Being Good to Her

Fluttershy sat patiently on her living room crouch, belly flat against the soft cushion, neck craned down so that her eyes could rest on a little orange filly who, for some odd reason, felt it necessary to show her something she’d learned. Fluttershy didn’t mind of course, quite to the contrary, it was these little, calm, innocent moments with Scootaloo she’d once thought would be forced to remain in the confines of her dreams. Fluttershy smiled, seemingly to no one as her filly was clearly more pre-occupied with the scooter parts disassembled in front of her.

“Hold on, wait, I think it’s slot C-1 into port A-2… o-or was that…” the filly muttered to herself, straining to remember the instructions on her own. “Ok, I know I need the phillips for port B-3, where’s my pliers…” she continued. One thing was certain, Fluttershy was already impressed, she hadn’t the slightest what a phillips of plier even was.

The filly grabbed what looked to be a handle part and a long toobie part and began prodding them at one another tentatively before putting it back down and scratching her chin. “I think I have the box still upstairs… maybe…” the filly raised a hoof to hush her mother as she continued her work, determined to impress her already easily impressed mother.

Scootaloo stuck her tongue out as she lifted the wooden party thingy and flipped it, beginning to place bits of metal onto it and begin turning them with a big red… thingy. Just as Scootaloo finished with the first squarish metally things the pair received a knock at their door. Fluttershy perked her ears and lifted from place with her wings, gently fluttering over to the door to open it. And much to her fear and chagrin…

“P-P-P…” Fluttershy sputtered as the form of a large white alicorn looked down at her

“Hello my little pony, may I come in…” Celestia asked with a calm smile, receiving a squeak in return before making her way forward, stopping before the small orange filly on the carpet “My apologies, I hadn’t realized you were baby-sitting.”

“Guh, uh, I mean… um…” Fluttershy stammered helplessly

“Hey, I’m not a baby…” Scootaloo whined, crossing her hooves while, in to process, causing the things in hoof to tumble onto the ground loudly “Oops…”

Celestia giggled and proceeded further in before setting her flank on the carpet across from the filly “And what are you putting together Scootaloo?” she asked

Scootaloo perked her eyebrow “How do you know my name?” she pondered

“Letters, Luna...Discord?” she said, ending with a raised brow of her own as the filly shrunk, sheepishly grinning to her diarch while twiddling her hooves.

“Oh, Discy and her were just playing!” Fluttershy defended weakly.

“I think Ponyville recalls their time together as more than just ‘playing’” she teased “But that is unimportant at the moment. I’ve come to request your help.”

“M-me!?” Panic beginning to set already as the filly prepared to retreat at the slightest hint of danger

“Yes, I have a small request that I know you’ll be perfect for.” Celestia smiled warmly, dispelling a small portion of the fear inside Fluttershy “It’s something I know you’d enjoy, Fluttershy. You see, many moons ago my sister, Luna, had it in her head to play with nature. Don’t get me wrong, this was when we were very young ourselves so no blame is to be parceled out. However, it seems our sisters plaything has come around again and we need it calmed.”

Fluttershy gulped, having retreated behind her hair, somewhere along the way pulling her daughter into a defensive hug. Scootaloo, on the other hand, was excited, this was the kind of adventure she knew her mom and Rainbow Dash got into all the time, it was something she’d wanted to take part in first-hoof since they first found the elements of harmony.

“Oh yeah, sign us up! What is it? Some super giant moon beast, a creature made of pure shadow? Ooh ooh! Did she create Slendermare? Please tell me it’s Slendermare!” Scootaloo shouted excitedly, hoofing into the air as if fighting a non-existent opponent. By now, the filly’s mother had barricaded herself behind her kitchen door, shaking with enough for the cause the kitchen door to vibrate.

Celestia chuckled and moved to the door “Nothing of that sort, it’s nothing more than an animal.” with that the door burst open and a beaming Fluttershy was beating her wings ling a Hummingbird in excitement

“Oh boy, an animal, oh, oh, whatever could it be?” Fluttershy smiled, he case going up a fifth of a decimal, from quiet to almost audible.

“Bleh, booring.” Scootaloo complained in the background.

“It’s none other than… Le Chupacabra!” Celestia said with flair

“The Chupacabra? Oh, I heard about him, I bet he’s a cutie-pie. Oh, but he’s got to learn to be nicer to those poor goats.”

