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The ground felt soft, like putty beneath her hooves. Knowing the feeling, Compass Rose glanced up in time to see a cloud cover the sun, illuminating it like a flashlight on some cotton. Smiling, Compass Rose breathed in.

The faint scent of petrichor.

Looking at the distance above the expanse of the Everfree was a haze of grey. The haze that Rose knew to be rain. The ground was beginning to get ready in preparation for the precipitation. It always happened. First, the clouds would begin to move. Second, the ground would soften up. Then, rainfall. And she loved it.

The droplets of water that remained on leaves and petals after fresh rain. The way it cooled the fur and skin on a hot summer’s day. The puddles that would appear and she would splash around in for the sake of nostalgia. Welcoming the change in weather, she noted the sparse separation of the clouds that was quickly closing up as the wind kicked its head.

The letter had mentioned a cottage. A cottage near the Everfree. A cottage owned by a pony named Fluttershy. This intrigued Compass Rose because the Everfree was no normal forest. Even back in the days of the Solar Reign, it remained a wild card. An uncontrollable, unpredictable factor. Pegasi could not control the weather or safely fly above it. Earth ponies found their manipulation of the elements erratic and widely unusable. Unicorns were the only one’s that stood a real chance, but even then, the forest seemed to have grown an immunity to most types of magic.

Of course, these were all things Rose knew from her studies. Reading about it was one thing, entering it seemed to be a whole different world. It had even said so in one of the books she had read before departing. Something along the lines of “I have had personal experience, venturing into the Everfree on my own with knowledge I had pulled from textbooks. And let me just say right now, you can forget anything you learned.”

The other room in the place she had been in (finding from sifting through some records that it had been named the “Carousel Boutique”) seemed meant for a child. A young adolescent at most. With a simple bed that was much less extravagant than the older siblings’, it seemed meant for a little filly. With a much smaller vanity and multiple stuffies, it was a nice little place that made Compass Rose’s heart soar. She had had a phase like that.

It made Compass Rose wonder if the room belonged to Rarity’s sister, Sweetie Belle. It would seem to be the most logical assumption, as it was the only other room that had any indication of being lived in. The only other room with personal belongings of any kind.

The sight of a building near the forest’s edge brought Rose out of her thoughts, as was the telling sign of a cold wind rushing through her mane and the darkening of the sky. If past experience was anything to go by, Rose gave herself ten minutes. Ten minutes before rain fell. Ten minutes before Everything became soaked. Not wanting for any of her gear to undergo extensive water damage. She was fine with getting soaked. Her gear… well, it had taken her longer than she would admit to get an advanced extension charm onto her practical saddlebags. She didn’t want them to get ruined, among other things.

A broken sign at the foot of the path stopped her in her tracks. Swinging precariously from a single rusted chain, it seemed to have had writing a long time ago. By the looks of things, Rose would’ve guessed it was enchanted to withstand most encounters with nature and time, just like the board for Ponyville. And yet… the writing was gouged out, only the prominent letters “F” and “C”, consecutively underneath each other in cursive being legible. Feeling the wood in her hoof, Compass Rose sighed. Envisioning the cottage as it was now two centuries before let Rose see it as it should’ve been; at it’s prime.

Everything would’ve been in pristine condition. The sign would’ve been as cheerful as any other, prominently displaying the words “Fluttershy’s Cottage”, as that’s who this cottage belonged to. Fluttershy. A name that, alongside Rarity, sounded familiar enough to Rose that she needed to know more. The fast-paced river would’ve been a quaint little stream, properly maintained and kept under control. Seeing the shadow of a pegasus filly hiding behind the comfort of her door. Animals rushing around, enjoying their stay under the ward of Fluttershy. What Rose didn’t get, however, was how this pony could have the name “Fluttershy” and live near one of the most damnable places in existence.

Taking her hoof off of the sign, the world came rushing back to her. Just as well too, for a large rain drop splattered onto her muzzle at that moment. Looking up, Compass Rose could see the churning, broiling clouds had already gathered together, darkening everything around her. Quickly casting her eyes to the door, she shifted her gaze back up in time for another drop of rain to fall on her. Nodding to herself, she began to run. Across the rickety bridge that at one time would’ve been stable. Across the overgrown path that would’ve been walked upon daily. Stopping at the door, she gently shook the doorknob to see if it would budge. It did.

The wind began to roar. Her jacket flapped in the wind, reminding her that time was of the essence if she wanted to remain dry. This felt nothing like the rainstorms from home. This was untempered rage. The droplets began to fall, and Compass Rose said her sorry’s to Fluttershy. Opening the door wide, it threatened to swing off it’s hinges. In one swift motion, Rose shut the door, falling onto it’s wood after doing so.

krAKOOM!

The cottage shook. It seemed to Rose like all hell was breaking loose, and it might as well just was. Galestorm winds now threatened to tear down the house, their force bringing the entire cottage to creak uncontrollably. The walls slanted to wherever the wind seemed to be pointed, and Rose began to breathe heavier and heavier against the main door.

To her, this wasn’t just a thunderstorm. This was madness.

