Kodama

jeë fami-nä eh-uah je-na

tee fami na-ha eh-jä

eh-na-a

ah-fa-na ua-ma-nä ua-ma-nä ua-ja-nä

gejjë-fa geme-na-há e-me na-ua je-eh-nä

gejjë-fa geme-na-há e-me na-ua je-eh-nä

Fluttershy flew low, below the treetop's canopy, and always with her gaze set set ahead. The forest could not threaten her now; for all of its treachery, it had never denied her a visit. The rules declared her untouchable the moment she took to the air.

An unlikely constellation of two massive trees marked the opening of a tunnel to her side, their branches forming a ceiling so solid that breaking through would be an impossibility. Without hesitating, Fluttershy dove right in, pressing her wings to her sides as the walls got tighter, until she found herself standing at the edge of Ponyville, in sight range of the library.

Coming directly out of the forest's warm and steady climate, the change of temperature was so drastic that it took her a moment to connect the sudden burning sensation all over her skin with the extreme cold. Not wasting another moment, she made for the library in full gallop, striking her already numbing hoof against the entrance.

"Do you think Applejack is coming after all?" said a voice from behind the door.

"I don't know," responded another. Both of them were familiar, and the second...

Twilight opened the door. Her chin dropped.

"Do the changeling test if you want, Twilight. But let me in first."

The librarian only stared at her, dumbstruck.

"Twilight!" Fluttershy snapped. "Let me inside or I'll die out here!"

That worked. "Of course," Twilight murmured, making way for her guest who rushed into the room immediately. Twilight closed the door behind her, then proceeded to cast the well-known changeling detection spell on Fluttershy, who was still shivering from those few moments outside.

"What in the name of Celestia...!"

Rarity was here, too. A pleasant surprise. And another mare, who up until a moment ago had been sitting next to a spot where, from the looks of it, somepony had assembled a bunch of stones onto the floor, was now walking over. And, of course...

"A... are y-y-you a ch-... changeling?" Fluttershỹ stammered.

"Nope," was Fluttershy's response, "but hello to you, too."

"I know it seems crazy," Twilight said, "but I already tested her."

"A-and you are s-sure that your spell-"

"As far as I know, there is no way to trick it."

"I'm sure somepony can explain," Rarity said, who was slowly circling the intruder as she spoke, "Fluttershy, or whoever you are, explain this!"

"I'm going to be here for just about twelve minutes, and if I use that time to answer all of your questions, I'm going to have to leave before I can be of help." Fluttershy looked around with a frown, searching for anything looking out of place. "Who is this?" she asked with a nod to the fifth pony, a pegasus mare with a gray coat and pale blue wings, the only one in the room who hadn't said a word so far.

Her shyness was readily apparent. Fluttershy could see her trying to respond, but as all eyes were on her, it took a while for words to come out.

"... my name is... Featherfall."

"What's her deal? And Fluttershỹ, could you bring me something to eat while somepony else explains?"

"Uhm... what kind of food?"

"Salad. Bread. Doesn't matter. I just need to eat something. I'm so hungry."

"Okay..."

"Fluttershy-"

"Twilight, for the love of Celestia, do not question me. Tell me your problem, so I can help while I'm here. You do have one, don't you?"

"Are you Fluttershỹ?" Twilight asked, despite the warning. "I need to know. Then I'll talk."

"Yes and no," Fluttershy responded. "But more yes than no. I'd like to say just yes, but who am I to judge?"

"What does that mean?" Rarity asked.

"It's complicated, okay? I told you I don't have time."

Twilight hesitated.

"Should I tell her?" She asked, but she didn't seem to know whom she was asking. "Rar-... Featherfall? What do you think? It's your secret."

"I-"

"Are you positive she is not a changeling, Twilight?"

"We've met while I was at the Ponyville market," Fluttershy said to Rarity, "you helped me because I was too shy to talk to salesponies. Afterwards, you invited me to the boutique; when I was too shy to attend, you figured out where I was living and came all the way out to my cottage to convince me to come with you. Once there, I had a breakdown and started to cry. Is that convincing enough?"

