Chapter 51

Little Kindnesses

“What is Rat doing here?” he began, combing a hand through his head fur before crossing his arms. “I, Rat, am here to save the H.B. Pony from-”

He looked around, whiskers vigorously twitching, teeth chittering, ears wiggling for any sound...

There! White and quick darting in the bush!

“Angel Bunny’s plan to use Mr. and Mrs. Falcon to claw, blind, harm, and attack H.B. Pony!” he accused, pointing out an Angel Bunny who leapt out of the bush followed by a Foxiekins and Meow-Stop-Leaves.

Fluttershy turned and looked at her beloved pet, her ears dropping down, her eyes wide at his appearance, and the accusation being thrown at him. “A-Angel... You didn’t have anything to do with this... did you?”

Angel’s ears stood for as long as they could under his pony’s gaze, only for them to drop. “IT is a monster!” he grunted desperately trying to get Fluttershy to see the swirling mass of danger that was right next to her!

“A-Angel... No!” Fluttershy choked, fears falling from her eyes.

“Angel Bunny isn’t just responsible for this, but for all times H.B. Pony was taken to the Pony Vet!” Rat hissed. “He put Tuxcat’s tail under her hoof!”

“I, Meow-Stop-Leaves did feel something grab his tail before it was stepped on...” the black and white cat hissed. “I, Meow-Stop-Leaves, just only remembered now because the pain of tail crunching happened...” he growled.

“And Angel Bunny got the moles to dig under H.B. Pony in order to bring her to the ants of fire!” Rat chittered.

“Rat has no proof!” Angel screeched.

“Then let us ask the moles!” Foxiekins interjected, jumping up and landing head first into the ground, his paws digging vigorously. His head then popped out of the earth and between his teeth, held by the scruff of the neck, was a little brown mole.

“What? Where is little mole? Ah! A fox! Please don’t eat little mole, we’re a morsel! We’re mostly fur and dirt, we are!” the little mole pleaded, before he stopped, looked around, saw Heartbreak, and then covered his head with his mole paws. “The worm killer!” his eyes widening as far as they could and then he started to squirm and tried to flee. “The endless black CrAcK beast! The monster! Angel Bunny told our father that if we dug under it and to the fire ants, that it would be dealt with! Yet it still lives!! Little Mole is only here because Father Mole said the thing was dead!”

Foxiekins grinned from ear to ear with the mole’s confession, he thought about snapping up the little brown lump of fuzz, but seeing Fluttershy’s ever destressing face, he opted to toss the little mole back in his hole.

“That is not all! I, Rat, saw Angel Bunny encouraging Festivities Ferret to throw sticks at the sidewalk that H.B. Pony was riding her black bike while she made beautiful bubbles with her hoof! And! And! And!” Rat reached into his cheek pouch and pulled out a sunflower kernel. He stared at the rabbit and fearfully cried out. “And Angel Bunny tricked Rat into spilling sunflower seeds into the muffin batter!”

Just then Pinkie Pie poinked into the scene! “Hey, everypony! My Pinkie sense was going all sorts of haywire and telling me that I needed to be here in this place cause the letter writing and after party was going to start and-” Her words were cut off and she gasped loudly before zipping up to the small kernel being held up by the little rodent. She instantly eyed it before sniffing at it like a bloodhound. “Heeey! That smells like... flour, sprinkles, frosting, and rat spit... mostly rat spit, but that’s from Sugar Cube Corner! What are you doing with that, rat!?”

All the animals turned to Fluttershy who was now frozen in a quiet whimpering at the revelation of this all...

Angel tried to hop over to his pony, only for her to turn her head away and pull back...

Fear hit the bunny, fear that turned to sadness and then precipitated into rage as he then turned to face the little Rat that stood the storm of horrible back sharp thing...

“You! Why?!” he angrily hissed!

=========

Heartbreak looked confounded at everything happening around her, animals were popping up left and right, with all of them hissing, growling, mewling, grunting, and chittering. All the while Fluttershy seemed to grow more and more devastated with every noise. “Wh-what the fet is going on?!”

Angel Bunny was pointing at the rat who sat upon her nose.

The Rat dropped to all fours and angrily chitter-squeaked something back.

Angel only countered with a... sly expression and crossing his little front paws and thumping a back foot.

Rat chuffed at what had been said to him and he scurried off Heartbreak’s nose and climbed up to the top of her head, standing there definitely chittering and making his teeth chatter all matter of resolute sounding rodentious noise.

The animals all looked wide-eyed and startled at what Rat was declaring, with Fluttershy being broken out of her shock, her hooves covering her mouth, tears in her eyes, wings rapidly fluttering, she wafted over to him.

“Really, Mr. Rat? Do you really mean all that?” she asked, hope sparkling in her widening eyes.

“Fluttershy!” Heartbreak hissed, every muscle in her body tensed in stress. “For the love of sweet filly Princess Luna trapped on the moon, can you please, please... please... tell me what the fet is going on?! I have a very angry sounding rat on top of my head, Angel is giving me murder eyes, and the other animals... I don’t speak ‘animal’ and don’t know what is going on because I can’t see properly without my glasses! Would one of you help me with my glasses!? I think the croaky brokey! I mean broke!” she cried out, her voice short of CrAcKiNg...

=========

I am nearly out of breath with all of that, my heart is pounding in my chest, my body is about ready to collapse back under me, and I’m staring down a group of animals whose intentions I don’t have any idea about.

Just then, I feel the rat on my head clamber through my mane, down my leg, pick up my glasses from off the ground and somehow, using his mouth, pull them up and then place them on my face, even adjusting them on the bridge of my nose and fogging them with his breath only to wipe them clean with his arm.

