Author's Note

Fluttershy/Tree Hugger. Rated T for drug use.

Love is, Like, Magical

“You really had quite the adventure out there,” Fluttershy said as Discord poured her some more tea.

“Oh, most certainly,” he replied, handing her the cup and leaning over to refill Tempest's too. “It was so much fun!”

“I'm glad you had a good time,” Fluttershy said, taking a sip. She smiled at how Discord leaned back and casually rested an arm around Tempest. “And I'm so happy for you two. You're an adorable couple. A little unorthodox I'll admit, but adorable.”

“Thank you, I do my best.” Discord batted his eyelashes, and Tempest laughed.

“Are you feeling better?” Fluttershy asked, nodding toward the bandages around Tempest's middle.

“Oh yeah, I'm doing well,” Tempest said. “The doctor said I should be able to take these off in a few weeks, and after that I'm going to go to the Royal Guard Academy. Celestia sent me an application packet that has her endorsement and everything, so... yeah.”

“Wow, you're going to join the royal guard?” Fluttershy asked. “That's really exciting, good for you! Twilight's told me a little about the sorts of things her brother had to do in the guard. It sounds really stressful but rewarding.”

“Yeah, I've been reading up on it.” Tempest set her cup down. “There's the enlisted side and the officer side. I'm going to be an officer, hence going through the Academy. Apparently we focus a lot more on leadership and education than true combat training, but we still get pretty brutal physical training because you never know when we might need it. We still need to be in shape. But I'm up for the challenge.”

“Oh, certainly. Well, good luck.”

“Thanks!”

“But enough about us,” Discord said. “What have you been up to for the past several months?”

“Not much out of the usual. I've been looking after the animals and teaching at Twilight's school, and that's about it. Though I've also been sending letters back and forth with my friend Tree Hugger.”

“Ah, yes, Tree Hugger.” Discord chuckled. “How's she doing?”

“She's doing great. Though apparently the Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures keeps her traveling a lot. But she loves hearing from me and she tells me about everything she's doing, and it's great! She's helped raise phoenixes, and she liberated a puppy mill that was breeding three-headed dogs in horrible conditions, and right now she's apparently working on a big sanctuary project for the protection of timber wolves!”

“Aren't timber wolves really aggressive and dangerous though?” Tempest asked.

“They are rather territorial,” Fluttershy admitted. “But with the proper love and care, they can be wonderful companions. At any rate, they are wild animals and they deserve a space where they can roam and just be themselves without having to worry about anypony hurting them. Which is why Tree is making sure they get that space.”

“I'm sure you have plenty of advice on how to build a sanctuary,” Discord said.

“Mhm!” Fluttershy nodded enthusiastically. “In fact, she's going to be visiting Ponyville in a few days to come look at the sanctuary I built!”

“Oh, that's wonderful!” Discord reached across the table to shake her hoof. “Congrats! I'm sure you'll have a lot to teach her!”

“I sure hope so. She already knows a lot about taking care of rare creatures though, she might actually end up teaching me a thing or two.”

“Well, I hope the visit goes well,” Tempest said. “If you guys need anything, feel free to ask.”

“Thanks, I certainly will.”

After a few more minutes of conversation, Fluttershy decided it was time to head home. She said goodbye to the couple, and Discord opened a portal so she could get back to her house. She waved and stepped through. Once back home, she greeted the various animals who lived in her yard, then went inside. Where Angel was waiting impatiently, stamping his foot as he held his empty food bowl.

“I fed you just before I left,” Fluttershy sighed. But she went to the fridge, getting a carrot and handing it to him. “Here, you can snack on this.”

He took it in his mouth and hopped away. Fluttershy returned her attention to the contents of her fridge, taking inventory of her food. She wanted to make sure she had enough to make some decent meals for Tree Hugger while she's visiting.

“Let's see, I think this should be good, but oh... I wanted to make a cake for her and I don't have a decent substitute for eggs.” Fluttershy frowned and closed the fridge. Tree Hugger was a strict vegan, and while she wasn't pushy about it, Fluttershy wanted to respect her diet and not feed her any animal products. She decided to head to Twilight's castle to visit the library so she could find some new recipes.

The castle was quiet as she passed through the beautiful crystal halls. She wondered what Twilight was up to, before pushing open the doors to the library. A familiar purple face peeked around a chair. Oh, of course she was here.

“Hey, Fluttershy!” Twilight called.

“Hey, Twilight.” Fluttershy looked around at all the shelves, unsure of where to begin.

“Looking for another animal care guide?” Twilight asked, getting up. “They're right over here, though you've probably checked out enough of them to know that, haha.”

“No, I don't need a care guide this time,” Fluttershy replied. “I was looking for a cookbook. My friend Tree Hugger is visiting in a few days, and she's a vegan, so I want to make sure I have plenty of delicious things to make her that don't involve eggs and such.”

“Ohh, gotcha! Hm, cookbooks, let me see...” Twilight spread her wings and flew up to one of the higher shelves, browsing through. She flitted around a bit, and apologized, “Sorry, I don't use a lot of cookbooks myself, I just sorta grew up helping my mom cook so I tend to make things I'm used to.”

