Prologue: Escaping the Aviary
Fluttershy landed in front of the home of her parents, having received a letter from her mother about Zephyr bringing home a mare for the first time. Fluttershy didn’t waste time letting her friends know that she was going to Cloudsdale, nor any last-minute tasks for her animals. She knew that whenever Discord couldn’t find her, the Element of Chaos took care of her responsibilities with a snap of his fingers. So Fluttershy swung the door open and took to the sky.
Last time she saw her brother in Cloudsdale, the yellow pegasus thought her relationship with Rainbow Dash was solid. But the two of them had broken up for quite some time now, and the rainbow-maned pegasus recently started seeing one of their mutual friends. So the feeling of her brother becoming a professional mane therapist and potentially getting serious with a mare left a twisting feeling in Fluttershy’s gut. Regardless, she smiled as she gently knocked her parents’ door. Was the mysterious marefriend on the other side of the door? Fluttershy’s heart started beating fast as she heard the pitter-patter of hooves growing louder, right before she heard fumbling against the door…
...the door opened, revealing her mother as she grinned at her daughter. Waving her hoof in the direction of the house, Fluttershy’s mother moved out of the way as Fluttershy walked into the house. Glancing at the kitchen table, Fluttershy saw her brother staring intently with a soft smile at a lavender mare with a short, curly white mane and white spots decorating her pelt. The mare stopped speaking to Zephyr, her clear blue eyes landing on Fluttershy.
“It’s you!” the mare squealed, jumping out of her chair and galloping towards the pegasus. Just as Fluttershy barely lifted her forehooves, the lavender mare knocked Fluttershy over and embraced her. After two seconds, the mare stepped back with a hoof covering her grin.
“Sorry about that,” the mare giggled. “And I hadn’t even introduced myself, I’m Plum Pillow. Well, I only went by Plum until I got my cutie mark in making pillows. See?”
Plum turned around, revealing the white pillow cutie mark on her flank. Fluttershy blushed, thanking Celestia for Plum’s long white tail covering the rest of her. Fluttershy couldn’t even remember the last time she had rubbed pussies with Rainbow Dash, and looked away as she got back on her four hooves. Still, Fluttershy managed a smile as she eventually returned eye contact.
“It’s g-good to meet you, Plum Pillow,” Fluttershy told her. “I’m just happy that Zephyr moved on from his crush.”
“Hey, as soon as you told me about the two of you, I knew I had to move on,” Zephyr shrugged. “And I’m better for it, as you can see.”
“How did you two meet?” Fluttershy asked.
“Well, this darling wanted me to cut her mane a lot shorter, and the rest is history,” Zephyr winked as Plum walked over to her coltfriend, wrapping a foreleg around his shoulders. “We even went out for drinks after I was off work.”
“That’s wonderful,” Fluttershy’s previously strained smile gave way to a more natural one, if only for a moment. After all, nopony spoke after her, and just as the silence was closing in on her, her mother placed a hoof on her shoulder.
“Did you want to see the revisions I made to my garden?” She asked.
“Oh, I would love to,” Fluttershy responded, following her mother.
“Don’t worry, you two,” Their mother glanced at Zephyr and his marefriend as she made her way to the backyard. “I’ll get started on dinner in just a few minutes.”
Fluttershy followed her mother, noticing that the other pegasus’ smile faltered as she stepped closer to her garden. Fluttershy glanced, gasping at the variety of tomatoes, carrots, and other plants that she was unfamiliar with.
“What’s wrong? Your garden looks better than ever!” Fluttershy exclaimed, leaning closer and sniffing one of the plants that had a familiar tang to it.
“It’s not the garden,” Her mother sighed. “With you saving Equestria left and right, and your brother’s success and his marefriend, I can’t help but feel…”
Fluttershy felt her heart jump in her chest when her mother covered her face with one of her forehooves, a choked sound escaping her mouth. She leaped towards her mother, wrapping her forelegs around her.
“Mom! You still have a lot of years left,” Fluttershy reassured her. “And you have Dad, everything’s going to be okay.”
“It’s not that,” Her mother placed her glasses next to her flowers, wiping her eyes. “Take a deep breath, Fluttershy. I have something to tell you.”
“Okay?” Fluttershy slowly inhaled and exhaled, reminding herself to keep her composure for the mare that had raised her. But still, a voice in her head told her that nothing would be the same. “Tell me.”
“Several years before I met your father, I slept with a stallion in high school,” Her mother explained. “I...became pregnant, and after eleven months, I gave birth to a filly and gave her up to a couple. They moved, and I haven’t heard from them since.”