“He said...” Fluttershy seems to swallow and take a deep breath, her forehooves waggling back and forth. “That he wants to be your pet.”

The Rat makes a protesting squeaking noise.

“Oh, right, sorry. Companion animal,” Fluttershy corrects. “So that he can protect you, and he thinks he would be perfect for you because...” She sounds like she’s about to choke up. “Because, he knows what it’s like to be judged before anypony even has a chance to know you because of what you are or what your name is; he knows what it’s like to feel alone, even when it seems like you’re surrounded by so many others, and he knows how hard it is to try and be kind when the world treats you with so much cruelty... So, if you’re willing to give him a chance, he would like to be there to help you through it!”

I’m frozen at what to say to all of this, what can I say to all this?! It’s such a drastic tonal change to what I was expecting!

Hey, Fetter. What did tea pony tell you?

‘Good tings are on the their way to juu, they may even fall from the sky. Good tings can happen to juu, but sometimes, juu have to let them happen.’

I’d say that an animal that actually wants to be around you is a ‘good ting’ and that you’d be a fucking idiot if you said no to this...

“H-he really wa-wantss..’ Hold it together! Hold-

Fucking fall apart! Stop shoving it down and fall apart if you need to! ...idiot...

“To b-be around me? To be like a companion animal?” Tears are falling from my eyes and this little ball of fur with a tail and two yellow dots for eyes just runs to my cheeks and starts licking them up! What is going on?!

“Yes... He said all that...” Fluttershy says assumingly.

I can’t stop, the feelings are too much! I can’t get out any words! I reaching up and pulling my forehoof around him! Hugging him the best way- the only way I can!

“Yes! Please! I will-I do! I want him to! I’ll accept him as a companion!”

It seems so... childish... so small... so silly that I’m getting so emotional over just this one animal in all of Equestria wanting me as their ‘owner’...

Shut up. A week ago, this is what you were wishing for, and now that it’s happening you’re belittling it? Just fetting accept this one good thing already...

I... just... I have no words. What is this strange feeling? A spell that I’m under? It’s filling me with hope, happiness, and wonder? All of that, because of the kindness of one small rat? Can this be really hap-pen-ing?

“So...” Deep breaths. Gods, it’s been forever since I felt an emotion that... intense... “Does he have a name.. Or is it just ‘Mr. Rat’?”

“Well, I thought I heard him say T-”

The Rat jumps up and holds up a clawed finger while shaking his head ‘No’, all the while he’s chittering... something.

“Oh... really...? Well, okay...” Fluttershy looks to me. “He says, ‘New owner, new home, new name. I want H.B. Pony to pick a name for me’.”

“Really?” I’m taken aback... I’m not sure of what name I would pick, let alone one on the spot. I can only really think of a few famous rats from literature... I look at this little yellow-eyed rodent. He has a darker patch of brown on his head and then a name jumps at me.

“Alright, I have the perfect name...” Deep breath... Those super giddy feelings are still attempting to hold my tear ducts hostage. Just calm down and breathe... “Sam, after a good fffriend of mine. He loved rats.”

Sam squeaks his delighted approval at my choice as his eyeballs woggle before he throws his little arms around me.

=========

“Sam! I am Sam Rat, Sam Rat I am!” the rat named Sam cheered.

The other animals, though leery, looked genuinely happy for the new pet having found a... creature to call his own.

All except one, that being, of course, Angel Bunny.

Angel grumbled and frowned. “Sam Rat may have claimed an ‘owner’, but that doesn’t change that that... thing is not a po-”

“That’s enough out of you, little Mr.!” Fluttershy scolded, turning a harsh Flutterstare on Angel who whether out of shock or fear or both, fell backwards, his expression. “Angel... If you can’t stop acting this way then...” Tears once more started forming her eyes... “Then I can’t have you as a pet!” she said bitterly, turning away.

Angel’s little lip curled and tears started to threaten to fall. “I, Angel, was just trying to prot-”

“No! I told you that I could handle this! If you can’t see that, then maybe it’s time for you to-”

Just then, an unlikely voice interrupted her.

“Flutterssshy, pleassse don’t do that!” the Heartbreak creature pleaded. “Pleassse don’t sssend him away becaussse of me...” it pleaded.

“But H.B.! You don’t understand! Angel’s the one who’s been putting you in the hospital!”

The shadowed, inked, and chained pony-abomination’s eyes widened and it started laughing. “What?” it asked, its slithery tail whipping about.

“Angel got Mr. Tuxcat to bite you, he was the one who dug the hole that put you near the fire ants! He tricked Festivities Ferret into throwing sticks at your bike, Sam Rat into spilling sunflower seeds into the muffin mix, and Mrs. Falcon into attacking you!” Fluttershy looked down on the bunny. “He’s been a very bad boy!”

Angel was now sobbing. It wasn’t being called a ‘bad boy’ that hurt. Of course it wasn't that. It was the disappointment in her voice and eyes that was the source of his pain...

“But-”

“He almost killed you!” Fluttershy exclaimed.

The Creature’s mane and tail whipped back and forth, It stood over Angel, terror was in his eyes as he looked up at ‘Sam Rat’ having taken his place back atop Its head, two snake-like locks curling around his little arms...

“Be that asss it may... I would hate myssself for being the thing that ssseparatesss you two...” Its voice intoned like a whisper on the wind. “What’sss more, I’m ssstill alive dessspite hisss bessst effortsss.”

“I... suppose...” Fluttershy said hesitantly.

