When Kindness Entered Inby LuxChaptersThe Calm in the StormThe Journey to SafetyAn Act of KindnessOpening UpRevelationThe Calm in the StormWhen Kindness Entered In By Lux Chapter 1 – The Calm in the Storm There are some who would consider me cynical about a year ago. Not mean mind you. I was never a mean person except for maybe being mean spirited. Funny how hindsight is how we can look back on the moments of our lives and see all the rights and wrongs that we did as well as the things we could have, would have, and should have done at a given moment. Sometimes I wish I knew back then what I knew now, how life would be different. Anyway, being cynical wasn’t something I just woke up one morning and decided to do. There isn’t some DNA that makes a person happy or depressed or mean. We are made that way by the people we meet and the encounters we have. That’s not to say that my life has been bad. My life has had its ups and downs like many do, and thankfully the ups were higher and more frequent than the downs. It’s hard though not to be a cynic in this world we live in, one where we turn on the TV and we see either news channels spouting gloom and doom in all corners of the globe while at the same time watching the so-called “reality television” shows that are anything but real and glorify the excess and the extremes of life. Then you have those who seek artificial happiness by buying something, a quick fix to the situation that is fleeting, causing one to buy more for the same chance at joy. And then you think that things aren’t the way they are in your neighborhood like they are on that glass rectangle but then when you walk outside you see the crime, poverty, and decay around you. Eventually you ignore it where apathy is often worse than the negativity around you, do something about it, or join in on the misery. Me I guess I just joined in the misery. Now there were times I looked for the silver linings in the otherwise dark clouds of life and were able to find them. Children especially lifted my spirits with their innocence and their imagination. Theirs is a blissful ignorance where they are in their own little world separate from ours. I think that was one of my key reasons why I became so cynical that I lost that childhood wonder and the kindness they have. Kindness… That reminds me of the moment when things did change in my life. Sometimes when you can’t see a problem you need others to help you. I knew that there was more to life than what I was seeing, but before that moment I kept doing the same thing over and over again, never able to break the cycle. And that was when I met… her, the one who changed my life in ways that I could never imagine and whom I will never forget. It all began on a seemingly normal day. Then again do we ever truly think a day is going to be either very wonderful or very bad? We sometimes say what we assume the day will be after a few events, but even this doesn’t decide what a day would be like. The way that we assume a day will be does influence our outlook though making the bright moments brighter and the dark moments darker. As for me, I may have been cynical but I at least wanted to start the day on a neutral ground. The day started fairly normal: get up, get dressed, had breakfast and went to work. Yep, pretty ordinary. As I walked to my car, the sky was blue and cloudless, for a moment lifting my spirit a little and giving me the boost I needed. As I drove through the city that I lived and worked in though, my view quickly darkened. The city was like an old decaying hulk of a bygone era of greatness. The storefronts that once housed little mom and pop shops now lay vacant, giving a glimpse into what once was. Around these places were cracked sidewalks, unkempt open lots where other buildings once stood but now had become overgrown and neglected, and graffiti on walls as a cry to be noticed. There was the gas station that was robbed the night before and the house where the cops raided. Again there were the silver linings, new businesses that cropped up and new or nice houses sticking out like a sore thumb that brought hope to the city. But when you looked at these shining examples and everything else wrong around it, you couldn’t help but feel sad even angry for the way the city, no more like humanity, had got this way. That day work started like any other work day, an endless parade of data entered and calls made. It wasn’t that I hated my job. I was happy to help people and for the most part it was easy to do. I guess that I just felt that I could be doing more with my job and my life than where I was at that time. It’s funny how you can wonder what made you what you are at a given time, looking back and sifting through each of life’s moments like grains of sand to find what brought you to this stage. You look at the good and the bad and the endless “what ifs” of what would have, could have, and should have been. I remember on that day wishing for a change in my life, and little did I know that it would come unexpectedly that very same day. I remember and the end of the work day working on my computer and looking out at the windows that gave a view of the vast cityscape, trying to find something of interest to take my mind off of work if only or a while. The outside, no matter how dreary it seemed, was at least something to look forward to while leaving for the day, better than the white sanitized world of the office building. Suddenly the once blue cloudless skies began to darken as thick storm clouds appeared as if out of nowhere. “Looks like a storm is coming,” my co-worker sitting next to me said, obviously noticing the darkening skies. “Yeah, I didn’t think it was supposed to storm today,” I remarked as I stared mesmerized at what happened. Soon thunder began to rattle the windows as lightning streaked across the sky in the distance. The street lights that were once off during the day now one by one began to sense the now night like scene and flickered to life. Then came the rain, not just starting as a light one and increasing but this time pouring down in full force! It rained so much that I could now barely see the view off the city through the window save for the lights in the windows and on the streets and the lightning that lit up the sky. “Hey, the shift’s over,” my co-worker said jarring me out of the terrible wonder happening outside, “Hope you get home safe.” “Yeah, you too,” I said as I went back to the daily end of the work day routine of wrapping up and logging off my computer. As I headed towards the door though, I realized that the storm scene that played out before me while at work wasn’t like a movie or TV show where you’d get up and leave and the outside world would be different. No, this storm was real and I would have to face it to get home from work. For the moment I stood in the lobby area, debating whether I should stay for a little while to see if it passes, but that wasn’t a sure thing as this freak storm could last just a few more minutes or hours at a time! More importantly I felt the need to be home where I was comfortable. I guess it takes a storm to make you think about the safety and comfort that one takes for granted. With a sigh I opened the doors and with keys in hand and neither a jacket nor an umbrella to protect me broke out into a run across to the now emptying parking lot towards my car. A few minutes later and my clothes sopping wet and clinging uncomfortably to me as I sat in my car, I drove back through the city streets, hoping that I would make it home alive and not get hit but some falling tree or crash into something along the way. To my surprise or perhaps not the streets were largely without cars, making the journey easier. Lucky for me I had no place to stop after work like the grocery store or a gas station, which meant that facing this freak storm getting in and out of my car was at a minimum. Funny, now that I look back at this time I realized that it was almost as if there was something telling me to go straight home. Before I thought it was just my drive to get out of the storm as quickly as possible, but even now I wonder if there was something else. The journey home was a short one, no more than ten minutes, but in the pouring rain and booming thunder time appeared to lengthen to forever. I don’t get afraid of storms much, but this way this one was so sudden and violent and that I felt caught in limbo between work and home made things a little tense. At home and at work things made sense. There was a rhythm of things, an order and a safety in what went through. But outside that when the world, which was already grim and gritty, was thrown into chaos, and I wished I could get from one safe place to the next as soon as possible. Finally I made it home, ironically just as the storm reduced down to just a drizzle. I wasn’t going to take any chances though as I got out of my car, having all intentions to get to the door the apartment building as quickly as possible. I was about ready to make my final journey home when I heard a nearby noise. At first I thought it was the still howling wind, but then it grew louder with each step away from the car I took. The closer I reached it the more it sounded like a dog whimpering, probably caught in the storm. Stray dogs and cats were common in the city, either left to run around or worse abandoned by their owners. This one though was different, the sad pleading noise having notes of someone crying like they were scared or in pain. I’m no hero but when someone is hurt I try to see what I can do to help. After all, if we all could help at least one person maybe the world wouldn’t be so dark. The louder the sound became the closer I felt I was getting closer to the goal. I realized that I wasn’t