“We have a sister?” Fluttershy whispered. “Did you try getting back into contact with them?”
“I wanted to move on with my life, and then I met your father,” Her mother admitted. “I figured, if they wanted to tell her about her real mother, I would’ve heard from her. But if I kept her, would her life be like yours? Oh honey, I’m so s-sorry.”
“Well, I’m not the one you should be apologizing to,” Fluttershy shrugged, resting her left wing on her mother’s back. “Where did the couple move to?”
“Las Pegasus, I think?” Her mother picked up her glasses with the tips of her wing, placing them back on her face. She stared at the ground, and Fluttershy let go of embracing her mother.
“I know what’s on your mind,” Fluttershy stepped back, tucking her wing back against her side. “I’ll go alone, that way I can find out if she’s okay with meeting you. You can prepare yourself and Zephyr in the meantime.”
“You’d do that for me?” Fluttershy’s mother made eye contact with her, and Fluttershy was blessed not to be the Element of Honesty. Otherwise she would’ve made her mother feel worse than she already did.
“Of course,” Fluttershy broke eye contact, turning around and opening her wings. “You can tell Zephyr, sorry to skip dinner.”
Before her mother could respond, Fluttershy jumped off the clouds and took to the sky. She already had it mapped out: fly back home and let Discord and her friends know, sail through White Tail Woods, and arrive at Las Pegasus before midnight. As Fluttershy set her sights on Ponyville, she imagined the years where her and Zephyr grew up under the care of their parents, all the while her sister was far away. Was she happy? Did she have a better life there, with her own siblings in Las Pegasus?
Fluttershy prayed so to Celestia, she didn’t know if she could look her mother in the eye if she found out that her sister was abused or abandoned. Regardless, she would fly to the ends of the land to find her. Fluttershy flew towards an open window at the School of Friendship, flying in and crashing onto the office floor in a heap of yellow feathers and fur. Starlight jumped out of her seat, running to Fluttershy’s side.
“Fluttershy!” Starlight shrieked, poking her side. “Are you okay?!”
“I’m f-fine,” Fluttershy gasped, turning her body until her hooves felt the ground underneath, hoisting herself up. “Get my friends and Discord, there’s something I need to tell all of them.”
Right after Starlight nodded and teleported out of sight within a flash, Fluttershy groaned as she remembered Rainbow Dash and Applejack. She avoided seeing the former, especially when she was around Applejack, but she couldn’t leave them out.
Hopefully this trip will help me clear my head.
“Leaving so soon, my dear Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy shrieked at the sharp yellow and red eyes that appeared on the office wall, a familiar grey and long head protruded from the wall until Discord’s entire body landed on the floor next to Fluttershy.
“You didn’t need to send Starlight to come looking for me,” Discord smirked. “I’m always here when you need it.”
“So were you there when I was…” Fluttershy’s face heated up, and Discord shook his head.
“Oh no, I only saw you fly to Cloudsdale,” Discord told her. “I didn’t follow you there, Celestia knows what mischief Angel would’ve started if I left.”
“That’s true,” Fluttershy giggled. “Apparently I have a sister.”
Discord’s mouth shut closed, and his ears flickered slightly as he stared back at Fluttershy.
“And you’re the bestest friend I could ask for, but I must go find her by myself,” Fluttershy frowned. “But I promise, if she’s comfortable, I’ll introduce you two to each other.”
“Hmm,” Discord slowly nodded, and Fluttershy thought back to all the times his expression would falter when he saw her and Rainbow Dash together, and the time he tried to kiss her weeks after the breakup.
“Not now, Discord. I need to get over her.”
Fluttershy stepped closer, and placed a wing around the draconequus’ neck, pressing her head against his head. Discord sighed, his talon moving up and down Fluttershy’s back.
“It’s family, I don’t hold it against you,” Discord told her. “All your animals are safe with me, Fluttershy.”
“Thank you,” Fluttershy pressed her lips against Discord’s forehead for less than a second, and stepped back as she heard the door open. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity trotted into the room.
“Darling, are you alright?” Rarity asked.
“Yeah, Starlight busted into the barn shouting about you needing us,” Dash shrugged. “Er, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong...” Fluttershy looked at the ground.
“Oh I get it!” Pinkie spoke up.
“You do?” Fluttershy lifted her head up, meeting the party pony’s eyes.
“Yeah! You and Discord are dating right?” Pinkie grinned.
“W-Wha?! No!” Fluttershy blushed, refusing to look in Discord’s direction. “I have another sister.”
