I looked down on Ponyville from my usual perch with my 'friends'. Just like most other crows all they wanted to do was fly around looking for food and play bomber. Apparently they couldn't do either without me because of how often they ask me to join them. Doing boring things with boring birds isn't how I like to go about my day so I gave them the answer I always do and flew off towards Ponyville.
I find ponies infinitely more interesting than my fellow birdbrains. Don't get me wrong, I don't think ponies can't be boring either, but everywhere I look there's so much diversity. Their colors, their personalities, their marks, each one is unique and different from one another. Even when two are like-minded they can disagree on so many things. That's what I love about them, their uniqueness is what fascinates me. All my life I've lived in a word where everyone looks the same, feels the same, wants all the same things, and they call me weird for wanting more. I must be some kind of mutant, a freak of nature, if that's supposed to be the norm for me.
I landed on my favorite perch in the town. It's not the tallest building, not really the most comfortable either, but it right at the center. It seems to be the one building that the community is based around, a crossroads of sorts. I learned that if you want to watch ponies there's no better spot.
From here I can see all sorts of things. Above are usually winged ones that move around clouds, socialize, go about their business. They pay me no mind and I do the same for them, the ground is much more interesting anyways. One area has booths where ponies trade shiny things for food. Another area has lots of buildings with signs in front of them. I can never see what goes on inside them but ponies usually leave those buildings with more than what they came in with. I'd like to think I'm smart for a crow, I figure if they trade those shiny things for food they must also trade them for other stuff too.
I watched down on them for a while, noting their appearances. I remember a lot of them from their appearance. There's a game I like to play where I try to figure out which building is the most important based on how many regulars it gets. There was one pony that caught my eye, it wasn't behaving like most other ponies where. It walked in front of a building and just looked at it for a bit looking unsure, at least I think that's what that look meant. Then It wandered aimlessly for a while and did the same thing in front of a different building.
It seemed like a strange thing to do so I decided to get a closer look at this pony. I followed it overhead and the next time it stopped I landed on the nearest lamp post. I know that older ponies have markings on their flanks, some are unique, others I've seen before all over the place. I noted that this one had a trio of butterflies as its mark, I wondered what it meant. From up close I could also tell that this pony is a mare.
I heard a loud popping come from the most recent building she was standing in front of. It didn't even make me flinch but apparently it was enough for the mare to squeal and run off at top speed. The more I saw the more interesting this one became, I wasn't going to let her get away. I took off after her, flying a bit lower than I should have. I know ponies can run fast but when scared this one was ridiculous.
I barely managed to keep up with her, my little heart was beating as fast as it could. This was pretty exciting, kind of like a high speed chase. Sometime I should see just how fast I can fly. She turned a corner and I followed at top speed. I was looking down at the mare so I didn't notice the sign in front of me until I crashed my wing right into it.
I spun out of control in pain. My wing felt broken so there was nowhere to go but down. In hindsight I probably shouldn't have flown so fast that low to the ground. Oh well nothing I could do about that now. I slammed into the ground right on my broken wing and screamed out in pain. My screams must have gotten the attention of the mare I was following because I herd her saying something in my direction but I barely noticed as my body went into shock. I could see my life flashing before my eyes as I was blacking out. It was at that moment I realized that my life sucked. Go figure.
I opened my eyes. Well that was unexpected. I felt sore all over, my wing was throbbing, but I was alive. I was in some kind of tiny basket with a blanket over me, it was uncomfortable as hell. I struggled to get out of my little bundle and onto my two feet. I seemed to have made enough noise to get the attention of whoever helped me out. It was her, the same one I was following.
"Oh thank goodness you're okay." She said to me
In addition to the throbbing I just noticed a pressure that was surrounding my broken wing. I turned my head to look at it and lifted it up to get a good look. It was wrapped in a bandage next to something solid, the whole thing looked like a makeshift wing brace.
"Your wing is broken, I did everything I could to set it."
I looked back up to the kind pony. I knew it was a useless gesture but I cawed in thanks.
"You're most certainly welcome."
Wait she can understand me? I asked her if she could and she nodded her head in recognition. I asked if all ponies could understand me.
"Oh no, I'm one of the only ones. I've always had a gift of understanding animals."