walking towards the apartment building but a fenced in corner of the lot that acted as the building’s garbage area. There were two massive dumpsters there dominating the area, but around it was all manner of things. Trash bags, damaged furniture, and discarded boxes all spread out like some ruined landscape, waiting for the trash truck to come. Whatever the thing was making noise, it came from somewhere in the trash. As I passed by an old discarded refrigerator box, long devoid of the appliance it once held and now soaked and sagging from the rain, I saw the box shake slightly as if something was inside. As I prepared myself and peered into the box, I was in for the shock of my life. There laying inside the box was not a pet as I imagined but a rather unusual creature. It looked horse like, but definitely not like the horses I’ve ever seen. It was about the size of a large dog with big eyes that were at the moment closed that took up half of its face, a yellow coat that looked like it belonged to more of a bird than a horse, and bubblegum pink mane and tail that appeared to be styled like a human’s hair. The most interesting features was the pair of wings that remained folded along the creature’s sides and some kind of marking on its back side. This creature clearly looked like it belonged in a cartoon rather than in the real world. As I stared at the figure who by the look of its mane was female, I couldn’t help but realize that this horse thing wasn’t doing very well. From what I could tell her coat was soaking and caked in mud and debris, some places even scratched up. Her one wing looked out of joint like something happened to it. The saddest thing was the constant whimpering and shivering that this mare did as tears flowed from the corner of its eyes. I knew I had to help her, but the question was how. There was no use helping her unless I was able to communicate with the horse thing that is if it could understand. If it was something destined for a cartoon, then maybe it could talk. There was only one way to find out. “Um… are you alright?” The mare opened her eyes, revealing the biggest blue eyes I had ever seen. Upon seeing me though the horse creature let out a squeak as she backed up as far as she could before pinning herself to the bottom of the box. I could tell that she was terrified, maybe that I was the first human she ever saw. Somehow I had to get her to trust me. “I’m not going to hurt you,” I said holding out my hand, “I’m here to help you.” The mare first recoiled at my hand approaching her, but then she paused and stared at it for some time. After that she put out a hoof and tapped the palm of my hand carefully before drawing it back. “See, I’m here to help. Now how about you come out of that box you’re in?” The female horse, sensing that things were ok began to walk out, but as she applied pressure to her back leg she cried out in pain and immediately collapsed. I knew that her leg was hurt, maybe even broken, adding to her misery. “Ok, I’m going to get you somewhere safe, but since it looks like you can’t fly or walk I need to carry you. Can you trust me that I’ll get you safe into my home?” The horse creature nervously pondered whether it was best to stay where she was and hope for the best or allow a complete alien creature to help her. Finally she gave a nod of understanding, putting her faith in me. Nearby I found an old painting drop cloth, not the cleanest thing in the world but it would have to do. I set it down and motioned the horse creature to crawl on top of it. Once there, I wrapped the shivering mare up in the rest of the cloth and picked her up. Although I didn’t exactly know at the time what I was going to do, I knew that she needed my help and I was the only one to do so. Little did I know that this act of kindness would change my life forever. The Journey to SafetyChapter 2 - The Journey to Safety Now that Fluttershy was in my arms there was no going back. Not that I could ever think of putting her back in that box as if she were trash, leaving her hurt and alone. It was a surreal feeling knowing that within the squirming blankets there was this creature that for all purposes shouldn’t even be in this world. The brightly colored horse with wings should be on some cartoon, one that someone would watch and then go about their day. But my eyes couldn’t lie as to what I saw, nor could what I heard be discounted. And now as I held her in my arms I knew without any doubt that she was real and she needed my help. The apartment complex I was in was a giant rectangular seven story brick monstrosity of a structure, clearly built for function with no attempts of appearing nice. Encircling the place was an asphalt ring where visitors and tenants parked. I had the misfortune of always seeming to get the spot as far away from the front door as possible. Luckily though there was a side door, meant as an emergency exit but always left ajar with its alarm deactivated years ago. It was a perfect way for me to make a quick entrance without much attention. Honestly what would you do if you saw someone walking past you carrying a living breathing cartoon horse? You may be excited but there are those that might get a little upset, even though seeing how this pony looked it was hard to get upset at her. Making it to the doorway was easy, albeit getting a little rain soaked from the still drizzling remnant of the storm. Like some covert operative delivering a secret through enemy lines I carefully made my way down the hallway, past the laundry room where washers and dryers thumping and squealing that masked any sounds I made. I then heard Fluttershy make a whimper as I found myself holding her too tightly for her comfort. “Sorry,” I whispered to the pony under the blanket mass, “I know this isn’t the best way to get you to my home, but we need to do this. I need you to be as quiet and as still as possible until I say so, ok?” I took the silence as a yes as I rounded the corner to where the space opened up to a long hallway where on the other end was an elevator and my and her ticket to freedom. I could have just walked up the stairs, but the jarring of each step might hurt the poor creature more than what she was feeling while I was walking. “Hey there,” a voice said behind me, “How are you doing today?” I turned to see my neighbor standing there with his usual pleasant smile. He was an older man, easily into his retirement, yet despite the years he lived he still had a pleasant outlook on life. This was why I respected him and any advice he gave. “I’m doing fine. How are you doing?” “I can’t complain. Say, that was some storm out there, wasn’t it? You were ok coming home in it, right?” “Yeah, it was pretty bad, but I got here fine,” I said as I stood uneasily while trying to hold Fluttershy so that it didn’t look like I was carrying something living under the paint and dirt splattered sheet. Even though I trusted this man, I still didn’t know how anyone else would react to seeing what I found. “What are you carrying there that you’re so nervous about me seeing?” he asked, always a wise and perceptive one this guy was. “Oh it’s nothing,” I said trying to keep the tone light, “Just some stuff from work. The drop cloth I just found so any papers didn’t get wet as I forgot my umbrella today.” “Well alright then. I’m not going to call you a liar or anything. Just be careful though that you don’t bring in any pets here. Otherwise Ms. Mildred will hit the roof. That woman is as friendly as trying to hug a cactus!” I couldn’t agree more about Ms. Mildred, the landlady of the apartment. She was a person that appeared nice but then suddenly snapped at you for no apparent reason. She also held a grudge that lasted forever, like your name being put of a blacklist to be forever hounded by her. I knew that I was on that list when asking her why she didn’t like tenants to have pets, a simple question which was just out of curiosity since I didn’t have any. To her it was like I slapped her in the face, and so after that day she would always assume that I was up to no good, like my apartment would one day be filled with animals or something like that. Most of the time we kept our distance, well mainly me on the lookout for her and this was why I stayed at her apartment. Yet with every time that we did meet my mind would think about somewhere else I could go that was free from her wrath. “I’ll keep that in mind. Anyway thanks for talking to me. I really should be getting back to my apartment.” “Alright then,” the older man said, “I don’t want to keep you any longer if you have to do something. I’ll be seeing you later I’m sure.” Saying our goodbyes, I made it to the elevator and ever closer to my goal of getting my secret to safety. It was a tense moment in that elevator as it climbed up the floors, worried that Ms. Mildred would join me. Then I would be trapped with her always search and always disapproving glance. Thankfully the elevator shuddered its way to my floor, another challenge overcome. As the doors opened the hallway was clear, an almost eerie feeling knowing that at the other side of the two brick walls that flanked the worn carpeted hallway there were others but for the most part I could hardly tell who they might be. Finally I breathed a sigh of relief after reaching the door, fumbling the keys while trying to hold the shaking creature wrapped in the filthy blanket. Finally with a click and a squeak the door opened into the living room. Where I finally set down the bundle and opened it up to let the yellow cartoon horse out. “It’s ok. You’re safe now at my home,” I said as she looked around at the space. It must have been a shock being in a place that she had never seen with perhaps things that she never knew