“Ah shucks!” Applejack walked towards Fluttershy, pulling her into a tight embrace. “Congratulations, Flutters! There ain’t nothin’ better in the world than family, ah’ll tell ya.”
“Darling, that’s wonderful!” Rarity joined the embrace, glancing down at Fluttershy. “But where is she, love?”
“Well, I’ll tell you after I find her,” Fluttershy told them. “As much as I wanted to tell all of you this, this is a journey I must make alone.”
“I’ll have to wait till you get back to throw you a ‘long lost sister’ party?” Pinkie pouted.
“I’m afraid so,” Fluttershy scratched the back of her ear with her hoof. “I must be going, so one last group hug?”
Fluttershy flinched as she felt Discord wrap himself around her like a snake, tucking his head underneath her chin and letting out a subtle purr. Rainbow Dash flew to Fluttershy and hugged her, the rest of her friends standing over Discord’s body and hugging Fluttershy as well. As her friends finished the group embrace and stepped back, Discord looked at her with a dizzying, lop-sided smile before snapping his fingers and disappearing.
Fluttershy’s friends followed her as she walked outside of the School of Friendship, and gave the pegasus their best wishes as she took off. As her friends’ voices were no longer within earshot, and Ponyville was out of sight, Fluttershy let out a much needed exhale. For the time being, there were no ponies to hold her down. There was only the sky ahead, and the sister that she had yet to meet.
Spotting White Tail Woods, and Las Pegasus farther ahead, Fluttershy continued onward.
After landing in Las Pegasus, Fluttershy realized that she hadn’t even asked what her sister looked like, or her adoptive parents for that matter. That led to the yellow pegasus knocking on every house and establishment door in sight, asking if they’d adopted a daughter from her mother. By the end of the day, Fluttershy stared down at the ground, her tail dragging through the clouds as she walked to the nearest hotel. Stopping at the hotel’s entrance, Fluttershy shook her mane with her wings, her blood running cold as no bits fell out of her mane.
I didn’t bring any bits!
Fluttershy shrieked as a bright red burst of magic exploded near her, coughing as the magic faded away, revealing a bright red gift box with blue ribbon and a note attached. Stepping forward, Fluttershy lifted the note in her hoof:
I said I’m always here for you, aren’t I?
Fluttershy opened the gift box, gasping as she saw a huge bag of bits as well as several pictures, papers, and an empty backpack. Lifting the closest picture to her, Fluttershy looked at the bright red filly with a white and black muzzle. Her tiny wings had specks of green and blue and the filly had a long red tail.
Is this my sister?
Fluttershy placed all of the box’s contents into the backpack, placing her wings in the backpack straps, and making her way to the hotel. Now that she had the picture and address of her sister’s adoptive parents, she knew just where her first stop would be in the morning.
After eating a complimentary pastry at the hotel, which only charged her half for a very spacious room where she could read the papers and view the pictures in full details, Fluttershy found herself at a small house. The hotel receptionist was gushing about how Fluttershy and her friends had saved Equestria over and over again, and the pegasus couldn’t help but wonder if she could’ve still landed a room without Discord’s gift. Perhaps, but who knows how many weeks it could’ve taken before even reaching the right neighborhood. Fluttershy shuddered at the thought, stepping closer to the red painted door and lifting her hoof up. Was she here? Did she move? Fluttershy closed her eyes shut and knocked on the door three times before waiting.
The door opened, revealing a black pegasus mare with white splotches and orange eyes, as well as a tall and burly orange pegasus stallion with bright red eyes. Fluttershy smiled, Bat Spots and Pumpkin, just the ponies she expected.
“Hello,” Fluttershy nodded. “I heard that you adopted my sister from a mare in Cloudsdale?”
Fluttershy saw Pumpkin flinch as he glanced in the direction of his living room, and Bat Spots didn’t even try to hide her scowl.
“We did,” Bat admitted. “Marceline was a great filly in our home, but she wasn’t getting her cutie mark like the other ponies at school. So, she gathered all her belongings and decided to fly away to the jungle.”
“She said that no one would bully her there,” Pumpkin added, his eyes meeting Fluttershy once more. “Did you want to come in?”
“I don’t think so,” Fluttershy shook her head. “Do you know which jungle? Have you ever seen her since?”
“She said there was one near White Tail Woods, and that she’d send letters,” Bat’s ears flattened as tears came to her eyes. “We come there every year, but we never find her. Haven’t received a single letter.”
So three ponies failed her.
