Author's Note

Note: The Windigo in this story has facial features more close to Equestrian Ponies.
And Serpine is an alternate name for pony lamia, made by me: serpent+equine =(serpine)

Introductions, Huggles, Snuggles

Upon reaching the place, they found a group of five monster ponies, all of them females, gathered in the shade of the trees. Max could identify among them a Serpine, an Eccuby, a Dragora (plant pony), a Zomby (exactly what you think it is), and a Wendigo sitting around. When they saw them approaching, a chorus of greetings ensued followed by collective gasps at the sight of the human. Also, a sweet (yet a bit strong) perfume scent was coming from the midst of the group, though from who was unclear.

"Girls, this is Max," Blaze introduced the human. "He's new here to the city."

"Hello, Max!" the girls all greeted at once, although some were faster than others; the Zomby in particular finished her greeting last.

"Hi," Max said, smiling at them, and even though wasn't trying to stare but looked really amazed to see this many monster ponies all at once.

"I'm Venus," the Dagora said. She had greenish coat and bright green mane which looked as if it was made of very thin vines, and had a piranha plant like mouth at the end of her vine like tail. Her tail end looking at him and giving a toothy grin.

"I'm Aromatic Beauty, or Aroma for short," the Eccubus greeted, her voice sounding very attractive... maybe too attractive, but it seemed like her normal voice, so one couldn't complain. She had light purple coat and slightly dark pink mane, and in addition, she also had two horns somewhat similar to Blaze, and rather small bat wings, which seemingly weren't large enough for a flight.

"I'm Lazuli, and I love hugs!" the Serpine greeted, and to emphasize her point she ended up wrapping some of her coils around him and hugging him with both that and her front hooves. She had blue coat, and yellow mane, and yellow stripes at the lower snake-like half of her body.

"Whoa! Easy. Don't want to crush him," the Wendigo said, and helped Max out of her coils gently. Then she said, "I'm called Icy Winds."

He noticed that her voice sounded more like an actual horse whinny, but somehow his brain had translated what she had said perfectly.

"I'm Angeline. A pleasure," the Zomby spoke up, her voice and expression seeming to be dull, yet she still seemed friendly enough; kind of like a Goth pony or the infamous Maud Pie. She had dull blue coat and dark gray mane. Max noticed that the perfume smell from earlier was coming from her, which made sense given that she'd probably smell terrible otherwise.

"It's nice to meet you all," Max said giving them a smile.

Whoa, when Fluffy said this city is full of surprises... she wasn't kidding.

"This is our little group of friends," Fluffy gestured, then she climbed up onto one of the lower hanging branches of the tree, her hooves somehow gripping the bark like how a cat's claws would.

"We're an odd bunch, but we grow on you eventually," Venus agreed. She was sitting in a small patch of sunlight that was shining through the leaves of the tree, possibly to soak in the energy it could give her.

Max gave a small nod seemingly in agreement to her statement, as he saw a good spot and sat there where he wouldn't be interfering with someone's personal space. "Hmm... I can tell that already," he said reassuringly.

"It's hard to understand us sometimes. After all, we don't exactly act... normal," Aroma spoke up, giving Max a smile. "But, perhaps this can be a learning experience for us all."

"I'll say. I'm a monster myself, and it took me a while to figure out how all of you work," Blaze agreed.

"We're one big happy family in most regards," Angeline nodded.

"Well... I can say knowing each other would be an interesting experience," Max said with a hint of curiosity in his tone, before he added. "...and, I gotta say that it's really amazing how such different kinds can get along really well, as good friends as you girls are."

"It's not as unusual as others would think," Icy Winds noted. "All it takes is understanding and the willingness to take the time to know one another."

"And kindness can go a long way!" Lazuli added. "And hugs too!"

"We had to pry Angeline out of her coils the first time we met," Fluffy explained with a slight eye roll.

"I didn't mind. It's not like she can actually hurt me," Angeline stated. "I can't feel pain."

"But you still could've lost a limb or had your bones crushed, or..." Blaze started listing, but then a vine extended out from Venus and shushed her.

"Don't spoil it more than you have already," she said.

"I hope you managed to get out in one piece," Max said humorously, knowing that would be funny in sense that she was a Zomby, but not in manner that would be assumed to be rude or hurting in anyway. But just for being safe he told Lazuli. "No offense though, I guess a hug from Serpine would be really nice."

