The Huebirds of Happiness

While Fluttershy was busy introducing herself to the Huebirds, Angel continued pouting in place. While she knew that Fluttershy cared about her a lot, she hated how Fluttershy was easily distracted by all the other critters. Just today, Fluttershy insisted that her furs get neatly brushed. Angel recalled protesting Fluttershy’s insistence on brushing her furs…

“Oh Angel!” Fluttershy called out with excitement as she searched for her dear pet bunny. “Today you’re going to get your furs brushed! It’s been a while since I’ve gone out of my way to neaten them for you!” Angel hid underneath the couch, hoping that Fluttershy would see that she didn’t want her furs brushed since it was only two days since her last brushing. But her efforts to hide were for naught as Fluttershy peeked underneath her couch and proceeded to lift it upon seeing a small white patch.

“Oh there you are Angel! I need to make sure you’re looking real pretty and neat when Pinkie Pie visits us later today! Plus, you’re going to be hopping around a lot, so I want to make your furs extra neat for today!” Fluttershy then scooped Angel out of her hiding, much to the bunny’s annoyance. Fluttershy then carried Angel outside of her house, leaving Angel to wonder why Fluttershy didn’t perform the brushing on her favourite mini-couch. At least the couch gave her some comfort while Fluttershy pulled on her furs with her ever spiky brush!

“Normally, I’d be brushing your hair inside the house, and I know how much you like being brushed in your favourite couch.” Angel pouted and grunted, expressing her disdain at not giving her that staple comfort for brushing bunny furs. Fluttershy ignored the pouting and proceeded with her explanation. “But you need some fresh air while you’re being brushed! Just feel the wind flowing through you as I brush you with this brush!” Angel could only roll her eyes as Fluttershy finished her explanation with an exclamation and lifted her brush, ready to begin her brushing again…

Angel angrily stomped back to Fluttershy’s tree upon seeing that she was preoccupied with the Huebirds. When she entered her house, some of the birds and rodents began laughing at how silly Angel looked as a puffball. Angel lashed out angrily by jumping up and down. In an effort to make the other critters stop laughing at her puffy complexion, Angel jumped up and down as much as she could towards the mirror. The other critters began wondering why Angel was getting so riled up at a window, so they crowded around the window and looked outward to see Fluttershy with the strange bird creatures! The critters chattered among themselves as to what exactly those bird creatures were. All of them hoped that Fluttershy would explain soon enough…

Meanwhile, the twenty-five huebirds were led away from the road into Fluttershy’s humble abode. Once Fluttershy and the huebirds entered her home, all the critters began to gather around with curiosity and bewilderment in their faces. None of Fluttershy’s creatures saw such lanky, yet animated creatures before. Furthermore, the huebirds’ squawks weren’t that soothing to hear, so some of the other birds covered their ears, hoping that their squawking would stop. Making matters worse was how Noticing that some of her other critters were apprehensive about the huebirds, Fluttershy motioned for calm by gently waving her hooves. Once the critters stopped chattering and covering their ears, Fluttershy cleared her throat before she spoke soothingly,

“Hello everyone! I want to introduce you all to the Huebirds! You haven’t seen these creatures before because they’re not from Equestria!” The critters chattered amongst themselves again. The Huebirds were foreign creatures, and while it explained their awkward appearance, it didn’t explain how they arrived. Fluttershy quickly cleared her throat again and motion for calm with her hooves to calm the critters. Fluttershy then continued her introduction,

“Now I realize that none of you have ever seen a creature like this before. But all of the huebirds with us got sidetracked into the Everfree Forest from the main pack! Many of them perished in the Everfree Forest as well since they started as a group of two hundred…” The critters’ faces quickly turned into sympathy and grief as they settled down even further and began surrounding some of the huebirds, wondering how they got sidetracked.

“Now, with what the birds have gone through on their explorations of Equestria, I’ve offered to care for the huebirds until they get better. It shouldn’t be longer than two weeks before all their bruises heal and we can let them move forward on their journey.” The creatures, particularly Angel whose fur was still puffed outward, groaned, which forced Fluttershy to give off a stern pout to the critters. The critters quickly hushed down, and Fluttershy finished her speech.