“That's perfectly understandable,” Fluttershy said. She walked over to the desk Twilight had sat at, glancing curiously at the book she was reading. Then she realized it wasn't a normal book, but rather the magical journal she used to communicate with that separate dimension inhabited by strange two-legged creatures Twilight called humans. “Were you talking to Sunset Shimmer?”

“Yeah, I was.” Twilight picked out a couple books.

“Is everything okay over there?”

“Oh yeah, things are great. We're just chatting. It's getting close to time for her to graduate from that human high school and she was just asking me for advice. I've spent a lot of time there but things work so differently in their world, but I'm doing my best to help her.” Twilight flew down and set the books out. “Okay, this one is full of vegan dessert recipes, and this one is entrees. I'm sure you'll find plenty to make.”

Fluttershy flipped through the dessert book. “These look delicious. Thank you.” She picked them up and slid them into her saddlebags.

“No problem.” Twilight sank back into her chair, picking up a quill. “Hm, Sunset's inviting me to her graduation ceremony. I kinda want to go, but it might be a little weird to have two Twilights there.”

“Have you spent much time around the human Twilight?” Fluttershy asked.

“No, not really. I ran into her once and it was really weird. I mean, I wouldn't mind going back and talking to her, I just haven't really had an opportunity.”

“Oh. Well, I think you should go to the ceremony. I'm sure Sunset would like having another friend there.”

Twilight smiled and started to write. “Okay, maybe I will go. It'll be nice to see what my human friends are up to.”

They said goodbye and Fluttershy headed out. A quick trip to the market to pick up some groceries, and then she could head home and start working on dinner for all her animals. She was so excited for Tree Hugger's visit.

When the day arrived, Fluttershy went to the train station to wait for her friend. She knew she would be arriving from the north, but found herself looking both ways anyway, and fidgeting each time a train stopped and exchanged passengers. But finally the one she was expecting arrived, and Tree Hugger stepped out, pulling a small cart behind her with her luggage.

“Tree Hugger!” Fluttershy bounced over to greet her, pulling her into a hug. She hugged back.

“Fluttershy, so good to see you! Oh it's so rad that you took your time to come meet me here.”

“It was no problem.” Fluttershy began leading her through town. “How was the trip?”

“It was totally mellow, traveling by train is so peaceful.” Tree Hugger waved at a few ponies as she passed them, then looked back at Fluttershy. “I spent most of the trip meditating and clearing out my chakras.”

“That must have been nice.”

“It was, you should try it sometime.”

“You'll have to show me.”

“No problem, I can totally teach you the art of meditation!”

“Great. Alright, let's drop your stuff off at my place and then I can show you the sanctuary.”

“I'm totally pumped to see it.”

They headed to Fluttershy's cottage, and Tree Hugger took her stuff to the guest bedroom. She didn't bother organizing anything, just taking the cart off and pushing it to the side of the room before eagerly asking to go see the sanctuary. Fluttershy agreed and led the way.

The walk didn't take long, and soon they were heading up a hill, Fluttershy explaining the events that led to the sanctuary's creation. “I'm very proud of how this turned out,” she concluded. “I hope it inspires you.” They reached the top of the hill, and could now see the sprawling animal sanctuary down below.

“Man, it's beautiful,” Tree Hugger commented. She closed her eyes for a moment, ears perked as she just listened to the sounds of nature. “There's so much nature energy here, it's like, totally groovy.”

Fluttershy smiled and led her toward it. “Come on, take a closer look.”

They explored the area. They checked on the birds in the trees, the critters in the grass and underground, and visited the creatures who swam in the water. Tree Hugger actually removed her bandanna and jumped into the water, going down to gently pet various fish, and then seeming to inspect the ground. Then she swam back up.

“Do you need a towel?” Fluttershy asked as she shook herself off and wringed water out of her mane.

“Nah, I'll let the sunshine dry me off, as is the natural way.” Tree Hugger accepted her bandanna back. “I don't mean to impose, but there's a lot of gunk building up at the bottom of the pond and not enough bottom feeders to properly filter it out.”

“Oh, I see,” Fluttershy said. “Is that a problem?”

“The water is still very healthy, it'll just be a little more pleasant to live in if some of that gook at the bottom were taken care of. I'd recommend adding some plecostomus, also known as the suckermouth catfish. Do you know of them?”

“Oh yes, they're very helpful, and so mild-mannered. How many should I get?”

“Hmm...” Tree Hugger regarded the pond. “They can grow fairly large if given the room... I'd say five will be more than enough.”

“Five plecos, got it.” Fluttershy made a mental note to get that squared away.

They continued walking around. Tree Hugger made more comments, such as recommending they plant more bee-friendly flowers, and grow a patch of clovers for bunnies to snack on. But overall, she was very pleased with the sanctuary.

“I've got so many rad ideas for the timber wolves,” Tree Hugger said. “Thank you so much for the tour.”

