Chapters The Visit
Fluttershy nearly dropped her basket when she noticed the crumpled body in the high grass. Cautiously, she trotted over to it, and once she was within reach, put the basket down and outstretched her arm to the unconscious form.
Tears sprang to her eyes in both fear and sadness as she pressed her gentle hoof deeper into the cadaver, praying to Celestia that this poor colt would stir. She cried renewed tears of joy when he at last groaned, then shifted.
A lot of tears were going to be shed this day.
The clear rivers created a meander as her cheeks lifted to voice a quiet gasp. "Your wing..."
The colt tensed, spied the mangled, twisted wing, then tried his best to smile. "Don't worry, miss," he said. His voice was as polite and youthful as it was brittle with pain. Flames of Tartarus shot through every inch of his body with every breath he took. "These wings are mostly illusory. See?"
With a wave of his horn, the leathery appendages disintegrated, and with a second wave they returned unscathed to his sides. Then he made them disappear again. The repair eased the pain but depleted his magic reserves, and he collapsed. Fluttershy raced to bear him up on her back, but he was too tall, and she crumpled under the weight.
"Mister?" she whispered. The colt's eyelids rose lazily. The fact that he was still responsive gave her hope. Wings buzzing, she rose off the ground. "Wait here!"
Unable to do much more, he did. Fluttershy returned with a rolled leaf filled with water from a nearby river.
"Mister?" she called again. His eyes opened faster this time. Overjoyed, she nursed the stranger as delicately as she could, then waited to see if that was enough to help him to his hooves. It wasn't, so she had to make two more trips. By the third leaf-full, he could sit again.
"Thank you," he croaked.
"Can you walk?"
The unicorn, unsure of the truth, merely nodded.
"I think I can help you," she explained slowly, "But I can't take all of your weight. My cottage is only a few yards from here. Do you think you can make it?"
"I don't know."
"Do you want to try?"
He nodded again.
It took a great effort, but before he could collapse again and she could catch frostbite from lugging his body, they made it inside the animal shelter. Relieved, they disengaged and fell to the floor.
"Don't worry," Fluttershy assured him after a well-deserved rest. "I'll take care of you."
The reply she received was the best kind—a trusting smile. Tearing up for what might have been the fourth time that day, she raced for her first aid kit.
It took two hours, but the colt was finally patched up. Broken wing aside, his left side was covered in scratches caked with dirt and small rocks, and he looked like he hadn't eaten in days. With Mr. Bear's help, she was able to carry him into one of the guest rooms to relax. Fluttershy, yawning at the sight of him, decided this was a great opportunity to rest as well. Happily, she settled into her own bed and slept the afternoon away.
Angel woke her again that evening, foot thumping impatiently against her head. After lightly chastising the incorrigible rabbit she made her way downstairs to make dinner, but not before checking on her newest addition. He was still asleep. Good.
She was to last to eat, as usual, but if everyone was satisfied she could have some time to think, and she would need all the time she could get right now.
Her first thought was of her friends. The stranger was a unicorn, so Twilight and Rarity's expertise could come in handy if there was a horn injury she had missed. Applejack and Rainbow Dash's combined strength could lift him like a twig and make transportation a breeze if he was still sluggish. And Pinkie Pie…
She smiled and swallowed another spoonful of broth.
After what she could only assume was a nasty crash, she was sure her new guest would need every Pinkie-patented party trick in the book!
She finished her soup and began washing up. The matter was settled, then. She would go right after breakfast and see who's available. Regardless of who it was, she was sure they were going to be a great help.
Fluttershy woke early the next morning thanks to her nap. Grateful for the extra hour or two in her schedule, she made an impressive breakfast for her and her guest, then tiptoed upstairs to let him know.
To her surprise, her guest was wide awake and...rather busy with something. So busy, in fact, he didn't even notice her come in until it was too late. Fluttershy, as kind as she was, pretended not to notice.
"Breakfast is ready," she chirped.
"Thank you, miss," he whispered.
Then she shut the door and went back to the breakfast nook. The colt appeared twenty minutes later. Without a sound, he slid into the seat opposite hers and began to eat. Fluttershy noted that he decided to forgo magic and use his hooves instead and that his table manners were sublime, save his dour nature.
"I'm sorry," he said at last.
Fluttershy wouldn't hear another word, even though it wasn't exactly a welcome surprise. "Don't be sorry," she argued. "It's perfectly natural for a colt your age."
His cheeks were red. "I put up a forcefield!" he said quickly. "I could never forgive myself if I defiled your sheets!"
"That was very considerate of you. Thank you."