“Isssn’t forgivenessssss a part of kindnessssss? What’sss the point of thessse lessssssonsss if I don’t learn sssomething? If I don’t implement them into my life? And it’sss not hisss fault that he ssseesss me like he docs... it’sss the curssse... he doesssn’t know better...”

Angel was now all sorts of emotions, the current being confusion over why the beast whose demise he had sought so hard for, was now fighting on his behalf.

“I...” Fluttershy found herself at a loss of words.

The Thing’s shadowy form slithered in front of Angel Bunny who closed his eyes and turned away.

“Angel-

=========

“-I just want to say that I forgive you for trying to, you know... murd... kil... uhm... unalive me.” I don’t know why I was stumbling on that. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m still surrounded by colorful magical equines and it just feels wrong to say it. “I... also want to apologize for terrorizing you with my curse... Do you accept and uhm promise to stop any further attempts on my life?”

The bunny squeaks and grunts and finally nods holding his little head in his forepaws.

“I’ll take that as a yes!” I trot, or maybe hobble over to Fluttershy. “There! All forgiven! Now please don’t... give up on or send Angel away... He shouldn’t suffer for my mistakes... nop-pony should...”

Just then I feel a tickling on my ear! Tiny tongue on my ear!

“Ack! Stop that! Is that you, Sam?!”

Fluttershy sighs and looks at me. “Sam says he’ll only stop if you stop being down on yourself.”

“Alright! Alright! I’ll stop!” For now...

She then looks at Angel, sad, disappointed but finally sighs, her head dropping. “Alright, if you can forgive him, so can I...”

=========

Angel bunny practically lept on to Fluttershy’s leg, grunts and whines and cries coming from his throat.

“But... I don’t think he should go without a punishment,” Fluttershy said, a sternness in her voice. She turned to Heartbreak.

Heartbreak looked confused. “Uhm, are you suggesting that I come up with a punishment?”

“You were the one he was out ta get there, H.B.” Applejack interjected.

“Hey! We exist again!” Pinkie exclaimed.

Applejack facehooved. “Whatchu talkin’ about, Pinkie, we always- ya know what? Never mind...”

“I mean, ugh...” Heartbreak rolled her eyes and then she looked at her house. “I guess, if I have to come up with a punishment, seeing that he’s so great at digging, maybe he can till up my greenhouse garden. Sure it’s late in the season, but there's still summer crops I can have planted... right?” she asked, shrugging her shoulders.

“Sounds like a good enough punishment to me!” Pinkie said, starting to rummage through her saddlebags.

Applejack gave her friend an incredulous look. “Like hay it is! If anythin’ it sounds too forgivin’! Why if Ah were you, H.B. and ah just found out that some dirty, loathsome carmen had been tryin’ ta make ma place in the Apple Family tree down there in the roots, Ah woulda’-”

Pinkie covered the angry Apple’s mouth and then looked directly into her eyes. “The sooner we wrap this up, the sooner H.B. can write her letter and the sooner she writes her letter, the sooner she earns her marble, and the sooner she earns her marble, the sooner we can have a party! And the sooner we have that party, the sooner she can go on to her next lesson!”

“You... you have that much faith and hope that I can write a decent enough letter to the Princess, Pinkie?” Heartbreak asked before letting out an unprovoked snickering! “Gah! My neck! Sam! Stop it!”

“I believe that you can!” Pinkie beamed, nodding her head. “So you bet I do!”

“Ah hate bein’ the Neighative Nelly here, but ya do have somethin’ ta write ta the Princess?” Applejack asked.

Heartbreak watched in a bit of detached fascination as her new companion raced down her back and then returned to her mane, racing up her spine. She held out her lilac plastered leg and let him camper its length before turning back and jumping into the nest of her mane. “Huh?”

“Ah said-”

“Oh... Yeah, do I have a lesson...” Heartbreak felt tiny paws on her cheek and with bright shines in her eyes, tilted her head against the tiny body they belonged to. “I definitely have a lesson in mind.”

=========

My kitchen is buzzing with activity as I’m letting Pinkie use it for this month’s ‘chocolate surprise’.

Which, I mean, alright, thank you Pinkie and Applejack for having that much belief that I can actually write up a good lesson from everything that has happened here.

There’s a sudden crash from downstairs and I peek my head out the door of my guest room.

“Everything alright down there?” I call out uneasily.

“Yupperunies!” Pinkie echoes out.

“Ya dun’t worry yer head none too much about what we’re doin’ there now, sugarcube! Just get ta writin’ that there letter!” Applejack hollers out.

“Okie, dokie, lokie, artichokies...” I ease back into the room and set my rump down on a red throw pillow at a small old school style desk. Sam has taken residence on the corner and is looking up at me with wide curious eyes.

“You're wondering what I’m doing there... Sam?” G... Gosh, it’s... so strange... just maybe a half hour ago, I thought every animal in... Equestria wanted nothing more than to either run screaming from my mere existence or to rip me to many tan and red pony flesh ribbons, or both.

But... here I am, talking face to face with a fuzzy, furry, lit-

Sam is holding up my mechanical pencil and a clean sheet of writing paper above his head.

“Heh-Ha! Aren’t you just full of little surprises? Yeah, I’m writing a letter... to the Princess So that I can have a continued existence here in Equestria...” No need to tell him the full truth, right?

Plucking the pencil from my new rat buddy, I slip it into my hoof hole as Sam neatly drops the paper onto the desk.

I stare at the blank page before me, think about opening that dirty window... Ugh, I’m procrastinating, I have a lesson that’s so close that I can almost taste it!

But what if it’s not good enough? A tiny voice in my head squeaks.