“It was no problem, I'm happy to help,” Fluttershy replied. “And thank you for the notes, I can't wait to make the sanctuary even nicer for the critters.”

“Your passion for helping animals is so inspiring,” Tree Hugger said. “It's, like, one of the things that first drew me to you. I love your kind aura.”

Fluttershy blushed. “Thank you. I do my best.”

“Well, I think I've seen all I need to.”

“Would you like to go back to my house for lunch?”

“Totally. Then we can talk about my ideas for my sanctuary project.”

They returned to Fluttershy's cottage. They prepared lunch together, as Tree Hugger didn't want to make Fluttershy do all the work herself. They made salads that they also shared with Angel, and many of the other animals. Then they went to the living room to eat.

“Mm, this spinach is so crisp,” Tree Hugger said.

“Yes, I just bought it. Fresh veggies are the best.”

“They sure are. And mm, I love the crunch to these carrots.”

Once lunch was finished, they cleaned the dishes, which Tree Hugger also insisted on helping with. Then Fluttershy made tea and they sat down to talk. Their discussion about the timber wolf sanctuary went on for hours. Tree Hugger wrote tons of notes down in a notebook and they consulted books on the species as they worked. But finally they were satisfied with their progress and stopped to make dinner. Fluttershy prepared a vegan casserole, and Tree Hugger made a side of lightly-salted potato wedges. They poured glasses of apple juice and sat down at the kitchen table to eat.

“You're a great cook,” Tree Hugger said as she dug into the casserole.

“Heh, well, when one has to feed themselves and a bunch of pets for years, you tend to get good at cooking,” Fluttershy replied. But she was pleased by the praise.

They lightly discussed local news, and engaged in some gossip.

“So Rainbow Dash has settled down with this wonderful and energetic pegasus named Night Glider,” Fluttershy said. “They're really cute together and Night might even move in with her and start working for the Cloudsdale weather team. She's a talented flier.”

“It's always so nice to hear that somepony has found a devoted lover,” Tree Hugger said. “Love is a powerful magic and it makes the world a better place.”

“Mhm!” Fluttershy finished her food and sighed with satisfaction.

“How are your other friends doing?” Tree Hugger asked.

“Very well. I feel like everypony is leading happy lives and so many of my friends are finding special someponies. I'm happy for all of them. Like Tempest Shadow actually getting with Discord. Discord! He always made fun of romance, said it was silly, but now I see him hugging Tempest, or keeping a hand on her while they're walking just because he wants to touch her, he adores her! I'm so glad they met.”

“Discord is a very interesting creature,” Tree Hugger mused. “I've never met another draconequus. I know there are more, but they're very secretive. I'd love to meet more, they're like, the rarest creature of all.”

“Yeah, Discord said even he has rarely talked to others of his kind. He doesn't mind, though.”

Tree Hugger nodded. Then she said, “So, Rarity. Is she really dating an Abyssinian?”

“Yes, she is,” Fluttershy confirmed. “They went out to dinner one day after he visited to buy some coats, they decided to hook up, and now... Yeah. They're together. His name is Capper and he's so charming, I don't blame Rarity for falling for him.”

“Interspecies romance is like, so groovy,” Tree Hugger sighed. “It brings the world closer together. All people deserve love. Rarity's like, breaking down barriers. It's awesome.”

Fluttershy giggled. “It is. They certainly make heads turn, but they're happy together and that's what matters. Capper might even move here!”

“That'll be rad.”

Fluttershy took a sip of juice. “And real recently, Applejack got with her childhood friend Coloratura... though she goes by Rara. They're cute together.”

“Nice. Everypony's finding their special someponies, huh?”

“Guess so.”

“Then how about you?”

“Me?” Fluttershy asked, surprised.

“Sure. Got your eye on anypony?”

Fluttershy blushed. “Oh, no, not really. I mean, it might be nice to get a partner, but it's not a priority. I'd mostly just want companionship, and an extra set of hooves to help me with the animals.”

“Mm, I see. So they'd need to be good with animals.”

“Absolutely. That's a requirement.”

“I totally understand. Mare or stallion? Or either? ...Or other?”

Fluttershy blinked. Then she said, “I've never really thought about gender. It's not that important to me. So... I guess I could fall for anypony. It's their personality that counts.”

“Hey, that's cool. I'm open to anypony as well. Gender is just, like, a construct, man.”

Fluttershy laughed. “I guess so.”

“Well, I wish you luck if you ever do look for a partner.”

“Thank you.”

They talked for a few more minutes, then cleared the table. After feeding the animals dinner, they retired to the living room to relax.

“So, how do you feel about weed?” Tree Hugger asked.

Fluttershy looked up from the book she had started browsing. “Weed? Like... weeds in a garden?”

“Haha, no. I mean marijuana, dude.”

“Oh!” She closed the book. “Well, it certainly has benefits in pain relief and for easing anxiety and depression. Plus, if ponies just want to smoke it for fun, well... that's their choice. It's perfectly acceptable, just like alcohol and tobacco. In moderation of course and as long as you aren't doing it near ponies that are uncomfortable with it.”

