CRACK!!!
Rolling her head, hearing and feeling that sensation along her back, Tree Hugger sighed in relief. She inhales deeply, in and out, breathing in the earthy scents of her humble abode. All around her, an assortment of plants dotted the living room. From Ferns to Ficus, Daisies to Daffodils, and even a single Bonsai tree sat proudly at the very center of the dining table.
From behind her, the scent of lit sage wafts across the air, until it tickled her nose. Inhaling the scene, Tree Hugger sighs with a smile. The scent of fresh sage reminded her of that special place she attended to earlier, where she would go to clear her ‘chakras’ in pursuit of positive vibes.
But one scent stood out, aside from the lit sage. From the oven mere three feet in front of her, inside the kitchen, the sweet aroma of freshly baked brownies lifts in the air. Tree Hugger shifts her head down toward the floor, the red tangles of her braided hair falls into her view as she glanced upon the sweet treats. To call Tree Hugger a gifted chef would be quite a stretch, but right now she wished she knew enough to tell if they were done. As she would say, it wouldn’t be ‘radical’ to treat her guest to burnt brownies.
“Don’t want a repeat of the flourless chocolate cake incident,” Tree Hugger thought. “That was a real downer.”
Tree Hugger glanced toward the clock she kept along the wall.
“Four-twenty,” She read aloud, with a twinge of worry. “Fluttershy’s a little late.”
Tree Hugger glanced toward the door, the worry hammering away at her normally mellow tone. So worried that Tree Hugger’s own aura shimmered with a slightly blue tone. This was the first time she’d ever invited her over and wanted nothing but good vibes for it. Yet, here it was, twenty passed four and Fluttershy still hadn’t shown up.
“Whoa, whoa! Chill Tree Hugger!” She told herself. “I’m sure she’ll be here in no time.”
Tree Hugger inhaled deeply, her senses soothed by the unlikely pleasant combination of plants, sage, and brownies. The blue faded from her aura, restored to its usual vibrant green state.
“Righteous! Just gotta keep the vibes mellow!”
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Suddenly, a set of knocks at the door drew her attention.
“Double righteous!”
Tree Hugger trots from the kitchen toward the front door, brushing past the magnolia tree in her living room. She opened the door, greeted by the bashful smile of one of her closest friends, Fluttershy.
“Ah, good to see you, Flutters!”
“Hello, Tree Hugger,” Fluttershy greeted quietly. “Sorry I’m so late, took me a while to fly to the top of the mountain.”
“It’s all cool! The high is a bit of a bummer, but what can I say? I dig a good high!”
“Um yes, of course… Mind if I come in?”
“Of course, Flutters!” Tree Hugger stepped aside. “I wouldn’t invite you to my pad just to make you chill the whole time… Although actually ‘chill’ can be so rad too!”
“Thank you.”
Fluttershy walked in but glanced back outside.
“You know, I couldn’t help but notice you have an awful amount of weeds in your front lawn,” Fluttershy observed. “You might want to do something about them.”
“Nah, they’re pretty cool,” Tree Hugger brushed off. “Weeds give off good vibes, you know?”
“Yeah… Sure, I guess. I just mean they might be a bit harmful to the grass.”
“Nah, nah! See weeds, grass, they’re just fine. To me, they seem like two different ways of describing the same thing, you know?”
“Well, as long as you’re not too concerned,” Fluttershy smiled understandingly. “Anyway, thank you for inviting me over. I have to admit, after the whole Grand Galloping Gala fiasco, I thought you might be a tad… ‘hesitant’ to stay friends.”
“Why?” Tree Hugger tilts her head, confused. “What was so bad about the Gala?”
Fluttershy blinked, and for a while her mind went blank.
“Um… Discord tried banishing you to another dimension?”
“Oh… right! Right, that guy… Yeah, no biggie. He got pretty mellow after we hashed out a rhythm together.”
“Oh good, I’m glad you’re not upset…”
Fluttershy inhaled slightly, smiling at the soothing scent.
“My! What’s that delightful smell?”
“Oh, that’s probably the brownies,” Tree Hugger smiled, turning to the kitchen. “I hope they’re still good. They’ve been in the oven so long; they’re probably just blazing!”
“Oh, they don’t smell like they’re too baked,” Fluttershy replied, following her nose toward the kitchen. “They smell just fine. Though we probably should get them out so they can cool off.”