No, idiot. Remember what zebra butt said?

‘You had a hole drilled through your hoof, just to find the truth. You can make no mistakes and everything can still end with heartbreak.’

What a strange way of saying-

I feel a tiny paw on my fetlock area... Sam is looking up at me expectantly as if to say ‘ It’s alright’ or maybe that I should just start writing.

Deep breath, tap the pencil button, zzzt!, apply pencil to paper, release the inhibitions.

=========

“Dear Princess Celestia,

This month was spent with Fluttershy learning about her element: Kindness.

It all started out with her taking me to the hospital, (one too many times this week) and then making sure that I got well after getting a much needed vaccination.

During that time, Fluttershy explained to me what kindness meant to her; which is putting others' needs before her own.

Which, granted, could be an aspect of this element, but it just felt... incomplete.

Maybe those feelings came from a place of selfishness, as in I didn’t want the lesson to be over so quickly and for Fluttershy to leave so soon, or maybe they came from some part of me wanting to write you a letter that actually sounded genuine, or both, I’m not sure.

What I am sure of is the lesson about this Element of Harmony. A lesson that I feel I could have not learned had it not been for all the painful events that were perpetuated by one small white bunny rabbit.

That lesson being where genuine kindness originates. I could give a vague sappy answer like ‘the heart’. Other ponies tried to give their council on what kindness meant to them, (as Fluttershy was looking for advice throughout all this.)

Rarity felt that Fluttershy attempting to introduce me to the animals would somehow teach me kindness as if learning to take care of some creature would help me learn the element.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash felt that providing me with good food and exercise would somehow teach me kindness because it would show me the ways that they could care for somep-pony else.
Pinkie Pie, due to the fact that many of these lessons resulted in me ending up in the hospital, attempted to teach a lesson about how one kind deed can inspire others to do their own kind deeds by helping me keep a promise to a little orphan filly named Cream Puff.

However, with everything that’s happened, I believe it to be much more.

I don’t think kindness comes from just showing what things can be kind. It doesn’t come from showing the ways that you can care. Kindness doesn’t just come from putting others' needs before your own, it might seem like a kind thing, but it ignores the p-pony that might need the most kindness: yourself.

With everything that’s happened, I feel that kindness, whether in thought or action, comes out of empathy and compassion.

Being able to empathize with another’s pain, because you, yourself have been where they have been, to know what it’s like to feel alone and ostracized because of who you are, what your name is, or how others treat you, to feel that and then be spurned by that empathy into acts of compassion and care. That’s where I feel it comes from.

I also feel that the Elements of Harmony are not bound to just ponies, but are in all creatures, big and small, and that kindness can come from anywhere and to anypony, especially the pony that is hardest to give it to and the one who needs it the most.

That pony again, being yourself.

Thankfully, despite the curses set up on me,I won’t have to be alone in this endeavor, as I have found the one animal in all of Equestria that will help remind me to show that pony more small kindnesses.

Sincerely signed,

A pony named Heartbreak (H.B.)

And a rat named Sam.

=========

Heartbreak pushed her glasses up and inspected her work. She bit her lip and took a deep breath.

“What do you think, Sam?” she asked, presenting the full page of script to the small brown rodent friend.

Sam put a thoughtful claw to his little ratty buck teeth, raised a single finger before scampering up a shelf, and upon returning, held an inkwell pressed against his fluffy chest. He then proceeded to unscrew the top, dunk his paw in ever slightly and slapped a paw print to the right and almost under his name on the letter.

“Your seal of approval, I take it?” Heartbreak asked, covering her mouth to guard a giggle.

Sam squeaked and nodded rubbing his stained paw on an errant tissue, an odd reminder of where this started from that still needed disposing of.

Heartbreak found herself smiling to the point where the corners of her mouth twitched. “I’m sure the Princess will appreciate your... contribution.” She turned and stood up about to pick up the letter when Sam snatched it up in his teeth before jumping into his pony’s mane. “Trying to prove your worth?” she asked.

Sam only made what H.B. could guess where happy little chitter noises.

“Fair enough,” she replied, pretending to know what the rodenty rapscallion rote at her as she walked out of the room. She paused at the top of the stairs, turned around, and finally walked backwards down them. “Really gotta talk to Hammer and Nail about that pony elevator...” she muttered.

Applejack popped her head out of the kitchen. “Ya dun already?” she asked.

“Eeeeyup.” Heartbreak Big Mac’ed. “But I wanna run it by Fluttershy, on account that she’s my teacher and all. Just wouldn’t feel right if I went and chucked it into the fireplace without her.”

“Ah get’cha... Hey, ya mind if Pinkie an’ I read it with her? On account that all of us had a hoof in yer lesson?” Applejack asked.

“I don’t see why not. Go get the Pinkster and meet us in the greenhouse,” Heartbreak said, turning into the living room and tapping on the greenhouse door.

Fluttershy cautiously opened it. “Oh, are you done already?” she asked before turning her head. “You’re doing a good job, Angel. Keep working, momma’s going to be right back.”

“Yeah, I think so, but... I still want you to give it a look over... I mean, if you want to, that is...” H.B. sheepishly said, kicking her right forehoof on the hardwood floor.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Fluttershy asked. “Where is it?”

Heartbreak pointed up at Sam who held out the rolled letter in her mane.

“Oh, that’s very helpful of you, Sam!” Fluttershy said, delightfully smiling as she took the offered paper from the ‘companion animal’.

“Applejack and Pinkie want to read it alongside you...” Heartbreak said, rolling her perforated hoof in circles.

