It was just another beautiful day in Ponyville. Fluttershy was on her way to the train station, a saddle bag fashioned upon her back. It was yet again her monthly day off to herself. And she spent it, how else, but with a ticket going anywhere on the train. She had invited her friend Tree Hugger to accompany her, since it had been quite a while since they had spent any time together. And of course, it was always a treat to be around the perhaps too relaxed pony.
Finally she arrived at the train station, surprised to see her friend had already arrived. She was usually the fashionably late type, but Fluttershy chose not to question it. She trotted up to Tree Hugger, who immediately caught sight of her, “Ahh, Fluttershy, my gaia sent me a signal that I should be early.” Fluttershy giggled, “I see. Well it’s good to see that you made it either way. You brought the bits right?” Tree Hugger nodded, pulling a couple of bits from her own saddle bag and holding them out for Fluttershy to see. Fluttershy smiled and took a couple from her, “I knew I could count on you. Let’s get on then.”
The girls proceeded to pay for their tickets and board the train. Fluttershy read a book she had borrowed from Twilight while Tree Hugger stared out the window, enjoying the scenery. Finally the train stopped at what looked to be the middle of nowhere. Fluttershy was worried and went to the conductor, “Um...excuse me?” The conductor looked up in curiosity, “Yes? What is it?” Fluttershy gulped, not one to overstep her boundaries, “I know I bought two tickets to go anywhere but...um...there’s not even a station here. I don’t see anything for miles.” The conductor waved his hoof with a smile, “Oh you aren’t the first one. It’s simple, you just keep going out west and you’ll find a road. That should take you to the village.”
“The village?” Fluttershy questioned. But before she could get an answer, Tree Hugger intervened, “Shy, relax, gaia will guide us in the right direction. Now let’s get going before the train leaves again.” Fluttershy nodded and followed her friend off the train hesitantly. Tree Hugger took the lead, and much to Fluttershy’s surprised they managed to find the road the conductor had mentioned, “Wow Tree Hugger, you weren’t kidding.” Tree Hugger turned to look at her friend with the same grin she always bore, “Told ya, Shy. Now relax. This is a vacation. Loosen up a little.” Fluttershy giggled, “Well technically it’s just a day off, but sure. I’ll try and relax.”
The two friends kept on walking until they came across a small village that had very few houses. It was generous to call it a village, really. Quietly, they entered the village only to find dimly colored ponies with large grins on their faces. Tree Hugger looked around and kept her smile, “Wow, the vibe is pretty sweet. A sense of comradery with a dash of extreme peace. Gaia has guided us to a paradise unlike anything we’ve ever visited before.”
“They do seem pretty friendly looking. Strange about their cutie marks though…” Fluttershy noted, noticing they all bore equal signs for a cutie mark. Tree Hugger noticed this as well but shrugged, “Probably a big family that all does the same thing. Like the apples.” Fluttershy frowned, “Even then they all have cutie marks that differ in some way.” Suddenly, the ponies all stopped in their tracks and grinned at them almost eerily. As they passed each one they repeated the same word.
“Welcome!”
“Welcome…”
“Welcome.”
“Welcooome…”
Fluttershy smiled back at the faces that she passed, glancing at her friend once again, “They’re all so nice. It’s so lovely here.” Tree Hugger simply nodded, turning to the ponies staring at them as she stopped in her own tracks as well, “Greetings ponies. We are here to tour your merry little town here.” They all gasped, keeping their grins. Fluttershy couldn’t help but think about how adorable their reactions were. Much like a filly who got a present she always wanted. “We welcome you with open hooves!” A voice emerged behind them. Fluttershy and Tree Hugger turned around to see a pale blue unicorn grinning the same grin as he approached them. Fluttershy returned his smile, “Oh how wonderful! It’s so nice to meet such friendly folk.” The unicorn nodded as a white earth pony stood beside him, “What brings you to our wonderful town?” “Well,” Tree Hugger began, “We took a one way ticket anywhere on the train, and gaia lead us here to your lovely village. I have to say...I’m diggin’ the vibes here.” The unicorn’s grin grew bigger, if even possible, “Really? My name is Party Favor, and this here is my friend Double Diamond. What’re your names?” Fluttershy lifted her head, smiling cheerfully, “I’m Fluttershy, and this is my friend, Tree Hugger. If you don’t mind, we’d love to take a tour.” Double Diamond nodded, “Of course. I’m sure our founder wouldn’t mind showing you around a bit.”
