Chapters Author's Note
Hey readers! Yeah, I know I've been slacking off in finishing up my previous stories, but I've kinda lost interest/hit writer's block with them. Not to mention I've been busy. That said, I hope to make it up to you with this new story I came up with. It's based loosely on the story of Persephone (very loosely), and has some elements from one of my favorite animes, Princess Tutu. I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 1
High above the mortal realm, upon the heavenly plain, there resides the home of the gods, each of whom lives in their own palace, where they await to hear the prayers of their mortal followers. Among them was the Fluttershy, the goddess of spring. Like the season she represented, Fluttershy was as sweet and as lovely as a flower in bloom, with her rosy pink locks, lustrous teal eyes, and delicate features. Though her natural beauty could not compare to the beauty of her heart, which had within it the compassion to love all creatures, great, small, adorable and hideous. As a goddess, it was her duty to in the warm sunshine and vibrant flowers that came with the changing of the seasons. However, as it was still winter down below, Fluttershy was enjoying her nice quiet time in her palace. Fluttershy's palace was surrounded by a dense garden, filled with every kind of bloom imaginable. The palace itself was quite modest, not being very tall and grand, and constructed from simple marble. Along its walls grew flowering moss and vines of ivy, with plant life even growing upon the tiled roof.
As was most common for her to do during her time off, Fluttershy went about her garden with her bunny companion, Angel, tending to her flowers, and cultivating her herbs. But this was no typical day for Fluttershy, as she was watering her lilies, a flustered cry caught her attention.
"Fluttershy! Oh Fluttershy, dear!"
Fluttershy whirled around to see that the person calling out to her was none other than Rarity, the goddess of winter. Normally, Rarity was the picture of elegance, dressed in delicate, stylish snowflake garments that complimented her snow-white complexion, making her look as regal as a queen. But one look at the obviously distressed and disheveled goddess was enough to alert Fluttershy that something was wrong.
"Oh my, what brings you here, Rarity?" Fluttershy asked.
"Fluttershy, you won't believe what just happened!" Rarity gasped, trying to catch her breath. "It's absolutely terrible, why, it just might be the worst. Possible. Thing!"
At her feet, Angel bunny rolled his eyes at Rarity's dramatics.
"Is it really that serious?" Fluttershy pressed.
"Indeed it is." Rarity then began to recount to her what exactly happened. "You see, I was out in the mortal realm, frosting the trees, adding a few icicles here and there, it was a perfect winter wonderland if I do say so myself. But as soon as I turn my back for a measly moment, all of my hard work has come undone! Icicles knocked off their branches, a mess of tracks covering the once unblemished snow. It looked like a complete disaster."
"That does sound awful." Fluttershy remarked.
"I haven't even gotten to the worst part!" Rarity said. "The perpetrators behind the mess are the nymphs!"
Upon hearing this, Fluttershy let out a shocked gasp of her own. "The nymphs? But, they aren't supposed to be awake until spring."
"I know, and that's precisely what I told them, but no matter what I said, they wouldn't listen to me, and instead ran off to cause more mischief. And you can see the state they've left me in." She indicated her now unkempt violet curls to prove her point. "That's why I'm here. I'm hoping that you could work your magic and talk some sense into the them, and get them to go back to sleep."
Fluttershy gave a determined nod. "I'll do what I can, thank you for telling me Rarity." Fluttershy quickly rushed into the palace and came back out in a thick mossy cloak. "I hate to think what could happen to those poor girls if they stay out too much longer."
"And you better hurry, darling." Rarity added. "There's been sightings of windigos in the area, and you know how dreadful they can be."
"Don't worry, I'll have them nice and cozy in their tress in no time." And with that Fluttershy descended down to the mortal realm.
Meanwhile, in the snowy forest, three nymphs named Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, were all laughing and playing as they ran through the thick snowdrifts.
"Whoohoo!" Cried Scootaloo as she slid down a little hill and into a snowbank. "Man, this is great!"
"Yeah, we should've done this years ago." Said Sweetie Belle.
"I'm still not sure about this guys." Said Apple Bloom nervously. "I mean, you saw how upset Rarity was, maybe we should go back to our trees."
"Aw, quit your worrying." Scootaloo said dismissively, dusting off the flakes of snow off her lilac skirts. "A little snow never hurt anyone. Besides, who knows when we're ever gonna get the chance to see winter again? Now come on!"
The three nymphs continued to run deeper and deeper into the forest, and as they did, their surroundings grew darker and more fearsome, for they were entering a part of the forest where few dared to tread, for it is said that many terrible beasts dwell in that part of the wood. Thankfully, as it was still winter, a great many of those beasts had settled down for a nice winter's nap. However, there were still a few creatures that roamed about regardless of the season. But none of the nymphs knew of this as they merrily chased each other through the thick arbor of old gnarled trees. They didn't stop, until they spotted a curious find that caught their attention.
"Hey, what's that?" Asked Sweetie Belle, skidding to a stop.
The other two followed her gaze to a large, stony formation. Through the vines that completely covered it, the girls could just make out the shape of some kind of creature, one that was an amalgamation of a bunch of other sorts of animals. It was feathered, furred and scaled, with horns, wings and claws. It was unlike anything any of them had ever seen before.
"Freaky." Scootaloo said softly, her wide eyes taking in as much as she could of the stony creature.
"What do you think it is?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Maybe it's a sculpture someone made." Sweetie Belle suggested.
"A statue in the middle of the forest?" Scootaloo questioned. "Nu-uh. My guess is, it just formed like this naturally."
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes, "oh yeah, a hunk of rock managed to look like a great big monster all on its own."
"Hey, it could happen!" Scootaloo said defensively. I once saw a rock that looked like a dragon."
Apple Bloom got between the two of them and said, "That's enough, both of you."
Scootaloo pointed an accusatory finger at Sweetie Belle. "She started it!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Will you knock it off?!" Cried Apple Bloom, feeling fed up with their bickering (not to mention standing out in the cold for so long).
"Stay out of it!" Both of them shot back.