"It's the least I could do." Brightened, he continued to eat and Fluttershy could finally drink in the sight of her new guest. His ash-grey coat reached to the end of his cuticles, where they feathered out above darker grey hooves. Under better circumstances, she mused, his shoulder-length mane parted evenly and as black as Luna's night (it even had a pale white moon—er, streak—on one side!) would be perfectly combed, and his matching tail would be preened to perfection. Shining sky blue eyes watched his meal closely, dulled somewhat by lingering pain.
Fluttershy suddenly remembered her first observation. "I see you aren't using your horn. Is it injured?"
"Overworked, but not injured. I'm fairly sure of that."
"I have a couple of unicorn friends that could help you if you think it is injured. In fact, I was going to invite all of my friends over later on today so they could help me help you."
"That's very kind of you, miss."
"Fluttershy."
"Miss Fluttershy."
She was going to correct him again, but figured it wasn't doing any harm. He was just being polite.
The unicorn hadn't eaten much, but it was more than she expected. Smiling, she cleared off the table. Her guest helped.
"Thank you...oh dear, I never asked for your name. I'm sorry."
"My name is Frances."
"Thank you, Frances."
Frances crawled back into bed once the kitchen was clean and Fluttershy slipped into town. She figured Twilight Sparkle was the best person to see first about this issue since she was most likely to have extensive knowledge of magical accidents and horn injuries.
Unfortunately, she was far more concerned with his current lodgings: “Fluttershy, if he suffered as bad a crash as you described, why didn’t you take him to the hospital?”
The pegasus cowed under her friend’s glare. “I...uh...It looked bad at first, and he couldn’t walk very far. Celestia knows what might have happened if I just sat around waiting for help, so I took matters into my own hooves and it turned out not to be so bad.”
Twilight still wasn’t crazy about her friend’s course of action, but she did make a good point. A Good Samaritan is always better than an absent physician. “Well, I’m glad he’s in good hooves. Now, you say you didn’t observe any injuries?”
“Not to his horn, no. He said he was overworked, and he looked exhausted. He must have been wielding some powerful magic because he used illusory wings.”
"How interesting..." the princess mused, then promised to visit at around two.
In fact, all the girls did. Fluttershy was so glad! At first, she was afraid of being a bother, especially since she knew life can get pretty busy early in the day, but once she had several nods of approval she was over the moon with confidence! She was going to help this stranger! She was going to give him the best darn help she ever gave!
"I'm home, every—Oh, my!”
"Frances?"
Now he turned around. "Good afternoon, Miss Fluttershy." His voice was stronger now and even in the dark, she noticed he moved with relative ease towards her. "How was your trip?"
"Good..." she began, then trailed off. "I hope you managed well by yourself."
"I've been doing very well, thanks to you. I was able to come down here after my nap and meditate for a while."
"I can see that! I'm so glad you're feeling better, but do you mind if I open a window or two?"
"Not at all."
As she fiddled with the cord, she let Frances know that all five of her friends would arrive soon. He was glad to hear it, then excused himself to make sure he looked presentable. She let him go, then prepared some tea and refreshments.
Twilight and the girls decided to arrive as a group to Fluttershy's home at two on the dot. The pegasus was happy to receive them.
"I'm very excited to meet your guest, Fluttershy," Twilight began, echoing the silent desires of the group. "Based on what you told me, I'll be honored to help in any way I can. Though I am curious about those illusory wings you described to me..."
"Is he still sluggish?" Rainbow Dash wondered.
"No, he's improved considerably. In fact, he just went upstairs to make himself look presentable. Something about him suggests he's used to being neat and clean."
Rarity squished her cheeks together. "Oh, the poor dear, crash landing in the Everfree like that! He really must be out of his element! As soon as you deem him well enough, I am going to whisk him away to the spa!"
"So what's keepin' the lil' critter?" Applejack queried, staring at the staircase. She ate her words as soon as she noticed a hoof on the top step. The others heard it and quieted.
"Do you need help coming down?" Fluttershy asked.
"No," the voice called back, "Thank you!"
Frances descended in his own time. Once on level ground he strode across the living room and stood before the crowd. Upon seeing Princess Twilight, he bowed. "Your Highness." Then he took a step back and bowed again. "Ladies."
At that moment, everyone finally understood why Twilight didn't exactly cherish the social cues that followed her ascension. To be honored in such a way after being little more than the common mare for most of one's life brought on a maelstrom of emotions that was as exciting as it was terrifying. Even Rarity, who secretly pined for such respect, was floored by the gesture.
"You have friends in such high places, Miss Fluttershy," he noted, then sat beside her. Fluttershy poured him some tea, which he took by hoof.
That finally snapped everyone out of thier reverie.
"Hello...um..."
"Frances," Fluttershy whispered to Twilight.
"Hello, Frances. Fluttershy told us you were injured not too long ago. I might not be a physician, but I am familiar with several kinds of horn related injuries and if I notice anything out of the ordinary I would like to help."
"Of course."
