Those Unsaid Speak the Loudest
Fluttershy hummed as she trotted through the Ponyville marketplace, a noticeable spring in her step as she went about her grocery shopping. She basked in the warmth of the mid-morning sun as a light breeze blew through her feathers.
“My, my, yer lookin’ mighty chipper today, ‘Shy!”
Glancing to her right, Fluttershy smiled at the sight of Applejack waving her over to her stand and trotted over to her. “Good morning, Applejack. Now that you mention it, I have been in a good mood lately. Is it really that noticeable?”
Applejack chuckled, eyeing Fluttershy with a knowing glance. “Let’s just say y’all look like Winona with a milk bone. I’d bet a bottle of cider that getting’ that there sanctuary set up for all those critters has somethin’ to do with it?”
If her previous smile had been noticeable, now it was positively beaming. “Oh, most definitely!” Fluttershy replied, almost bouncing with unrestrained joy. “Ever since I got my cutie mark, I’ve dreamed about setting up a sanctuary where all the cute animals, both big and small, could live in peace. Seeing my dream finally coming true is all I could have wished for!”
“I’m plum happy for ya, Fluttershy. Got ta say, you’ve come a long way from the pony that used to run from her own shadow.” Applejack frowned as she thought back to days prior. “I was worried ya might have thrown in the towel after that little hootenanny with those expert types.”
“Oh, no!” Fluttershy replied with a quick shake of her head. “While it was a bit of a setback, I wasn’t going to give up on all the poor animals like that so easily. Plus, I’d made a promise to Dr. Fauna, and I wasn’t about to let any of them down. Besides, everything turned out fine in the end, with a little help from my friends, of course.”
“Shucks, we were all happy to help! Reckon y’all be headin’ that way once yer done here?”
“Mm-hmm. Just a few more things to pick up and then I’ll check up on them on my way home. Oh!” Fluttershy suddenly jumped, her eyes widening. “I almost forgot! Could I get a dozen apples, please?”
“Sure thing, Sugarcube.”
***
With all her shopping done for the day, Fluttershy walked briskly down the path towards the Sweet Feather Sanctuary, smiling as she saw it come into view on the horizon. Seeing her vision become a reality really was a dream come true, filling her with untold joy as she watched all the animals enjoying themselves in a safe and relaxing environment.
“Good morning,” she called out as she descended the hill towards the sanctuary, causing several animals to glance up at her arrival and scurry over to greet her as she entered the sanctuary. “How is everyone today?” A symphony of chirps, caws and happy coos answered back.
“Oh, Rosemary,” she remarked as she noticed a flamingo with a bandaged right wing, “your wing looks like it’s healing up nicely. It shouldn’t be long before we can take those bandages off.”
“Honk!” The flamingo squawked back, smiling as she flapped her good wing in excitement.
Walking through the sanctuary, she passed by a bevy of animals, many of which were pleasantly recovering from a variety of ailments and just as many who were just happy to have a safe place to live. As she stepped deeper into the sanctuary, her ears perked up at the sound of a low melody coming from nearby and she looked in the direction of the music.
Resting beneath the shade of a fern overlooking the pond was the long-necked form of a female giraffe, her eyes closed as she sang, something that filled Fluttershy with joy. The poor dear had been sick with a terrible cold for the last few days, her throat so swollen that she could barely say a word, not even to give her own name. While Fluttershy had never cared for a giraffe before, she wasn’t about to turn down an animal in need.
Standing a safe distance away as to not disturb her, Fluttershy listened in on the giraffe,. Tears came to her eyes at the sheer emotion of the slow, soothing melody. Though there were no words, Fluttershy could sense the emotions with her heart, with feelings of joy and of one thankful for the kindness and compassion shown to them imbued into every note.
After a moment, the giraffe’s song came to a gradual end. Opening her eyes, the giraffe bent down to get a drink from the nearby stream.
Fluttershy softly walked over to her as to not startle her. “That was beautiful,” she said as the giraffe raised her head and turned to look at her. “I’m glad to see that your throat is feeling better.”
With a smile, the giraffe nodded her head at the compliment. “Thank you.”