Well this was cool. If she can understand me then that means I can have a conversation with a pony. I asked her all sorts of things about the town, the shops, the money, the houses, decorations, all sorts of things. I talked with her about ponies, the different types, the their marks, how they have so much diversity. I could tell she didn't know much about those things, well except for their marks I guess. I told her about how i like to watch ponies from what was apparently the town hall. I told her about how I found her interesting enough to follow around for a bit and how I was silly enough to not pay attention to where I was flying. I then asked her the big question, why she was helping me.
"I heard you crying out in pain and when I saw you on the ground I couldn't just leave you there. I knew I just had to help, if not me then who else could nurse you poor thing back to health?"
I told her I don't like being referred to as a "poor thing" but that I'm grateful for such selfish kindness.
"Oh I'm sorry, well if you don't mind me saying so you're the most talkative crow I've ever met. Well actually you're the only crow I've ever met but If I met another one I bet you they wouldn't be as smart as you."
Well how about that, a pony calling me talkative AND smart. There where sounds coming from the door that got her attention, any further compliments would have to wait. It was then that I noticed a scowling rabbit has been watching us for probably most of our talk. He stomped towards me looking pretty angry. He stopped right in front of me with crossed arms and slowly tapping his foot. Oh boy.
I've never tried talking to a rabbit before so I don't know if he was mute or of rabbits can't talk but whatever the case he was trying to tell me something with body language. He snapped his arm at the mare talking to someone through the door then dug his thumb into his chest. He then pointed at me me, then back at the mare, and slowly drew his finger across his throat then made some other strange gestures. Now I could be wrong, and that's definitely a strong possibility, but I think he was trying to tell me that the mare was his and that if I tried to take her from him he'd slit my throat and sodomize me over and over.
I cawed at him telling him to piss off. I don't take threats from insecure over-sized rats jealous of others getting attention. He pointed two fingers at his eyes then one at me right as the mare turned around, her business finished. The thug of a rabbit quickly tried to look like he was trying to be all friendly with me. I don't think it worked.
"Now Angel, you need to learn to play nice with our new little friend."
Hey I'm not little! Okay maybe I am but I'm agile, like that one time I flew into a sign. At least I knew that rabbits name now. Angel smiled at the mare trying to look all innocent and even going so far as to put his arm over my shoulders to make it look like I was his buddy. That one either worked or was good enough for her.
"That's better. I'm going on a picnic with my friends so Angel you better be nice."
A picnic huh? She went to the kitchen to pack some things into a basket. I used my good wing to help me up onto a table to ask her if I could go with her, anything to spite Angel. Well I legitimately wanted to go with her but the spite was a bonus.
"Oh, no, you need to stay here and rest. I don't want you to strain yourself"
Strain myself? Bah I feel fine. Sure I'm a little sore but nothing I can't handle. I walked over to the door waiting for her to leave. After a few minutes she opened the door and gave me a look, pleading me to stay there. As if. I followed her, trying to keep up on my feet. Thankfully she's in no hurry. She turned her head and saw me tiring myself out trying to keep up with her measly pace.
"Please, you really need to rest. Please stay home."
She picked me up to carry me back to her cottage as I tried to reason with her. I told her that I was going to follow her one way or another so she can either feel bad as I try to follow her on foot or she can just accept it and carry me with her. She chose to accept it on one condition. She wanted to give me something that would make me easy to spot in case we got separated. Back at her cottage she got a bright red ribbon she tied around my neck. Well it was actually closer to my shoulders. Still I got to admit It looked pretty good on me. A but uncomfortable but I could get used to it.
I found a nice comfy spot in her mane that I nestled into as we left together. I looked back at the cottage where I saw Angel glaring at me through the window, sliding his finger across his throat.
Ponies are lucky, they don't even have to think about the things that others worry about every day. Things like finding enough food for yourself. Things like shelter and safety. I learned that with things like that secure it leaves a lot of time to enjoy yourself. That in fact having something to do with all your time is just as important as food and shelter. I thought about the things I talked about with this mare and it seems to me that most of Pony society is based entirely around finding things to fill up their free time.
Lucky for me the mare that, quite honestly, saved my life user her time to tend to all the injured critters no one else cares about. Now she's choosing to pass the time enjoying a warm and sunny day with others doing the same. I wonder what they would be doing if they weren't here
We approached a mostly open clearing that had a few trees here and there. We approached one tree that was shading a group of ponies and...is that a dragon? My...host? Driver? Friend? Yeah I'll go with friend, apologized to the group for being late. She seemed to think it was a bigger deal than it might have been because she was taking apologies to a whole new level.
