no mysterious creatures lurked behind trees hungering for pony flesh. The full Moon shone brightly above them, and other than their rapid hoof falls there was no other noise but the sound of crickets and other small animals moving all around them.

As they ran along, Lorewise spoke roughly to their captive. “How much further, imposter?”

The Changeling had been silent the entire time through the Forest, hoping the guards were still at their posts in the cave. With any luck, he’d lead them right into a trap.

“We’re almost there,” he said, “it won’t be long now.”

Lorewise and Willow exchanged a look, and then he said, “Stop. This is far enough.”

The startled Changeling stared at them. “Wha…what do you mean?”

Willow answered. “What we mean is, we don’t trust you. This is as far as you go, we can’t have you warning your friends.”

The creature’s eyes got as big as dinner plates. “What are you going to do to me?”

They both stared at him, and then lit their horns. He was almost able to let out a frightened scream before their magic closed his mouth, untied the makeshift rope and then rewrapped it around his muzzle and secured him to a tree.

After making sure he couldn’t slip his bonds, Lorewise said, “We’re not barbarians, we don’t kill our captives. But you’re going to stay right here until we rescue our son.”

The Changeling looked all around, and then frantically shook his head ‘no.’

Lorewise stared at him without pity. “If you haven’t misled us, then we’ll get our son and then come back and free you. If this was all a trick, well then…” He let the threat hang unspoken in the air.

Turning to his wife he said, “Let’s go.”

Without so much as a backward glance, they both ran off in the direction they’d been going, hoping they’d make it in time.

The cave turned out to be much bigger than Pawise had first thought. As they left the area where they’d been held, they entered a section where the ceiling stretched high above them, studded with stalactites. There must be water nearby, for they could smell it and hear the tinkling of its movement. He could see the glint of gems twinkling around them. These were lit by the faint luminescence of the lichen on the walls. Far above, the sound of bats roosting could be heard. A few torches had been placed strategically along the path, and in their meagre light Pawise was able to make out hoof prints in the dirt. He hoped these would soon lead Fluttershy and himself out of the cave.

Due to the lingering nullifier magic, he could only make the tiniest light from his horn, so he hoped they’d not have to fight any guards. He still couldn’t lift anything heavier than a pebble, but so far they’d been lucky. Outside of the bats, he and Fluttershy seemed to be the only living things in here. He turned to her.

“How are you holding up?”

“Fine so far,” she answered. “I hope we haven’t much further to go.”

She walked close to him due to her limited sight. As a result, she would occasionally brush his side, so he had a hard time keeping his focus. With an effort of will, he kept his mind on the task ahead, for he knew their lives may depend on getting out of here soon.

As they made their way forward, he searched his memory for anything and everything he had heard about Changelings. He recalled the Canterlot Incident, and how they had almost brought about the fall of Equestria. He had never heard of them actually harming ponies, other than draining their emotions, but that could have changed after the Incident.

From his brief encounter with her, he knew the Queen was no longer stable, if ever she had been. Also from his studies of history and earlier conflicts, he knew that desperation can make adversaries do anything to win, which could include bloodshed.

They had beaten him pretty badly when they’d brought him here, but they’d spared him otherwise. He could only hope the violence wouldn’t escalate, and he wouldn’t be forced to take a life. But he made up his mind he would do whatever he needed to do to make sure Fluttershy was safe, even if it sickened him.

Lorewise and Willow crouched behind some trees within sight of the cave. Further south, they could smell what must be the Bog, for it bubbled and spewed noxious fumes into the air.

“That must be it,” he said to his wife. She stared at the entrance.

“I don’t see any guards. Shouldn’t there be some?”

“It does seem too easy,” he said. “But we don’t have a choice.”

Here he turned and looked at his wife. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, but if that creature had not lied, their son was somewhere inside this cave. So there wasn’t any time.

She caught his unspoken thought, and smiled. “Let’s go!”

As they had made their way through the Forest and finally entered the cave, their movements had not gone unnoticed. A rogue bear, twice the size ever seen by any pony, had caught their scent and began tracking them. It came upon the bound Changeling, and started sniffing it. The Changeling took one look at the bear and fainted dead away. After a few moments of sniffing the creature’s carapace, the bear decided this thing was no good to eat, and continued to follow the tantalizing aroma of ponies.

Pawise and Fluttershy came to a corner, and around it they heard the unmistakable sound of creatures talking ahead. Pawise’s heart sank. He’d almost begun to believe they’d make it out of the cave without incident. He could only hope there weren’t too many.

