Author's Note

My first story on this site

The Flower

Was it wise to take a walk in Everfree, especially when exhausted from caring for animals and teaching the young? Nope. But she didn't care.

Fluttershy had a trail she mapped out to avoid the beasts of the forest. She encountered some beasts but she learned outsmart and/or outscare them. It's was funny.

Years ago, she would've been mortified about going in but here she was now. The Defacto Queen of Everfree.

Of course, she didn't think anyone else would be in this forest. It would be suicidal. She had found bones of many creature before and, so far, no survivors. She once found a camp that looked deserted with only one skeleton in a half-assed grave but, upon closer examination, she found it was mass grave of campers with the half-assed grave being the one digging them. They'd dug a hole for themselves and covered it the best they could before passing on.

This was but one of many discoveries she'd found but this time, she'd found something that topped it.

As she trotted deeper and deeper into the forest, she heard something. Yelling. She'd heard this yelling before and knows it all too well.

She bolted towards the sounds, not caring about the thorns or ivy. Her mind was racing 'Why is she in here? Is she hurt? Can I get to her in time?'

soon, she finally arrived and found who she was looking for. There, sprawled on a patch of buttercups in a clearing, was Gilda.

"IF ANYONE CAN HERE ME, I WILL BEGIN CRAWLING UNTIL SOMEONE HELPS!!!!" Gilda shouted into the air. Fluttershy, not wanting her to hurt herself, ran out of the forest and into the clearing. "I'M HERE, I'M HERE" She yelled, er "yeller", out to stop her.

Gilda's face flushed before rolling her eyes "O-oh, it's t-t-the wimp".

Fluttershy halted. She wanted to scold the griffin for insulting her again but then she noticed her legs and wings. They where covered with enough cuts and slashes that it made her queasy. "Are you okay, what happened?" She asked moving closer to the griffon. Gilda's face got redder as she tried to scoot away, but the pain caused her yelp and give up. "Some birds made of metal attacked me while flying over the forest. I tried fighting back but talons on metal is very weak. The swarmed a cut me with their damn feathers, causing me to fall out of the sky".

'Metal birds?' Fluttershy thought as she examined the Hriffin's wounds "Why where you flying over Everfree to begin with?".

Gilda huffed "None of your business".

Fluttershy sighed "Alright then, I can't do anything here. If you want, I can carry you to my house to recover". Gilda blushed and scoffed "Carry? I'm half lion, remember. I'm heavy as heck".

Fluttershy giggled "I've carried heavier". 'Heavier?' Gilda thought. Her thoughts were shattered when the Yellow Mare heaved the Griffin onto her back.

Gilda covered her face in embarrassment "H-HEY. What the heck".
The Mare ignored the Griffin's protests and carried her out of the forest and back to her home.

Gilda was laid on a makeshift bed as Fluttershy bandaged her legs and wings. 'She's so close' Gilda's mind raced as Fluttershy got closer to her face to take care of her front legs. "Alright, that should be it" The Mare said in exhaustion "Now just rest and you'll be better by tomorrow".

"TOMORROW!?!?!" Gilda shouted "But the Eros Peony will wilt by tomorrow".

"Eros Peony?" Fluttershy asked "Is that a flower?". Gilda was nervous, she'd just blurted out the surprise for something as stupid as diagnosis. "The Eros Peony, it's the reason why I flew over the forest" She explained nervously "It blooms every late spring and only grows in the middle of Everfree".

"Why would you risk your life for a flower?" The Mare asked, intrigued by this plant. "No reason. Not at all" Gilda said in a panic.

Fluttershy knew something was up but she decided not to push it. She is a guest, after all.

After a while, Gilda fell asleep. This left Fluttershy somewhat alone. As if on queue, Angel threw a book at her. The angry hare furiously pointed at the kitchen, demanding to be fed. Fluttershy shook her head and leaned down to pick the book up. She then noticed the book's title.

"Obscure Plants and Where to Find Them".

'Convenient' She thought. She fed her little demon and proceeded to head to the living room with the book. There, she flipped through pages until she found the flower. "The Eros Peony. A rare flower found in The Everfree Forest. It is also known as the Lover's Flower as multiple cultures believe that presenting the flower to a person they love will make the relationship last forever".

Fluttershy glanced the sleeping griffin 'Aw, she's in love'.

Gilda rolled in her sleep and began muttering. It was hard to hear but Fluttershy swore she heard something about a "Soft Pink Mane" and "Beautiful Yellow Feathers". The Mare decided to head to her room, as to not intrude on her sleeping. Still, she felt off hearing what she said. Who has a pink man and yellow feathers other than her?

"Fluttershy" Gilda called from the living room "Come here". The Pegasus walked out of her room and saw the griffin laying on the couch. "What is it?" She asked nervously.

"I know you heard me last night" She said, getting up.

Fluttershy gulped nervously "I-I did. I'm so sorry for listening. It was a private moment in your mind and I had no right to listen". Gilda shook her head "You know I'm gonna have to punish you?"

"Punish me. how?" She said, her face redder than an apple. "Like this" Gilda said with a smirk before getting closer to her face. She began to feel hot as the griffin kept closing the gap between them. Just as she was about close it completely, She awoke.