about in her life. As she did reality hit home as I knew that I had no idea how to actually take care of her! Sure she was out of the cold and rain, but what next to do was any guess. She was an animal, but she also had many human qualities about her like the way she acted as I watched her. I couldn’t think about helping her like I would a dog or a cat, so I had to give things a human touch. I noticed that she looked miserable, not just from the pain she no doubt felt but other things too. Then again I’d feel the same way lost, alone, hurt, and dirty. That was when I knew the first thing that could be done. “Would you like to take a bath? I think you’d feel much better if you did. I know I do taking a shower.” Her eyes instantly grew brighter at the idea and with a definite nod. I knew she approved. I picked her up again, this time a little more trusting in me, and carried her towards the bathroom. This was the first time I ever actually felt her coat which despite being dirty and covered in debris it felt very soft. Her unusual pink mane and tail was almost silky to the touch as it brushed against my hands as I entered the bathroom. Setting her down I turned on the water in the tub and after filling it propped her up on the edge of the tub. She reached her hoof down and touched the water, making ripples with each passing stroke. “Is the water a good temperature?” She nodded again and I set her carefully into the water, watching as her body sank in save for her fore legs and her head. I realized that it would be awkward trying to bathe this cartoon horse thing on my own, and judging by her shy demeanor I knew she wouldn’t like it. “Here is a wash cloth, some soap, some shampoo and a towel. Are you ok bathing yourself?” Another nod confirmed this although she seemed hesitant with the fact that I would be leaving. “Don’t worry. I’ll be in the next room, and I’ll check on you in a few minutes. If you need anything, let me know, ok?” She nodded as I carefully closed the door and proceeded back into the living room and sank into my favorite couch. For a moment I thought that this was all a dream, that I just got home and that I would be waking up any moment on the very couch I sat on. I guess it was hard to imagine the fact that there in my apartment was a yellow cartoon horse in my bathtub. My mind raced with questions as to who she was, where she was from, and most importantly how to take care of her. Now I could take care of myself easy enough but never did I take care of someone else like that. I especially didn’t know how to take care of something that was not entire human but yet not entirely an animal. My thoughts and worries were broken by the sound of music, not like something on the radio filled with harmonies and instruments but a simple melodic hum coming from the bathroom. It was with this sound and remembering that kind face that I saw in the parking lot, a light amongst the grime of the city, that I knew that even though I didn’t have a well thought out plan for my new house guest, I would try my best to help her. An Act of KindnessChapter 3 The pleasant sound of her humming stopped as I heard the sounds of the bathwater flowing down the drain. This was a cue for me to go and see how my new houseguest was. Opening the door I could see a marked improvement in the winged horse’s appearance and personality. Her coat and wings were now devoid of dirt and grime, revealing her to have more of a canary yellow coloring. Her mane and tail, though still a wet mess from the bath, were also a brighter pink. There were still several scratches on her and her wing looked still out of joint from the other but I could see a lift in her spirits as she stood in the tub, her hurt leg raised slightly, with a towel wrapped around her. “Feel better?” I asked, “Are you ready to go back to the living room?” I asked. She nodded as I could tell her shyness was still not gone like the grime that was washed away. I could only hope at that time she would change as I lifted her up and carried her back to the couch. There was still the matter of thee parts of her that hurt, and specifically how to make her feel more comfortable and help her heal. Now I am no doctor nor am I good with animals but I felt if there was some first aid I could do then maybe she would have a chance at getting better. “Alright, I’m going to take a look at your leg and wing to see what we can do with it. I know your one wing is sore but can you try to extend it out as much as possible?” She was reluctant at first with me asking to basically do something that would cause more pain, but looking into my eyes she knew that this wasn’t my intention. I wanted to help her and this was the only way. She extended her wing out only halfway before shutting her eyes and wincing in pain. It was then that I saw it, so diabolically hidden until now under her wing and far from her eyes and mine. There buried in her wing was a piece of wood ripped from somewhere during the storm. This was the cause of her misery at least in her wing, and now that I knew what the trouble was I now had to do something that she wouldn’t like. “Ok, you have a piece of wood in your wing. I’m going to have to pull it out, and it might hurt more, but it’s the only to help your wing that I know.” She recoiled at the thought of more pain which it was no wonder. After all, if I was told that I would be feeling worse than I wouldn’t be so happy either. I also didn’t know how much pain she was in but from the look on her face I could tell it was enough. But to my surprise she gave me a nod and braced herself for the inevitable. “Alright, here it goes,” I said more for me than her to gather my courage. With one hand I lightly gripped her outstretched wing while with the other I felt amongst those long soft yellow feathers until I felt the hard jagged piece. Then with one swift motion I pulled as the piece dislodged with a slight spray of blood with it. The mare then let out a scream in pain as I could see tears flowing from those large pretty eyes. “Hey, you’re ok. I pulled the wood piece out. I’m sorry that you were in more pain but you’ll feel better now. The hard part is over, all I have to do is clean this up.” Luckily I had a first aid kit in my apartment just in case so I grabbed it and immediately cleaned the wound with an alcohol pad. She winced a couple times at this but it was much better than when I extracted the piece of wood. I then bandaged the wing up, wrapping the gauze around several times. “Is it too tight?” I asked her to which she shook her head. One problem was down with one more to go. “Can you lift your leg that is sore now?” The cartoon horse lifted her foreleg for me to see. Taking hold of it I pressed a little to which more squeaks came from her in protest to the pain. Again I was no doctor but the leg thankfully didn’t look broken or cut, only sprained at most. Still I wrapped it tightly in a bandage so she couldn’t flex it and cause more pain. “There you go. You should try to keep off that leg as much as possible and also try not to fly yet.” I waited for any sign of how Fluttershy felt after the attempt of healing her. It was very hard considering that up until now she didn’t talk other than making squeaking sounds that added to their cuteness if they weren’t due to the pain and fear she experienced. But even though she didn’t speak I could see that a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, the same kind of feeling that I would have when I returned home. It was a feeling of peace, but there was something else there. I think it was that she finally was able to see that I had her best interest at heart and that she was not only safe from the city but also that she was safe with me. “Thank you,” I heard a soft voice issue forth from the yellow creature’s voice. Even though this was a simple response, one that could easily cast aside in today’s world, but to me it was the kindest thing that I had ever heard. In that instant I had shared my kindness to a stranger, one who was not just someone I ever met before but someone from an entirely different reality. Little did I know that she would show me what kindness was. Opening UpChapter 4 I could tell by the look on her face that this winged cartoon horse was happier than how she was an hour ago. It was at first funny how a house, a warm bath, and the attention of another person could lift someone’s spirits. The more I realized it though the more I found looking for the same things. I also found that this creature resting on my couch was more human than animal than I thought, even from when I first met her out in the rain. Funny how we take speech for granted and how it is such an important identity of being human. With the knowledge of this creature being able to speak, I felt prepared to try and communicate with her and hopefully answer the questions that flooded my mind. “I’m glad you are doing better,” I said carefully shaping my sentences like a painter making a picture, “Can you tell me your name?” “M…my name? Um… it’s Fluttershy,” she said in a voice so soft that you swear the silence in the apartment was louder than her voice. It was no wonder that she was like this after finding herself in an unfamiliar place alone and scared. Still hopefully my persistence would pay off. “I’m sorry, can you tell me your name again?” “it’s… Fluttershy,” again she spoke, this time softer if that was even possible. It was bad enough that I strained to hear what she had to say before but this time it was ridiculous! “I don’t think I caught the whole thing,” I said being as kind as possible but trying to subtly tell her to speak up. My efforts though were received by only a scared little frightened squeak as she recoiled at even the slightest