"Really? You want another?" Lazuli asked with a hopeful gleam in her eyes. "I promise I won't squeeze you as hard this time."

"She's really good at that," Blaze noted. "She practiced a lot with several dummies we gave her. She's a natural now."

"Sure. Go ahead," Max said happily and reassuringly as he spread his arms wide to receive the hug.

The Serpine barely contained her excitement and then gently pulled him in with her coils until she was embracing him with her front hooves and coils both.

"Ah!" a chorus of voices called out from the girls, except for Angeline who simply gave a small smile.

Max returned her hug, couldn't help but let out a few small giggles at this. That was his first time, he was actually hugging a Serpine and it actually felt nice, so nice that he was alright with carrying on the hug as long as she was willing to.

"Ooo, he's like a big cuddly stuffed bear!" Lazuli exclaimed.

"Really?" Aroma asked, suddenly seeming to catch some interest. "Lemme try next."

"I'd like a hug too. I haven't hugged anyone except my grandmother all week," Angeline spoke up.

"And... we hit that stage," Fluffy giggled, giving her coat a lick as if she was a real cat.

"Hmm," Max hummed comfortably, surely he was enjoying the hug as well.

Besides, even though mentally he a little bit intimidated by their eagerness for hugging him, but in the end he knew that none of them was actually gonna harm him, so he was fine with the idea, but he couldn't stop himself blushing a little as he heard those comments.

"Okay, I'm done now," Lazuli said after a while, then let him go. Almost as soon as she did, Angeline came over to him first.

"Hey... I may not be as pleasant to hug... but, if you're willing to give it a shot, I don't mind," the Zomby said.

"Oh," the human tilted his head understanding what she was referring to, as he knelt to her level and grabbed her in a hug. "No, it's alright. Plus, you're the cutest zombie girl, I've ever seen."

Angeline's expression lit up to a stunned expression, the first time anyone in her group of friends seen her do so, then it went back down to her tiny smile as she hugged him back.
"That's... literally the nicest thing any human has said to me," she told him. "I think I like you already."

"Hmm," Max blushed a little once again at this, and his smile widened a little.

After a moment, she let go of him while still giving the small smile as she looked to his face.

"Any human who'd be nice enough to say something like that about me definitely makes it on my friend list," she said.

"I guess it's my turn now?" Aroma asked, and for a second she looked a bit bashful to ask.

"You know, it's not a requirement, Aroma," Venus told her.

"I know... but I've never been hugged before by a human," Aroma explained. "Especially since physical contact with me has always been... well, you know."

Max looked at her in some confusion, not sure where she was getting at.
"I'm alright if you don't want to," he said reassuringly, and shrugged slightly.

"It's not that... with few exceptions, I've only ever hugged someone in an... intimate fashion," Aroma told him. "And... I'm afraid you'd get the wrong idea..."

"Psst!" Icy Winds whispered into his ear, having managed to get behind him. "Just go for it. She needs a push in the right direction."

Max smiled at the encoragement of the windigo, bracing himself for what was coming and grabbed her in a friendly and then told her. "You see... I am not the one to jump to that conclusion already," he said as he blushed heavily as soon as he grabbed her in a hug. "...though, I understood what you were implying..."

"Oh..." Aroma blushed herself, especially at the surprise hug. She hardly knew how to act at first, but at last she slowly hugged him back, amidst the sound of the girls' encouraging and awe-ridden exclamations.

Max, for some reason, was unable to help but feel a little awkward but admittedly so comfortable in her hug, and that didn't took him long to realize that, this effect was mostly because of her natural abilities as an Eccuby.

Aroma seemed to be aware of this herself, because she released him after a moment while flashing a friendly smile.

"Thanks. That felt... nice," she said.

"Yeah," Max returned the smile, and then looked towards other in a playful manner. "Who's next?"

"Don't even think about it," Blaze chuckled. "I'm not a huger."

"Um... if you're gentle, maybe. I don't want to get damaged too much," Venus spoke up.

Max looked at her and made a thoughtful expression at this. "Well... if you're willing to, I won't mind," he told her reassuringly before he humorously added. "...and don't worry, at this point I'd consider myself a professional monster hugger..."

Venus giggled. "Then I'll allow it."