“Mmm. That cold of yours should clear up any day n—” Fluttershy froze, her mouth hanging open and her eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. While being able to understand animals had always been her special talent, none of her animals—besides her parrots perhaps—had ever answered her back in perfect Equestrian. “Wha…”
“Miss Fluttershy?” the giraffe asked, looking over at the suddenly flabbergasted pony. “Are you okay?”
Fluttershy felt like her world had been turned on its head, no small feat considering her friendship with Discord. Her mouth flopped open and closed like a beached fish as she attempted to get her wits about her, and she eventually managing to stutter, “You… you spoke…”
The giraffe tilted her head in confusion. “That I did,” she said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Is there a problem?”
“I… I just… I thought… but you…” Muttering incoherently, Fluttershy fell back onto her haunches and stared off into space as her mind tried to make sense of everything. She was brought back to her senses by a light tapping against her head, blinking into focus in time to see the giraffe set a fern curved into the shape of a bowl and filled with water down in front of her.
“Drink,” she said, gesturing down at the makeshift water bowl she’d made.
Though still a bit rattled, Fluttershy nonetheless complied, leaning down and slurping up the offered water. The pair sat in silence as Fluttershy drank, the giraffe waiting patiently as Fluttershy slowly calmed down. Once she had drank her fill, Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief.
A smile spread across the giraffe’s face. “Better?”
Nodding, Fluttershy shakily replied, “Y-yes. Thank… thank you.” Glancing back up at the giraffe, Fluttershy began to notice things she had merely glanced over previously, things like the way the giraffe’s eyes seemed to almost resemble her own, radiating a certain spark that was different from any other animal she had ever encountered. “I… I just wasn’t expecting you to talk is all…” she replied with a squeak.
“It’s alright,” the giraffe replied, lying down on her belly. “I’m sorry I startled you.”
“Oh no!” Fluttershy exclaimed, frantically waving her hooves. “I should be the one apologizing, miss…”
“Isabella.”
“Isabella…” Fluttershy repeated, getting a feel for the name. “That’s a pretty name.”
“Thank you. It was my mother’s name as well.”
Nodding briefly, Fluttershy’s ears wilted against her head as she looked away. “As I said, I should be the one apologizing. I didn’t know you could speak, I just assumed that you were another animal that needed my help. I should have realized it sooner.” With a groan, she hid her face behind her wings in shame. “I feel like such an idiot…”
“It’s fine,” Isabella replied.
“It’s not fine!” Fluttershy huffed, pulling back her wings but looking down rather than meet Isabella’s eye. “Oh, you must be furious with me, assuming something so offensive without aski—” Her words died on her tongue as a hoof was placed against her lips, finally prompting her to meet Isabella’s eye, who looked back with gentle and soothing eyes.
“It’s fine,” Isabella repeated, smiling as she pulled her hoof away. “You couldn’t have known. Besides…” With a smirk, she reached up and placed a hoof against the base of her neck, “… I was a bit ‘hoarse’ until this morning, if you’ll recall.”
Giggling, Fluttershy felt some of her anxieties begin to dissipate. “Are you sure?” she tentatively asked, still fearful that she had unintentionally offended her.
“It was an honest mistake,” was Isabella’s answer as she stared across the sanctuary at the various animals frolicking about. “My people are often reserved and soft spoken, so you wouldn’t be the first person, pony or otherwise, to make that mistake.
“In my travels, I sometimes noticed ponies looking up at me with apprehension or even fear on their faces, which made approaching them all the more difficult. Losing my voice certainly didn’t help matters.”
“That’s terrible!” Out of any pony, Fluttershy was able to sympathize the most with being unable to approach other ponies. “I’m so sorry those other ponies were so rude to you, but I like to think that Ponyville’s a much more welcoming place. I’m sure if you went to the Ponyville Hospital, they would have been able to help you.”
Turning her head, Isabella blushed. “I… I was too embarrassed to.”
“Embarrassed?”
Isabella nodded. “I was so sure that even if I tried to communicate with them, all they would see was a sick animal, so I didn’t even bother. If they were going to see me like that anyway, then I figured I might as well look for a vet instead. As luck would have it, I didn’t need to look far.”