Unbeknownst to the girls, their arguing had attracted some unwanted attention. The heat of their anger and fighting carried by the bitter wind, alerted the windigos, the winter spirits who brought ice and snow wherever there was turmoil. They could feel the nymphs' presence, and became drawn to them like moths to a flame, as they set out towards the source of the fighting, to further spread their icy influence. More nearby, the statue over which the girls had begun to argue over, faintly glowed for but a few moments, as a dark light pulsed in what was the creature's chest.
The howling wind blew straight through the girls, causing them to shiver.
"Look, can we just get out of here already?" Asked Apple Bloom. "I don't want to stand around here freezing my legs off."
"Okay." Sweetie Belle said.
"Yeah, whatever." Scootaloo shot a look at Sweetie Belle, indicating that they weren't done with their argument, and Sweetie Belle felt the same.
Little did any of them know as they left, the large cracks that started to form in the statue, or the ominous cackle that softly sounded from inside.
Fluttershy landed down upon the snowy surface of the earth, as she did, a small patch of fresh grass grew up from her footsteps.
"Oh, where could those three have gone?" She muttered to herself, looking out in every direction, but no matter where she looked, there was nothing but a seemingly endless expanse of whiteness as far as the eye could see.
Fluttershy drew her cloak in tighter around her. It'll be getting dark soon, and the weather is sure to take a turn for the worse then. There's no time to waste. Reaching into her cloak, she pulled out a set of panpipes, and began to play a little tune on them. After a moment or so, there appeared before her in a gentle breeze a young man dressed in a loose-fitting robe, with his blond hair piled high on his head and a slight five o'clock shadow on his face. It was Zephyr, spirit of the west wind and spring breezes, as well as Fluttershy's younger brother.
Zephyr let out a loud, obnoxious yawn. "Aw man, why'd you call me out here sis?" He asked tiredly. "Do you have any clue how early it is?"
"I'm sorry Zephyr, but I need your help. There are three young nymph who woke up early, and I need your help to find them before it's too late."
Zephyr gave his arms a stretch. "That's it? Couldn't ya, I don't know, do it yourself?"
"No, there's too much ground to cover, not to mention my powers are at their weakest during the winter season, I need all the help I can get."
"I don't know." Zephyr said, still sounding disinterested. "I mean, I was in the middle of this really nice siesta and--"
"Zephyr Breeze ." Fluttershy said warningly.
"Okay okay, I'll help." Zephyr said, holding up his hands defensively. "I'll find those nymphs for you in no time."
As quick as he appeared, he was gone.
Fluttershy heaved a sigh. "I hope they're alright."
The nymphs had left the forest and had now made their way to a snowy field. As they walked, the girls were finally starting to feel the effects of the winter weather, as all of them quivered and began to become as pale as the snow itself.
"Maybe we should head back home." Apple Bloom said.
Scootaloo nodded, trying to keep her teeth from chattering. "Y-y-yeah. I think w-we've had en-nough adventure for t-today."
"So, anyone know the way back?" Asked Sweetie Belle. There was an awkward silence. "Oh come on!"
"Oh, I knew this was a bad idea." Said Apple Bloom, shaking her head.
"If it was such a bad idea, then why did you come?" Asked Scootaloo, sounding very irritable from the cold.
"To make sure nothing bad happened to you two."
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Whenever we go on one of these little adventures , it always seems to lead to some kind of trouble."
"Oh like you're one to talk." Said Sweetie Belle grumpily.
"Excuse me?"
"Remember the time you went out into the fire bogs?"
"Hey, what happened there was not my fault, I just got turned around is all. Besides, you've got into plenty of trouble yourself."
"Why you!"
This went on and on, as the three of them continued to fight and insult one another. High above them, hidden among the clouds, the windigos watched their prey with an intent gaze. They then began to fly round and round, creating a flurry of snow, as bitter as they were feeling right now.
"This is the last time I decide to do anything with you girls again." Apple Bloom said.
"Same."
"Ditto."
Just as they were about to go their separate ways, they finally realized something. "I, I can't move!"
"Me neither."
"What's going on?" Scootaloo cried.
A sharp winny pierced the air, turning their attention skyward, where three horse-like entities were encircling them, making it colder, and causing the ice that pinned them to the ground to creep up their legs.
"W-what are they?" Asked Sweetie Belle.
Apple Bloom shook her head helplessly. "I don't know, but whatever they are, I don't think they're here to help."
"I coulda told you that much." Scootaloo remarked.
The wind suddenly blew colder, freezing the girls right to their cores.
It then dawned on Sweetie Belle. "You guys, I think it's us that's causing this!"
"What?"
"What makes you say that?" Asked Apple Bloom.
"These things, they didn't show up until we started fighting. Not only that, but after what Scootaloo just said, it suddenly got colder." She said.
"Then how do we stop this?" Asked Scootaloo.
"I don't know!"
"Well, whatever we do, I don't think we have much time." Apple Bloom said, as the ice was now climbing up her chest.
"Oh gods, this looks like the end!" Cried Scootaloo.
Sweetie Belle broke down into tears. "Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, I'm really sorry for what I said. I didn't really mean it. You two are the best friends I've ever had."
"I feel the same, Sweetie Belle." Apple Bloom said, her own eyes tearing up. "And I really don't mind our adventures that much. Even if we got into trouble, they were still pretty fun."
Scootaloo sniffed. "Oh you guys, it was nice knowing ya."
As the three nymphs prepared to accept their fate, a sharp sound signal, causing the windigos themselves to freeze. The girls gazed back up to see Fluttershy flying towards them, playing on her panpipes.
"Lady Fluttershy!" All three called.
The windigos glared at the goddess' arrival, and prepared to rush at the interloper. In response, Fluttershy played a bright a cheery melody. It sang of warmth, of the bright beginnings that came with spring. To the nymphs it sounded wonderful, but to the windigos, it made them shrink back, as the terrible noise assaulted their ears. Until at last, the windigos retreated, hoping to get as far away from the pipes as possible. Fluttershy touched down to the ground and waved a hand at the ice that surrounded the nymphs, and in an instant, it melted into water.
The girls smiled and cheered, happy to be saved. The got into a little group hug before turning to the goddess and saying, "Oh thank you, Lady Fluttershy. Thank you so much!"
"Yeah, the way you sent those things running was awesome!" Added Scootaloo.