“Cool. So, mind if I smoke?”

Fluttershy tilted her head. “Right now?”

“I like taking a few hits after dinner, it really mellows me out and helps me get to sleep. I can go outside though.”

“Well...” Fluttershy considered, then said, “You should go out anyway so none of my pets are bothered. But I'll come with you so we can keep talking.”

“Sweet. Would you like to try it?”

“Me? Smoke weed? Heh, no thank you.”

“That's cool man, I respect that. Let me get my stuff and we can go outside.”

Tree Hugger went to the guest room to grab what she needed, then came back. She and Fluttershy headed out to a bench on the lawn and sat down.

With Fluttershy watching curiously, Tree Hugger opened her bag of weed and took some out, proceeding to carefully roll it up like a cigar. She smoothed out the wrapping the best she could, and picked up her lighter. She lit up, and took a long drag, holding it for a moment before exhaling.

Fluttershy's nose wrinkled. “Ugh. Sorry, it just smells really...” She cast around for a word that wasn't insulting.

But Tree Hugger just laughed. “Bad, I know. But once you get used to it, it's not so bad. Smell lingers though, you'd definitely want to brush your teeth... actually, it'd probably be best to take an entire shower.”

“I see.”

Tree Hugger took a few more puffs, then said, “You sure you don't want to try it? Just one breath?”

Fluttershy hesitated. She's always been curious. And she has taken care of today's chores... but what if the drug had a bad effect on her? You never knew! “How likely is it to... you know... negatively affect me?”

Tree Hugger gave her a blank stare. Then she said, “Very unlikely. Obviously it can be overdone but just one hit won't hurt you. But you don't need to do it if you don't want to.”

“No, I'll try it,” Fluttershy said. “I wanna know what it's like.”

“Alright, that's my girl! Okay, now just take it easy.” Tree Hugger passed her the joint. “Don't breathe in too fast. Just put this end to your lips and let the smoke into your mouth. Don't inhale quite yet, just kinda draw it into your mouth.”

Fluttershy did as directed, and her ears flicked in surprise. She had been expecting a bad taste, but it really wasn't so bad. It tasted “green” like many leafy plants, but her main impression was just that she had a mouthful of warm air.

“Now you can pull the joint away and actually inhale so it goes down into your lungs,” Tree Hugger said.

Fluttershy took a breath. The smoke traveled down, and she coughed a bit at the tingling sensation, but it wasn't so bad.

Tree Hugger began to take the joint away. “See? What do you think? Oh, and make sure you exhale, you really don't need to leave the smoke in there that long.”

Fluttershy let her have the joint, exhaling and watching smoke curl out of her nose. “That was... interesting. How long until it starts working?”

“Depends but this strain is pretty good, I'd give it hm... maybe five minutes? Of course you might need to take more hits, just to make sure it absorbs properly.” Tree Hugger put the joint to her own lips, and Fluttershy watched the smooth way she inhaled, before passing it back over.

Fluttershy accepted it and took another drag. She held her breath for a few more seconds, before slowly letting it back out. “This is... weirdly relaxing.” She returned the joint.

“Well you are using deep breathing techniques,” Tree Hugger explained. “This sort of breathing works wonders for bringing calmness. If you ever wish to meditate, you'll breathe much like this.”

“Ohh, okay.”

“Man, thanks for being so open-minded,” Tree Hugger said. “I don't meet many ponies that are up for smoking with me. But it's so nice to just chill with a friend and share a joint. But this isn't the only way to experience weed. We could also use a pipe, or a bong... in fact bongs are a bit more pleasant. And then there are edibles, I know a great recipe for weed brownies, and they're vegan!”

“Sounds great, maybe we could give them a try,” Fluttershy replied. “So you can cook this into food?”

“Totally. That's where it can get dangerous though, since you can't fully taste it so you gotta make sure you don't overdo it. Haha, I have a friend who ate some of my brownies, she got through one and waited and said nothing was happening, so she went for a second. I told her to stop then but she insisted that it wasn't working and ate a third...” Tree Hugger shook her head. “I'm pretty sure she heard colors after that one. Poor gal. She got through it but man that was a crazy high.”

“Oh dear. Well, I'll be very careful if we ever eat those.”

“Rad, dude.” Tree Hugger slumped back against the bench, lazily giving the joint over to Fluttershy, who took a hit. She was kinda starting to enjoy this. The minutes passed as they shared the joint, and once it ran out, Tree Hugger asked if she should prepare another one.

“If ya want,” Fluttershy replied. She was feeling very drowsy at this point, her mood quite elevated. The setting Sun seemed absolutely beautiful and everything around her was just fantastic.

“Oh man, Fluttershy, you look like you're feeling it,” Tree Hugger said as she rolled another joint.

Fluttershy let out some very enthusiastic giggles. “Heh, I'm definitely feeling something. I feel all... light and happy. Things seem kinda... brighter? Hehe, it's weird.”