The Princess of Friendship took a cautious step forward, not only because she wanted to be gentle in her assessment, but because she felt a vaguely threatening aura emanate from the colt. She decided sitting three paces away was a safe enough distance without being rude. "Now, can you share with us how you ended up in the Everfree?"
Suddenly embarrassed, Frances rubbed a foreleg. "I was messing about with magic that was a bit too advanced for me and it blew me clear out of my own world and into this one."
Fluttershy gasped. "I didn't know you were stranded here! I would have gotten the girls sooner!"
"That's alright, Miss Fluttershy. If I am to be stranded, I'm glad to be stranded with you."
Fluttershy gasped again. Something about this filly just tugged on her heartstrings... As she excused herself to grab a tissue, Twilight continued her interrogation.
"I see. Interdimensional travel does carry certain risks and unforeseen consequences. I'll come back to that. I notice you're using your hooves. Nothing wrong with that, though most unicorns tend to prefer to use magic while eating and drinking."
"As do I, Your Highness, but I feel it's wiser to save my strength until I can get back home."
"Ah. Fluttershy did mention you were exhausted and you said your horn was overworked. Have you experienced any headaches?"
"Not since yesterday."
"How severe was it?"
"A mild throb in the back of my head. Went away by morning."
"That's a good sign. Could I examine your horn?"
Frances lowered his head. Twilight couldn't find anything of note.
"Have you practiced any magic since the accident?"
"No."
"Do you mind lifting your teacup?"
"How high?"
"Above your head."
Frances did as he was told with little effort. He even put it down again as if it was made of thin glass instead of hardened porcelain.
"That's also a very good sign. The good news is I don't believe anything is wrong with your horn. If you want to continue saving your strength, then I think that is a wise decision."
"Thank you, Princess."
Fluttershy smiled and hugged him. Frances tensed, then accepted the hug with increasing fervor. By the time she released him, Applejack had stepped into his presence.
"Heard you were sluggish, partner. In fact, Ah had taken two days away from the farm to bear you up." She gave him a once over. "With the way you moved today Ah'm fixin' to conclude that's no longer true, but don't overexert yourself, ya hear? Ah'm going to stay anyway, but Ah'm only goin' to help if you need me."
Frances nodded, then frowned.
"What's wrong, hon?"
"You remind me of my marefriend." He gave a small, sad chuckle. "You kind of look like her too. I'm really far from home, aren't I?"
Pinkie Pie, in a gait that was unnatural for her usually exuberant self, approached Frances, sat before him, and smiled. Her back was itchy and her ears were twitchy a few moments ago and what looked like a new tactic for the party pony was actually mind-numbing fear. Something was wrong here, but she couldn't say what. Oh well. When in doubt, giggle at the ghostie.
"Chin up, Frances," she soothed. She was bold enough to literally lift his chin up. His ears were still stuck fast to the sides of his head. "You're in a tough spot now, but you'll get home soon. It's like you said: If you gotta be stranded, at least you're stranded with Fluttershy. With all of us."
Finally, Frances smiled, and some of her apprehension subsided. Maybe he was secretly defensive. Maybe he came from a place where kindness was a ruse instead of a driving force of the universe. He chuckled, and this spurred a great, innocent laugh from the pink mare. "There ya go!"
"Oh yeah!" Rainbow Dash cheered. "We can always count on you, Pinkie!" She hovered above her partner-in-crime and grinned, sticking out a hoof. "Rainbow Dash. I took off to help you too. Heard you had wings and figured if AJ could help you on the ground I could help you in the sky!"
Frances beamed. "Thank you, Miss Dash."
Rainbow Dash scoffed playfully. "Call me Rainbow."
"Of course."
Finally, Rarity stepped up to the plate. Holding out a hoof, she stated that Frances was a very polite gentlecolt. Frances thanked her, then received the hoof and kissed it lightly. Rarity nearly swooned. "Oh, that marefriend of yours is one lucky filly! Just for that, I want to give you a home makeover right now! May I, Fluttershy?"
"Only if he's up to it."
Frances' ears had been pricked since he heard the words 'home makeover'. Nodding enthusiastically, he stood and flicked his tail. Rarity squealed and rushed out of the cottage.
"I'll be back with my special soaps!"
Twilight laughed and stood. "I guess that's as good a stopping point as any. We hope you recover soon, Frances. Don't hesitate to ask any of us for help."
"I won't, Your Highness."
The guests parted ways once they were outside Fluttershy's home. The blinding white of the early afternoon sun had mellowed into a warm bright yellow, warming the backs of Pinkie Pie and Twilight, who walked back to their homes together. Twilight was proud of Pinkie's discretion at first, but when her deflated mood lasted longer than the situation called for, it worried her. "Is everything alright?"
Pinkie walked even slower. "My Pinkie-Sense was tingling around Frances. I think...I think something's wrong."