“That’s right!” Pinkie poinked as she pomphed out of the kitchen and zipped to where Fluttershy stood. “Oh! Oh! Oh! I've been waiting for this moment for almost a full decade!”

Heartbreak made a face. “So you keep saying. It’s only been a month, Pinkie.” she said, rolling her eyes.

“Nu uh! It’s been a very long time!” Pinkie protested.

“Since my last letter or since you had that sit?” Heartbreak asked, her face starting to twist.

“Since the last-”

“Simmer down there, Pinkie!” Applejack interjected. “Ah get that yer all excited an’ ya run on ‘Pinkie Time’, but ya don’t cha think H.B.’s had a hard enough day as it is?”

Pinkie looked a little saddened at the minor scolding, but decided that perhaps A.J. was right, after all there was a lesson to be read and the sooner this was read and sent the sooner there was a party to be had! “Yeah! You’re right!”

The two mares stood on either side of Fluttershy and began to read.

=========

I dare not look at their faces as they read this hodgepodge of pseudo intellectual quasi-philosophical musings about something that is at the very lore of the magic that runs the land of Equestria.

After a bit, I can’t help myself! I need to see! I’m terrified. What if my words aren’t right? What if my ideas aren’t conveyed properly? What if my grammar and spelling are terrible?! What if I can’t figure out which words I’m meant to capitalize in the sentence?!

Drilled a hole through your hoof, just to find the truth, that you can make no mistakes, and everything can still end in Heartbreak. Goth Bunny echoes.

‘You have to get your final word in all of this, don’t y-’ I feel tiny claws from tiny paws on my cheek, Sam is pointing at the three girls before me.

The looks on their faces says everything.

Pinkie almost instantly is at my side and ugh-hugging me. “That was so beautiful, H.B. and totally worth the nearly two-hundred and fifty k word wait!!”

“Ya... ya certainly have a way with words there, H.B.!” Applejack chimes in. She’s not a sudden pony water works, but she does sound more than a bit choked up. “Ah reckon that the Princess would be a plump dog on foal if she were ta go an’ reject this letter!” She says joining Pinkie in the hug-a-thon.

Fluttershy is really quiet and panic is starting to nag me.

“Fet, it wasn’t too little or too long was it? I know I didn’t cover everything that happened, cause if I did the letter would be-”

Fluttershy drifts over to me letter in hoof and joins in on the pony embracing. “No, that was just... right...” she says.

“Thank you...” I wanna tell them to stop... or at the very least a part of me does. The other part of me is feeling... all so warm about this and like a phone alarm that I just want to hit snooze over and over when it starts its noise...

Then, I feel a small burning on my flanks.

“Alright, girls! Enough of that!” They give me a little hurt expression. “I’m not used to that much touch... and besides...” I eye my backside. “I don’t need any of you accidently... ya know.”

The realization of what I’m implying washes over them and they all pull back.

The only one still giving me affection is Sam and... I’m ok with that.

“Alright girls... You three... Uhm...” Good Gaia, why am I being so awkward about this?

That’s just you being you.

“There’s just one more pony to read this...” I tentatively look up at the hourglass upon that high shelf. Maybe that’s not the best place for it, but I just can’t stand looking at that reminder of... what I could possibly lose based on what feels like such a fickle thing.

“I’ll get it...” Fluttershy says as she gives a flap of her wings to float up and gently pluck the timepiece that peers at me from its perch.

“Careful now, Sugarcube...” Applejack unnecessarily cautions.

Fluttershy gives her a knowing but side eye glance, as if to silently say ‘I’m Fluttershy, I’m always careful’. A part of me wants to remind her of the past week, but I remind that part that that was all the doing of the little white demon pretending to be a rabbit in the other room.

With the tapping of wood, the rolling of marbles, and the smallest tink-tink of said spheres on glass as Fluttershy sets the literal embodiment of my time on the table, I walk over to the fireplace.

“Aren’t we going to get Spike?” Pinkie asks.

“Yeah, ya sure this thing can send somethin’ all the way ta Canterlot?” Applejack asks.

“It should, Slide Ruler sent me some sort of special log to burn in it which I somehow managed to burn before I got all sick,” I explain. Sam has grabbed my letter and is holding it in my mane. I push the button on the fireplace and it ignites with a whoosh of green-blue fire. “Plus I tested it with a letter to Dib in Hoofthorn. I did get a little note back from him but not a full letter...”

Pinkie sniffs the air. “Hmm, that smells a little like retcon...”

“I don’t know what that means, and I’m not going to ask.” Alright. Deep breath... Here we g-

Just then, there’s a knock at my door that startles the fet out of me.

“Now who in tarnation could that be?” Applejack drawls... going to the door. I suddenly feel hesitant sending the letter if she’s not right there and if it’s just some random pony at the door.

“Howdy, Missus Applejack, Ma’am, fancy seein’ ya here! Is H.B. home? Ah brought ya all snacks for the party!”

“Hey! Back off, you weird... plant things!” Says an accompanying recognizable voice.

“Shoo-shoo you two!” Cream Puff says gently. “Ah brought Spike along too!”

=========

“Howdy yerself there, Cream Puff!” Applejack said with a warm welcome. “She is, though... We're kinda in the middle of somethin’.”

“Is it that there letter sendin’ ta the Princess?” Cream Puff asked, her eyes wide with curiosity as one hoof seemed to absently petting a snapdragon head. “Ah didn’t miss it, did ah?”

Spike looked over the filly’s shoulder just as curious as the others. “You... know about... the letters?” He asked pensively

“How’d you-” Applejack began.