Her body was covered in sweat, her heart beating like a drum. She finally put the pieces together, SHE was who Gilda loved.

Fluttershy tossed around nervously 'Why me? Why not Rainbow Dash or Spike or anyone?'. As her mind raced, she came to a conclusion that, though comforting in way, made her stress out more 'Oh no, I love her too'. She rose from her bed and looked out the window. Luna's Moon has begun to lower but there was still time.

Something urged her to find the flower, like it was an instinct. She needed to find it badly but was nervous about leaving Gilda alone. She decided to give the flower to the gryphon when she wakes up. She leaves the cottage without a second thought.

Gilda awoke when a book was hurled at her head. "DAMNIT" She yelled as she rose. Her body was sore from the other day but she was recovered enough to move. She looked down to see the book that woke her up: A Bestiary.

With the birds' still fresh in her mind, she decided to research them. She gasped as she came upon the birds' page. 'Thank Celestia I fell far away from that thing' She thought before another book was thrown at her "WHO KEEPS THROWING BOOKS AT ME!!!".

Angel stomped his leg in anger as he pointed a piece of paper sticking out of the thrown book. Gilda picked it up and opened to the marked page. Her heart sank as she saw the page on the flower 'Oh no, Fluttershy'. She looked around and noticed she was gone. "Dammit, that big hearted idiot" She swore before turning to the hare "Thanks, is there anything I can do to repay you?".

Angel pointed at the kitchen with anger. "Figures".

Fluttershy was, in a way, in a trance. She'd walked deeper into the woods than anyone could record. It was already a pain to see in the woods with tree's almost blocking out the light but now it was completely covered. The only source of light being bioluminescent mushrooms.

But she kept going. It was like how geese migrate, only more dangerous.

She kept her mind focused, even when she passed her 7th skeleton. Or was it 8th. She'd lost count after.....after.....It didn't matter. All that mattered was the flower. Why did she want it again? She'd forgotten a while ago. It probably wasn't important enough.

As she kept walking, the sound of wings flapping began to fill the air.

Flapping. Calms, relaxing flapping. It sounded so soothing, like ocean waves crashing on the beach.

It was so...so...relaxing. She yawned as the flapping grew louder. She wasn't out long, was she? It's only been 5..6...7......8....sleep........now.

She was startled awake by the sound of a screech. A very familiar screech. 'GILDA' Her mind finally cleared itself of the trance as the metal birds began to flee. "FLUTTERSHY" Gilda yelled before screeching at the sky, clearing more birds.

"Gilda" She answered as she tried to walk before collapsed from pain. She didn't notice that, somehow, the birds had began to tear at her back legs. "GILDA" She shouted, hurting her throat. It was worth it when the griffon barreled into sight. Her vision began to go blurry as Gilda got closer. She passes out.

Fluttershy opens her eyes to see her room's ceiling.

'It-it was a dream' She thought until, while trying to adjust, a spike a pain shot through her 'Not a dream, NOT A DREAM'. As she began to recount what happened, Gilda enters the room. "Oh, y-you're awake" She stutters "Good".

"What happened?" She slurs, her voice hoarse from....something. "You went into Everfree to find a flower" Gilda said bluntly. "That's right, The Eros Peony" She sat up "Oh, it's probably withered by now. I'm sorry Gilda". Gilda laughs "It's fine, thing didn't even exist".

"What".

"Thanks to your rabbit, I figured out the birds WHERE the flower, in a way" She placed the bestiary in front of her flipped to the page.

"The Stymphalian Bird" Fluttershy began to read "The Stymphalian Bird is a rare species of bird with an unusual body and even more unusual hunting tactics. They consume metal left behind by travelers in their native habitat of Everfree as a way to make their beaks strong and their feathers sharp and shiny to attract their main source of food, Crows. They uses their sharp feathers as blades by swooping around their prey. In causes of hunting larger prey, it has been stated that they can use their feathers as projectiles-".

"False" Gilda interrupted "When I went to save you and when I was attacked, they didn't throw squat".

Fluttershy continued "It's most unusual behavior is planting memetic dander within trees in paper farms. No matter what paper is made, it will implant the idea of a flower that brings love. This idea will fester until it drives the reader into it's home. Those with strong will have been known to break out of this 'Trance' but most will end up within the nest. The Birds will then swarm and kill the victim then use it's bones build it's nest bigger". Fluttershy felt faint as she read that last line.

"Yeah, I kind of felt the same" Gilda admitted. "Their is nothing in here about noise hurting them," Fluttershy said, throwing the book to the floor "How did you figure it out?". "I guessed. You figure a metal creature would get injured by sound" She laughed awkwardly "Still, I was afraid you might get killed before I-I-".

"It's okay, I figured it out" Fluttershy admitted before she smiled "I feel the same way".

Gilda stood in silence, her face as red as a beet. She finally began laugh "Oh thank Celestia". She laid across Fluttershy out of exhaustion "I've been beating myself up for a while for NOT CONFESSING. Good thing ponies are better at sappy stuff".

Fluttershy playfully put her hooves on her hips "What's that supposed to mean?". Gilda stuttered before the pegasus giggled "I'm joking". She places a kiss on the nervous Griffin's forehead.

"I don't need a flower to love you".