They reached the castle. Twilight invited her in. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed."
"I don't want to make assumptions, not again. But an itchy back and a twitchy ear don't lie!"
"Of course. I sensed an aura of danger around him too, despite his polite manner. It feels subdued, so I don't think there's anything to worry about, and yet..."
Pinkie froze. "You don't think he would hurt Fluttershy, do you?" she asked, frightened by the very idea.
Twilight had to be honest. "I can't see why he would, but I can't see why he wouldn't either." She put an arm around her friend. "Look, we can't make assumptions, right? He could be good, he could be bad, he could be bad looking for good, or good for the sake of being bad. We just don't know, and right now it's not our place to ask. The good news is, regardless of the truth, we promised to help, which means we can keep an eye on him."
Pinkie nodded resolutely. "I think I might start doing just that."
"Easy, Pinkie. Don't do anything you might regret. Frances is just another pony that needs some cheering up."
Pinkie took a breath. Grateful for Twilight's guidance, she thanked her and returned to her shift at Sugarcube Corner. Her instincts burned to run back to Fluttershy, but the princess had a point. It was better for everyone if she had some time to cool down.
Back at the cottage, Fluttershy was preparing a proper lunch for herself. She didn't want to help Rarity on an empty stomach, after all. Frances was wandering around the living room, observing the animals that inhabited the habitats she built into the walls and ceilings. One particular guest caught his eye as it scampered into a hole in the lower wainscoting.
"Miss Fluttershy?" he called.
The pegasus glided into the room. "Yes?"
He pointed at the mouse hole. "You have vermin in your wall. I could take care of them for you, if you want." He crouched down. "I'm in the mood for a snack."
Before he could do anything else, Fluttershy rubbed his ear. "Actually, Frances, Mr. Mouse and his family are guests here, just like you. Please don't hurt them."
He stood. "Ah. Sorry, Mr. Mouse."
"If you're hungry, I can get you a snack."
"Perhaps later. I don't want to trouble you before Miss Rarity arrives."
She beckoned him into the kitchen. "It'll be quick."
Fluttershy offered him an apple, which was the opposite of what he really wanted, but thanked her for it anyway. In the meantime, she was glad she had convinced him to eat something rather than someone. She was no stranger to carnivorous animals, of course, but a pony willing to eat mice—
Frances opened his mouth, exposing for the first time a sharp pair of fangs. When they pierced the apple she half expected them to drain it dry, but instead, they sliced cleanly into the flesh and pulled it into his mouth. Fluttershy fought the urge to stare.
A pony with the biological equipment to eat mice was something she never encountered.
When he made it to the core Rarity returned to Fluttershy's home with a trunk of beauty supplies riding behind her in a wagon. Fluttershy hastily ate a carrot before joining the fashionista and her guest in the upstairs bathroom.
The home spa treatment was a rousing success. Frances loved being pampered and Rarity loved pampering, especially when it gave her the opportunity to show off all of her beauty gadgets. She also noticed Frances was a bit more loose-lipped after the bath, and tried to use that as an opportunity to learn more about him.
"I see you don't get to do this very often," she said as she massaged shampoo into his mane.
"Hardly," Frances agreed. "Never enough time. Never enough resources."
"Oh no?"
"No..."
Rarity didn't reply. It was an old salespony trick. The less you said, the more your customer revealed.
"But a hooficure now and then never harmed anypony, did it?"
Rarity couldn't agree more, but was discouraged by his subtle evasion. He was a sly devil, but she would get him. She just needed to keep at it. Focus on him, not his past.
While she was brushing his tail she found a new opening. "I see you're a lover of the finer things in life," she commented, pointing at his cutie mark. A trio of red diamond-shaped gemstones rested above a broken silver crown.
"I used to belong to a noble family," he replied. "Actually, I'm sure a few of us might still be alive, but since I can never speak to them again, they might as well be dead."
Rarity stopped brushing. She didn't reply to this either, but largely because she didn't know what to say. (Thank goodness Fluttershy was in her bedroom...) Finally, after an eternity of silence, she muttered, "I'm sorry," and stopped prying. She regained most of her excitement by the end of the night, but she left somber.
Author's Note
Feedback is welcome!
The next day, Frances slept in. Fluttershy let him rest, even when Applejack arrived to assist him while she went to the market.
"He's upstairs, third door on the left. His breakfast is on the counter. Don't be worried if he doesn't eat too much of it, he's still regaining his strength."
Applejack nodded. Fluttershy beamed, glad she had such reliable friends, then left. Frances appeared an hour later fresh as the morning dew thanks to Rarity. Applejack guided him to his breakfast, which, as his caretaker predicted, he did not finish. Unlike Fluttershy, the farmer was quick to notice his predatory teeth and cautiously offered him an apple in lieu of his meal. When he didn't suck it dry (he preferred to eat it later instead) she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Do you want to go outside?" she offered. "We can walk laps in the yard."