Max went towards her and knelt to her level, and gently grabbed her in a hug. She actually felt pretty fragile and light weight as compare to others in the group, mostly because she had a physiology more close to the plants.

"Is this okay?"

"Yeah... it's fine," Venus assured him, hugging him back. Fluffy gave a purr that sounded like amusement.

"First day in the city, and already you're hugging every mare in sight," she joked.

Max couldn't help but blush a little more deeply at this as he told her. "Hey, it's not my fault that all of you monster ponies are so darn cute and adorable, now is it?"

"Hee hee! That's part of our charm!" Icy Winds giggled.

"Some more than others," Angeline agreed.

"Mhm," Max giggled slightly at this as well.

Soon, Venus released him and sat back in the rays of sunshine.

"Why don't you hug him next, Fluffy?" Venus asked her, making the cat pony choke on her own fur for a moment.

"Me?!"

"Oh," Max looked at her passing her a sheepish smile before he jokingly said, as he opened his arms as inviting her for a hug. "Oh don't be so modest Fluffy, you know you can't resist the power of my charm, can you?"

"I... uh..." Fluffy looked around at the other monsters giving her an expectant look, then finally gave up. "Fine."

She gently flew down from the branch and into his arms. Almost instantly, he heard her purring against him.

Max then returned the hug to her, as for a moment he couldn't help but feel like he was hugging a oversized cat hearing her purrs.

"See, it was really easy," he chuckled playfully.

"Shut up and just hug me," she said, trying to sound mad about being talked into it, but her purrs said otherwise.

Max had to suppress a chuckle as he heard this and taking that as a warning (even though she wasn't mad) he didn't made anymore sound, except for a small and comfortable hum. This continued for a good thirty seconds, which made a slightly awkward silence fall over them. Eventually, Fluffy let go and backed away with a blush.

"That was a one-time only deal. Don't ask again," she tried to threaten, but failed.

"Hmm... No promises," Max playfully said to her. "I guess... this is one thing, I'll always be looking forward to."

"I'd hug you too... but I'm not exactly solid most the time," Icy Winds apologized sheepishly. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Max said to her reassuringly and chuckled sheepishly as well.

"Well, now that we've got that out of the way, why don't we chat and get to know each other more?" Aroma suggested, though with her kind of voice it sounded like she was implying more than that. Thankfully, she had others to support her idea and prove otherwise.

"Good idea," Angeline agreed.

"I like that idea," Venus nodded.

"Make it unanimous!" Lazuli cheered. "And I have enough coils to make a comfy seat for everyone!"

"Sure, that's a great idea," Max nodded, before clarifying that to what statement he had replied. "I mean chatting and knowing each other's a good idea... but I gotta admit that your coils are actually pretty comfortable."

"Ah, thank you!" the Serpine blushed at the compliment.
"Who wants to do that question game?" Fluffy asked as they all got comfortable.

"I dunno... that can get very serious and deep at times, don't you think?" Icy Winds remarked.

"True, but it also reveals a little more about ourselves," Blaze pointed out.

Max looked at them with an anticipating expression for a moment, before he spoke up. "...alright, I guess we can start from a question like, where one came from or something of the sort," he said and shrugged. "I guess... I'll start, I came to this city from Canterlot..."

"Canterlot?" Lazuli lit up. "Hey, I have a cousin who lives there! She looks just like me... minus the snake part of me."

"Hmm," Max said thoughtfully, as he was silent for a moment, before he continued "The life seemed to getting pretty boring there, and I was a little tired of snobbish ponies making jokes about me... so, I decided to move here," he smiled as he rubbed the back of his head before carrying on. "...and seems like it totally worth it..."

"I feel you," Angeline said, and even with her dull-sounding voice it was clear she meant it. "I left my hometown because of that. I'm the only pony in my family who's a Zomby. Kinda makes me the odd-pony out. It was pretty lame there anyways."

"Mhm," Max nodded before he smiled at her compassionately. "I... I can guess."

"I left Tartarus because... well, I'll be honest... Tartarus SUCKS!" Blaze groaned aloud. "Nothing but fire, poison clouds, and water that is WAY too cold for even non-fiery beings!"

"Sounds like hell," Icy Winds remarked.

"That's because it is. Literally," Angeline stated.