“Right on! But oh man, I think I'm gonna fall off this bench. Wanna move into the grass?”

“Sure!”

They moved to stretch out on the grass, laying next to each other as the temperature dropped, sharing warmth. They shared one more joint, and Fluttershy was understanding now why ponies liked doing this. She felt totally blissed out. She kept shifting, trying to find a more comfortable way to lay, before eventually just kinda rolling and laying on her back, head against Tree Hugger's side.

“Doing okay, Flutters?” Tree Hugger asked.

“Heh, I'm great! You're so comfy!”

Tree Hugger nuzzled the top of her head. “You're adorable. I guess you have a really happy high. That's great though.”

“Aren't you happy?”

“Oh, I'm very happy. I'm also a little more used to this. But this is your first time using weed so it's more intense for you.”

“Ohh, okay. Well this is fun!”

“Word.”

They stayed outside for nearly an hour, just chatting as they relaxed in their highs, telling jokes and trading stories, though Fluttershy found it a bit difficult to recall exact details. Oh well. She gazed up into the night sky, watching the stars twinkle.

“Have you ever like, noticed how pretty the night sky is?” Fluttershy asked. “The way all the stars shine and the colors go from that dark blue to... a darker blue? And how the Moon shines silver over there?” She gestured. “It's so nice.”

“The night is beautiful,” Tree Hugger replied.

“Mhm, Luna does such a good job with it.” Fluttershy yawned, eyes drifting shut. “It's a shame ponies have to sleep through it...”

“We don't have to. I stay up through the night all the time.”

“Don't you get tired?”

“Sure, but I just sleep later. I love watching the stars.”

“Mm. So pretty.” Fluttershy rolled, laying on her front again and leaning against her friend. “But I'm so tired...”

“Yeah, that tends to happen when you smoke at night. How are you feeling otherwise, though?”

“Good. Really good.”

“That's good to hear.” Tree Hugger leaned back against her, one hoof gently patting Fluttershy's foreleg. “Do you wanna go back inside?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, up you go.” Tree Hugger helped her stand, and she gathered her stuff before heading back inside. Fluttershy felt wobbly, everything spinning around her. Everything was both familiar yet foreign. Her body was so numb she found herself checking her legs a few times just to make sure they were actually moving. Next thing she knew they were in the house, and she must have mumbled something about wanting to sleep, because then she was being helped into bed.

“Thank you,” she said as Tree Hugger pulled the covers over her.

“No problem. Man, you're so baked,” Tree Hugger chuckled. She patted her head. “I hope you had a good time though. Thanks again for smoking with me, I had fun. See you in the morning.”

“Alright, see you.” Fluttershy watched her leave the room, then laid her head down, yawning and closing her eyes. She passed out in minutes.

When morning came, Fluttershy woke up feeling sluggish. She groaned and rubbed at her eyes, before climbing out of bed. She really would have liked to keep sleeping, but the animals would be needing their breakfast, plus she was fairly hungry herself.

She stepped into the bathroom and flicked on the light, then squinted as her eyes adjusted. She fumbled for a brush and began brushing her mane. She looked at herself in the mirror, noting that she even looked tired. But at least her eyes weren't red, she had been wondering about that. They might have been before, but it must have worn off while she was sleeping.

She thought back to last night. Trying weed had been an exhilarating experience. She kinda wanted to do it again, but told herself not to get too crazy about it. She didn't have an addictive personality but she didn't want to get hooked on it anyway. She might indulge in it occasionally, but not every night as Tree Hugger claimed to.

She finished brushing her mane and tended to her tail, then went downstairs to get breakfast. She found Tree Hugger already sitting at the table, eating cereal and reading a newspaper.

“Heyy, Fluttershy,” she greeted. “How'd you sleep?”

“Like a foal,” Fluttershy replied. “How about you?”

“Same. Wow man, you were really high last night. Do you feel okay now?”

“I'm fine. Just kinda tired. And hungry.” Fluttershy opened the fridge and grabbed a grapefruit. She put it on a plate and brought a spoon and knife over to the table, cutting the grapefruit in half.

“That's normal. Well alright! Congrats on a fun first time.” Tree Hugger patted her back, then kept reading the paper. “Ooh the Ponyville grocery store is going to be starting up an organic foods section. Great!”

“Aren't um, most foods organic?” Fluttershy asked.

Tree Hugger gazed at her for a moment. Then she said, “Oh yeah, I guess so. But still, it'll be nice to have healthier options! I just hope they don't make them too expensive.”

After breakfast, they went to feed the animals, and decided to make the improvements to the sanctuary. It went well, and soon they were at their last task. Planting flowers that bees loved.

“They're going to love these daisies,” Tree Hugger said as she placed the roots of the flowers gently in the ground and buried them.

“They sure are,” Fluttershy replied, as she worked to plant marigolds. “I really love marigolds myself, they're so gorgeous.”

They weren't even done planting when bees came to check out the field.