Heartbreak appeared in the door. “Huh, speak of the dragon and he’ll appear.” she quipped before pushing up her glasses. “It’s alright, A.J. She knows about this.” She took a deep breath and looked over her glasses at the two mostly pink and some yellow pastel ponies. “Right, girls?”

Fluttershy hum and hawed while giving an awkward laugh.

“No, you didn’t miss it, Cream Puff, in fact you’re just in time...” Heartbreak said, pointing up at the curled up letter seemingly stuck to her mane.

“Land o’ lakes, how ya doin’ that? Ya dun’t need a brushin’ do ya? Cause ma Ma tau-”

Just then, a little yellow-eyed ratty face popped out of the curly brown nest, showing that it was he that was holding on to the letter the whole time!

Cream Puff let out a squeak and jumped back! “What in the holy ginger snaps?! Is that a rat?”

Heartbreak smirked. “Not just any rat. Allow me to introduce you to Sam. He’s my... new companion helper rat.” She looked at the little face and almost with some hesitation, nuzzled it. “He’s a bit of a hero and helped me figure out this lesson, speaking of which...”

She started to walk away only to pause and look at the little filly who seemed statued in place.

“Aren’t you coming?” H.B. asked, tilting her head.

Cream Puff looked up with her eyes wide. ‘Ya want me here?” she asked.

“... Yeah, I don’t see why not. I mean you did... help with the lesson too. Besides,” Heartbreak’s smile wavered as she turned back to the living room, that balefire in her hearth still burning. “Methinks that I need all the emotional support that I can get today...”

“Come on Spike!” Cream Puff said to the little dragon as he pulled in a cart of various sweets and treats. “Are ya needin’ support cause yer worried about not bein’ able ta stay in Equestria?” she innocently asked as she passed the threshold.

The ponies quietly side-eyed each other, giving uncomfortable smiles in hopes that the little question factory wouldn’t be producing any more prodding inquiries.

Heartbreak was quiet for a moment. “Yeah.” her voice crackled as she once again stood before the fire. She pushed up her glasses hesitantly fidgeting. Drawing out the movement in a procrastinated, pregnant awkwardness.

“Ya want that one of us ta do it, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked, bursting the quiet.

“No!” Heartbreak yelped. “I... I mean, I... “ she jumped a little and something grasped her casted foreleg. Looking down she saw Cream Puff.

“Ya got this, H.B.!” she happily encouraged.

Pinkie, Applejack, and Fluttershy stood near, each giving a look of support with Fluttershy putting a wing on H.B.’s back.

“Al..Alright... Let’s do this. ” The tan mare said with shaky breath.

“Wait!” Spike claimed before he zipped up looking rather pensive. “Would you... like me to make a copy of the letter? Like last time?” he asked, hoping to be of some use in all this.

Heartbreak smiled and nodded. “Yeah, sure. It won’t take too long right?”

Spike puffed his little chest up. “Not at all!” he said, taking out a quill and paper from his scales. “I mean, you are talking to me, Twilight’s assistant! I was practically born for note taking!”

“I thought you were born because Twilight zapped your egg...” Heartbreak said, a goofy smile forming on her face. She was met with pleading dragon eyes that only seemed to beg to be a part of what was happening somehow. “Apologies... Yes, you can make a copy before we send it out.” she nudged Sam, who reluctantly unrolled the letter, holding it up in his teeth for Spike to copy from. “It’s a good idea anyway.”

After several back and forths, head bobs, a quill tapping a few words, and Spike quietly mouthing out the letter as he read and wrote down the contents, he gleefully smiled and raised his writing implement.

“All done!” He declared.

Heartbreak gave a small, tired giggle. “Thank you, Spike.” She said, “Alright, now, where were we? Oh right.” She glanced at her newly acquired animal friend. “Sam? Throw the letter.” She said, lowering her face close to the flames.

Sam seemed confused at first, but then quickly rerolled the letter and proceeded to parkour his way to his pony’s snoot, from which he cabertossed the rolled-up letter into the hearth.

The paper floated among the emerald and azure flames, before unfurling. It seemed to sparkle away, leaving behind rows of black lettered words that spiraled up and vanished in a burst of magic that trailed up the chimney.

Out the window, Heartbreak could see the smoke cloud that carried her very thoughts and literal hopes and dreams off to Canterlot Castle.

“Now what?” Cream Puff asked looking up.

Heartbreak turned and looked at the hourglass. Eight red marbles above and three white down below.

Who would be joining them?

An eternity within a moment passed before the metallic iris that separated the two halves opened and closed, unleashing a singular red drop...

A red drop that seemed to pause mid-fall and shed its blood stained coat in a magical shimmering that left it white!

Despite her leg set in a cast, Cream Puff could feel Heartbreak melting beside her, a steady stream of quaking, soundless sobs emanating from her being.

“Ya okay there, H.B.?” the filly asked.

Heartbreak nodded, a few more tears managing to escape confinement. “Y-yeah,” she replied, trying not to blubber. “I’m just really, really, really, really-” Just then, Sam scuttled his way back to his pony’s cheek, nuzzling and kissing away the dampness.

‘Sam Rat will have his work cut out for him if his pony is like this much of the time...” He squeaked, only to get a baffled, though grateful look from Heartbreak.

“Really happy and relieved...” she said, closing her eyes, tilting her face in the rodent’s direction in order to show her gratitude.

Cream Puff couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy over this small critter getting more affection in what was obviously a very important moment, so she hugged the leg she was latched to a little tighter. “That’s really great there, H.B.!”

Heartbreak smiled and patted Cream Puff on the head. “Yup, now we just have to keep going till next month.”