"Sure."
Applejack decided to keep it simple and walked in circles in the patch of green between the chicken coops and the cottage. Frances kept pace just fine, an observation she was sure to share with Fluttershy when she returned. Now, however, it was time for a break.
"Alright, give a good stretch and settle down now."
Frances obeyed right next to her. His body was cold, but that was comforting in the summer heat.
"How're ya feeling?"
"Fine, Miss Applejack. It's nice out here."
"Just Applejack, hon. I ain't that special."
"Applejack." He breathed the name, then looked into his hooves.
Applejack felt a twinge of guilt. It was vain of her to think she drew a lonely sigh from the colt. It was even vainer of her to wish Frances would describe his marefriend in detail, to see how she measured up, if she did remind him so much of her. She blamed Rarity for it. She didn't have feelings for Frances, but the fact that nearly everyone had someone—Pinkie Pie had Cheese Sandwich, Twilight Sparkle was the apple of some royal guard's eye, Rarity had a new beau every month, and even Fluttershy had her heart set on her own brother—cut into her like a knife. The last pony to view her romantically at all was some fetishizing loser and the farm didn't leave much time for crushes. She tried to recall if she had ever been what he was, young and lovesick. No such memory existed.
But that wasn't her fault! They were old wounds, made back when the girls were still getting to know each other, but Rarity's comments still got the better of her sometimes. If only someone liked her from skin to core, pined for what she represented, then maybe she could put these demons to rest.
"Kassandra," he sighed.
"Don't worry none, sugar. You'll be home soon."
"I know." He rolled over onto his side. "At least you make it feel like she's here. You're just as warm and firm as she is."
"Oh?"
He nodded. "Same bright orange coat too, but her eyes are the color of tempered steel, and her name is always pulled into a tight bun if she doesn't leave it loose..."
Roused by the thought of her, he continued. Applejack didn't stop him. "Her back hooves could make an indent in the thickest of oaks. Her voice could command armies, charm demons! And she has such a way with the earth! If it wasn't for her, we would have starved to death years ago. I guess it makes sense, considering she used to live on a farm."
Frances suddenly stood. "Determination is in her blood, so it should be in mine! Let's walk again!"
Applejack laughed and got to her hooves. "And how!"
The farmer left in the late afternoon happier than she was when she arrived, and told Fluttershy about Frances' progress with the warmest smile the pegasus had ever seen. "Ah'll come back tomorrow with Rainbow Dash! If’n you're up to it, Frances, we can trot n' fly!"
"I'm looking forward to it!" he called back, then Fluttershy closed the door and trotted into the kitchen. Frances followed, ready to ask for a glass of water.
"I'm glad you had fun today," she chirped.
"As am I. Miss Fluttershy, may I—"
"And I— Oh, my, I interrupted you. Sorry."
"It's alright. I was going to ask for a glass of water."
"Oh, of course! Just a second."
They sat at the breakfast nook again as Fluttershy placed a straw in the glass. Frances thanked her and drank slowly.
"As I was saying," Fluttershy continued, "I'm glad you had fun today, and I hope my little surprise makes your day even better."
He released the straw. "A surprise? For me? Miss Fluttershy, I'm touched."
Grimacing, Fluttershy craned her neck down to the mound of cloth beside her and lifted it to the tabletop. Frances waited with bated breath as she untied the corners and led them away from the offering. He recognized the smell, but he sincerely doubted this gentle soul could even approach…
The last corner fell away. In the center lay the fresh carcass of a vole.
Silence prevailed for much too long as he stared at his gift and Fluttershy stared at him.
"Do you prefer mice?" she asked at last.
Frances shook his head. "No, no, this is wonderful, but... Miss Fluttershy, I hope...I didn't mean to..."
She knew what he meant. "I asked Miss Falcon to do a little extra hunting for me. My home is a safe space, but I can't change the laws of nature. Go ahead. I hope it helps."
Even while tearing into a dead animal, Frances was still a neat and conservative diner. When the hour of lunch had passed there was a mangled skeleton left on the table and a very satisfied Frances lounging in the nook. "Thank you," he sighed. "Thank you." He eased himself out of his seat and excused himself, thanking her once more and announcing that he was going to take a nap. Fluttershy disinfected the nook before mixing a salad to eat in the living room.
At that same moment, Twilight Sparkle opened her seventh book on illusions. It would be so much easier just to confront Frances about his wings, but it wasn't exactly polite, so she was on her own until she could visit. Starlight Glimmer assisted her since Spike was embarking upon a new campaign of Ogres and Oubliettes at Sweet Apple Acres.
"You don't have to be mean about it," her student insisted. "He let you examine his horn, didn't he?"