Meeting Fluttershy’s eye, a look of shame and remorse suddenly appeared on her face. “Now it is my turn to apologize to you. It was foolish of me to deceive you like that, especially after the care you so graciously provided. For that, I am truly in your debt, Miss Fluttershy.”
“Oh, just Fluttershy is fine, and you don’t have to apologize,” Fluttershy replied with a smile. “I couldn’t just leave you to suffer like that. It was my pleasure to help, really.”
Isabella smiled back. “The depth of your compassion for others truly warms my heart, Fluttershy. I hope that one day I can repay such kindness, but for now…” Standing back up, she looked outward towards the path leading away from the sanctuary.”… I think it would be best if I go.”
“Go?” Fluttershy asked, leaping to her hooves. “Go where?”
“I don’t know, just that I can’t stay here any longer.” She frowned as her eyes swept across the sanctuary. “This is an animal sanctuary after all, a place for animals to recover in a safe and peaceful environment. I’m not a helpless animal, so it’s obvious that I don’t belong here. Farewell, Fluttershy.”
“W-wait!” Fluttershy shouted as Isabella began to walk away. “You don’t have to go! You can still stay in Ponyville!”
Isabella paused for a moment before shaking her head. “I had considered that, but I’m afraid I can’t do that either, not after how I deceived you.”
Before she could take another step though, she was shocked when Fluttershy landed into her path, her eyes reflecting sadness that made Isabella’s heart ache.
“But… but I was just starting to get to know you better! I thought that we…” Sniffling, Fluttershy looked down at the ground as she softly replied, “… could be friends.”
Sighing, Isabella placed her hoof comfortingly on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. To be honest, I’ve come to enjoy your company as well, but I can’t stay after what I’ve done. Had we met under different circumstances, I don’t doubt we could have been great friends, but I’ve gone and ruined that. As much as it pains me to go, this is how it has to be.” Without another word, Isabella walked around Fluttershy, intent on leaving as soon as possible.
“… You said you wanted to repay me for helping you, right?”
Stopping mid-step, Isabella turned around to glance at Fluttershy, seeing that the pony hadn’t budged an inch from her spot. “…Yes? That I did…”
“Well, I know the perfect way you can do that.” Turning around, the smallest glimmer of a smile tugged at the edge of Fluttershy’s lips. “You can stay in the sanctuary and help me care for the animals, at least for a few days anyway.”
Isabella bit her lip, her mind and heart conflicted on whether she should refuse the offer and just leave or stay. Deep down, Isabella couldn’t deny how tempting the offer sounded, but she knew that the longer she stayed, the harder it would be for her to leave. “Fluttershy…”
“Please?” Fluttershy pleaded, looking up at her with soft eyes that momentarily took her aback.
Before Isabella could refuse, she heard a faint chirping before something settled atop her head. Glancing up, she was met with a pair of birds resting atop her head, looking down at her with equally pleading eyes. Second later, she heard the sounds of a family of raccoons scurrying underneath her, while other animals began to come out of their hiding spots to join them. Even Lola the sloth had slowly crawled down from her perch to join them.
“See?” Fluttershy said, gesturing to the gathering of animals around them. “Even the animals don’t want to see you go. Won’t you stay just a little bit longer, please?”
In her head, Isabella wanted nothing more but to refuse, even in the face of such overwhelming support to the contrary. But in her heart…
… In her heart, she was just as sad to leave as everyone else.
“…Very well.” Isabella finally replied, though she did a poor job of hiding the smile spreading across her lips. “I’ll stay just a while longer.”
An almost deafening cheer erupted across the sanctuary, as animals of all shapes and sizes jumped for joy, none more so than Fluttershy. Running forward, leapt up and hugged Isabella, the giraffe lowering her head to return the hug, looping her neck around the happy pony and nuzzling against her cheek.
“I’m so happy you decided to stay!”
As am I, Isabella left unspoken, though she could tell that Fluttershy knew without being told. Sometimes, the fewer words spoken, the more ended up being said in the end.