“Thank you for your time,” Fluttershy nodded, turning away and taking to the sky before all the words she really wanted to say came out into the open. There was no time to waste as she flew back to the hotel room, retrieved her backpack, and thanked the hotel receptionist as she began to leave.
“Are you sure you want to fly out this late?” the receptionist asked. “The sun is starting to set, dear.”
“I’ll be okay,” Fluttershy smiled, bumping the door open with her butt as she stepped out. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
As Fluttershy landed in the unknown jungle area just as the sky turned into a darker shade of blue, she felt her heart beating fast. Sure, she had heard of these mysterious lands as a filly, but what creatures even resided here? Chirps, growls, and yowls filled her ears as she stepped forward, staring up at the trees that were taller than she’d ever seen. A small squeak escaped her mouth as she saw a silhouette of a creature lunge from one tree branch to another, before she shook her head.
What does it matter what kind of creatures live here? You’re an animal whisperer, act like it!
A break of several branches on the ground snapped Fluttershy out of her thoughts, as she nearly pissed herself as she stared at an orange feline with black spots and wide fangs.
“Oh, h-hello lovely kitty,” Fluttershy grinned as she waved her shaking hoof at him. “If you don’t mind, I’m just passing thro-”
The creature let out a loud roar, and before Fluttershy could use the Stare, the animal lunged at her. Fluttershy screamed, shielding her face with her hooves, only to feel nothing hurt her. Lowering her hooves back to the dirt, Fluttershy’s eyes widened as she saw a vine yank back the big jungle cat.
“Kevin!” a voice shouted in the darkness. “What did I tell you about not eating the tourists?”
The feline let out a grunt, shaking the vine off his neck as he briefly glanced at Fluttershy with a much softer expression.
“It’s okay,” Fluttershy smiled. “I know you were just surprised.”
The feline’s shoulders loosened up as he smiled at her, turning around and walking the opposite way, glancing at something in the darkness. Fluttershy didn’t have to wonder for long, as a slightly taller red mare with a white and black muzzle stepped out into the open, her deep blue eyes staring at her as she opened her wingspan, revealing the many green and blue dots decorating her wings. Fluttershy gasped as she held her hoof over her mouth, staring at the mare.
“Are you Marceline?” Fluttershy asked.
The red mare’s smirk and wings dropped as her mouth hung open.
“How would you know that?” the mare asked. “Oh Celestia, my parents didn’t send you here, did they?”
“Yes and no?” Fluttershy replied. “Mom told me she gave up a filly for adoption, and I went to your parents’ house for answers. They told me that you were here, and so here I am.”
“Wait,” Marceline asked, waving her hooves briefly. “We come from the same mother?”
“Looks like it,” Fluttershy felt her heart beating fast as the colors on Marceline’s pelt seemed to shine brighter with each second. “Hello, sister.”
Fluttershy’s rapid heart-beating became dizzying as Marceline continued to stare at her with her mouth hanging open. Fluttershy was about to break out into apology when Marceline grinned and lunged for her sister, the two mares tumbling in the various plants and mud.
“I have a sister!” Marceline grinned, pressing her muzzle against Fluttershy’s cheek. “I thought I’d be alone here forever, cause I didn’t want to go back to them. And I thought she’d forgotten all about me…”
The jungle noises took over the silence as Marceline looked away briefly, her jaw tightening before she smiled at her sister once more.
“But you’re here! And you exist!” Marceline squealed, tears coming to her eyes. “Oh I’m so sorry! This isn’t Canterlot, but I’m sure you’ll find something to love about my home!”
“Oh don’t worry, I’m used to wildlife,” Fluttershy adjusted her backside, revealing the three pink butterflies on her flank. Marceline gasped, getting up and revealing the three orange butterflies on her own flank.
“You’re just like me!” Marceline grinned, clapping her hooves. “Do you have your own jungle?”
“Oh no,” Fluttershy got up. “I have a sanctuary near my cottage outside of Ponyville, all the forest animals hang out there. Including my bunny, Angel.”
“Bunny?” Marceline tilted her head. “Oh I can’t believe it! Years in this jungle, and there’s still animals that I don’t know about. You must tell me more!”
“Oh don’t worry, I will,” Fluttershy nodded. “But have you had any ponies to talk to since you came here?”
“Well, tourists that have gotten themselves lost,” Marceline shrugged, turning around and opening up her wings. “But they’d never stay longer than a week. Let me get your backpack to my treehouse, we need to clean you up!”
Fluttershy blushed at the thought of those crimson hooves rubbing the mud off her wings, and willed said wings to stay by her side as she nodded and followed her sister as she flew further into the jungle.