"'Ain't no trouble Fluttershy. I'm more interested in that friend ya brought."
Fluttershy huh? She doesn't seem very shy to me. Then again maybe that's just around ponies...and she does seem to flutter a lot. This orange one I've seen in town all the time selling apples, guess that makes sense seeing as her mark is a bunch of apples. I guess I can call her Apple.
"Yeah what gives? This wasn't supposed to be a pet play day."
I looked at the blue one. Well really she was more cyan. Lets see, rainbow mane, rainbow tail, rainbow bolt mark...yeah I think I'll call her Rainbow.
"It's not? Then how come Twilight brought Spike?"
Ouch, that sounded like a low blow. That pink one is either a horrible insensitive pony or completely oblivious. What to call her...pink coat, pink mane, pink tail. Easy, Pinkie. I looked over to the dragon, who I guessed was spike on account of being...well...spiky. He was next to a purple one and looked like he was about to cry.
"He's not my pet Pinkie!", nailed it, "He's my assistant!"
I've seen this purple one before. I've seen her go in and out of this tree in town all the time. I think she's the only pony to live in a tree like me, I guess shes relatable in that respect. Now that I was seeing her up close I noticed that her mark's very...sparkly. I dub thee Sparkle.
"Twilight, you mustn't take Pinkie Pie so seriously."
The last member of the group was lounging in some ridiculously extravagant couch. Her mane was the only one that seemed styled, her cutie mark was gems...and the hat. My god that hat is huge. I can tell she even thinks she looks good in it. This pony is so prissy, a...Prissy Pants.
Pinkie suddenly appeared in my vision in a blur. I'm not going to even think about how she did that. I tilted my head at her and her head followed my tilt. I tilted the other way and again the same thing. For reasons even I don't understand I decided to click at her and she jumped back in fear shouting something about Predators. Me? A predator? Yeah right. Prissy Pants was right about not taking that one too seriously though.
Fluttershy spent some time explaining where I came from and how I insisted on coming with her. I spent a lot of the time in her hair but it got to the point where I'd be more comfortable just watching them from above. She objected of course. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense for a bird with a broken wing to be sitting in a tree tempting fate. I eventually convinced her that if I was in a tree she didn't have to worry about me going anywhere.
I really like Fluttershy but when it comes to ponies I feel more comfortable just watching. I was in my element watching down on them from the branches. It was interesting to see the dynamics of their group, I could tell they where really close friends, and that Fluttershy was happy with them.
It started to get late in the day and the group decided to go their separate ways before sunset. Overall it was a good day, I don't think I've been so happy before. When this wing finally heals I'd like to spend more time with my new friend. Maybe not sit in her hair everywhere she goes, but slowly follow her from above watching over her. I'd like to keep the ribbon too, so she always knows its me watching over her.
The following night I woke up with a pressure on my neck. It was hard to breathe but I wasn't suffocating either. I opened my eyes and saw a long white foot on my neck. I followed the foot up it's body to look right into the eyes of Angel the thug. I don't know what he was thinking right then but his face seemed to say 'I warned you.'
I felt the pressure increase and I heard a snap...that didn't sound good. I can't breathe now...somethings crushed. Is this finally it? Just when my life was becoming something good it gets snuffed out? I didn't think he'd actually do it. I should have cried out earlier but I think it's too late for me now. As darkness overcame me I could only think about everything that could have been...Fluttershy...
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The door creaked open as Rainbow Dash crept closer, not sure of what she should say. Fluttershy was crying huddled over the body of dead crow, stroking it with her wings, Angel comforting her with a mask of sadness. Rainbow took another step towards her friend.
"Fluttershy? Hey...It'll be okay. Come on it was just a stupid bird."
Fluttershy turned to the other pegasus teary-eyed and now angry. "He was not a stupid bird! He was smart and nice and...and..."
Rainbow Dash embraced her in the best hug she could manage. "I'm sorry...heck I'm no good at this stuff. I just meant...he's in a better place all is now."
Fluttershy just sobbed, muffled in Rainbow's warm embrace.
"Oh Rainbow I just don't know what to do. I really need a friend right now. I need...you."
She'd never admit it but Rainbow cried that day, cried for her hurt friend. Rainbow gently pushed her away to look her right in the eyes. "It's okay Fluttershy...I'm here for you."
Angel glared in contempt as the two looked into each others eyes. No one was going to take Fluttershy away from him.