"That must have been awful place to live," Max said, his expressions wincing slightly at the thought of sceneries she just described. "...even for your kind..."

"It wasn't for comfort, that's for sure," Blaze admitted. "At least we know how to survive."

"Eww," Venus made a disgusted look. "Surviving and living are NOT compatible with each other. I should know... I literally spent half my later years of foalhood on the run from monster haters -- at least when I was able to run."

"What? Really?" Max looked at her in an expression of slight shock. "...there are ponies who… still hate monsters?"

"Oh yes! It's not so obvious now, but it was horrible in the past," Fluffy explained. "Monsters were shunned, cast out, enslaved, and sometimes straight up murdered in plain sight. We were considered an enemy to all, and sadly some nasty types didn't help our image at all since they really WERE rotten to the core. It was only about 200 years ago that we were truly accepted into society... officially at least."

"Oh," Max gave a sigh of some relief at the thought of that it was all over now, but that didn't changed the fact that whatever happened in the past was really bad, but sadly no one could do something about this, but good thing was that it was all in the past now, which would hopefully never ever repeat itself. "That was so awful... It's really great to know that it's all over now."

"Yes, it is," the monsters all agreed.

"I hope life's been kind to you since you guys started living here," Max asked.

"It has," Aroma agreed with a nod, then gave a sigh as she laid her head across the side of Lazuli's coils. "And meeting you is a nice change on top of it all."

"So true!" Lazuli agreed. "You're a nice human."

"If you were a seed, I'd plant you in a garden," Venus spoke up, clearly complimenting him.

"I think we're all glad to have a new friend to add to the mix, especially a male," Icy Winds said, then added quickly while blushing, "Not like that! I meant that it gives a nice mix to have someone who isn't a girl in the circle of friends!"

"Thanks," Max nodded, blushing at little at their compliments, as he wasn't used to hear such comments from opposite gender usually, especially from mares. "I'm glad to be your girls' friend as well..."

"And hopefully, this doesn't turn into an embarrassing moment every time," Fluffy teased with a small purr.

"Hopefully," Max nodded with a small chuckle.

"Next question!" Lazuli cheered.

"Well, why don't you ask me a question now?" Max said.

"Okay... do you have any family you left behind when you moved here?" Venus asked.

"Well, I didn't have any family back in Canterlot, just couple of friends, so, not really." Max replied.

"Oh... are your parents dead then?" Lazily inquired, sounding sympathetic already.

"Hmm," Max's expression saddened a little at this. "Yeah... it's been a while since they had passed... I was living on Earth, with my only family, my sister," he explained. "...and after her marriage, I moved here... to look for new opportunities and stuff," he then sighed at this and managed a smile. "I guess... it didn't went that bad..."

"Well, sorry for your loss," Icy Winds spoke up.

"My parents haven't died yet, but they did kick me out of the house when I became a Zomby," Angeline stated. "They didn't like the idea of their daughter essentially being a corpse."

"I never knew my parents, but then again we have to fend for ourselves from birth in Tartarus anyways," Blaze noted.

"Well... we can agree that at least now things seemed to be changing for good now," Max told them. "Aren't they?"

"I'd say so," Fluffy nodded, licking one of her hooves again afterwards.

"Except for that time when Angeline had to help Venus back home when she was drunk since somepony spiked her drink," Lazuli noted.

"I'm like a plant! Alcohol and photosynthesis don't mix!" the Dagora complained, earning a laugh from Blaze.

"Oh," Max said with a thoughtful nod. "So... there are still some nasty ponies around who likes to annoy monster kind?"

"Well, technically the spiked drink was an accident made by the guy who gave me the drink, but yes," Venus confirmed.

"They are rare, thankfully, but we meet a few on occasion," Aroma explained, then smirked. "Sometimes we have a bit of fun with them before making them leave us be."

"Uh... she means that we like to mess with their heads or give them a good scare," Fluffy clarified, knowing that Aroma's natural voice made it sound more suggestive than that.

Max gave a small chuckle at this. "I say, they should get what they deserve," he agreed.

"Here, here!" Blaze cheered, slamming a hoof down on the ground. Surprisingly, she actually shook the ground where they were standing.

"Easy, Blaze," Angeline told her.

"Whoa," Max was a little surprised when he felt this, though he wasn't much shocked as much but was giving a look of amazement at her strength.