“Cutie-pie? The chupacabra is a massive, blood drinking, pony tearing, flesh gobbling monster whose only desire is to feed on the weak!” Scootaloo said excitedly, causing her mother to reform her barricade/

“You should really watch what you say, she’s quiet timid.” Celestia scolded

“Er, I mean… yeah, cutie-pie… who, um… like snuggles?” Scootaloo offered, prompting her mother to poke her head out

“A-and nuzzlies?” Fluttershy asked

Sighing heavily the filly blushed and looked away “Yeah, nuzzlies…”

“Well… why do I have to find him anyways? Is he being bad?” Fluttershy asked

“Well, not so much bad as destructive. Le Chupacabra has a tendency to be reckless. Luna failed to teach him to behave before she got bored of him, you see, so his bad habits were never dealt with. Eventually we ended up sending him away to live on his own, but, when Luna returned Le Chupacabra must have noticed and is likely looking for her. In fact, she’s out there now trying to find him but every time she gets close he runs away.”

“I see, no worries princess, I’ll make sure the little cutie comes home to his mommy.” Fluttershy said with every drop of confidence she had, so it’d take more than ten seconds before she panicked this time.

“Thank you, my guard, Gleaming Crest, will lead you to Luna, follow him when you’re ready.” she said as she made her way for the door

“Ah yeah, this is so awesome mom! We’re monster hunters!” Scootaloo cheered, hoof-pumping fervently

Celestia stopped dead in her track, ears perked up as she turned “Excuse me?”

“Oh no, sweetheart we’re not monster hunting, we’re pet finding.” Fluttershy smiled uneasily to Celestia

“Hmm, no, not that. Did this filly call you mom?” Celestia asked, almost dumbstruck

“W-well… she is my, um, daughter. Not adopted…” Fluttershy pointed out

“Hmm… I see. I’ll see you later Fluttershy.” the princess gave her final goodbye with a frown before taking off.

“That was weird… did the princess seem upset to you?” the filly asked

Fluttershy’s face grew somber as she stared out her door “Maybe…” she muttered before a large brown stallion blocked her viewed, dressed in the royal guards armor

“Miss Fluttershy, are you ready to go?” the stallion asked concisely

Fluttershy froze, shivering violently as she nodded. Rolling her eyes Scootaloo mounted her mother to meet eye to eye with the stallion “Yeah, she’s ready, let’s roll.”

The stallion eyed the filly on briefly before nodding back, turning before lifting off into the air.

Fluttershy watched as the stallion flew off, her gaze seemed far as she muttered “Why would she lie…”

Scootaloo looked down at her mom “Lie? Who?”

“Oh, umm, nothing. Let’s get going.” she offered with a smile as she took off as well

“Chupacabra! Your master, Princess Luna, diarch of the moon, demands you show thyself at once or feel the consequences of my wrath!” The booming voice of Luna came crashing through the airs of the three pegasi as the approached deep into the Everfree forest.

“Oh, that’s no one to treat your pet…” Fluttershy muttered worriedly as she picked up her pace

Unprepared for the sudden speed up, Scootaloo nearly fell back before gripping onto her mothers mane causing a small grunt of pain “You gotta warn if you’re gonna move faster!” Scootaloo huffed

“S-sorry…” Fluttershy apologized as she and the stallion moved into land not to far from the princess who was intaking air to yell again “Luna no!” Fluttershy shouted, laying the filly on the ground before tackling the princess much to the royal guards annoyance.

Taking the action as aggression towards his princess Gleaming Crest leapt into action, charging the timid pegasus who had just untangled herself from Luna. Reacting almost instantly, Fluttershy reached out with both hooves, latching one onto the guards wing while bringing the next to his throat, throwing him back with a devastating lariat, leaving him on his back coughing and weaving.

Bot Luna and Scootaloo gaped as the sight as the guard rolled in pain with a completely untouched Fluttershy over him. The mare blinked twice before looking down, shrinking to the protection of her mane as she apologized profusely. “Sorry, sorry, sorry.” she repeated, tears now starting to leak.

“What the heck was that!” Scootaloo pointed at her mother, staring Luna in the face. Luna looked down then back to the filly before moving to sit on her haunches, ending with a brief shrug.

Gleaming Crest was two things in these moments, furious and embarrassed. Furious as himself for completely underestimating the mare and embarrassed for being taken down so easily. Once his eyes dried of the tears that followed his immense pain he looked to see the crying pegasus who just moaned and groaned her regret and apology. Clearly she meant no harm, Gleaming knew this, he was just reacting on instinct much like he was sure she did, but that didn’t keep him from feeling bad as he stared at his ‘assailant’. With a sigh he struggled to his hoof and patted her on the head “I-I’m fine… I shouldn’t have reacted like that.” he struggled to let out “If you’ll excuse me, I must see a doctor now.” he spoke weakly before pushing off into the sky.