"I..." Rarity stammered. "Y-yes, but, but Fluttershỹ here-"

"Is Fluttershy too," Fluttershy cut her off. "I exist several times." As do you, she added to herself. "Now what is the problem?"

"You can tell her..." Featherfall murmured.

Twilight sighed. "Featherfall is dysfunctional because her hostile upbringing has quenched her inner fire."

"Goodness," Fluttershy murmured, for a moment thrown off by the news. "That's terrible!"

Nopony spoke, while Fluttershỹ came out of the kitchen, carrying a bowl filled with leaves and two slices of bread.

"Thanks." Fluttershy took the bowl from her, taking a bite.

"You know about the inner fire?"

Fluttershy swallowed. "Yes," she just said, silently making a decision. "Okay. So Featherfall here needs fixing. What's to be done? She needs love, doesn't she?"

Twilight nodded.

"Fine." Fluttershy finished chewing her bite, then she turned around, approaching the hapless pegasus who appeared to be intimidated, slowly stepping back-

"You need love?" Fluttershy asked, not taking her eyes off her. "Here is love for you." And carefully, meeting no resistance, she took the mare into her arms,

"Here is the love my parents gave to me, while I was still with them." She could feel the pegasus' body close, her feathers cold against her own. "Here is the love I got from the world before I was cast out."

She noticed heat coming from stones on the ground, and without asking, she partially loosened her embrace to direct the other pony to sit in front.

"Here is the love I have for my home, which I barely get to see anymore." She gave a gentle stroke to Featherfall's cheeks and chin, and neck, "and here is the love I had for Angel, before I realized he's been using me." She brought a second hoof to Featehrfall's shoulder, not once breaking eye contact.

"Here is for hunger. And for exhaustion." She extended her wings, wrapping them tightly around the pegasus' back. "Here is for weeks spent alone. Here is for forest spirits."

"I..."

"Here is for the love I have no-one to give." She leaned her head against the other mare's, feeling her breath on her skin. Even her breath was cold. Fluttershy shuddered, for a moment doubting herself, for a moment allowing herself to ask what might happen if-

No, screw that.

"I think you had it harder than I did, and I don't get to say that often." Fluttershy drew back, just enough to make eye contact again, but did not retreat her wings. "So here is for consent." And she locked lips with Featherfall. She could hear somepony gasp behind her, but she ignored it. Twilight might have had constraints if she tried this, but Fluttershy did not.

Yes, even the pegasus' tongue was cold against hers.

"Here is for the cold," she whispered as she drew back. "Here is for love." And she threw her limbs around the other mare, kissing her passionately.

And however objectionable her behavior might be, Featherfall gave no sign of protest. She might not have been asked, but she was still returning the kiss, until her breath became warmer and a whimper came over her lips and when Fluttershy drew back-

"I feel warm! I feel..."

But she was overwhelmed by exhaustion before she could finish her sentence, passing out in Fluttershy's arms.

Carefully, Fluttershy lowered the body which still lay in the combined grasp of her hooves and wings, laying her down as she retracted them. Deadly silence filled up the room, the only sound being her own heavy breathing as she sat in this old, always familiar library, her face close to Twilight's wonderful contraption which still gave out heat, a spell no doubt, perhaps the best thing that could have happened in this chapter of her journey.

For a few moments, Fluttershy just focused on the heat on her skin. A sob came over her lips, but she suppressed it enough to hide it from everyone else.

"Fluttershy..." Rarity murmured.

"Bowl," Fluttershy only said. Without looking behind her, she extended a wing, using it to pull the item in question close.

She didn't know how much longer she had. She needed to eat. Hungrily, she swallowed the entire leaf salad and what was left of the bread, while the others began to whisper behind her.

Slowly, she turned around.

"Thanks," she murmured, a strain of her disheveled mane falling in front of her eyes. "Do you, um... also have something to drink for me... please?"

"I will get something," Rarity said, heading for the kitchen. Fluttershy's gaze fell onto Twilight, who was staring at her with a mixture of confusion and curiosity, while Fluttershỹ still seemed to be in shock.

"I'm sorry if I've done anything wrong," Fluttershy offered. "But, um... it seemed to be what was necessary..."

"Did it work?"