raising of my voice. Although I found I could talk with her, everything was not perfect as I felt like even the next thought I made with talking to her had to be planned out with the smallest detail. Speaking came naturally to me as I was able to usually say what I needed to say the moment I needed to say it. With her though it was like walking on eggshells, but I couldn’t just leave it go and spend however long I was with her not talking to her. “I’m sorry if I raised my voice,” I replied along with giving my name, hoping to rebuild the conversation, “I want to help you but I can’t if you won’t talk to me.” I felt my frustration rise at the moment, wondering if this was all a good or night for me to even consider helping her. I watch as her own insecurities are played out on her face. She didn’t say anything but I could tell that her mind split itself between trusting this stranger further or escaping to where it was just her on her own. At that moment I realized it was not just me thrust into this situation but her as well, and her problem was worse than mine. “I… I’m sorry,” she finally said this time with a much clearer voice, “I didn’t mean to be so … well… shy to you. It’s just that I’m scared that’s all.” “You don’t have to be scared. You’re safe now and I’ll keep you here until you get better.” The creature nodded as some relief appeared on her face, replacing that of her worry and distrust. “Can I ask you a few questions?” I replied hoping that now that she was more relaxed she was ready. “I think so, just nothing too personal, ok?” “Ok. Well first of all, what are you? You remind me of some flying horse thing.” “Oh, well I’m a pony, a Pegasus to be more specific. Are there no ponies like me here?” “Not like you. There are ponies, but they can’t talk and they certainly can’t fly or are brightly colored as you are. So are all ponies like you, that they can fly?” “Oh no, there are some that can fly but there are also unicorns that are great with magic and some ponies that don’t have wings or a horn that re great at growing or creating things. There are even ponies called Alicorns that are a mix of all three pony types! My friend is one of those. There are others too but mainly ponies where I come from.” “So where exactly are you from?” “I’m from a kingdom called Equestria,” she replied softly, “but I live in a town called Ponyville. It’s a really nice place filled with very friendly ponies.” She paused as if something loomed on her mind before asking, “Where am I now?” “You’re on Earth. Here there are mostly people like us, people called humans. We’re sort of friendly to each other I guess, maybe not as much you and your pony friends are. Can you tell me Fluttershy how you got here?” “I… I don’t know. I remember there was a terrible storm in Ponyville that I tried to help stop but I became caught in it. The next thing I remember was waking up in a grassy place during a storm. I was cold and hut and needed a place to stay. That’s when I found that box, until you came.” I could tell that her mind focused on the fact that she was no longer with her friends in Ponyville. In an instant she had been plucked from the safety of her world and dropped into an unfamiliar place. I could never imagine being moved unexpectedly from a place I knew to another, especially to an entirely different world. “Do you think you can help me get back to my friends?” she asked looking back at me with her pleading eyes. “Fluttershy, I don’t know how to cross into other worlds. I didn’t even know that there were others world that existed that had life like what you said you came from. But I will try to find a way to help you if I can.” The mare felt sad that I couldn’t be the answer to all her problems, but there was at least the ray of hope in me helping her. This put her mind at ease at least for the time. We knew that this was going to be a difficult journey but I felt committed to helping her return to some normalcy in her life. “Thank you,” she replied with a smile, “for everything you’ve done and everything you will do.” “You’re welcome. Now how about you tell me more about your life in Ponyville and I’ll tell you about mine?” RevelationChapter 5 We talked through dinner that night and then late into the night. At first I was unsure how such a shy creature would be able to communicate, especially how much she was willing to reveal about herself. But to my surprise all it took was showing that I meant no threat to her for Fluttershy to drop the invisible wall between her and me. After that the pony slowly and carefully did remain calm but remained open for the most part. It was like a dance between the two of us when speaking. I would take the lead and she would follow in the conversation. At first the Pegasus didn’t ask much about my life, not that she felt that I would not reply but that she felt that perhaps my secrets should remain just that, secrets. But then the dance became two sided as she began to ask me questions. Fluttershy told me amazing tales about her life in Ponyville and specifically her wonderful friends. She spoke about all of them and their wonderful adventures together. Some of them were mundane even by the standards of a pony like picnics and parties. Others were adventures that were beyond comprehension, about meeting dragons and magic. There were darker times too, like times when her friendships and even the fate of the world was in jeopardy. I could see her tremble at those memories each time she spoke of such bad times, but upon asking whether she wanted to stop she would simply shake her head and continue. My stories about my life paled in comparison with the wonderful tales that Fluttershy told of her life. Yet she remained transfixed on what I said, like it was just as magical as what she told. I guess it was all just a matter of perspective. To Fluttershy, her life was ordinary with brightly colored ponies, flying, and magic where my life about driving, computers, and traveling to different places was magical all to its own! After what felt like an eternity of getting to know each other, our mouths grew tired and so did our eyes. I could see that Fluttershy desperately wanted to remain awake to hear about my life no matter how much lack of sleep she would get. I didn’t want to see her in such a state especially considering the fact I could only imagine the day she went through and how taxing it was on her body and mind. “You look tired Fluttershy. You must be after the day you had. Do you want to try and get some sleep?” Fluttershy passed as if she felt ashamed that she was not focused on what I said but then with another yawn she nodded. “Ok, well I don’t have another bed, so will the couch you’re on be ok to sleep on?” Fluttershy looked down at the couch and nodded again, taking a liking to where she was. That was all the confirmation I needed as I went into the closet and got a spare blanket that I used on my bed only during those cold winter nights and grabbed an extra pillow from my bed. In that short time that I left the living room, Fluttershy had already curled into a yellow and pink ball, her bright blue eyes closed. I carefully lifted her head so as not to disturb her and set a pillow on the couch before setting it back on the fluffy mass. She let out a little mumble but remained in sleep as I pulled the blanket over her. With her comfortable, I turned and was about to retreat to my own bedroom when I heard the faintest whisper of my name from the couch along simply a “thank you.” Smiling I turned off the lights in the living room and after getting ready for bed retreated into my room. Although I was tired I felt that I couldn’t end my night like this, not with my mind filled with so many questions about the yellow Pegasus. Even though she explained much of her life there was still one question that remained: Where did she really come from? She spoke of Ponyville, but that could be anywhere in my mind. I had to find out the truth, and I knew exactly how to do so. As the mare slept soundly in the living room, I turned on the computer and went straight to the Internet to search. If she truly was some character from a cartoon there must be something about her no matter how short or obscure the series would be. It didn’t take long though to find the answer as with a typing out with her name and searching, there was an instant reply. Now the truth came to light: Fluttershy and her friends were from a show called My Little Pony: Friendship. On one hand I wasn’t surprised. After all Fluttershy certainly didn’t look like she belonged in the world I lived in. But still the revelation shocked me. Perhaps I thought that it would take a long time to find the answer or perhaps that when I found the answer it wouldn’t be so easy to describe. But now that I think about it I think the shock was that Fluttershy had a home and friends somewhere else. She was such a kind creature and yet I knew more than before that she belonged somewhere else. Well I knew that there was no use in lamenting over what would happen anyway. I had to enjoy the time I had with such a nice creature. This was especially true as I had no idea how she would get back to Ponyville! Knowing the truth gave me another problem. While I could learn all I wanted about Fluttershy from the show, there was no way that I could tell her that she was a cartoon character and should not be real. The revelation would tear her apart! It would be strange learning about someone and yet not being able to share it with others, but this was the burden of knowing. For a moment I thought I would just stop and learn things as they came to me from Fluttershy. But me hunger to know all about her grew and I knew there was no turning back. I only could hope that my research into this new world of ponies didn’t return with a vengeance.