"Yes, but that only highlights the fact that he's still injured, Starlight. I can't demand discourse from him if he's not up to it."
"Not even for a couple of keywords?"
"I already know what happened: his wings were broken, then he fixed them, then they disappeared. The wings in question resembled bat wings. He claimed they were mostly illusory. Ergo, any preliminary research on the subject should be about illusions."
Starlight nodded boredly. "Right."
Twilight didn't find anything useful in this book either, and asked for another one. Starlight offered it to her, but withdrew it before her mentor's hoof could touch it. When Twilight turned for a better view, Starlight held the book a little higher.
"There's something you're not telling me, Twilight. I would understand if this guy was laid up in the hospital, but based on what you've said he only suffered a couple of scratches. He could walk. He could talk. Why not just ask him?"
Twilight considered chasing after the book but knew she and Starlight were too skilled for her to succeed. Sighing, she closed her current book and stared at the blank page of notes. "Something's wrong," she murmured.
"Come again?"
"Something about his aura made me uneasy. It was a vague feeling, but it was strong enough for Pinkie to pick up on, and we both agree it's not good."
"All the more reason to confront him, no?"
"No! If we're right, we put lives at stake! If we're wrong, we destroy somepony's trust. Neither of those worlds are one I want to live in. I've got to be gentle with this."
Starlight's gears were turning, so she didn't notice Twilight take the book until she heard the pages turn. Once she ruffled all the fur of her chin, she gasped. "I got it! You said he was messing with multiverses, right? Why not work it into a conversation about that?"
"Bu—" The Princess of Friendship considered this. Her eyes widened with revelation. "That's perfect! He has to go home, but he's apprehensive about using his own magic! He'll need our help! Pack your bags, we're going to Fluttershy's!"
Her hopes were dashed when the pair arrived at the cottage and Fluttershy told her Frances was asleep. Disappointed, she was ready to turn back until Starlight asked if they could stay until he woke up.
"But I can't do that," Twilight argued. Her royal administrative duties were just too demanding.
"But I can," Starlight offered. "I can invite you back as soon as he wakes up."
It took some wheedling, but in the end, Twilight agreed and left.
"I wonder if he was being pursued..." the unicorn mused, but then shuffling was heard from upstairs.
"That must be him. You should tell Twilight."
Twilight practically ran back to the cottage. Starlight could barely keep up. Frances and Fluttershy were waiting for them. It was evening by the time the group was reunited, and Frances seemed reinvigorated by the absence of natural light. He bowed to the guests again, and Starlight was chilled by the mechanical grace of the gesture.
"This is Starlight Glimmer," Fluttershy introduced. "She's another friend of ours. She came with Twilight so she can help you get home."
Frances clapped his hooves. "Wonderful! I was actually going to ask you to invite her again for this!"
"That won't be necessary, Your Highness. I know exactly how to get back."
"You do?" Fluttershy and Starlight asked in unison.
Twilight cocked her head. "O...kay... What do we need to do?"
"All we have to do is enchant a mirror. Once the enchantment is properly drawn, we have to trigger it with a great release of energy. When the spell is complete, all I have to do is think of where I want to be, it appears, I walk through, and I'm home!"
"Thirty minutes?"
"How big is the enchantment? Where should we draw it?"
"It depends on how big the mirror is."
"We have to find a mirror?"
"We could use mine, but it broke in transit."
"There's a full-body mirror in the castle no one's using..."
A new castle mirror had to be selected because the one suggested was actually Spike's favorite. The remaining logistics, to Twilight's chagrin, had to wait until Frances saw the mirror in question, but she lobbied for a departure date.
"Mi—I mean, Applejack and Rainbow offered to help me exercise tomorrow. I would hate to cancel our plans."
"Okay. Not tomorrow. How about three days from today?"
He seemingly looked to Fluttershy for permission; when she nodded, he nodded too. Twilight also nodded, then made a mental note to bring the mirror to Frances (or vice versa) the day before.
"Good," began her parting words. "I'm glad we've got this straightened out and you can find a way home. Starlight and I will come back in two days with the mirror, then the following day for the incantation. Goodnight, Frances."
"Goodnight, Your Highness, Miss Starlight."
"Now I get it. I mean, he sounds harmless enough, but..."
"I'm sending a letter to Princess Celestia so she's aware of the situation. Or do you think that's an overreaction?"
"Wait a night, Twilight. Maybe write it in the morning."
Twilight nodded and they entered the castle.
Fluttershy went to bed as soon as they left, and Frances also retreated to his room, not to sleep, but to write. Fluttershy was such a dear, energizing him with that vole. He licked his lips as he pulled his notebook from his worn saddlebag. There was no doubt the pegasus had seen the accessory, but in her panic fortunately never touched it. Not that it's contents were meant for anypony else but him.