Turning to Fluttershy, he whispered, “Can you hear them?”

She nodded. “It sounds like two of them.”

He looked at her. “How can you tell?”

“I’m not sure if it is a result of trying to beat this spell, or my experience before as a bat pony, but my hearing is better than it was.”

Pawise did a double-take. “Your experience as a what?”

She smiled. “I’ll tell you the whole story once we get out of here.”

“I definitely want to hear it!” he whispered. He then faced forward, with a look of resolution. “But first we have to get past these two.”

Cautiously they crept around the corner. Sure enough, two Changelings were walking down the path towards them. The guards saw them and gave a yell, then ran forward.

“Fluttershy! Stay behind me!” Pawise cried as he ran at them. As he did, he tried to stop one of them with his magic, but it was no good, they were still too close to the source of the nullifier.

Well, he thought grimly, a unicorn’s horn has uses other than magic. He lowered his head, bringing the sharp point of his horn to bear, and continued to charge. The Changelings took to the air, and were about to dive bomb them both, when two large rocks came flying through the air with pinpoint accuracy. Striking the two on the head, they both fell senseless to the ground. Pawise couldn’t believe what had happened. He knew he hadn't done it, as the rocks had come from the direction of the cave’s entrance. Then he looked and could just make out the shape of two familiar unicorns in the cave’s mouth.

“M...Mom? Dad?”

They all ran forward and embraced, hugging each other fiercely. Fluttershy walked awkwardly behind them and quietly waited.

After a few moments Pawise broke away and said, “This is Fluttershy, Mom and Dad. The real Fluttershy.” Pawise’s parents looked at them both as the implications sunk in.

It was Lorewise who spoke first. “So you two haven’t ever actually met, I take it?”

“No,” said Pawise. “Not before tonight.”

“Well,” said Willow as she embraced her, “it is still good to meet you, dear.”

“Thank you,” said Fluttershy. Willow noticed her gaze was slightly out of focus. Full of concern, she asked her, “Are you alright, sweetheart?”

Fluttershy smiled. No one had called her ‘sweetheart’ besides her own mother in a long time.

"It’s nullifier magic…it’s affected my eyes and your son’s magic. I think we’ll be fine the farther we get from the source, which must be somewhere in this cave.”

“All the more reason for us to get out of here now,” said Lorewise.

Just then they heard a low rumble coming from the cave entrance. They all turned to look as a massive shape reared up before them, filled the ten foot entrance and roared. Everypony screamed almost as loudly.

About half a mile away, Zecora was just stuffing the last of her pouches when she heard the echo. It sounded like it was coming from Froggy Bottom Bog! Somepony was in trouble, and from the sound it was more than one.

Quickly she finished filling her bags and told Angel, “You’ll be safe, please stay right here, my help is needed there I fear.”

But he wasn’t about to let her out of his sight, and he didn’t want to argue. So he waited about half a minute, and then followed.

“RUN!!” shouted Pawise.

“Wait!” said Fluttershy. “I can talk to him!” The bear had dropped to all fours and was slowly advancing on the ponies.

“Are you crazy?!” said Lorewise. “That thing doesn’t want to talk, it wants to EAT!”

But Fluttershy stood her ground and said, “There, there, Mister Bear. What’s troubling you?”

The animal stopped and looked at her, just long enough for them all to believe she’d gotten through. Then it reared up again and lunged forward. Pawise grabbed her out of the way just in time as its claws whisked through the space she had been standing.

“Time to go!” he yelled. “Back into the cave!” They all turned and ran, with the bear lumbering just behind them.

“Fluttershy!” yelled Pawise. “Fly up and over it! Get out of here!”

“I can’t leave you all!” she shouted as they ran towards the narrower part of the cave. There was still a high area above them, but not for long.

“Leave before you run out of room! We can make it to the back passages! It’s too big to get in there!” he panted.

“GO, young lady!” yelled Lorewise. “Bring back help!”

Fluttershy gulped, then took flight. Shooting straight up and then back, she tried to fly over it. But it was too quick, and she was hampered by her diminished sight. It saw her trying to escape it, and lunged upward as she passed overhead. Its claws barely grazed her, but it was enough to cause her to scream and tumble to the ground behind it. It stopped and turned back towards her.

“NO!!!” yelled Pawise.

He quickly reversed and charged the bear. With the light glinting off his horn he lowered his head and hit it at full speed. The bear roared in anger and pain, then turned and struck Pawise away and unconscious against a far wall.

