The Incantation

“Um, excuse me?”

A sweet-sounding voice interrupted my sleep, and I awoke with a start.

A pale yellow pegasus mare stood just outside the coop, peeking her head in. Her face displayed concern and fear. Big turquoise eyes stared back at me. Her pink mane had a curl on the ends, with one part pushed behind her ear. The end was touching the ground due to it's length.

I stood up suddenly, which apparently startled her. She backed out, her fear growing. I really hoped she didn’t know me the way I thought she did.

“I’m sorry,” I said, slowly making my way out of the coop as she backed away once more. All the chickens had apparently fled the coop at some point while I was sleeping, and were now running around. “I…I didn’t have a place to stay, so I found your chicken coop and thought I’d stay here one night…”

As I finally got out and clambered down onto the dirt, she spoke again, and I was taken aback by the gentleness in her voice.

“You’re…homeless?” she asked incredulously. “I’m sorry. I-I had no idea…”

“No, I’m sorry for trespassing on your property and using your chicken coop without permission.” I went back to the coop and retrieved my saddlebag, putting it on. “It’s just – the Everfree Forest was bigger than I thought, and I just got out of it after two days of hiking through it alone. I was relieved to see homes, and also tired. I guess I should’ve asked before just sleeping here.” I gave her a quick nod. "I’ll just be on my way.” As I turned away, she stopped me.

“Wait!”

I paused and looked back at her. “Yes?”

She now looked more concerned than fearful. Even interested. “You went through the Everfree Forest for two days…alone?”

“Uh…well, yes.”

She trotted up to me, her eyes twinkling. “In that case, you must be so hungry and tired. W-would you come inside? I can make you something to eat, if you want.”

How could I say no? “Um, thanks. I’d appreciate it very much.”

She lightened up even more, all fear gone, in its place a bright, beautiful smile. “Great!” She turned and pranced off towards her house with me not far behind.

She opened the door and waved me in, closing the door behind me.

Obviously, she was an animal nut. Birdhouses, nests, bags of feed – the whole nine yards – were scattered all about her home, as far as I could see. This actually didn’t bother me. Neither did the animals scurrying around her home, either. Canterlot didn’t have a lot of animals, except those at the Royal Garden, so seeing these ones fascinated me. And other than that, her home was well kept. She was a mare, so this didn’t surprise me at all. They were usually very neat.

I followed her into the kitchen, which was not very big – about half the size of the living room. A white bunny was on the counter, mixing up something in a large salad bowl. He turned and watched me and the mare entered the kitchen.

“Hey, Angel bunny, we have a guest,” the mare told him.

The rabbit regarded me with a blank stare.

“Uh…hi,” I said.

The mare walked up closer to me – so close I could smell what I figured was whatever soap or shampoo she used to clean with. It smelled like lilac. Oh Celestia.

“Don’t mind him,” she said, lowering her voice so that I had to lean closer to hear her. “”He can be a grouch sometimes.” Then she smiled at me. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Emerald…Mist. And you?” I asked.

“Fluttershy,” she said shyly.

A pretty name, I thought. “Well…uh, nice to meet you Fluttershy. And thank you for being so kind as to let me into your home for a meal. You’re awfully nice. Nopony in Canterlot was nearly as nice. If you were homeless there, you were on your own.” I lowered my gaze to the floor in sudden sadness. “Or, at least, I was...”

“Oh, my. That’s terrible! I’m glad to help you. It’s no problem at all. You just make yourself right at home.” She turned to Angel. “Would you please get some soup going for Emerald, Angel?”

The rabbit nodded and did so.

Fluttershy turned and led me back into the living room, over to the couch. She sat on it, then motioned for me to come sit beside her.

"So, you used to live in Canterlot?" she asked curiously as I hopped up. "That must've been nice."

I rubbed my arm nervously. Why was this mare being so nice to me? "It was, until my parents...um, well...passed."

She gasped. "Oh, my that's terrible! I'm so sorry to hear that." It was genuine sympathy, something I rarely received.