“Eeeyup! When Ah’m sure as sugar, ya’all be able ta wow the Princess with another letter!” Applejack said encouragingly.

“Yeah...” Heartbreak replied, her voice a little distant. “We’ll see when that time comes.”

“I’m sure you’ll be able to do it, H.B.!” Pinkie beamed. “Otherwise this isn’t my little Hear-” just then, the musical ding of a kitchen timer interrupted the Pie. “Ope! The chocolate surprise is done!”

=========

That was more intense than I expected.

“Ya okay there, H.B.?” Cream Puff asked, chocolate cake crumbs decorating her muzzle.

“Y-yea, I’m good,” Sam is up at home in my mane, I can feel his little paws moving the hair about, turning what already is one rat’s nest into another rats nest. A proper rats’ nest perhaps. “I’m just processing... everything, that’s happened I guess. There were times that I didn’t think I would get to this point...”

“Me neither!” Pinkie pipes lining up profiteroles in a line on what I think is a fabric ruler, only to propel them into the air before catching them one by one in her mouth. “But now that we made it here, what’s next?” she says, munching on puff pastries, cream, and chocolate.

“I guess I'll just keep going till next month and see what lesson awaits me there. Ya know... Like I said before...” I think I said that just not too long ago. Whatever.

“What about that songbook that Pip and I suggested ya write?” Cream Puff asks.

“I... don’t see why I can ‘t do that as well...” Sam pops out from his hidey-hole in my mane and spies some of the various treats on the table. He then scampers over to some lemony looking cookies only to be stopped by Fluttershy.

“I’m sorry, Sam, but rats shouldn’t have citrus or high levels of it... I have some animal treats for you though!” Fluttershy sounds more like... well... Fluttershy!

“Guess that I’m now a pet owner...” Sam turns and gives me such a look while holding his little arms a bow in a look that I’m sure he thinks is intimidating... but... it’s actually... kinda... cute... “Excuse me, a p-pony with a companion animal.”

Sam crosses those little arms and nods, before getting distracted by the little white bean looking thing that Fluttershy fished out of her saddlebags.

“I’m going to have to learn as much as I can about the little... chaos potato...”

Fluttershy looks confused for a moment then she giggles at my description of Sam. “Just as long as you aren’t pushing yourself and focusing on resting and healing...”

“Are those your orders or your advice, Nurse Fluttershy?” I smirk and watch in delight as Sam takes a treat, nibbles it, takes a few more, and then scurries back into my mane.

“Yes.” Fluttershy says in an almost assertive tone. She then covers her mouth and ‘eeps’, her ears drooping a little while she looks away. “I mean, if that’s alright with you...”

=========

Heartbreak chuckled. “After everything that’s happened, I can’t think of anything more that I’d like to do...”

Just then, the grandstallion clock began to chime the hour, a playful series of notes followed by six baritone bongs.

“Six o’clock already!?” Cream Puff lamented, sighing before finishing her cake and drink. “Ah guess Ah best be headn’ back ta the orphanage...” She put on a pleading face. “Ah mean, unless ah could stay the night...”

Heartbreak looked thoughtful. “Ya know what? Fet it, why not?”

“Ah understand, Ah best be- wait, what? Really?!” Cream Puff bewilderedly gasped, hopping in place on the couch in disbelief.

“Really?!” Applejack asked, tilting her head, just as wide-eyed.

Really?” Fluttershy echoed with concern.

“Really, really, really?!” Pinkie chimed in.

“Yeah, really. It would be a good idea for some p-pony here with me for one night...” Heartbreak said before looking at Cream Puff. “As long as you’re willing to follow all my house rules, one of them being that you’re not allowed in my room after I fall asleep...”

“Aw... alright, but what are we gonna tell Missus Hayneighan?”

H.B. took a deep breath. “Well...” she began. “If Missus Hay-neigh-han has a problem with it, then she can drag her backside down to my house and we can have a kind word about why I’m not comfortable with a little filly traveling this close to the Everfree this late at night, and how generous I’m being offering said filly a room for the night and if that doesn’t work, then I will have to introduce her to my very hard hoof.”

“Ya really would really do that fer me, H.B.?” Cream Puff asked, tears welling in her eyes.

Heartbreak fell silent for a moment and then nodded. “Yeah, in fact, if any of your fffriends at the orphanage need a night away, you could bring along with you...” she said contemplatively.

“Oh... Really?” Cream Puff asked hesitantly before looking at her forehooves.

“I mean, only if you think they want to...” she pushed up her glasses. “With the way that you’ve described Hay-neigh-han, I can’t imagine that anyp-pony would like being around her...”

“Ah... suppose yer right... Ah can’t make any promises.” she said, looking back up at the tan mare. “But ah can ask them an’ see what they think.”

Heartbreak beamed. “Great! For now, the bed in the guestroom is yours for tonight.”

“The whole bed?” Cream Puff asked, her eyes lighting back up as soon as she got a nod of affirmation from H.B. “Aw, sweet pea-can pie! Even with what happened in the hospital, taday’s been the best day ever!”

=========

Fluttershy entered the twilight-lit greenhouse where Angel busily toiled through the soil. He paused when he saw his pony, anxiously he awaited her assessment.

She inspected the furrows and hills and nodded approvingly. “Good job, Angel,” she said, trying not to bely any of the turmoil of emotions that were brewing and bubbling at the surface. “You really hurt me, Angel.”

Angel’s ears drooped down and he looked at the ground.

Fluttershy took a deep breath. “But, H.B. thinks I should forgive you, so... I’m going to, however... you’re... you’re...” She bit her lip and took a breath. “You’re going to be grounded for a while...”