However, Fluttershy looked down at them with a very disapproving look. "You girls know better than to be out here in the middle of winter. If Rarity hadn't told me you were awake, you could've been killed!"
The nymphs hung their heads. "We're sorry, Lady Fluttershy." Said Apple Bloom.
"We didn't mean for this to happen, we just wanted to see what winter was like." Said Sweetie Belle.
Fluttershy sighed. "Well, you're lucky that Zephyr found you when he did, otherwise I might've been too late."
Scootaloo cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Who?"
At the mention of his name, Zephyr appeared beside his sister. "That'd be me, little lady. Yes, feel free to back in my amazingness."
"And you are...?" Asked Apple Bloom.
Zephyr let out a gasp as if he'd been slapped. "You mean, you've never heard of Zephyr? Spirit of the west wind, bringer of spring breezes? Nothing?"
Sweetie Belle shrugged. "Sorry, never heard of you."
Zephyr quickly regained his composure and said, "Yes, well, at least now you've seen me in action. For it was me who found you poor damsels in distress, and quickly went to alert my sister of your peril. No need to thank me."
"Thank you for your help, Zephyr." Said Fluttershy. "Now, you should probably get going, you're going to need all your rest for when spring comes."
"Ah yes, a siesta sounds good right about now." Zephyr rose higher into the air and with a little wave he said, "Catch you later, sis." And like that, he was gone.
"Man, your brother's a weirdo." Said Scootaloo.
Fluttershy flew the nymphs back to their grove where they belonged, and using her magic, she managed to relieve the girls of the cold chill that had seeped into their bodies.
"We'll talk about this more in the spring." Fluttershy said, getting the girls ready to resume their winter naps. "You will be punished not just for the trouble you caused Rarity, but also putting yourselves in danger. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Lady Fluttershy." They answered.
She smiled at them warmly. "Good. Now let's get you all settled in, and I'll play you a little song to help you get to sleep."
"Lady Fluttershy?" Piped up Apple Bloom. "Thanks again for saving us."
"Anytime." With the pipes raised to her lips, Fluttershy began to play her song, so lovely was her music that the tree branches began to sing along as they swayed.
When the Spring comes in the birds do sing, the lambs do play and the bells do ring.
The primrose blooms and the cowslip too,
The violets in their sweet attire, the bluebells shining in the briar,
The daffy-dilly we admire, while daisies fade away.
The nymphs let out a content sigh, as they leaned against their respected trees and melted into them. Fluttershy finished her lullaby and smiled at the three little trees.
"Sweet dreams, girls." She whispered softly.
Fluttershy lifted herself into the air, and was ready to return to the heavenly plain, but as she flew over hill and dale, she spotted something in the snow that made her stop. For down below, their laid the collapsed form of a man.
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Over the next few days, Fluttershy did her best to ensure that her guest was comfortable, making sure that he was warm and well fed. After a while, he began to make interesting requests from her. First it'd been a glass of water and some tea with honey, both of which seemed normal enough. Until he started to ask for a crystal cruet with codfish oil, saying that it was for his chest. Then he asked for some pumpkin soup, silky scarves to wrap himself in, warm milk pastries, noodles, a swiss cheese sandwich on rye bread, basil, mince pies, and so on.
Fluttershy would do what she could to meet her guest's demands, but he would always have more requests to ask of her. From the sidelines, Angel watched as his mistress tirelessly worked herself to care for this ungrateful man, till at one point he couldn't stand it anymore. He hopped up and tugged at the hem of his mistress' skirts, trying to get her attention.
"Not now Angel," She said, obviously distracted. "Our guest wants a bowl of peas with some grated cheese."
Angel made a face and tapped his foot in a disgruntled fashion.
Fluttershy sighed, "Yes, I know it sounds a little ridiculous, but he is our guest, and while he's here we must treat him to our hospitality."
Angel shook his head and slammed a paw in front of his face before hopping off. He hopped towards the man's room and peaked inside. The intruder was lounging about on his bed, acting as though he hadn't a care in the world. It burned Angel up inside to think that this was the man who was treating his mistress as though she were no more than a common servant (though in some respect, he himself was one to talk). Angel entered the room and hopped up onto the bed, where he made a lot of angry gestures, in the hopes of asserting his displeasure of the unwelcomed guest, and that he disliked the treatment he was giving to his mistress.
The man just watched in amusement before letting out a chuckle. "Why isn't that just precious ? So, you think a little bunny rabbit like you has what it takes to stand up to me? Ha! Ha!" Without any warning, Angel found himself lifted up into the air and dangling just a few inches in front of the man's face. A twisted grin etched on his face. "I'm afraid you're sorely mistaken, little rabbit." For a brief moment, his eyes glowed red, and then Angel was tossed onto the floor like an old shoe.
Angel lifted himself off the floor and stared at the man in wide eyed horror. This man...who, what was he?
"Angel." Fluttershy said as she entered, carrying the bowl of peas and cheese. "Please don't bother our guest, why don't you go out and play in the garden?"
He didn't like the idea of leaving his mistress alone with a clearly dangerous man, but Angel knew that he'd need to warn the other animals that lived at the palace of what trouble they had on their paws, and hopefully, they'd be able to formulate a plan for getting rid of him.
As Angel hopped off, Fluttershy turned her attention back to the man. "I'm sorry about that, I hope Angel didn't bother you too much."
The man waved his hand dismissively, "Oh think nothing of it." He then proceeded to gobble up the cheesy peas while Fluttershy stood aside.
"Um..."
"What is it?" The man asked.
"Since you won't tell me your name, is there some name that I could call you by?" She asked. "It would make it easier to hold a conversation.
The man considered this and answered, "You may call me Dracon. Admittedly, it's not as grand as my true name and perhaps it's even a little overdone, but it shall suffice."
"Alright then, Dracon , is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Oh no, I couldn't possibly, after all, you've done more than enough." Dracon said.
Fluttershy smiled. "Well in that case I'll--"
"But since you asked, " He interrupted. "I've been feeling in the mood for a nap. You don't happen to have a singing harp by the name of Lousie lying around, would you?"
"Um, no." Fluttershy said, quite befuddled by his request.
Dracon frowned. "Pity, I was hoping that her dulcet tones could help soothe me to sleep."
"If you'd like, I could play you a song." Fluttershy offered.