Spotting a torn up couch in the living room, Compass Rose gulped. She closed her eyes, formulating her plan on her lips before, in one quick dash, rushed to the sofa. Quickly edging behind it, she put enough space for her to do the one thing she could do as an earth pony. Buck.

crrRACK!

For one second, Rose thought the couch would split in two from the kick. Luckily, it seemed to have been made strong enough for something even Rose couldn’t fathom. Why it was so sturdy, she would never know. Standing, huffing where the couch had previously been, she eyed the door and the sofa. It was working.

Sitting down onto her haunches, she slid up against the wall. This was ridiculous! She loved rain! She loved storms! Why wasn’t this any different?

KRABOOM!

Oh! Right. That’s why.

Wincing, Rose could feel her heart quicken again slightly before sighing. This wasn’t normal. Not normal at all. Storms like these were unheard of. Especially this far inland. The only explanation that Compass Rose could logically find was that this town was on the verge of one of the most dangerous places in the entire world.

Looking out the window, she could see the rain coming down with a force she had never witnessed before and would never witness again for as long as she lived. Leaves and branches flew past her peephole, water continually spraying in from outside. Having already donned her goggles in case of emergency, Rose was fine, but she was sure she knew what could’ve happened if she hadn’t. For just at that moment, a shot of mud splattered through the view, clinking hardly against the hardened glass and compressing it against her face.

Moving away, Rose gulped. She would not be able to leave the cottage until the storm passed by. That was fine. There was just no way she knew of that could really pass time except for exploring her temporary confines.

Rose smiled. That wasn’t a bad-!

BOOM!

Compass Rose swore she flew six feet into the air. Everything was white in her vision, and blinking or rubbing her eyes didn’t take it away. With ears ringing, she sprawled onto the floor, dazed. Brrrrrnnnnnngggggggg! was all she could hear, as her vision began to fade in. Shades first, the outlines of shapes and the general sense of where everything was. As her pupils began to readjust, the darkness she perceived became what she had been seeing just a few minutes prior.

She would never get the chance to recover, for at that moment, a piece of roofing had been precariously dislodged and was only swinging by a few splinters. As soon as Rose woozily got up from the ground, the wood fell on her.

For a moment Rose stood, determined as ever to recover, and not quite sure what happened. Before she knew it, she was plainly falling limp to the ground, unconscious.

Compass Rose groaned.

Her mind was in all sorts of disarray. What the hay happened? Rubbing her sore neck, she could feel the small welt that had formed at the top of her head. Throbbing slightly and painfully, she winced. Shifting slightly, the wood that had fallen upon her was laying haphazardly on her body, and she shook it off.

Shaking the cobwebs from her mind, she sluggishly got up. Stretching out her fore and hind legs, she jumped up and down in place a few times before getting her bearings. She was still in the cottage, this much she knew. Looking out the window, she could see everything still glistening with a sheen of water. The wood of the cottage seemed to have been soaked so thoroughly through that the wood on the inside was damp. The earth looked muddied in places, and in others, it only looked richer in minerals and soil. The sun had yet to rise, it’s beginnings faint in the still cloudy skies above.

Warily casting her gaze upwards, she could see the part of the roof that had lost its planking. The planking that had fell on her. Another glance to her left and she saw the door still covered by the sofa, yet somehow, it was cracked just the slightest bit open. Frowning, Rose looked at the door a few seconds more, before sighing. Seeing as how there was nothing else she could do about her passing out, she began to note the various details of the cottage and explore its contents.

Empty picture frames lay scattered about on various tables and on walls. Empty bookshelves lined the walls, few actual books still remaining. Said books were all illegible, having been in a worse place to withstand nature’s power than a place like the Carousel Boutique.

She noted the many bird feeders, scattered branches and twigs for nests, and mini stairs that graced the fireplace, ceiling and walls. A dog basket lay in ruins near the door, tattered pillows and blankets covering a crushed bed of wicker. A few pitchers were on the tables, bird feed bags empty of any seeds. A main rug was strewn on the floor she currently stepped on, but it was soiled beyond what Rose would call “healthy”. Gouges and claw marks were present in everything; the rug, the floor, the stone of the fireplace, and even the ceiling.

With all of this, Compass Rose could easily identify the owner to be a veterinarian. Or the very least, a pony that takes care of animals. Closing her eyes and laying a hoof on the mantle of the fireplace, she whisked herself away. She could see squirrels and chipmunks running around, utilizing the mini staircases to their advantage. Cute dogs sticking their tongues out as they rested in the dog basket. Birds of many kinds travelling across the air, eating and socializing with the other animals. All of which was being monitored by a sweet butter yellow pegasus.

Wait… Rose thought. A pegasus?

The vision quickly collapsed around her as her concentration was focused elsewhere. She had seen a silhouette before when she was reading the sign outside… but she had missed the detail of the pony being a pegasus. One more thing that was odd to Compass Rose. A pegasus grounded by the creatures she took care of. All the pegasi Rose knew where free spirits, unable to stay on the ground for more than a few hours tops. And yet, it seems a pegasus was responsible for taking care of animals, which in large part were not avians or flying creatures of any sort.

Glancing at her hoof, she blew on it and rubbed against her coat. Old habits die hard.