“We believe our guards are in need of training if the meek Fluttershy could beat him.” Luna remarked

“S-sorry…” Fluttershy said with a sniffle

“That.. was… AWESOME!” the filly screamed as she clung to her mother like lint “The way you just completely wrecked him was so cool.”

Fluttershy looked disapprovingly at the filly, frowning with enough intensity to cause the filly to remove herself and fold her ears “There’s nothing cool about hurting other ponies.” she scolded “Or anything for that matter.”

“B-but he totally charged ou, he shoulda backed off!” she replied only to be brought down to size by her mother's soul crushing stare

“I shouldn’t have tried to hurt him, he was only doing his job. I-I coulda…” she looked down and hoofed at the ground a few times

“Ahem.” Luna announced her presence, causing the other two to look at her “Scootaloo, she is right, if one can avoid it one should try their best to avoid hurting another. But, Scootaloo does have a point, my guard did charge you, I would of done much the same in that situation… maybe not with such a deadly blow, but still, let’s just be gladly no one’s seriously hurt.” the two nodded, unbeknownst to both that the Lunar princess was internally patting herself on the back for such fine deliberation
“But, regardless, now I must ask. Why on earth did you bring young Scootaloo here?” she asked, but before Fluttershy could answer Scootaloo was already in front of the princess

“Because I’m her biological daughter.” Scootaloo was on the ball this time, getting the answer out quickly

“O...k, now, how does that answer why you are here?” she asked again

“Oh… uh…” Scootaloo turned to her mother who shrugged “I think I just tagged along…” she offered sheepishly

“Hmm, biological daughter huh, fascinating, but unimportant now. You are here to aid me in the acquisition of Chupacabra yes?”

Fluttershy gave a short nod “Y-yes.”

“Excellent,” Luna turned, pointing a hoof upwards “We shall have ye, uh, you yet Chupacabra.”

“But first,” Fluttershy moved over in front of Luna, looking at her quite upset “You need to apologize.”

“Wh-what? Apologize? For what exactly?” Luna spoke aggressively, even so the mare before her was unflinching

“You made him, th-then you just leave him? Like that?”

Luna frowned, regret shone through her eyes “We, erm, I was young. Twas a mistake.”

“What was.” Fluttershy frowned, dreading the answer

“His creation of course, I shouldn’t…” Luna was cut short by the glare Fluttershy shot her “Why look at your princess with such disdain?”

“Would you like it if your mother called you a mistake?” she asked

“I- what?”

“A mistake, would you like to be called that?” the forest grew eerily quiet, Scootaloo looking at the two in hushed silence “Do you know what a mistake is? Something that’s not suppose to be, something unwanted… would you like it if I called you that?” Luna folded her ears back.

“I suppose not, not when you say it like that. I… did what I say strike a chord perhaps?”

“That’s not important right now, right?” Fluttershy mumbled, with a nod from Luna she continued “Now, we need to work on something more than finding him, and that’s you.”

“W-what are you…”

“You need to be nice to him, he’s not coming because you’re shouting at him, I know it.” Fluttershy turned and looked out into the forest “He probably thinks you’re mad at him, or upset.”

Luna huffed, stomping a hoof angrily “What reason would he have for that?”

“Well, he’s an animal. Animals don’t understand things like we do. What to you seemed like just simple disinterest, to him, could have meant alot of things. You hurt his feelings and you need to apologize for it.”

Luna looked somberly out into the forest, a brief smile flashing as she muttered “‘Tis why she’s so fond… I see…”

Fluttershy’s ear twitched lightly before she turned to her questioningly “H-huh?”

“Nothing Fluttershy.” Luna smiled “My sister sent you for a reason, surely you’re more gifted in this art than I, so we, curses, I mean I will heed thou, grr, your words.”

Scootaloo, bored of the sidelines, hopped deftly on her moths back to speak to Luna “Still not getting a hang of modern equestrian huh?” she asked

Luna groaned “We understand not the reason for a change of tongue. We were among those which first spoke the language, why would the peasantry make such changes.”

“Umm, I think that’s a question for Twilight…” Fluttershy muttered

“My teacher said it’s because language always evolves or something,, like, accents and stuff, and then foreigners come in and jumble the words than they use their slang and stuff so than it mixes in with our stuff so then it changes.” Scootaloo explained, though poorly.

Luna seemed to break, her head tilted as she tried to process the incoherent jumble presented by the filly only to have her malfunction cut short by a loud, throaty roar from within the forest. “That is him!”