"If you must then you must." He answered, lying back with his arms rested behind his head.
Fluttershy got out her panpipe and tried to think of a song that her guest would like. Perhaps something nice and cheery. She then began to play Tom Tom the Piper's son.
Tom Tom, the Piper's son,
Stole a pig and away he ran,
And all the tune that he could play,
Was over the hills and faraway.
Over the hills and a great way off,
The wind shall blow my topknot off--
"No, no, no, no!" Dracon interrupted. "That won't do at all."
"I'm sorry." Fluttershy said, ceasing her pipe playing.
"Don't get me wrong, it's a charming ditty and all, but don't you know of any more interesting songs?" He asked.
"Er, well, what sort of song did you have in mind?"
"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you for suggestions."
At this point Fluttershy was starting to lose her patience, but she managed to remain calm and suggested, "Well, I could try jumbling different songs I know so that they fit together into one song. Would that be okay?"
"Hmm, I suppose so." He said. "Play away."
And so she did.
Four and twenty tailors went to catch a snail,
The best man amongst them durst not touch her tail,
She put out her horns like a little cow,
So run tailors run or she'll have you all beaten now.
Hey diddle pippety poppety pet,
The merchants of downtown they where scarlet,
Silk in the collar and the gold in the hem,
So merrily march the merchant men,
There I bought, a pipkin and a popkin,
A slipkin and a slopkin,
All for one farthing.
Three little mice sat down to spin,
Pussy passed by and she peeped in,
"What are you at my fine little men?"
"Making coats for gentlemen!"
"Shall I come in and cut off your threads?"
"Oh no pussy you'd bite off our heads!"
Fluttershy looked back up at Dracon, an indifferent expression remaining on his face.
"Well?" She asked.
"I suppose it'll do." He said. "You may go now."
"Al-alright." Fluttershy took one more glance at Dracon before leaving.
Dracon couldn't help but smile to himself. Though he didn't want to admit it aloud, it had been a pretty song.
Fluttershy strolled down the corridor lost in thought, wondering what to do about Dracon. She couldn't understand him. It seemed that no matter what she did, he didn't seem to take notice of her efforts. Not only that, but a part of her was slowly starting to regret bring him to her temple, a feeling she didn't like. What should I do? She wondered. The answer quickly came to mind. Whenever she had a problem she couldn't solve on her own, she usually went to one of her friends for help. But who could she talk to? Then it hit her. Rainbow Dash!
Rushing out into the garden, Fluttershy hurried over to Angel bunny, who was talking to a group of birds.
"Angel, I'm going out to see Rainbow, while I'm gone I want you to take care of our guest. Can you do that for me?"
Angel gave her a nod and thumbs up.
"Oh thank you, Angel." She said, and off she went.
Once she was gone, Angel smiled wickedly. Oh, he'd help him alright.
Rainbow Dash, the goddess of summer, lived in a palace entirely made of cloud, with plenty of open space for her to fly about as she pleased, or to simply settle down for a nap. When Fluttershy came by for a visit, she was taking part in the latter, and was found lounging in a cloud hammock.
"Um...Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked out softly, feeling a little hesitant about waking her friend from such a peaceful sleep. "Rainbow Dash?"
She then reached over and gave the summer goddess' shoulder a little shake. While that had managed to wake her up, it also startled her and caused her to accidentally fall out of the hammock and onto the ground with a loud oomph !
"Oh my goodness, are you alright Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked worriedly, kneeling beside her friend.
Rainbow sat up and rubbed her head. "Y-yeah, I'm fine." She looked toward Fluttershy and just then realized who it was she was talking to. "Oh, hey Flutters. What brings you by?"
"Well, there's something I need to talk to you about." She began. "But you need to promise not to tell anyone else about this, okay?"
Rainbow's eyes widened in surprise. "A secret huh? Sounds kinda serious. But don't worry, you can trust me to keep it for you. So what is it?"
Rainbow Dash listened carefully told her everything that had happened, how she'd found the mortal man lying in the snow and brought him back with her. How she'd been nursing him and was starting to make demands of her. Occasionally, Rainbow would speak up to voice her concerns, but Fluttershy would calm her down and ask her to wait until she finished her story.
When she'd finished, there was a brief silence between the two before Rainbow replied, "So, that mortal guy is causing you trouble, huh?"
Fluttershy glanced down and twiddled her fingers. "Oh, I don't know about that..."
"C'mon Fluttershy, he totally is!" Rainbow said. "He's taking advantage of you, and you can't even see it."
Fluttershy shrank back, "I'm sorry."
Rainbow heaved a sigh. She loved Fluttershy dearly, but she could honestly be such a doormat sometimes. "Look, it's not your fault, okay? All I'm saying is that you need to be a little more tough on him. Say he's one of your animals, would you allow one of them to behave this way? Asking crazy, unreasonable demands of you?"
Fluttershy thought over this for a moment before answering, "No, I wouldn't."
"Well there ya go, you need to show that mortal that you're in charge, that you have rules and that he should follow them."
"But how?" She asked helplessly. "I may be good with animals Rainbow, but I don't have that much experience talking down to mortals."
Rainbow tapped her chin for the moment. "What about the nymphs? Weren't they cuasing trouble just a little while ago?"
"You heard about that?"
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, Rarity told me about, even your brother came by and told me, trying to impress me with how heroic he was." She shuddered at the memory of it. "Anyway, just imagine this guy as being like the nymphs or your animals, be firm and show him who's boss."
"I don't know if I can do it though, Rainbow. You make it sound so easy."
"Hey," Rainbow reached over and placed a hand on Fluttershy's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You need to stop selling yourself so short, okay? You may not act like it, but I know that you be strong and tough when it matters. You just need to learn how to make it work in your favor."
Fluttershy reached up and touched Rainbow's hand, giving it her own little squeeze along with an appreciative smile. "Thank you Rainbow, I'll try."
"Thatta girl!" Rainbow said, giving her a rather firm pat on the back.
Fluttershy lifted herself off of the ground and said, "I should get going, I left Angel in charge and I don't want him to be overwhelmed."
"Wow, wait, you left Angel in charge?" Rainbow asked.