Angel grunted disheartenedly.

“And... you’re going to wear a collar...” she added, her words pained as he spoke them.

Angel’s mouth dropped and his paws reached to his neck. Grounding was one thing, he could still operate while being grounded, but if the other rabbits in the wild were to see him with one... “For how long, will I, Angel Bunny have to wear one?!”

“Until I say so...” Fluttershy replied, closing her eyes tearfully. “I know how you’re reacting to H.B. isn’t completely your fault, but what you did... even if it was out of love, it was not the right thing to do.”

Angel was about to protest when a black slithery tendril snaked its way into the greenhouse...

Without hesitation, he quickly dove into Fluttershy’s saddlebags to seek shelter until the monster had passed or better yet, for his pony to gain some sense and leave this spider and rat infested nest!

“Hey, Flutterssshy-”

=========

“-how are things going?” Heartbreak asked, assessing the terrace. “Oh wow, Angel did a really good job,” she said. “Uhm... really good tilling... I think... I know, like nothing about actual gardening, speaking of, Sir McFluffs A-Lot... is he still here?” She looked around uneasily.

“Yes... but he’s hiding...” Fluttershy replied, she could feel sudden movement on her side as her pet opened and closed the flap of her bags.

“A.J. and Pinkie have headed out, taking Spike with them. Pinkie said something about a library sleepover, I wasn’t really paying attention.” She tapped her good hoof on the ground. “It was really nice of them to help put away leftovers... Even with Sam’s help... that would have taken me forever...” Heartbreak said, rubbing the back of her neck with her right forehoof, she noted how it still felt a bit numb... but not cold. “Cream Puff is upstairs... I’m sure she wants me to read her one of those ‘Heartshine’ stories or something...”

Fluttershy nodded and then looked at Heartbreak. “It’s really nice that you’re doing that H.B...”

“I sense a ‘but’ coming...”

“But... are you sure it’s a good idea? What with what happened last time...” Fluttershy fretted.

“I hear ya, but...” H.B. took a deep breath. “It’ll be different this time. I’ve got rules in place, Sam here to alert me if something’s amiss, and due to Pinkie, plenty of chocolate if things do go awry.”

“Are you sure that you’ll be alright? That-”

“I know this seems a little out of character, but...” She pushed up her glasses. “I've earned four of my eleven marbles, I’ve got seven more to go. I’ve learned lessons involving magic, honesty, generosity, and now kindness.” H.B. looked at Fluttershy. “Like I said before, what’s the point of these lessons if I don’t at least try to integrate... implement... one of those two... or maybe both, whatever, I don’t try to use what I’ve learned?”

Fluttershy found herself at a loss of words.

As the last golden vestiges of twilight vanished and the shadowy night took over only one question dared leave her lips.

“Aren’t you scared?”

Heartbreak further into her garden. “Terrified...” she answered as she mused over the endless potential of things that could be grown, even this late in the season.

Sam came out of hiding and clambered atop his pony’s shoulder. Whuffling and chittering about something H.B. couldn’t quite understand just yet.

“But... as sappy as it sounds, I’ve been terrified of literally everything that happened to be all week, and...” H.B. choked up. “And whether I knew it or not...” She pressed her cheek against Sam. “When those terrifying parts were over and I opened my eyes, you were all still there trying to help me.”

“Oh... H.B....”

“It gives me hope... I think... as long as there are ponies... and creatures who care... there’s hope.” Heartbreak sniffed. “I’m gonna stop now, I’m not used to feeling this much.”

Just then, in the darkness, countless little red eyes began to shine... with a group of eight dangling from the ceiling and falling till it met face to face with the broken hearted tan mare who after a small jump, smiled in realizing what and more importantly who it was.

“Oh, hello Lucas...” she said, offering up her free forehoof to climb on. “Glad you could-” she stopped and felt something curling its way around the stiffened casted leg. Looking to its source, glowing blue-green snapdragon’s heads on a long vine, they nuzzled Heartbreak’s chin. “Somep-pony feeling left out?” she asked.

Sam, feeling a bit overcrowded, scurried up to his pony’s mane and sat atop her head.

“Ha...I-” H.B. looked up.

In the clear, clean, night sky, away from any city light pollution, a field of bright beautiful blue stars twinkled. In the middle of those stars, one in particular twinkled with an indigo light for a moment.

“Yeah... I... I’m pretty sure that despite being scared, everything’s going to be alright... for now...” She said before slowly turning her head to Fluttershy. “Look at me still talking when you have animals to take care of back home. You have a good night, Flutters.”

Fluttershy smiled and nodded. “And you’re sure you’ll be alright?” She asked once more before turning to the greenhouse garden door.

“Yeah...” H.B. replied, looking back up at the scattering of sapphire lights in the sky. “Just remember to close the front door on your way out...”

“I will... Have a good night, H.B...”

“You too, Fluttershy...”

The yellow pegasus hovered at the greenhouse door for a few moments longer. Hoping... believing that a change had taken place for the pony named Heartbreak.

‘It’s almost like she’s a brand new pony... Oh, Angel. I wish you could see her the way I do... Like... Like she hadn’t fallen from the sky, tears of sadness in her eyes... but tears of hope, joy, and wonder. Oh... it feels like she’s falling for the first time.’ Fluttershy thought to herself as she left H.B. to her enchanted star viewing...

The End…

Author's Note

And all that's left of this book is a little epilog that I'm putting together. I hope to get that done within the week. I'll add it to this book of course. The book's ending song is right here for you all.
Chapter art is here
Also, thank you Scared Ghost and Thepsychopath and to all my editors over the years.