“MY SON!!” yelled Lorewise.

Concentrating fiercely, he just managed to stop it from advancing on Pawise. But it was too big, and Lorewise was starting to feel the effects of the nullifier magic this deep in the cave. The bear roared in confusion, and fought to get free. It dug in its claws and used its massive strength to fight its way towards the fallen unicorn. But Willow joined her husband and levitated the largest rock she could, and sent it hurtling towards the bear. A blow that should have rendered it senseless only dazed it, its thick skull near impenetrable.

But it was enough.

As the bear sank to its side, Lorewise rushed forward, grabbed his son and threw him across his back. Then both he and Willow ran to Fluttershy and helped her up, as the bear regained its feet. They all burst out of the cave just as over six hundred pounds of angry animal pursued them.

The sounds of battle caused Zecora to run faster than she had before. She cleared the tree line and was within sight of the cave when she saw the group running out, with the bear in hot pursuit. She could see Pawise being carried by his father, and she could also see Willow trying to help Fluttershy, who looked like she was also injured.

Zecora had only enough time to yell, “Come to me! Come to me!” when something white shot past her.

The bear was too fast, and Lorewise couldn’t carry Pawise another step. Willow was ahead of them with Fluttershy, and looked back in time to see her son and her husband fall down.

She pushed Fluttershy onward and screamed, “Go to Zecora!” as she ran back and threw herself over them.

Just as the bear was about to rake her with its claws, Angel leaped and sank his teeth into its leg. The bear roared, and struck Angel off itself. The bunny was thrown through the air and landed on some moss. He lay still.

Fluttershy, her eyes wide with terror, saw her pet get hurt. For a full second she stared, and then her voice changed into something no pony had ever heard.

“You! Hurt! ANGEL!!!”

She launched herself so fast from the ground she left a permanent gouge. Like a meteor she flung herself at the bear, and knocked it off its feet. She became a blur as she rained blow after blow on her enemy, finally striking it in the jaw. The bear’s eyes rolled back into its head and it fell like a mighty tree, unconscious. Lorewise, Willow and Zecora stared at her in shock as Fluttershy stood with her teeth clenched and panting over it. Then she remembered, and ran to her pet. He was badly hurt, but still breathing.

As she cradled him and wept, her tears fell on his face, and he opened his eyes. Fluttershy at last! He smiled up at her, then again fell unconcious.

“Zecora!” she yelled. “Help him please!” Zecora came up and ran one hoof gently over the comatose rabbit.

“His leg is broken, but do not fear, he’ll be fine once we take him from here.”

Then she walked over to Pawise, and checked him as well. Willow and Lorewise anxiously watched her for any sign their son was worse than he looked, but she turned to them and smiled. As she did, he came to.

“What…where am I? Wait! FLUTTERSHY?! Is she okay?!”

“She’s fine son” said Lorewise as she walked up to them. “Better than fine actually. I still can’t believe what I saw!”

Pawise looked around, and saw the bear. “What happened to it?”

Lorewise answered, “She happened to it!”

“Huh?”

“We’ll tell you all about it later, dearest,” said Willow. “Right now you and the poor rabbit need medical attention.”

Pawise got shakily to his feet. “I’m fine, just my head hurts.” Then he saw Fluttershy was looking at him, really seeing him for the first time. “You can see?”

She nodded, and smiled up at him while holding Angel. “I saw what you did back there. You saved my life.”

They both stood there blushing at each other, then Pawise said, “Wait! Ponyville! The Changeling Queen! We have to get back!” Quickly he explained what he knew for the benefit of his parents and Zecora. When he was done, their faces were grave.

“We already knew most of this,” said Lorewise. “But she may have found a way to accomplish her mission without the fake Pawise.”

"You knew about him?" asked their son.

"Yes," answered Willow. "He's how we found you here, but we didn't trust him so we tied him up and left him back in the Forest."

Pawise sighed. "I guess we'd better stop and get him before going back to Ponyville."

"If there's a Ponyville still to return to," said Lorewise.

Redemption

“Release me, or you’ll NEVER see her again!”

Twilight recoiled at these words, but did not drop her force field. This creature is a threat to the very existence of Equestria, and with this second attempt she's shown she cannot be trusted.

But then, thought Twilight, how can I turn my back on a friend?

Reading the conflict on her face, the Queen laughed and said, “Decide quickly, your “Highness!”’ she sneered. “My minions have instructions to KILL her if I do not return!”