"Yes, why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason, though you might want to hurry back." Rainbow knew what kind of bunny Angel was, and chances are, with him in charge, things were likely to get ugly.
"Alright then, I'll try to visit you again real soon." Fluttershy then proceeded to fly away. "Take care, and thank you for the advice."
"No prob, Flutters!" Rainbow called out. She then got back into her hammock and relaxed herself for a nice nap.
Back at Fluttershy's palace, Angel had gathered up all of the animals on the grounds for a strategic assault on the intruder. The plan was to get him to surrender so that he'd beg Fluttershy to let him leave early, and then they'd never have to see him again. Some of the animals hadn't been to sure about this, thinking that Angel was just overreacting. But when Angel told them about all the hard work he was putting their mistress through, that was enough to convince them.
The birds were to start the attack, followed by the rodents, while some of the bigger animals would stand guard and make sure that either the man didn't escape, or if he did they'd be there to chase him down and tackle him. Angel also warned them of the strange power the man seemed to possess when he was levitated, and to be on their guards.
Angel led the animals into the palace and towards the guest's room, he peaked inside and saw the man himself lounging on his bed without a care in the world. Making a motion with his paws, he signaled for the birds to enter and begin the attack. The birds swooped in, and as planned, they swooped and chirped and pecked at the man. Angel listened careful to hear the man's screams, but something went wrong. Instead, he could hear the bids cry out in alarm.
All of the other rodents, including Angel, rushed in to see what had happened, and to their surprise, the birds had been trapped in a large yet cramped birdcage. The man looked down at Angel and his battalion with a smirk.
"So, this is what you came up with? You thought an army from the zoo would get rid of me? Please."
His condescending tone infuriated the rabbit even more, as he let out a war cry and led a charge towards the enemy.
The man raised an eyebrow as he flicked his wrist. Instantly, all the animals were lifted high into the air, each of them scrambling around in confusion.
"You're going to have to do better than that if you ever hope to get rid of me." The man taunted. "Now then, what should I do to punish you for your little uprising?"
"Dracon, STOP!"
All eyes turned toward the doorway, where standing in shock was none other than Fluttershy.
Dracon was so surprised by her sudden appearance that it caused him to lose focus and allowed the animals to return to the ground, and off they scampered. The look in Fluttershy's eyes was fierce, is was the look one might see a mother bear gives before defending her cubs.
"F-fluttershy!" He fumbled. "How are things?"
That did little to improve the situation, as Fluttershy walked up to him. "How dare you." She said almost venomously. "There's a lot that I can take, but harming my animals is something I will not stand for."
"It was all self-defense, I assure you." Dracon said, pleading his case. "I was minding my own business when suddenly they came in and attacked me."
Fluttershy's frown deepened. "Still, that's no excuse to go harming harmless animals."
"Harmless ?!"
"And this." She said, gesturing to the bird cage. "This magic you used, just what are you?"
Dracon seemed dumbfounded by the sudden boldness the once meek goddess was displaying. The fire he had stoked inside her was enough for her to stand up to him, though for how long she didn't know.
Finally, Dracon answered, "You could say I'm a mage of sorts."
"A mage?" She questioned.
"Yes, though at the moment I fear my powers aren't what they once were." He said.
"How so?" She pressed.
"That information really doesn't concern you."
"It does if withholding it could end up hurting my friends." She countered. "Now answer me, please."
He groaned but said, "I was in a little encounter with some...enemies of mine, they attacked me and managed to weaken me of nearly all of my powers. I was wandering out there in the cold looking for a place to rest when I collapsed from my lack of strength."
Fluttershy folded her arms over her chest, still not looking too happy. "I want you to tell me this next part truthfully, are you still weak or have you been fully recovered this whole time?"
"I can assure you that I'm still in need of rest." Dracon said. "I am feeling much better than when I first woke up, but this body still feels feeble, and what's more is that my magic power is still pitifully low."
Fluttershy said nothing, her eyes looking into his face, searching his eyes, trying to find any indication that he was lying. When she could find none, she loosened up a little and said, "I had told you that I would take care of you until you got back to full strength, and I will keep to my word. However, there are going to be a few changes around here."
Dracon cocked his head to the side. "Changes?"
Fluttershy nodded. "You heard me mister. Starting tomorrow, you'll be helping me out around the grounds of the palace. You'll do chores and tend to the garden. Not only will it help you to strengthen up your body, but it'll also tech you a lesson about messing with my animals." With that said, She took the bird cage and left saying, "That will be all."
Dracon stared after her and chuckled. "So, the goddess has a backbone after all. Well, things have just gotten much more interesting."
Author's Note
The songs Fluttershy played on her pipes are from Peter Rabbit that I thought seemed fitting. Also, Fluttershy isn't singing the lyrics, the lyrics are just a way of showing the song/tune that she's playing.
Also, this is not a romance fic, but I'll still leave it open to interpretation.
True to her word, Fluttershy wasted no time in getting Dracon right to work on the chores, starting with waking him up at what was considered to be the crack of dawn on the heavenly plain. Of course, Dracon had grumbled and protested against this, wanting to continue his comfortable beauty sleep. Fluttershy on the other hand wouldn't hear any of it, and dragged him out of bed herself.
She had decided to start off Dracon with some simple enough work, since she wasn't sure if he'd be able to do anything too difficult or required heavy lifting without collapsing. So she placed him in the kitchen, where she had him do things like taking care of the dishes, chopping up vegetables, and peeling carrots and potatoes. Dracon of course scoffed at this, muttering to himself that such tasks were beneath him.
To which Fluttershy replied, "Well then, that just means they'll be even easier for you to do."
Dracon grumbled, and proceeded to peel the potatoes. It became rather quiet until Fluttershy decided to try and strike up a friendly conversation.
"So, Dracon, where are you from?" She asked.
"Oh you know, here, there, and everywhere." He replied vaguely.
"So you're a traveler?"
"Yes, I guess you can say that. I never like to stay in one place for very long, but one day or another I come back to it."
"What sort of things do you do as a mage?"
"A little of this a little of that, you know how it is."
"Uh-huh..." Fluttershy felt even more baffled by this stranger than before. He always seemed to be dodging her questions, and didn't really give her a straight answer.
"Are you a criminal?"