“Far out!”
The two girls made their way toward the kitchen. Fluttershy took it upon herself to find an oven mitt, taking it by her out, and pulled the oven door open. Tree Hugger licked her lips as her friend carefully took out the tray of brownies from the oven before setting it on the counter.
“My, they look lovely!” Fluttershy commented. “You did a wonderful job on these, Tree Hugger.”
“Ah, it was nothing,” She replied, smothering her pride.
If there’s one thing Tree Hugger knew about her friend, it was always nice to be showered by Fluttershy’s praise. But nevertheless, she refused to allow it to stroke her ego. After all, the last thing she needed was a denser aura.
“Why don’t we let these cool down a bit?” Fluttershy suggests, resting the pan on the stove. “They’ll be ready to eat by then.”
“Sounds cool to me!” Tree Hugger replied, flicking the oven off.
A sharp bark penetrated the room, and the two mares whirled around. A beagle puppy dashed through the room and all but tackled Fluttershy, licking her face like a deranged hyena.
“Oh my!” Fluttershy giggled, kneeling to pet the puppy. “I take this is the new dog you’ve told me about?”
“Yup! This radical little girl is Bella!”
Tree Hugger bents down, stroking the beagle with one hoof behind the ear.
“She seems to really dig you.”
“Aww, she’s so affectionate,” Fluttershy giggled, as Bella licked her face.
“I’m glad you were able to get a good flow with her so quickly. She was such a hoof-full when I first got her. She just kept getting into all the pot.”
“Oh, you means he was messing with your plants?” Fluttershy asked, glancing around the greenhouse of a kitchen.
“… Yeah, that too!” Tree Hugger nodded slightly. “Bit of a bummer, but we got our own little rhythm before long and now we’re… solid.”
“O-Kay…” Fluttershy blinked.
Bella nuzzled Fluttershy’s cheek, as she scratched the top of her head.
“So, uh, what do you want to do today?”
“Well, I ‘was’ assuming we’d eat brownies together.”
“Yeah, I know that!” Fluttershy giggled. “I meant ‘after’ we eat them.”
“I don’t know,” Tree Hugger shrugged happily. “Maybe we’ll fly after that.”
Fluttershy blinked again, even more perplexed.
“But… You don’t have any wings.”
“Heh-heh… Yeah, I know.”
Bella wiggled out of Fluttershy’s grasp, bounding around excitedly.
“Well, it certainly seems we should spend a time with Mary-Jane,” Fluttershy observed.
“I figured as much,” Tree Hugger grinned. “Think the brownies are ready to eat?”
“Probably.”
Pushing themselves off the floor, Fluttershy and Tree Hugger made their way to the kitchen. Bella whined slightly, desiring more attention. She received a pet on the head for her effort, courtesy of Fluttershy, and excitedly leapt when she saw the two mares go for the brownies.
“Come on Bella.” Tree Hugger giggled, patting the pup’s back. “You know dogs can’t have what’s in there; really bums out the mellow.”
“She’s right, Bella,” Fluttershy nodded. “Chocolate’s no good for dogs. Forgive me for being blunt, but you can’t have any.”
Bella whined but saw reason in Fluttershy’s argument. She resigned herself to lying down on the couch, expectantly awaiting more puppy love when the two mares came back. Tree Hugger pulls a brownie from the tray, its warmth radiated through her hoof.
“Lets hurry up and eat,” Tree Hugger suggested. “I’ve got the munchies just thinking about ‘em.”
“That’s a really good idea,” Fluttershy agreed, taking a brownie for herself. “I’m feeling a bit peckish myself.”
Tree Hugger dove into hers, the first bite a delightful mix of fluffy, chocolatey goodness. Not to mention her own ‘personal’ touch that she could easily recognized. Her aura practically shivered pink at the taste, as she turned to see how Fluttershy was doing.
Surprisingly, a look of discomfort plastered on her friend’s face. She chewed her first bite awkwardly, turning the brownie over and over along her plate, seemingly perplexed by something. Undoubtedly, just to be polite, she swallowed the first bite and finished off the rest of the browning before choosing to voice her concern.
“Um… Tree Hugger?” Fluttershy spoke, wiping the crumbs off her face.