“Hello, little friends,” Fluttershy said gently to them. “We're just making things a little nicer for you. I hope you love these new flowers.”

Several of the bees alighted on her snout and head, buzzing quietly before taking off and going to land on the flowers.

“Man, you're like, an actual nature goddess,” Tree Hugger commented. She reached for a few of the bees, but they just avoided her hoof and went to check out the flowers.

“Oh, I don't know about that,” Fluttershy said, standing up and brushing dirt off herself.

“You've got bees landing on you and birds and other animals talk to you. You're totally one with nature, dude. It's so rad.” Tree Hugger finished her job and stood too. “Your crown chakra is like, wide open.”

“I'm not sure what that means, but thank you.” Fluttershy took a few steps, then paused when she saw a scaly tail. “Oh, I almost stepped on a snake!”

“Ooh, what kind?”

“Oh, it's a...” Fluttershy trailed off, cautiously stepping forward to look more closely. But the snake that turned its head around to look at her was one she's never seen before. It had glossy scales and bright eyes. “I'm... not sure, actually.”

“Really? Huh, let me look.” Tree Hugger walked up, and Fluttershy gently picked up the snake and let it curl around her foreleg. Tree Hugger examined it. “Oh! This is a rare species! They're called solar snakes!”

“Solar snakes?” Fluttershy asked curiously.

“Yeah! They're a very unique species. Most snakes eat meat, but these survive entirely on sunlight. Their scales are like miniature solar panels that convert light into energy. They're endangered and totally docile.” Tree Hugger petted the snake on Fluttershy's foreleg.

“Oh, that's so cool. I've never met one of them before though, I'm not really sure how to take care of them.”

“Well, you likely won't need to do much. They only need water and sunlight so I wouldn't worry about them too much.”

“Okay. So then...” Fluttershy stopped when she realized the snake was trying to talk to her. She moved it around so she could see its face, and she realized now it was a male, hissing desperately at her. “Oh? What's going on?” She listened, instinctively able to understand him as she could all animals, then gasped. “Your mate's been injured? Where is she, maybe we can help.”

The snake uncurled from her foreleg and dropped down to the ground, taking off through the grass. He was fast, and Fluttershy and Tree Hugger had to canter to keep up with him. But finally he slowed, and darted into a hole that had been dug out under a tree.

Fluttershy knelt to look into it, and the snake poked his head back out, tongue flicking. He had more information for her, and she nodded, before gasping softly. “Broken ribs? She fell out of the tree trying to avoid a bird? Oh, poor dear. If it's okay, maybe we can bring her back to my house so we can fix her up.”

The snake nodded and went back into the burrow. A few moments passed, and then he came out, another snake next to him. She had the same glossy scales, though while his were blue, hers were more green in color. Fluttershy could see a clear bumpiness to her side in one spot.

“Hello there,” she said softly to her. “I'm Fluttershy. I heard you were hurt, but it's okay. I can help you.” She offered a hoof, and the snake gingerly climbed onto it. She lifted her and spread her wings out, setting her gently on her back. She waited so the snake could get comfortable, then looked at the male. “Would you like to come with us?”

He nodded, and climbed up Fluttershy's body, wrapping around her neck and watching his mate. They headed back to the cottage.

“Solar snakes have nearly the same anatomy as other snakes, but due to their ability to synthesize energy from light, they don't have a stomach or the normal kind of digestive system,” Tree Hugger said. “They have expanded lungs though and a larger heart to meet oxygen demand. So their rib cages are shaped ever so slightly different.”

“Wow, you really know a lot about these guys,” Fluttershy said.

“I've rehabilitated a few of them. They're really cool.”

“Do you think you could stay a little longer to help me with Ms. Snake? I want to make sure I give her exactly the right treatment.”

Tree Hugger agreed. “Sure, that'll be rad. I'll take any excuse to spend more time with you.”

Fluttershy smiled at her, and she smiled back.

Once they got back to the house, Tree Hugger advised Fluttershy on what sort of bed to put together for the snake. They set it up on the windowsill so she could still absorb sunlight, and used soft grass for bedding, along with a few pillows toward one side in case she wanted something even softer. Then they let her get comfortable, Tree Hugger watching her while Fluttershy went to get some medicine.

She returned and petted Ms. Snake's head. “So, for broken ribs, there really isn't much you'll need to do. They'll heal on their own in a few weeks, so I'll just need you to relax and try not to move too much. I would compress them, but then you could possibly get pneumonia and we certainly don't want that. But what I am going to do is feel your ribs to make sure they haven't moved too much. I wanna make sure the broken bones haven't pierced your lungs or anything, alright?”

The snake understood, and laid still while Fluttershy carefully felt her side. The bones were delicate, but luckily none of the bones had completely broken, they just seemed fractured. Some of them were out of place, but they weren't stabbing into any organs. She carefully pressed them back into place, whispering soothingly to the snake when she hissed. “I know it hurts, I'm so sorry. But it'll feel better soon. And I have a painkiller...” She trailed off, then looked at Tree Hugger. “Oh. How would you administer painkillers to a solar snake? You said they don't have a digestive system, so would a pill work?”