That question caused Dracon to become rigid and lose focus of what he was doing, in turn causing him to accidentally cut himself with the knife he was using.
"Gah!" He cried, the knife dropping to the floor. Dracon pulled his injured hand close to his body and ground his teeth in pain.
Fluttershy gasped. "Oh my goodness, are you alright?"
She reached out to him, but Dracon shrank away from her. "I'm fine." He said bitterly. "Besides, it's your fault for distracting me."
"I'm sorry, but please let me have a look at it." She pleaded.
With reluctance, Dracon showed her his hand. There was a medium sized gash, but it didn't appear to be too serious.
"I have a poultice that should be able to help." Fluttershy said.
Dracon frowned at her. "Haven't you already done enough?"
"I caused this, so it makes sense that I should be the one to fix it." She argued. "And besides, it won't do you any good if your wound gets infected."
He grumbled once more but gave her permission to treat his cut. From her pantry, Fluttershy got out a small jar containing her homemade poultice, along with a small rage and some bandages. In almost no time at all, Fluttershy managed to apply the mixture to the wound and have it all wrapped up nice and neatly.
"There, now how does that feel?" She asked.
Dracon carefully flexed his hand and answered, "I suppose it isn't too bad. Though one would think you'd simply use magic to heal it up in an instant."
Fluttershy glanced down and twiddled her fingers. "Yes, well, my powers aren't very strong during the winter season. I could heal you with my magic, but it would take more energy and concentration than it normally would." Then looked back up at him and smiled. "Besides, I don't like to be too dependent on my powers, so I try to use natural remedies whenever I can."
"How quaint." He said, rolling his eyes. "A goddess who doesn't like to use her powers because she think it's wasteful. Now I've seen it all."
"What do you mean by that?" Fluttershy asked defensively.
"Oh nothing." Dracon said nonchalantly. "Don't pay any mind to me."
He picked up the knife and returned to his work, though a bit slower this time to avoid any further cuts. Fluttershy sighed, still unsure of what to make of this man.
Confident that Dracon could behave himself on his own, Fluttershy went out into the garden to check on her animal friends. She let out a whistle and instantly the animals appeared. Fluttershy had many beasts residing at her palace, from the smallest mouse to the largest bear, from the humming bird to the vulture, they were her dear friends, and they often helped to keep her company during the quite, often lonely months of winter.
"Good day, everyone." She said cordially. "How are all of you?"
The animals chirped, growled, squeaked and squawked there response.
"I'm glad to hear it, but on a more serious note, I'd like to have a talk with all of you about our guest, Dracon." She said. At the mention of him, the animals flew into an uproar, it took a commanding look from Fluttershy to get them to settle back down. "I know you got to a bad start with him, but he is our guest, and while he's here I want you to be nice to him. I don't want to hear anymore of you attacking him, understood?"
The animals shifted and bemoaned, but eventually they agreed to her request.
"Good. Now, while Dracon is here, he'll be helping out with some of the chores. If he ends up misbehaving or doing anything funny, please let me know and I'll handle it."
Each critter exchanged an uneasy glance. They were glad that they're mistress was trying to put the man in his place, but they weren't so sure if she'd be able to stand up to him on her own.
"Don't worry, I'm sure I can handle it." She said, trying to quell their doubts, as well as her own. "Why, right now he's already been working in the kitchen, I'm sure he's doing a very good job."
The kitchen looked like a complete disaster. Dirty dishes filled the sink, used cooking utensils and pots were strewn upon the counter, and even some of the ingredients were left on the table. Fluttershy stood and gaped at the sight, all while Dracon was picking at his teeth with his finger nail.
"All that work was making me hungry, so I thought I'd whip a little something to nibble on." He said.
"Oh dear." She murmured to herself. This arrangment was going to be long and difficult.
Author's Note
Hey everyone! I hope you liked this chapter! I'm trying to build things up slowly, that said, I hope I'm doing alright with the characterizations, Zephyr was especially difficult since we don't have a whole lot to work with. I kind of imagine him to be something of Papyrus from Undertale. Whether or not we'll see more of him will depend on how the story progresses. Please comment and tell me what you think so far.
And so, over the next couple of days, Fluttershy did her best to try and get along with Dracon, with little success. Whatever task she gave him, he would find some way of messing it up. For instance, when she asked him to dust the shelves, he covered the shelves in thick amounts of dust he'd gathered up. Or when she had asked him to clean the floor, he did so with a dirty mop without sweeping the floor first. Fluttershy worried that she'd be at her wit's end, but she did her best to try and keep calm, no matter how difficult her guest insisted on being.
On the third day, as Fluttershy was going to check on Dracon to see how he was doing weeding the flowerbeds, one of her blue jays flew up to her, holding a little card in its beak.
"What's this?" She asked both the bird and herself. Fluttershy took the card and recognized it as a note she'd made to herself a little while ago. As she scanned it, her eyes widened. "Oh dear, I can't believe I forgot!"
After thanking her blue jay for the reminder, Fluttershy rushed out into the garden, towards where Dracon was crouched down near the flowerbeds.
"Dracon, I...! What are you doing?" Fluttershy stopped and looked quizzically at his handiwork.
"Why, weeding the garden of course." He said, gesturing to all of the new weeds he'd planted among the flowers.
"Of course." Fluttershy sighed. "But anyway, I came to tell you that I'll be going out for a bit. There's a tea party I'm having with my friends and I just remembered that it was today. While I'm gone I'd like it if you minded the palace. Can you do that?"
Dracon smiled slyly. "I can assure you, Fluttershy, your palace will be in good hands."
"Thank you." Fluttershy looked down at Angel, who'd been trying to pull up the weeds that Dracon had planted. "Angel, I'd like you to help him, okay?"
Angel nodded and gave her a little salute.
"Good. I'll try to be back soon, take care until then." She said, preparing to fly off.
As she did, Dracon smiled and waved at her until she was out of sight. His smile then dropped into that of a scheming smirk. "So, we have the palace all to ourselves, do we?" He chuckled to himself, ignoring the glares Angel was giving to him. "I think a little redecoration is in order."