"You heard her."

"Yeah, but did it really work?"

"Her breath was warm at the end. Thanks," she added towards Rarity, who had returned with a glass of water.

"Wow..." Twilight shook her head. "That-"

"-is not how the Fluttershỹ I know behaves," Rarity finished the sentence for her, attempting to stand next to the pony in question, who chose this moment to walk over and kneel down besides the fallen pegasus.

"She really is warm again," Fluttershỹ said. "Whoever you, um, are..." She didn't look at her, but Fluttershy appreciated the gesture nonetheless. "... you saved her. Thank you."

"Yeah," Twilight said to Rarity. "Her methods are a bit questionable, but... new Fluttershy really did save her. I don't know if we'd done it as well without her. I don't think we-"

"N-new Fluttershy?" Fluttershỹ protested weakly, "really?"

"How about very temporary Fluttershy who will only be here for a few more minutes and whom you should ask questions now if you want answers, rather than later?" Fluttershy suggested. "Not that I mind. Thanks for the food. Do you have another problem? If not, do you have more food, Twilight? That would be great."

Twilight nodded, now heading for the kitchen herself.

"So who are you?" Rarity demanded, but momentarily, Fluttershy stood up.

"I'll come with you," she called after Twilight, following her. "Sorry, Rarity. Later, if we have time left."

"I haven't eaten in weeks," she said to Twilight, who was giving her a questioning look. "Can you show me? What you have?"

With only slight hesitation, Twilight nodded, pulling out two cabinets, producing a large bowl of fresh leaves which Fluttershỹ must have taken from earlier, an entire loaf of bread, and a box full of hay. Twilight said nothing as Fluttershy dug into the remaining salad, and neither did the other two as they soon joined them from the entrance hall. Twilight silently cut slices off the loaf with her magic, offering a new one to Fluttershy whenever she was done with the last.

"Thank you," she said in one breath as all of the salad and half of the bread was gone. She took a step towards Twilight, and then they were in each other's arms, Twilight's body steady and controlled, and Fluttershy's trembling. Next she approached Rarity, who looked as if she wanted to protest, but-

"I have to go," Fluttershy murmured. "In less than a minute."

Rarity's face softened, and then she nodded.

"Take care, darling." Her voice was barely more than a whisper, but loud against Fluttershy's ear. "Whoever you are."

"Usually, you're the one who is nicest to me," Fluttershy said as they parted. "I'm sorry it didn't work out this time."

Next...

"This part is usually a bit awkward, but..."

Fluttershỹ nodded, and with a smile, they also exchanged a brief hug.

"Now," Rarity said, sounding determined, "while you are still here-"

"I travel worlds," Fluttershy answered her question. "I meet other versions of you. Or other ponies. You aren't trapped in a loop, if that's what you're worried about. I can't control whom I visit, and I don't control how long I stay, I just get send somewhere and do what I can to help. But – I have to go. Now. Twilight, can you put the bread and hay in a bag, and then..." She didn't finish the sentence, already walking backwards. "Please. Quick. Rarity, all the rest is details. It wouldn't help you."

Twilight nodded. Hastily, she pulled other cupboards open, eventually producing a paper bag, where she stuffed the remaining half of the loaf and the box with fries inside, floating it over to the slowly retreating Fluttershy.

"Do you have to?" she asked as her magic around the bag faded, "and will you come back?"

"I have to." The bag in her grasp, she shuffled further backwards towards the entrance. "Open it. I don't think I'll be back. But it's not up to me. Just as leaving now isn't. I will if I can."

"It's so cold." Twilight opened the door, immediately grimacing at the temperature. "You need-"

"Doesn't matter. I won't be out there for more than a few seconds. This is what I really need. The food. Thank you."

Suddenly, she pulled Twilight close, and they shared one last embrace, but it only lasted for a few seconds, until she jerked back, now turning around, taking a few hasty steps to make up for the delay.

"I'll be back if I can, but I probably can't. Goodbye everyone!" And with that she started running, not because she had to but because of the harrowing cold, pressing her lips together until she reached the spot where she had entered. Breathing a sigh of relief, she took one more step, and reappeared amidst the forest.