With these words something quietly snapped inside Twilight. Slowly, she lowered the Changeling to the stage and released her force field. She took a step towards her as she softly asked, “What did you say?”

“Are you deaf as well as stupid? Release all my children as well, or- GKKKKKKK!!!”

The Queen fell to her knees, fighting for air. Without any warning, Twilight had seized her around the throat with dark magic. Her eyes had gone white, with no pupils. The magical aura around her horn had turned black as it crackled and billowed through her mane.

She watched the struggling Changeling. This creature had hurt her brother and sweet sister in law. No more. She had tried to take over Equestria, and had trapped her mentor. No more! And now, she had invaded Ponyville, her HOME, and threatened to kill one of her dearest friends. NO MORE!

“Twi…Twilight? What…what are you doing?!” asked Pinkie. Everypony had turned towards the stage, and watched in horror. Twilight made no answer, only clenched her teeth in rage, and tightened her magic.

The Changeling Queen tried to use her own power against Twilight, but her bolts bounced off her with no effect. Realizing her mistake, she then put every effort into loosening the magic around her throat. She succeeded, through sheer desperation, in getting it off just enough to suck in a lungful of air, only to feel it slowly tightening again. This was not the same pony she had faced before! The Queen’s vision was starting to fade as she entered the first stages of hypoxia.

It can’t end like this! It CAN’T!! My children…my children NEED me! As the tingling started in her legs, she made one last effort and begged, “P...Please. Please…don’t. My….my…children…will…die…with…out…meeee…”

“TWILIGHT!! NO!!” screamed Pinkie, as she leaped onto the stage and threw herself across the Queen. Twilight came back to herself and released her magic. Her eyes returned to normal as she looked, and saw Pinkie stretched over her enemy. Realizing what she’d almost done, she fell to her knees and began sobbing bitterly.

The Queen coughed violently and tried to sit up, but there was a pony lying across her. “Get…get off me,” she croaked.

Pinkie did so, and then reached out and rubbed her back, saying, “Lie still. It’s alright now.”

The other ponies and Spike had gathered around Twilight, and were attempting to console her. But the Queen was rubbing her own throat and staring at Pinkie.

“You…you saved me. Why?”

Pinkie looked down at her and smiled. “It’s what friends do.”

“But...we’re NOT friends!”

A tear formed in Pinkie’s eye as she said, “We can be, if you want. But it’s more than that.” She turned and looked at Twilight. “I was really saving her.”

An emotion the Queen had never before felt began to swell in her chest. She couldn’t place it at first. She thought for a moment, and then realized what it was. Gratitude. She was grateful to this little pink pony.

But still, she drew herself up proudly and said, “I owe you my life, Pink One. Thank…thank you.”

She laughed. “Not ‘Pink One!’ ‘PINKIE’!”

“I know your name.”

“What’s yours?”

“It’s…Chrysalis.”

“Oooo! That’s PRETTY! May I call you Chrissie?”

The Queen stared at her, trying to decide if she was being impertinent. Remembering her selfless act, she replied, “If you must. But ONLY you!”

Applejack was gently holding Twilight as she looked over at the Queen and said, “This all has to end now. Tell us where Fluttershy is. Please.”

The Queen had regained her feet. She looked down at Applejack and Twilight, who couldn’t meet her eyes and was still crying softly. For the briefest moment she considered making a sarcastic retort, but then she looked over at Pinkie, who was smiling up at her. That decided her.

“For the Pink One...” and here she looked at her again, “...for Pinkie, I do this. Come, I’ll lead you to her.”

“That won’t be necessary,” said Celestia as she landed.

“PRINCESS!” Everypony gasped and fell to their knees. The Royal Guard descended with her and surrounded the area. Two pegasus guards landed on either side of Queen Chrysalis and stood sentry over her. But the Princess only had eyes for Twilight. She looked up at her mentor.

“I tried to kill her,” she quietly said. As the others respectfully moved out of the way, Celestia lay down next to her and covered her with one wing.

“Shhh,” said Celestia, “I know, I know.”

Twilight’s face was a mixture of terror and disgust at herself. “You knew? Why didn’t you stop me?”

Celestia hugged her closer. “We only just arrived, but you didn’t need my help.” Here she looked around at them all, then said, “Your friends love you too much to allow you to fail.”

Fluttershy wanted to fly ahead with Angel, to take him to the animal hospital, but the others thought that was a bad idea.

“We don’t know the situation in Ponyville,” said Lorewise. “We could all be walking into a trap.”

They had found the comatose Changeling, awoken him, and were now leading him back to town with them.