The fall palace of Applejack, goddess of fall, looked a lot more than a farmhouse than an actual palace. What's more, there was even a little barn nearby, along with an orchard of eternally ripe apples. Applejack had insisted that her palace be constructed this way, preferring to live simply without any flashy commodities. It was here that the tea party of the four patrons of the seasons was taking place, much to Rarity's displeasure.
"Really, darling. I don't see why you can't add a little extra flair to your home." Rarity said, taking a sip of her tea. "Or in the very least your wardrobe."
Applejack looked down at her simple farm clothes, clothes that a lot of mortals would normally wear while doing their work. "And what's wrong with what I wear?"
"Well, it's just so...so mundane ! You're a goddess, and any goddess should look their best."
Applejack snorted, "Like you?" She was of course referring to the glamorous ensamble that she was wearing for the tea party. A snow-white mermaid dress with a ruffled collar and hem and icy blue snowflake patterns on the fabric.
Rarity sniffed in response. "Like I said, there's no shame in wanting to look one's best."
"Oh yeah? What about Rainbow?" She questioned, flicking a finger at Rainbow and her simple sky blue knee-length chiton. I don't see you criticizing her for her fashion choices.
Rainbow stiffened a little before narrowing her eyes at Applejack. "Oh no, don't go bring me into this." She said.
Rarity waved a hand. "Rainbow's different. Her attitude more than makes up for her lack of style."
Rainbow frowned. "Did you just insult me?"
"Hey wait a minute!" Interrupted Applejack. "How come Rainbow gets to--"
"I'm here!" All attention turned skyward as Fluttershy landed down and took her seat at the tea table. "I'm sorry I'm late, I completely forgot that our tea party was today."
"Ah, don't sweat it, Flutters." Rainbow Dash said with a warm smile.
"Yeah, sugarcube," Applejack added. "We know how busy you can be taking care of all those critters by yourself. You've got nothing to apologize for."
Fluttershy smiled graciously. "Thank you, girls."
While Fluttershy picked out tea cakes and foods to put on her plate, Rarity began to ask her some questions.
"So Fluttershy, you're Spring Festival is coming up at the end of the month, yes?"
"Fluttershy nodded. "Uh-huh."
"I thought so, and do you think you might like a new gown to wear while you attend?" She asked, doing her best to sound casual.
Applejack rolled her eyes. "Here we go again."
"What? It's an honest question."
"Yeah, one that you ask her about every year before a festival happens." Said Rainbow Dash, munching on a sandwich.
Rarity's pale cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "Well can you blame me? Since you two aren't interested in me making outfits for you, Fluttershy's the only one I have left to turn to." Her dramatics did little to impress her fellow goddesses. "I mean, of course there are gods who ask me for a garment or two, but it's just not the same as designing one for a friend."
Fluttershy gave Rarity a gentle pat on the arm. "Your outfits are always wonderful Rarity, and I'd be honored to wear one of your dresses to this year's Spring Festival."
Rarity beamed. "Oh thank you, Fluttershy. I've already been coming up with different ideas for this year's gown. I'm still trying to figure out the color palette, but I'm sure I'll have it all worked out."
"But nothing too extravagant." Fluttershy added. "After all, it is only a town festival."
"Yes, yes, I know darling. But it is a festival dedicated to you, and as such, you should be the belle of the ball!"
"Oh brother." Applejack muttered.
"So, Applejack, how have things been here for you?" Fluttershy asked, nibbling at a finger sandwich.
Applejack shrugged. "Oh you know, same old same old. Been keeping a close eye on my cider stock though, it seems as though someone's been sneaking in and stealing some of the bottles."
Rainbow Dash nearly spit out her tea and ended up choking on it.
"Rainbow! Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked worriedly.
"Yeah! I'm fine!" She answered hoarsely.
Applejack raised an eyebrow at her. "Is there something you'd like to tell me, Dash?"
Rainbow gulped and answered, "Well...I might have grabbed a bottle or two of your cider while you weren't looking."
"Rainbow!"
"I couldn't help it, okay?" Rainbow said defensively. "I mean, do you know how it feels to wait until fall just to taste your cider? It's like an eternity. And all you do is store it in your cellar, so what's the harm in getting a little taste of it?"
"That cider is meant for all the gods to drink, and I keep it in my cellar so that it can be aged to the right taste." Applejack said, her anger obviously rising.
"Look, I'm sorry okay? But your cider just tastes so good !"
Applejack looked at Rainbow for a moment, and could tell that she was being sincere. She sighed and said, "Well, I can't blame you for liking my cider so much, but you should try to show a little self control. To make up for the cider you drank, you'll be helping me make a whole new batch, and you aren't allowed to taste even a drop of it."
"What?!" Rainbow cried.
"It is only fair, Rainbow." Fluttershy said in agreement. "This was your mistake, so you should fix it."
Rainbow Dash relented. "Fine, I'll do it."
"Thank you, it'll be nice to have someone helping me out. It can get a little lonesome doing it by myself." Applejack said.
"Oh, I know what you mean." Said Rarity, injecting herself into the conversation. "I'll always love making snowflakes and turning the world into a beautiful winter land, but every now and then I find myself wanting company. Which is especially difficult since every mortal and every creature spends winter holed up in their homes."
"Still, at least we're not completely alone, right?" Offered Fluttershy. "I mean, we do have each other, Mother Nature, and the rest of the gods to look to."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Rainbow Dash said. "Still, wouldn't it be cool if something really interesting were to happen?"
"Rainbow..." Applejack said warningly. "You know better than to tempt fate like that."
"I know, but, wouldn't you want something different to happen too?" She argued. "I mean, I like relaxing and all, but there's nothing like a little excitement to help bring a little spice into your life."
"Goodness, nothing too exciting I should hope." Fluttershy said. "I'd hate for something bad to happen, especially to the mortal world, or my animals."
"There's no need to worry, Fluttershy dear." Rarity assured. "We're goddesses , what's the worst that could happen?"
Fluttershy glanced down unsure, "I...I suppose so."
This was definitely the worst thing Fluttershy had ever seen. When she got back to her palace, she'd hope to have a chat with Dracon about all that had happened at her tea party, but when she got back, all she found was total chaos.
Author's Note
I thought I'd try and develop the other girls and show what the inner workings of a god's life might look like. Basically, when they aren't in charge of their season, they try to find ways to keep themselves busy or do "Mundane activities". Also, I'm sorry for all these short chapters with cliffhangers, but for the sake of the story, it needs a little drama.