“Awww… huh...” Fluttershy fell silent for a moment “What could that…”

“What’s wrong mom, what’d he say?”

Fluttershy broke from her thoughts “He’s lonely and misses Luna.” she turned to the princess who looked back

“He said that? But ho- no matter. Worry not Chupacabra, your master-”

“Friend.” Fluttershy corrected

“Er, Friend will be there shortly!” She shouted before rushing into the forest, only for her tail to be caught by Fluttershy’s teeth “What now?”

“You don’t chase a critter. They’ll either think they’re in trouble or that you’re playing and in the Everfree that’ll get you both lost.”

“Than what do we do?”

“Well, what does Chuppy like?”

“Chuppy? The Chupacabra is a wild and vicio-” the filly flailing her arms wildly urged the princess to cut her sentence short “Right, Chuppy. Well, he has a penchant for goats.”

Fluttershy sighed, placing her hoof over her face “Lunaaa, why does he eat goats?”

“Those dirty grass chewers know what they’ve done.” Luna crossed her forelegs

“Luna! That’s racist and just wrong.”

“She is really old mom.”

“W-what? Do-do we not hate the goats anymore?” Luna pondered

“Heavens no! That’s bad!” Fluttershy gently scolded

“But-but…” Luna began

“One problem at a time Luna. Let’s just get Chuppy home and not on a sentient being diet.” Fluttershy thought briefly “Maybe a toy or…” Fluttershy stopped upon feeling a tap on her shoulder from Luna

“Question, what about Elk, we can still hate them right?” she asked seriously

“Wha- no, I… no!”

Scootaloo whistled “That’s old.”

“We are young for our kind!” Luna yelled at the filly

“Well, it’s not your fault. Old people are always super racist!” she yelled back

“Th-that’s...oldcist! Yeah, how does that feel?”

“What? That’s not a word!” Scootaloo argued

“Now it is, we’re a princess and we can make it a word if we want.” Luna ended by sticking her tongue out

“That’s cheating, mom!” the filly nudged her now annoyed parent

“I-if you two could please just calm down, I think I have a plan.” she offered, holding in her frustration

“Yes, excellent. So, what is thine plan?” Luna asked eagerly

“Yeah mom, what’s the plan?” Scootaloo nudged excitedly

“We wait.” the buttery mare said with a smile

“That… is dumb.” Luna said

“Hey don’t call my mom dumb! But yeah that sounds pretty dumb.” Scootaloo added

Fluttershy’s head hung low as she moved into a bush to sulk “Oh… okay then…” just as she reached it her ear flicked but she was otherwise silent

“Er, dumb means good now right? That is today's slang, yes?” Luna lied through her teeth, staring down at Scootaloo

“No, it still mean- ow.” Scootaloo glared up at the princess after she’d been hoofed in the sided, noticing the princesses eerily large smile “Oh, uh, y-yeah. Like, umm, my moms cooking is really, uh, dumb.”

“Yes and my sisters stories are dumb as well.” they offered, turning to Fluttershy who just pouted

“Why does everypony think I’m a silly gullible fool?” she lied down before using her back hooves to push her into the bush.

Scootaloo looked at the bush sadly before turning to Luna “Good job, you made my mom sad!”

“What, did thou not just call her plan dumb as well?” Luna spit back

“Wanna know what’s really dumb?” she asked, eyes narrowing

“Oooh, don’t say it, do not, you will receive quite the thrashing if you do.”

Eyes narrowing more, Scootaloo uttered a single word “coffee”

Luna drew back in a gasp so sharp it could break glass “Taketh that back you-you scoundrel?”

“No regrets mother-bucker.” Scootaloo whispered tauntingly

“That is it!” Luna shouted as she pounced at the filly who jumped out of the way and began running around

“Can’t catch me. Nyah nyah, maybe you’re the cake-butt and not you sister!” She teased

“We are not fat, thou is a liar and a scoundrel!” Luna yelled as she continued to chase after the filly

“Ugh, this is just madness… at least Discord isn’t quite so malicious with his chaos.” just than a strike of thunder lit up the sky as a note fell into Fluttershy’s hooves that read “Thinking of you too XOXO” in big letter right before chocolate milk began to rain on her “Can it atleast be green tea?” just than small, green letter t’s began to pummel the mare “Ow ow ow!” she mumbled again in again as she attempted to run away from the cloud.

The madness continued for a few minutes before Fluttershy landed into something with a thump. Looking up, she saw a large, scaled and furred creature who seemed to be the cross between ad possum and wolf, it’s body lanky and mangled looking, it’s face a grimace of wrinkled flesh and fangs

“Uh, is that..”