The Calm in the StormWhen Kindness Entered In By Lux Chapter 1 – The Calm in the Storm There are some who would consider me cynical about a year ago. Not mean mind you. I was never a mean person except for maybe being mean spirited. Funny how hindsight is how we can look back on the moments of our lives and see all the rights and wrongs that we did as well as the things we could have, would have, and should have done at a given moment. Sometimes I wish I knew back then what I knew now, how life would be different. Anyway, being cynical wasn’t something I just woke up one morning and decided to do. There isn’t some DNA that makes a person happy or depressed or mean. We are made that way by the people we meet and the encounters we have. That’s not to say that my life has been bad. My life has had its ups and downs like many do, and thankfully the ups were higher and more frequent than the downs. It’s hard though not to be a cynic in this world we live in, one where we turn on the TV and we see either news channels spouting gloom and doom in all corners of the globe while at the same time watching the so-called “reality television” shows that are anything but real and glorify the excess and the extremes of life. Then you have those who seek artificial happiness by buying something, a quick fix to the situation that is fleeting, causing one to buy more for the same chance at joy. And then you think that things aren’t the way they are in your neighborhood like they are on that glass rectangle but then when you walk outside you see the crime, poverty, and decay around you. Eventually you ignore it where apathy is often worse than the negativity around you, do something about it, or join in on the misery. Me I guess I just joined in the misery. Now there were times I looked for the silver linings in the otherwise dark clouds of life and were able to find them. Children especially lifted my spirits with their innocence and their imagination. Theirs is a blissful ignorance where they are in their own little world separate from ours. I think that was one of my key reasons why I became so cynical that I lost that childhood wonder and the kindness they have. Kindness… That reminds me of the moment when things did change in my life. Sometimes when you can’t see a problem you need others to help you. I knew that there was more to life than what I was seeing, but before that moment I kept doing the same thing over and over again, never able to break the cycle. And that was when I met… her, the one who changed my life in ways that I could never imagine and whom I will never forget. It all began on a seemingly normal day. Then again do we ever truly think a day is going to be either very wonderful or very bad? We sometimes say what we assume the day will be after a few events, but even this doesn’t decide what a day would be like. The way that we assume a day will be does influence our outlook though making the bright moments brighter and the dark moments darker. As for me, I may have been cynical but I at least wanted to start the day on a neutral ground. The day started fairly normal: get up, get dressed, had breakfast and went to work. Yep, pretty ordinary. As I walked to my car, the sky was blue and cloudless, for a moment lifting my spirit a little and giving me the boost I needed. As I drove through the city that I lived and worked in though, my view quickly darkened. The city was like an old decaying hulk of a bygone era of greatness. The storefronts that once housed little mom and pop shops now lay vacant, giving a glimpse into what once was. Around these places were cracked sidewalks, unkempt open lots where other buildings once stood but now had become overgrown and neglected, and graffiti on walls as a cry to be noticed. There was the gas station that was robbed the night before and the house where the cops raided. Again there were the silver linings, new businesses that cropped up and new or nice houses sticking out like a sore thumb that brought hope to the city. But when you looked at these shining examples and everything else wrong around it, you couldn’t help but feel sad even angry for the way the city, no more like humanity, had got this way. That day work started like any other work day, an endless parade of data entered and calls made. It wasn’t that I hated my job. I was happy to help people and for the most part it was easy to do. I guess that I just felt that I could be doing more with my job and my life than where I was at that time. It’s funny how you can wonder what made you what you are at a given time, looking back and sifting through each of life’s moments like grains of sand to find what brought you to this stage. You look at the good and the bad and the endless “what ifs” of what would have, could have, and should have been. I remember on that day wishing for a change in my life, and little did I know that it would come unexpectedly that very same day. I remember and the end of the work day working on my computer and looking out at the windows that gave a view of the vast cityscape, trying to find something of interest to take my mind off of work if only or a while. The outside, no matter how dreary it seemed, was at least something to look forward to while leaving for the day, better than the white sanitized world of the office building. Suddenly the once blue cloudless skies began to darken as thick storm clouds appeared as if out of nowhere. “Looks like a storm is coming,” my co-worker sitting next to me said, obviously noticing the darkening skies. “Yeah, I didn’t think it was supposed to storm today,” I remarked as I stared mesmerized at what happened. Soon thunder began to rattle the windows as lightning streaked across the sky in the distance. The street lights that were once off during the day now one by one began to sense the now night like scene and flickered to life. Then came the rain, not just starting as a light one and increasing but this time pouring down in full force! It rained so much that I could now barely see the view off the city through the window save for the lights in the windows and on the streets and the lightning that lit up the sky. “Hey, the shift’s over,” my co-worker said jarring me out of the terrible wonder happening outside, “Hope you get home safe.” “Yeah, you too,” I said as I went back to the daily end of the work day routine of wrapping up and logging off my computer. As I headed towards the door though, I realized that the storm scene that played out before me while at work wasn’t like a movie or TV show where you’d get up and leave and the outside world would be different. No, this storm was real and I would have to face it to get home from work. For the moment I stood in the lobby area, debating whether I should stay for a little while to see if it passes, but that wasn’t a sure thing as this freak storm could last just a few more minutes or hours at a time! More importantly I felt the need to be home where I was comfortable. I guess it takes a storm to make you think about the safety and comfort that one takes for granted. With a sigh I opened the doors and with keys in hand and neither a jacket nor an umbrella to protect me broke out into a run across to the now emptying parking lot towards my car. A few minutes later and my clothes sopping wet and clinging uncomfortably to me as I sat in my car, I drove back through the city streets, hoping that I would make it home alive and not get hit but some falling tree or crash into something along the way. To my surprise or perhaps not the streets were largely without cars, making the journey easier. Lucky for me I had no place to stop after work like the grocery store or a gas station, which meant that facing this freak storm getting in and out of my car was at a minimum. Funny, now that I look back at this time I realized that it was almost as if there was something telling me to go straight home. Before I thought it was just my drive to get out of the storm as quickly as possible, but even now I wonder if there was something else. The journey home was a short one, no more than ten minutes, but in the pouring rain and booming thunder time appeared to lengthen to forever. I don’t get afraid of storms much, but this way this one was so sudden and violent and that I felt caught in limbo between work and home made things a little tense. At home and at work things made sense. There was a rhythm of things, an order and a safety in what went through. But outside that when the world, which was already grim and gritty, was thrown into chaos, and I wished I could get from one safe place to the next as soon as possible. Finally I made it home, ironically just as the storm reduced down to just a drizzle. I wasn’t going to take any chances though as I got out of my car, having all intentions to get to the door the apartment building as quickly as possible. I was about ready to make my final journey home when I heard a nearby noise. At first I thought it was the still howling wind, but then it grew louder with each step away from the car I took. The closer I reached it the more it sounded like a dog whimpering, probably caught in the storm. Stray dogs and cats were common in the city, either left to run around or worse abandoned by their owners. This one though was different, the sad pleading noise having notes of someone crying like they were scared or in pain. I’m no hero but when someone is hurt I try to see what I can do to help. After all, if we all could help at least one person maybe the world wouldn’t be so dark. The louder the sound became the closer I felt I was getting closer to the goal. I realized that I wasn’t walking towards the apartment building but a fenced in