“Yeah, what’s up?” Tree Hugger raised an eyebrow.
“I… uh… I don’t mean to be rude. But don’t these brownies taste a little… funny?”
Tree Hugger practically polished hers off before responding.
“Oh yeah, don’t worry ‘bout it. It’s just the marijuana.”
“I guess that makes… Huh?” Fluttershy gasped, her eyes shot open. “What did you say?”
“Yeah, funny story,” Tree Hugger chuckled. “I added a bunch of pot for my brownie recipe. Figured you deserve a good time for your first visit.”
Fluttershy looked from the stack of brownies remaining to Tree Hugger’s happy face. Her yellow face paled as whitely as a marshmallow. Her pupils shrunk instantly, as a tint of red formed in the white of her eyes.
“O-Oh… My…”
“I know, right?” Tree Hugger smiled. “Prepare for all the good vibes, Flutters. Ah… righteous!”
<>
Two hours later…
The licked-clean brownie tray sat between the two mares as they reclined comfortably on Tree Hugger’s couch. At first, Fluttershy gone full blown panic mode, knowing she was about to be stone. Bella cowered in the corner, while Tree Hugger tried calming her. But it all ended abruptly the moment the hunger kicked in, transforming Fluttershy’s panic into a drive for good. Unfortunately—or fortunately, given the hindsight—the only thing close and edible were the rest of those brownies.
Despite Fluttershy’s consternation with the idea, she eventually gave in to the hunger. The yellow Pegasus plowed through the remainder of those over-baked brownies, cannabis and all.
“I just feel like…” Fluttershy blinked slowly. “Like I’m too shy sometimes, you know?”
“No… You?” Tree Hugger’s head flopped to the side. “When have you ever been ‘shy’?”
“Well, like this one time… I met this mare, right?”
“Who?”
“Twilight Sparkle.”
“Ah yeah, the Princess… Radical!”
“Anyway, she asked me what my name was, and all I could do is member through my mane!”
Fluttershy brushed a few pink strands over her lips to prove a point.
“Like this!” Fluttershy pointed out.
“Uh huh, uh huh…” Tree Hugger nodded, glued to her friend’s lips.
“The oddest part is I can’t even remember what me so shy! Even after we became friends… Actually, I’m still shy around ‘all’ my friends.”
“Sounds like some pony or something’s harshing your mellow, Flutters.”
“Exactly! I just don’t know what!”
Fluttershy rubbed her eyes, blowing her hair away from her mouth.
“Hmm…” Tree Hugger thought, squinting her eyes. “Maybe you have a deep-seated psychological fear of speaking out. No doubt brought about by years of conflicting emotional turmoil or some traumatic childhood experience. Either way, it’s ingrained this feeling of helplessness into your inner psyche.”
“… Maybe, I just need more protein in my diet?” Fluttershy mused.
Tree Hugger rocketed upright, as if the nature pony had an epiphany.
“Dude!”
“What?”
“That’s like… totally it!”
Fluttershy looked up toward the ceiling.
“Wow… Feels like we just made a breakthrough.”
“Totally!” Tree Hugger nodded.
The two mares sank further into the couch, their thought process propelled by the softness of the cushions.
“I don’t know why I never tried this ‘getting stoned’ thing, Treezie,” Fluttershy sighed. “This was a great idea!”
“Thanks!” Tree Hugged sighed, stretching her limbs. “It feels so good to just ‘mellow out’.”
It was then Tree Hugger paused and turned noting how her hoof was softly caressing Fluttershy’s. She brought her hoof close enough to touch her snout, before waving it back and forth slowly.
“Whoa…”
“What?” Fluttershy asked, in a daze. “You’re hoof look funny again.”
“Nah man, it’s yours…” Tree Hugger replied. “This is like… The fifth time or what?”
“… Crazy.”
Tree Hugger continued to stare at her friend’s hoof, brushing it back and forth monotonously with her free hoof.
“I’ve got to know the pony you are seeing…” Tree Hugger replied. “So soft… Far out.”
“Mmm…” Fluttershy nodded absentmindedly.
Tree Hugger soon took Fluttershy’s hoof to her lips, kissing it slowly enjoying the very texture of Fluttershy’s softness as her fur brushed upon the nature lover’s lips. Fluttershy eventually turned lazily toward Tree Hugger, smiling as she brushed Tree Hugger’s face with her other hoof.