The bed was too lumpy, so he laid on the floor. Quill in mouth, he began with a summary of his experiences up until that point, adding notes in parenthesis about the ponies he met. For instance, Applejack was a "rise-with-the-sun mare, just like Kassy, and I'm sure just as stubborn at times too". Princess Twilight was a conundrum since current observations proved she was not responsible for the raising of the sun and moon, as he once assumed. He was hesitant to believe the alicorn sisters were still alive, though. Fluttershy received a gushing review, for obvious reasons, and Frances was actually going to miss her.
Satisfied, he put the notebook away and pulled out a leather-bound journal.
"One more lap! You're doing great, Frances!" Rainbow Dash called from above. Feeling confident, he finished the lap at a canter, then ambled to Fluttershy's backyard table, glad to take a break. Fluttershy served refreshments to them all.
"You sure you don't want to get in on this, Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked after chugging a glass of lemonade. Frances sipped his primly through a straw. Applejack fanned herself with her Stetson before taking a hearty swig.
Fluttershy flapped her wings gently. "No, thank you. I like watching you three have fun."
"Suit yerself, sugarcube," Applejack told her, then led another round of stretches. When they were done, Rainbow began her flying lesson.
"Alright, let's see those wings Flutters was tellin' me about!"
Meanwhile, Pinkie had just reached her meek friend's front door. She heard Rainbow Dash in the backyard, which lifted her spirits. Fluttershy wasn't alone, and she was receptive to company. After picking up the cupcake box again she gave three brisk knocks and spent the precious seconds Fluttershy took to open the door to practice her best smiles.
"Pinkie Pie! Come in!"
"Is this a bad time?"
"Not at all! Applejack and Rainbow are outside with Frances."
"Yes, I heard. I brought you guys cupcakes from the Corner! I hope he likes cupcakes!"
Fluttershy beamed as she took the box from her. "Even if he doesn't, I'm sure your baking will make him reconsider!"
They shared a laugh, then the party pony offered to help feed her animal friends their lunch. After tipping some seed into a bird feeder, Pinkie asked if everything was going alright with Frances.
"I'm so proud of him!" Fluttershy gushed as she balanced a bowl of kibble on her head. "Only two days ago he could barely talk, but look at him now!" She gestured to the window. Frances trailed Rainbow Dash like a hawk searching for prey, brandishing dark brown-black bat wings with every flap. Pinkie held her breath as he closed the distance between them, but when the chase ended with friendly words instead of carnage, she released it.
"I'll be sad to see him go in two days, but he deserves to be in his own world again."
"Oh, he's leaving?" Pinkie queried.
"Mmm-hmm!" Then the caretaker giggled. "He certainly can't stay with me forever, can he?"
Pinkie returned the giggle. "No, he can't."
Twilight finally settled on a mobile full body mirror the next day. It took some doing, but she, Starlight, and Spike were eventually able to cart it to Fluttershy's house without sustaining any damage. Frances inspected the mirror from top to bottom, and once he approved it, fetched a drawing of the incantation. "I usually never enchant anything larger than a hand mirror, so I use wax or chalk. You're free to use that too, but I think a mirror of this size requires something with a bit more staying power."
"Where should we draw it?" Twilight asked.
"Anywhere you feel is appropriate, Your Highness, so long as the mirror can stand in the center of it and I can access the mirror. I always imagined leaving from Miss Fluttershy's home, though."
"I can wash the chalk from my floor," Fluttershy encouraged.
"That settles it, then," Spike said. Frances regarded the dragon with renewed interest when he spoke.
"I still can't believe there's a dragon in your midst. Is he a diplomat? A social experiment?"
"I'm Twilight's number one assistant!" he stated proudly, but this only befuddled Frances. Twilight stepped forward to explain.
"Princess Celestia assigned hatching Spike as an entrance exam for her school of gifted unicorns."
"You hatched him?" he asked, astonished, then a greater question came to mind. "The sisters are alive?"
Twilight, as well as the others, froze in shock. "Of course they're alive," she began shakily. "Why...why wouldn't they be?"
"Ah, then the plague doesn't afflict this universe."
Now Twilight was interested. Sitting down, she asked Frances to elaborate.
"There isn't too much to say. A couple of years ago, say, five or six, a great flash consumed Equestria, and I think the whole world too. Everyone past adolescence simply disappeared. 'Plague' is a bit of a misnomer, but what else wipes out scores of creatures that quickly? Crazier still, it's happened only once. We're getting older, but there haven't been any more flashes."
"How do the Princesses fit into this?"
"Well, they're the oldest equines we know of, correct? There are whole sects of ponies who believe they will return, but I'm more than sure they, like our parents, are dead. It's been too long."
"What of the sun and moon?"
"Free of their avatars, they follow their own whims, which, fortunately, are very close to the Princesses' old habits."