“Then let’s all go back to my home,” said Fluttershy. “I can help Angel there, and we can plan our next move.” This seemed like a good suggestion, so off they went.

It wasn’t long before Zecora looked back, and quietly said to the others, “There are two creatures, coming near. We’d best add speed and leave from here.”

But it was too late. As she spoke, two Timberwolves bounded out of the Forest behind them.

“Oh GREAT!” yelled Lorewise. “RUN!!”

Zecora had turned to face them, and was reaching into a pouch, when Pawise stopped her.

“Hang on a moment,” he said. To the surprise of the others, he walked right up to the wolves. They sniffed him, and then began to wag their tails. Turning back to his group, Pawise said, “It’s okay! I know these two!”

As they rolled over and barked happily at him, Fluttershy looked at him with new eyes, and was greatly impressed. She had never been able to tame a Timberwolf!

“You like animals too?” she asked. Pawise was laughing and holding his nose as they tried to lick his face. Timberwolf breath is…indescribable.

“Yes, but these were the first two wild animals I’ve ever tamed.”

“How did you do that?” she asked.

“It’s my Talent. I’m “paw-wise!” He looked at his parents. “Thanks Mom and Dad!”

“This is not dignified son,” Lorewise gruffly said.

“I can get them to lick you too!” he said.

They all laughed except Lorewise and the Changeling, who was thinking he’d fallen in with the most mental ponies he’d ever seen. They resumed their journey, and soon found themselves back at Fluttershy’s cottage. She surveyed the damage.

“Oh my!” she said. “What happened here?”

Pawise sheepishly replied, “I…I did that to your wall. I was trying to get the Changeling Queen to tell me where you were. But don’t worry!” he added, “I’ll get everything fixed for you.”

“Where are all my animals?” They all turned and looked at the Changeling.

“They’re fine, they’re fine!” he quickly said. “The Queen just had us chase them all off, but she didn’t hurt any of them. Her quarrel was with you ponies, never with animals.”

“Well,” said Fluttershy, “I’m sure they’ll come back on their own. Right now I have to take care of Angel.”

She flew him upstairs to the bedroom, and gently laid him in his place. Zecora followed, and after they had splinted his leg and given him something for the pain, they came back down the stairs. Once Pawise and Fluttershy had also been bandaged, they all began discussing their next move.

“Princess Twilight was able to expose this one easily enough,” said Lorewise as he looked over at the Changeling. “So she’s the one we need to find again.”

“For all we know, everypony has been beaten by the Changelings,” said Willow. “So our best course is to send somepony in that they think is one of them.”

“Who would that be?” asked Fluttershy. Everypony said nothing, just looked at her. Realization slowly dawned on her. “Oh, NO! Not me! I couldn’t pretend to be the Queen!”

“That’s just it,” said Pawise. “You wouldn’t have to pretend to be her, because she’s pretending to be you! The only hitch would be if you ran into her, that could be a problem.”

He turned to his parents. “Mom and Dad, you two stay here. If we’re not back inside an hour, then go to Canterlot.”

“So you’re going with her?” Lorewise asked.

He nodded. “I have to see this through to the end.”

He turned to Zecora. “I know you can handle yourself. Please, stay here and watch over my folks.”

Zecora nodded, then indicated the Changeling. “I’ll keep them safe, and watch him too, you two do what you must do.”

Pawise turned to Fluttershy. “Let’s go.”

It was about midnight when they reached town. They entered through some alleyways, and stuck to the shadows. Cautiously they peeped out. All was quiet, and the streets were deserted.

“So far, so good,” said Pawise. “If anything happened here, it’s already over.”

Fluttershy was watching him without comment. He turned back to look at her and asked, “Is something wrong?”

She shook her head. “It’s just that you are very brave. I’m glad I’m here with you.” Then she hid her face and smiled.

Pawise smiled back at her. “From what I’ve seen, you’re quite brave as well.”

He looked back out the alley. “But for now, we have to find Princess Twilight. I hope there’s still something to be done to stop the Changelings.”

They made their way to the Library without incident, and quietly knocked on the door. They waited. Nopony there. Now what should they do? He turned to ask Fluttershy this very question.

“I don’t think we have a choice: we have to go out to Applejack’s farm.”

The guards had herded all the Changelings into one area. The farm was a mess, with overturned tables and general destruction. The captain came up and reported all was well to Celestia, who still lay with Twilight.

After comforting her student, Princess Celestia stood and faced the Queen. “Now, what is to be done with you?”