corner of the lot that acted as the building’s garbage area. There were two massive dumpsters there dominating the area, but around it was all manner of things. Trash bags, damaged furniture, and discarded boxes all spread out like some ruined landscape, waiting for the trash truck to come. Whatever the thing was making noise, it came from somewhere in the trash. As I passed by an old discarded refrigerator box, long devoid of the appliance it once held and now soaked and sagging from the rain, I saw the box shake slightly as if something was inside. As I prepared myself and peered into the box, I was in for the shock of my life. There laying inside the box was not a pet as I imagined but a rather unusual creature. It looked horse like, but definitely not like the horses I’ve ever seen. It was about the size of a large dog with big eyes that were at the moment closed that took up half of its face, a yellow coat that looked like it belonged to more of a bird than a horse, and bubblegum pink mane and tail that appeared to be styled like a human’s hair. The most interesting features was the pair of wings that remained folded along the creature’s sides and some kind of marking on its back side. This creature clearly looked like it belonged in a cartoon rather than in the real world. As I stared at the figure who by the look of its mane was female, I couldn’t help but realize that this horse thing wasn’t doing very well. From what I could tell her coat was soaking and caked in mud and debris, some places even scratched up. Her one wing looked out of joint like something happened to it. The saddest thing was the constant whimpering and shivering that this mare did as tears flowed from the corner of its eyes. I knew I had to help her, but the question was how. There was no use helping her unless I was able to communicate with the horse thing that is if it could understand. If it was something destined for a cartoon, then maybe it could talk. There was only one way to find out. “Um… are you alright?” The mare opened her eyes, revealing the biggest blue eyes I had ever seen. Upon seeing me though the horse creature let out a squeak as she backed up as far as she could before pinning herself to the bottom of the box. I could tell that she was terrified, maybe that I was the first human she ever saw. Somehow I had to get her to trust me. “I’m not going to hurt you,” I said holding out my hand, “I’m here to help you.” The mare first recoiled at my hand approaching her, but then she paused and stared at it for some time. After that she put out a hoof and tapped the palm of my hand carefully before drawing it back. “See, I’m here to help. Now how about you come out of that box you’re in?” The female horse, sensing that things were ok began to walk out, but as she applied pressure to her back leg she cried out in pain and immediately collapsed. I knew that her leg was hurt, maybe even broken, adding to her misery. “Ok, I’m going to get you somewhere safe, but since it looks like you can’t fly or walk I need to carry you. Can you trust me that I’ll get you safe into my home?” The horse creature nervously pondered whether it was best to stay where she was and hope for the best or allow a complete alien creature to help her. Finally she gave a nod of understanding, putting her faith in me. Nearby I found an old painting drop cloth, not the cleanest thing in the world but it would have to do. I set it down and motioned the horse creature to crawl on top of it. Once there, I wrapped the shivering mare up in the rest of the cloth and picked her up. Although I didn’t exactly know at the time what I was going to do, I knew that she needed my help and I was the only one to do so. Little did I know that this act of kindness would change my life forever.
The Journey to SafetyChapter 2 - The Journey to Safety Now that Fluttershy was in my arms there was no going back. Not that I could ever think of putting her back in that box as if she were trash, leaving her hurt and alone. It was a surreal feeling knowing that within the squirming blankets there was this creature that for all purposes shouldn’t even be in this world. The brightly colored horse with wings should be on some cartoon, one that someone would watch and then go about their day. But my eyes couldn’t lie as to what I saw, nor could what I heard be discounted. And now as I held her in my arms I knew without any doubt that she was real and she needed my help. The apartment complex I was in was a giant rectangular seven story brick monstrosity of a structure, clearly built for function with no attempts of appearing nice. Encircling the place was an asphalt ring where visitors and tenants parked. I had the misfortune of always seeming to get the spot as far away from the front door as possible. Luckily though there was a side door, meant as an emergency exit but always left ajar with its alarm deactivated years ago. It was a perfect way for me to make a quick entrance without much attention. Honestly what would you do if you saw someone walking past you carrying a living breathing cartoon horse? You may be excited but there are those that might get a little upset, even though seeing how this pony looked it was hard to get upset at her. Making it to the doorway was easy, albeit getting a little rain soaked from the still drizzling remnant of the storm. Like some covert operative delivering a secret through enemy lines I carefully made my way down the hallway, past the laundry room where washers and dryers thumping and squealing that masked any sounds I made. I then heard Fluttershy make a whimper as I found myself holding her too tightly for her comfort. “Sorry,” I whispered to the pony under the blanket mass, “I know this isn’t the best way to get you to my home, but we need to do this. I need you to be as quiet and as still as possible until I say so, ok?” I took the silence as a yes as I rounded the corner to where the space opened up to a long hallway where on the other end was an elevator and my and her ticket to freedom. I could have just walked up the stairs, but the jarring of each step might hurt the poor creature more than what she was feeling while I was walking. “Hey there,” a voice said behind me, “How are you doing today?” I turned to see my neighbor standing there with his usual pleasant smile. He was an older man, easily into his retirement, yet despite the years he lived he still had a pleasant outlook on life. This was why I respected him and any advice he gave. “I’m doing fine. How are you doing?” “I can’t complain. Say, that was some storm out there, wasn’t it? You were ok coming home in it, right?” “Yeah, it was pretty bad, but I got here fine,” I said as I stood uneasily while trying to hold Fluttershy so that it didn’t look like I was carrying something living under the paint and dirt splattered sheet. Even though I trusted this man, I still didn’t know how anyone else would react to seeing what I found. “What are you carrying there that you’re so nervous about me seeing?” he asked, always a wise and perceptive one this guy was. “Oh it’s nothing,” I said trying to keep the tone light, “Just some stuff from work. The drop cloth I just found so any papers didn’t get wet as I forgot my umbrella today.” “Well alright then. I’m not going to call you a liar or anything. Just be careful though that you don’t bring in any pets here. Otherwise Ms. Mildred will hit the roof. That woman is as friendly as trying to hug a cactus!” I couldn’t agree more about Ms. Mildred, the landlady of the apartment. She was a person that appeared nice but then suddenly snapped at you for no apparent reason. She also held a grudge that lasted forever, like your name being put of a blacklist to be forever hounded by her. I knew that I was on that list when asking her why she didn’t like tenants to have pets, a simple question which was just out of curiosity since I didn’t have any. To her it was like I slapped her in the face, and so after that day she would always assume that I was up to no good, like my apartment would one day be filled with animals or something like that. Most of the time we kept our distance, well mainly me on the lookout for her and this was why I stayed at her apartment. Yet with every time that we did meet my mind would think about somewhere else I could go that was free from her wrath. “I’ll keep that in mind. Anyway thanks for talking to me. I really should be getting back to my apartment.” “Alright then,” the older man said, “I don’t want to keep you any longer if you have to do something. I’ll be seeing you later I’m sure.” Saying our goodbyes, I made it to the elevator and ever closer to my goal of getting my secret to safety. It was a tense moment in that elevator as it climbed up the floors, worried that Ms. Mildred would join me. Then I would be trapped with her always search and always disapproving glance. Thankfully the elevator shuddered its way to my floor, another challenge overcome. As the doors opened the hallway was clear, an almost eerie feeling knowing that at the other side of the two brick walls that flanked the worn carpeted hallway there were others but for the most part I could hardly tell who they might be. Finally I breathed a sigh of relief after reaching the door, fumbling the keys while trying to hold the shaking creature wrapped in the filthy blanket. Finally with a click and a squeak the door opened into the living room. Where I finally set down the bundle and opened it up to let the yellow cartoon horse out. “It’s ok. You’re safe now at my home,” I said as she looked around at the space. It must have been a shock being in a place that she had never seen with perhaps things that she never knew about in her life. As she did reality hit home as I knew