"Sorry," Blaze said sheepishly. "I sometimes don't realize my own strength."

"Oh... alright," Max said, then he couldn't help but pull a joke at the situation, as he gave a small chuckle. "I see now, that's why didn't you hug me..."

"Huh? No, that's not it! I just- that is, I-" Blaze stuttered, causing the others to laugh aloud. :-: "Quit trying to play the tough pony!" Icy Winds teased. "We all know you're a softie inside."

Max smiled playfully at her, couldn't help but smile sheepishly at this as well. "I understand, and it's alright," he told her, with a shrug. "I was kidding, Blaze..."

"N-nah, it's cool," Blaze assured him.

"Is anyone else feeling dozy, or is it just me?" Fluffy asked the others, as her body stretched out and she gave a yawn.

"Me," Lazuli replied, giving a yawn herself.

"I could use a nap," Angeline nodded, her tone of voice making it hard to take serious if not for the others' input.

"Hmm..." Max gave a small yawn as well, leaning against Lazuli coils, before he asked "You wouldn't mind, would you?"

"Not at all," the Serpine said, giving him a smile while the others started to get comfortable. "This happens all the time. You're fine."

"Thanks," Max gave a nod at this, then passed her and others a smile of gratitude. "You girls are best ponies, I ever met since I came to Equestria."

"Ah, that's sweet of you to say," Aroma said, then yawned and laid down against the Serpine. She actually ended up lying down next to Max, and unknowingly was laying her head a short distance from his own. Fluffy, on the other hand, while ending up close to him too, was more conscious of it. :-: "Do you mind if I lay in your lap?" she asked innocently. "I once had a friend who was a human too, and she always let me sleep in her lap."

"Okay, I guess it's alright," Max assured her with a nod, and a small smile.

The cat pony smiled too and gently settled down in his lap, automatically making a purr when she did. She yawned and then curled up a bit, and soon she was snoring.

Max seemed to be in awe to see this adorable moment as a pleasant smile came upon his face and he made another comfortable yawn, making himself more comfortable against Serpine's coils.

As he did, at one point he heard a soft whimpering as if someone was having a bad dream. Looking next to him, he saw Aroma making the whimpers and seemed to be having a nightmare of sorts. As if in response, Lazuli's coils shifted a bit and gently wrapped around her, Max and Fluffy as if to comfort her, managing to have enough for the others too. It helped a bit, but the Eccubus still seemed to be a bit restless. Max, at this couldn't help but wrapped her arm around her as if to add to her comfort, but also trying not to touch her at any inappropriate spot so not to cause any further disturbance.

This relaxed her finally, and the Eccubus made a relaxed sigh. :-: "You look cute together," Angeline suddenly spoke up, and he turned to see that the Zomby was still awake and watching with a tiny smile on her face.

Max blushed a little at this statement but he was happy to see that Aroma was comforted once again. It seemed like whatever she saw must be really terrifying, so she was that disturbed to see that.

"I can't actually fall asleep," Angeline said to him to explain why she was still up. "I can rest, but that's all. I just say it to make Lazuli feel better; she hates leaving me out of things."

"I see," Max said thoughtfully, yawning once again, if he wasn't much sleepy before, he was surely now.

"Hey, before you sleep... Fluffy and Aroma have gone through a few rough times, and much like the majority of us, they're a bit lonely. I don't know what you'll do with that information or if you'll even listen to it, but they need somepony to look after them," the Zomby told him.

Max looked to her for a moment, his eyes slightly widened at the realization, as he looked at Fluffy and Aroma once again, his expressions were thoughtful at the moment, then became more determined. "I hear you," he told Angeline. "...and even though it might sound like a too big of a claim but... I assure you: I'll do whatever it takes to look after them, and try my best to make sure that they didn't have to have a rough time... ever again..."

"That's all I ask," the Zomby nodded, then added with a small smirk, "But don't ask me to join your herd if it comes to that. You're cute for a human and really sweet, but you're not my type."

Max smiled back at her at this, but for the moment he was unsure of what to say at this, before he replied her with clearly a humorous manner. "Well... a man can always hope, don't you think?"

"Just sleep," the Zomby said with a slight chuckle.

The human gave a nod as he closed his eyes and soon drifted to sleep, feeling utterly thankful for such a nice bunch of friends coming in his life.