“What about you, Tree Hugger?”
“Huh?”
Tree Hugger abandoned Fluttershy’s hoof, letting it drop along the couch as she looked into her eyes.
“What about me?” Tree Hugger asked confused.
“What’s your deal?” Fluttershy asked.
“My deal?”
“Yeah, like…” Fluttershy adjusted herself. “I’m shy and stuff, practically in my name. What’s your deal?”
“Oh…” Tree Hugger’s eyes lazily darted around. “Well, I’m not shy… If that’s what you were thinking.”
“Heh-heh… Yeah, no you’re not,” Fluttershy giggled, booping Tree Hugger’s nose.
“Well… I guess I really don’t have much of a deal then,” Tree Hugger declared.
Fluttershy turned forward, then back again.
“Maybe… your deal is… you’re a hippie.”
“What?” Tree Hugger laughed. “Nah, that ain’t me. I’m not hip.”
“You sure act like one.”
“Pfft, noo…” Tree Hugger grinned. “You’re crazy!”
“You’re crazier!”
“Whoa… That’s harsh. Okay, name ‘one’ thing about me that screams hippie.”
“Well…” Fluttershy blinked slowly. “You’re the only pony I know that has marijuana.”
Tree Hugger froze, her eyes fully wide. She stayed still for several seconds more, only the rise and fall of her chest indicated she was still alive. Eventually her head fell back upon the couch.
“Sweet Celestia… I am a hippie!”
“Told you so!” Fluttershy giggled.
“Dang… You know me better than I know myself,” Tree Hugger sighed, biting her lip. “It’s like we have this vibe, that connects us. You feel me?”
Fluttershy placed a hoof upon Tree Hugger’s shoulder, caressing the spot while her eyes looked on with just a hint of lust.
“Oh yes… Now I do.”
Tree Hugger, in the meantime, turned toward the ceiling and reached up with a single hoof.
“I always believed there’s like this cosmic energy that binds us all together. Not just as ‘friends’, you know? It’s all just up there, swirling with mellow all of its own, and we’re down here blazing to our own!”
Tree Hugger’s hoof swayed back and forth, representing the swirling of the cosmic forces at work.
“And you know what? It’s all just so… groovy.”
“That was so poetic, Tree Hugger,” Fluttershy yawned.
Tree’s hoof stopped swaying, as she brought it down toward Fluttershy’s face before she leans forward and presses her lips against Fluttershy’s. The two mares lock lips, kissing passionately as sweet moans were muffled. Their hooves exploring each other, while their eyes were closed and the two enjoyed the taste. After a while, they pull back as their eyes slowly open.
“Was that radical enough for you?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yeah…” Tree Hugger squinted. “This is like… the fifth time today.”
“I could go for ‘six’…”
Just then, several barks from the kitchen interrupted the girls before they could proceed. They could hear several clacks of paws scratching the tile. Tree Hugger peered past Fluttershy toward the kitchen.
“Uh oh… Bella found my weed stash.”
“Oh my, should we stop her before she eats any?”
“Nah, I always keep the stash on the top shelf of the cabinet. She couldn’t reach it anyway, I know her. She’ll just jump around and tire herself out after a while.”
“Okay…”
The two sat in silence for about two seconds, though in their state it felt close to two hours.
“You need to come over more often,” Tree Hugger decided. “This whole experience has been radical.”
“Yeah…” Fluttershy smiled. “Maybe we could invite Discord too?”
“Sure! I bet his stand-up’s groovier when he’s stoned.”
Laughter bubbled out of Fluttershy, who found herself unable to stop.
“Oh! And The Smooze too!” Tree Hugger added. “We could totally, like, bliss out together again.”
Sucking in a deep breath, Tree Hugger began performing her ‘Sonic Bliss’ song. The pony screeched like a dolphin, the soothing sounds vibrating upon her lips. Fluttershy kept giggling at the very display. This went on for a while before Tree Hugger eventually stopped.
“Aw man…” Tree Hugger sighed. “I just realized my aura’s like all kinds of yellow… And I still got a case of the munchies!”
Fluttershy poked her belly, feeling hollow herself.
“Yeah… Me too.”
“… More brownies?”
A dopey smile spread on Fluttershy’s face.
“Groovy!”