“Erm, hi chuppy?” Luna offered with a smile

“He… is… so...CUTE.” Fluttershy drew it’s head in and began to pepper the massive creature with kisses “Who’s a big cutie patootie, you are, yes you are.” she babied it relentlessly unaware of the massive claw reaching back to strike.

“Mom, no!” Scoot shouted as the mare was dragged back by Luna’s magic as the three began running awa.

“Aww, he wants to play!” Fluttershy giggled

“Play? Who plays with giant razor sharp claws?” Scootaloo yelped as she bounded over a fallen log

Looking back Fluttershy examined the creature “Hmm, he seems upset.”

“No, doth thou think?” Luna yelled

“Hmm, I wonder what’s got him so cranky.” Fluttershy pondered non0-chalantly.

“Seriously? This is a life or death situation and you’re worried he didn’t get a good nap?” Scootaloo questioned, her little heart ready to burst from her chest

“Oh, maybe he did have a bad nap, I know you get cranky when mommy wakes you up early.

“Not the time mom!” Scoots screamed

“Don’t yell at ponies missy, it’s rude.” she scolded

“How art thou not filled with terror? We’ve seen your nightmares, one was about a chair with a slightly shorter leg than the others! You were traumatized for months!” Luna hollered panickedly

“Short legs can be dangerous, why, you could fall and hurt your poor little head.” she explained ducking under a branch

“And he can EAT US!” Scootaloo replied angrily

“Oh, he’s not going to eat us. He’s never eaten ponies. He’s probably just going to trample us.” Fluttershy muttered thoughtfully

“Fan-fricken-tastic!” Scootaloo cried “Aw man, I don’t wanna die like this… mom, please, judo chop him or something!”

“That would be mean.”

“Aren’t thou the expert? Stop him already!” Luna demanded

“Oh, sorry, he looked a little pudgy, I thought this would be good for him.”

“And us?” Luna asked

“Well, Scoots did have a point.” Fluttershy answered

“Hah!” Scoots pointed at Luna

“Don’t hah her missy, you’re still in trouble for arguing with her.”

“What? Come on!” Scootaloo whined

“Fluttershy, today?” Luna asked

“Oops.” with that Fluttershy turned around completely, lifting her head to meet the beasts ees before staring intently, at first slowing the beast as it trampled forward until it began to stumble into a complete halt, entranced by the mares mesmerizing gaze.

“*huff* That was *huff* unfun *huff*” Luna struggled to breath

“Ugh *huff* my poor *huff* legs *huff*” Scootaloo complained

“Now,” Fluttershy began “What do you have to say for yourself mister?” the Chupacabra looked at Fluttershy sadly before entering a series of small grunts. “I know, you poor dear… uh huh… oh my… that wasn’t very nice of her… all of it? ...I see… uh huh…” Fluttershy grew serious for a moment, staring at the beast for a while, a grimace on her face “and you’re sure… and what did you do… I understand… and about Luna... and does that make it right… I know you poor thing, and she’s very sorry, right Luna?” Fluttershy turned to Luna

“Oh, um, yes we are most sorry. We meant not to treat you so harshly. If thou would, we’d like to welcome thee back home.” Luna smiled at the beast who seemed to smile back before lifting her up in his massive paws and began licking her

Fluttershy watched happily as the two seemed to get along, the two cuddling up against one another like a pet and pony should, though Fluttershy did almost forget one thing “Ahem.”

“...” Luna turned away pretending not to here.

“Ahem!” Fluttershy tried again more forcefully

“Ugh, and you’re sure we don’t hate them anymore?” Fluttershy just stared “Ok, Chupacabra, no more goats.” the beast whined “We were apparently ‘wrong’ about them.”

“Good, now, let’s go home, today certainly has been exciting. Too exciting for me.” Fluttershy smiled, motioning for Scootaloo to join her.

“Mom, how’d you know we should wait?” Scootaloo asked

“Because critters always come back home eventually, especially if there’s a pony they love there. I knew if we just let him come, he’d show up on his own. Though, I didn’t think he’d be so upset.” Fluttershy tapped her chin

“Yeah, Luna must have been pretty mean.”

“No, it’s not that…” Fluttershy frowned “Something spooked him…”

“No way! He’s so big though.” Scootaloo said in astonishment

“I know… It’s kind of weird…” Fluttershy looked as if to ponder for a moment, causing Scootaloo to look at her concretely “Hm, oh, it’s nothing, just a thought.” She smiled “Now, let’s go see you finish that scooter ok?”

With a smile and a nod the two were off.