Still shaken from her near miss, she dropped her eyes and said, “I’m sorry. I have to feed my children. I knew no other way.”

The Princess was unmoved. “You will find another way. This is my domain. These are my children, and I will do whatever it takes to keep them safe.”

Chrysalis met her eyes. “I can see that now. Your children are brave, and can be ruthless.” Here she glanced over at Twilight, but without malice. “I would have done the same in her place. Looking at Pinkie she said, "But this one did something I would never have done, and that is plead for the life of an enemy. Why did she do that? Is this something you taught her?”

The Princess smiled. “No, this is something they taught themselves. I only guided them.” Then she became the Ruler again. “Your Changelings will be sent back to your country. You will decide who shall lead them, and order them never to return to Equestria. You, however, will remain here, to learn, if you can, the lesson of friendship my little ponies have learned. What say you?”

Chrysalis stared at her. “So…so you are not going to kill me? I do not understand.”

Celestia smiled at her. “The best way to eliminate an enemy is to turn her into a friend.”

The Queen still had her doubts. “How can you trust me? I would not if our roles were reversed.”

Celestia turned and looked at Twilight. “Because I leave you in the capable hooves of my most faithful student.” Celestia looked back at her. “Additionally, this just might keep you safe from Discord.”

The Queen blanched. “Discord! I have made an enemy of him as well! Alright, I will do it: I accept my fate. Only promise me two things…please.”

Celestia waited.

“Promise me I will be safe from Discord and…and I can be friends with Pinkie Pie.”

“YAAAAAAYY!!!” yelled Pinkie.

“I think you have your answer,” Celestia said with a smile.

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that!” said one of the balloons. It slowly turned to reveal two mismatched eyes, which changed into the draconequus. He was angry, and held a struggling Changeling in his eagle claw. Chrysalis hid behind her guards.

Pointing at the Queen, he said “This one owes me BIG time, Celestia! Passing this cheap imitation off as my dear Fluttershy!”

The Changeling he held cried, “Anything! I’ll do anything! Just keep me away from him! I couldn’t take another minute!”

Discord looked down at her. “Well, that’s awfully rude, fake Fluttershy! After all I did for you!”

The Changeling looked at Celestia and cried, “The walls were the floors! The ceiling was cotton candy! Everything was crazy! And I never, never want another glass of chocolate milk as long as I live! Please, please take me away from him!”

Celestia looked at Chrysalis. “I think we’ve found your substitute.”

Turning to Discord she said with smile, “Let her go. I don’t think we’ll ever be seeing her again.” He released her, but just as she tried to run off and join the other Changelings he snapped his fingers, and a huge trough of chocolate milk appeared in front of her, and she fell headfirst into it.

“Discord…” said Celestia.

“Oh alright, Celestia!” He snapped his fingers again, and she was completely dry. Dazed, she got up and joined the other Changelings.

“There’s still the matter of her, Celestia," pointing again at the Queen. "She took Fluttershy, and I want her back! Where is she?”

A quiet voice behind them said, “I’m here.”

A few days later Pawise, Fluttershy and Zecora waited with his parents at the train station.

“I’ve never been anywhere like this, son. You were right: Ponyville is special” said Lorewise. “No one at home will believe a word I tell them.”

“I think that’s the way it’s been here since Princess Celestia sent Twilight,” said Pawise. “Remarkable things happen here, and continue to do so.”

“Will she be alright, you think, with that Changeling?” asked Willow.

“I think that Changeling is more worried about Twilight,” said Fluttershy. “Besides, she knows Discord is watching her as well, she won’t try anything like this again.”

“Still,” said Lorewise,"if Her Highness can reform her, that’s a major threat to Equestria gone. I can only imagine how this will affect the Stock Market!”

“And I’m sure you’ll come out ahead, Dad!” laughed Pawise. His parents turned to Zecora and hugged her one after the other.

“We cannot thank you enough for all you’ve done: for our son, for Fluttershy, for us. Thank you!”

Zecora hugged them back and said, “The pleasure was mine, and still remains. I hope to see you both again.”

Willow’s eyes were moist. “We will, we promise!” They then hugged Fluttershy and said, “So many here love you, dear. And at the risk of embarrassing you, we love you too!”

Fluttershy blushed and looked at Pawise. “I’m not embarrassed,” she quietly said.

“All aboard!” yelled the conductor.

Lorewise and Pawise stood looking at each other, then his father came forward and hugged him. As he did, he whispered, “She’s worthy.”