“No, it wouldn't,” Tree Hugger replied. “Solar snakes have mouths and noses they breathe through, but unlike other creatures, they only have a trachea leading down into their lungs. There's no esophagus. Letting them ingest something will only lead to them choking.”

“Oh dear. So then, is there a way to give them painkillers?”

Tree Hugger considered, then said, “You'd have to get the medicine directly into her bloodstream with a needle. I know how to prepare a liquid painkiller that'll work wonders, but I'll need to go shopping.”

“Alright.” Fluttershy looked back at the snakes. The male had climbed into the bed to lay next to his mate, who rested her head against him. “I'm sorry, we'll need a little time to prepare a proper medicine for you. Will you be okay if we step out for an hour or so?”

The male said yes, and that he appreciated what they've done so far.

“It's no problem. Just make sure she rests, and those broken ribs will be healed before you know it.” Fluttershy went to grab her saddlebags, and she and Tree Hugger headed into town.

“If they're living in the sanctuary, there's probably more solar snakes,” Tree Hugger commented. “We should check on them and make sure they're comfortable.”

“Of course. Thank you so much for agreeing to stay, you'll be a big help. Now, what do we need to make that medicine?”

“The Ponyville drugstore should have everything we need, so here's how you'd want to prepare it...”

The medicine they made for the solar snake ended up being a big help. She was apprehensive of the needle at first, but understood that it would make her feel better. And after the first dose, she was perfectly fine with getting more. It only took seconds for it to take effect, and her body relaxed, eyes taking on a distant stare. If snakes had eyelids, she would definitely be closing hers.

“There. We'll administer this daily, and let us know if the level of pain changes,” Fluttershy said.

The male snake agreed, and left the bed so he could do some sunbathing, confident that his partner was in good hooves.

It took weeks for the female snake to heal. Fluttershy checked up on her daily, helped her move to get into the best position to sunbathe if needed, and checked her pain level before administering medicine. It was strange watching after a snake that didn't need food, but Tree Hugger assured her that absolutely no food was necessary, just sunlight and water. As it turned out, while solid food was dangerous, they could ingest water. According to Tree Hugger, they had a filtering organ before the trachea got to the lungs, and this would pull all the water away and into the bloodstream.

“Their anatomy is like, totally fascinating,” Tree Hugger concluded.

“It really seems like it. Is there a book I could read about solar snakes?”

“Sure, maybe Twilight's library has one.”

They ended up finding a few books on the creatures, and Fluttershy spent many an evening reading through them. And she also spent many evenings outside with Tree Hugger, meditating with her, learning to open her chakras, and having long conversations into the night. And sometimes they just sprawled out on a picnic blanket and had a light dinner and snacks while smoking. Fluttershy greatly enjoyed how relaxed it made her, everything becoming bright and wonderful, and her conversations with Tree Hugger were often downright hilarious.

“Man, I'm telling you, everything around us is like, alive,” Tree Hugger said, while Fluttershy sprawled against her as usual, fighting to keep herself from dozing off. “The grass, the trees, the air... it's like, totally groovy.”

“Mm, yeah... have you ever noticed, like... the clouds?” Fluttershy asked. Her friend hummed, and Fluttershy continued, “They just. They just float up there. Totally free, I bet it's nice. Sometimes I wish I could just. Just float around, ya know?”

“Oh totally,” Tree Hugger agreed. “Could you pass me those kale chips?”

Fluttershy pulled over the bag of chips and Tree Hugger crammed several into her mouth, munching on them.

“And have you ever noticed how all the energy in the world is like, connected?” Fluttershy went on.

“Uh-huh.”

“It feels like if I close my eyes and focus, I can see how everything around me connects.”

“Yeah dude, close your eyes and let your third eye open.”

In an amusing turn of events, Discord actually found them during one such picnic. He usually showed up to Fluttershy's house randomly, and had been expecting her to be inside as usual, but instead found her high out on the lawn, laying against Tree Hugger and giggling about something.

“What in the name of Celestia is going on here?” Discord asked.

“Oh, Discord!” Fluttershy called, lifting a hoof to wave at him. “Hi! I didn't know you were coming!”

“I would assume not, I don't tend to announce myself. What are you doing?”

“We're just having a picnic, doing a little smoking, that's all,” Fluttershy replied.

“Smoking? Since when do you... is that weed?”

“Yeah dude, you want some?” Tree Hugger asked. “It'll totally free your mind.”

Discord sighed. Rubbed his face. Then he sat down and held out his hand. “Yeah, pass me a joint.”

“Discord, you smoke?” Fluttershy asked curiously.

“Not usually but you're my friend and if you're doing it, I'll do it. Might be fun. I apologize but it takes a lot to get me high, so basically... I'm keeping this.”

Tree Hugger shrugged. “That's fine, I can share with Fluttershy.”

“You're just full of surprises,” Discord said to Fluttershy as he took a hit. “Never expected to see you smoking weed.”