Fluttershy and Tree Hugger glanced at each other, seeming confused, “Your...founder?” Party Favor nodded, “Why yes. Oh...that’s right. You still have your own unique cutie marks. No matter, I’m sure Miss Glimmer will take care of that too.” Fluttershy developed a small sense of uneasiness in the back of her head, but it was shrouded over by the stallion’s polite behavior, “Miss Glimmer? I’d love to hear more about her.” Fluttershy and Tree Hugger followed closely behind the two stallions as they lead them to a house at the end of the two rows of buildings that made up the village. They entered the home as the stallions knocked on the door, announcing their arrival. Shortly after they entered, a pink unicorn with a purple mane came out of her kitchen, smiling kindly as she said, “Welcome!” Fluttershy smiled, her uneasiness fading away though it was noticeable to begin with. “Hello, you must be Miss Glimmer,” Fluttershy guessed. The unicorn laughed a bit, “Oh please, there’s no need to be so formal. You can just call me Starlight. Welcome to our village. It’s been quite a while since we’ve received any visitors. How ever did you find us?” “Oh, we just took a one way ticket to anywhere. We took some directions and found our way here. I must say I’m already liking it here. It’s so friendly and nice. I wish everypony in Equestria was this welcoming,” Fluttershy admitted. Starlight let out another laugh, “Well, we’re happy to have you here. And it’d be my honor to help you girls experience true friendship for the first time.”
Fluttershy frowned at that, “True friendship? Well...gosh. I’m not sure if I know that exactly. But I’d be happy to learn about what you have in mind.” Starlight pat Fluttershy on the back, “That’s the spirit! Come on, I’ll show you around! I’m sure you’ve been wondering about our cutie marks, it’s the first thing everypony notices.” Fluttershy nodded, “I didn’t wanna be rude, but yeah. I was wondering.” Starlight scoffed, “Don’t be so modest. It’s perfectly fine to ask me any questions. Anyways, you see we don’t need to flaunt our special talents here because...we don’t have any special talents to flaunt. Here, allow me to show you.” The two mares quietly followed Starlight as the villagers all came out of their homes. The two were surprised to be treated with a song, and Fluttershy couldn’t help but bob her head happily as she watched the ponies dance. Tree Hugger herself slowly swayed her own head as she listened to the song. She found peace easily when listening to such things. Once the song was finished, Fluttershy clapped her hooves, “That was wonderful! But, if you don’t mind...I think I’ll stay the way I am. After all, I can’t say no to taking care of cute little critters.” Starlight held a look in her eyes that Tree Hugger sensed was...off. Though she kept the same rigorous smile on her face as she spoke, “That’s perfectly fine. Though I should warn you, nopony who’s ever come by has ever wanted to leave. You might be surprised. Hmm...could I interest you to stay the night?” Fluttershy’s ears perked up at the suggestion and she frowned, “Well gosh...I dunno. I’m only supposed to take a day off.” Tree Hugger smiled at her worried friend and pat her on the back, “Shy, don’t worry, we can always have Miss Glimmer send a letter over to Discord to tell ‘im we’ll be gone for another day. I’m sure he can take care of the animals just fine.”
“Well, I guess you’re right. Alright then. Where can we stay then? Do you have a motel or…?” Fluttershy asked, trying to be polite as possible. Starlight smiled, “Well, no, but I do have a room up in my home you could stay in. As for your friend, I believe there is one house that’s been vacant for a while now.” Tree Hugger nodded, “Alright then Shy, I’m gonna drop my stuff off there and meet you around town.” Fluttershy waved good bye to her friend as Party Favor lead her off. Starlight turned and raised her head, “Come on then, let’s get back my house, then I can take you to our cafe and show you around the library. How’s that sound?” Fluttershy grinned, “Oh that sounds wonderful. I like to read every now and again.”
“Alright then, let’s get to it!”
Strangely enough, Fluttershy didn’t see Tree Hugger for the remainder of the day, but shrugged it off as her just meditating or perhaps touring the yoga center they had. She went to bed late that night, kept up a bit by a book she had rented from the library. But she fell asleep before she could finish the chapter she had been trying to read before calling it a night and dreamt peacefully.
The next morning she awoke to Starlight knocking on her door, “Rise and shine Fluttershy! Today is a new day! And I’d love to show you a few more places before you head off!” Fluttershy smiled and sighed happily as she got up and brushed her mane. Once she was done she headed downstairs to find Starlight waiting for her in the kitchen, “Oh my, did you make me breakfast? You didn’t have to.” Starlight smiled, “Nonsense! You’re my guest here, Fluttershy. Now eat up, I’ll meet you at the cafe with your friend in a few minutes.” Fluttershy nodded and began eating the food Starlight had prepared for her. Once she was finished, she flew out towards the cafe, humming the tune the townsfolk had sung for them the day prior. She arrived at the cafe but found she might have arrived a little early. She was greeted by the same mare she met yesterday, Sugar Belle, and ordered three muffins. She waited a few minutes before she finally saw Starlight, “Oh, there you are. I was getting a little worried I’d have to eat the muffins I ordered myself.” Starlight giggled, “Sorry, Fluttershy. It turns out something happened to your friend overnight.” Fluttershy instantly became worried, “Oh no! Is it a cold? Blu Flu? Cutie Pox?!” Starlight patted Fluttershy’s shoulder gently, “Hey, hey, relax. None of those things. Why don’t you have a look for yourself?” Fluttershy looked up to see her friend trot up. However she looked a lot less colorful than usual, and she was even wearing a ponytail rather than her dreads completely down. At first Fluttershy wasn’t sure what was wrong with her friend, until she noticed her flank. In place of her cutie mark...was an equal sign. She trotted up to her friend half worried, half shocked, “Tree Hugger?” Tree Hugger nodded, “Hello Shy. Nice to see you out and about this wonderful morning.” “Oh my, this is so sudden. I didn’t think you’d be interested in joining the village so quickly.”