that I had no idea how to actually take care of her! Sure she was out of the cold and rain, but what next to do was any guess. She was an animal, but she also had many human qualities about her like the way she acted as I watched her. I couldn’t think about helping her like I would a dog or a cat, so I had to give things a human touch. I noticed that she looked miserable, not just from the pain she no doubt felt but other things too. Then again I’d feel the same way lost, alone, hurt, and dirty. That was when I knew the first thing that could be done. “Would you like to take a bath? I think you’d feel much better if you did. I know I do taking a shower.” Her eyes instantly grew brighter at the idea and with a definite nod. I knew she approved. I picked her up again, this time a little more trusting in me, and carried her towards the bathroom. This was the first time I ever actually felt her coat which despite being dirty and covered in debris it felt very soft. Her unusual pink mane and tail was almost silky to the touch as it brushed against my hands as I entered the bathroom. Setting her down I turned on the water in the tub and after filling it propped her up on the edge of the tub. She reached her hoof down and touched the water, making ripples with each passing stroke. “Is the water a good temperature?” She nodded again and I set her carefully into the water, watching as her body sank in save for her fore legs and her head. I realized that it would be awkward trying to bathe this cartoon horse thing on my own, and judging by her shy demeanor I knew she wouldn’t like it. “Here is a wash cloth, some soap, some shampoo and a towel. Are you ok bathing yourself?” Another nod confirmed this although she seemed hesitant with the fact that I would be leaving. “Don’t worry. I’ll be in the next room, and I’ll check on you in a few minutes. If you need anything, let me know, ok?” She nodded as I carefully closed the door and proceeded back into the living room and sank into my favorite couch. For a moment I thought that this was all a dream, that I just got home and that I would be waking up any moment on the very couch I sat on. I guess it was hard to imagine the fact that there in my apartment was a yellow cartoon horse in my bathtub. My mind raced with questions as to who she was, where she was from, and most importantly how to take care of her. Now I could take care of myself easy enough but never did I take care of someone else like that. I especially didn’t know how to take care of something that was not entire human but yet not entirely an animal. My thoughts and worries were broken by the sound of music, not like something on the radio filled with harmonies and instruments but a simple melodic hum coming from the bathroom. It was with this sound and remembering that kind face that I saw in the parking lot, a light amongst the grime of the city, that I knew that even though I didn’t have a well thought out plan for my new house guest, I would try my best to help her.
An Act of KindnessChapter 3 The pleasant sound of her humming stopped as I heard the sounds of the bathwater flowing down the drain. This was a cue for me to go and see how my new houseguest was. Opening the door I could see a marked improvement in the winged horse’s appearance and personality. Her coat and wings were now devoid of dirt and grime, revealing her to have more of a canary yellow coloring. Her mane and tail, though still a wet mess from the bath, were also a brighter pink. There were still several scratches on her and her wing looked still out of joint from the other but I could see a lift in her spirits as she stood in the tub, her hurt leg raised slightly, with a towel wrapped around her. “Feel better?” I asked, “Are you ready to go back to the living room?” I asked. She nodded as I could tell her shyness was still not gone like the grime that was washed away. I could only hope at that time she would change as I lifted her up and carried her back to the couch. There was still the matter of thee parts of her that hurt, and specifically how to make her feel more comfortable and help her heal. Now I am no doctor nor am I good with animals but I felt if there was some first aid I could do then maybe she would have a chance at getting better. “Alright, I’m going to take a look at your leg and wing to see what we can do with it. I know your one wing is sore but can you try to extend it out as much as possible?” She was reluctant at first with me asking to basically do something that would cause more pain, but looking into my eyes she knew that this wasn’t my intention. I wanted to help her and this was the only way. She extended her wing out only halfway before shutting her eyes and wincing in pain. It was then that I saw it, so diabolically hidden until now under her wing and far from her eyes and mine. There buried in her wing was a piece of wood ripped from somewhere during the storm. This was the cause of her misery at least in her wing, and now that I knew what the trouble was I now had to do something that she wouldn’t like. “Ok, you have a piece of wood in your wing. I’m going to have to pull it out, and it might hurt more, but it’s the only to help your wing that I know.” She recoiled at the thought of more pain which it was no wonder. After all, if I was told that I would be feeling worse than I wouldn’t be so happy either. I also didn’t know how much pain she was in but from the look on her face I could tell it was enough. But to my surprise she gave me a nod and braced herself for the inevitable. “Alright, here it goes,” I said more for me than her to gather my courage. With one hand I lightly gripped her outstretched wing while with the other I felt amongst those long soft yellow feathers until I felt the hard jagged piece. Then with one swift motion I pulled as the piece dislodged with a slight spray of blood with it. The mare then let out a scream in pain as I could see tears flowing from those large pretty eyes. “Hey, you’re ok. I pulled the wood piece out. I’m sorry that you were in more pain but you’ll feel better now. The hard part is over, all I have to do is clean this up.” Luckily I had a first aid kit in my apartment just in case so I grabbed it and immediately cleaned the wound with an alcohol pad. She winced a couple times at this but it was much better than when I extracted the piece of wood. I then bandaged the wing up, wrapping the gauze around several times. “Is it too tight?” I asked her to which she shook her head. One problem was down with one more to go. “Can you lift your leg that is sore now?” The cartoon horse lifted her foreleg for me to see. Taking hold of it I pressed a little to which more squeaks came from her in protest to the pain. Again I was no doctor but the leg thankfully didn’t look broken or cut, only sprained at most. Still I wrapped it tightly in a bandage so she couldn’t flex it and cause more pain. “There you go. You should try to keep off that leg as much as possible and also try not to fly yet.” I waited for any sign of how Fluttershy felt after the attempt of healing her. It was very hard considering that up until now she didn’t talk other than making squeaking sounds that added to their cuteness if they weren’t due to the pain and fear she experienced. But even though she didn’t speak I could see that a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, the same kind of feeling that I would have when I returned home. It was a feeling of peace, but there was something else there. I think it was that she finally was able to see that I had her best interest at heart and that she was not only safe from the city but also that she was safe with me. “Thank you,” I heard a soft voice issue forth from the yellow creature’s voice. Even though this was a simple response, one that could easily cast aside in today’s world, but to me it was the kindest thing that I had ever heard. In that instant I had shared my kindness to a stranger, one who was not just someone I ever met before but someone from an entirely different reality. Little did I know that she would show me what kindness was.
Opening UpChapter 4 I could tell by the look on her face that this winged cartoon horse was happier than how she was an hour ago. It was at first funny how a house, a warm bath, and the attention of another person could lift someone’s spirits. The more I realized it though the more I found looking for the same things. I also found that this creature resting on my couch was more human than animal than I thought, even from when I first met her out in the rain. Funny how we take speech for granted and how it is such an important identity of being human. With the knowledge of this creature being able to speak, I felt prepared to try and communicate with her and hopefully answer the questions that flooded my mind. “I’m glad you are doing better,” I said carefully shaping my sentences like a painter making a picture, “Can you tell me your name?” “M…my name? Um… it’s Fluttershy,” she said in a voice so soft that you swear the silence in the apartment was louder than her voice. It was no wonder that she was like this after finding herself in an unfamiliar place alone and scared. Still hopefully my persistence would pay off. “I’m sorry, can you tell me your name again?” “it’s… Fluttershy,” again she spoke, this time softer if that was even possible. It was bad enough that I strained to hear what she had to say before but this time it was ridiculous! “I don’t think I caught the whole thing,” I said being as kind as possible but trying to subtly tell her to speak up. My efforts though were received by only a scared little frightened squeak as she recoiled at even the slightest raising of my voice. Although I found I could talk with