Silently, she made her way upstairs. The floor creaked and groaned in protest, clearly disliking having weight put onto it after centuries of disuse. The air was saturated to the point where Rose could feel a thin layer of moisture all over her fur, and there were various holes in the second floor that weren’t present down on the first. It made sense really, as the higher levels would be more exposed to the rain and other elements of weather.

There was only one room in the cottage. What she would assume to be Fluttershy’s room. At first glance it seemed like nothing special, especially with some of the damage in the walls and the shattered windows from the effects of uncontrollable forces. The bed was still neatly tucked and set. Everything was noticeably damp from the torrential rains of the day before.

Everything had nice feeling of spring to it. A chest lay at the foot of the bed, empty save for a few insects and knick knacks. A fireplace was present as well, looking very much like the one downstairs. A pile of decomposed wood lay in the heart of the fireplace, no doubt broken down over time by termites and other bugs.

She went over to the desk to inspect it. A small shelf was set into the frame and a few damp papers lay soaked and unreadable. A heart was carved at the crown of the posts, accentuating the fact that this was a peaceful and lovable pony. If it weren’t obvious from the flower vases, water pitchers, and the fact that Fluttershy took care of animals, this seemed to hammer the nail in home.

The chair was the worst part, to Compass’ dismay. Feeling it’s soggy texture, she could envision the room’s warmth at it’s prime. An intricate carving set into the wood of the chair, a nice cozy bed to relax in after a day of tiring events, and a fireplace to keep things warm. Alas, it was a time long gone, for the chair still stood, but a shadow of it’s former self. A decomposing artifact that at one time would’ve brought comfort to those who sat in it and utilized the desk.

Opening some drawers, she was surprised to see the preserved quality each paper retained. Most of the pages were only slightly touched by the rainfall of the night previous, and because of it she was able to handle the pages just a little less carefully than before. And yet, just as well, many of the pages were damaged. Most were flyers for local events and grocery lists, but she found no diary.

She found a singular page, ripped on one of the long edges as if it were taken out of a book. Compass Rose carefully set it atop the pages in the open drawer, not wanting the yet to dry desktop ruining it. In the waxing light of the sun, it was somewhat difficult to read, but it was doable. The 37th of Spring, 1027 C.R., the date read. Eight days earlier than the entry by Rarity from the Carousel Boutique.

Setting herself down in a comfortable position, she read it’s contents.

Oh dear… um…

Twilight said I should write something for posterity in case somepony ever came back… I guess that’s what I’m doing right now. I wasn’t going to write anything here… I didn’t want to talk about my animals acting up or Rainbow moving in with me, but if Twilight says I should…

The past few weeks have been rough on all of us. Something in the Everfree has spooked my animals and caused the weather to begin to behave out of control. I can feel it in the shafts of my feathers, and my wings ruffle whenever I step outside. This wasn’t happening just a few weeks ago, so I really wonder why it’s happening now.

Rainbow Dash had to move in with me because her cloud house had begun drifting apart on it’s own. At first, she thought it was an elaborate prank by us- her friends, but when she realized it wasn’t, she was very surprised. Twilight has sent letters to Princess Celestia, and I trust Twilight to know what she is doing.

Rainbow says to put down that Twilight is an egghead Rainbow! That’s not nice!

Sometimes, I want to shout. Rainbow tells me my shouts are more like whispers, but I swear the last time I did shout, it was very loud. Twilight seemed surprised by me.

My animals have been growing restless. Even I can sense something is going to happen. It doesn’t feel like a Tirek-level or Chrysalis-level threat, but something we haven’t seen yet. It’s just so strange. Even Angel Bunny seems afraid. He’s usually a little rough around the edges and fearless, but today he was darting around the house, saying sorry to all the animals he had offended and hiding in my mane. Harry the Bear cuddled me close just an hour ago, as if I was a lifesaver or a giant comfort plushie.

I don’t think I want to talk about my animals anymore. It makes me want to cry when I try to find out what’s wrong and they only look at me afraid. I just hope things get better soon. Maybe Twilight can find something that will help the animals calm down and fix whatever’s going on.

Applejack is inviting us all over for dinner at the barn for some cider and apple treats. She’s so kind. Sometimes, I like to wonder whether she should’ve gotten my Element of Harmony, but honestly, honesty suits her very well. She’s the most honest pony I know, and if there’s anything that can calm some nerves, it’s some signature Apple Family Cider.

Rainbow says “If you get the chance, grab some cider and bring it back to share. You know, if we’re still alive or whatever.” I say to just, you know, do whatever you really want to do…

Rarity has also invited us to the spa tomorrow, something to follow up dinner today. I think it’s nice, that we’re getting together again after all the busy things we’ve been going through lately.

I’m running out of room on this paper so I think I’ll end it here. I hope that this posterior posterity letter is of use to whomever is reading this in the future. Rainbow Dash says Hi! But yeah, I think I wanna say that I’m grateful I have such nice great friends who are always so helpful to me. I hope whoever is reading this also has friends like Rainbow, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rarity. I know I’m lucky to have them.

Uhm… Always be kind and be a good friend!

-Fluttershy