“Good. I expect you all to give the creatures as much comfort and care as you can while I tend to them all. I know it means less time for the rest of you, but I need to make sure they’re fine before they move onward.” The critters nodded slowly, albeit disappointingly, as Fluttershy flew towards Angel. Angel pouted again and turned her head away from Fluttershy. Fluttershy, noticing that Angel was very cross, took out her brush and kindly whispered to Angel,

“Angel, I’m sorry for leaving you looking like a puffball. Although… you do look very cute as a puffball.” Fluttershy giggled as Angel huffed and thumped her foot to the wooden floorboards. Fluttershy composed herself before continuing with her apology,

“I know the Huebirds will take away some attention from me towards you Angel. I’m really sorry about that. But I have to care for all the creatures, both big and small, and these huebirds seem like nice creatures! Maybe you can befriend one of them while they’re here!” Fluttershy tried to offer a chance for Angel to be friends with the huebirds, but Angel continued to puff. Fluttershy then remembered that Angel still needed her hair brushed… Fluttershy took out her brush and then gave another offer:

“Oh Angel… I’ll brush your hair in your comfy chair from now on. I won’t even make you go anywhere else for your daily brushing. Plus, I’ll be sure to give you more deserts after your dinner while the huebirds are still here!” Fluttershy squeed at Angel, hoping that her offer would be enticing enough for Angel to take. Thankfully, Angel nodded and took the offer, albeit grudgingly. Fluttershy nodded happily before she took Angel to her comfy chair and continued brushing Angel’s hair…

“La, la-la! La, la-la, la, la!” Pinkie Pie hopped with a skip and a jump around Sugarcube Corner, getting ready to finish up her chores for the day. She had quite the busy day, even for her standards. She already took care of the store’s café for a few hours while Mr. Cake ran some errands for Pound and Pumpkin Cake’s baby supplies. She then prepared a chocolate-caramel birthday cake for Pipsqueak’s birthday party which was set for the next day and made plans for a Party Cannon Cake which would be filled with an assortment of flavours that not even Pinkie Pie knew the names for!

Despite all the activity she was working on, Pinkie Pie took merely a small huff and a puff before remembering that today was Gummy’s play day at Fluttershy’s home! She hopped over to Gummy who stood there with his scaly eyes remaining open the whole time Pinkie Pie jumped around doing all the Cake’s errands and then some. Pinkie Pie gave Gummy a light kiss on his cheek before she spoke energetically,

“Oh Gummy! You’re going to have a bumbletastic time at Fluttershy’s place! Fluttershy promised a wonderful tea party between the four of us, and YOUUUU get to see Angel today! Just let me finish cleaning up Sugarcube Corner by the time the Cakes get back right about…” Pinkie Pie then jumped around even more frantically as she swept the floors, washed the dishes, and rearranged all the glassware and baking equipment to their proper places. By the time she was done, Pinkie Pie heard the entrance to Sugarcube Corner swing open! Pinkie Pie then jostled back to Gummy and merely screamed,

“NOW!” The two ponies who entered Sugarcube Corner were stunned as usual by Pinkie Pie’s energetic demeanor. It was Mr. and Mrs. Cake! Sure the couple knew of Pinkie Pie’s energy and light-hearted nature, but they could never understand how she kept on having that energy day in, day out! The Cakes chuckled awkwardly before they asked Pinkie Pie,

“Sooo… Pinkie Pie, it seems you have everything under control here?” Mr. Carrot Cake then added: “And you made sure all the orders were done for today?” Pinkie Pie responded by bopping her head up and down to express her confirmation.

“Well that’s wonderful Pinkie Pie! It looks like you can head off to Fluttershy’s place now for your tea party!” Mrs. Cake responded with a warm smile. “We’ll take over things from here. Tell us how the tea party went, and say hi to Fluttershy for us!” Mrs. Cake added. Pinkie Pie then gave out a big smile before she responded with a hop, skip, and a jump,

“I sure will Mrs. Cake!” Pinkie Pie then rushed out the door, before realizing that she completely forgot to bring Gummy along! Pinkie Pie instantly rushed back in, calmly placed Gummy on her back with a big grin, giggled, and spoke cheekily,

“Silly me! I can’t forget Gummy!” Pinkie Pie then rushed out the door and calmly hopped towards Fluttershy’s home. The Cakes gave out a sheepish chuckle before they both said in unison,

“Oh that Pinkie Pie! Some things never change…”