her, everything was not perfect as I felt like even the next thought I made with talking to her had to be planned out with the smallest detail. Speaking came naturally to me as I was able to usually say what I needed to say the moment I needed to say it. With her though it was like walking on eggshells, but I couldn’t just leave it go and spend however long I was with her not talking to her. “I’m sorry if I raised my voice,” I replied along with giving my name, hoping to rebuild the conversation, “I want to help you but I can’t if you won’t talk to me.” I felt my frustration rise at the moment, wondering if this was all a good or night for me to even consider helping her. I watch as her own insecurities are played out on her face. She didn’t say anything but I could tell that her mind split itself between trusting this stranger further or escaping to where it was just her on her own. At that moment I realized it was not just me thrust into this situation but her as well, and her problem was worse than mine. “I… I’m sorry,” she finally said this time with a much clearer voice, “I didn’t mean to be so … well… shy to you. It’s just that I’m scared that’s all.” “You don’t have to be scared. You’re safe now and I’ll keep you here until you get better.” The creature nodded as some relief appeared on her face, replacing that of her worry and distrust. “Can I ask you a few questions?” I replied hoping that now that she was more relaxed she was ready. “I think so, just nothing too personal, ok?” “Ok. Well first of all, what are you? You remind me of some flying horse thing.” “Oh, well I’m a pony, a Pegasus to be more specific. Are there no ponies like me here?” “Not like you. There are ponies, but they can’t talk and they certainly can’t fly or are brightly colored as you are. So are all ponies like you, that they can fly?” “Oh no, there are some that can fly but there are also unicorns that are great with magic and some ponies that don’t have wings or a horn that re great at growing or creating things. There are even ponies called Alicorns that are a mix of all three pony types! My friend is one of those. There are others too but mainly ponies where I come from.” “So where exactly are you from?” “I’m from a kingdom called Equestria,” she replied softly, “but I live in a town called Ponyville. It’s a really nice place filled with very friendly ponies.” She paused as if something loomed on her mind before asking, “Where am I now?” “You’re on Earth. Here there are mostly people like us, people called humans. We’re sort of friendly to each other I guess, maybe not as much you and your pony friends are. Can you tell me Fluttershy how you got here?” “I… I don’t know. I remember there was a terrible storm in Ponyville that I tried to help stop but I became caught in it. The next thing I remember was waking up in a grassy place during a storm. I was cold and hut and needed a place to stay. That’s when I found that box, until you came.” I could tell that her mind focused on the fact that she was no longer with her friends in Ponyville. In an instant she had been plucked from the safety of her world and dropped into an unfamiliar place. I could never imagine being moved unexpectedly from a place I knew to another, especially to an entirely different world. “Do you think you can help me get back to my friends?” she asked looking back at me with her pleading eyes. “Fluttershy, I don’t know how to cross into other worlds. I didn’t even know that there were others world that existed that had life like what you said you came from. But I will try to find a way to help you if I can.” The mare felt sad that I couldn’t be the answer to all her problems, but there was at least the ray of hope in me helping her. This put her mind at ease at least for the time. We knew that this was going to be a difficult journey but I felt committed to helping her return to some normalcy in her life. “Thank you,” she replied with a smile, “for everything you’ve done and everything you will do.” “You’re welcome. Now how about you tell me more about your life in Ponyville and I’ll tell you about mine?”
RevelationChapter 5 We talked through dinner that night and then late into the night. At first I was unsure how such a shy creature would be able to communicate, especially how much she was willing to reveal about herself. But to my surprise all it took was showing that I meant no threat to her for Fluttershy to drop the invisible wall between her and me. After that the pony slowly and carefully did remain calm but remained open for the most part. It was like a dance between the two of us when speaking. I would take the lead and she would follow in the conversation. At first the Pegasus didn’t ask much about my life, not that she felt that I would not reply but that she felt that perhaps my secrets should remain just that, secrets. But then the dance became two sided as she began to ask me questions. Fluttershy told me amazing tales about her life in Ponyville and specifically her wonderful friends. She spoke about all of them and their wonderful adventures together. Some of them were mundane even by the standards of a pony like picnics and parties. Others were adventures that were beyond comprehension, about meeting dragons and magic. There were darker times too, like times when her friendships and even the fate of the world was in jeopardy. I could see her tremble at those memories each time she spoke of such bad times, but upon asking whether she wanted to stop she would simply shake her head and continue. My stories about my life paled in comparison with the wonderful tales that Fluttershy told of her life. Yet she remained transfixed on what I said, like it was just as magical as what she told. I guess it was all just a matter of perspective. To Fluttershy, her life was ordinary with brightly colored ponies, flying, and magic where my life about driving, computers, and traveling to different places was magical all to its own! After what felt like an eternity of getting to know each other, our mouths grew tired and so did our eyes. I could see that Fluttershy desperately wanted to remain awake to hear about my life no matter how much lack of sleep she would get. I didn’t want to see her in such a state especially considering the fact I could only imagine the day she went through and how taxing it was on her body and mind. “You look tired Fluttershy. You must be after the day you had. Do you want to try and get some sleep?” Fluttershy passed as if she felt ashamed that she was not focused on what I said but then with another yawn she nodded. “Ok, well I don’t have another bed, so will the couch you’re on be ok to sleep on?” Fluttershy looked down at the couch and nodded again, taking a liking to where she was. That was all the confirmation I needed as I went into the closet and got a spare blanket that I used on my bed only during those cold winter nights and grabbed an extra pillow from my bed. In that short time that I left the living room, Fluttershy had already curled into a yellow and pink ball, her bright blue eyes closed. I carefully lifted her head so as not to disturb her and set a pillow on the couch before setting it back on the fluffy mass. She let out a little mumble but remained in sleep as I pulled the blanket over her. With her comfortable, I turned and was about to retreat to my own bedroom when I heard the faintest whisper of my name from the couch along simply a “thank you.” Smiling I turned off the lights in the living room and after getting ready for bed retreated into my room. Although I was tired I felt that I couldn’t end my night like this, not with my mind filled with so many questions about the yellow Pegasus. Even though she explained much of her life there was still one question that remained: Where did she really come from? She spoke of Ponyville, but that could be anywhere in my mind. I had to find out the truth, and I knew exactly how to do so. As the mare slept soundly in the living room, I turned on the computer and went straight to the Internet to search. If she truly was some character from a cartoon there must be something about her no matter how short or obscure the series would be. It didn’t take long though to find the answer as with a typing out with her name and searching, there was an instant reply. Now the truth came to light: Fluttershy and her friends were from a show called My Little Pony: Friendship. On one hand I wasn’t surprised. After all Fluttershy certainly didn’t look like she belonged in the world I lived in. But still the revelation shocked me. Perhaps I thought that it would take a long time to find the answer or perhaps that when I found the answer it wouldn’t be so easy to describe. But now that I think about it I think the shock was that Fluttershy had a home and friends somewhere else. She was such a kind creature and yet I knew more than before that she belonged somewhere else. Well I knew that there was no use in lamenting over what would happen anyway. I had to enjoy the time I had with such a nice creature. This was especially true as I had no idea how she would get back to Ponyville! Knowing the truth gave me another problem. While I could learn all I wanted about Fluttershy from the show, there was no way that I could tell her that she was a cartoon character and should not be real. The revelation would tear her apart! It would be strange learning about someone and yet not being able to share it with others, but this was the burden of knowing. For a moment I thought I would just stop and learn things as they came to me from Fluttershy. But me hunger to know all about her grew and I knew there was no turning back. I only could hope that my research into this new world of ponies didn’t return with a vengeance.