“Well, let’s just say I’ve been enlightened. It’s actually pretty sweet, you oughta try it Shy,” Tree Hugger mused, almost uncharacteristically. Fluttershy lowered her head, “Oh...I dunno. I mean, it’d be a little sudden for me to quit my job and move out of Ponyville. Away from all my friends...I mean I do like it here but-”
“But what?” Starlight asked, suddenly right beside Fluttershy.
“But...um...I don’t know if I’m really...ready...for this kind of commitment. I just met you all,” Fluttershy said, meekly. Starlight frowned for the first time since Fluttershy met her, putting a hoof under her chin, “You poor, poor thing. I apologise if this is intimidating. Why don’t I put it in a less...scary perspective, hm?” Fluttershy felt uneasy again, though it was more noticeable this time around, “Um...okay?” Starlight wrapped her arm around the pegasus pony and used her hoof to gesture to the entire village surrounding them, “Look around you, Fluttershy. Just take in all you could have. Tell me, have your friends ever been so united and kind to you before?” Fluttershy looked down and sighed, “Well...not all the time. Sometimes Rainbow Dash pokes fun at me or scares me.” Starlight’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head in disgust, “How rude! Why that’s not a true friend at all! I can guarantee you that here, nopony will ever treat you like that. The kindness you’ve been shown here...it will last forever…” Fluttershy looked around at all the smiling faces and her uneasiness was once again shattered. Rather than nearly eerie grins, they were more docile and restrained. They came towards her, all of them speaking to her in almost a chant though saying different things.
“You’d never have to worry about being made fun of again!”
“We’ll all be here for you.”
“You don’t have to worry about anypony judging you anymore.”
“You can trust us, we’re your friends.”
“C’mon Shy, it can’t hurt to try.”
Starlight used her magic to put Fluttershy’s mane into braids, and offered her an almost seductive looking smile, “Come now Fluttershy, you don’t wanna pass up an opportunity like this. I’d hate to see you go astray.” Fluttershy looked around, then to her friend Tree Hugger, who nodded in approval. Fluttershy finally smiled, “Well...I guess I could try…” Starlight grinned, though it wasn’t as creepy as the ones her people displayed before, it certainly held a more malicious air to it. Though Fluttershy didn’t quite catch onto it, as Starlight lead her to the house that Tree Hugger had stayed in the night previous, as the villagers kept whispering the same word over and over and over again.
“Welcome…”
Twilight got off the train station and made her way to her destination with the help of the conductor’s directions. She found a rather small village, one she had been looking for. It had been a week now, and she had just received a rather strange letter from her friend Fluttershy. She decided to go on her own, knowing her other friends probably had work to do and figured she was powerful enough to hold her own if she had to. She flew down to the village where a creepy crowd of ponies were waiting. Watching her. Grinning at her. Welcoming her though their stance seemed more threatening than welcoming. Finally she found the familiar face she had been searching for, and trotted up to her, “Fluttershy! There you are!” Fluttershy smiled calmly, unlike the other ponies who grinned widely around her, “Oh, hello Twilight. I didn’t know you were coming to visit. You should’ve told me.” Twilight frowned, “I didn’t really come to visit. I came to bring you home.” Fluttershy frowned, “Bring me home? But...this is my home now. I don’t understand what you mean.” Twilight shook her head, “No Fluttershy. Your cottage in Ponyville. With the animals!” Fluttershy stared at her for a good long minute before she burst out laughing. Twilight stood in confusion yet shock. What was so funny? “Oh, Twilight! That’s Discord’s cottage now! I live here, with Starlight and Tree Hugger.” Twilight raised a brow, “Starlight?” Fluttershy nodded, “Mmhm. She’s our founder. Would you like to meet her?” Fluttershy turned and Twilight noticed the equal sign she bore like the other ponies around her, “Fluttershy! What happened to your cutie mark?!” Fluttershy looked down at her flank but then smiled, “Oh, right. I gave it up. I’m sure Miss Glimmer could tell you more when she meets you. Come on, her house is right this way.” Twilight felt uneasy, but decided to follow her friend, “Alright...lead the way.” Fluttershy took her to a small house at the end of the rows of homes around them. She entered it with ease and smiled as she glanced at the kitchen door that was wide open, “Starlight! One of my old friends came by to visit!” After a few moments, a unicorn mare stepped out of the kitchen, a smile on her face that Twilight could swear held an evil intention. The mare kept her gaze steadily focused on Twilight as she broke the silence.
“Welcome!”