I scratched the back of my head. "It's okay, I'm over it. I got over it months ago...I think," I replied. I didn't really want to get into a conversation about that subject, for obvious reasons. Besides, I'd end up giving her too much information about me, which could be used later if things fell apart.

"So, what made you want to move to Ponyville? If you don't mind me asking."

I struggled to come up with a story. "Well, after my parents died, things got tough. I lived in poverty for a while, and it got worse. Somepony robbed me, and I decided that that was the final straw. I hopped on a random train, which happened to be for here, and went on my way, with high hopes for starting a new life."

Fluttershy seemed very interested in my story. Maybe she never met anypony from Canterlot? "But why did you have to go through the Everfree Forest?" she asked.

Good question. "Oh, well, some rebellious teens threw me overboard. It was quite painful," I said, rubbing my wings tenderly. A petty lie, but it should suffice, given I have no imagination to come up with anything better.

"Goodness...I'm so sorry you had to go through all that."

I thanked her for caring. "By the way, would it be possible for me to clean up a little...?"

She got off the couch. "Of course. I'll get you a towel after your soup. I'll go check on it now." She went off into the kitchen.

Well, I hated to lie to her, I told myself bitterly. She's so kind and generous. Nothing like any mare I've ever met in Canterlot. They were just looking for a stallion with tons of money. Fluttershy seems so...innocent. I feel like we're friends already. The guilt of lying set in.

Fluttershy came back into the living room with a bowl of delicious-smelling soup. "Here you go. Fresh, hot soup." She handed it to me carefully.

I took a deep whiff of it. "Smells delightful. I can't believe a bunny made it."

"Oh, he learned the recipe from me," she said modestly. She started feeding some little woodland creatures with some food pellets she poured into a bowl on the floor.

I took a spoonful of heaven. "Well, I've never tasted anything better." And that wasn't a lie.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

I found myself watching her as she tended to the animals. She moved so methodically, so gracefully...I forced myself to go back to eating. Don't get yourself into more trouble, Casanova.

I finished the soup a few minutes later. With a dazzling smile, she gladly took the bowl into the kitchen. She returned and brought me a towel.

"The bathroom's up there," she said, pointing a hoof up stairs. "Take all the time you need." She gave me another friendly smile.

I will, I thought happily, returning the smile. I flew up and went into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. It was a modest little latrine. It made me wonder if she lived here alone.

The thought of her having somepony almost hurt. I had no idea. Maybe it was because she was so sweet. Maybe I'd be jealous. Nopony but her has ever shown me such kindness in one bout.

Yeah, I was jealous - if she had somepony.

I looked around the bathroom. It was butterfly-themed, which meant no stallion lived here. No stallion would tolerate such feminine décor.

I got in the shower and turned it on, enjoying the feeling of steaming hot water on my coat. My shower never got this hot. It felt amazing.

My thoughts somehow drifted back to Fluttershy as I stood there in the shower, soaping up. How could anypony be so nice, so openly kind and generous to a complete stranger? She has no idea who I am. I could be a criminal, a fugitive, for all she knew. But I'd lied to her, and for some reason, it bothered me. I've lied plenty in my day, but guilt never followed. It did now. I had no idea what was going on with my emotions and thoughts, but I decided to keep them to myself for now.

I finished and turned off the water. I almost didn't want to. The hot water felt so amazing...

I stepped out and nearly slipped as I reached for the towel. It was light yellow and smelled like flowers. It was probably her towel, now that I think about it. If she had anypony else living here - particularly a mate - why would she give me her towel instead of his?

Why does that even matter to me? I asked myself. Because I need a place to stay, that's why.

        I decided to immediately rule out any possibility of involving myself romantically with anypony during the course of this situation. Instead, I'll humble myself under her care and anypony else's, then be on my way when I'm able to and ready. No reason to put more responsibility upon myself.

         Still, the feeling of having swallowed stones plagued me. I still worried if she had a mate, but couldn't see why I should care.

But as I finished drying off and left the bathroom, I knew very well the real reason why.