The once quaint and lovely palace of spring was no more, as it had now been turned completely upside down, literally. Somehow, the entire building had been turned upside down, and yet it didn't collapse or crumble to bits. Not only that, but her animals were also running about outside in a frenzy, confused of what was going on and fearing danger. Fluttershy just stood there and stared at what had become of her home. What has Dracon done?! She wondered to herself.
Not wanting to waste any more time, Fluttershy rushed in as quickly as she could into the palace, as she did, she called out for Dracon. Eventually, she found him in the lunge, where he was using some paints he'd likely taken from her shed to paint garish colors and zig-zags all over the walls.
"What are you doing?" She cried.
Dracon turned toward her, a smug smirk on his face. "Oh just a little redecorating." He answered. "I was thinking that this place could use a little sprucing up, so I managed to gather enough magic to make this palace more interesting ."
"You...you did what ?" She uttered softly. She knew what he'd said, but she still couldn't believe it.
"And a good thing too." Dracon said, completely oblivious to her distress. "I've been wanting to add a little flair since I first laid eyes upon it. So boringly normal, I really don't know how people like you can stand--"
Dracon silenced himself when he heard a sniff, he looked back at Fluttershy and saw a sight that made his whole body stiffen. Fluttershy's eyes were wet and full of fat tears that continued to stream down her face. She tried to speak but choked on her own sobs, until she couldn't take it anymore and ran away, heading in the direction of her chambers.
All was quiet, aside from the loud sounds outside from the panicked animals. As he stood there in silence, a strange, unfamiliar feeling welled up inside of him. It felt like a worm burrowing its way into his heart and twisting itself into knots. Even his stomach felt like it was squirming around. Needless to say, it wasn't a pleasant feeling. But what was this feeling that he was having? And why was he feeling it now after seeing that goddess cry?
"Perhaps you feel bad for what you did?"
Dracon glanced to his side to see a double of himself wearing a pair of spectacles. He knew of course who this was. His inner self, a figment of his mind he conjured now and then when he felt it most necessary. One might even call him his voice of reason.
He scoffed at his double. "I don't see how my actions play into this. Compared to what I've done in the past, this has been nothing but child's play."
The double replied, "Perhaps you're right, but if that were true, then why else would we feel like this?"
"Maybe it's something I ate." Dracon countered. "Something from breakfast that isn't agreeing with me."
The double arched an eyebrow, knowing full well that wasn't true. "Or maybe, considering everything she's done for us to this point, the thought that we caused her to break down into tears is too much."
Dracon scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous." He paused and corrected, "Scratch that, still be ridiculous, but don't suggest such an idea. I mean, really ! I've upset plenty of people, outbursts of anger, rage, pleading for mercy, and none of them have ever affected me before."
"Yes, but those were all just nobodies, this is happening to somebody, and that somebody has taken it upon herself to be our caretaker. Not only that, but she's been unbelievably patient with us, given the circumstances, and has broken down because of us."
"I still don't understand!" Dracon said in frustration. "Why her? Why now? It doesn't make sense!"
"Funny, I thought we were all about not making sense."
Dracon could feel his cheeks grow warm. He still couldn't explain this feeling or understand the reason behind it, but the way that this foreign emotion twisted and gnawed at him, made him want nothing more than to be rid of it.
"Alright then, since you seem to have all the answers, how do I get rid of this strange feeling?" He asked.
The double said nothing for a moment and bit his lower lip. "You're not going to like it."
Fluttershy instantly collapsed into her bed the moment she entered her bedchamber. Her tears seemed endless, as though all the emotion she'd been bottling up were now spilling out of her. And who could blame her? She'd tried so hard to be a good hostess, to care for her guest and treat him well. However, her guest didn't seem to care an inkling for her actions or her feelings. She felt helpless and didn't know what to do. Feeling drained and worn, Fluttershy cried herself to sleep, unsure of what to do when she would wake up.
When Fluttershy had finished her nap, she still felt weary, her eyes ached almost as much as her heart. When she got a better look of her surroundings, she blinked in surprise. Before, her floor had become her ceiling, and vice versa. But now, it had been undone. Fluttershy jumped out of bed and rushed to a nearby window, she gazed below and saw that her animals had settled down and were behaving themselves. Not only that, but the rest of her palace was right side up again!
"I wonder..." She muttered to herself, and hurried off to find Dracon.
He was right where she'd left him, in the lunge, this time working to clean up the mess of paint he'd made.
"Dracon?" She said, almost barely above a whisper.
Dracon turned to her and said, "Oh, Fluttershy. I was wondering when you'd come down."
"Did...did you do all this?" She asked.
Dracon gazed down, clearly embarrassed to admit it. "Y-yes I...when you left I felt this strange, unpleasant feeling. I debated myself with what it was until I told myself that perhaps undoing what I'd done would somehow fix everything thing."
"Then you, felt guilty?" Fluttershy inquired.
"Is that what that feeling is called?" He asked back. "Huh, then yes, I did feel guilty I suppose. Though I'd never felt guilty before, until now that is."
Fluttershy took all of this in. Dracon had felt bad for what he'd done to her, and had tried to fix what he'd done. It seemed so strange, considering the kind of man he'd acted like till this point. And yet, Fluttershy couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you." She said.
Dracon, still feeling embarrassed, merely replied, "You're welcome."
"I should probably check on my animals," She said, preparing to leave.
"No need for that, I left that little rodent, Angel, in charge." Dracon said. "He seemed quite eager to be put in charge."
"I see." Fluttershy said, her smile seeming to bright a little more. "Still, I'd like to see how they're doing. Thank you again, Dracon."
As she left, Dracon once again felt a peculiar emotion rise up. It wasn't bad like the last one, in truth, it felt rather warm and pleasant. It felt similar to the happy or pleased feeling he got whenever he caused trouble for others. But this wasn't quite like that. It felt gentler, lighter, and filled him up like a glass of warm milk. It was such a nice feeling, that Dracon ended up smiling in spite of himself. For what reason, it didn't make any sense to him. Then again, not making sense was his specialty.
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. 