“Is that a problem?” she asked.

“No, not at all. You can put anything you want in your body, it's no one's concern but your own. I just didn't expect you to be into this, you always avoided cigarettes and I rarely even see you touch alcohol.”

“I don't usually do such things, but this is just... I don't know. It just mellows me out, ya know?”

“Heh, you're already mellow. But okay. It is pretty fun to do from time to time, isn't it?” Discord looked at Tree Hugger. “Though I'm sure you're to blame for getting her into this.”

“Yeah dude, I asked if she wanted to try it and she said yes. Flutters is pretty cool! It's so rad having another smoking buddy.”

“Well as long as you don't turn her into a full blown stoner. She can't be high all the time, she's got lots of animals that depend on her.” Discord took a long drag from his joint. “Damn, this is quality stuff.”

“Grew it myself,” Tree Hugger said. “Isn't it magical?”

“Very. I'm impressed.” Discord grinned at her. “I think we can get along.”

“Man, remember when you like, were gonna toss me into that other dimension?” Tree Hugger asked. “That was so not cool. But I'm glad we're cool now.”

“Me too.”

“You were so mean that day,” Fluttershy said. “I don't like that I yelled at you but you were just awful.”

“I know, and I'm sorry about my behavior,” Discord replied. “I guess I just couldn't stand the thought that I might be losing you. Guess it didn't occur to me that you can have multiple friends, heh. Ugh that was a mess.”

“It's okay. Everything is good now.” Fluttershy passed her joint over to Tree Hugger, and then closed her eyes and slumped against her.

“Fluttershy?” Discord asked, concerned.

“I'm awake,” Fluttershy slurred.

“Oh dude, you're so cute,” Tree Hugger said, resting a foreleg over her.

“Heheh, no you,” Fluttershy replied. She lifted her head and pressed her nose against Tree Hugger's. “Boop.”

“Heh.” Tree Hugger pressed back. “Boop.”

Discord blinked, then decided to just keep smoking.

“I really appreciate all the help you've given me since getting here,” Fluttershy said.

“It's no problem, dude, I'm happy to help. And thank you for all the help you've given me. The, uh... the timber wolf sanctuary is gonna be totally awesome. You're gonna visit, right?”

“Totally! I wouldn't miss it for the world.”

“Sweet.”

Fluttershy gazed at her for a few moments, then said, “I um... I've really liked just being around you too. You're so nice, and well...” She blushed.

“Aw, are you getting sappy on me?” Tree Hugger teased.

“Maybe a little. I just feel... like being honest right now.”

“Then hey, be honest.”

Discord started to get a weird feeling about this. He took a long drag to finish off his joint, then tossed it into his mouth and swallowed it, before watching the two closely.

“Honestly...” Fluttershy hesitated, then said, “I really like you. Do you think, um... we could go out?”

Discord stared, and Tree Hugger looked surprised. Then she regained her composure and smiled, stroking Fluttershy's mane. “If you want. I really like you too.”

Fluttershy beamed, and wrapped her into a hug, nuzzling her cheek. Tree Hugger nuzzled back, and they soon just flopped over into a giggling pile, holding each other and exchanging nuzzles and little licks.

Discord rubbed the back of his neck, then said, “Well girls, it's been fun but I really need to be getting home, I uh... believe I left the washing machine running.”

It took a moment to register, then Fluttershy said, “Wait, but-”

“See ya, and thanks for the smoke!” Discord snapped his fingers and disappeared.

Fluttershy cocked her head, and Tree Hugger said, “Man, we need to invite him again, I wanna see him baked out of his mind.”

“I don't know, that might be kinda dangerous,” Fluttershy replied.

“Maybe but imagine how fun he'd be too.”

“Hm... true...”

“Well, anyway...” Tree Hugger pressed their foreheads together. “I'd totally love to go out with you, but my job keeps me traveling a lot. I don't know how often I'd be able to visit.”

“Oh, that's okay. I'm totally fine with a long distance relationship. Just as long as we can keep in touch, and visit each other sometimes, I'll be perfectly happy. It'll be nice just knowing there's somepony out there who loves me, and is thinking about me, and will help me whenever I need it.”

“Righteous. I'm all for it. And one day, who knows...” Tree Hugger reached to rub her hoof gently behind Fluttershy's ear, making her giggle. “I might finally be able to settle down, and when I do... Ponyville seems like a nice place to live.”

Fluttershy brightened. “That would be wonderful.”

“Yeah man. It's like I always said, make love, not war.”

“The world would be beautiful if everypony followed that.”

“Totally. Well, it's getting late. Wanna head back inside?”

“Sure.”

They cleaned everything up and headed inside, and put away the uneaten food. They checked on the solar snakes, who were dozing peacefully. Then they went upstairs to bed. Only this time, Fluttershy asked if Tree Hugger wanted to join her. The other considered, then smiled and agreed, following her into her room.

On a whim, Fluttershy locked the door. Just in case. Then she went to join her new mare friend in bed, letting her wrap her in a warm embrace. This was perfect.