"What about society? What about friendship?"
"For better or for worse, ponies have been left to their own devices. I myself am in charge of a little cohort on the outskirts of the town I grew up in. We do what we can."
"I'm sure they need your leadership," she said in a low voice.
Frances turned a hoof around in a circle. "Well, I have procedures in place in case of my death, but I know they miss me."
"Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow."
"We'll have to tell the others."
"Applejack and Rainbow Dash already know."
Spreading the word to the rest did not take too long. Twilight decided to put off writing that letter to her mentor until all was said and done.
Frances' final day began early, as Fluttershy woke him to eat another vole before her friends arrived. Reinvigorated, he dived into all the activities Pinkie Pie had planned for her impromptu 'Goodbye Frances!' party. Rarity gave him a hairbrush and a scarf as a goodbye gift. Spike answered all that he could about his status in Equestria, which still confused Frances, but he was grateful for the information. Hugs and parting words were shared all around.
Then the incantation was drawn.
Frances stood before the mirror, horn lit up with a sky blue aura (an aura Twilight couldn't help but notice was tinged ever so slightly black). A wooded path appeared in the mirror's face.
"There it is," he sighed. He took a step forward, only to turn around and hug Fluttershy one last time. Fluttershy couldn't help herself and teared up again.
"Miss Fluttershy," he stated as he released the hug, "Without you, I would have completely forgotten what it felt like to have a mother take care of you. To love you. I'm kind of a stand-in mother for a lot of young ponies, some no older than fillies, and it's certainly not easy, especially when absolute power corrupts absolutely. However, with your compassion in mind, I vow to reconsider my harsher decisions as they arise. It's a wonder what a little kindness will do."
That was all she could ever ask for.
With one last nod and thank you to the unicorns supporting his portal home, he stepped through the mirror and disappeared.
A week after Frances returned home and the mirror was stripped of its magical properties for safety's sake, Spike coughed up a reply to Princess Twilight's report.
After grabbing the scroll and retreating to her room, Twilight was first glad to hear her letter was not an overreaction and that she and her friends behaved with the discretion and caution of very reputable citizens.
Then she received an apology: "Were that all I had to say, then this letter would have returned to you ages ago, but the latter half of your message gave me such pause that I was forced to meditate upon it before I responded."
Knowing full well Celestia couldn't see her, Twilight nodded in understanding before continuing.
"It is hard for me to imagine a world where I or my sister no longer exist, emotionally as well as physically. To read about the world Frances described chilled and saddened me, but it does say quite a lot about Equestria's youth if they were able to carry on. That being said, Frances himself does seem to be quite an interesting character, doesn't he? Polite, quiet, peaceful, and in the same turn threatening, mysterious, and, according to Fluttershy, carnivorous! Like you, I began to question his intentions until my eyes passed over his parting words to Fluttershy:
"'...I'm kind of a stand-in mother for a lot of young ponies, some no older than fillies, and it's certainly not easy, especially when absolute power corrupts absolutely. ...'
"This may be a redundant point to stress with you, Twilight, but when power is centralized, much of it is sequestered, as the name implies. When power is freed by a radical change in regime, like my and Luna's mysterious death, it spreads out like ripples in a pond, reaching all who wish to take advantage of it, 'for better or for worse,' to use his own phrase. Obviously Frances took advantage of it, and as soon as I acknowledged that, the origin of his darkness became clear.
"He is grappling with temptation.
"No one is truly pure of heart, Twilight. You know this as well as I. Venerable champions and irredeemable villains are both born from power and become who they are through the application of that power, on how well they respond to temptation under the duress of power. It is not an easy task. You are aware of this as well. Every instance of use, every heartless indulgence leaves a mark on the soul and reminds you, in its own twisted way, of how good it feels.
"How nice it would be to fall into the abyss and never wake again until your kingdom is little more than ash."
Twilight was tempted to step away from the piece of paper, but resisted it. There was a lesson she had to see through.
"Frances has likely slipped many times over the course of his rule, transforming his very being into something more bloodthirsty than you and I. Yet he has also shown restraint to you and your friends, indicating he is not lost to it. One cannot rule over ash, but his world does not seem to adhere to the neat resolutions we have been blessed to experience after every major threat. My guess is that he will only sink deeper into temptation as time goes on. However, due to the kindness of not only Fluttershy, but all of you, he will never become truly irredeemable."
Pinkie Pie shot upright in bed. "No—!" she nearly yelled, but reality stole the volume of her voice. She was in her room, unharmed. Fluttershy was in her room, unharmed.
Right?
She shook her head. Of course she was! Fluttershy was right as rain, safer than a safe in a safe! Frances had no reason to...
She looked at the clock. One AM. Far too early to check on her friend, but that didn't mean she couldn't use her break tomorrow to pay a visit.